Every time I walk into my Fieldwork class I have a Smartboard glaring at me with a new lesson and a new way of teaching. Is our generation already behind the curve of what we should know going into teaching. The students know more about how to work the Smartboard then the teacher does and she takes time day in and day out in order to adapt her lessons to the new Smartboard technology. The Smartboard was a technology that was introduced to me when I was a 7th grader and is now a "norm" in classrooms. How long will this Smartboard phase last before there is something bigger and better that we have to adapt to?
Not only is it just Smartboard but Mac's and new Apps. I know I am a little behind the curve not having a Mac, Ipad, or Iphone, but lets be honest, kids know more about technology than we do (or at least that is what I have observed). Younger students are so attached but also knowledgeable about the technology that they have. Although it may not always be used for education they are very intelligent and apt to figure things out when it comes to technology. It's as simple as this, are we prepared to teach in a world based on technology, and are we stuck in a forever changing world that we are constantly adapting to?
I think we're more prepared that we like to think we are. We are the generation that really grew up in this world full of technology. The generation before us, the teachers of today, are not as familiar with it as we are. I know despite the fact that I don't HAVE all the technology that some of my students have, I'm not totally lost when it comes to being technologically literate. So, I think we could be prepared. Will we have more to learn? Absolutely. But isn't that the very basis of teaching? Being willing to learn...:)
ReplyDeleteI wonder as well if we are ready to constantly adapt as teachers to the changes in the technological field. Smartboards were introduced to my high school and every classroom had one mounted on the wall. I would always think, "How long is it going to be until they come out with something else?". The older teachers would always have a difficult time erasing the smartboard or pulling up documents. So much class time was wasted because of this. The students definitely took over the classroom when technology was involved. Someone was always at the front of the room helping the teacher with some problem with the Smartboard. Although you say you're "behind" because you do not have an iPhone or a Mac, I think our generation is able to step up to the challenge to technology in the classroom. We have seen many mistakes made before with it and I think we can be the change to make it successful!
ReplyDelete