Prior to entering this course, I always had a strong interest in technology. In my younger years, I loved to do activities that had a strong technological component within them. However, these interests were never fully supported by my former teachers. They always looked at the use of technology as a form of play without any educational purpose. When this course become available for our course selection, I was more than excited as I truly felt it would benefit my teaching philosophy and me. Now that the course is just about complete, I see that initially thoughts were right. The topics explored throughout the semester have really helped me gain stronger perspectives in regards to technology and children. They have also helped me see the benefits of technology for my own personal use.
Technology is the way of the future. The newer generations of children are being born into a world that is constantly furthering the limits of what technology is capable of doing. Being born in a society that is already immersed in technology only makes it clear that our children should be taught its appropriate uses and the benefits it holds for them. We have to take advantage of the new ways we have to inspire children and to reach them on an educational level through new and traditional ways. All children have their preferred learning method, and now that technology has been made available to reach students, we should be taking advantage of it.
One of the first things we did really helped me connect what I had done in the past with technology and how it incorporates educational factors. The World of Goo, at first glance was just another online game to me. It actually made me reminisce about a game I used to play when I was younger, “Lemmings”. The idea of both games was quite similar; each game required you to reach a certain goal in order to move on to the next level. Reflecting on the games with a new perspective I realized that they hold more meaning that I ever knew. These games are educational tools. Even though they are fun and not a traditional way of teaching, they still educate those who play them in the same way. It is a great and interactive way to teach children how to problem solve with various strategies such as trial and error through the use of technology. I could not help wanting to email those who had said to me “Stop wasting your time playing those silly games” and inform them of the benefits that programs and games like these have.
Another topic that we discussed (Designing and Visualizing with Technologies) also made me think about my own experiences with technology. Though I had never had any experience with programs such as Sketch Up, I did play various games such as the Sims and Rollercoaster Tycoon. These games have the same intent as the program Sketch Up; they enable one to use their imagination and bring to life a design. I loved playing these games and building what I dreamed of, and the fact that a program like this exists only has me wondering how I can bring it into the classroom. Sketch Up does not require that individuals design for a specific purpose such as a house or a theme park; therefore, it allows it to be used in a more open context and allows one to incorporate it in a variety of ways. When imagining the educational possibilities that exist with this program, I could not help but think that it is a great way to incorporate the science or math curriculum.
In my past placements, I have tried to incorporate technology as much as I can. Some teachers have made it easy, as they too have an interest in technology. Others have made it quite difficult, as they chose to stick to more traditional approaches of teaching. One particular experience really allowed me to connect technology and the curriculum. While working within a grade 5 classroom, I had the opportunity to connect media literacy, technology and health all into one unit plan. In the unity plan, children were to create health commercials based on the assigned topics. To begin, I allowed the children to research using the Internet so that they could gain background knowledge on their topic through sources other than just books. I also used sites such as youtube.com to show children what commercials look like. Once the children had designed their own commercials, they were ready to use a video camera to record it. Through the use of technology, children were able to research and explore their topic, record their presentation and then review it with the class. I ensured to include a self-assessment for the grading scheme, as through the use of a video, children were able to note their own strengthens and weaknesses. It has been through the creation of this unit that I saw the benefits of documenting the children’s work with technologies. By using devices such as cameras and video cameras, the children, their peers and the teacher can all view the children’s work. This can help build up a child’s self esteem as their work is displayed to others.
This course has helped me see the educational value within technology and how it aids in creating lessons and plans that are more interactive. One new concept that I will attempt to include within my teaching career is the use of technological programs for community building between students. I will strive to use a blogging format as a writing tool within my class, and have the children connect with other peers. I believe this is truly a way to create a community between students and also a way to get them to see the perspectives of others. Through my own blogging experience within this class, I have been able to become closer with those that I have not spoken to in my last 4 years at Ryerson. Through this blogging experience, I have been able to see similarities and differences between others and myself. Most importantly, I have been able to communicate my ideas and connect the theoretical with personal experiences. This class has truly helped me see the educational value within the use of technology. I feel more confident in developing a classroom environment that incorporates technology. I also feel more confident in defending my choices to those who had questioned the use of technology. I no longer just want to use technology because I enjoy it; I want to use technology so that the children have the opportunity to be exposed to its benefits and advantages. I am excited to take the new knowledge I have gained and apply it within a classroom environment.
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