Blog Post #3

A Vision of Students Today- Michael Wesch
As I watched this collaborative film my thoughts were immediately drawn back to my college experience.  I have been out of school for several years so technology was not nearly as integrated as it is now, but it still had a role in some of my classrooms.  Several of the stats nailed my college experience, some did not.  I attended a small liberal arts school, so class sizes did not come near 115 students and you were generally known by name as long as you made an appearance in class. Also, even without the Internet almost completely replacing textbooks, I still paid exorbitant amounts of money for books that I did not use.
True for me even years ago was the average time spent doing various tasks each day, adding to a total of 26.5 hours.  Multi-tasking is a skill I think every college student must master to be successful, and this carries on throughout our lives. School kids today sometimes try to use the availability of technology as a crutch, short-cut or excuse to decrease the amount of work they must do in class. In actually, it should enhance what is provided in class. I think what is missing from this video is the fact that regardless of the presence of technology in our lives, school will always be school- a place to learn, probe, explore, integrate.  It is work.  It is not always easy.  We don't always like it.  Sometimes I think kids are so over stimulated by all of the video games, phones, music, social networks, etc. that it takes away from their ability to sit down and really study, read a book, or listen to a lecture.  I see the value in the old and the new, however I think finding a balance between the two is the optimal choice.

It’s Not About the Technology -by Kelly Hines
It is so easy to get caught up in the technology push and forget the key foundation to good teaching- the teacher!  Kelly Hines did a great job reminding us that we can't leave out the teacher's role in utilizing technology in the classroom.  A good, motivated teacher can improvise and be creative even without a Smartboard or the other latest device.  I know as a teacher myself I would have loved to have those things, but I made the best of my available resources and managed to integrate as much technology into my classroom as I could.


I don't think many people will argue that we don't need technology in our schools.  It is only natural to want to keep our schools up to date with our modern society.  However, technology is not a cure-all for the problems in our educational system.  As Ms. Hines states, "the educational community (including state and national organizations, teacher preparation programs, and local systems) must recognize the need to change an overall approach to teaching and learning."  Until our learning system and those responsible for teaching our children come on board with the advancements, all the technology in the world  won't make a difference.


Is it OK to be a Technologically Illiterate Teacher?- Karl Fisch
Walk into any school in our town and survey the teachers... I bet the majority consider themselves to be technologically illiterate.  So because our system approves the teaching methods of these teachers and they continue to teach in our classrooms, I have to conclude that it is OK to be technologically illiterate and be a teacher.  As a teacher, do I think this is right?  No. For many reasons,  I think that teachers lose sight of what the point of being in school really is sometimes.  Are we are trying to prepare our students for the work force, to be a productive member of society?  If the goal is to send a student from high school or college into society with the tools necessary for him or her to succeed, then technology must be an integral part of their knowledge.  Regardless of what standards are required in a school system, it should almost be a Hippocratic oath for teachers that we will do our best to provide all applicable, relevant knowledge available at that time.


So I think even the most illiterate teachers would probably agree that they should know more about technology.  I just think they are either too tired, overworked, exhausted, and discouraged to give any more of their already under-appreciated time. I also think that there are a lot of teachers out there who do make an extraordinary effort to stay up to date and provide the best possible learning experience to their students. Kudos to all of the tech literate teachers!


Gary's Social Media Count
Anyone who doubts the impact technology is making in today's world should take a look.  The numbers are astonishing.  The web is a busy place!

Even if you aren't an active participant, these technologies are affecting us all.  Just an example of the way social networking affected me-  the other day my friend called me because a recruiter found her on LinkedIn.  He was looking for people with clinical research backgrounds.  She called me because I have clinical research experience.  So, if I want to contact him for a job interview, I can.  I don't happen to be looking for employment right now, but its pretty great to know that it can find you if you put yourself out there!  I am not on any network in a professional manner, however in the event I were to reenter my field, it is so important to be involved.  Think of it as free advertisement for yourself!