Reflective Blog #2

Educational Technology - The use of technological resources to facilitate learning and improve student performances. These resources can include physical and world-wide web resources. What it has shown me is that we can use educational technology to reach every type of learner and individual, whether they are normal learners or students with a learning disability. In the past, we have looked to assistive technology in mostly helping students with physical disabilities. However, educational technology can reach both the learning disabled and physically disabled. My article this week focused on how tech-tools are helping austic students increase their communication, social skills and apply fuctional living skills in the virtual world by using blogs, online chats and online resources. Isn't that what the students of ETEC 524 are also doing this semester (no-less using the same tools)? It is pretty amazing! My educational philosophy does align with this week's activities in that education should be flexible and fails when it molds students to one type of learner. I do plan to continue exploring more and open to being dissuaded if I find a better argument against my philosophy so far.

Reflection on Videos - Wow! Watching the two videos was an eye-opening experience. I had to reflect and then admit that I had allowed myself to stay a Digital Immigrant. My arguments for not 'evolving' stem from trying to stay on a budget and not buying anything I don't have to. My motto (and excuse) is, "I can't miss what I've never had." It proved right because once I adopt a technological gadget, I find myself can't needing to be without it and then wondering why I waited so long to get it. Ignorance and fear can go a long way. However, in just two weeks in this class I have learned and applied things I had only heard of . My decision to return to school has put me on the right track to catching up with the Digital Natives. After reading, Do They Really Think Differently?, I observed my two-year old and noticed that she watched her educational videos in spurts. Just as the article said, she paid attention during the instruction and then played with her toys during the songs. And while she doesn't own her own computer yet, she can already navigate You.tube when she wants to watch the Chipettes video, "All the Single Ladies". As for my eight-year old son, his teacher told me this week that he is having problems with his multiplication facts. I could not understand why because I pratice with him using flashcards and manipulatives. This weekend I let him play multiplication games online and by golly, I think he's got it. This Digital Immigrant is seeing for herself that learning can be fun and obtained through (video) games.