Welcome! My name is Amalie Lester and I am a student at the University of Northern Colorado studying English Secondary Education. I am creating this blog as a reflection guide for one of my final education courses in pursuance of my degree - Educational Technology. The purpose of this class is not to teach future educators how to use technology, but to explore how we can use different forms of technology in our classrooms to benefit and better the learning of our students. Seeing as I just bought my first smartphone less than a year ago and am still watching VHS tapes on a box TV, it is a challenge for me to think about trying to incorporate technology into my future classroom. Although it gives me anxiety, I know that the future generations are already more dependent on technology than I ever will be, so my integration of technology into my classroom will be vital in making connections and hitting the application level of understanding with my students.
Being a 90s baby, I have grown up with the rapid advancement of technology. From dial up and land-line telephones to wifi and smartphones, I've seen it all. Being in the modern world, my perspective on teaching and learning has changed drastically based on the knowledge I have gained from seeing technology integrated into classrooms. I see technology as a means to conduct information in a way that students will be motivated to learn with. Although I am not a fan of every student using iPad's for note-taking, assignments, and activities, I can see the benefits of having a centralized system for students to use for their learning experiences. I have grown to believe that technology is not a resource to be damned in the classroom, for it is extremely beneficial in moderation. I still find value in hand written and verbal responses in leu of blog posts and discussion boards, but combining the use of both is so valuable and beneficial to the teacher and the students. For the teacher, using online discussion boards and blog posts saves class-time for review, direct instruction, and development of skills that students need assistance and direction in obtaining. For the students, it requires participation, (if discussion questions are challenging and purposeful) critical thinking and, very often, providing evidence/application of thoughts.
Keep up to date on my reflections and learning of different ways of integrating technology into the classroom by following my blog! Thank you!
