Technology in Education

Critics of technology in schools
     I do not understand why society is making a huge deal out of educators who feel that technology does help but it is not a necessity in the classroom. Many of the the great technological advances of today were not invented today. They were invented by people who did not grow up with Internet access. Can anyone today explain how the Maya Civilization were able to align the " vernal and autumnal equinoxes". At the exact moment every year the sun illuminates the stairs of a pyramid creating the shape of a snake slithering down a mountain to the earth. There are so many more examples of things that were created long before the Internet was available.

     I remember been taught how the "CPU" (central processing unit) was created and how it works. Anyone can click on an icon or link. Knowing how something works is always more complicated then learning how to use it.There are no short cuts, learn how to crawl, then walk, run and finally sprint!

Digital disconnect
     I believe that through feedback we can better educate our students. I do not believe that everything that you learn has to be fun. Student will always tell us what they want (cell phones, i pad, Internet, less restrictions). All of these do not guarantee that you will learn to function or develop cognitive qualities. In many cases they can add a number of negative risk if a student is not equipped to handle the responsibility that comes with them. There are some things that should be considered but the objective does not change. That is to make sure that at the end of each year, all students show significant gains. Through my experience I have seen many children held back only by their parents. Parents who do not allow their children to fall! When the getting up is what is going to make them who they will become.

     As a Physical Education teacher I would like to help my students enjoy their bodies in a healthy way through their thirties, forties or as long as they choose. If they can mentally believe that they can do things, they will. Once they believe it there is no limit where they can go. I believe that the excessive amount of information (too hot, cold, tired, too sunny, raining, cold) at times does not help but scares and hinders are willingness to explore what is possible. At the age of six a student does not know how something can be good or bad for them. Unless a parent or guardian has told them. That student now has what I call a "preset condition" when they get to my class. After a few months, the parents do not believe me when I tell them how active their children are in my class.

Ted talks
     During my last college course I had the pleasure to discover Ted talks. Now I got to read a little of what I had experienced a month ago. I have nothing but good things to say. The speakers are extremely knowledgeable and some even add a touch of humor which allows the audience to get a laugh or two while they are learning. So much experience and valuable information that can be obtained in very little time. I would recommend this website to anyone looking for interesting discussion material.

Sources

Textbook - Maloy, Robert, Verock-O’Loughlin,Ruth-Ellen, Edwards, Sharon A., and Woolf, Beverly Park (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.