Memior of a First Technology Experience
In today’s schools it is normal to see the illuminated eyes and faces of students from laptops, phones, tablets, televisions, etc. It has become the societal norm to own all different types of technology, technology that has completely revolutionized the traditional forms of electronics and communication. It has only been in the last seven to ten years that technology has made its way into our lives and schools. My first true experience with technology took place in the 2nd grade with the Apple Color Computers. As young seven and eight year olds we had no idea what these computers were, we just knew they were fun, cool looking things to play on that did not involve using pieces of paper. At the time we did not have a clue that we were playing on pieces of technology that were going to revolutionize our lives, the way the world was going to run and the fact that we were and are the generation of technology creators and users.
The buzz of the week was that the computer lab was getting the new Apple Computers and were getting rid of all their “out of date” PC’s. When the computer lab was first occupied by PC’s only the upperclassmen went to the lab for class and to use the computers because they functioned on a very utilitarian basis. Now, with all the different functions of the Apple computer almost all students from Kindergarten to eighth grade could use them not just for academic assignments and research but for finding new ways to be creative on the computer.
Lined up outside of the computer lab, the second grade class was the last of the day to get introduced to the Apple Color computer and become familiar with all its amazing capabilities. We did not even know what an apple computer was or looked like but we took the word of everyone else that it was something very, very special. “Gianmichael Santimauro,” finally! My name was called and in I went into a computer lab that was unlike anything I had ever seen. The usual grey and black boxes and wires were replaced with the rainbow colored backs of the apple computers. Red, Purple, Yellow, Pink, Green, etc. the colors of the computers went on and on. The teacher led me half way down the aisle to a wondrous green machine that would even amaze someone who had traveled all the corners of the earth. Down I sat, ready for my new adventure. The teacher pressed the little bright button. That now all too infamous Apple ping awakened the machine and off I went.
We were the generation that was first introduced to the Apple computer and we were the testers to see how it would or would not work. Being introduced to such an amazing machine at a young age was one of the most beneficial things my school could have done for me. Computers were not at the point they are now almost fifteen years ago but someone was smart enough to know they were certainly going to be important in the future. Ever since that day in the computer lab, technology continues to grow more and more important in the world but also in my life. I believe in the importance of human beings being self-reliant and without the help of machines all of the time but without the development of technology we would be a very different world and a world for the worse.
Multimedia Reflective Essay
As human beings we are innovators, creators and forward thinkers. We live in a world that is constantly changing and developing around us; from medicine, to sciences, architecture and technology. By being such forward thinkers we create new ways to learn, teach and think with the goal it will make us better off for the future. In the form of Multimedia technology we can create learning environments that completely shake up traditional education systems for the better. With new communication technologies such as Twitter, facetime, conference calls, etc. we can knock down global barriers and move towards a globally integrated world. Online learning environments are one technological tool for a new class room and it is how our Communication 410 course operates. A course that calls for the learning and mastering of global media structured through global media. We are early on in our semester but already the tasks required to complete are more interactive than any other face to face classroom setting and involve more real world integration of multimedia use. With an emphasis on the globalization of the world and the classroom, I will give insight into online learning and technology integrated classrooms and the learning experience.
There are two major points of interest that we have been reviewing and studying so far in our Communication 410 course. The first is creating a completely globalized world where the barriers of communication are broken down and we can create a “flat” land scape where physical and hidden divides are no more. The second point which is in direct relation to creating a globalized world, is the implementation of technology in our school systems for the benefit of learning and teaching. With the creation of newer and better technological resources and the overwhelming use of these technologies as a global community, we have decided that technology will be a major factor in our lives, business and schools. This technological integration comes with many benefits in the growth of our education system but it comes with draw backs as well. If used properly, online learning environments and technology integrated classrooms can be great alternatives to the traditional forms of teaching that have not changed in hundreds of years. Online learning environments give options for students who do not work well in the classic learning structure. The implementation of technology in the classroom can create a digitally integrated course where students are sharing information between each other, working on assignments together while physically separated and gaining real world technological experience.
