Digital Native article

I couldn't find my ealier post on the digital native article, so I am writing my thoughts again. I have been startled to find that my children and most children require a quicker response, have less patience, an think by multitasking. I feel that we must take that into consideration in order to teach them. I think that using technology does that and also helps with group interaction. I do not believe, however, that we should just cave in and not require them to take a deeper look at what is going on. I know I posted a response to this article somewhere, but wanted to make sure I was not missing an assignment. My other blog entries are below.

Course Reflections

I saw exactly how technology should be used in the classroom. It became apparent that a teacher can use technology extensively and enrich the curriculum. The curriculum has to come first, then technology can be found to support it. Every subject has something that can be used. The unit of study must be an integrated whole. This course also helped me with the idea of on-line courses, how to create them and why they work. I've gotten so that my computer is my first resource for study and for information. Using the things I've learned in class, I've gotten my children interested in using technology-- creating books in word and podcasts of songs. Using the technology made them braver in school and more self confident. Working with the other people in the class opened up new vistas for me too.

Intro to Authoring Tools changed how I think

The course, Introduction to Authoring tools, taught me some new things, and made me consider viewpoints that I hadn't thought of previously. I learned, of course, how to use powerpoint, podcasting, and some others, but more than that, I began to see how to create a comprehensive whole. I learned how an entire course can be put together on-line, how to make an on-line course as instructional as a face-to-face course. Different pieces of technology feed into each other and you must make the the pieces work within a comprehensive whole. A teacher has to start with the whole picture (curriculum,courses,student needs, student requirements, administrative needs) and make sure everything works together.

I feel much more comfortable working with technology and making it an intrinsic part of a lesson.