January 24. 2010

A Vision of Students Today by Michael Wesch
In the movie A Vision of Students Today by Michael Wesch, I can see that I am not the only student in the U.S. that feels the way I do about my education. I am supposed to work, go to school full time, complete hundreds of pages of reading for each class, have a social life, and prepare for the tomorrow when today has not unfolded. How is this possible? I ask myself that question every day. Somehow i make it all happen.

“I am a multi-tasker (I have to be)”. I also “buy hundred dollar textbooks that I never open.” I might complete “49% of reading assignments” but most likely I do not have to. These are signs that were held up in the movie that apply to me although there are many more. The only part of the video I do not agree with is when the scantron is held up with “this won’t help me get there” written on it. It might not help right this minute, but in order to get there that is one thing we as students have to do. Complete tests that we most likely remember just to get the grade, so we can receive a piece of paper in the end. If the walls could talk, I am sure they would be screaming for a CHANGE!

"It's Not About the Technology" by Kelly Hines


Ms. Hines wrote in “It’s Not About the Technology” four main points that should be considered for all teachers and future educators. I think that changes need to be made in the classroom that involves engaging the students to be creative and innovative. Teachers should also be continuously learning new skills and new tools to better our teaching. “Teachers should be learners.” Educators must also incorporate the different styles of learning in their teaching because “teaching and learning are different.” What may work for three or four students may not work for the others.

Her main point says “technology is useless without good teaching,” in a classroom setting I agree to an extent. If the teacher has the technology available and does not use it to its full extent then the technology is not useless because it can still be used. But, the teacher is not upholding his or her duty to be a learner, and the students will not receive the benefits technology holds from that teacher. The fourth point, “be a 21st century teacher without the technology” is where I get kind of confused. If I am going to be a 21st century educator and not use technology, why be a teacher… I agree that core principles can be taught without the use of technology, but they shouldn’t have to be. That’s what needs to change in classrooms. We have been teaching life and career skills without the use of technology, but now it's not really an option to be technology illiterate. Be innovative, be creative, and use technology. Be a learner and a teacher, and embrace the technology. It is all about the technology. Today is and tomorrow will be about technology.

"Is It Okay To Be A Technology Illiterate Teacher?" by Karl Fisch
When I read Fisch’s statement, “if a teacher today is not technologically literate - and is unwilling to make the effort to learn more - it's equivalent to a teacher 30 years ago who didn't know how to read and write,” I laughed. I did not laugh because it was funny or a joke but because it is blatantly true. Most of our society today knows how to read and write, and many are learning to use technology, but many make up excuses. Five years ago you could drop out of high school not knowing how to use a computer and find a good job,” but today it is a slim chance.

I cannot count the teachers I have had that have had the technology available in their classrooms but say, “I can’t use that thing,” “I don’t want to break it,” “it doesn’t like me and I don’t like it,” and countless other excuses. In order to prepare for the future it is imperative for you to use the most updated technology available in order to even have a glimpse at what the actual future has in store. We as educators have to do it in order to learn it and apply what we learn in order to teach it (it referring to technology). It is the best tool to incorporate different styles of learning from auditory, to visually, to hands on. It should not be acceptable to be proud of illiteracy of any fashion, especially when we have the tools to learn.


Gary Hayes Social Media Count
Watching the counter for a few minutes still has me in awe. I mean everything changes multiple times a second. There are even resources that he got the statistics from, which I have yet to completely believe but will go and check out as soon as I am finished posting this blog. It really strikes home when I see things like this especially for my future career.

I will be a teacher soon, and I want to be a technology literate teacher. This counter shows how fast technology is taking over, and soon it will not be an option. You as a person will either advance with the world or stay behind. Anything you want to know about almost anything in the world will be at your fingertips, and in many cases already is. I do not want to be left behind, but I will have to stay really busy learning new things to keep up.