"Lessons Learned"

While reading the articles and watching videos I was struck by the overwhelming amount of information and technology we have at our fingertips. I hardly remember a time we didn't have a computer at our home. I do however remember having to use an actual encyclopedia to work on assignments we had for class. Students in this day and age rarely have that experience. They know that they can find the answer to just about any question they have in seconds. I loved the article about the New WWW whenever, whatever and wherever. It really painted an accurate picture of students these days. We really have unlimited access to anything and everything, even in the most remote places. If one wants to get away from technology it will be more difficult then not.

I loved watching the videos and reading about how teachers are currently integrating technology into their classrooms. The possibilities are endless. Although funding is tight for many schools across the country there are free resources online that can be used just as effectively as the tools that cost hundreds of dollars. It was obvious to me as I was doing this research that students are very connected to the world through technology. If we do not utilize this as teachers we are missing out on huge opportunities. Field trips are expensive, and because of that they are often cut from the budget. This does not mean though that the students can't experience the outside world. Just look at GoogleEarth. You can pull up a satellite picture of anywhere in the world anytime. The possibilities of technology are endless.

It is imperative that we as teachers are able to speak the language of the students. We need to understand how they use technology and what they use it for. We need to utilize the time they spend on the web and show them how to learn using it. We need to take into account social media. We need to teach them the difference between personal and professional writing.  In my opinion our students deserve to have teachers who understand technology and enjoy it like they do. They should be able to use technology to learn and to show what they know, because it will help them in their future. After reading these articles and watching the movies I understand on a deeper level just how important it is for us as future teachers to realize that technology isn't going to go away. We can either fight it and lose or join forces with it and in turn benefit the lives of our students.

"My Beliefs"

 I believe that technology integration is imperative. Teachers that refuse to use it in their classroom will quickly become obsolete. The UIN survey stresses the importance of not only designing authentic learning activities, but also spending the time to reflect and make educational decisions regarding technology. If we do not practice that ability now we will not have the time to when we actually hit the classroom. Our students deserve to have teachers who are proficient in the NETS*T Standards, and if they are not yet that should be one of their focuses during their training. Technology is not going to become easier to understand if it is ignored. You have to experiences it first hand before you teach it. All future teachers should have a spirit of discovery when it comes to technology, because that spirit will benefit their students when they enter the classroom.

Our students are growing up in this world, and when they are our age it will be even worse. By that time we will probably be used to having constant information all day everyday. In my mind this is not a healthy thing. Attention spans are becoming shorter, kids are used to being entertained all day, and since schools do not have funding they are lagging behind. Students are becoming bored quickly and losing their interest in learning. If we want to be able to effectively combat this technology needs to be used constantly. Students need to have opportunities to explore and use their skills in ways that are not mind numbing and useless. We as teachers need to show them how to use these technologies to learn, and we need to make them excited about that ability. There are so many resources available to us as teachers we just need to take advantage of them. If we want to reach our students we need to use technology. It is a huge part of their world.

One of my favorite points from the article is that many children believe that having the latest technology will make them happy, but we as adults know that it will not. We as their teachers owe it to them to help them understand this. By the time we are actually in the classroom they may have already developed this mindset. We need to give them opportunities to see that serving and engaging in personally meaningful actions are where true happiness are.  We cannot let the cycle of constant entertainment destroy their natural curiosity and ability to learn. We are on the front lines and if we do not accept the responsibility who will? Our students deserve the best and the best for them is to use the technology they love to teach them the information they need to know.

"Strengths & Weaknesses"

I love technology, and in my opinion that is one of my greatest strengths when it comes to technology integration. The new tools that are coming out on the market excite me and ever since I decided to become a teacher I have been thinking about ways to integrate the new technology into the classroom. I have experience using both a Mac and PC, and understand the basics of how each computer works. I have used many audio and visual applications/programs, and have many ideas about how those programs can be integrated. I have a willingness to explore and try new programs, and I know that will benefit my future students. I believe that my excitement about technology will be a connection point between my students at I.

After taking the UNI survey and looking over the NETS*T standards I discovered that because I have not actually designed learning experiences for students I am at the apprentice level for most of the sections. I have had a lot of experience using all types of technology, but I have not actually be able to design many lessons for students. This is one area that I would consider a weakness. I understand technology, but being able to use it, and being able to teach with it are two very different things. One of my goals is to strengthen my practical knowledge about how I can effectively use technology in the classroom. A source of information that can help me to strengthen this area is the podcast series Technology 4 Teachers. This is a podcast series containing audio, video and a blog with information about technology and teaching and practical ways those two connect. It is created by a teacher who knows first had what it is like. Another source of information I found is a website (http://www1.kent.k12.wa.us/curriculum/tech/proj_plan.html) that contains a step by step guide to creating a technology rich unit.

Another one of my weaknesses is the fact I know very little about the adaptive assistive devices for students with special needs. I have not had the chance to see these devices in action, and I know very little about what is available. I know that every year while I am a teacher there will be students with special needs so one of my goals is to become more familiar with the technologies that are available to help. One resource that is available to help me learn more about this area is http://www.closingthegap.com/ This site is all about the assistive devices and they even have periodic webinars and conferences. There is also a podcast series that goes by the same name, Closing the Gap, that is another resource. There are many sites and places online available to visit like http://www.tamcec.org/, where I can go to learn more about these assistive technologies.