Vision Blog Reflection

Directions:

Form a response based on the following questions:

How do you see yourself using technology in your future classroom?
In your opinion, what is the difference between using technology in meaningful ways and using technology for other purposes?
Are there any situations in which technology is not a good answer or could not enhance the topic?
What about the future of our society? As we move to a more technologically-focused society, how will this effect the way you use technology, and they way you have your students use technology?
What kind of school/classroom/district do you see yourself teaching in? What's the technology like? Describe this for me.
Form a basic response that addresses your vision of technology integration: How should technology be used in the classroom? How do you plan to use technology in your future classroom? Is this realistic?

Response:

My integration of technology into teaching will be dependent on the amount of technology available to my classroom. I plan on using calculators frequently in my classroom to help my students visualize the math concepts and to help provide the students with a method to check their work. I also like the idea of having announcements displayed in a slideshow on a television between classes. I think this provides the teacher with an interesting way to present the announcements. From my experience, writing announcements on the board can use time and boardspace while it is quite easy to push the power button on the television. I also see myself having activities for my students to do on computers if the computers are accessible in school. There are lots of wonderful math programs that make mathematics fun (or as fun as it can be for a student) and could be the basis of a lesson that has students reinforce already learned skills or experiment and form their own conjectures.

The difference between meaningful technology integration and integration for the point of integration still seems cloudy in distinction. Meaningful technology use would often be using technology to allow the classroom to experience things that would otherwise be impossible to experience. However, a new experience does not make technology use meaningful unless the students are learning and learning more efficiently (I apologize for such a vague word) than without the technology. The technology should assist in the learning of the students but should not replace the teacher. I feel meaningful integration of technology should also not replace other methods of learning. Although opening a paper encyclopedia is becoming less common and proof reading papers by hand is being replaced with inserting "notes" into the word document, there is still use in knowing these older methods and technology should not completely replace these other skills. Meaningful technology use does not necessarily mean teaching the students how to use technology but instead uses the knowledge of technology to facilitate the learning. Meaningful integration should also be designed to help all students learn and not divide those students with technology at home from those students without.

As a math teacher I am wary of saying technology integration is good. From my experiences instructing at Indiana University, I have seen first hand the pros and cons of calculators in the classroom. I have tutored students who type 2*6 into the calculator. I admit that I am one of those people because as my mind is rushing through my numerous calculations I often do not distinguish between those that are simple and those that are difficult. However, I have taught 2 classes at IU that do not allow calculators. The students do struggle sometimes to perform the calculations that could easily and quickly be done on a calculator but refusing the use of calculators is necessary in these classes. Students need to have some basis of basic calculations and that skill can not be strengthened without practice. You may argue (as most people do) that basic math skills are not necessary or that everyone knows basic skills. I can tell you now that basic math skills are not known by everyone and that you do use basic math skills in your life. I do not want my students to be able to graph lines 10 years from now but I do want my students to be able to estimate a tip or estimate the price of a shirt that is 20% off. Since technology is not always available in the world, some basic skills need to be practiced and kept refined. However, my argument against calculators has nothing to do with successful technology integration. If calculators can be added to a classroom to enhance an understanding, to check an answer, or to visualize an answer then I do think the integration is positive. In general, if the technology integration is done carefully and with thought then I think it could be integrated successfully into any topic.

Our society is becoming dependent upon technology. As a teacher, I will need to be cautious not to rely on technology to teach. Technology fails sometimes and I need to prepare my students to learn and function in society with or without technology. I will also need to be aware of the economic and cultural divides present in my school. If my integration of technology is hampering the learning of some students then I will need to reassess my lessons and the importance of using technology. It is my fear that technology will enlarge the educational divide into three groups - one computer per member of the family, one computer for the entire family, no computer. I have seen families in all three groups and even the distinction between the first two groups is noticable. If each child only has 1 hour on the computer each evening then less can accomplished than if the child has his or her own computer. It seems as technology becomes more important in society teachers will also have to become more cautious of what information students are bringing to class from outside sources. I admit that I have looked up math proofs online to assist me with my homework and gone into "math help rooms" to receive help with homework problems. I also am aware that my behavior was questionable in merit (though would not have gotten me in trouble) and that some students will start taking advantage of these online methods of help and will turn the available help into methods of cheating and copying.

I see myself teaching in an upper-middle class school district. This is unfortunate because I assume that I will not end up in a privileged school. I would love to teach in a privileged school wouldn't we all?) where every classroom has the basic technology of a television, an overhead projector, a telephone, 3-5 classroom computers, the teacher computer, math software, a classroom set of calculators, and even the chords to book the television to the tv and the calculator to the overhead projector. I also see other technology such as a set of laptops, a video camera, and digital cameras in plenty enough to be checked out when needed. I also picture 3-5 full computer labs with computer stations in the library. However, I feel the only reason I imagine myself teaching in that school is because that is the school I attended. I feel I could also end up in a rural school district. I honestly have no technology expectations of a rural school. I would not expect my students to have computers at home or even be able to afford graphing calculators. I would not even expect my students to be able to stay after school to use the computer lab if my rural community is a farming community. I would still at least expect an overhead projector and a teacher computer in my math class and therefore am already collecting my own hodgepodge of technology and calculators. I know I can not rely on my school for the technology. I do not see myself teaching in an inner-city school but it is too early for me to say where I will end up.

Technology should be used in the classroom in the manner that most adequately assists the students. In my classroom I will probably have homework answers displayed using an overhead projector. In general I frown upon displaying answers on an overhead projector but given time restraints and the size of the classroom I will probably only be able to provide students with correct answers in this method. I do not plan to teach on the overhead though because I feel my excitement of mathematics is better shown if I am moving and I think the movement helps engage the students. I might consider putting notes available online if my students have access and seem like students who would use the additional help. Depending on my school's math curriculum I will try to incorporate some form of project that requires the students to use a computer either in research, calculations, or presentation but this depends on the available time. Technology should be used in the classroom in ways that encourage the student to work and learn and does not give the students the notes and lessons. The technology should primarily be used as an educational tool and should not replace the job of the teacher.