Educational Technology

Learning is no longer a classroom only experience. The proliferation of social media and educational software has made extending class hours easy and almost required. Most teachers have a website for parents and students to access information and assignments. Now, there are even more choices. With Classroom Management Software (CMS), teachers can share grades, assignments, notes, and helpful information. Most CMS software gives teachers the ability to see whether or not the student has signed in and what the student did while on the CMS website. Teachers can also save some trees with assignments completed and turned in online. Students will enjoy the benefit of faster feedback, printer free homework, and digital storage. Another popular web technology teachers are utilizing more and more is the blog. They are super easy to create with existing programs. They allow both teachers and students to share their opinions and connect with others. Teachers can use blogs to communicate with their students but also with other teachers from anywhere in the world. I think that blogs could be a great source of inspiration and insight for teachers. We could use them to share our joys and hardships and learn from each other. Maybe through thoughtful blogging, teachers could grow their experience base at a much faster rate than in an isolated classroom environment. For students, I am more ambivalent about the blogging format. Research from the American Pediatrics Association suggests that social media sites have increased risk for youths if not properly and frequently monitored.() It would provide a platform for practicing writing skills. It would also create a safe place for students to express ideas that are difficult to expose to outside opinions. Additionally, it would provide an opportunity for students to learn how to give and receive constructive criticism. My concerns with the format stem from concern about the ease of misuse with such an open format. I feel that the upcoming generation is already too immersed in their digital presence. If they did not tweet, instagram, and snapchat an event, it is questionable whether or not it really occurred. They spend a great deal of time grooming and shaping their online image. Blogging will provide yet another chance to exalt their digital persona. I think I would use very carefully crafted blogging projects that encourage students to use their blog to progress a community non-profit organization or international concern about which they want to learn. Additionally, I will start all online assignments with clear directions about respectful online citizenship. Future classrooms will have plenty of chances to experience technology in ways I cannot even imagine. Through CMS’s, blogs, and personal websites, I hope we will connect with parents and students more often and in a positive way.