A Vision of Students Today
What I got out of this video was that students today are not as interested in facts on a chalkboard or in a book as they used to be. Their attention is focus more on technology. Several students in the video expressed that most of their time in the day is dedicated to technology (Facebook, talking on their cell phones, watching TV, etc). Obviously this was not the case, say, 50 years ago. Students today feel that they could learn much easier if the information they needed to know was presented through technology.
In my own experiences, technology comes in the classroom every now and then. Very recently have I been introduced to SmartBorads and PowerPoints. In fact, this EDM class is where I've encountered the most technology. The good news is that I'm learning about more technology, and kids in elementary and middle school are doing so as well, so our futures will be bright.
It's Not About the Technology
In this blog post, Kelly Hines explains that, as a teacher, having access to the latest technology does not automatically make someone a good teacher. There are things an educator has to keep in mind in order to affect students positively:
1.) Teachers must be learners: Teachers have to know, and the have to be engaged in WANTING to know. This could happen through their own methods or from learning from seasoned teachers. Teachers could also learn through their own students, who of course are not all the same when they enter a classroom, and will not be the same when they leave.
2.) Learning and teaching are not the same things: Ms. Hines provides us with an excellent analogy in this case: "If an object does not move, no matter how much force has been applied, no work has been done. Therefore, if a student has not learned, not matter how much effort has been exerted, no teaching has been done." Just because a teacher stands in front of a class and rambles off a bunch of facts does not mean the students will retain it. It is up to the teacher to find a way for a student to remember the information. If technology will be used, a teacher must know how to use it correctly.
3.) Technology is useless without good teaching: As I stated before, just because a teacher has access to all the latest technology does not mean they are a good teacher. Knowledge of the technology means nothing if a teacher can't do great things with it.
4.) Be a 21st century teacher without the technology: Being a teacher in this day and age does not mean you HAVE to rely on technology. Most subjects can be taught in the traditional manner.
Is It Okay to Be a Technologically Illiterate Teacher?
Karl Fisch makes it perfectly clear that it is NOT okay to be technologically illiterate as a teacher. A teacher should not produce technologically illiterate students, because the type of world we live in today does not allow such lack of knowledge and skill. He states that in the earlier part of the 20th century, one could have gotten away with not knowing much about technology. These days, more and more careers depend on having some background knowledge in technology. Fisch even goes so far as to say being technologically illiterate is pretty much the same as being unable to comprehend math, or even read.
I have never thought of technology as being on the same skill level as math and reading, so in this case, I agree with Mr. Fisch. One should not be proud of saying "I don't really get computers" because in these times, one wouldn't have a choice but to LEARN to "get" them.
Gary's Social Media Count
Every second, people are doing something related to technology. Even I, as I am typing this post, am checking my Twitter, my Facebook, and my text messages. This may not seem like a big deal. However, Gary Hayes has put things into perspective about how many people are doing the same thing as me. THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS of people every second are doing something related to technology.
A few years ago (maybe 2000 or 2001), the numbers probably were in the hundreds (since I'm sure there were plenty of people afraid to take that plunge into the technological world). By the time I become a teacher, I'm sure the numbers will be in the millions. This most definitely means that I would be responsible for staying up to date with technological advances, and making sure my future students know how to use technology to their advantage.
Your right when you say that children just aren't as interested in facts on a chalkboard or in a book as they used to be. Todays world is technologically enhanced and most of us have adapted to that way of life. I really enjoyed reading your points of view and your did a great job explaining how you feel on each topic.
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