Technology - Summary Post (Rosemarie, Nurdan, Elizabeth, Dwayne and Vanessa)

"Technology is a changing literacy". Tying technology with literacy, it "expands it's contextual lanscapes", "quickly finds information", and "enhances the way we communitcate". Rosemarie admitted she has become a computer and gadget freak. Technology somehow captures our interests, especially children.

We need to keep up with the children. They quickly grasp technology as it becomes more sophicated. Elizabeth's son figured out the features on his cell phone that she has yet to discover out hers. Knowing technology interests children, we need find ways to use it in the class. "We as educatores need to figure out ways to embrace and incorporate it." Elizabeth had her 6th grade class work on a great project that required them to use the Internet. They enjoyed working on the project. Elizabeth, however, felt nervous while her students were on the Internet because they can open inappropriate sites. She had to find appropriate sites for her students to use.

Some teachers are discouraged in using Internet in their lessons because of the inappropriate sites. They have to take the time to look at the Internet before the lesson. Some teachers also are not up to date with technology so it is not used often in the classroom. Vanessa believes technology workshops should be offered for teachers because they can become open minded and feel less afraid in using technology in the classroom. She doesn't want to be looked as an "old school teacher" when her time comes. "Old school teachers" uses other resources besides the computers in their lessons.

It is still important to use other resources (i.e. books, magazines, newpapers, etc.). These resources are still major tools in literacy. Children shouldn't be dependent with their computers. They need to be exposed in going to the library, interacting face to face with people and read an actual paper material. Rosemarie enjoys "laying down with a book and getting lost in the world of written pages for a few hours, that being said, I'm picking up my new Harry Potter and eading for the lounge chair." To conclude this LAST SUMMARY POST, Dwayne's comment will be used, "Becoming literate in the aforementioned technological mediums involves learning new skills that impact our technological literacy. However, the essence of literacy hasn't changed because regardless of the context, literacy involves the ability to comprehend written, oral, and auditory information."
Everyone have a wonderful summer!!!!!