Competency 12: Mobilize digital technology

For EDU 309:

During my 3rd year practicum, I found my AT shared the same beliefs as I do about technology: it should be used in moderation and the amount of exposure should depend on the students' grade levels. As I was in a grade 2 classroom, students were still learning letter printing, the basics of sentence structure, and should have recently somewhat mastered the ability to write words correctly phonetically. These skills are not always benefited by technology. Young students nowadays are also exposed to so much technology at home that it has started to affect their childhoods. In one staff meeting I sat through, we watched a pre-recorded Zoom session on the topic of socio-emotional regulation in which they mentioned the use of technology impacted young students' play. The speaker's name escapes me at the moment but what stuck out was when they mentioned that this is the first time in history that children can't play. Young students who often play video games are used to being fed the stimulation they usually seek out through play that they cannot function an entire day without technology. This is not to say that it is the case with all young students but it happens enough that I have seen students start asking to watch movies or play games online after only two hours of play on International Play Day.

Although I do not think tech should play a large role in education, I cannot deny its importance. Technology is woven into our culture so tightly that not allowing students to learn the skills needed to use it properly will put them at a disadvantage. Although my practicum classroom did not have computers for students to use (due to the very limited amount and that they has previosuly lost the privilege to use them), I still ended up using it due to its convenience. I was able to find read-alouds for books that I did not have, some of which added animations that helped keep student attention. Tech also allowed me to use it to show pictures of various plants for students to look at as second graders most likely do not know plant species by heart and visual cues may help them remember if they have encountered said plants before.

All in all, I believe technology has a time and a place but regardless of my views of technology in the class, it is impossible for me to deny its importance to the students of tomorrow.