Technolgy Tea
Greetings everyone!
I am your new gossip girl who will be discussing all things teaching and anything written on a page. Maybe even digitally on a page… Speaking of technology, in this first episode, I want to talk about my relationship with technology and technology in relation to education and media.
Okay, so for my history, I want to start with the fact that my educational career didn’t start off too promising. I was bullied in the 2nd and half of the 3rd grade at a brick-and-mortar school. First, it was isolation at one school by students, then racial prejudice by a teacher at another school. There is more, but we’re not here for that story now. After all of that and moving schools, my mom decided to put me in homeschool. However, this homeschool was different; it was online, and you had the choice to have your child meet with others in person once a week. Now, this was new and unusual for my family, and many were skeptical because of the technological element, but let me tell you it was the best decision. Technology in education is not the enemy. In turn, I want you to think about this saying, “It’s not technology, it’s media. It’s not the thing, it’s the abuse of it.”
I understand I made a few jumps, so let me back it up. I mention that I went to an online elementary but I also went to the same online middle school and high school. I say this not to convert you because we see it’s not for everyone with the dropping rates from 2020. However, I do believe teaching our students how to use technology responsibly, as I was taught, and remembering “it’s not the thing, it’s the abuse of it” can help brick and mortar schools. By this, I mean it’s not the tablet, it’s the use of it; it’s not the phone, it’s the use of it. This brings us to the discussion of media, which is the biggest use of technology for our students. I think the media has been effective in getting students involved and excited about school. However, it can be a big distraction and a tool for bullying if there are no boundaries. I think ripping children away from media may do good, but it doesn’t fix the problem.
I have so many more thoughts, but I want to leave you with this,
Teach students moderation.
Teach students how to use things instead of being afraid, so they are not ill-prepared.
These things can help students stop abusing things because they figure it out themselves and are told it’s bad. It won’t immediately stop, but it will give them a better chance at growing instead of everything being “bad” until 3 or 4 pm when they get out of school and the world, or just life hits them. And it tells them you can do whatever if you have the means… technology.
Signing off xoxo your fav reading gossip girl xoxo 💋
Hey Anahise! Moderation is key with anything, and adults even have a hard time with it. I agree that it's not the thing, it's the use of it. Similar to the saying "Guns don't kill people, people kill people." However, to that end, should kids be handed a gun? That might be a bit dire of an example, but I think so many schools here in LA are overusing technology to appeal to parents of potential students, trying to show they're more advanced than other schools. I genuinely think it's a side effect of the rise of charters and attendance based funding in schools. That's a whole other discussion though, so I'll leave it there for now.
ReplyDeleteApologies, professor, this is my comment. Tina Kramer. I didn't realize it was automatically set to anonymous and was out of town all this weekend with no service.
DeleteHey Anahise! First, love the Gossip Girl reference. Second, I think as a student who went to school online you bring a very real and important perspective to this discussion, and ultimately you are right. At the same time, reality is a different beast; the current implementation of technology in schools is done so in a way that is so inefficient. When I was in elementary school in a brick-and-mortar school, we had a physical computer lab that classes were scheduled in a few times a month. These classes taught us to type, how to find resources, cite, etc. while also giving us the freedom to (safely) explore the internet as children. I think schools should honestly return to this model; technology is something that needs to be given to children in moderation, and in our current reality that is not the case. Like you said, it’s not the technology that’s the problem, it’s the abuse of technology that is the problem.
ReplyDeleteHi Anahise! I loved reading your post. You bring up excellent points, particularly the significance of boundaries and moderation when handling technology in education. I believe that balance is key with anything, especially the use of technology. Although technology has disadvantages such as distractions, AI misuse, and potential bullying, its advantages are greater. As you mentioned, technology is beneficial in capturing students’ attention and making them excited to learn through its many possibilities. For example, it gives students the opportunity to explore different resources, tap into their creativity, and build on their technological skills as the world continues to advance. It is important for students to have digital literacy because it will help them succeed in college and their careers. In short, I appreciate you sharing your experience with technology in education and how it has positively impacted you.
ReplyDelete- Melissa Catalan