The Information Technology Revolution Created by Brooke Kull, Lela Jacobs, Samantha Haga and Lori Henderson

Introduction Our society is enduring a period of constant change and efficiency in technology. The presence of this rapid change has been a common debate amongst educators and school systems. As we start to see traditional teaching styles slowly vanish, many schools are integrating public computers and technology into their classrooms for student’s learning instead. As future teachers, it’s important to know how to incorporate this advancement appropriately and accommodate our digital natives of the twenty-first century.

Definitions Digital Renaissance: The period in which technology has changed the human’s way of thinking and behaving. Digital Natives: Individuals who have grown up with the use of digital language. Ex: computer, video games, internet. Digital Divide: The division of individuals who are considered “rich” or “poor” in technological access and expertise.

Flat vs. Traditional Classroom A flat classroom is where students have unlimited access to information, thus the teacher is no longer the only expert. A traditional classroom has a teacher who is the source of all that is valuable to know.

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Educational Tools Simulation: a computer program that imitates a real-world experience. (Ex. Online simulation of a frog dissection). Web-Quest: An activity for students that has them investigate a question or solve a problem given by the teacher, by finding information from websites. Blog: An online version of a journal that allows for the user to create entries by typing it. A blog also allows for other users to comment on each entry. Wiki: A website in which visitors are able to add, remove, edit, or change the content on the website.

Web 2.0 Web 2.0 is a term that loosely refers to a second generation of internet services that are leading us toward even more open communication. It’s relevant to education because educational blogging guided and monitored by the teacher, invites students to publish their work on the site. Students can learn from their work and from their own reflection on the comments.

Three Key Aspects of Web Data and software are continuously and seamlessly updated, often very rapidly. 2. User interfaces are rich and interactive. 3. There is an “architecture of participation” that encourages user contributions.

Concern of Students’ Use of Communication 1. Young people may accidentally stumble onto websites that are violent, pornographic, or objectionable due to inappropriate language and content. 2. “Cyberstalking” and threats from online predators pose threats to children and teenagers’ safety. Drawn to social networking, students may reveal personal identifying information to predators without realizing it. 3. Online marketing aimed directly at children and teens influences young peoples’ decisions about products and brands. This can undermine parental authority in much the same way that television advertising can. The difference is that internet advertising is not regulated by the government, and exposure is often more intense.

Concern of Students’ Use of Communication Continued 4. The interactive, two-way nature of the Web gives marketers the ability to collect data about individual computer users. Companies collect personal information about children and teens as their websites encourage youngsters to share their hobbies, interest, and other personal preferences. This invasion of privacy is commonplace on the internet. 5. “Cyber-bullying” and its consequences is an addition concern.

Assistive Technology Assistive technology – a device or service that increases the capabilities of people with disabilities. Examples- A keyboard with large symbols that make it easier for students with visual impairments. The teacher can convert text in a computer program that prints out Braille for students who are blind For students whose fine motor skills do not allow them to write easily an interactive white board is helpful.

Internet Research It is important for the teacher to filter the websites first because the students need working websites to get their research from.

Guidelines of Internet Research Research is not simply a list of questions for which students find answers. Students’ research should focus on finding the information they need to solve a problem or complete a project. As they use technology, students need to stay focused on the problem they are trying to solve or the area they are exploring. Guide students in interpreting and using the data they find. Guide students in finding creative and innovative ways to present their information. Encourage students to use the information they gather on the internet to further other students’ understanding of the topic. Invite students to collaborate with other students in designing a final product.

Technology Supports Learning 3 ways the author feels technology supports learning: Real-World Problems Simulations and Modeling Communities of Learners Hinders learning: Students need to learn how to use a dictionary not just a computer. Using technology helped my learning. I learned to use technology and I benefited greatly from it.

Technological Fluency Technological fluency: proficiency in the use of technology, including an understanding of the way technology systems operate and the ability to use technology to access information from a wide variety of sources.

NETS National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers (NETS) : These are guidelines describing what students should know and be able to do. They learn this during the time they spend on the internet, blogging, participating in forums and writing s.

Conclusion Although the information technology revolution is a big challenge for school systems today, it’s important as a teacher to take advantage of the ways technology can benefit our student’s learning. During this transformation, it’s crucial to make sure students are using the new technology in efficient ways that help their learning instead of hindering it. Chapter 7 highlights all of the information future teachers should know about replacing the traditional classroom. Among the many things we learned, these are a few important topics discussed: Digital Natives Flat vs. Traditional Classroom Internet Research Web 2.0 NETS Internet Safety Assistive Technology

Resources Textbook: Koch, Janice. So You Want to Be a Teacher?: Teaching and Learning in the 21st Century. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, Print. Web: Technology in Classroom. N.d. Yahoo images. Online image. 5 Nov Technology. N.d. Yahoo images. Online image. 5 Nov Digital Natives. N.d. Yahoo images. Online image. 5 Nov Flat vs. Traditional. N.d. Yahoo images. Online image. 5 Nov Technology in School System Graph. N.d. Yahoo images. Online image. 5 Nov Web 2.0 N.d. Yahoo images. Online image. 5 Nov Keyboard. N.d. Yahoo images. Online image. 5 Nov Internet Research. N.d. Yahoo images. Online image. 5 Nov Technology in Classroom. N.d. Yahoo images. Online image. 5 Nov Students Using Technology. N.d. Yahoo images. Online image. 5 Nov Technology in Society. N.d. Yahoo images. Online image. 5 Nov. 2015