Blog Prompt #1

How I use technology to learn:

                I personally use technology, every day for both curriculum and non-curriculum based learning. My go-to piece of tech is my smartphone. The main reason for this is convenience- but what does my phone really do for me? The short answer is simple, which is, it answers questions. My phone is knowledge at my fingertips and it is there all the time. Information about any topic is online, ready to be viewed saved and shared. I rarely make it through a conversation without pulling out my phone to look up the answer to a question that has come up. To be quite honest I can’t remember the last time I made it through a full day without using Google. That’s how I learn about the concerns and questions in my day to day life; but how do I use tech specifically for school based learning?

                Educational technology was introduced to me at a very early age. In Grade Three I was diagnosed with multiple learning disabilities and as a result I was given a computer equipped with educational programs such as WordQ, Kerswell 3000 and Dragon Naturally Speaking. Though most of these programs didn't actually prove to be very helpful, they allowed me to see computers as a tool for learning and not just something to play games on. Today, technology plays a role in almost every aspect of school. I use tech for note taking, research, organization, review, group work and more.  Here are some specific examples of how I use technology for school:

• Facebook: As most people know, Facebook is a social networking website used to keep people connected. One of the many features of Facebook is the ability to create and join "Groups". Groups are essentially shared pages where group members can make as well as be notified of new posts. The way students are using this feature to benefit us from an educational perspective, is by creating Groups for school clubs, classes, events and more. Facebook allows students to work together from home by asking and answering questions, sharing notes, sharing links to helpful resources etc.           
• Google Drive: Google Drive is a file storage system that allows users to save and share files online using "cloud storage". What makes online storage systems like Google Drive and Drop box so helpful is that they allow users to access their files from any computer or smart device. Google Drive keeps all my files together and accessible at all times.         
• Wolfram Alpha: Being a math student I find this website/app to be particularly helpful. Wolfram Alpha is a search engine which is designed to provide the key information relevant to the desired search topic. Though information about almost any topic is available, I find this tool be most helpful when trying to understand concepts and principles in the areas of math and science. It can also be answer specific questions you have. Such as, what are the permutations of (a,b,c,d)? Further more Wolfram Alpha allows users to not only view information but also to download and save search results, which can then be added to notes to be reviewed and studied later on. 

I think it is important to mention that I use my phone to connect with all of the tools mentioned above. I have the Wolfram Alpha app for doing quick searches. I have the Facebook app for sharing pictures of board notes and Question. Finally I have the Google Drive for saving, Viewing and sharing files like Photos, Power Points, textbooks and more.     

What about the teachers?

With all this tech available out there, how are the teachers adjusting? Though not all teachers have embarrassed our Brave New World, many have started to use technology or are at least now allowing students to use technology to there advantage. Many teachers have there own class websites where students receive/submit assignments, access teacher approved resources, download notes packages/slides and most importantly contact teachers for extra help or to make excuses for not handing in assignments on time. 

Making information accessible to students is a very important step for education. One of the first questions I ask a new teacher is if they have website or some other way for me to get digital copies of class materials because it allows me to focus on learning in class, instead of focusing on note taking. Only one of my current teachers actually use a class website. However, all of my teachers have digital files available on USB storage. This has greatly worked to my advantage and made my success as a student really seem possible. Without technology school would seem completely overwhelming and almost impossible. But, is it always helpful?

Technology isn't perfect and it is important to understand it can sometimes do more harm then good. The best and most common example of this is when teachers are relying of a program or file to teach but do not fully understand how to use them. Teachers as well as students sometimes spend more time in class trying to troubleshoot technical problems instead of actually using the technology. This is a real problem for teachers who don't understand technology, not only because they cannot use it to their advantage, but because these bad tech experiences negatively shift the views of teachers about the use of educational technology. I think that teachers need the same access to information about technology that students have but in a way that makes sense to them, in order for them to see the true potential for learning that is already available to all of us all the time.