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 * Technology Experiences: "several paragraphs" views, experiences about technology and computers, both in the classroom and in our experiences as a user. be srue to include a discussion of your views on computers in the classroom. What role if any do you think computers should play in K-12 education? Why?**

I would honestly have to admit that I am fairly intimidated by technology. This is not to be interpreted that I am fearful of the society that it has created or what consequences might ensue as a result of technology. I would however consider myself slightly computer/technology illiterate. I am fascinated with the "tech savvy" individuals that can express their imagination and thoughts through digital stories or immaculate web design pages, but I do not yet obtain the "know how" to recreate such tasks. Part of my inabilities in the technology realm are due in part to my slow introduction to technology. We did not have a computer in my house during most of my childhood and adolescent years. This means my only experience of contact with computers would be through public education in the elective courses taken in school. My parents were also slow to join the cell phone sensation. Another factor that has contributed to my poor knowledge about technology could be somewhat of a lack of interest until recently. I graduated with a degree in History and focus most of my time reading books or attending lectures that most of the time are not even accompanied by a power point. My brother on the other hand has big plans to attend MIT. I did not encounter feelings of interest about technology to a good depth until I joined the MAT program. My professors in the Education department have opened my eyes to many wonderful ideas and creative activities that can bring my classroom and assignments to life! I have high hope that this class will get me on the right track to have the knowledge that I will need in order to implement technology in my classroom. Otherwise, I feel that I will be doing my students a disservice by not using technology in today's society. Today, more than ever, computers should play a vital role in the classroom. One of my main philosophies as a future educator is that our jobs are to teach content, and equally, if not more important, to prepare students to develop into full functioning citizens in society. If computers or technology do not have a place or impact in the classroom, then the students will have less of an opportunity to prepare themselves to function in a technologically driven society. Students should come in contact with courses that teach them basic computer skills such as keyboarding, microsoft works or excel, and perhaps even proper email etiquette. Technology is advancing at a fast pace and in order to keep up in the classroom such basic skills ought to be taught as soon as possible. This will enable technology courses or computer use to become more in depth throughout schooling. Projects and assignments can become more advanced while instructional strategies can become more intriguing. Computers should play a huge role in the classroom due to the fact that more and more employeers are becomming computer dependant. The use of computers in the classroom will only further prepare students for life after a K-12 education whether or not they intend to seek higher education through a college or university. The effectiveness of computers in the classroom is dependent however on availability. It is imperitive that students across districts are provided similar equipment so everyone has the opportunity to learn the same skills. I understand the complexity of this task, but it is unjust to offer different students different opportunities based on the materials that are or are not available to them. I want to help my students be active participants in a society that is run by technology and I hope that this class will help me reach that goal.

media type="custom" key="8015156" My initial response to this video included feelings of shock and amazement at the statistics that were shown. I ended up having to watch the video multiple times in order to fully comprehend some of the numbers and calculations that were shown throughout the video. I was aware of the fact that technology has swept our society in recent years but I had no idea that the statistics were so staggering. The video made me think about how my personal dependancy on technology has changed dramatically throughout the years. In grade school I hand wrote all of my papers and had to take special care on my final draft not to mess up because it was in pen. Now, here I am typing a response in my wiki. It is incredible to think how technology grows and the devices just keep getting smaller. I am an active member on some of the social networks mentioned in the video but have never taken a minute to fully grasp the impact that they have had on the world and communication. The contents of this video amazed me because I never thought about the dependancy of our society on technology, other than it was a known fact. I will begin to take more analytical approaches to new devices now that I have seen this video because it has made me curious about future impacts of technology on the world.
 * Did you know? Response. Reflection to movie**

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 * 4 TED Talks from BB site. 5-8 sentence response to each video.**


