Blog Journal 1
One thing that influences a student's use of technology in the classroom is diversity in the classroom. Since there are students in with many different personalities and coming from many different backgrounds. Because of this, students have different needs, which can oftentimes be met in the classroom with the proper technology. For example, there may be a student who is from a foreign country who needs a translator iphone app or a computer game designed to help the student master English grammar. Computer games and iphone games in general can be very good for students who have trouble focusing, as the opportunity for the students to win can often give them the motivation necessary to stay focused. Games are great for teachers as well. I remember teachers making jeopardy games on several occasions, which they would use the smart board to allow the students to play, to help prepare students for tests and quizzes.
One ISTE Student standard within my skill set is "creative communicator." I have used various programs such as Microsoft Word and Microsoft Powerpoint to help creatively share ideas with my peers and educators to inform them about topics I have researched. I am also an avid creative writer and have used multiple word processors to help me write poetry and prose and display it in a creative way. Microsoft word and publisher have allowed me to format my documents in ways that are both aesthetically pleasing and easily read for my readers. An ISTE Student standard outside of my skill set is "knowledge constructor." I have not been well trained to use programs that help to construct knowledge and data such as Microsoft Excel. Though I have used Excel, I do not feel very comfortable with it and need to learn more about it to become proficient in using it.
I do think that the term digital native is appropriate when used to describe my generation. When I think of somebody who is a native of a place, I think of someone who was born there. I was born into a digital world, in which instant message, digital photography, social media, and video chatting were already in existence and normal for people to use. I think digital immigrant is appropriate when used to describe my parents' generation. Though they are now comfortable using digital technology, it is not what they grew up using, and so there was a necessary adjustment they needed to gradually make. For me, on the other hand, a digital native, there was no adjustment needed, because I am a native of the digital age, in other words, I was born into it. I think that when I become a teacher, a possible technological change that could occur is that instead of students using their phones and laptops to access the digital and virtual world, students may actually be wearing the digital and virtual world, making it more difficult to see whether or not they are paying attention to me. When I say this, I am referring to either glasses or contacts that may allow people to become immersed in the digital world using only their eyes. Perhaps there will be an indicator on the glasses that will allow teachers to know if their students are tapped in or not. Also, perhaps the students can take their glasses off during class time so the teacher knows that their students are focusing on class. It may become difficult to monitor what the student is looking at if the glasses need to be used for class activities. Maybe there can be a way of temporarily monitoring what the student is looking at on her or his glasses in order to be sure that the student is doing what he or she is supposed to be doing for class.
One ISTE Student standard within my skill set is "creative communicator." I have used various programs such as Microsoft Word and Microsoft Powerpoint to help creatively share ideas with my peers and educators to inform them about topics I have researched. I am also an avid creative writer and have used multiple word processors to help me write poetry and prose and display it in a creative way. Microsoft word and publisher have allowed me to format my documents in ways that are both aesthetically pleasing and easily read for my readers. An ISTE Student standard outside of my skill set is "knowledge constructor." I have not been well trained to use programs that help to construct knowledge and data such as Microsoft Excel. Though I have used Excel, I do not feel very comfortable with it and need to learn more about it to become proficient in using it.
I do think that the term digital native is appropriate when used to describe my generation. When I think of somebody who is a native of a place, I think of someone who was born there. I was born into a digital world, in which instant message, digital photography, social media, and video chatting were already in existence and normal for people to use. I think digital immigrant is appropriate when used to describe my parents' generation. Though they are now comfortable using digital technology, it is not what they grew up using, and so there was a necessary adjustment they needed to gradually make. For me, on the other hand, a digital native, there was no adjustment needed, because I am a native of the digital age, in other words, I was born into it. I think that when I become a teacher, a possible technological change that could occur is that instead of students using their phones and laptops to access the digital and virtual world, students may actually be wearing the digital and virtual world, making it more difficult to see whether or not they are paying attention to me. When I say this, I am referring to either glasses or contacts that may allow people to become immersed in the digital world using only their eyes. Perhaps there will be an indicator on the glasses that will allow teachers to know if their students are tapped in or not. Also, perhaps the students can take their glasses off during class time so the teacher knows that their students are focusing on class. It may become difficult to monitor what the student is looking at if the glasses need to be used for class activities. Maybe there can be a way of temporarily monitoring what the student is looking at on her or his glasses in order to be sure that the student is doing what he or she is supposed to be doing for class.
Very interesting point about wearable technology. While it is cool, I agree that it could make discerning what a students is paying attention to more difficult. However, it is always evident in a student's work. Also,incorporating formative evaluation in your class is one way to help ensure students are paying attention.
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