Texbook Chapters 1-3

       Computer technology has come a long way since it was first introduced in the late 1930's. They used to be these big, heavy, heat producing machines that cost a lot of money and weren't good for much. When I see old movies with these kind of computers I can't imagine them being used now. The very first computer creators probably wouldn't believe what the computer as evolved into. They went from being as big as or bigger than humans to being able to fit in your coat pocket. Now computers are used for everything from watching movies to communicating with perfect strangers around the world. It is crucial that schools educate students and teachers about computers and technology because computers are slowly taking over everything. Teachers need to know how to navigate computers in order to be able to use them in their classrooms. With all of the new programs that are coming out, it may be impossible to keep up with everything.
        Teachers should at least know the basics like word processing, spreadsheets, databases, and powerpoint because they will be able to teach their students and they will be able to use them to teach their lessons. I am not computer savvy but I do have some basic knowledge about them. I've taken computer classes before but a lot of what I know comes from just using the computer a lot. Social networks, sending emails, writing papers, making online purchases, searching for information and making presentations for my classes have forced me to learn things without even knowing. Computers have become such a big part of life that people who don't know how to use them get left behind.
         Letting students send emails, blog, and video chat with peers, with supervision, will allow them to be a part of the technological world. Everywhere you look, people are sending emails from their phone, having conferences, and meetings and never have to actually meet. It's fast, convenient and can be done at any pace. Teaching students how to blog and send emails and even instant message is convenient for them as well. There's a group assignment that is due on Monday and you and three of your classmates were supposed to meet at the library on Saturday. When you woke up, you saw 20 inches of snow on the ground. What were you going to do? All you have to do is contact your classmates and complete the assignment online via email, weblog, or video chat. How convenient is that?!? As a teacher, I plan to teach the old school manual way but I also intend to incorporate computers in my lessons. That will save me time when I'm grading or just keeping attendance and it will encourage my students to learn more and do more group work. Computers can be fun so when it is time to complete an assignment, they will want to do it.

Course Packet- Section 4

I found this reading very interesting. There are many ways to incorporate technology into every single lesson. I also like that there are multiple websites to help teachers with the technology. I remember making KWHL Charts when I was in elementary school and they're still being used today, just on the computer. I like that the charts can be made on the computer because they can be more organized. I also like that everything that a student does on the computer can be emailed to their parents. This is like open school night for every lesson. Every parent doesn't have the time to always go to their child's school but checking emails can be done on their time. Kidspiration and Inspiration allow students to be in charge of their education which can be very beneficial. I remember being in school listening to the teacher blab about things more than half of the class knew about already. If we were able to put our ideas down on something like Kidspiration and Inspiration, the teacher would've knew that she could have used that valuable class time to teach something else. These templates also make students become active learners by looking for information themselves because the "How will you find out" column will prompt them to do their own research. And of course there's blogging and emails. I am new to blogging but this is a great way for students to interact outside of the classroom. Sometimes a student might think of something to say about a discussion that took place in class but by the time they get to class the next day, they forgot what they wanted to say. With the blogs available, students can go online anytime and post their thoughts. Emails can be read anytime and most importantly they save a lot of paper.