Thinking about Technology Rachel Taulbee University of West Georgia Diffusion of Innovations Rachel Taulbee University of West Georgia Diffusion of Innovations

Background Information TECHNOLOGY USE: Cell phone iPod/MP3 TV Computer TECHNOLOGY USE: Cell phone iPod/MP3 TV Computer AGE: 14 years old AGE: 14 years old LOCATION: Monroe High School, Ohio LOCATION: Monroe High School, Ohio HOBBIES: baseball soccer video games friends HOBBIES: baseball soccer video games friends

Technology’s affect on the learning process Students can look up information they need for projects or school work Keeps learning more up-to-date “I’d say it’s a positive effect overall.”

Meaning of “Technology Integration” It means how we are starting to incorporate technology into our daily lives. “It’s basically what we choose to do with technology.”

How SHOULD it be used in school? It needs to be available to any student who needs it for anything school related…but sometimes it isn’t. We should be able to play games if we get finished with work early…even if they are educational ones.

Constructing the Modern Classroom I’d have a white board in the front of the room, the desks in rows, a bookcase near the back of the room with two computers on either side. “In fact, I’d add a lot more computers if I had endless money for this classroom!”

Technology at your school… does it measure up? I’m happy because there are rooms in our school made specifically for using computers. From what I can tell, our school is like the other ones nearby.

Technology funding…is it enough? Yes, we can afford the multiple computer labs throughout the school. We don’t have anything fancy, but I don’t think many schools do.

How does it change the way you work in your classroom? “It hasn’t changed the way I work, but it has improved my assignments by making them more accurate”

Rating teacher’s use of technology: Some teachers have all assignments due on the computers Some don’t allow the use of computers most of the time in the classroom “I’d have to give teachers a 5 out of 10 because of these differences”

What would you recommend? A good lesson could be one on future careers. Students could use the computer to look up jobs, salaries, and costs of cars and houses. I’d let students use the computers more often during class too.

What technology is missing from your school? I don’t think it’s missing anything that would make a big difference in the way I would learn.

The characters remind me of Brice’s teachers… almost as if they are resisting change. In my opinion:

Reflection of Interview Seems like Brice’s school is lacking in the technology field He isn’t aware of the available resources that could really enhance learning such as student response systems, probes, wikis, podcasts, blogs, etc. Teachers’ “technology integration” appears to be periodical use of computers