Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Technology Integration: What I've Learned



         This course has taught me many useful skills. I learned many Web 2.0 technologies and how to use them in an educational environment. The class text book introduced us to many interesting and very useful tools. It provided great guidance and suggestions for implementing technology in schools and using Web 2.0 tools.

        This course served as a wake up call. As educators we must teach in useful methods for the new generation of learners. An article by Marc Prensky discussing differences in between the current generation of teachers and the current generation of student changed my way of thinking.

        There was one quote that I felt very important and true.  Presnky wrote, "Teachers assume that learners are the same as they have always been, and that the same methods that worked for the teachers when they were students will work for their students now.  But that assumption is no longer valid." (Prensky, 2001) I had never looked at it this way and he is correct. This article changed how I approached the semester and kept me engaged to learn and take away the most I could from the course.

        Technology is here to stay, simply ignoring it will not make it go away. There are incredible amounts of free resources to help our students in meaningful ways.  The use of technology in classrooms will help students achieve a greater understanding of course work, which in turn will help them achieve testing standards.  Blogs, WebQuests, and Wikis all can make a significant and positive impact on our student's educations. I learned all of these tools this semester and intend to use them all in the future.

Prensky, M. (2001). Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants. On the Horizon , 9 (5).

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