Lacy's FSU Blog : Blog Journal 1

I think many different things can be influential because it is different for everyone but one thing that seems to influence a lot of teachers and students to use technology in the classroom is the greater availability to educational resources. If a student has trouble understanding something in class the teacher can suggest or the student can just know to go on the internet and get more information on the topic from another perspective. Technology in the classroom also speeds up a lot of the work that needs to be done because tests and homework and other information can easily be accessed and graded with just one click. Classroom technology also allows students to be more engaged and get information for themselves rather than a teacher throwing a bunch of information at the students and expecting them to understand it all and regurgitate it for an exam. There are things like Quizlet and Kahoot that can also make the classroom learning environment more fun and exciting for the students to keep their attention and help them learn more enjoyably.

ISTE Standards for educators is set guidelines for teachers to follow to make sure students have the best chance at success. Some of the guidelines include, teachers being learners and continuing to learn as technology progresses and working with others to gain more knowledge. Being a leader and doing what is best for the students and encouraging others to be up to date with technology and leading students to the best opportunities. Making sure students are being good and contributing citizens in their online presence and being curious and using the available technology to grow and better understand what they did not know before and create new ideas. Working together in collaborations and learning from one another and having a relationship with coworkers and students in a co-collaborative manner.

I think the most meaningful standard is Designer. The designer standard means the teacher uses technology to create a way for a variety of students to learn. This is so important because every student or learner is different and may learn best under different circumstances and the only way to make sure everyone and every need is helped the teacher needs to follow the designer standard. This also allows learners to learn more actively and deeply rather than simply hearing information from the teacher. It is more reliable and effective to use technology resources created by the teacher in the classroom.

I agree with the term digital native because the youth today really does fit the name so it is hard to argue against the label. A digital native is someone who grew up after the widespread adoption of technology so these people never had to get familiar with technology because it was just always there all around since they were little. There are little kids today who do not know how to do much on their own yet they know how to use a tablet or other device to play games, take selfies or watch videos of cartoons or something. Even the people my age who grew up as technology was growing are much more familiar with technology than the “digital immigrants” like some of our teachers because they did not grow up learning about technology as we did. Some of the things that are second nature to me that I think of really easy to manage in the digital world seem to be impossible to some of my professors or other digital immigrants like my grandparents. While explaining what the different online tools we use in school to my parents and seeing them have no idea what I was talking about made me grateful for growing up when I did because if not it would be very difficult to keep up with the advancing technology today. I also anticipate becoming a digital immigrant or at least appearing as one to my future students someday because technology continues to progress so fast and the younger people are usually the first to learn all about them.