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This is a challenge in itself. Can it be done? Of course, but change takes time – a long time, and a lot of effort by all parties (parents, students, teachers, administrators, etc.) Some changes have already evolved in recent years, such as shifting power dynamics in certain classrooms, whereas others still believe in instructional methods. Furthermore, can culture be a valid excuse anymore, where the teacher is always right and the children listen instead of thinking critically?
I think the younger generation (youth and children) are desensitized to all the stereotypes they encounter in technology, whether it be through commercials, movies, television programs, video games, and such. I don’t think they realize the impact it can have on others, and unless it is brought up seriously (by teachers or parents), then it is dismissed. To pretend to be someone you’re not by “hiding behind a monitor” is simply avoiding the issue of racial identity. In fact, it worsens the issue; as Nakamura states, it “reinforces these stereotypes.”
As for white collar workplaces, my virtual world would consist of a device that interviews people so that the white interviewer cannot depict the interviewee’s nationality, accent, age, sexuality, or whether they are in a wheelchair, and must hire them instead on their qualifications and skills. A firm that has one black employee and two female managers don’t qualify as being “non-racist”. Unfortunately, in the real world, stereotypes will always exist, even if a person of colour is in power.
Finally, will access to computers widen the digital divide? As this is my topic for my paper, you (and I) will eventually find the answer by reading it.
Fun, Games and Learning: Although software programs and computer games have many positive benefits for children, to incorporate video games in the classroom is debatable. First, not only do we have to convince the parents that their tax dollars are going towards something educational, but to convince the principals is another matter. I think parents rely on teachers to teach their children what they can’t teach at home. How difficult is it for a mother to let her kids sit in front of a computer, playing an educational program? I think the parents believe it is the teacher’s responsibility to educate children what they were trained in teacher’s college. There may be courses on how to incorporate technology in the classroom, but video games? I am not sure how many parents would advocate this. I have seen time and time again that children prefer to learn on the computer, rather than learning from tangible, real objects. I still believe in learning using our senses – to touch what a lizard feels like, to see how ants build a farm, to hear how loud a trumpet blares. Sure, you can experience some of these on video, but if you can learn from real experiences, why use technology? I still lean towards real life compared to technology, but I have to remember to ask my students what they also prefer. Again, it is our responsibility as parents and educators to create a balance between technology and real life.
Positive approaches to technology: While technology used to be mainly used in math and science, it has made progress to be used in all subjects. Educators and administrators are learning and understanding that it can be used to help students express themselves and bring to the surface their creative personalities. As for “virtual city”, I suppose it can be used in subjects like geometry to create objects, or science to understand mechanics of building objects (again, math and science). We also discussed that it creates teamwork, social connectivity, and experimenting in order to make sense of something (décollatage?).
In order for teachers to be skilled in teaching students how to use computers in the classroom, administrators need to understand the value of technology and help teachers who want to learn, instead of implementing computers in the curriculum.
From the many discussions we have had in class, we can see that there are many positive (and negative) outcomes in using computers/technology in the classroom. Today, we discussed who is responsible for teaching children about computers. The answer: both parents and educators. However, teachers can also learn from children by watching them play, for example. Plus, in order for the teacher to be the “learner”, the power relationship needs to be shifted and not all teachers are okay with this. How can teachers continue using a constructionist approach without falling back into using instructionist methods? I suppose this takes experience and for the educator to accept it, believe in it, and practice it in everyday situations, not just at school.
Children as photographers: I especially liked how kids-with-cameras.org uses cameras to help marginalized children develop their confidence levels and other skills. In addition, for those children whose English is a second language can communicate using photos as an alternate form of literacy skill.
Although technology can help children learn skills such as motivation, social skills, creativity, teamwork, and develop confidence, I still lean more towards the fact that they can learn better in real life situations, face-to-face, interacting without a webcam or a screen that physically separates “you from them.” I also believe that it is important to ask the children themselves their interests and opinions regarding technology, computers, games, etc. There needs to be a balance between the two, and teachers and parents need to guide children in this balance. From tonight’s class, it is obvious that children are becoming more lethargic by sitting in front of a television or computer. Furthermore, statistics show that obesity and diabetes rates have increased in children. It is more challenging for parents to encourage their children to be more active. There was a recent study that proved that children are more academically successful if they are more active, even when they spent more time AWAY from their studies to be physically active. For example, after studying for an hour, for their break, teenagers who engaged in physical activity, compared to those students who chatted on the phone, played video games, read magazines, helped with household chores, etc., had higher grades after one semester. I think technology is taking over the world, and children will be less involved, and less interested, in the simple things in life.
Edutainment: Children today are constantly bombarded with glamourized technology and appreciate natural beauty less and less. They are constantly challenged by stimulating them with flashy games and faster technology. When will this end? Society is becoming more and more competitive and it seems that everything is so commercialized with technology.
