Access to Technology

Technology is something you cannot ignore; it is an integral part of our society and demonstrates the power of our nation. Without proper instruction on the use of technology, people become crippled and are unable to function at their full potential in the community that has been created with the introduction of the internet. As teachers we stand in a position where we are able to educate students on the ways of technology and help develop them into fully functioning members of the technological age. As discussed in the article “Who are Today’s Learners,” teachers must first overcome two opinions: “The first is that the majority of today’s students are all extremely techno-savvy, even intimidating, to the average teacher; the second is that students from low-income backgrounds are typically technologically impoverished, with little tech access at home and little skill in using technology” (Greenhow, 1). It is not right to jump to conclusions about your students without any digging into what they truly know. Technology is a needed element within the classroom, thus as teachers we must make use of this resource.

It is important to keep in mind that not all students in a classroom have access to computers and other technology resources at home. Just because they do not have this equipment easily accessible does not mean you should not use it at all. It is important to use technology so that we develop all student skills, otherwise we leave them in a compromising position: “Students without these skills are at a decided disadvantage in terms of future educational and employment opportunities in our global, technological, and information-based society” (Swain & Edyburn, 15). As teachers we must encourage and promote the use of technology within not only our classrooms, but also at home and other public locations. There is access to computers available for anyone; it might be more work for some students, but it is necessary to have the children of the future become acquainted with the technology of our time.

Even though computers still scare me at times, I believe that I must learn how to adequately use them so that I do not do a disservice towards my students. Computers provide students with the chance to succeed in new ways: “Students can use instructional technologies to enable them to learn and demonstrate their learning in new ways, thus preparing them for an exciting and unlimited future” (Swain & Edyburn, 18). By using computers within the classroom and outside of it, students will have the opportunity to explore lessons, topics, and ideas with the freedom of the internet. They will be able to connect to their work in a new way because they will be able to work through it in a manner that they understand. Students have become attached and obsessed with technology, by allowing them to use it to complete assignments engages them in a way that they can relate to.

Understanding that not every one of my students will have access to a computer at home, I will have to be willing to put in some extra effort. At the beginning of a class I will take a survey to find out which students will need extra help or time to produce assignments that require computers. Also, I will include some class time to using the computer lab, especially for projects that specifically require internet research or word processing. I also understand that I must allow students to have the opportunity to have some work time before or after school where they have access to a computer. When needed, I will make sure that every student has the same opportunity and chance to complete an assignment.

PowerPoints

This process of creating PowerPoint presentations has been enlightening. PowerPoints have been a part of our education from the beginning and many teachers have taken advantage of this program to liven up their presentations. It was interesting to do all the reading on the do’s and don’ts of presentations because it makes you think before you start any presentation. My favorite aspects of the presentations in class were the backgrounds. A few of the PowerPoints used pictures very effectively as backgrounds. These images were good at enforcing what was being said. Also some presentations were very good at using the perfect amount of words on their slides. The combination of a few words and great pictures for backgrounds made the PowerPoint engaging and made the information stick in my mind.

On the flipside of the fantastic backgrounds and word choice, there were a few presentations that were heavily based on bullet points. It became distracting when slides were filled with words and pictures and there was no white space to allow your eye to fall upon. When there is that much information on a single slide it becomes difficult to retain any of it. It’s just hard for your mind to recall and work through that much information at a time.

I feel that I had a problem with putting too many words on a page too. I tried very hard to minimize my word choice and only put crucial words upon a slide, but at times I was unable to attain this goal. Also I feel like the biggest downfall of my presentation was the backgrounds. My choice of format was not that engaging and I feel like I could have chosen my pictures more efficiently.

I feel that PowerPoint has great potential when a presentation is needed. Lecturing is necessary in a classroom even though it tends to be the least favorite form of instruction and PowerPoint allows lectures to have a little bit more flair. Through this program you are allowed to add pictures, words, sound and video to make a lecture more tangible and address visual learners. For many, having visuals reinforce what is being said is very helpful and makes the information that is needed to be digested more retainable. Even though PowerPoint can be very beneficial, there are also a few things that can go wrong with this presentation. Sometimes presenters fall back on PowerPoint though and use this type of presentation just because it can be easier. Also this program can be used poorly. Presenters are not always equipped or fully understand the most effective uses for creating PowerPoints. Another issue is that sometimes teachers will begin to use PowerPoints for every lesson and then these presentations can become boring and will no longer be useful tools for instruction.