Lifelong learning is not just a teacher preference; it is also a requirement for maintaining state certification. Technology literacy courses and workshops are some of the most popular learning experiences for certificate extension and renewal. Do you believe that taking additional courses in technology literacy is as important as those for your content or discipline? Is too much emphasis being placed on developing and maintaining technology competency? Defend your view.
In the future, I believe all teaching will involve a technological component; therefore, the necessity for teachers to become fluent in technology is apparent. As a future teacher of library media and secondary English Language Arts, I see great importance in remaining up-to-date with technology to best serve my students.
The emphasis of the librarian is now centered on technology. Physical books are no longer the focus of the library, but the emphasis is now on electronic resources. As a future library media teacher, it is imperative that I remain current with technological trends to teach students how to access material and promote optimal learning. For instance, electronic databases provide students with a wide array of information that was previously limited to what could be accessed through physical copies, and it is important that students be taught how to access these databases. In addition, Secondary English teachers utilize technology in their classrooms. Students may access reading materials electronically, submit papers through plagiarism prevention sites like Turn-it-in, or share papers with teachers via Google Docs, which simplifies organizing student papers and reduces the likelihood of losing student work.
I do not believe that too much emphasis is being placed on technology competency. In the 21st century, it is necessary for students to be literary in technology to succeed in life. Without being competent in technology themselves, teachers will be unable to teach students technological skills. Technology is the future, and teachers need to be experienced in technology to promote technological literacy.
Chapter 2; Question 3.
You have learned about a variety of technologies useful to support learning in this chapter. With which one of these are you most comfortable? Which are most useful to help prepare 21st century learners? Describe the technology and its potential applications in the grade level or content area you wish to teach and demonstrate why it is most appealing to you.
Of the technologies mentioned in the textbook, I am most comfortable with the virtual learning classroom, Elluminate. In two of the graduate classes I have taken at USM (REF 601 & SPE 500), a weekly Elluminate meeting was part of the class requirements. Elluminate is noteworthy because a student can see and hear the instructor via webcam, and students have the option to contribute by clicking on the mic icon, which accesses the student’s microphone; or by clicking on the webcam, which accesses the student’s web cam; or by simply typing a response into the textbox. There is even an Elluminate app for smartphones, which makes accessing an online class convenient when one is unable to login in to a computer. There is also a virtual whiteboard, which teachers can type in. Additionally, teachers have the option to share their screen; subsequently, students may watch a teacher navigate through a PowerPoint, Blackboard, or another resource.
In my opinion, the technologies most useful to prepare 21st century learners mentioned in this chapter are the technologies that foster communication and collaboration. These technologies allow educational material to be accessed in a convenient manner; furthermore, these types of technologies transcend geographic barriers and allow learners to communicate regardless of location. As our society becomes more global, it is imperative for our students to become experts in communications technology in order to compete with the rest of the world. Additionally, greater collaboration can result from experts in education when they may access each other conveniently.
There are numerous technologies that appeal to me. A simple communicative technology like email allows easier communication with parents and students outside of the classroom. Communicative technology can also allow students with disabilities enhanced access to materials. Assistive technology like Augmentative Communication Devices allow students with speech deficiencies to communicate in classrooms.
When teaching secondary English, students use communicative and collaborative technologies to work together to synthesize ideas. By utilizing a shared Google Doc, students can work on a group research project together and easily edit other students' contributions. Additionally, by utilizing video conferencing, students may access the class virtually when they are unable to attend in person for reasons such as illness. By utilizing communicative technology in a unit focused on researching different cultures, students may interview students globally via Skype.
Chapter 3; Question 1.
Many teachers write objectives and focus their instruction at the three lowest levels of Bloom’s taxonomy. Why do you think this happens? Do you believe it is an appropriate emphasis? How might it help or hurt the learners?
When evaluating use of Bloom’s taxonomy in the classroom, I believe teachers focus their efforts towards the lower cognitive categories of remembering, understanding, and applying because these areas of instruction are the easiest and least time-consuming to implement. For example, it is quicker to have students label a map (remembering), to have students classify cities in states (understanding), or to have students select the correct capital city (applying) than it is to have students compare state legal systems (analyzing), to have students assess a state legal system (evaluating), or to have students construct their own legal system (creating).
Focusing completely on the cognitive levels of remembering, understanding, and applying in the classroom is not appropriate because students need to practice higher level thinking skills. If students are not able to get practice in the higher levels of thinking, critical thinking skills in analyzing, evaluating, and synthesizing may be deficient. Not emphasizing critical thinking skills in teaching is dangerous because these are necessary skills are students need for their future lives. By teaching enhancing critical thinking, students may be more successful in higher education, may be better prepared for the workforce, and may be able to compete on a global level.