Megan McGinnis

So What? Who Cares? EDUC 511: Foundations of Educational Technology Megan McGinnis uly 11! "#1$

Megan McGinnis

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The follo'ing (a(er 'ill &e discussing the i)(ortance of educational technology in the "1st century classroo)s* +n discussing the i)(ortance of technology in the classroo) + 'ill &e discussing i)(ortant )easures and a((roaches that + &elie,e can &e ta-en 'hen 'or-ing 'ith students* Through )y faith! ins(iring teachers! and )y courses at %.usa /acific Uni,ersity! + &elie,e that &eco)ing an effecti,e teacher 'ill &e (ossi&le*

Megan McGinnis

Teaching students to read! 'rite! s(ell! (erfor) 'ell on a test! )ay 0ualify you as &eing called a teacher &ut does it )a-e you an effecti,e teacher? %n effecti,e teacher is so)eone 'ho actually changes students1 li,es for the &etter* %n effecti,e teacher is so)eone 'ho 'ill do anything to hel( each and e,ery one of their students succeed and e2cel acade)ically* %n effecti,e teacher is one 'ho ne,er gi,es u( on their students! no )atter the circu)stance* +n order to &e considered an effecti,e teacher! a (erson )ust -no' that each and e,ery student is s(ecial in their o'n 'ay and that each student is 'orth teaching* /eo(le today gi,e u( so easily on students and it is sad* +nstead of 3ust (ushing students to the side &ecause they )ay &e too difficult! 'e need to reali.e that each student is s(ecial and deser,es e,ery &it of our attention* %n effecti,e teacher 'ill &e that teacher 'ho stays after school to gi,e guidance and su((ort to those students 'ho need it )ost* They are the teachers that 'ill do anything and e,erything they can to )a-e sure that their students succeed* The effecti,e teacher is the one teacher 'ho 'ill )a-e school a fun learning e2(erience and get students e2cited to learn* The effecti,e teacher can &e any teacher! all they need to do is (ut the effort in and reali.e that 'hat they are doing is truly hel(ing sha(e the future generations of %)erica* + &elie,e that + can &eco)e an effecti,e teacher &ecause + ha,e &een ins(ired to ne,er gi,e u( and follo' all )y drea)s &y )y eighth grade )ath teacher Mrs* M* 4o' Mrs* M 'as al'ays that one teacher that (eo(le feared &ecause she 'as so hard on her students* + honestly thought the sa)e thing as e,eryone else until + actually got to -no' her* She 'as really tough &ut that 'as only &ecause she 'anted 'hat 'as &est for all of her students* She 'ould (ush you to succeed e,en though you thought that you couldn1t (ush yourself any)ore* She 'ould al'ays as- the students if they need clarification on so)ething! ga,e us e2tra ti)e in class to go o,er any )ath (ro&le)s that 'e had trou&le co)(leting the night &efore and she 'as al'ays there to

Megan McGinnis

ans'er any 0uestion! no )atter ho' s)all* + honestly hate )ath 'ith a (assion &ut 'hen + had Mrs* M she )ade )e reali.e that + can acco)(lish any )ath (ro&le) as long as + truly &elie,e in )yself* She ins(ired )e to go further than 3ust co)(leting ho)e'or- and sho'ing u( to class* She sho'ed )e that + needed to &elie,e in )yself first and &elie,e that + can acco)(lish anything if + 3ust set )y )ind to it and don1t thin- negati,ely* She taught )e that no 0uestion is a stu(id 0uestion and in the end as-ing a 0uestion could &e the difference &et'een an % and a 6* +n the end! Mrs* M re'arded )e at the end of the year 'ith a scholarly )ath a'ard! stating that + ne,er ga,e u( and + al'ays (ushed )yself e,en 'hen + 'as discouraged* + than- her for sho'ing )e that &elie,ing in )yself first can truly )a-e the &iggest difference in your life* + ho(e that + can ha,e that sa)e ins(iration for so)e of )y future students* + 'ant the) to -no' that + 'ill &e here to hel( the) &ut they )ust &elie,e in the)sel,es first and &elie,e they can acco)(lish anything they set their )ind too* 7nce + ha,e ins(ired )y students to do their &est and try to succeed 'ith anything they set their )ind too! + 'ill &e a&le to )easure their success* + can )easure )y students1 success &y seeing ho' far they ha,e co)e &oth acade)ically and )entally fro) the start of the year to the end of the year* + (ersonally don1t &elie,e in 3ust )easuring your students1 success 'ith a test! + thin- that all as(ects of the year 'ill sho' you ho' )uch your students ha,e actually acco)(lished* Students should &e )easured on their a&ility to not only (erfor) 'ell in school &ut also sho' that they -no' ho' to treat others 'ith res(ect! -indness! can read at a higher le,el than 'hen they entered school! ha,e (assed all oral co))unication s-ills tests and ha,e (ro,en that they are res(onsi&le enough to )o,e on to the ne2t grade le,el* For )ost -ids! test scores really don1t )easure or sho' you ho' )uch a student really -no's* That is 'hy + 'ill &e )easuring )y students1 success 'ith other co)(onents! not 3ust through test scores*

