Week 2 Reflections

This week has been one of actualization and self-discovery. Never before have I thought of myself as a "digital native" or thought that maybe my brain perceives information in a different fashion than a "digital immigrants" This certainly can explain why certain classes interest me more and keep my attention longer. I have to say when I am learning a computer program, like photo-shop, per se, even though there are books available to teach you how to do work the program, I do not learn anything till I work with it myself. The article is right when it says that "natives" would much rather teach themselves by doing than sit and listen to a teacher explain what to do. As a side thought, could this be a reason that many individual see Church as irrelevant? Many churches today present their teaching segment or sermon, in a fashion that speaks only to old "immigrants". Could churches get more younger membership if they employed a technology-based way of teaching? I know many congregations are starting to include video clips in their sermons.

The problem that the field of education is running into is the fact that the economy is bad, and as a result older teachers are not retiring and staying in the profession. However, just because they are staying in the field longer doesn't necessary mean that they are updating their teaching methods. As the video "Did You Know" on Youtube showed, technology is changing so rapidly even I was amazed, and I have been in college the past couple of year and thought myself in the know. Just think six years ago their was no My Space or Facebook. Now people probably don't what to think about life without them. Just about if you woke up tomorrow and Facebook was no more. All the pictures people would lose, the contacts gone.

Going back to the education field, just imagine the ramifications this has for teachers that have been in the field twenty something years and feel that their style is just as relevant today as it was in 1980. It is almost like they are doing a disservice to themselves by not keeping up to day. Technology, like Moodle, can greatly simplify your life and get a lot of parents on your side.

I do think it is important to remember not to teach technology, but rather apply technology to the lessons you are teaching. Having a good balance of tradition and the future is the key.