 * 1.** The intriguing characteristic about this video is the fast pace transitions and discussion of ideas. The pace of the video could be a mirror image for the topic discussed. The idea that social web pages can have such an impact on society and politics in a short amount of time is incredible. The power that the internet or technology holds on the society has the ability to intimidate many individuals. However, the fact that the internet can be used to help accomplish the mission of a positive organization such as Green Peace shown in the film is amazing. The speaker was correct to address the fact that many individuals on the internet do not always get involved in something because they feel it is a just cause. Instead, he admitted that many will get involved because they have an "interest in doing something cool." The main message that was taken from this particular video was that organizations and individuals have got to accept the fact that they cannot control everything; especially in regard to the internet. The idea that the message no longer has to be delivered from the top down is a powerful concept that can attract many through the use of the internet. This may be disturbing to some if they fear the 'power of the message' could fall into the wrong hands, but it provides great opportunity for our society to take part in having a physical impact on issues throughout the world using their technological medium.

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 * 2.** The video that discussed the sixth sense of technology was astonishing. The amount of intricate framework that was required to develop the mobile digital world demonstrates that this individual has an imaculate understanding of the technology world. The fact that he wants to share it with society is wonderful. He was able to appeal to his peers in the technology field with his impecable research without intimidating the common individual from wanting to attempt to use the technology for themselves. Technology is growing at an incredible rate and this video supplements that fact. The technology used in the video could make smart phones obsolete and allow people to connect to the digital world at their convenience. One of the most interesting parts of the video was when the speaker revealed that he felt that more technology can actually keep us more connected to our physical world. This was an interesting concept because most people associate the use of computers, phones, texting, video games, and other forms of technology as disconnecting individuals from society. This clip made a strong argument that the sixth sense of technology would allow individuals to participate in society with their digital world by their side; which is incredible.

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 * 3.** The use of video game controllers in a classroom would more than likely the strategy of very few educators. The Wii remote clip demonstrates that specific video game controllers can be very useful in the classroom and cost efficient. Schools are struggling in today's economy to find the funding necessary to keep up with the ever changing technology. Smart boards are a costly tool that many educators claim to be the future of education that will be used to make connections with students that are growing up in a technology driven society. The smart boards are very expensive and unfortunately many classrooms are having to do without. Since the invention of the smart board researchers have been working to find ways to produce the technology at a lower cost in order to make it more available to the masses. This clip demonstrates that there has been success in finding a solution. While the Wii remote and homemade tool may not have the full impact that a smart board can have in a classroom, 80% of the use for 1% of the cost is pretty convincing. What is also interesting about the use of a video game controller as an educational tool in the classroom is that it can show children how items they have in their homes can impact different fields of interest. This could motivate many students to think outside of the boxes and research other ways that technology can be used for different purposes. This clip serves multiple purposes. It focuses on alternative technology that produces similar results for less, while encouraging viewers to think critically about using materials to their full potential.

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 * 4.** The video regarding changes in the math curriculum was short and direct, but it made many good points. The speaker was adament about the fact that some alterations need to be made in the math curriculum. He discusses the idea that students should be learning aspects of math that will be more practical in their day to day lives. This supports the underlying idea that teachers are not only responsible for teaching students the content, but they also have a duty to prepare students to be able to function in society independently. This video suggests that higher forms of mathematics should not be considered at the top of the pyramid that students should have to know because those forms of math are not practical and will not be used by most students unless they seek a career that will require it. Statistics was the supplement suggestion provided for students to learn. The video clip insisted that if students had a better understanding of probability and statistics then society as a whole would be better prepared to face economic problems similar to the current position in the U.S. The film related to technology because it insisted that if individuals are taught to think outside of the box and use the resources available to them through technology they they will gain the skills necessary to think more critically. The problem that was raised with the math curriculum was that it was taught based too much from analogue and right or wrong answers. The speaker insisted that an uncertainty must be created so students can think critically and find their own solutions. I would have to agree with the speaker that the curriculum should shift to a digital approach from analogue in order for students to be prepared to step into a technology driven world after education.