Albert Einstein once stated: “It
has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our
humanity.” Although it is true that elements of our humanity have been
replaced by technology, it is also true that in today’s world technology plays
a vital role. The three most influential
communication technologies in my life are my cell phone, computer, and
television. Just like Olivia mentions in
the video, technology is indeed “my lifeline.”
My cell phone not only keeps me in contact with family and friends, but
it also allows me to access information instantaneously through the
internet. Nowadays smartphones perform
the same functions as desktop computers and laptops, but, just like the boy
stated in the video "Learning to Change, Changing to Learn,”
have the convenience of being compact and
portable. While having a smartphone is
great, there are certain tasks I feel can be completed more effectively through
a computer, such as writing papers and researching information. Having access to the internet is like having
a library of information at your disposal.
Lastly, besides entertainment, television also caters to the instant
acquisition of information. With modern
technology, we are able to view news live and receive news updates almost
immediately.
As a future educator, it is important to know what technological
resources my students have access to and are familiar with. In Olivia’s video, when the teacher asks what
technologies students have access to, she is able to establish an open communication
with her students. Knowledge of what
resources are available to my students will dictate what assignments are
appropriate for the class. Not only is
it important to understand the relationship between my students and technology,
but it is also important to understand that technology encourages creativity, critical
thinking, hands on activities, and engages students in the learning process. This is evident not only in Olivia’s video
but also in the second video “Learning to Change, Changing to Learn.” The children are able to express their
creativity when they are designing their Myspace pages. They are also able to enhance their learning
experiences by utilizing these technological resources, as is seen with the
girl who learned Japanese over the computer.
Although there are many advantages to incorporating technology into the
classroom setting, technology should be solely used as an aid and support system. It should not be allowed to take over the
classroom, because then students lose that element of humanity and those face
to face interactions that are also essential for the learning experience. Just like the girl states in the “Learning to Change, Changing to Learn” video: “I’m a person. I’m not a
computer.”
Going off on what you said, "Knowledge of what resources are available to my students will dictate what assignments are appropriate for the class," I feel that it is imperative for a teacher to know and understand where his/her students are coming from. Having that background knowledge will help the teacher when creating lesson plans and integrating technology within that lesson plan. Like you said, technology should not take over the classroom but be used as a resource and an additional tool to motivate students and encourage them to become more active in the classroom setting. Not having access to a computer at home will in a way set back the student, but it is up to the teacher to decide and figure out a way to help that student overcome that obstacle and not have the student fall behind. Teachers, especially future teachers, should be able to take that stand in their students' lives.
ReplyDeleteI really liked how you emphasized the relationship between technology and fostering creativity and critical thinking. Often, people think of technology in terms of video games and time-wasters. However, the students in the second video really did show an aptitude for using their favorite technologies to learn more about the world in areas that interest them. With today's technology, it is so easy to gain access to information about anything and students have a wonderful way of being able to creatively convey information, particularly with the help of computer programs that aid students in putting their thoughts into graphics or music that can help engage the entire class in a lesson.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI like how you argue that technology should not "take over the classroom" because then you lose the "humanity" aspect in the learning experience. My professor was sick for the past two weeks and was unable to teach her once a week course. Instead of missing the class for the second week in a row, we had our class over Skype. We came to our regular classroom and she was on the projector on Skype. Now there is video chatting that brings back the element of humanity instead of only having a written lesson, which was what she sent us the first week she was absent. I enjoy the idea of Skype because it's more personal to see someone you are communicating with. On the other hand, last semester during hurricane Sandy my professor sent us the lectures for the week as audio attachments. This takes away from the give-and-take element of being in a classroom. I cannot ask questions while the teacher is lecturing and it takes away my ability to engage with my classmates. It gets rid of those moments when students come up with unique thoughts during a lecture and it turns into a classroom discussion. At least during my Skype class we could have a classroom discussion. For students in elementary through high school, they require scaffolding in the classroom, and this cannot be done over the computer. Therefore, I completely agree that the learning process requires face-to-face interaction and technology should only aid the learning process.
ReplyDelete