Technology in the Classroom

Group Name: Freaks & Geeks
Members:
1. Brendon Pond
2. Leah Bjornstad
3. Tim Wood
4. Maria Stapleford

Members Blogs:
Maria's: mstaple90.blogspot.com
Leah's: leah3bjorn.blogspot.com
Brendon's: brendonpond.blogspot.com
Tim's: teac259timsblog.blogspot.com


The culture we are living in today is very much different than the culture of the past. Technology is advancing in an increasing rate every day and the technology of today will quickly be put aside by the technology of tomorrow. This is of huge importance for the teachers of today's society. We are going from a society of teachers who use chalkboards and transparencies to a new age of teachers who are utilizing Microsoft PowerPoint and projectors. The youth of today are leading the way for this new technology in most cases, and unfortunately the teachers seem to be one step behind. The advancements of the internet seem to be endless as well.
It seems as if the youth of today are taking the technology of today and utilizing it more then the education system is. According to Richard MacManus "96 percent of students with online access use social networking technologies." Students are utilizing social networking websites such as Facebook and Myspace, as well as taking full advantage of texting, blogging, and online chatting.
Students are not only using these social networking sites as a place to waste time, but are using them to post writings, make art work, or even work on classroom assigned projects. They are even utilizing the abilities of the internet and these social networks to upload pictures and videos. According to MacManus 41 percent of students post messages weekly, 32 percent of students download music weekly, 30 percent of students download videos weekly, and 25 percent of students update their online profile weekly.
It is very important to know all of these things as teachers because it is our job to not only teach our students material, but it is also our job to be able to relate to our students, so that we can teach in the most effective way possible. For instance, if an English teacher knew that 25 percent of his or her students were updating their online profiles on web sites such as Facebook, then the teacher could utilize this knowledge and have their students create online portfolios which they could continue to work on online and continue to update them weekly. In college we see teachers increasingly moving toward computers as a valuable resource. Whether it be professors having their students turn in papers online or even having students take quizzes online, the internet is showing to be a great asset. MacManus makes it a point to point out the fact that "students aren't passive couch potatoes online" in his article about online creativity and E-learning.
It is also important to realize technological usage simply because it is the newest thing, is not purpose. It's a new "toy". Is it worth the added distractions? Cell phones, laptops, iPods, etc. can be major distractions for students. So many options and things at a touch can make it hard for young students to focus on the task at hand. If your in a classroom setting keeping an eye out for kids "passing notes" it's an easy thing to spot and then take the proper embarrassment technique to make sure the student thinks twice before choosing to ask a girl "Do you like me, check yes or no?" and not finish his school work. On the other hand, it is almost impossible to catch someone texting a note to someones phone, and if you do, one hit of a button and it's deleted. With a paper note, well...the only way to try and hide it is to "eat it", literally, before the teacher gets you to open your mouth.
Technological advances, and it's uses, are clearly limited by the purpose they can provide in a practical sense within a classroom. Questions you may ask when considering using a piece of new technology...

Does this make it easier for me to explain the subject matter to my students?
If a student needs help, can they get it in a timely manner?
If a student decides to make a poor decision that gets in the way of learning, can I see to redirect them?
Does it make the subject matter easier to understand?
5. How many distractions will this new technology introduce, and do the benefits outweigh the liabilities?

By using the most recent technologies in a classroom setting, it will allow students to be able to transition into the working world where new technology is applied daily. Being able to use online resources will allow teenagers to not only transition into the working world better, but into a college or university setting as well. Knowing how to use different software will also make students more marketable, when it comes time to looking for a job.
In his article, Researchers question school in high-tech age, Dean Bennett points out that classrooms have remained the same over hundreds of years while the world of technology has transformed the world outside schools. Teachers are beginning to integrate technology into the classroom and students are continually bringing their personal gadgets into class. Bennet suggests that should strive to include technology in their lessons, and ask the students to use their cell phones and other devices to engage in class instead of sharing notes. As teachers we can ask older students to text answers to the teacher, or ask use their laptops to e-mail assignments, or look up maps in a geography class. The teacher can easily incorporate technology into the lesson plan to engage students growing cultural knowledge.





Works Cited
2007. MacManus, Richard. New Study Shows that online creativity and E-Learning Popular with Kids. Web: http://www.readwriteweb.com
Researchers question school in high-tech age
DEAN Bennett Canadian Press Aug. 29th, 2007