Technology is ever changing. Michael Wesch shared how the internet has become a phenomenon in society. This lecture was given in 2008. Today we could spend days discussing all that the internet has to offer our society and how we have evolved into a digital world.
Today, teachers are implementing technology into their classrooms because it is an important thing for students to learn how to conduct themselves on the internet safely. Technology in our schools has offered students endless opportunities for learning. Teachers can implement technology in many ways whether it’s a teacher led lesson from a projected laptop, learning apps on tablets, online independent research, completing assignments using Word documents, PowerPoints, etc. Students can present their learning using many different outlets and share what they have learned with their families all online.
Throughout the pandemic we had to learn how to provide “online learning” in a short amount of time. I had to learn how to get grade one students engaged with a screen and to follow along with lessons in a simple way using Zoom and Seesaw. Not all of these programs are user friendly for six year olds with limited reading skills.
The reality of teaching in a digital world is that we need to be able to afford technology for our students in public education. Teachers are doing what they can to share limited amounts of technology amongst students and other classrooms for students to learn how to use technology as a tool in their learning as it is recognized as important skills to have.
Technology is the future and so are our students. It will be amazing to see what our current students will do with the digital world as they become our leaders in their adolescence.
I totally agree with you, Megan. we are working and educating in a digital world and technology must be available for our students in the public education system. Teaching about internet safety is also incredibly important. It’s one thing for teachers to be able to monitor computer and internet usage in the classroom, but the internet is a much different place than it was 5-10 years ago and it’s so important for our students to be aware of their responsibilities when using technology outside of the classroom.
I feel like we might as well all buckle up because it’s going to continue to be a fun ride!