Rethinking Technology Chapter 2 Review

I agree with the book, technology is taking over and we as teachers are not “keeping up with joneses”. We are still teaching things in a very, what might be considered ancient, way. Our students are bored because of this technology gap, becoming less engaged in what they are suppose to be learning, thus in return not doing as well in school. I think part of this problem with the lacking technology in the schools is due to funding. Many school districts do not have the money to invest in the latest and greatest technology so that their students can have room for growth in technology. Weather this is right or wrong doesn’t matter, it’s just the facts. I believe that if the schools are having problems with money and can not afford for updates and more or new equipment there are things that can be done. For instance, my school district back home just got all new SMART boards for all the classrooms, but the money came not from the school budget but rather it was raised by the PTS. If parents , teachers and students want and need new technology in their schools then they should take the initiative to get it there. 

I believe that the issue of kids becoming bored in classrooms has always been a problem and always will be. However, with today’s technology there are things that we can do as teachers and resources we can offer so that not only are our students not bored but they are also getting more engaged in learning. One solution for this is investing in computer learning software that teach math, reading, and typing in the form of a fun game that give immediate response. Giving immediate response is crucial to young students and is something we as teacher can not always do. Depending on what style learner a student’s is, you might want to try different types of computer software. For instance, someone who is more of a hands on learner might learn better from a simulation game where they get to control the outcomes of different scenario’s  but not always suffer the consequences if they are negative.

Today’s technology also allows students to discover new experiences, which may allow them to grow as an individual. An example of this is students being given the opportunity to publish their work to the internet were they can real feedback from more than just their student peers and their teacher. This may spark a kids interest to continue to write because they like the way it feels when other people respond and react to their work. It may give motivation to a student who otherwise may have not liked to write but now have their own blog for instance and are constantly writing. For this reason, I believe exposing my students to online publishing could be beneficial for some of my students. I understand that it may not be for everyone and some parents might not approve but in the future, having students publish to the internet via blog or similar publishing means may be a possibility. Learning should be fun and a good way to have learning be fun is through technology. There are many different ways to get students engaged in learning by using technology, and in some cases, more is being learned by doing so.