Incorporating more time for technology into the classroom schedule is a must. I do not believe that one session a week in the computer lab is enough time for children to educate themselves on how to use technology. I have been using computers on a daily basis for years and I still do not know everything. The minute I think I have figured out a program, I realize that I have just opened up another door full of questions. These programs are embedded with so much that, without proper exploration, it is hard to know about what we are using. Not to mention the fact that these programs are constantly changing and updating, which also makes it difficult to get to know a program if you are only working with it for short periods of time.
As stated in the text, the use of technology is a “growing trend”. Not only are computers becoming a popular item to have within the home, many schools are also including them within the students’ own classrooms. Teachers are also becoming more open to incorporating technology in their lessons, as they can see the increased interests students have when it comes to using computers. Integrating subjects such as science, math, art and even literacy can easily be done through the use of a computer. For example, programs such as WISE have been developed to allow students to experience scientific inquiry about topics that could be rather bland if just read through a textbook. The text even mentions one teacher’s discovery that the use of a computer program motivated students, who usually seemed disinterested, in completing the task and allowed them to acquire plenty of knowledge about the topic. Therefore, why not give the children more time within the schedule to use a computer?
Technology is a great network of resources but it poses a threat in terms of safety and privacy. The threat is that almost anything can be accessed on the Internet (even things you do not want to be accessed) and that information about individuals can sometimes fall into the wrong hands. Schools are required to block certain content from the Internet to ensure that the use of computers is child friendly. But will this protect children when they are not in the school setting? I believe that while we must block this content in the schools just to ensure that no legal issues surface, we must also educate the children as to why this is being blocked and what harm it poses. This can help to start the process of educating children on how to use the Internet/technology as a support for their learning, and to show them the value of this wonderful resource that exists at our fingertips.
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