The first topic was about whether things that happen online should be acted upon by schools. In my opinion, posting inappropriate or threatening material online, while off campus, is fair game for discipline. A student is a reflection of a school. If horrible things are being sent out on the web, that school will be affected. If online harassment is the issue, schools need to stop this at once. Harassment has to start somewhere. It may start online, but could eventually make its way to the school. Therefore, I believe that students should be disciplined by their schools for inappropriate behavior online.
The second topic dealt with whether teachers and students should be friends on Facebook. I think there should be strong limits placed on friending teachers and students. If a teacher does add a student, or vise versa, privacy settings need to be altered. Teachers should set it so that students can only see a limited profile of their teacher. Professionalism needs to be portrayed inside and outside of the classroom. Another alternative rather than friending would be for the teacher and students to join a page or group. This way, it can limit interactions outside of the classroom (no secret conversations) and let students communicate with their educators about school.
The third topic dealt with whether students should be able to use cell phones in school. I think that students should be able to use phones in cases of emergency. The phones should be kept off on a regular basis. The phones could be used to look up research with special permission from the teacher. If there are not enough computers available, a student can pair with other students to be productive while looking up research. Using a cell phone to simply text friends, however, is not okay. It is both disrespectful and distracting to the classroom.
The final topic discussed in Tuesday's class focused on teachers being able to express their religious and political views on social networking sites. I believe that they should be able to do so. It comes down to free speech. Everyone has their own opinion. There is nothing wrong letting others know what type of church you attend or what you think about politics. Opinions can be expressed through conversations, clothing, bumper stickers, etc. Teachers can't be banned from making these type of statements, so why should online be any different?
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Change in Technology = Change in Schools
Hello all!
For my second post, I want to talk about how changes in technology have affected our schools. I believe the advancement has both positive and negative aspects.
Looking back on my own experience in elementary school, I remember using the one or two computers in the classroom as a special treat. Students used the computers to make pictures in programs such as Paint. A real emphasis on tying together lessons by using technology was never really apparent.
Now, however, innovations such as the Smartboard or simply having computer labs available, invite younger children to be apart of the technology revolution. Even in preschool, children now know how to access programs on computers. They get to work with technology, while learning from educational programs that are on the computer. I really believe that having these resources available truly makes for a positive experience for young children.
While innovations in technology are simply amazing, there are some downfalls. If schools are to keep up with all of the latest advancements, they will need funding. Technology is never cheap. If new items are always coming out, how will schools know what they truly need, and what they can pass up? These negative aspects are something that all educators should think about.
Within the next 40 years, I believe that technology in education will only become more prominent. I believe that funding for these expenditures will always be an issue, but opening our children's eyes to the world of new resources is something that we must do. Younger children will only become more skilled at using the different tools that are invented. Therefore, it is crucial as educators to be efficient in all areas that involve current advancements in our society.
For my second post, I want to talk about how changes in technology have affected our schools. I believe the advancement has both positive and negative aspects.
Looking back on my own experience in elementary school, I remember using the one or two computers in the classroom as a special treat. Students used the computers to make pictures in programs such as Paint. A real emphasis on tying together lessons by using technology was never really apparent.
Now, however, innovations such as the Smartboard or simply having computer labs available, invite younger children to be apart of the technology revolution. Even in preschool, children now know how to access programs on computers. They get to work with technology, while learning from educational programs that are on the computer. I really believe that having these resources available truly makes for a positive experience for young children.
While innovations in technology are simply amazing, there are some downfalls. If schools are to keep up with all of the latest advancements, they will need funding. Technology is never cheap. If new items are always coming out, how will schools know what they truly need, and what they can pass up? These negative aspects are something that all educators should think about.
Within the next 40 years, I believe that technology in education will only become more prominent. I believe that funding for these expenditures will always be an issue, but opening our children's eyes to the world of new resources is something that we must do. Younger children will only become more skilled at using the different tools that are invented. Therefore, it is crucial as educators to be efficient in all areas that involve current advancements in our society.
