Hello and welcome! My name is Magali, and I’m going to write a little something about me. Throughout my life, I’ve had a variety of different teachers, some of whom have impacted my life in the most positive ways while simultaneously teaching me something new. Their impact on my life has inspired me to pursue teaching, which is why I am currently working towards my degree at Cal State Northridge. Since teaching is a career I’m currently pursuing it is important to think about how I’d want my classroom to be run.
Media technology has become a part of day to day life, but I don’t think it should play a role in teaching at any level. We live in a world where it is difficult to avoid how technology has impacted us as a society, which is why technology should be left outside of the classroom. Depending on the school, a class period is between 45 to 60 minutes, which in hindsight is a relatively short amount of time for a student to go without some form of media. The classroom is where I feel that teachers should actively try to engage with their students as I believe that’s what makes the greater impact.
I used to work for an after-school program which consisted of only middle school students and I'd often listen to their complaints about how their classrooms were being run. The members were pretty vocal about their dislike of technology in the classroom, having most members complain about not being able to grasp the information due to the fact that it is solely being taught to them online. The students would be asked to write down slide after slide without being taught any of the information, essentially teaching themselves. This shows just how codependent teachers have become on technology, failing to realize they are handing over their role to an electronic device. Teachers should use the little time they have to engage with their students because if they're not excited to teach, why would the students be excited to learn?
Hiiiii Magali I loved the points and statements you made in your blog keep up the good work 😜
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your post and found your belief of no technology in the classroom interesting. I agree with many of the points you brought up about needing to limit overexposure of digital media, lazy teaching, and overall lack of engagement in many instances. I also agree that the teacher-student connection is incredibly important which is often driven by face-to-face interaction rather than relying on technology.
ReplyDeleteHowever, in the current day and age of ever-growing technological reliance and expansion, completely removing technology from the classroom may not be realistic or completely beneficial. Digital literacy is crucial for their future, as most workplaces, higher education, and even standardized testing now rely on online platforms. For example, many schools, including my own, administer tests online, that often include videos, images, or interactive content that students must interpret and engage with. Without exposure to these formats, students can fall behind simply because they haven’t learned how to use these digital materials. Furthermore, teaching students how to find credible sources, evaluate information online, and use digital tools responsibly is extremely important for their individual and our societal success.
One additional thing to note is that technology is also crucial in promoting equity, especially in schools like mine that serve low-income communities. Not all schools have the same access to resources, and having access to digital files and being able to show student's digital media that their peers have access to helps to bridge gaps.