Week 10 Journal: Interview

For this assignment, I chose a student who is a senior in high school. The student says that the school mostly allows cell phones to be allowed, because “they can supposedly help students in some classes”. The student is very doubtful of this, and knows that many students do not follow those rules. Many of them are on social media or texting during classes and in the halls. The student spent a lot of the interview telling me the negative side effects. “They never really pay attention, so it’s annoying when 5 minutes later they interrupt to ask questions we have already covered”. I asked about the technology used in the classroom, and if social media played any role in it. The student looked at me as if I had two heads and said “of course. All the teachers use Facebook and Twitter to remind students of homework assignments and other school stuff”.

One thing that surprised me during this interview was how nonchalantly the teachers let the students use their phones without even telling them to put them away or stop using it. The student said that only a few teachers actually utilize cell phone technology positively; some only allow cell phone usage for educational purposes, like to look up articles or information to use. The student says: “a lot of the teachers don’t enforce the phone rule, and half of the students are on Instagram while everyone else is taking notes”. Another thing that surprised me is the amount of pressure that the student claimed there was because of social media. “If you don’t have a page, or a Twitter account, or a Snapchat, kids at school will think you are weird”. There is a large stigma to keep up appearances, and regularly update their social media profiles.

This interview continues to show me that technology and social media can only be effective when it is implemented correctly in the classroom. Students should not feel a social pressure just to try and fit in, and teachers should enforce social media rules better. If teachers are not using it to further education in the classroom, I, as well as the student I interviewed, do not think it needs to be in a classroom. The student believes it is used as a large distraction, and if it can’t be used for good, it shouldn’t be used. I am only 6 years older than the student, but it seems social media has changed how students see their social lives and school in general. It is becoming a much more social media-centric world, and our students are adapting to it, for better or worse.

Week 8 Journal Post

For my final paper, I decided to highlight educators’ new methods of adapting to new technologies. With technology consistently changing, I find it interesting to see how older teachers cope with new changes, and how they respond to said changes. I wanted to explore why some teachers have a hard time adapting, and why some are stubborn to change to a changing environment. It seems to be a prevalent issue happening not only in the school I teach in, but schools all over.

Annotated Bibliography:

Cohen, D. (2010, October 11). Adapting Teaching to a New Era - Education Week. Retrieved November 5, 2015.

The author describes practices teachers would want to adapt towards in a changing educational environment, as well as some of his experiences with a few of those practices. The author also describes changing his own curriculum and the successes it had. I believe it is important to use this because it gives a great perspective from a teacher so used to teaching in a traditional method.

Meskill, C., Mossop, J., DiAngelo, S., & Pasquale, R. (2002, September). Expert and Novice Teachers Talking Technology: Precepts, Concepts, and Misconcepts. Retrieved November 5, 2015.

In this article, interviews are given between five novice teachers and two experienced teachers. The experienced teachers are not necessarily older; rather it refers to their experience of both teaching and technology. The novice teachers had limited experiences in both teaching and technology. The interviews are used to show the differences between the educators who have incorporated technology into their lessons, and those who have used more traditional teaching methods.

TIM: The Technology Integration Matrix | A video resource supporting the full integration of technology in Florida schools. (n.d.). Retrieved November 4, 2015.

This Integration Matrix on the University of South Florida’s College of Education website is a great tool that showcases different technology adaptations, and ideas that educators could use. It shows some good examples of how technology can be assimilated and effectively used in any classroom, while still being able to adhere to curriculum.

Demetriadis, S., Barbas, A., Molohides, A., Palageorgiou, G., Psillos, D., et al. (2007, December 14). Cultures in Negotiation: Teachers' Acceptance/Resistance Attitudes Considering the Infusion of Technology into Schools. Retrieved November 4, 2015.

This article is data from a Greek secondary school survey. It really makes clear how other countries use technology in the classroom, and their efforts to make it a bigger priority. The article shows how teachers would like to use technology more, but many feel they do not grasp a full understanding, therefore do not feel comfortable using it to a fuller extent. This article gives a worldwide viewpoint of technology, and how there aren’t too many differences when it comes to teachers and technology.

Borsheim, C., Merritt, K., & Reed, D. (2008). Beyond Technology for Technology's Sake: Advancing 

Multiliteracies in the Twenty-First Century. Retrieved November 5, 2015.

The authors of this article describe using technology in the classroom to make the environment multiliterate. Using different technologies, but not just for the sake of technology; using it to help students grasp the lesson better. This article is from the standpoint of English teachers, and an English classroom can be the perfect environment to start implementing technologies.