Category: EC&I 830

I tried something different and did this blog as a podcast on WeVideo that I then uploaded to my Google Drive. I hope it works.

Here is the link.

P.S. I realize after listening to it that I say ‘umm’ a lot. Something to work on, however, I think I did better in the end. 🙂

Debate 8 – Online education is detrimental to the social and academic development of children.

I found this video while doing some research and although simple, it made an impression on me. I had never really thought about my digital footprint or that of my kids.

My childhood was before cell phones and iPods. Shocking, I know. We played outside, in the barn and rode bikes over to our nieces and cousins’ houses when we were bored. When I look at my kid’s childhood there are definite differences. I call them differences because I am not sure if the changes are ruining their childhood or not.

There were so many great points on both sides of this debate and I have used the same ones in my head as I constantly go back and forth on what I think is right for the students and for our classroom.

This topic was not a top pick for me. Who would have thought I would find myself so passionate about it? Perhaps it is because I never really thought of my role in social justice issues. This topic, Educators Have a Responsibility to Use Technology and Social Media to Promote Social Justice, was a hot one for some. This included me and I thought long about why that ended up being so.

These are the words I hear every day during grade 8 math class. We scramble to find enough calculators or discarded times tables I have printed in colour and laminated. Yes, I actually laminated them!

My niece was born with cerebral palsy and without the technological advancements, her life would be more restricted.  Since birth, she has needed many different types of technology from machines to help her breathe to special wheelchairs that help her move around without relying on others.  Her parents have also benefited from a special van that helps load her into the vehicle without lifting her all the time. She also uses a communication device to speak with others. Without that tech, she would not be able to express her opinions and interact with others.  Both examples have helped her become more independent and see herself as a contributing citizen.  Tech made her personal and school life better in every way possible.

How many of us know how to build a fire and cook on it?  Can you wash your clothes and bathe without hot water and lights?  In today’s society, we may be able to do these things, but we surely wouldn’t want to day after day.  Just like we wouldn’t want to have to write everything out daily for our students.  How many times do you visit the printer in a day? Go for a coffee in the staff room or use the projector?  Chances are if you are like me that this is a daily occurrence and sometimes more than once.  We have all adapted well to the technologies we have in our classrooms and I haven’t even touched on the computers we use daily, both as teachers and students.

It was surprising for me to actually write everything out like this in terms of tech used throughout my day. I have said in the past that I am not techie yet as I write this I realize just how much technology I use for both work and home life.

My day with technology starts with checking Twitter, the weather, and Facebook, yes, I am old. 🙂 I communicate with my family and friends via text on and off during the day.  With my kids, we use discord and Kid Messenger to send messages.  I also have various games I play on my phone, word and strategy games are my favourite.