Technology In & Out of the Classroom

I have a difficult time believing that most high school students are not tech savvy. I see them glued to their cell phones and iPods. According to the article "Who are Today's Learners?" not all students are as tech savvy as we assume; most students know a lot of various basic tech skills, but not a lot of in depth information. Further, students - even those in poverty or in rural areas - have access to technology and have some knowledge about it, although the it seems the tendency as educators is to assume such students are lacking in digital savvy.

I think using technology in the classroom is especially important if there are students who may not have access to technology at home. This gives these students an opportunity to engage in technology and to learn more about it (i.e. how to use the internet to build and further their knowledge). Students have to know how to use technology, especially since it is estimated that over the next couple of decades, something like 60% of the work force will require its workers to be knowledgable in using technology. Part of preparing students for the digital world we live in is giving them experience in the very things they will have to encounter and use in the real world. We especially need to do this because students today know a lot about downloading music and using social networking sites and tweeting and chatting - but this is only the tip of the ice berg of what they can do. We need to use technology to teach them to dig deeper.

Overall, I think using technology, even if some students will find it difficult to participate outside of class, will be beneficial to students. As a teacher, I would like to make sure all my students will be able to have hands on experience in and out of the classroom, even though this may be hard. I need to know who my students are and what they know about technology and how they use it. If I don't build this sort of relationship with my students, then I will be doing them a disservice. I also need to become aware of the resources that are available in my students' communities so I can direct them to places where they will have access to computers and the internet.

One of the things I would like to do to account for disadvantaged students would be to set up a system so that these students would have access to school computers outside of the classroom. Also, I think giving students technology based projects and then giving them actual class time to work on these projects will help disadvantaged students as well. One of the best things I can do, however, is to always be aware of my own opinions and purpose behind the use of technology in my classroom.


Technology is a tool for empowerment. And when I am honest about this and students understand this, they will use technology in a way that will better themselves and the world. Sometimes, I see technology as being destructive - as taking away real world experiences or making people more distant from others. But technology is an inextricable element of our world and our lives. Students have to know how to use technology because it's going to make or break the world as we know it. I want them to make it.

Reflecting on Class Powerpoint Presentations

I was really impressed by the presentations in class on Monday. I thought everyone did a successful job.

My favorite presentation was Crissy's. I really enjoyed her Jeopardy game. It was so creative. It is the perfect example of using technology to engage students. It gets students excited (especially with the candy incentives). I think I'd definitely like to incorporate this or something like it into my classroom. Also with this activity, I think maybe having students get up out of their seats in front of the classroom, or having to run and hit a buzzer would really help out with the tacticle/kinesthetic learners who need to move around.

There were a couple things I noticed throughout presentations that could use some improvement. One is being conscious of the length of video clips - some were really long and others were really short. Another thing is to be conscious of the colors and contrast of the powerpoint and remembering that what it looks like on your computer may not be what it looks like in the presentation. That was a learning experience for me. It wasn't something I did, but it wasn't something I had thought about either so when I saw it in other presentations, it made me want to be conscious of that for the next time I create a power point.

After viewing everyone's powerpoints, I think I would have used better colors - more brightness and vibrancy - and more interesting photos. I especially loved Jeromy's and Steve's because they included photos/videos from their own travels abroad, which was definitely awesome and interesting!

Personally, I'm okay with using powerpoints, but I would prefer not to. I'd like to find other ways to use technology in the classroom, but I'm still brainstorming that one. Powerpoints are good, but I definitely like using them as just an aside or a guide and have the content of what I'm presenting be the main focus.