J1- The Influence

What influences teachers and students to use technology in the classroom, I suppose is to making the classroom more collaborative from not only within the classroom, but as well as an extension beyond the classroom walls. Along with trying to get the students to become more active and engage in classroom discussions and learning, which changes the roles the teacher and student plays. With the teacher now becoming a facilitator of the classroom instead of just lecturing when teaching. It becomes more of a student based learning based experience.

An ITSE standard that is meaningful to me is the first standard, which facilitates and inspire student learning and creativity. I saw where this standard was labeled as the “Learner” standard. I believe the one thing that sets everyone apart from another is their mind. No one person thinks the same things or brain works the same. So when allowing a student to express themselves creatively creates an opportunity of endless possibilities, that in combination with handing them technology. To me is like handing them the key to further step out of the box. Allowing students to solve problems in both real world face-to-face settings as well as virtual allow students to improve their learning. Especially incorporating something like technology that most kids this day and age are well aware of compassing throughout. A standard that I wouldn’t necessarily consider out of my skill set, but what I don’t necessarily agree upon is the design and develop digital age learning experiences and assessments. Although I fully understand going headstrong in this “paperless” Era, there are something that better taught and assessed on a more hands on approach.

A digital native, defined by as a person who has born or brought up during the age of digital technology and therefore familiar with computers and the Internet from an early age. I don’t necessarily agree or disagree with the term of “Digital Native” when describing today’s youth, although yes, they have access to technology. I believe as we continue this journey of a technology advanced Era we are all immigrants to this technology, because it is forever changing. As quick as something is released, it’s already considered out of date. I haven’t really seen a huge difference between a teachers, which would be considered a “Digital immigrant”, versus a “Digital native” with the use of technology. Of course in some cases you come a across a teacher that doesn’t know how to remove something of the screen in class or not sure why the computer may have cut off during mid discussion, but I think that most teachers especially older professors in College and University settings have learned how to adapt to this new digital age. I know personally of some teachers that know their way around a computer better than myself and I find myself to be quite savvy in the technology department. I feel as if the technology isn’t introduced to you how are you supposed to know how to compass your way through it? I predict students coming into my future classroom would of course may have a slight advantage to myself when using technology due to children being introduced to technology at such an early age in this generation, but I also believe that could easily be fixed if introduced to the programs and technology.