Blog Post #1

In a world of growing technology, there are a lot of influences on teachers and students to use technology in the classroom. As stated in chapter 1, technology has continuous change. There are always a lot of tools that support teaching and learning. The opportunities created by technology’s evolution offer new perspectives on 21st century learners to enrich and engage. In connection when teachers use technology tools in the classroom not only to make their professional work easier, but also to make learning more effective for students. Technology for students is the learning process and supports creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and active learning.

As I reflect on ISTE standards, teacher and student are very similar within connecting in developing digital citizenship, creativity, and decision making. Insignificance, one standard that is meant for me is teaching standard number five: to engage in professional growth and leadership. “Teachers continuously improve their professional practice, model lifelong learning, and exhibit leadership in their school and professional community by promoting and demonstrating the effective use of digital tools and resources.” This is meaningful as when a teacher expands their teaching in not just the book, it makes the class more meaningful. One standard that is outside my current skill set is student standard number two: Communication and collaboration. “Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others.” This is out of my comfort zone because in schools I have gone to, students are not really instructed to collaborate culturally, which I find important.

I will agree with labeling today’s youth as “digital natives”, with digital native is described as a person who have grown up knowing technology, cannot remember a time without computer, internet, or cell phones, or someone who treats technology as an assumed part of life. Seeing how not only young adults but kids cannot go through their everyday life without the use of technology. Today’s youth has been introduced to the new and latest technology as it comes out and has learned to use it to adapt quickly.  In schools, teachers are pushed to introduce technology in their classrooms, but a majority of them is learning it as they go, leading the children in the classroom to be tech savvy and may even know more than the digital immigrants that are the older teachers in schools. I anticipate a continuation of growth in technology in schools more than that I have grown to know.