I believe
that I am part of the Digital Generation. Throughout my lifetime, I have
witnessed a lot of technological changes and advances. The earliest memory that
I have of using a computer is when I was around four years old and I would blow
up balloons on a video game. I am sure that the graphics would be considered
terrible today, but I loved that game! The way that I view computers and
technology is not with unease, but with ready willingness.
I think that most of the portraits onYouth Origins are similar to the six to twelfth graders that I know personally. My eleven year old brother is a computer whiz. He loves working with genealogy programs and making his own webcam videos, complete with special effects. I know of fifth graders that have their own websites; I wouldn't even know how to begin to design my own website! I can’t say the same about kids under fifth grade, though. Most of the students that I have encountered that are eleven and younger are not technically savvy. These students use computers for gaming, rather than making movies and spreadsheets, like most of the portrait students. I definitely think that I am less qualified than the students in the video, but perhaps more qualified than someone who hasn’t been around computers and other technology all of their life.
Always
planning on incorporating technology into my classroom, my perspective on the
Digital Generation has not changed. There are a lot of educational games on the
web, which go over very well in schools and other educational programs. I have
worked with Lexia and Success Maker, personally, and those games not only
assist in the learning process, but students enjoy playing.
Brittney,
ReplyDeleteI like your lighthearted background. I love nature and all of its pleasure. I'm less qualified than any of you. Life gets hectic as a working adult/parent. The last thing I had time or money for was technology. By the time I could afford it, it was outdated. Working 10-12 hour days kind of put a damper on my spare time. All I wanted to do was sleep after a long day. Even then, I had a daughter to care for and a home to keep. Technology flashed by me. My daughter would like to play some games, but she is so bogged down with homework, each night, that all she gets done is work, work, work. She has a wii, but never has time to play it. I have no idea what I'll use, digitally. I don't know what my school will have or be able to provide. I don't know what works and what doesn't. As a substitute teacher, I only babysit. I've not watched a lecture or activities taught by today's teachers. I walk into a classroom without chalkboards, and I feel I've stepped onto the moon!
I remember playing a similar game when I was younger. I LOVED it. I agree with your stance on technology in the classroom. I have observed a classroom where students used math programs to inforce the ideas the teacher has jsut taught them. The programs have a high success rate.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that younger students are getting more involved with the technology field. I know at the high school when i took radio/tv class we had to do all our work with computers. We used special effects and more. I like how you would use games to help teach your student because I also agreed to the same thing. Glad we think alike! :)
ReplyDeleteBrittney,
ReplyDeleteFirst off, I am right there with you one not knowing how to create a website; while my little brothers seem to know EVERYTHING! I also agree with you that students that are in that age range are more gamer savvy than with a spreadsheet. I also can relate to classrooms that use computer programs like a math or science quest that allows students to work on the computers instead of paper and pencil. I think that, for a teacher, we need to be able to teach with the technology that is out there, so that students will also be able to learn about that technology as well. They might even teach us something about it that we didn't know.