When I narrowed my question down, I found that I was interested in two important components: educational websites/apps and its relation to how students learn. I have not experienced this first hand in my elementary or middle school years so that is why I am interested in the topic and finding an answer. As I became older, I realized that technology is a very important aspect to my life at the moment, but I did not see it as a necessity when I was younger. Although I am considered a “digital native”, I do not feel as if I was completely immersed in the technology that we have today as a child. Even though we had computers and huge advancements in technology, I was still left in the dark when it came to using it in the classroom.
Growing up in a digital age, I was always informed of technology and gadgets but just not in an education setting. I remember when the most popular technology in my middle school years was the release of the iPod and Apple products in general. All my classmates had to have them, but they were never implemented in the classroom. I believe that the reason for this was because it was new technology that teachers at that time did not know much about them. Other than cellphones and iPods, I had a vague idea of what was out in the world as far as technology goes.
In 2006, my family finally invested in one of those new plasma computers for the sake of my education. I had projects that required me to use the computer to print things out, but not to use any educational websites. I believe this is the difference between my generation and the one now. While I was using my desktop to print things like worksheets and pictures, the new generation is using it to explore and tap into new and innovate websites. I have learned that there are countless websites and applications that are available to young children AND adolescents that can help them educationally, while my generation was deprived from that type of interactions. I plan on finding the best apps and websites so that I can inform parents on the ones that work and the ones that do not.
I believe that there are two different perspectives to my topic. The first one is the opposing side; those that believe that technology does not work in the classroom and can essentially harm a child’s learning capability. The other side consists of those who believe that technology can be a useful tool in the classroom and can help a child learning better. These two sides seem to either be black or white; either you strongly agree or disagree with the use of technology in the classroom. The reason for this split in opinions is because there are some who have seen the benefits of technology, maybe in their lifetime or from experience, and those who have seen the hindering effects of it.
I position myself in the positive outlook of using technology in education because although I started really using technology in my later years, it has helped me significantly in my studies. I don’t think I can imagine my life without it, especially when it comes to using it for school purposes. Although my opinions may be skewed due to my matured experiences with technology, I believe that a younger audience could benefit from its use. If I had the ability to use technology regularly, I would be even more advanced in it than I am today. Some people see it as a distraction, but I see technology as a helping hand.
Growing up in a digital age, I was always informed of technology and gadgets but just not in an education setting. I remember when the most popular technology in my middle school years was the release of the iPod and Apple products in general. All my classmates had to have them, but they were never implemented in the classroom. I believe that the reason for this was because it was new technology that teachers at that time did not know much about them. Other than cellphones and iPods, I had a vague idea of what was out in the world as far as technology goes.
In 2006, my family finally invested in one of those new plasma computers for the sake of my education. I had projects that required me to use the computer to print things out, but not to use any educational websites. I believe this is the difference between my generation and the one now. While I was using my desktop to print things like worksheets and pictures, the new generation is using it to explore and tap into new and innovate websites. I have learned that there are countless websites and applications that are available to young children AND adolescents that can help them educationally, while my generation was deprived from that type of interactions. I plan on finding the best apps and websites so that I can inform parents on the ones that work and the ones that do not.
I believe that there are two different perspectives to my topic. The first one is the opposing side; those that believe that technology does not work in the classroom and can essentially harm a child’s learning capability. The other side consists of those who believe that technology can be a useful tool in the classroom and can help a child learning better. These two sides seem to either be black or white; either you strongly agree or disagree with the use of technology in the classroom. The reason for this split in opinions is because there are some who have seen the benefits of technology, maybe in their lifetime or from experience, and those who have seen the hindering effects of it.
I position myself in the positive outlook of using technology in education because although I started really using technology in my later years, it has helped me significantly in my studies. I don’t think I can imagine my life without it, especially when it comes to using it for school purposes. Although my opinions may be skewed due to my matured experiences with technology, I believe that a younger audience could benefit from its use. If I had the ability to use technology regularly, I would be even more advanced in it than I am today. Some people see it as a distraction, but I see technology as a helping hand.