Blog Post 3

Michael Wesch: A Vision of Students Today

This video did a pretty good job of representing what my experiences have been taking college classes. I would describe myself as being a multi-tasker and students are asked to accomplish many tasks and are forced to multi-task every day. I did notice a few differences in my experience. I’ve been taking mostly math classes so I don’t usually see people on their computers. I usually see a chalkboard/whiteboard and students are using paper and pencil. I came from a small town and a small college in Maine and the typical class size was a lot smaller than what the video stated (a couple classes there were as many as five kids in the class). Even though these classes here at South are larger, they are still smaller than what the video had stated.

Another difference I noticed was there was no mention of texting. If I was the video producer, I would definitely add something about the amount of texting students take part in. I noticed the video was produced in 2007 so perhaps students were not texting as much. With unlimited texting in many cell phone plans, I feel that could explain why. Another reason why this might be true is that students can do other things while they are texting.

It’s Not About Technology

Mrs. Hines made a good point in her post about technology. It is not just that the technology exists but that teachers need to know how to use it and be able to use it correctly with their classes so that students have a better learning environment. I definitely noticed this in my high school. Some teachers introduced us to new ways of using technology while other teachers didn’t even know how to access e-mail.

I agree that teachers must be learners. Teachers have to be willing to learn “current trends, research and tools.” Therefore, teachers must devote some time in order to master these and teach them to their students. It is a collaborative process.

Is It Okay To Be A Technologically Illiterate Teacher?

I totally agree with everything Mr. Fisch said about teachers being technologically literate. I especially liked how strongly he stated his opinions. It is not acceptable for teachers to say that they either don't have time to learn or they just don't get it. I also liked how he talked about his experience as a math teacher. I am studying to be a secondary math teacher and his comments really connected with me. At first I thought his comments about losing a license or losing a job was harsh, but after thinking about it, it seems like the only answer. Some teachers will not incorporate this technology on their own. Their principal must demand it from them.

Gary Hayes Social Media Count

Mr. Hayes certainly came up with a great idea showing how fast social media applications can change. I could not help thinking that within a week or a month he could probably add another column or two. For those students just entering kindergarten, many of these items might be a mystery to them. One thing that this means for me as I work towards becoming a teacher is how willing I have to be to learn and keep pace with technology and my students.