Monthly Archives: May 2022

Social Media is a useful tool to pass information. Nowadays, almost everyone is on social media including teachers and students. Now the question arises, should teachers use social media platforms to promote social justice. We have a great debate in our classroom and there were many relevant points to which I am agreed. I think teachers should use their voices and advocate for the concerns of the classroom or school. Also, as per Ribble’s nine elements of digital citizenship, we should be good citizens and explore ways to protect everyone’s privacy. We have seen how black life moment was discussed on social media and how all the citizens came forward to support it. So, we can say that social media when used correctly can be a powerful tool both offline and online.

As said by Jennifer in the classroom that “there is no such thing as neutral education” and being an educator we hold that power and potential to pass the messages. We should practice good social media and value differences in teaching and learning and it’s always fine to have opinions.

If you are not willing to share any concern on social media or post anything anonymously, means you are not supporting it completely. As a teacher, we should share our responsibilities towards society. Social Media opens the door and helps to share the feet on the ground activism. Some students in the classroom may choose to ignore it but as a teacher, we need to teach how to be on the side of truth. We can teach students how to be safe and respectful while sharing anything on social media.

Dalton and Brooke came up with a very strong that social media is not a place for activism. When we look at the teachers and students, we should not make it mandatory that all teachers should post on social media. If you want to support any concern participate in rallies and support the cause. If a teacher is posting and students will follow it without giving a second thought as the teacher is a role model to the students. Also, when we share so many things on social media, we limit the critical thinking of students.

Discussing LGBT rights in posting it on social media can make students start judging you. It comes back to the teacher, and they can even lose their jobs or can create a big impact on the position of teacher. It is not always our responsibility to do this outside the class. Moreover, If there is no proper information passed on social media, a teacher can be a problem. Freedom of speech doesn’t always mean that they are supporting the correct side. Social media is not only the way to be active citizens, and teach our students about the world we live in. This can give wrong messages to kids to become active on social media. Taking action is more important than talking on social media as teachers can be found non-trustworthy when there are only words and no actions in real life.

All in all, I think it is not only the duty of teachers to guide students about the use or misuse of social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and so on, but parents should keep an eye on younger children so that they do not follow any wrong path in that growing period. Teaching ethics, and morals, and following the right path should be the main area.

Technology has changed the way we do everyday tasks. No doubt it has made our life easier and more organized. Emerging technologies have enabled humans to become more creative, productive, and innovative. We take technology for granted these days. From desktop to tabs our life has completely changed. We can work with anyone on the planet with these devices.

If I talk about schools, are we using enough technology to teach students? We have IT lessons in schools which is mandatory, but do all schools or classrooms implement technology in their curriculum? If I talk about maths or cursive writing, I completely disagree that schools should not use technology in teaching these subjects. For example, we have a wonderful example of Desmos where kids can learn maths and solve problems. It is an effective way to learn mathematics. It is a free and easy tool that provides a visual way to kids to understand the expressions. Desmos provides smart instructional support to students. Such types of tools are easy to use and help in self-marking, and provide interactions to kids. I think using technology in a subject like maths is beneficial as it makes a subject interesting. According to a study, a very less number of students are interested in reading maths, and memorizing some formulas, tables, and methods makes it more boring.

Technology makes education interesting and children will be able to learn in an interactive environment. How we can forget gamification? Learning multiplication and addition with the help of games is fun and it generates interest in students. Using tools for addition, subtraction, and division is helpful in the early years of learning. An interesting example of the Apple pencil that was discussed in the class was interesting as we can take advantage of technology in cursive writing. It promotes creative thinking rather than creative writing.

On the other hand, I think practicing gives more efficiency to kids. If a student is trying writing or cursive writing, it will help him to improve his spelling and will build motor skills. Also, some kids do not have internet connections which links with the digital divide. As explained in the video in the class, 6% of Canadians do not have an internet access. Memorization should be promoted as if someone learns anything by heart, he/she will never forget it in his life. It becomes easier to calculate their day-to-day expenses, if a person can count numbers on their fingers. Also, my classmate Durston made a relevant point that “practicing writing on paper rather than using any technology is helpful for the kids with Dyslexia as it will build their thinking and motor skills”. Without having a basic foundation we can not pass learning directly. Just by using iPad and computers students will not learn life skills and motor skills.

The example of “Self Driving Cars” discussed in the class, relates to the statement that without a foundation, technology can not work properly. Moreover, there is no scaffolding and critical thinking if a child is taught addition/multiplication by the use of technology. This promotes private tutoring and some families can not afford it. No matter how much we have become technology-oriented, there is a need to build a basic foundation.

At last I liked the point made by Leona:

“Allow students to become more critical thinkers, so that everything (including technology )is beneficial. Learning so many skills are not always valuable in real life.”

Introduction

Technology has the potential to alter education. It can help instructors and students strengthen their bonds, innovate learning and work together to fulfill the accessibility gaps. No doubt technology improves learning experiences to meet the needs of all students. Technology is not only beneficial in the education sector but it helps an individual to grow professionally.

