Apply and Discover 11.1
When I entered this course, I was excited to be part of a class that
would promote student learning from effective use of technology. Some of my past experience included working
at a school where many times technology was used just for the sake of using it,
with little thought towards advancing the learning. The course readings brought greater depth and
understanding for purposeful technology integration to advance student
understanding.
I agree with the concepts shared by author Marc Prensky, recognizing
that technology is a driving force in
business, politics, and society; there is no “escape” from technology in the
civilized world, it is ever changing, speedy, system that influences human life
and development. The field of education,
specifically the classroom, plays no exception to the effects of
technology. Educators today face the challenges
of not only learning, but also teaching with an entity that changes with each
passing day.
The course introduced a few new tools, and my classmates offered a
wealth of creative and valuable ideas for using them to enhance classroom
experiences. The Discussion Board
broadened perspectives with the varied applications and intentions in using web
based tools. The SNHU EDU 533 11.1
Discussion thread has allowed for tremendous sharing of ideas, resources and
opinions as each member of the class has given voice to their favorite
technology tools discovered this summer.
While the course work included information about adaptive technologies, in
Module 9, I did wish that there had bee a greater amount of focus on this
area. I have found the wealth of digital
and web based technologies available to be overwhelming. Without being a specialist, I find that there
are so many devises available, that I it is a struggle to determine which tools
are best suited for specific student needs.
An example: Is
a communication box a better tool to recommend for a non-verbal student than an
iPad with non-verbal communication application software? I believe I would choose the iPad, since it
would offer multi-purpose tools greater variety. (And I would have a greater
chance at understanding it, since I could trial the application software on my
own!) However, a speech and language
specialist might make a recommendation for the communication box.
This is an area that I hope to spend more time investigating in the
future.
I have found that this class has helped me develop a firmly established
conviction that technology needs to be embraced and not feared. As with any change, there is some fear and
there will be stumbling points as educators weave technology into the
educational system, but it is something we owe to our students, to prepare them
for their future.
Resources:
Learning Through Technology. (2012). EDU533. Discussion Boards conducted from Southern New Hampshire University, Manchester.
Prensky, M. (2001) Marc Prensky: Writing:
Classics: Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants. Retrieved from http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20-%20Digital%20Natives,%20Digital%20Immigrants%20-%20Part1.pdf
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