Blog Assignment 3

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A Vision of Students Today- Quite honestly, my reaction to this video was rather surprising. I saw the life of what claims to be the average college student, but the way of life portrayed in this video doesn't reflect my own experience. I don't spend very much time on social networks or on the cell phone. Call me old fashioned, but I prefer personal interaction to social networking, though I do make some use of Facebook. I don't have time to talk on the phone unless it is business related. I do, however use my computer for research, papers, and I do send a lot of email. So although I'm not fully deployed on the technology band wagon, preferring to write my notes rather than type them, I do understand the importance of technology in      the classroom and in society.
     Technology has the ability to change the world and has done so already. But how many of us will use future technology to fix the damage that technology has done thus far. Let's face it, there are many areas in life that have been damaged by technology; however, as students and the future, we have the resources to fix the problems. Will we equip ourselves and take up the problems that we didn't create, yet fall on our shoulders?
It's Not About the Technology- I read Kelly Hines' post It's Not about the Technology and commented the following: "Ms. Hines,
Your post was both very entertaining and enlightening to me. I don't mean to make it sound as if I was laughing at your post; I was laughing at the image that ran through my mind as I was reading the post. I pictured a mother putting a Mac computer in front of an infant and telling him to learn. A Mac is great.... but only if you properly teach the child how to use it, which first requires you to have knowledge of the computer.
As a future educator, I believe technology is an important element in the classroom. However, I agree with your claim (It isn't about the technology). A teacher should be able to teach students how to be technologically literate without the technology in their hands. When they are finally given access to the technology, imagine what such a teacher will be able to accomplish.
Too many of my own teachers abused the technology that was at their disposal. I don't believe that they did intentionally, but they simply wee not innovative enough. In high school English class, I can not count the number of research papers I had to write. My teachers told me to research these people, "write a paper on the demolition of the rain forests in South America." Looking back on it, I wish that I had known that, through technology (Podcasts, blogs, etc.), I could do my research by experiencing it. What a world of difference that would have made!
I'm reading your post as a part of my EDM 310 Microcomputing Systems class with Dr. John Strange. All of my comments are posted to my class blog: http://branchjamesonedm310.blogspot.com/. Thanks for sharing! -Jameson Branch"

Is it OK to be a Technologically Illiterate Teacher?- I posted the following:

 Karl, I enjoyed reading this post and stand firm that never has a more true statement been made. A technologically illiterate person today is equal to a person incapable of reading and writing 30 years ago. Time for all of us to get on board with technology!  

I'm reading your post as a part of my EDM 310 Microcomputing Systems class with Dr. John Strange. All of my comments are posted to my class blog: http://branchjamesonedm310.blogspot.com/. Thanks for sharing! -Jameson Branch 
Gary Hayes Social Media Count- As you watch this page, you are watching the number of people you could potentially reach through these mediums. What does this mean to me, as a future educator? It means that I need to get connected, PRONTO! If I use these tools, I can connect myself and my students with the entire world, allowing us to be a force to reckon with in the education realm. It means that future generations will be prepared for what lies ahead of them.