Technology is an important part of today’s society. Due to this, I believe that is critical that we, as educators, utilize technology in order to prepare our students for the real world. Students should be able to have access to computers and other technological devices in order to promote digital literacy amongst our citizenry.
To remain relevant, students will need to know how to discover information using the Internet, navigate websites, distinguish between credible and unreliable resources, present information in a digital format, and cite resources taken from both Internet and print sources. These skills should be at the forefront of our teachings to our students. To learn how to do this, lessons must be planned in which students can take advantage of different forms of communication on the Internet. Teachers should also model safe and appropriate usage of the Internet.
As a teacher, I want to promote Internet safety by teaching students to protect themselves on the Internet. This involves education students about cyber bullying as well as teaching them to avoid posting information about themselves that could tarnish their reputation or negatively affect their life in the future.
I want my students to understand the benefits of using technology with the understanding that problems may arise. These problems may involve misleading sources or sketchy figures on the Internet. The most important part of a teacher’s job when teaching about technological resources is to spark enthusiasm about technological resources, facilitate active learning, all the while educating students about the uses and misuses of the Internet.
Our students have grown up in a world that is full of technology. There are resources available that they are familiar with that we would have never dreamed of. As a teacher, we should look for new materials and monitor our students to learn about the technologies that they are using in their own lives. This will strengthen our lessons and provide active learning opportunities for our students. It is important to take note of what the students know and allow them to use technologies that are helpful for them. Classrooms should promote students’ innovation in technology, especially to foster new technologies that are useful in the academic environment.
In the classroom, I plan to use technology everyday in some form or another. This may be simply providing a PowerPoint presentation to introduce and discuss data or as complex as allowing students to manipulate raw data using spreadsheets. Every exposer to technological resources will promote a new generation that is digitally responsible.