Digital Badge #A - Chapter 1

First I want to reflect on the term "iGeneration" I never really thought of myself as a part of this generation because I was never some 8 year old with a tablet or cell phone, but with reading the definition I do technically fit into this generation. I did grow up with technology all around me and I use it in my everyday life. I feel that the term "iGeneration" is interesting, it is strange to think that technology has taken over so much that it has claimed a whole generation. Children have become so tech savvy. Parents use tablets to distract their toddlers and to keep them behaved. So with technology becoming more and more vital in everyday life it is no surprise that teachers should start becoming well equipped with information on technology.


Something that I also found interesting in this chapter was the list of "must-have" technologies for the classroom. A teacher of the year had listed the technologies he thought were must-haves that he had used in his classroom, those being; A laptop, an interactive white board, a student participation system with clickers, and iPod and a smart phone. This definitely threw me off. When I was in elementary school the best technology I had to use a computer. I did not get to see a smart board or use a iPod in class. I did not know That some of these things could be used effectively in the class room. This leads me to believe that I have a lot to learn about using technology in the classroom.

It was also interesting to read the strategies for learning new technologies. Things like expanding your technology categories and creating small technology groups are good ways to become better at knowing the different technologies in the classroom. I found it interesting when I read " The rapid pace of technological change means that learning about and using must-have technologies will be ongoing as long as you teach." This shows that technology is not going away, new technologies are always going to arise and teachers need to realize this. Getting to know technologies and having them in your classroom is what teachers now have to do.

After reading this chapter I have now realized that I need to become more informed on the different technologies that are now being used in classrooms.

Citations

1. Maloy, Robert, Verock-O’Loughlin,Ruth-Ellen, Edwards, Sharon A., and Woolf, Beverly Park (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.
2. "Technology in the Classroom: Digital Media." YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. 17 Jan. 2015.
3. Whittaker, Zack. "Defining the 'iGeneration': Not Just a Geeky Bunch of Kids | ZDNet." ZDNet. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Jan. 2015.