I am going to post a picture and I want you to look at the photo for a minute. How does this photo make you feel? What does this photo remind you have? When I look at this photo, I feel nostalgia. I feel like I am five years old again in my Grandparents backyard running around. I can picture my Gramma following me around with this camera asking me what I am doing as we laugh together. I feel warm inside and my heart feels full. This photo also makes me feel overwhelmed because I think about how far technology has come in the past twenty years. It's rare to see a video camera like this, society uses cell phones now to capture the moment. I also start thinking about my education experience back then and the type of technology that was involved in our classroom. I am going to post a few photos of what technology looked like when I was in school. You knew it was going to be a good day when that TV got rolled into the classroom! I now think about classrooms today and the type of technology that is used in them and the type of social media that is available to students. Our topic for class this week revolves around the idea of technology and education. In the past fifteen years, technology has evolved rapidly and in turn, this has changed the world of teaching. In Michael Wesch's video "An Anthropological Introduction to Youtube", he states that 9232 hours of content are uploaded everyday. I can't even wrap my head around that number! I knew Youtube was popular, but was not aware about the amount of content people actually upload. I personally have not uploaded much to the platform, but I know that there are people out there that make a living by uploading videos to Youtube. There are even websites that contain tips and tricks to make money off of the platform. The number of videos uploaded per day shows just how much our society has evolved to revolve around technology. Children are indulging in social media at younger ages, research shows that 90% of children aged 13-17 use social media accounts such as Facebook , Instagram, and Youtube. With children being so involved with social media, Katia discussed in class that teachers are needing to also be involved online and keep up with the latest trends. This will ensure the teacher can communicate and connect more with the students in the classroom. With that being said, it is also critical to talk about educators and professionalism when it comes to social media. It is very easy to find someone online and your online profile represents who you are. Teachers are held to higher standards within society and it is important to maintain a professional reputation and be cautious of what you post. The Youtube video below by Royce Kimmons explains the importance of online professionalism with teachers. While it is important to be cautious online, having an online profile can be extremely beneficial as an educator. It can allow you to expand your network and connect with other educators in the field. It can help you stay up to date on current trends which can be important to incorporate into your lesson planning to keep children engaged and interested. Educators can also have access to tips and tricks for the classroom as well as activities to incorporate into the lessons. I have personally found Twitter to be a huge help in connecting with other educators as well as finding activities, tips and tricks to use in the classroom.
As educators, how can we balance the challenges of technology? This is a difficult question to answer! Balance can be difficult when it comes to technology. It's important to have a social presence, but it is also important to have a professional social presence as an educator. Technology and social media can be an amazing tool for educators if used properly!
1 Comment
Sarah Breti
5/28/2021 03:51:31 pm
Hey Taylor!
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