I found this site to be quite imaginative… I thought some of the ideas were hilarious and then I remembered the ideas came from children. Here are a few examples of the cute/funny ideas…
-having a calculator built into you pencil
-having a robot or a digital teacher
-automatically transferring knowledge to your brain using pills, gum or a hat
I thought these were fun ideas, but I think its quite ridiculous how lazy this generation has become. Students want everything handed to them and they don’t want to work for the knowledge, an example would be having a calculator built into a pencil… oh come on, why has it come to the fact we can’t do simple math? It’s because we have relied on other sources to do the work for us.
I think having online games and classes would be a great resource for the students. I also think it would be great to have your textbooks online, because you can easily access the info. The school would be saving a lot of money buying the books and the money being saved could benefit the students in other ways.
I really enjoyed this video I think it is fascinating how quickly the social networking is growing. I think it's great that students are learning technology skills, creativity, being open to new points of view and communication skills. I think having online classes and ebooks will of course save money and be quite the time saver in the long run. I am a social networker believer and I keep in contact with all of my old friends through Facebook and Myspace.
There is new technology coming out everyday for example the iPhone; the manufactures are trying to accommodate prices so more people will use and buy. What I found interesting from this video was how the internet companies like Comcast and AT&T are willing to charge customers who use it more than others. I think it is ridiculous how teachers want their students to get online and do research and homework, and now they are going to be charged if they go over their monthly time limit. This topic is a hard one to discuss especially when you are a parent who wants to support the school, yet you can't afford it.
The article states, "According to the study, 73 percent of the teens surveyed said their electronic communications have no impact on on their formal (school) writing, and 63 percent said that "using computers to write makes no difference in the quality of the writing they produce" I don't completely agree with this article, I think there is a new language of texting and IM and it gets mixed in with our daily discussions and writings. I've read students' work and the texting lingo comes in on accident and it's hard to understand.
The article also stated, "Eighty-six percent of teens surveyed said they thought "good writing ability" would be important for later success in life, according to the survey, and 82 percent said they thought their writing would improve if their teachers spent more time on it in class." I agree with this quote and I think it would be great if teachers spend more time on writing.
This video was on media mobility and having your media on the go. The students on this video talk about what they want for the future for example smaller computers. They also discussed how credit cards will become obsolete and they will use finger printing; thus there will be no identity theft. I think this idea is amazing and smart!
I thought this was an insightful video and I think we need to take the advice students are giving us and help them grow mentally and physically. Teachers are creating future generations and they need to grow and accept technology and use it in daily teaching.
Having technology in the classroom for sure makes it more fun and interactive. The article states, "Integrating technology into classroom instruction means more than teaching basic computer skills and software programs in a separate computer class. Effective tech integration must happen across the curriculum in ways that research shows deepen and enhance the learning process. In particular, it must support four key components of learning: active engagement, participation in groups, frequent interaction and feedback, and connection to real-world experts." I think having technology in classrooms will help the teacher and the students grow, and become experts in the real world. If you aren't continually learning then you will get let behind in the real world.
After I took the UNI survey I realized I have some work to do. I thought I was tech savy, however I guess I only know the basics. I want to help my students to their fullest potential, therefore I want to learn as much as I can, so I will be able to use technology in my classroom daily.
I looked at the site, NETS FOR Teachers 2000, and I feel like it's something I can achieve, the format and wording makes it less overwhelming compared to the UNI survey. NETS site states, "Teachers plan and design effective learning environments and experiences supported by technology." I agree with this statement, I think we should invite technology into the classroom; by doing this it will help the students develop higher technology skills and creativity. I think some of my strengths would be relating to the students, and creating something they would enjoy and learn from. I enjoy learning new information and teaching those around me about it. I think one of my weakness might be having the patience to work with and practice on the technology, but once I know what I am doing then I enjoy it... kind of like this whole blog thing!
I thought this was a very insightful video clip, I was shocked with the facts. A few examples of the facts I enjoyed were...
-Many of today's college majors didn’t even exist 10 years ago
-Today’s 21year old has watched 20,000 hrs of TV, 10,000 hrs of video games, 10,000 hrs on the phone and has sent or received 250,000 emails of instant messages
-More than 70% of the US 4 year olds have used a computer.
Watching these facts pop up on the screen blew me away, I know we are constantly surrounded with technology; however I think we should manage our time and use it when it is necessary; instead of being glued to your TV or phone.
