An Anthropological Introduction to YouTube by Michael Wesch blew my mind.
After watching this video made back in 2008 I was shocked to see how much the internet has changed since then. I currently do not remember a time when my class did not have a smart board, and kahoot, and watched YouTube videos. So for me technology in the classroom seems so second nature. I also went to a private High School where we were paper free and everything was done on an individual tablet that we were given. As well as, I am currently in the main age demographic for a lot of content that is put on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, etc.
Knowing this I believe that I may have an upper hand because I grew up with technology. So in my classroom, I see it as being a very tech-inclusive environment where we use the fun and beneficial parts of technology on a daily basis. (I really want to make TikToks with the students in my class, but that is just a funny dream of mine). Also by just taking a look at a few teachers who are on social media and use technology well in their class there students seem to be more engaged. It makes sense to me that if you use language that is relevant to them that they will pay attention.
For schools as a whole I think that they need to start having a class that talks about technology education. It can talk about the benefits but as we discussed in class it also needs to educate students on the not great parts of technology in a way that isn’t “the scare method” as Katia would put it.
I think that we need to stop taking technology away from students and finally have them engage with it in a healthy way.