My Beliefs

My beliefs regarding technology in the classroom can be summed up in three main categories. 1.)The advantages of technology in the classroom. 2.)The disadvantages of technology in the classroom. and 3.)The future of technology in the classroom. First of all technology is a great resource for students to get connected with the entire world. The world is continually making advances in technology as a whole therefore technology is needed to learn and grow with the rest of the world. Along with that, students need to be prepared for the future. Teachers should feel obligated to use technology in order to properly prepare students for the future. Students will be behind if they do not understand how to navigate technology.
The disadvantages are easy to find and can really create a lot of fear of technology. One big disadvantage is how it weakens an individuals ability to communicate face to face. The internet is great because it connects people instantly countries apart, while at the same time it does not allow students to talk to each other the people that they encounter everyday. Another disadvantage is that there are a lot of dangerous stuff available on the internet. Small children can easily access pornography and get trapped by predators if they are not properly taught the dangers of the internet.
The truth of technology is that it is growing, and it is growing very quickly. Students in today's classroom need to be exposed to technology because it is the future. Even skills that haven't needed technology for the longest time, like agriculture and cabinetry, are becoming more dependent on technology. I can even foresee the classroom becoming completely interactive where students can do their school work completely from home and teachers teach through a computer. Technology should not be ran from, but embraced and understood as much as possible. It should be used as stepping stones and not stumbling blocks.

Lessons Learned

I really enjoyed the article entitled "Why Integrate Technology." The author really got down to the nitty gritty. I agree that there are so many ways to use technology in the classroom, and teachers are not taking advantage of the opportunities. I learned about the benefits of using technology in the classroom. I have always thought that using technology in the classroom would be more distracting for students; this article suggested that technology actually helps students stay on task during class and it helps them concentrate. The images and sounds really fit into their learning styles and should be embraced and not neglected.
Wow, the shift happens video was crazy. The line that sums it all up is the one that said, "Sometimes size does matter." I knew that China had so many people but this video really puts those numbers into perspective. The scary thing is that since those countries will have much more advanced students then the us it means that foreigners and immigrants will be taking the jobs that Americans are continually becoming more and more unqualified for. The other fact that really blew my mind was the idea that jobs are becoming more and more advanced to the point that they cannot be taught in school because it hasn't been invented or developed yet.
"Millennial Generation" really opened my eyes to the world of portable media. I do not have a smart phone myself and so even the small concepts were surprising to me, like watching television on a telephone. I thought the concept of removing credit cards off of the market was fascinating. I didn't even know that we were approaching that sort of business. It is comforting to know that my credit cards could not be stolen if I don't have any.

Strengths and Weaknesses

. My main strengths are the standard all around strengths. I feel like I am proficient in my ability to navigate a computer and produce documents and files necessary to teach. I feel like I am young enough and persistent enough to troubleshoot my way through any potential problems. I understand a lot of computer navigation because I have grown up being on the computer for extended periods of time.
. The weaknesses that I have in computers is in my ability to communicate what I am doing on a computer and why it is done the way it is. I simply don't have the jargon under my belt. Another weakness I have is still the lack of understanding of the laws and guidelines with regards to copyright laws and regulations. I was not even aware of copyright issues before I took this class. I never remember seeing any evidence of attribution or permission from the producers of media that my teachers used.
. A couple simple things need to take place in order to overcome these weaknesses. I was able to find a number of podcasts that will help me become more knowledgeable of the copyright laws. The link to these podcasts are here. A great book that would be a great companion to help me learn computer language is Understanding Computers: Today and Tomorrow, Comprehensive, By Deborah Morley, Charles S. Parker. One of the problems I have with trouble shooting is that I don't know the correct termonology for tasks which inhibits my ability to work through them.

12 April Avatars and Simulations

This weeks tool includes resources like Vokis, Animotos, and iGoogle. The three of these are different in function but are comparably valuable.
The voki is a great resource to use to give the students a form to express themselves. Sometimes it is hard to get kids to write. Kids like this sort of medium to communicate. The animoto is a great way to to create a short video that looks quite professional. Teachers could use it to create a digital photo story or a video of the class. iGoogle is really just a fun app for the kids. It is is great way to get information.
I can definitely see myself using these tools. The voki is a great resource to teach voice. Everyone has a different voice and the voki would be a great way to let the students practice the different voices. I really like the voki apps as a resource to get students into current events.

5 April- Internet Saftey

What?
This week we learned all about internet safety in the classroom. This is a really serious issue that I didn't know much about before.
As a teacher I really need to be aware of what I assign my students to do online because there are a number of bad places that I could unintentionally lead them. It would probably be very helpful for me to collaborate with other teachers and parents about what needs to be done to keep the internet searching safe.
It is also important for me as a teacher to discourage any form of bullying and in this case cyber bullying.
As a start to this I need to eliminate any type of bullying in my classroom and help all the students understand the importance of respecting each other. Nothing should be said online that one would not say in front of the person he or she is talking about. As an English teacher I need to emphasize the use of good appropriate websites in order to keep my students away from the trashy ones. There are a number of good websites to do research.

Now What?
What does this technology mean to my future students? How does this new information change my current schema? How will this information change the type of teacher I will be in the future? What kinds of assignments can I give my students so that they are engaged and so that they can collaborate with other students both within and without the school? How will this help me to become a better future teacher? How will this information help me to become a better future colleague? How can this information change the type of collaboration we engage in ...in our department? This is where you discuss your passions, emotions, and beliefs for the future. This should be about 1 paragraph long.