Pro: There is so much technology that it opens our eyes to the ideas of the world. 

Con: With all the technology, younger kids don't normally talk face to face.  I want to know the scientific benefits of learning a new language later in life. I also want to know what would happen if older people did use this language. Would there be good or bad effect?

The big deal about this is your child will be able to find ways that they learn best. Aspects of 21st Century Classrooms are that there are many teachers in the classroom. This means that your child will be able to be given the care and help they need to grow their minds and learning abilities. In these types of classrooms, there is a high level of student engagement. Students want to learn and that’s a big deal. When students are engaged, they want to learn and crave to find out more information. Another great aspect of 21^st century learning is that there is some sort of personalized platform for learners to learn at their own pace. This is crucial because when students learn at their own pace, it allows them to fully grasp and understand what is being taught to them. 

When learners are given the resource that best suits their needs, it could help them blossom. When learners are not given the tools that best help them succeed, they run the risk of not excelling as well as they should. According to the “Digital Learner Preferences chart,” Digital learners are just the same. When digital learners are not given the correct technological device that best suits them, they may not blossom the same. However, educator preferences are different. Educator preferences are what teachers want or need. Educators prefer something very simple, basic, and low maintenance. For example, when teachers want just one or two educational platforms, students and families may need so many more. 

A big question I have is the idea that we should use the students’ digital tools or devices. My problem is, what is the difference between the devices that teachers use versus the ones students use? If both types of devices work just the same, which is the better tool? When I am about to teach a lesson I make sure that I am using educational technology in my lessons. According to the article, “We need to let kids use their digital tools to demonstrate their knowledge of the subject while understanding that they will probably use this technology differently than we would and that they will use it in unexpected ways to create unexpected products. By letting them access information naively, we acknowledge their culture.” If I let my students use their forms of digital devices, would that end badly? Meaning, would students use these devices for their own personal use and misuse the privilege or would they use them wisely? I understand that the article disagrees and we should give them the privilege to use their own technology but I think it should depend on the class. 

Parents, do you have any thoughts, suggestions, or comments?

 

 

1.     As technology becomes more advanced, we are able to bring different aspects of the past to life! I remember when I was in sixth grade and learned about the caveman that froze to death on top of a mountain. They found his body thousands of years later perfectly intact! Because of the awesome technology we have today they were able to find out what tribe he was most likely from, why he was on a mountain, and when he passed away.

2.    Reading, writing, and research will be enhanced in astonishing ways! Using our classroom portal, students will be able to read their favorite eBooks, write essays on an IPad, and keep their research in their own personal file on their IPad from school! It can be accessed anywhere on the device store. Using these types of technology are great because it allows us to be able to take our notes everywhere we go. Students can save their notes, print them out, and store them away! Plus, an added bonus is that students do not have to carry a bunch of notebooks, textbooks, and papers to class every day. Everything they have will be stored right in the comfort of their school-owned IPad. 

3.    Another great way students are becoming smarter when it comes to using technology is through the use of adaptive search engines! They will be able to better search for things on the internet. They will be able to learn from what they type in and the best part is their search results are super limited! Don’t you worry about those vulgar images online! With the school's domain's search engine, everything will be extremely monitored and used for the betterment of the classroom.

Parents and teachers are worried that with this new type of technology, students will lose the traditional liberal arts type of learning and will become excruciatingly informal. Most people believe that students in the past centuries were way smarter and more advanced. I am here to tell you that this is simply not the case. According to Anya Kamenetz, “Classes in pre-civil war era were no more than bland, inaccurate, and cursory treatments of achievements of Plato, Socrates, and Aristotle.” 

 

What do you think parents? Do you think you would like to see your kids surrounded by more technology? Or, would you rather see your kids surrounded by the traditional learning style? 

Have an awesome and blessed day!                 

 

                                                      

Assistive Technology can be low, medium, or high tech. Something as simple as a pencil grip or a notepad can be considered low tech. According to the article, “Notepads are an excellent way to record information. Students with learning disabilities (LDs) may appreciate having the information color-coded based on the purpose, topic, or function of the information.” This is great for persons with disabilities as they can visually see the colors and associate the colors to certain topics. What a great low-tech idea!

 

Medium Assistive Technology is a great equal between low tech and high tech. Students with disabilities are able to have something more engaging, but it is not a tablet. An example of this, according to the article, would be that "Calculators could help students with learning disabilities demonstrate their understanding of mathematical computations. Graphing calculators can provide additional support as they verify graph shapes and help solve algebraic equations.” Using calculators for students with learning disabilities can be a great source of comfort. Even if the student cannot write the problem or equation, at least he or she can plug it into the calculator and show the teacher they know the material. 

 

High Assistive Technology is a great resource for all students with disabilities. High Assistive Technology can be described as using a computer or a computerized device to help students with disabilities. An example of this would be using a talking dictionary to spell and remember words. High Tech can also be found in private instruction on a computer. When teachers implement a teaching program on a digital device, that teacher is taking into consideration the students who work better on a computer or laptop. 

 

 

Students with disabilities greatly benefit from this kind of technology. However, when students use the technology to bypass an essential skill, it can be very detrimental to their learning and can further progress certain problems. In the article, the author wrote, “For example, when a student decides to listen to a digital version of a book, they are bypassing an area of difficulty. However, if the student focuses on the computer screen as highlighted words are read aloud, they can learn unfamiliar words.” Using a computer screen that highlights unfamiliar words are a great tool to help a student who may have a seeing impairment. Using this technology should be betterment to the child’s education, not a disturbance. 

 

 

Students with disabilities should be offered some sort of form of assistive technology. However, when teachers give students that assistance, they need to make sure the student is completing the task given to them, not using the technology to create more problems. Assistive Technology is a great resource for students with disabilities to be able to achieve those assignments that would otherwise be difficult for them to complete. Assistive Technology is a great resource for all students with disabilities.