My Beliefs

I believe that technology is an important aspect in the classroom. Since students today are born into a technological world they seem to catch onto programs and concepts easier. So while it may seem like it is more efficient to have students complete assignments on a computer, I don't want my students to rely on this totally. People still have to know how to write legibly and only practicing with a pencil/pan can do that. I have seen many students and past peers who had bad handwriting and if they don't improve then they will have trouble in society and will completely rely on a computer. I know that I want to help my students feel like handwriting is a valuable skill to have.

While in the field I was able to see technology used in the classroom. I really liked how the teacher balanced the two. She had students write in their journals their ideas, quick writes and rough drafts of stories and/or projects. And then for their final she had them use the computer to type it up and print. I felt like that was a good approach. The other part of technology that she used was a Smart Board. She had created flip charts that would help teach a concept and allow the children to participate when she made it interactive. The Smart Board would be a nice addition to any classroom and I would love to learn how to use that program.

So I know that technology in the classroom has its positive and negative points, and I know that technological advances are happening all the time and as a teacher I can do my best to prepare and be able to show my students that while technology is important that we can't forget the other methods of learning that is important. For example, while the internet is a good place for research that books and encyclopedias are a good place to search. So it will be interesting to see what the future brings.

Lessons Learned

I found the articles very interesting to read. Like in one article it talked about how the society and the entire world is going mobile and how we can use this technology in the classroom as to help students learn and not feel like they are bored while in school.

In the study of "Teens See Disconnect" it went over the statistics of what students think about editing writing projects that they did and whether it made a difference in whether they used a computer or not. Like 73 percent said that a having electronic communications made no difference in their writing. So it seems like even though teens may have access to electronics that their writing and schoolwork doesn't change all that much.

While reading in "The New WWW" article it mentioned that, "It is important as teachers that we help students engage in learning and testing themselves against authentic challenges." Children today and to come are the upcoming generations and will make a big impact in the future. As teachers and/or as parents we can help them do their best to make a better world around us. I just hope that I can do my best now so as to help....it seems like technology is changing so fast and upgrading all around us that is impossible to keep up with everything, but I can try my best.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths -- After looking over the NETS the one strength that stood out to be was to be able to identify and locate technology resources and evaluate them for accuracy and suitability. I took a class last spring semester where I was able to learn more about this skill and get lots of practice. I would feel confident in helping my students in looking up resources. In the UNI section one of my strengths was in number 11 in the Apprentice section where I know how to use email and and check it on a regular basis and organize them into folders. This is important skill to have and is pretty much required in today's working society.

Weaknesses -- As for a weakness in the NETS standards I noticed that I need to work on: using technology resources to collect and analyze data, interpret results, and communicate findings to improve instructional practice and maximize student learning. In the UNI survey one of my weaknesses is number 18. I have trouble completing spreadsheets and figuring out what information goes where. I know it is important, but also seems very tedious.

Since I was unable to access the videos and podcasts online I was not able to view these. But I feel like they probably were important and I would like to go back and look over these for ideas in the future. I know that as a teacher that I need to be able to complete and show my knowledge in technology matters. It will be fun to see what the future brings.