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*~~ISTC Final ~~*
In five to six years, I hopefully see myself as an elementary educator. By then, technology will definitely be playing a bigger role in the lives of students and teachers alike. When I was in elementary school, teaching students to use technology, such as computers, was not viewed as being necessary. Once a month, and sometimes even less, we would take a class trip to the computer lab where the lab technician would teach us how to use simple programs such as Paint. Mostly though, it was more of a play time, and we would occupy our time with games on the computer like Oregon Trail and Number Munchers. At that time, the world wide web wasn’t as popular or advanced as it is now, and email was rarely used. In this day and age, people’s lives revolve around the computer. Students use the internet for everything, therefore it is important that we teach our students how to effectively apply it. Teaching students how to use the technology that is available to them will be an important priority. Curriculums may be based more on technologically interactive learning, such as using games and computer programs to instruct pupils. Projectors that connect to computers serve as interactive blackboards for students to view instead of the usual method of chalk. Technology will also better help teachers and parents to stay in touch. For those who have a busy schedule, and no time to go to school to meet teachers face to face, internet provides a fast and easy tool for communication that wasn’t available before. Email and even instant messaging will permit educators to contact parents and discuss important issues. Technology will also provide more possibilities to help children. Students who are having difficulty in any subject, can have an online tutor to coach them without ever leaving the comforts of home. Internet based learning also provides more opportunities for parents who want their child to reap the benefits of homeschooling, but don’t have the skills or knowledge themselves. Homeschooled students can learn with the help of online educators. The use of technology has, and will continue to better the learning experience. To be honest, I didn’t know what to expect from the class, Using Information Effectively in Education. I enrolled in it because I have to take it to fulfill a graduation requirement. At the beginning of the class, I had no idea what to expect form the class, or what we would be learning. By the end of the semester, I realized that the class not only served as a graduation requirement, but it has allowed me to walk away with valuable information that I will most definitely be finding useful for my other classes. One example is the research paper. It was the first formal research paper that I have ever written. It gave me experience that I know I will need for future research papers that I will write in other classes. I learned how to access online databases for my research. The group project also helped me to gain insight on how it would be working with others in a college setting. Throughout the group project, we utilized programs, such as the digital dropbox in BBWeb to stay in touch and send each other information we needed to complete the project. Overall, the course was a very helpful one. I learned a lot of essential skills for using technology and the internet. |