There are 4 parts to achieving a successful digital learning environment in order for technology integrated class rooms to work to their full potential. The first is having the capital to access this technology in the classroom and to every student and faculty member. The technology must be up to date and functioning at a high level so that it helps our teachers teach the material in the designed way and for the students so they are able to learn the material properly. The use of old technology that is not operating on the same level as newer technology hurts our education system because it places our students and teachers behind the technological curve of the rest of the country and the world. The second part is teachers and students need to have total and complete working knowledge of the technology being used in the classroom. “It’s not just about technology…This is about having teachers be highly effective and highly engaged with students to close academic gaps” (Time Magazine). Our educators must be accepting of the technology integration and embrace that it is a vital component to grow our education system. If the teachers do not wish to learn how the technology operates than our students are at a disadvantage. The students must have complete and total working knowledge of the technology just as their teachers do. The third portion is our students must be at the center of the learning environment. The technology should not be something our reformers integrate because the rest of the world is doing it. It must be a calculated adjustment making sure students are benefiting from its integration and are learning and thinking at a higher level than before. The fourth portion is the use of the technology as an interoperable system. All information pertaining to the use of the technology must be accessible from a student to student level, teacher to student level, parent to teacher level, etc. A major advantage of having technology in the classroom is the ability to exchange information and this can encourage teacher and student participation and even parent participation.
The use of technology is a great tool to be able to incorporate in our education systems but it should not be our only source of educational tools. You cannot replace the use of face to face communication and teaching techniques in the classroom. Teachers must always stay involved in the work of their students and should not use the technology as a substitute for themselves. Our education system must strike a balance between our personal and traditional learning environments and technological learning environments. “In the transition of knowledge the children and teachers should not be faced with a choice between books and screens, between newspapers and capsuled versions of the news on the internet, or between print and other media” (Maryanne Wolfe pg. 3). We have an opportunity to change the way we operate our classrooms but there must always be a balance struck. Educating our students and teachers using technology is a huge advantage in moving towards a globalized world. When we can implement technology in our schools correctly from a young age, we allow for the digital divide to become smaller and smaller until there no longer is a divide. When students learn about and use technology from a young age it becomes a norm in their lives. The more we as people, educators, reformers and leaders incorporate technology into our education systems the faster we will move to an integrated, globalized world.
Active participation, critical thinking and interaction are vital components to making sure online learning is a valuable and a beneficial way to learn. In our communication 410 course we use all different forms of social interaction and thought sharing sites. Being able to incorporate the lessons we learn in our class sessions to our personal lives is a very beneficial tool to learning but more importantly understanding the material. We are constantly asked to draw reference to our own lives such as our first experiences with technology. For me that was my first day working on an apple color and the unique imagery that is associated with that memory. Having the opportunity to relate the lessons in our class and the material we gather outside of class has been a major learning curve. In order for our Communication 410 course to work for myself I must be actively participating in the assigned readings, assignments, seminars, etc. It is very important to me to always be actively participating in order to learn. One of my favorite aspects of this course is our ability to use different social media sources to stay in constant communication. From commenting on one another’s first assigned leaps and drawing reference to our own lives form others, to actively watching and posting on our google hangouts. These modes of social media allow for the digital format of the course to feel more personal. Lastly, and possibly the most importantly, I am constantly looking to find what it is I am learning within this course. Though we are only a few weeks in, I have already come to appreciate the benefits that technology can offer to learning environments both in the classroom and digitally. In the first few days of class I was pretty against the integration of technology in classrooms but already I have begun to turn a new leaf. I have come to appreciate the benefit that it can have both for educators and the students independently. Moving towards a globalized world, economically and socially, involves technological incorporation at some of the lowest levels. If we can keep moving in the right direction with education technology, I have complete faith that we will become a very efficient and sustainable globalized world.
Citations
Rheingold, H. (2012). Attention! Why and How to Control Your Mind's Most Powerful Instrument. In NET SMART how to thrive online (p. 3). Cambridge, Massachusetts: The MIT Press. Proust and the Squid, Maryanne Wolf, 2007
Ramirez, M. (2014, August 28). What it Really Takes for Schools to Go Digital. Time Magazine.
Task Force, A. (Director). (2014). Learner at the Center of the Net Work World [Motion picture]. The Aspen Institute Task Force on Learning and the Internet. You tube