Technology+Autobiography

I don't have my own classroom yet, but I have had quite a bit of experience with new technology through classrooms in my fieldwork and student teaching. Most of my experience came through my second part of student teaching, in a third and fourth grade classroom. The first piece of technology I used was a document camera, which some of my professors had used in my college courses. In my student teaching classroom it was first used to explore rocks and minerals closely, and throughout the time I was there it was used to display documents and books on the whiteboard. The use of the document didn't phase me and I wasn't nervous to use it because I had already been exposed to it. My mentor teacher however began using other forms of technology that I hadn't seen before. One of those was the airliner which she could use to control the mouse on the computer which projected onto the whiteboard. I thought this was really neat because she could move to any part of the room and control the computer, and the kids could use the airliner as well to interact with their learning. I absolutely loved that the computer screen could be projected and used for the whole class. Soon into my time in this classroom I took over teaching third grade math; every chance I had I took advantage of the interactive whiteboard and found websites with different math exercises on them. The students really enjoyed being able to click on parts of the websites on their own, and were eager to participate and answer questions. Every time I used it I thought of how much more interested in math I would have been if I had had something like that during my own elementary school years. I of course had heard about and seen smart boards, but hadn't had experience with them, and my student teaching classroom had one installed at the end of the year when I was finished. I did however go back to my student teaching classroom the next year for some fieldwork and was placed in a classroom with one. I knew the students could come up and draw and write on the smart board, but had no idea there was a microphone for the teacher and the students to use. It was so neat hearing my voice projected throughout the classroom, and to pass a microphone around for the students to use to answer questions. As with the interactive whiteboard, the students loved coming up to draw and write on the smart board. I definitely was nervous using one and had to ask the students to help me with things, but it was a great experience. As teachers we learn the great importance of engaging students, and I believe the growth and change in technology is allowing teachers to accomplish that in many ways. The students in my student teaching classroom also used laptops to work on their portfolios during writing time; this blew my mind as well. I finally got my own laptop this Christmas, so the students sometimes knew more than I did about how to use certain parts of them. I think it's so important for students to use and be exposed to technology through their education that they encounter in their outside world; it's a great way for them to make that connection between their home and school life. Now I'm just waiting for schools to incorporate cell phone use into education!! I know they aren't allowed in schools now, but you have to wonder if they will be at some point. I'm both excited and nervous for what is to come in terms of technology use in education.

As I mentioned above, I just received my own laptop for Christmas this year. I went through all of my undergraduate and almost my entire graduate school career without one, you may say I'm a little behind the times in terms of that. I turned my laptop on for the first time and discovered it had wifi, I thought to myself, how cool I can get right on the internet!! I tried and I failed and didn't know why. I learned that I needed a router which needed to be connected to the modem I believe, it still hasn't been set up and my boyfriend will be taking care of that. These things remind me that I'm not as technologically savvy as I often think. I only started using the internet on my phone a couple of years ago, and still don't use it to surf the web that often. I'm not one of those people who need a monthly data package on their phone because they check their email and use twitter on their phone. Yes, I of course use the internet on my phone to check my facebook account, but that's about it. I passed on getting and I phone when I upgraded last when many would jump at the chance to get the phone that is all the rage. I have to admit that now I sort of want one, but mainly because of the conversation text and all of the cool apps that I've seen used on them. Now when it comes to texting on cell phones, I am shocked when people say they don't use it or have it on their phone. I hardly talk on my phone because it's so much easier to text, yes some might say it's allowing for communication to become more impersonal, but it's something that you can use most anywhere when you may not be able to talk on the phone. My mom said for the longest time that she just couldn't text; I sat down and showed her the basics one night, and now she is a texting machine. Her texts are like many parents' texts, most likely moms, they are too long but that is to be expected. My mom also used to sign her text love-mom, until my brothers and I told her that wasn't necessary. I remember when my mom had the cell phone that sat on a stand in her car, and wonder what will happen with cell phone technology in the next twenty years. I also learned recently that I can use my Nintendo Wii to get onto the internet; I'm not sure why I would need to use it when I have a computer for that purpose, but I suppose it would be neat to watch YouTube videos through the Nintendo Wii. I used Skype too for the first time a couple of weeks ago, which is something I heard plenty about and seen on Oprah. My boyfriend's children moved to Texas and were able to take us on a tour of their new house through the computer!! Before they left he also bought recordable books for them, something else new in technology that's great for family and friends to use when they can't be close to the people they care about. Skype is such a great invention because it allows you to see the people and feel like you're actually there with them, as opposed to just hearing their voice. Technology is something that is ever changing and important to keep up with, especially in the field of education where we're constantly trying to find new ways to engage our students and promote growth in their learning. I look forward to the new technology I will be introduced to through this course and I'm sure it will be helpful in both my personal and professional world.