Blog Post Assignment #3

Kelly Hines "It's Not About the Technology"

Well, I agree on what Kelly Hines has written about how technology isn't what is important about teaching; it's how you use it, and also how you make sure subjects are learned and really understood. She has a point when she writes that most teachers who have been teaching for a long time, they didn't have technology. However, they are very good at what they to today and have learned how to use different tools over the years. As future teachers, we need to be up to date on current items and tools in teaching; especially researching everyday on new and improved ways to really understand our students. Ms. Hines writes that as teachers, and learners we need to truly understand where are students come from and what they are doing everyday. Every child learns differently, and in order for them to learn we must be learners ourselves. All teachers must also be very motivated and want to evolve in understanding more. Kelly writes that "if no child has learned anything in a day, there has been no teaching done"; and it is completely true, that if a student has not in some way understood or learned something...we need to do a better job helping them to do so.

There are so many ways technology can help us to do our jobs as educators if we have the proper mindset and we are knowledgeable of the curriculum. Since we pay thousands and thousands for the new boards and new devices, a teacher needs to be innovative and create different styles of teaching with that particular item. Those computers and other devices are being used for video games and writing plain papers is because the lack of knowledge and not knowing how to teach something. The Partnership for 21st Century Skills has developed a method for core outcome learning skills for children. This includes:

1. Core Subjects and 21st Century Themes
2. Learning and Innovation Skills
     * Creativity and Innovation
     * Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
     * Communication and Collaboration
3. Information, Media and Technology Skills
      * Information Literacy
      * Technology Literacy
      * ICT Literacy
4. Life and Career Skills

On a personal note, this is probably the best way I have seen to really be a creative teacher and gain ground with helping the children learn more and really understand what they hear and do. Plus, the outcome is that in a day's work we know we have actually taught our students something when the participation picks up.

Karl Fisch "Is It Okay to be A Technologically Illiterate Teacher?"

When we hear about being literate in something, it is usually about reading or math. Noone ever stops to think about being technologically illiterate, and that is what the future is. Karl Fisch writes that in this day and age we are always poking fun at not being able to do math; and usually we seem proud of it...which is horrible as a role model for our own kids. And I agree with him that we should at least try harder to understand today's new technologies, because that is a part of life. Many educators may use the new devices we have, but may not really know how to use it thoroughly when teaching. We should not be proud of not being able to do certain subject like math or science, and we do the same thing with computers and cell phones.

Mr. Fisch talks about the 20th century, and how the teachers back then did not really know much except for reading and math. But we have had computers since the late 1970's and only a few teachers have actually been using them since then. Teachers will soon have to be completely knowledgeable, if not just know a bit more than basics, because that is what teaching will be. As Mr. Fischer says "it's a part of life, not just an add-on". Our students will need to know about computers and how to use them for any kind of future they may want. Anyone who turns out students who know nothing about any kind of technology, they need to start thinking of how they just impacted a child's life. Most jobs, if not all, jobs in the future will revolve around technology and the future generations of kids need to know how to use it. This is a part of life, and things are constantly evolving and new devices or tools are being discovered.

Gary Hayes "Social Media Count"

Looking at the numbers grow on this chart every second is just crazy. Thinking back just a few years ago and none of these things existed, rocket forward maybe 5 years and we have so many different things online and phones everywhere. I am surprised there are not more people with a Facebook or personal websites like that. I remember when cell phones first became popular but nobody in school had one until they were at least 15 or 16. Now elementary students have iPods or an iTouch and stuff like that.

In today's society, having an iPhone or iPad is like being king, or queen, of your own world. I never had an iPhone until about two or three weeks ago; it IS truly amazing and I love it, but I have not obsessed over it like others. Gary Hayes brings up some very good points about social media. He says it is all in constant development and there is always a new bit information getting sent his way. The amount of emails sent, apps bought, members in Facebook is just crazy. I can not say much since I have a Facebook and an iPhone with apps. Everyone has everything they need with a touch of a button or with a voice- command. That is the future, and it really does keep changing.

Michael Wesch "A Vision of Students Today"

This video was very good, and I hope there are more like this. I thought it was interesting that there are so many facts we did not actually realize until now. As a future teacher I believe in making an interest for students to make them want to come to class and enjoy learning. As a current student i do not really blame most of them for how they feel, because we really do not get enough sleep or enough time for homework and projects. But my position on this is as a future teacher, and wanting our kids to actually like going to a classroom and getting the boring stuff done so we can do the fun things.

In the classroom it can be very hard to focus since there are laptops and phones and things like that. But that is why the person controlling the room needs to really engrave in the heads of the learners that by paying attention, it makes work outside classroom a whole lot easier. Though to me it is interesting that students pay for a class and then do not come, or they spend more time on Facebook and other sites than on actual work; I am not surprised by any means, but you would think people would figure it out. I also think that our students should be able to talk more about things like war, racial problems, what is on their minds on a daily basis, what they think would help in the classroom. Just getting their input on things would help both sides.