If someone were to ask me whether or not I spend a lot of time using technology, I'd probably say no. However, if I had about ten or fifteen minutes to think about it, I'd say yes; I use digital technology a lot more than I realize. I can think of people who spend more time glued to the TV, computer, or cell phone, but I still use those devices a lot. For example, over the course of the past week, I spent a total of 25 hours using either my laptop or iPad (at least 90-95% of that time I was on the Internet). I use them for a variety of reasons, like homework, tracking sports stuff, playing games, watching sports, church stuff, reading sports articles (ESPN.go.com is my favorite website), and checking my e-mail. However, because the past week was spring break, my total computer time was a lot lower than a normal week, because I sit in front of a computer for anywhere between 15 and 20 hours at work each week (mainly doing stuff for work, but also sports-related stuff, homework, etc.). I was at work for 5.5 hours yesterday, and 5 of that was spent in front of the computer screen. I guarantee that my computer time will increase tremendously over the next three weeks due to March Madness; the NCAA Basketball tournament starts this week, and it's one of the highlights of the sports world (fill out your bracket here: http://games.espn.go.com/tournament-challenge-bracket/en/).
As for other digital technology use, I haven't utilized much over the past week. I've only sent or received ten calls on my cell phone, but I have sent or received over 200 text messages. Texting is often a lot more handy than calling someone, and it's quicker, too. I would definitely spend more time in front of the TV if we had cable, but we don't, and that's probably a good thing, because I'd be watching basketball or baseball or hockey or soccer or tennis every night (and football on Saturdays). We have a DVD player, though, so we're not stuck in the Stone Age, and we even had time to watch a couple movies over spring break. Beyond that, I think I used my iPod for about half an hour last week, but I usually listen to www.pandora.com when I want to tune other things out (more computer usage!!). I definitely use technology a lot more for entertainment than I do anything else.
I wouldn't consider myself technologically-inhibited, but I know I'm not an expert, and I have a lot to learn. I also know I'll be teaching students who know a lot more about digital technology than I do. I should be able to use taht to my advantage, though. For example, students familiar with Facebook should be able to participate in Canvas-type discussion groups, posting comments and sharing things with their classmates. Most students, too, have e-mail addresses and can easily share documents and homework outside of class. Another thing the computer is good for is using the Internet to look up stories, information, primary source documents, and other appropriate readings for class. Blogs, like this one, are great ideas, too. By far, though, one of my favorite things to do with technology in the classroom is show video clips; Hollywood (most of the time) has great ways to help us understand things. YouTube will be on my favorites page for sure. In order to use technology with my students, I'll have to learn a lot more about the different resources available; because of all the recent advances, I have a lot of work to do. In today's world, though, technology is probably the best way to reach most students.
Kinda funny I actually wrote about something similar this week. March madness also made me realize how much I use technology on a daily basis without even thinking about it. I think it is something important to show students how much they really use technology on a daily basis through texts, tv, internet etc on a daily basis. I think by doing this it will really make students more open to learning about it.
ReplyDeleteYou know how different countries have epics that define them? So, people say that Beowulf defines Britain, Gilgamesh defines Mesopotamia, the Odyssey defines Greece, etc. People think that Star Wars is the epic that defines America. To me, that's evidence of how technology has changed, that our relatively young country tells stories--not just through oral traditions or through writing--but through a visual medium.
ReplyDeletePeople complain that TV rots your brain and leads to less intelligence, as compared to reading. To me, however, it's simply a new medium. (Plato basically said that the medium of writing would rot our brains, too, as opposed to the oral tradition, because people would not have an incentive to remember things as well if they were written down.) So, all to say, I like how you are validating visual mediums in English and not just written ones. Visual stories are valid too.