Neopets: I think this sparked a lot of interest for some people, and it can also be a good “brain break” or fun activity for many people/children. Unfortunately, I am not a strong advocate of computer games or software programs, whether they are educational or not. I am quite cynical of sitting behind a computer which can be addictive (I, myself, have been caught in this trap). I would rather learn and have fun (and teach others to learn and entertain themselves), through hands-on experiences.
Technology can offer great opportunities for people, for example, using youtube to broadcast a person’s talent (singing, dancing, playing an instrument, etc.). This offers these people a chance to be discovered that they might not have been able to before. Another example would be to view and listen to concerts from around the world using technology. Without too much commercialism being involved, I think this is a great venue. As Kristen mentioned, it can be authentic, especially for those people who truly appreciate music, whether listening to it or participating in it. On another level, offering “free” education through the use of technology can be another advantage for many people (those who can’t afford it, single mothers, etc.). However, as I mentioned before, some people like to be in the physical classroom, like myself, as I learn better this way, which leads me to Second Life and the virtual world. I, personally, don’t believe in this venue, as it takes away from the “real world.” I find that it prevents me from having concrete relationships with real people; maybe this avenue has worked for some others and is a great escapism, but I need to feel grounded and fear that I will lose touch with reality.
Alex said that Second Life can be very addictive for most people. I suppose it depends on the person and where they are in their life. If I had more time on my hands, I might have been more interested in this program. But even with all the “current” technology, I find that I am still not interested in many things, such as facebook, youtube, ebay, I rarely use my cell phone, and I don’t have a digital camera. The one thing that I was addicted to then and still am is music and listening to it on my ipod. I don’t have high definition and I don’t have a plasma television. I just only recently bought a “thin” monitor and have been using dial-up for a few years. I was using hi-speed internet when I was working, but ever since I became a full-time student and quit working, I had to sacrifice some privileges. I don’t feel too disconnected from the rest of the technological society, but I won’t openly admit to strangers that I still use dial-up. I think in the future, I will still not use very much technology, and that I will still “overspend” on music-related items.
Today’s first presentation was about how to merge technology and education/learning. This is very relevant for me as I enter the teaching field, and how to apply it in the classroom. As Alex mentioned, when implementing a new program, test it on your own children first, for example, before bringing it to the classroom. We also discussed how to stop your students from texting, surfing the internet, blogging, etc., during class lectures? Some people said to SHIFT the learning to the students by asking them questions about the topic for that day’s discussion. We also touched on correspondence courses, and how some people thrive on it while others (like myself) need the physical aspect of teachers and the physical discussions with other students rather than through blogging or discussion boards. The second presentation was about “digital natives vs. immigrants” and I was surprised at how many people in the classroom thought they were in the second category. Finally, we compared the two generations and how each uses (or doesn’t use) technology. I know that my niece and nephew (5 and 8 years old) are already “more advanced” than me – playing with DSIs, Webkins, using a laptop, etc. It will be interesting to find out how technology will come into play 10 years from now, and how little I will be able to relate to them.
Today’s topic was about how social media is different from visual media. Alex mentioned that it is still in the beginning stages and that this paradigm shift is “as big as the printing press.” There is a huge shift from visual to social media. Personally, I have not used ebay or facebook, and only watched youtube twice in my whole life. Time constraints is one reason and lack of interest is another for not utilizing these two technologies. If I did have more time, I believe that I would be more interested in ebay over youtube. I also think the youtube is used by a majority of the younger generation, although, I could be wrong about this. I have ordered a book through amazon.com for school purposes, and found that I would have liked to have done this person-to-person instead. It was frustrating that I could not immediately contact the user for information (for safety purposes) when I made an error in shipping and I received no response from the other end either when I emailed them through amazon. I do, however, like to use technology when I get immediate results or responses. For instance, I like how quickly I can pay my bills over the phone, which takes less than 30 seconds. Another example of lack of technological use is my cell phone. I only use it for emergencies and recently switched it to pay-as-you-go, since I found that I was paying for something I was not using a lot of. I love that I have spent only $20 over a period of 3 months! Finally, one technology that I do use a lot is music (I download thousands of songs and listen to my ipod religiously). I use it on the Go train, when I go for a run, when I’m stressed, when I’m doing yoga – I find music is very therapeutic for me.
We also compared wikipedia and blogs, how both use knowledge that can be shared, except that wikipedia information can be changed and revised. Because of this, there has also been much criticism that many professors strongly advise against using wikipedia when doing research for essays. Some say that it is not a reliable source, while others use it “with a grain of salt.” I believe there is some truth to wikipedia’s facts and information, however, I also would not recommend it to other students for papers.
Finally, the class mentioned if we wished we had technology when we were younger? I don’t think this is a valid question in that times were different 20 years ago. Similarly, one cannot pose a question, “What if we had computers a hundred years ago?” Times are different and things are constantly changing, as we adapt to these changes.
