We have spent four weeks practicing how to integrate technology into the classroom. The importance of learning these skills is a given, but is the integration itself at all levels of education? How Young Is Too Young (the reading for week 4) addresses the issue of age limits—what do you think? Is there such a thing as being "too young" for technology? Does technology really interfere with young child socialization?
Today kids use technology from the time they are toddlers and their parents hand them their cell phone to play on, even though they don't quite know how to use the technology, kids are becoming more and more comfortable with using technology at younger and younger ages. I do not think that there is such a thing as being "too young", especially in our technology based world. The sooner kids start to use technology, the more comfortable they will be with it when they need to use it in the classroom eliminating time that teachers would otherwise have to spend teaching their students how to use the technology.
I do think, though, that technology interferes with socialization. It is so important that children learn how to interact with their peers at a young age so that they can carry this skill with them through out their life. If students start to rely computers too much they may not develop the skills necessary to interact with their classmates. In our technology based world communication has become more and more reliant on technology while face to face contact has gone by the way side. In a time when texting, e-mailing, and Facebooking are kids major forms of communication it's no wonder that face to face interactions have become so "out dated", we have become so comfortable behind a screen that talking to new people in person has become intimidating. This is evident by the fact that if you walk around campus, many of the students are on their phones texting or checking Facebook and not interacting with their piers or classmates. In my opinion, technology, as a communication tool, has become too heavily relied upon.
Blogging is about writing to an audience. Do you feel like anyone is reading your blogs (aside from me!)? For this week I would like you to read at least FOUR other blog entries by fellow classmates and comment on them. Then, I would like you to write in your own blog a few insights about what you read: For example, did it feel good to read what other preservice teachers were writing? Was this medium helpful? How did you feel about posting the comments? Do you feel like this exchange gives you any insights into running blog exercises with your own students?
I really enjoyed reading my fellow classmates blogs! Most of them were in the same boat as me in that this was their first time blogging. For me its hard to think of what to write about in these blog entries since they are for a class and I am so used to writing formal papers for classes. After reading some of the other blogs, though, it gave me a better idea about what type of writing is appropriate to use when writing a blog. Even though getting to read these blogs was helpful, I was a little hesitant at first about posting comments. When I came into this class I only knew one person and we are the only two early childhood education people. I had a lot of fun reading the blogs and getting to know my classmates a little better but once it came time to comment my brain just shut down and I couldn't think of anything to say, I just stared at the screen hoping that I could think of something, anything, to write. And then when I did actually write my comments I realized after that I started all of them the same way, "this is my first blog too!" I hope as the quarter progresses I get more comfortable with what to say both in my actual blogs and also in my comments.
I liked reading my classmates perspectives on blogging and seeing how many of them said that they hope to use it in their own classrooms. The idea of using a blog in a classroom, to me, seems like an excellent idea! The only problem is that I would like to be a kindergarten teacher and I do not think that a five year-old would benefit from blogging. If I was teaching a grade level where using a blog would be more appropriate, though, I think that I would definitely use it as a tool in my classroom. I think that blogging is a great was to incorporate writing and technology because it is a way to appeal to a larger group of kids. Some kids hate writing but love technology so by being able to to integrate the two this might give the kids who hate writing an opportunity to actually enjoy it and have fun doing it!
We just delved into Constructivism—for some of you, this seems intuitive. Still, my guess is that for most of you this was not typical of your K-12 (or even some higher-ed) experiences. What does Constructivism, as you understand it so far, mean to you? Reflect on your past as a student and how you hope to apply this concept (or not apply it, as the case may be) in your career as a teacher.
My understanding of Constructivism is that it is a very open learning environment that encourages students to explore and come up with solutions on their own. It also seems like it would involve a lot of trial and error on the students part; this will make them figure out different ways to do something rather than the teacher just telling them one specific way to solve a problem. I also think that Constructivism encourages group work and students collaborating to discover different ways to solve a problem or answer a question.
Since I want to become an ECE teacher, I hope to use Constructivism in my class room as much as possible to encourage a passion for learning and exploring in my students from the very beginning. Hopefully, if I am successful in doing this, my students will enjoy learning and want to learn instead of just learning because they are forced to go to school.
I wish that more of my teachers would have used Constructivism in their classrooms. I think this would have made going to school a lot more fun instead of sitting and listening to lectures all day. Also, I hope that I, as a teacher, do not get stuck in a rut of using worksheets and busy work to fill up my class time. I hope that I can be a teacher that inspires kids to want to learn and to enjoy going to school.
