Technology is moving faster than most educators can keep up. I am included in that group of educators. My students come to school with a diverse knowledge of technology and how it works. The switch to this new kind of education was highlighted very well by the schools in New Brunswick, Canada. The school district explains that "Education as we know it may be obsolete". My biggest concern still remains; what does this mean for educators like myself? I will be the first to admit that my students are much more tech savvy than I am. They know what to do when the computer freezes or the tablet is not working properly. They can diagnose just about every problem on an iPhone and can easily list a plethora of websites and game sites. When I was in Kindergarten, I learned how to color. I knew my letters and numbers and I began to read and write. My students can do much more than I can in some aspects, but they miss out on others. When thinking about my Kindergarten experience, my teachers used blackboards. The video highlights this in it's "throwback introduction". In the 21st century though, we must adapt and make learning available in different medias for our students. I chose to complete my graduate studies in Education and Technology, not only because I like technology, but because I need to keep up with my students and engage in new ways with them.
Along with technology comes social media. When I was growing up, MySpace was the "cool" thing to have. MySpace is basically obsolete now. Erik Qualman stated "We don't have a choice on whether we DO social media, the question is how well we DO it." This statement could not be any truer. The video stated that 50% of our population is under the age of 30. Many of our social media platforms today, are created by people within that population. The more I thought about this, the more shocked I was. Social media has become somewhat of an addiction for my generation. Snapping "artsy" pictures, editing for hours, condensing your thoughts to 140 characters or less, and so much more has become normal. It has created a fantasy world for young adults. It is saddening to see people snapping pictures of their food and editing for fifteen minutes before they even TOUCH their food. (I am a big foodie so I could never wait fifteen minutes!) Technology and social media can have an incredibly positive affect when used in an appropriate and enlightening manner but not when used to impress others.
Technology and social media might be moving faster than we can keep up, but it is our job as educators and students to understand and teach others about the positive and appropriate side effects of technology.
Along with technology comes social media. When I was growing up, MySpace was the "cool" thing to have. MySpace is basically obsolete now. Erik Qualman stated "We don't have a choice on whether we DO social media, the question is how well we DO it." This statement could not be any truer. The video stated that 50% of our population is under the age of 30. Many of our social media platforms today, are created by people within that population. The more I thought about this, the more shocked I was. Social media has become somewhat of an addiction for my generation. Snapping "artsy" pictures, editing for hours, condensing your thoughts to 140 characters or less, and so much more has become normal. It has created a fantasy world for young adults. It is saddening to see people snapping pictures of their food and editing for fifteen minutes before they even TOUCH their food. (I am a big foodie so I could never wait fifteen minutes!) Technology and social media can have an incredibly positive affect when used in an appropriate and enlightening manner but not when used to impress others.
Technology and social media might be moving faster than we can keep up, but it is our job as educators and students to understand and teach others about the positive and appropriate side effects of technology.
It is crazy to think how much social media has changed since the days of MySpace. It used to be you had MySpace and a messenger app on your PC and that was it. Now students have to keep up with Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, and on and on. No wonder they don't have time to go their homework. All of these different platforms are definitely what makes it difficult for us as educators to keep up. Once classes start and teaching begins it is hard to keep up with technology on top of lesson plans, faculty meetings, IEPs, and all of the other components of teaching. Not to mention taking grad classes online! I think it's important to teach our students how to prioritize and manage their time. That way they do have time for social media...and homework.
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ReplyDeleteWe can think of technology in a sense that it can either be our best friend, or our worst enemy. Knowing how to use the technology and especially knowing how to use it to benefit students can make it our best friend. However, if we are reluctant to continuously learn how to use education to benefit our students and just let it pass us on by, we are going to see ourselves not being able to connect with our students anymore and we'll be become less effective teachers. Trying to transition yourself then will prove to be a nightmare, hence it can be our worst enemy. As teachers, we have to stay on top of technology advancement and on how our students are using it, so that it doesn't become our worst enemy. How can we teach our students to adapt to an ever changing future and to become good digital citizens, when we choose not to do those things ourselves as teachers? I think it's a bit irresponsible. So, Kudos to you Kaitlin for being a good teacher staying on top of things. ;)
ReplyDeleteMy students think it's funny that I don't do Facebook and I always tell them "Facebook is out--it's all about Insta and Snapchat". They think it's hilarious and say "I know, only old people do FB, like my parents". And I have to laugh because I am either the same age or older than their parents. It's important as teachers to be aware of and know how to use the latest SM because there is something to be said for "street cred" especially when disciplinary issues come up or when you need to ferret out an issue with kids and misuse.
ReplyDeleteYes! Students can be more adaptive to new technologies and they are always following the trend and even better than me in dealing with some technology problems. I have to say I feel so lucky that I am teaching second graders who don't use a lot social medias. I don't have snapchat and twitter account although I hear these two words quite often. I have Facebook and Instagram but I seldom post anything on them. I cannot imagine what my students would think about me, an out-of-date teacher if I were teaching students in middle school or high school. Teachers can never stop learning new things so that we can keep up with our students!
ReplyDeleteI do agree with everyone else about Social Media. Social Media is a big part of today’s students.
ReplyDeleteBut the student needs to be trained in the wise use of social media. If the students are not trained in how to use Social Media the effect can be harmful. Social Media brings into an aspect in a person life that can be un-healthy. Not disconnecting from the peer environment, being in contact with peers 24/7. Take for instance someone that is being bullied in school. Granted that could be considered a normal aspect of growing up. But some of our students, if on social media, can be bullied 24/7. In my opinion, that is something that is unhealthy. A person needs to have space to be themselves and not have peer pressure 24/7.
Yes, I am a tech. Yes, I do spend over 18 hours a day on my devices. But every once in a awhile a person has to disconnect. To recharge. I myself have to remind myself of this. Imagine the children that have not been trained to turn the social media off. Leave the device on the kitchen table and not take it to their bedrooms. Granted every child is different and age groups matter. But I believe this effect of social media needs to be mentioned.
Don’t get me going on gossip based news over legitimate news.
I love how you tied in this weeks theme with the reason why you chose Educational Technology as your masters degree. I couldn't agree more. I think in order for use to be the best educators we can be, we must keep up with the times. We must be knowledgeable in new ways to enhance student learning. With that being said, we also must be willing to change!
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