Digital Blog Post #B- Chapter 2

On page twenty-six of this textbook, the many different groups of technology users are thoroughly discussed. Out of the nine groups that were introduced, there was only one group that really stood out to me. The digital collaborators "use online and mobile technology readily to create and share information with others." (Maloy, Verock-O’Loughlin, Edwards, Woolf, 2013).  I believe that this is the ideal group of technology users. As a teacher, I hope to transform my students into successful digital collaborators. In the PowToon below, I introduced and critiqued three other groups of technology users.

Chapter two of this textbook also discusses the obstacles to technology use. Some may consider curriculum requirements to be a challenging obstacle to overcome as far as integrading technology in the classroom. With today's curricular requirements, teachers are forced to teach such large amounts of material in such a short amount of time. Many teachers feel that they do not have enough time to incorporate technology in their claslsroom. However, I believe that with the right tools, technology could be very helpful with meeting those standards. This Link provides a wide variety of web 2.0 tools that could be used to effectively meet curricular requirements. 

Page thirty-six of this textbook discusses teacher-centered philosophies and student-centered philosophies. Out of these opposing teaching strategies, I believe that a student-centered classroom would be very crucial for a positive learning experience. According to page thirty-six, those who support the student-centered philosophy, "Believe the role of the teacher is to create puzzles, ask questions, and engage in conversations with students, which leads to learning information and skills through exploration and discovery." (Maloy, Verock-O’Loughlin, Edwards, Woolf, 2013). I believe that a student-centered philosophy will keep students engaged in classroom activity. The TedTalk below illustrates the power of student-driven learning.

Many people respond differently to technologies, which is why it is important for teachers to set technological goals that will result in the same outcome: a positive learning experience. To do so, one thing teachers must do is consider the different groups of technology users. In a class of many different technology users, students should confidently leave as digital collaborators who readily use technology. Teachers must also consider the obstacles to technology use, and find ways to work around them. For example, when it comes to the obstacle regarding time, teachers must realize that technology will benefit them in meeting curricular requirements on time, rather than hurt them. Teachers must also realize how beneficial a student-centered classroom is, and must come up with ways to incorporate technology in student-driven learning.

Resources:

Garcia, V. (2016, September 11). Digital Blog Post #B. Retrieved September 11, 2016, from 

     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9TIVmh1qfc

Maloy, R., O'Loughlin, R., Edwards, S., & Woolf, B. (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education Inc.

TedTalks. (2013, June 9). The power of student-driven learning: Shelley Wright at 

     TEDxWestVancouverED. Retrieved September 11, 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fMC-z7K0r4&list=PLV-cSqzXVrhtPgt-kcvRHWFBFSPWHgnV0 

Web 2.0 teaching tools. (n.d.). Retrieved September 11, 2016, from http://edjudo.com/web-2-0-teaching-tools-links