Digital Blog Post #A- Chapter 1

In a growing society that revolves around technology, it is important for a teacher to understand the use of the ongoing technological advances during the 21^st century. Technology can be used in a variety of ways to improve a students’ academic success, however I find the idea of a technology-based office to be very intriguing. Many people would assume that the use of technology in a classroom would solely be intended for the students’ learning; however this chapter suggests using technology to the benefit of the teacher as well. Because I did not exactly grow up with a computer, I am not very familiar with the many capabilities that it holds. I have always been aware of teachers using a computer to communicate through email; however I never considered the use of technology for the benefit of the teacher going beyond that. After reading about how technology can be used for keeping record of student homework, attendance records, and educational expenses, I am very eager to learn more about using technology to improve my organization. I believe staying organized through a digital file would be much more efficient than using a pencil and paper, that could very easily get lost. Also, I love the idea of teachers “carrying their office with them from place to place.” (Maloy, 2013, 9).

When I become a teacher, I will be determined to make learning fun for my students. I believe when a student is engaged and is having fun in his or her learning, that he or she is more likely to have a better understanding of what is being taught.  According to page three in the book entitled Transforming Learning With New Technologies, “Ninety-five percent of 12- to 17-year-olds are online and eighty percent of those adolescents use sites such as Facebook or Twitter.” (Maloy, Verock-O’Loughlin, Edwards, Woolf, 2013) With that being said, I will use social media technologies to enhance my students’ learning. For example, I could make a Facebook group for my classes, posting reminders of test dates, study guides, or any assignments that a student may have missed due to being absent. I could also post discussions online and have students talk about what has been taught in the classroom through a social media account. According to page thirteen of this textbook, there are seven technological categories, and while each and every single category is highly beneficial for a positive learning experience, I will make sure to keep in mind of the many social media technologies that can be used to make learning more exciting for students. I read an amazing article entitled Connecting a Classroom: Reflections on Using Social Media With My Students, where a teacher explains her experiance in combining social media with learning. I love how in this article the author provides tips on how to efficiently use social media for teaching, while also explaining to readers the important benefits that this strategy can bring.

Page ten of this textbook introduces Web 2.0 tools, which are “highly interactive technologies that have the potential to transform learning in schools.” (Maloy, Verock-O’Loughlin, Edwards, Woolf, 2013). I am not very familiar with Web 2.0 tools, however I hope to learn more about them throughout the course of this class. The video below provides a good understanding of Web 2.0 tools. I am aware that social media sites could be examples of Web 2.0 tools, and while I know how to navigate social media websites, I am unsure how to navigate podcasts, wikis, and social bookmarking sites. Throughout the course of this class, I hope to learn more about  the Web 2.0 tools that expand beyond social media websites.

 

Technology has come a long way from where it began, and it will continue to advance throughout time. It is very important for teachers grow with technology, and learn how to incorporate it in their classrooms as it becomes a bigger part of everyday life. Chapter one of Transforming Learning With New Technologies is just the beginning of my learning. After being introduced to the ideas of a technology-based office, social media technologies, and Web 2.0 tools, I am very eager to learn more about using these technological strategies to improve my future teaching.

 

 

 

 

Resources

 

Crowley, B. (2015, September 9). Connecting a Classroom: Reflections on Using Social Media With My Students. Retrieved September 4, 2016, from http://www.edweek.org/tm/articles/2015/09/09/connecting-a-classroom-reflections-on-using-social.html

Hisham, S. (2014, December 19). Web 2.0 in Education. Retrieved September 4, 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sq43tWzLGms

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