Post #1 1.19.16

      With the way that technology is so quickly advancing, it is important as teachers to have the necessary understanding of technology to be able to prepare the next generation. The International Society for Technology in Education (ITSE) provides the standards to which both educators and students should meet. ITSE started a project called the National Educational Technology Standards (NETS) to further ensure what exact standards should be met. A few years ago the question was raised, Should technology even be allowed in the classroom? And if so to what extent? Today, that question has become minuscule. It is no longer a question of if, but how much. It is essential that students are prepared for a 21st century world. Meaning, that if students are not familiar with technology and how to use the most popular, every day programs, they are already at a disadvantage. Most states today have adopted the Common Core Standards and technology was included in these standards. Florida itself has not adopted common core but something very similar to it. Things like the Partnership for the 21st Century and the Teacher Preparation Accreditation have also been included in the common core standards.
      I think computers are vital to the education experience because it is ensuring that students have all of the necessary components they need to thrive in the real world. If students are educated in their k-12 experience then it can really help them when they go onto college or their career. The more comfortable they are with technology the easier it will be for them to learn a new program or adapt to their job. Technology can be a very helpful resource in a student's education as well. The internet helps them interact with their fellow classmates and teachers when they need help with something. If a student has a question about an assignment (like me who usually has 5) then they can just shoot their teacher and email or text one of their friends and get a speedy response. If all else fails, there is google to answer virtually your every need. Technology can also provide new experiences for students. Like viewing news live from around the world, or watching education videos, or creating a website of their own. Being computer literal can also help with lesson preparation. You can stand at a podium and lecture for an hour with no sort of visual and chances are the audience will not retain much of what you are saying because they will lose interest and become distracted. But, knowing how to make a cool graphic, or powerpoint, or some sort of interactive component can help the lesson be better received.
      Once concern regarding technology is that teachers cannot teach something that has not been invented yet. Last semester I did a report on this very issue. When computers first came out there way no such thing as twitter or gmail. We simply cannot plan for things that have yet to be invented. Another concern is that we don't want to make students 100% dependent on the internet and technology. If something were to ever happen where we could no longer use technology, they still need to have the basic skills needed to function in society without relying on a computer.
      I am a fan of the ISTE standards that are listed for teachers. One standard that I like in particular is the Design and Develop Digital Age Learning Experiences and Assessments. It talks about incorporating digital tools to help promote creativity and student learning. If students can see that technology is wonderful outlet that can help them express themselves and be a contributing member of society, it is only going to help them! If teachers can convey technology in a way that excites students it will make them more eager to learn and participate and come up with new ideas of their own. One standard that seems currently out of my skill set is to demonstrate fluency in technology systems and the transfer of current knowledge to new technologies and situations. As I have said before, I am not super up to date with all of the latest programs. This worries me a bit because I feel like if you are lacking in even just one particular area or program then you cannot fully understand what's going on or how to teach it.
      I do believe that today's youth are "digital natives". A digital native can be defined as someone how has grown up knowing technology and using technology. A digital immigrant is someone who is "new" to technology, meaning that it was not available to them growing up. I've had teachers in the past who had no idea what twitter or Instagram or Netflix was but it was always fun to show them. My friends and I created a Instagram for my Law Studies teacher and it's just a long on going joke now. The lessons could run slower if I had a teacher who didn't know much about the technology in the classroom. Often times, the teacher would ask the student for help and that wasn't the best situation. I feel that I will be pretty well prepared to teach my students adequately with the technology that I know, but then again in 10 years there will be brand new technology to learn that has not be invented yet.