Making Media (Chapter 5 blog due November 5th)

In my opinion technology is very important with today's society. Children are so much more willing to play a game on the computer, watch a movie, or use some type of digital technology. They are also learning how to use this technology at such a young age. The problem with them using so much technology is that your typical teaching does not typically work because their minds are so used to moving at a fast pace.

I think that with as much as children are on the internet communicating it is very important that they learn how to communicate. When a person communicates faces to face both people can tell by tone of voice, body language, and facial expressions what the other person is feeling. When communication is done through text those feelings can easily be misinterpreted. I do agree with Hobbs and Moore that teaching this skill takes time and that it would be best to create partnerships between teachers within and outside of the school. We assume that most children have access to some type of technology, however in my classroom I have students that do not have access to any technology unless they go to a library and even then several of their parents do not have a car to take them there. I have several students that may have internet at home, but their parents do not allow them to use their smartphone or their computer.

There are several different options within the text such as playing with remix and parody as well as screencasting. These options sound like something the students would have a lot of fun using, however in a classroom setting such as mine and the requirements we have these option are not an option. We do use technology in the sense of creating powerpoints, writing, practicing their new state assessment, benchmark testing on the computer with our new math series, and practicing math fluency.

 In the section "Balancing Play and Learning," the text discusses how "pairing inquiry based learning, students are actively involved in formulating questions, investigating widely, and then building new understandings." I do agree with this statement, but I also think this is a skill that needs to be taught. If students are being taught this skill starting in kindergarten then by the time they get to 3rd grade and up we can focus more on the instruction and media access versus teaching technology lessons.

Overall I agree with the authors in this chapter that integrating technology will have students be more engaged. There are so many programs available on the world wide web that allow students to learn. We use our computers every day in my classroom, however it is typically to make powerpoints, use word, practice their new state testing, benchmark testing, researching items, etc. There is very little time in our day to incorporate technology in other activities. My goal is by the end of the year to try and have my students create some type of video to teach a lesson to the class. I think that using technology in a classroom setting is also dependent on the classroom. Not all classroom settings are going to be able to use technology equally.