Megan McGinnis

My faith has guided )e al)ost throughout )y life and it has taught )e ho' to ha,e a different a((roach 'ith (eo(le and ho' to handle certain situations* When + a) teaching )y students + 'ill 'ant the) to ha,e the sa)e a((roach that + ha,e &ut + 'ill not &e using the 'ord Faith or God* There is a 'ay that students can learn to 'or- 'ell 'ith each other! res(ect one another! are honest on all ho)e'or- and test assign)ents! and co)e to school 'ith a (ositi,e attitude* + 'ill &e teaching )y students ho' to act and &eco)e one of God1s children 'ithout really letting the) -no' that + a) teaching the) a&out Faith* + 'ill al'ays do )y &est to not 3udge students on little fla's and focus on the &eauty that each child has* With )y faith + -no' that + can a((roach the students a different 'ay &ecause God has taught )e that e,ery (erson is uni0ue and s(ecial in their o'n 'ay* + -no' that e,eryone is different and that is 'hat )a-es life so great &ecause e,ery student 'ill &ring to school 'ith the) a different as(ect on life* With the ne' generation of students s(ending nearly "#!### hours of their li,es in front of the internet and only 5!### hours reading! it see)s that 'e need to ta-e this into consideration and really e,aluate ho' 'e are going to teach our students* We not only need to &e a'are of the e,er changing 'ay that students are learning &ut start to reali.e that 'e need to change the 'ay also of ho' 'e go a&out teaching our students* Technology is all around us and 'e need to acco))odate to the ne' generation of students and start to incor(orate this into the classroo)* Students learn &y ha,ing things done 0uic-ly! ha,ing ans'ers right no' and &y seeing )any e2a)(les of 'hat it is 'e need the) to acco)(lish* %s a future teacher + see that students are technology nati,es and 'e need to acco))odate to their 'ay of learning* % student 'ho s(ends half of their life on the internet 'ill 'ant to learn that 'ay and get things done in a )anner 3ust li-e the 'ay that the internet does* We cannot -ee( teaching our students the sa)e 'ay that older generations 'ere taught 8no internet! no online resources! etc*9* E,erything is so fast (ace no'

Megan McGinnis

and this is &ecause of the internet and technology* +f students are using the internet for half of their daily acti,ities and they are using the internet to gather infor)ation! than as a teacher 'e need to (ro,ide this to our students* We need to start teaching for the future generations! not go &ac-'ards and -ee( teaching the 'ay that 'e ha,e &een taught for centuries* +n order for )e to &eco)e the effecti,e teacher that + ho(e to &eco)e + )ust first ta-e school seriously and ha,e a )a3or that 'ill hel( )e along the (rocess* 6y ta-ing digital teaching and learning classes + a) a&le to learn ne' and e2citing 'ays to incor(orate technology into the classroo)* While + a) o&taining )y degree + 'ould really lo,e to -no' )ore a&out different tools that can &e effecti,e in the classroo)! a((s that + can use 'ith )y students! ne' 'ays to teach students using technology and find ne' 'ays to hel( )e na,igate the 'orld of technology* 4o' 'ith the ne' generation of students &eing called ;Digital 4ati,es< and the older generations &eing called ;Digital +))igrants< + find )yself to &e in the )iddle of &oth generations* + gre' u( in the =#1s 'hen 'e 'ere starting to &e introduced to technology* Unli-e today1s students + did not start using technology in )y e,eryday life until (ro&a&ly high school* + find it really interesting and fascinating that technology has changed so drastically to the (oint that 'e cannot function 'ithout technology* +n )y technology classes + 'ant to &e a&le to understand students and understand 'hat 'ill hel( )a-e the) learn in a 'ay that is fitted for their needs* + ho(e to learn through )y classes ho' to hel( students use technology (ro(erly! ho' they can find resources 0uic-er &y using technology and e,en ho' to )a-e school fun and e2citing through technology* E,en though + use technology daily + a) still learning )yself a&out ne' and e2citing 'ays to teach 'hile using different ty(es of technology* %s a teacher + 'ant to learn )ore a&out technology and &e a&le to teach the 'ay that + -no' )y students need to &e taught* The 'orld is changing and it is i)(ortant that 'e follo' suit and teach students using the

Megan McGinnis

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resources that they are fa)iliar 'ith* So)e of the resources that )y students 'ill &e fa)iliar 'ith! are ones that + 'ould li-e to &eco)e )ore fa)iliar 'ith* + find it ,ery interesting that there are so )any different resources and 'e&sites out there that are )ade 3ust for teachers* Each 'eein )y classes + a) disco,ering ne' 'e&sites and a((s that are )ade 3ust for teachers and )ade to hel( teachers out* +n )y classes + a) see-ing to get a &etter understanding of 'hat 'e&sites and or a((s 'ould &e )ost useful for students and ho' + can use the) in the classroo)* + 'ouldn1t (ersonally -no' 'hich ne' resources + 'ant to learn a&out &ecause + a) not sure 'hat is out there* +n )y classes + 3ust 'ant to gain a &etter understanding of 'hat resources are a,aila&le for teachers and get fa)iliar 'ith 'e&sites that )y students can use in the classroo)* 6y o&taining )y Master1s in Digital Teaching and ?earning + -no' that + 'ill &e a&le to &eco)e the effecti,e teacher that + -no' + can &eco)e* + 'ill ha,e acco)(lished all )y goals! 'ill o&tain a ne' higher le,el of thin-ing and + 'ill &e learning infor)ation that can &e ,ery &eneficial and useful in )y future classroo)* + 'ant and need to &e a&le to learn ne' technology infor)ation and &e a&le to ada(t to the ne' 'ay of thin-ing* + -no' that once + co)(lete )y degree + 'ill &e ,ery (re(ared to 'or- in a classroo) and teach students all the ne' and e2citing 'ays they can use technology to learn* This degree )eans e,erything to )e and once + graduate ne2t May + -no' that + 'ill ha,e fulfilled all )y learning goals*