Growing Up Online

This video made me feel even more indifferent about the role technology plays in the lives of young learners.  I still think that even though I may not agree with using so much technology, it is still a topic that needs to be taught in schools.  We need to teach students how to be safe and smart ways of communicating online.  The earlier we inform kids of this and the dangers online the better they will be at knowing what to avoid in the future.  It would also be important, especially at a young age, to try and involve the parents with any online activity that their child is participating in.  I feel that if we can accomplish this, students maybe somewhat more willing to let their parents know about their internet usage in the future.  If we can create a safe environment for kids, the internet is a great place for them to explore their world and life.  On the video, it mentions how many students use the internet to test different identities they may like to have for themselves.  This is a great opportunity, if we knew that everyone would respect their values and somehow we control who could access it.  This goes for the same topic about how many students post information on the internet because it is always there and someone out there feels the same way or is listening.  It would be a great way to help a student’s emotional wellbeing if only we had a little more control.  

As a future teacher, I will integrate technology in my classroom, but I’m still indifferent to what extent I will do so.  There are many pros, some of which are stated above, but there are also many cons, such as safety.  Part of me agrees with the English teacher in the video, who stated that she tends to avoid using technology.  She mentions how students have a hard time concentrating in class because their minds are so use to going at hundred miles per hour.  It is a shame that students can’t just sit down and discuss problems in class or read a book.  How are they supposed to learn and make connections if students continually just read spark notes?  I also feel that kids aren’t being kids anymore and aren’t living their lives.  I think that kids can learn a lot by going outside and experiencing the world around them, instead of sitting in front of a computer screen almost 24/7. Another negative effect I think will happen in schools is that students are going to struggle even more than before because their expectations are so different for each class.  Some teachers embrace the new technology and others don’t so how are students going to adjust from one way of teaching to the other.  In either case, teachers are going to have to sway a student’s attention from their personal lives in order to teach.  I like how one teacher in the video stated that teachers aren’t educators anymore, but entertainers.   We will be spending more time thinking of creativity and attention grabbing techniques to teach, instead of focusing on the quality of the content or how students learn best.