Agree

In the video by Nicole, Tracy, and Stephen, I agree that technology helps impaired students in learning and creates equitability. Technology has done a lot in the health sector and it helps in mobility by providing wheelchairs and hearing aid. In addition, technology has increased opportunities and decreased the gap among people. When implemented correctly, technology can make a significant contribution to educational equity. It lowers obstacles to learning resources, helps students where they are in various learning settings and needs, and gives educators a better understanding of the learning environments they are creating.

With the help of technology world’s literacy rate is increasing and education is becoming less location-dependent. Students can download resources and play educational videos/games on devices. Technology has widened access and one can use multiple applications to ease their life. A tablet that does not have access to the internet is also beneficial. It can be used for writing, animation, filmmaking, and photography. However, once you include it in the internet, the possibilities are endless. With the help of the internet, students can increase their search and download useful study materials

Disagree

From the classroom’s debate, group 2 came up with strong relevant points where technology doesn’t lead to a more equitable society. For example, if there are many family members, it becomes difficult to manage less number of devices. Also, some parents can not afford to purchase multiple devices for their kids. Also, the “Digital Divide” that was discussed in the classroom, explains that despite having access to devices sometimes lack of skills in students or teachers prevents them from using the technology. Moreover, some parents or teachers do not have good knowledge of using applications, laptops, and so on. So the kids do not get proper guidance from home. As per the study discussed in the class, in Africa, 43.2% have internet access in schools but there is lack of funding for the computers. Socio-economic status widens the gap for the use of technology. The language on the internet is mostly English and sometimes it becomes difficult for non-natives to understand things faster.

On the other side, fake news and disinformation have been around for a long time, but with rapid technological improvements, people are finding it difficult to keep up with what is true and what is not. Low self-esteem is linked to FOMO and social media anxiety. Although much research has been done on the subject but is still an issue.

Conclusion

Technology ultimately changed the world as we know it, accelerating development in many sectors and increasing equality and opportunity for people of all socioeconomic backgrounds. Misuse of technology is to blame for the majority of the damage caused by technology. Social media is the best example to describe it. It is the duty of each person to understand the drawbacks of technology and use it wisely. Technology is a boon if it is provided to everyone and used efficiently.

Technology has now become a common aspect of the industry. Educational Technology refers to the employment of both hardware and software to offer education, according to Wikipedia. Learning theories and other streams are used in the academic knowledge taught by technology to guarantee that learners have the greatest possible learning experience. Implementing technology in education has become a common practice these days. From classroom projectors, where students were shown PowerPoint slides on a PC attached to a projector, to webinars, where students are given quizzes during a session, educational technology has come a long way. Educational technology is extremely important for today’s learners, whose skill development is influenced by the use of appropriate tools like the Learning Management System. From the class debate, I actively listened to both Agree and Degree side and I believe that along with the benefits there is always some drawback that comes side by side. Below are some of my thoughts on both sides of a coin.

AGREE

From the video created by my classmate Britney, I agree that with the help of technology students and teachers can access information and get many resources online for their studies. Moreover, there are many EdTech tools online which increase the engagement of students. The knowledge of these tools helps them later in their professional life. Students and teachers can interact with each other with the help of tools like Google Meet, Zoom, or any social media app. In addition, teachers can note the attendance, and lesson planning, and create interesting assignments on laptops which saves teachers time. It is related to the article “Attention students put your laptops away”. These days mobile provides us with multiple features and students and teachers can make or record notes in it. As there are multiple templates online for presentations, and pictures which makes the lessons engaging and interesting. Moreover as shown in a YouTube video how technology integrates with pedagogy and content and how it is beneficial in learning (TPACK). The technology resolves the disabilities issues of reading and writing. For example, if a child is visually impaired, teachers can give them recorded lessons so that they can hear it and learn at their pace.

Disagree

As said ‘excess of everything is bad’ This also applies to over usage of technology. Both parents and teachers should teach students to manage their screen time. According to studies, more people are getting detached and isolated as a result of the connections that technology gives through social networks. Young children who spend more time on electronics may spend less time socializing with their peers, which can have an impact on their social and emotional development. It is critical to balance “technology time” to mitigate this risk. Nowadays it is very easy for kids to access inappropriate content or information. There should be tight supervision which can help children from being exposed to such content online.

There are some online games or activities that are “pre-made,” with the help of which ids can solve their homework/tasks without any learning or creativity. These types of games provide different types of learnings aids to kids which kills the actual study time for students.

Conclusion

Technology advances at a breakneck pace. To guarantee that children are equipped for our ever-changing world, educators must stay up with these developments. Technology integration in the classroom can help students learn more effectively. It is crucial to note, however, that technology does not completely replace traditional techniques. Technology should be used to improve student learning results and enrich the entire educational experience. This will make it possible for technology to have a significant impact on student learning.