I have never really been one to enjoy phone conversations. To me, Skype/Google Hangouts are akin to phone conversations where you have to care at least a little about your appearance. I find myself fairly distracted by myself in these conversations. I never see myself interact or converse with people and it's very strange to me.
That being said, I enjoyed using Skype while I was in Mexico as a means to communicate with friends and family. I enjoyed seeing the faces of my family and friends, but on a day to day basis, I don't think Skype/Face Time is for me. Skype always had its connectivity issues when I was using it, which I found equally distracting and frustrating.
I actually hate phone conversations too, but for an entirely different reason (My hearing is crap and I have the most awkward 'goodbyes.' I was born in the right era for me in terms of making social connections. I'll text, msn, or 'chat' you into the ground. I have always found writing easy.
The massive amount of technology out there can be overwhelming, but I believe it is a matter of educating ourselves about what is out there and available to be used and choose which tools apply to us. By finding our strengths in technology and coupling them together we, as educators, will be able to best execute our knowledge of technology in the classroom.
Tuesday 21 January 2014
Going Pro
I feel that I have identified that I am weak in the area of technology. Identifying your weakness is key to success. I want to be good with technology. I like knowing things. To be frank, I enjoy knowing more than other people. A good quality for a teacher to have, I suppose. I enjoy teaching high school, because I enjoy the challenge that it brings me. Specifically in science. Science is ever-changing and being a teacher of science demands constant self-education. I find that in teaching high-level science, I research more in depth than I would for my own benefit. I try to prepare myself for potential questions- because I don't like not knowing something that I'm expected too.
I need to take this same approach to using the internet and technology. I want to be the teacher that wows kids with my technological abilities, rather than rely on them to help me utilize technology in the class. I have numerous memories of teachers struggling with overheads, VCRs, and TV sets and relying on students to help them. We have to be on our toes with this constantly changing technology.
So suit up, Ms. Deremiens, you're going Pro on the Techie front.
I need to take this same approach to using the internet and technology. I want to be the teacher that wows kids with my technological abilities, rather than rely on them to help me utilize technology in the class. I have numerous memories of teachers struggling with overheads, VCRs, and TV sets and relying on students to help them. We have to be on our toes with this constantly changing technology.
So suit up, Ms. Deremiens, you're going Pro on the Techie front.
Sunday 12 January 2014
Get more smarter
Where to begin?
With regards to this blog, I don't know. With regards to the internet, I don't know. My capacity to use the internet is fairly limited and I can't seem to find good websites on my own. I can only do what I have been instructed about. I've enjoyed using all of the websites that I've learned about in ICT and feel that this course is necessary for me to keep up with the techies (next generation). The technological revolution is rapidly progressive and non-ending. The amount of change that has happened in the last 8 years (when I graduated) is absurd. From my parents generation to mine, we had advancements such a typing, basic computers, and dial-up internet. I never used the internet more than 5 in my high school career, at least for the purposes of research. Now, I don't know how I would get by without it!
When I was in high school, cell phones were strictly for the purposes of calling and most of us didn't waste our 'pay-as-you-go' minutes, so most conversations took place on the phone or via msn. I wrote letters to old friends from camp in high school. I was there for the birth of those spammy chain forward letters (which, even then, I was skeptical of- though I'm sure I still sent them... 'just in case').
In addition to me needing to improve my internet skills, I really enjoy impressing my students. I don't want to be a 26 year-old dino of a teacher that needs help turning the google machine on. I'm pretty sure that I thought, at one point in my life, that I would come to a point in my life where I would stop learning and instead pass on my wisdom.
I've come to realize that that point does not exist.
With regards to technology and the internet, educators must change with the world or have the world change without them.
With regards to this blog, I don't know. With regards to the internet, I don't know. My capacity to use the internet is fairly limited and I can't seem to find good websites on my own. I can only do what I have been instructed about. I've enjoyed using all of the websites that I've learned about in ICT and feel that this course is necessary for me to keep up with the techies (next generation). The technological revolution is rapidly progressive and non-ending. The amount of change that has happened in the last 8 years (when I graduated) is absurd. From my parents generation to mine, we had advancements such a typing, basic computers, and dial-up internet. I never used the internet more than 5 in my high school career, at least for the purposes of research. Now, I don't know how I would get by without it!
When I was in high school, cell phones were strictly for the purposes of calling and most of us didn't waste our 'pay-as-you-go' minutes, so most conversations took place on the phone or via msn. I wrote letters to old friends from camp in high school. I was there for the birth of those spammy chain forward letters (which, even then, I was skeptical of- though I'm sure I still sent them... 'just in case').
In addition to me needing to improve my internet skills, I really enjoy impressing my students. I don't want to be a 26 year-old dino of a teacher that needs help turning the google machine on. I'm pretty sure that I thought, at one point in my life, that I would come to a point in my life where I would stop learning and instead pass on my wisdom.
I've come to realize that that point does not exist.
With regards to technology and the internet, educators must change with the world or have the world change without them.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)