Educational+Philosophy

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I am part of the generation that grew up with computers and the internet. As a child, we had AOL dial up and it is amazing to see how fast I can surf the web nowadays. My current job relies on technology from day to day. My hub just went automated so there are not as many manual inputs anymore. It is crazy to think that all of this started with something like dial up! As a student, my K-12 career consisted mostly of learning from chalkboards and there was not a whole lot of computer use in the classroom. Now, a lot of classrooms have smartboards which is an awesome and interactive way to get students involved in constructing their knowledge of class content. There are probably more students with computers today than there were when I was a kid in school.

I think that computer use in the classroom is important for students and learning. A lot of students go home to play on the computer or play video games. Why not include their interests into the content so that it is more meaningful and they are more likely to establish a connection and remember the content. Still, a lot of teachers do not use computers or technology in their classroom. I think this is because they are more traditional and did not have the same opportunity that educators my age had in growing up with this technology as well as growing up in an age where technology changes every day and are able to adapt to the changes.

I think computers should play a role in K-12 education because if they are using this technology at home, why not incorporate it into their learning at school. Also, some students may not have the opportunity to interact with technology at home and school is a good place to allow them to become familiar with the technology while learning the content. There is a catch though. Students must be able to interact and use this technology in a way that is meaningful and beneficial to their learning. Games that are not educational or other activities that do not allow for building on their knowledge of the subjects should be avoided.