Blog Post 3

In Michael Wesch's: A Vision of Students Today,I believe the video displays a pretty accurate scenario of a typical college classroom. I believe the collegiate classroom environment has changed in many aspects, but it also remains the same in some areas. I definitely believe that a student's way of learning has changed. Today, many college courses are blended courses or hybrid. Students depend on laptop computers for learning on a daily basis. Using the computer is second nature to young adults who enter college. However, depending on the size of the University, class sizes for lower level courses are usually large,books and tuition expensive, and it is up to the individual to gain a quest for learning and knowledge. In my opinion, that has not changed. To imply that technology will put an end to the struggles of educational institutions, would be optimistic.

I believe if it were that simple, the issues would not still exist. I believe self-motivation, and desire play an enormous role in education, especially on the college level. Although we have unlimited access to laptops and computer labs in college, there are still many individuals who misuse them during class. As I noted in the video, some students bringing laptops to class, but do not use them for class. They are often used for facebooking friends during class. Although we are discussing technology, students who are motivated to learn will learn!

"It's Not About the Technology," by Kelly Hines, I feel it is true to some extent. She bring up a great point, learning and teaching are two different things. She says, and I agree, technology is an innovative tool and in the hands of an innovative teacher, amazing things can happen. Teachers must be invested in their profession. I believe when teachers are invested in learning and helping students explore and progress, technology will be part of the plan. Unfortunately, when anything is misused and there is no clear, precise, objective, technology will be nothing more than entertainment to pass the time. Teachers play a tremendous role in the learning process for students in education. It is up to the teacher to evaluate the objective of each lesson. " What do I want students to learn?" Teach with a purpose which allows students to explore critical thinking skills, and technology is a great way to implement these higher level thinking skills that students must achieve.

I believe that technology is essential for the classroom teacher to target all types of learners. As a fourth and fifth grade teacher, I observed students struggle in Science and Social Studies. Most of the time, it was because these students were not reading on grade level. The reading content was too difficult. However, implementing technology for these student will be so important, because my objective is Social Studies or Science not reading. I firmly believe it would build that student's confidence and self- esteem which would give them the desire or motivation to learn.

Karl Fisch: Is It Okay to Be A Technologically Illiterate Teacher? This discussion really made me do some self analysis. I am a very competitive person, and I strive to always do my very best. Unfortunately, I have neglected this area of my life. I never fully interpreted this view in such a way. After reading, Is It Okay to Be A Technologically Illiterate Teacher?, I have an entirely different view on technology. Not just in the classroom, but also applying it to my personal life on a daily basis. I can do better, I want to do better, and I will do better. Thank you for such an extreme view, I needed a good dose of motivation. In addition to that, I believe we are all unique individual who offer different strengths to the teaching profession. Teachers must collaborate with one another for the greater good of educating young children.

The Social Media Count, by Gary Hayes was amazing and overwhelming. Thinking about those atistics are hard to comprehend. The fact that the numbers changed every second is truly staggering. As I watched the numbers streaming by at such a fast pace, a bit of panic come over me. It was like I was running a race in my head, I almost felt a rush of adrenalin pump through my veins due to the numbers going so quickly. It is difficult to believe that something can change so fast! The message that I take away, from this is that change is inevitable! Technology is changing so fast, we must change the way we teach students, and be flexible enough to keep up with the constant changing pace.