Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Technology & the Future

As a student I did not have much experience with technology.  I am from Goffstown, NH, and we really didn't use much technology in elementary school or middle school.  We occasionally went to the library, but we never really learned how to research.  In high school, we had only three mobile carts with laptops in them, so we never got to use them.  Half of them didn't even work.  

I did get more time on computers in high school.  Although, we never learned how to research properly.  We just could not use Wikipedia.  I was never taught how to know if a resource was credible or anything like that.  I suppose we were lucky enough to have a library with computers and mobile carts, but I feel that the school could have taught us more how to use them.  We never got into deep websites, only Google mostly. I think that if we did learn how to blog or use different websites other than Google to search information, then maybe we would be more technology inclined.  

I did take a class in high school called CADD.  I don't remember what it stands for, but it was basically just learning how to use a computer program to build things online.  For example, we built locker organizers and cars on the computer.  That was the most confusing class of my life.  That was the first time i ever got deep into technology.

I am planning on teaching kindergarten or first grade.  I would like my students to be into technology because that is what the world is about these days.  I hope that I am lucky enough to work in a school that has technology available.  I feel that technology, such as computers or iPads, could have benefits.  There are a lot of games children can play online or on apps that will help them with their math, reading, spelling, and so on.  I observed in a Bedford elementary school in a kindergarten classroom, and those students had an iPad cart that was available to them.  All the children did enjoy using them.  At first I thought these students are too young to be playing with these and how could this help them.  I thought that because growing up, I did not have any of that.  But, after seeing them use the apps and games for learning, i realized that it helps the students.  I hope I can bring that into my future classroom so my students can learn from many different ways, such as, technology and me.  

Wednesday, September 3, 2014

What Brings You to SNHU?

I am a commuter to SNHU.  I have always wanted to stay close to home, so finding a university that was in the next town over and has a really good education program was lucky.  I am a sophomore here, and this will be my third education course.  I have taken EDU 200 and 270, and neither of them really talked about technology.  I am excited to learn the new ways technology could be incorporated in lessons.  I can do basic technology, but this blogging will be new to me.  I think that I will be able to get a hang of it quick, and I hope that it can become useful to me in the future!