BLOG JOURNAL 1

Today's society revolves and thrives off of the use of technology and all of the resources it provides to its users. Teachers are influenced to use technology for many reasons. A prominent reason to use technology in the classroom is because due to standards, it is required to an extent. Teachers realize the opportunities that come with using technology in the classroom and it can provide students with individual learning experiences that are at their own pace. Students are influenced to use technology because our young generation and the generations to come are drawn to the use of technology because we have had it our whole childhood. Students and children are influenced to use technology because that is the way they have grown up, and always want to use the newest cutting edge gadgets. 

The ISTE standards for educators are basically rules and regulations that teachers must follow and meet each school year regarding the use of technology in the classroom. One of the regulations that stood out to me most was 3.C. which said, "Mentor students in the safe, legal and ethical practices with digital tools and the protection of intellectual rights and property." I liked this standard a lot because it is so important to be safe on the internet and using technology. There are a lot of bad things out there on the internet and its important that students are not exposed to it. One section that I would need to learn more about, says "Create learning opportunities that challenge students to use a design process and computational thinking to innovate and solve problems". (6.C.) As an educator, I would have to learn how to use these technologies before assigning it to my students. 

I do think today's youth are the "digital natives". Being a "digital native" means that technology has been a part of our lives since birth and we are inclined to know how it works, because it is a part of our brains. You can now see even babies and toddlers that know how to unlock an IPhone or play games on an IPad without anyone ever explaining to them how to do it before. That is because it is something that is apart of our culture today and we see technology everywhere. "Digital immigrants" use technology differently because it is something new that they are still learning and do not naturally understand. You can often find adults struggling to use their phones and computers and asking younger people for help. In the future, I hope as a teacher I will be equipped to use technology and understand it better than the generation before me, but I am sure my students will know more about it than me!