Cedu 521 Session 2 Reflections

Last week we had the opportunity to look at the LoTI scenarios and discuss our thoughts on them. I'm thankful we had the opportunity to have this discussion as it helped to clarify the situations. They were interesting to go through and will help me to try and apply the GD index when I incorporate technology into my project. I also came away with an understanding that technology doesn't have to be incorporated wholy to be considered a multimedia project. By that I mean that students don't have to work on the computer 100 % of the time to create a project.

I liked when we jigsawed the "Technology Tool Showcase". I was familiar with a lot of the software programs and audio-visual equipment out there, but wasn't familiar with Kid Pix, some hand held computers such as a PDA since I don't have one, the graphing calculator, and the Quiktionary Pen. It was interesting and very beneficial to see how students could use these in their learning. When we posted up all the types of audio-visual hardware available to students, it was amazing to see there were things I hadn't known were available to the special education students that help them learn.

The video, Pay Attention, was one which really emphasized the need for teacher to change their teaching style or risk losing students attention. It stressed the fact we must continue to improve upon what's technologically available to teach today's students. They've grown up in a digital age and are use to the digital world. Granted, not all have equal access, which is a fact we have to try to overcome. The question is still raised, "Why aren't we teaching the way students are learning anyway?" Look how far we've come since the stone age. Since the invention of the wheel, people have been changing their way of life based on "new" technological advances. Look at all the tools we have to use in our everyday life that we take for granted: electricity, television, microwaves, coffee pots, sewing machines, stores that sell everything we could possibly want and we don't even have to leave our home..we can order online. Why not learn and use technological inventions in education? I know education is slow to change. We have to help move it forward.