I believe that technology at any level will contribute to teaching and learning on any grade/age level. Most students seem to be learning about technology way before they even start school. I think technology is a benefit to the classroom, because of the new things they are always coming out with. This something that is really helpful for students with disabilities plus the teachers and their ability to teach and actually reach all of their students. I have visited the EATRC office and I have seen some of the technology that can be used in the classroom as modifications or even accommodations for some of the students that need that extra help. There are also plenty of things that are helpful for all students.
Technology also scares me in the same sense because I feel that most children are too plugged in these days. They go from the TV at home to the portable video games, to TV’s in the cars to phones that play games. So it seems they are never just reading a book or participating in sports or even looking outside at the world around them. I know it is not that way for every child, but for a large amount yes. I want my classroom to be a learning environment of all types. There is a place and a time for all of the new technology in the classroom but there is also a time to read from a book or to explore the outdoors.
I believe through the lesson plans that I would have the NETS would be able to be met in my classroom. I would do my best to look at these goals while looking at the other goals and seeing where I can fit them both in at the same time. It seems a bit overwhelming just reading them and wondering how one could accomplish such a task, but I believe I could. It would take some planning and looking at the resources I have available to me. Not every school will have the same technology so I might have to get creative or plan ahead to check certain pieces out. I think it helps with students coming in with previous knowledge of some of the technology and processes we will use. However I am aware that not all of the students will have this prior knowledge and I will work with those students to get them to the same level. I also think having the students teaching each other would be helpful, sometimes I learn more when I am teaching it to someone else.
It is hard to think of activities that would help my students achieve the goals of the NETS, I only say this because I do not have a set plan of what I am teaching the students or even the age that I will have. However, I could imagine using activities like some of the programs we have been introduced to. I really enjoyed using Inspiration and believe that would be a great resource. I am really looking forward to making this IMovie and I think that is something I could do in the classroom as well, maybe with the students in groups, making a short video of themselves and presenting it to the class. There are smaller things that could be done like research papers using only the internet. The classroom blog is a great idea as well as the students being able to post they would also get the practice in being professional when using technological tools like, email blogs and other postings. I have really enjoyed the classes that have taught me something that I can use outside of class. Like making the IMovie or learning how to use different programs, things I can use in my everyday life, like Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint. This makes learning them fun. I think given this it might make the classroom fun for some of those students who don’t see it that way or enjoy learning. I want to take this opportunity of being a teacher and reaching all of my students not just some of them.
