We were asked to watch a YouTube clip entitled A Vision of K-12 Students Today, and answer the following question: Why should we integrate technology in the classroom?
While we think of today's children as technologically saavy from a very early age, a great label was presented: today's children are Digital Natives. Because kids are introduced to technology from pratically birth, it is important that they are taught in ways they are familiar and comfortable with. Kids need to be engaged to learn, and the best way to engage kids is to capture their attention and get them excited about the topic they are learning. Since kids use technology in all aspects of their lives, from gaming to TV, texting to email, social networking and more, it is important they utilize this in the classroom. As the video showed, Kids live in a technological world, and that world includes the classroom.
Integrating technology into the classroom will allow teachers and students to relate to the same type of thing. When students feel their teacher understands their lives, they are more likely to succeed for that teacher, and ultimately, for themselves. Having technology in the classroom provides not only a wealth of knowledge at their fingertips, but also a common ground that all individuals in the classroom can relate too.
It is also important to integrate technology into the classroom to allow those students who are not able to have the technological exposure at home due to various reasons (including financial reasons, parents not allowing in their home, etc) to gain exposure to what technology is and has to offer. In an age where students are preparing for jobs that don't exist yet and coming up with solutions for problems that haven't occurred yet, it is important that all students be given the opportunity to succeed. Isn't that what school is truly about - the ability to succeed within themselves?
A great sign held up in the video stated the following:
Whatever
Whenever WWW - what the World Wide Web has to offer.
Wherever
Kids are living in a technological world, and it is important we grow on that in the classroom.
"When students feel their teacher understands their lives, they are more likely to succeed for that teacher, and ultimately, for themselves. Having technology in the classroom provides not only a wealth of knowledge at their fingertips, but also a common ground that all individuals in the classroom can relate too. " I couldn't agree more. If the students feel understood and have a relationship with the teacher, they are more likely to do what is asked of them in the classroom. We can only hope it is for intrinsic reasons. I love the www too!
ReplyDelete"Since kids use technology in all aspects of their lives, from gaming to TV, texting to email, social networking and more, it is important they utilize this in the classroom. As the video showed, Kids live in a technological world, and that world includes the classroom." This is a great point. Educators often feel that students should not be communicating with technological tools while they are in school. However, by integrating this technology into the one area that is "frowned upon" will allow your students to thrive. That being said, it will HELP you teach instead of HINDERING their learning.
ReplyDelete"It is also important to integrate technology into the classroom to allow those students who are not able to have the technological exposure at home due to various reasons (including financial reasons, parents not allowing in their home, etc) to gain exposure to what technology is and has to offer." Excellent point! I didn't even really think about this as a reason to integrate technology, but it's so true...some students don't have access to technology at home and as a High School Teacher it is my job to prepare students for the "real world". I think we take it for granted in this day and age that everyone has a computer and access to the same technology we do.
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