Digital Blog Post #A

Three Concepts to Reflect

As I sat in the coffee shop beginning to read Chapter 1 of the textbook "Transforming Learning with New Technologies",  the word IGeneration automatically caught my undivided attention. According to the textbook, the IGeneration is referred to as the "youngsters who have grown up using computers, the Internet, and other digital media as constant features of their daily lives" (Maloy, Verock-O'Laoghlin, Edwards,  & Woolf, 2014). Growing up in the IGeneration myself, I found it quite interesting to read the term. True, there has always been cell phones and computers in my generation but it was never something I thought of before. Surprisingly, 95% of 12- to 17- year olds are use social media and social networking online sites. Along with 80% of adolescents use some of the most popular sites such as Twitter and Facebook (Lenhart, Madden, Smith, Purcell, Zickuhr, & Rainie, 2011). Reading these statistics, I also came across the thought that the number can continually increase. Other social networks are coming in to play and so is the younger generation.

Being a preschool teacher myself, I found this term very useful and educational. Technology-based teaching tools, as defined by the textbook,  "allows teachers to do less whole-group instruction" (Maloy, Verock-O'Laoghlin, Edwards,  & Woolf, 2014). Even though I might rather provide my students with more one-on-one instruction, certain software during computer time in class can be helpful and also be a different learning style for students. Something I found interesting stated in the book was "technology gives individuals the voice, confidence, and means to show what they know" (Maloy, Verock-O'Laoghlin, Edwards,  & Woolf, 2014).

Reading later in the chapter, I came across the term "Digital Identity". Digital Identity "refers to your technology talents and competencies--what you know how to do instructionally and professionally with computers and other new interactive technologies" (Maloy, Verock-O'Laoghlin, Edwards,  & Woolf, 2014). Although my digital identity may not be savvy, I still find it interesting how professionals and educators are building a larger digital identity every day. Hopefully as I continue on with this class, I end the semester with a educated and more innovative digital identity.

After reading chapter one of this book, I hope as a student I will develop a larger capacity to include technology in my classroom. As a preschool teacher, I will inform my blog readers of how my classroom improves using the information I learn throughout the semester. Already I learned the importance of the IGeneration and how it affects how teachers use tools to teach their students. Using technology-based teaching tools, my classroom will hopefully improve and my digital identity will be more educated.

A helpful link I found to get started in incorporating technology in the classroom! http://www.edutopia.org/technology-integration-guide-implementation

This video refers to the IGeneration and what they think of technology in school!


References
Maloy, R., O'Loughlin, R., Edwards, S., & Woolf, B. (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education Inc.