Blog Assignment #2

Did You Know?

I have always been aware of the fact that technology continues to grow and become more advanced with time. I can still remember what life was like before the invention of the smartphone- simple. Nowadays, people cannot go from one room in their house to another without their cellphones. I too, am guilty of this. I sometimes act like my iPhone is glued to my hand. I am constantly checking my Facebook, Twitter, and text messages throughout the day. It is no great surprise that the number of text messages sent and received each day exceeds the entire population. I try to stay up to date on the all of the new technological devices. I personally own a laptop, iPad, iPods, and iPhone. I cannot even imagine what sort of devices will be invented in the future.

I was shocked to learn in Did You Know? that China will soon be the number one English speaking country in the world. I was even more shocked to read that the 25% of India's population with the highest IQ's is greater than the whole population of the United States. Both China and India seem to be more advanced that the United States. It is slightly unnerving. To think that India has more K-12 Honors students than the United States has K-12 students! I am interested to know what the top jobs will be ten years from now, considering they do not even exist yet. Both versions of "Did You Know?" are very insightful and eye opening. I have become more aware of how technology plays a key role in our everyday lives. How it will play a key role in the classroom, as well.

Mr. Winkle Wakes:

Mr. Winkle Wakes is a retelling of the story, Rip Van Winkle. In this version, Mr. Winkle awakes from a hundred year slumber in a present day society. A society Mr. Winkle finds rather strange and intimidating. You see, Mr. Winkle has never seen a skyscraper before, or any of the technological devices we are so fond of. He begins to feel sick after seeing how his world has progressed since he has been asleep. He makes his way to a hospital, which seems to do him more harm than good. For poor Mr. Winkle cannot understand how machines are keeping people alive. He leaves the hospital and makes his way to a school. He is delighted to see that school had not changed in the hundred years that he has been asleep. Students still sit in their desks in neat rows while the teacher lectures. He sees an old dusty computer that appears broken. Mr. Winkle is comfortable in school because it is the only thing that has not changed.

Watching this video makes one realize how much the world has changed over the years. To imagine waking up and being unfamiliar with everything you see is scary! I feel for Mr. Winkle. I do not think it necessarily a good thing that schools have not changed, or appear the same as they always have. The world is changing everyday and technology is taking over, so why continue to teach using outdated methods? Bringing technology into the classrooms opens up so many doors to education and learning. Students need to be provided with state of the art technology in the classrooms so they can keep up with our ever changing world.

Sir Ken Robinson: The Importance of Creativity

In The Importance of Creativity, Sir Ken Robinson makes a good argument for why the education system needs to bring more creativity into school curriculum. He says, and I quote, "We are educating people out of their creativity." I fully agree with what he is saying. Whenever the education system need to cut back on funding, they cut the arts first. The arts are always at the bottom of the curriculum. We need to encourage creativity in children, not discourage it.

As a future educator, I look forward to making lessons plans that include hands-on activities and projects that expand my students' creativity. I do not believe in the traditional method of teaching. Teaching that involves endless lectures and note taking, or busy work. I never enjoyed learning that way so why would I teach like that? I want to be able to incorporate the arts into every subject I teach.

A Day Made of Glass 2:

Whew! And I thought the iPad was an advanced technological device. During the 15-20 minutes I watched both videos, A Day Made of Glass I had an understanding of how Mr. Winkle felt when he woke up from his hundred year nap. How confused would I be if I woke to discover Corning's vision was now a reality? I thought the video was neat and it gave me a look into the future. Possibly the near future. I definitely think that such innovations would take some time to gain momentum and for everyone to understand how to use it. It would enable people from all over the world to be more connected.

I can just imagine how beneficial Corning's glass innovations would be in schools. Each student could have his or her own tablet with endless resources at their fingertips. The teacher's board looks pretty spiffy too, and I already want to explore it. I see students learning more in schools each day with this new technology, however, I am not sure would not want it in my every day life. Call me old fashioned. Regardless of how I feel, I do believe it would shape the future of education.