Reflection

Reflection : I feel that technology can be used in all subject areas including Language Arts. We live in an age that is filled with technology and we will have students that are going to know much more about technology than we do. This should not be looked at as a bad thing, we need to embrace it in our classrooms so that we can develop twenty-first century learners. Many look at some forms of technology as bad, I feel that some are not appropriate for the classroom but all technology should be used as motivation for our students. If what they are going is educational why should we care if it is happening on a computer, cell phone or video game. We should start using online technology tools with our elementary students so that they are introduced to it at a young age. If it is a constant tool they use throughout their educations then it is more likely that they will be familiar enough with it to use it successfully in and outside of the learning environment. I have watch the ESOL students in a class that I volunteer in work with a program that assess their language learning ability. This program scaffolds their learning in a way that ensures that they will not move on until they successfully understand a concept. The teacher can then see their progress and know where she needs to "beef" up instruction in her lesson. I have also spent time with reading and math programs that are designed to look like computer games but are actually very beneficial to the student's learning. Again they can learn at their own pace and when it does come time to assess the student has had so much extra practice and is familiar with the program that they are at total ease and the teacher can truely get an authentic assessment. This also is a great motivational tool that makes the student enjoy the subject they are focusing on. I feel that technology is here to stay and we would be doing a disservice to our students if we do not use it in our classrooms.

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