Friday, September 2, 2011
ABC- easy as Cre-a-tiv-i-ty
Hello all!
Welcome to my blog! My goal in blogging is to connect with fellow educators to share ideas, receive/give advice on issues, and most importantly learn and master new aspects of technology that our society has to offer. As an early education major, I really want to focus on creativity. With young children, I feel that it is important to open their eyes to imagination and inspiration. In order to really have an impact on their lives, the more colorful and attention-grabbing a lesson becomes, the better. The connection between technology and creativity seems like it is coming closer together, so I also want to center in on that as well. My blog will consist of fun activities I find on the web, as well as ideas that I create. Feedback would be much appreciated.
The following are a few blogs I have come across that highlight important ideas/issues that I value as a future educator. Enjoy!
Clicking here will lead you to a kindergarten teacher in Florida. I really like how she connects her lesson planning with the use of technology. She shares great ideas that are simple, yet thought provoking. For example, when teaching her children about space, she instructed them to use a computer program called Kidspix to create their own planet. They wrote sentences about their planet, and then as a class recorded each student reading their descriptions. The teacher then created videos on Microsoft Moviemaker of the recordings. This shows me that incorporating technology into my lessons is relatively easy, and effective.
Clicking here will lead you to a blog that I found very interesting. It's not so much about technology or creativity, but it does show just how important early childhood education is. Since early ed is my focus, I really enjoyed learning about the impact early ed teachers have on their students. Early learning fosters development for the rest of a student's life. Laws are starting to take effect on making sure that early ed teachers are successful, and their practices and lessons will be beneficial to all students.
The last link, shown here, is a blog that lists a book of the week. It reviews books that a teacher can share with their class. These books seem very inspiring and interesting. The posts even share ideas on how to incorporate the story with activities you can do with your class that teach valuable lessons. As I continue my education, each class shows me the importance of great literature for our students. This blog is the perfect way to view stories and to share ideas and activities with fellow teachers.
Welcome to my blog! My goal in blogging is to connect with fellow educators to share ideas, receive/give advice on issues, and most importantly learn and master new aspects of technology that our society has to offer. As an early education major, I really want to focus on creativity. With young children, I feel that it is important to open their eyes to imagination and inspiration. In order to really have an impact on their lives, the more colorful and attention-grabbing a lesson becomes, the better. The connection between technology and creativity seems like it is coming closer together, so I also want to center in on that as well. My blog will consist of fun activities I find on the web, as well as ideas that I create. Feedback would be much appreciated.
The following are a few blogs I have come across that highlight important ideas/issues that I value as a future educator. Enjoy!
Clicking here will lead you to a kindergarten teacher in Florida. I really like how she connects her lesson planning with the use of technology. She shares great ideas that are simple, yet thought provoking. For example, when teaching her children about space, she instructed them to use a computer program called Kidspix to create their own planet. They wrote sentences about their planet, and then as a class recorded each student reading their descriptions. The teacher then created videos on Microsoft Moviemaker of the recordings. This shows me that incorporating technology into my lessons is relatively easy, and effective.
Clicking here will lead you to a blog that I found very interesting. It's not so much about technology or creativity, but it does show just how important early childhood education is. Since early ed is my focus, I really enjoyed learning about the impact early ed teachers have on their students. Early learning fosters development for the rest of a student's life. Laws are starting to take effect on making sure that early ed teachers are successful, and their practices and lessons will be beneficial to all students.
The last link, shown here, is a blog that lists a book of the week. It reviews books that a teacher can share with their class. These books seem very inspiring and interesting. The posts even share ideas on how to incorporate the story with activities you can do with your class that teach valuable lessons. As I continue my education, each class shows me the importance of great literature for our students. This blog is the perfect way to view stories and to share ideas and activities with fellow teachers.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)