Reflection 2: CDK's Education Technology Place

Source:
CDK's Education Technology Place

             My favorite part of CDK's Education Technology Place were all of the YouTube videos.  I have only started looking on YouTube in the past year or so, and didn’t realize how good some of the videos are on there.  My favorite video on the website was “I need my teachers to learn”.  This had a very powerful and eye opening message.  It pointed out the kids today are not the same as they used to be.  We are living in the age of technology.  When we graduate we will be expected to work and succeed in a technological world so why shouldn’t we have a technology-enriched education to help prepare for that world.  As students we all learn differently and teachers need to realize that technology can help us learn more. 

            The part of this video that really tugged on my heart strings was the part where it was bring your dad to school day.  This little girl wanted to skype her dad in because he couldn’t be there in person, but the school would not let her do that.  It turned out that the girl’s father couldn’t make it because he was a soldier and deployed.  Teachers need to realize that times are changing and in order to prepare us for the real world we have to be technologically savvy. 

One of my goals as a future teacher is to use technology in my classroom.  I need help to learn how to do that, but that is why I’m in DED 318.   I believe that if I don’t use technology and expose my future student to it, I am failing to prepare them for their futures.  

Reflection 1: Technology Bits, Bytes, & Nibbles

Source:
Technology Bits, Bytes, & Nibbles              

              I’m not someone that you would call technologically savvy.  I got my MacBook Pro the summer of 2009.  So you would think by now I would know how to use many of its features, but I don’t.  As I was browsing through Technology Bits Bytes & Nibbles I stumbled across the “Mac Quick Tips: Forgotten Passwords” post.  In this post I realized there was another feature on my MacBook that I didn’t know about.  It is called Keychain Access.  This feature saves some of my passwords without me even knowing.  As I started to browse through the feature I even stumbled across the name and password to my wireless Internet! 

            In the past I kept all of my important passwords and usernames on a 3x5 inch note card on my desk.  It was always just laying out for everyone to see my important information.  But now that I know how to utilize Keychain Access I have all of those hard to remember usernames and passwords in one folder that is locked by one password.  By always having my passwords on my computer, they are safe and organized.  When I am a teacher there will be many people walking around my desk, so I won’t be able to have confidential information just lying around.  I can store it in the Keychain Access folder. 

           Another post that I found interesting was “’Mathemusician’ videos help teens see math as art” post.  In these videos Vi Hart shows how doodling can be mathematical.  She shows how math can be used to make art.  There are many kids that start to hate math so early in their education.  This is really unfortunate because math can be fun and it is defiantly useful in life.  If teachers would learn to teach their math lesson using hands on activities instead of lectures and worksheets maybe students would start to like math.  As a future teacher one of my goals is to learn how to use math games and hands on activities to teach my students math.  If they are enjoying what they are learning they will be more likely to remember it and apply it!