Technology in the Classroom....YIKES! BLOG #5

1. Dr. Robert's presentation was actually very relevant to my in inquiry.  I have spent most of my time looking a research about the use of technology in the classroom, but have not really looked at the ramifications of this generation being so tech savvy.  It is important to keep up with the times and continue to adjust teaching styles but is the use of technology hindering our kids?  Are we preventing them from being successful in the real world with real world interactions?  Dr. Robert's pointed out the fact that the increase in media multi-tasking has killed children's ability to retain information and interact with others.  Yes, they have more knowledge at their fingertips but that quick fix prevents them from putting in the work that subconsciously allows them to retain valuable information.  Going to the library, taking notes, and looking up words in a dictionary are things that are becoming obsolete.   My question regarding this subject is: how do we create a BALANCE in the classroom in regards to technology?  Will we be able to have students use their smart phones in groups to find information without promoting this "quick fix" mentality?  Can we have students use FaceBook as a place to have discussion and respond to multimedia without decreasing their ability to meet and talk in person or use word documents?  Can we have students create a "hip hop" summary about a chapter and post it on YouTube as a study guide and keep the information valuable?  I am still an advocate for utilizing a variety of technologies in the classroom but it is important to remember to balance that with all the tangible (face to face interaction, REAL books, word/PPT, etc.) skills students should have.
2. Read NY Times article "More Pupils Are Learning Online, Fueling Debate on Quality"
3. In the NY Times article the implications for Education are dangerous.  Technology should be used in addition to the classroom/teacher and not a replacement.  It is a different type of learning that goes on online.  Students may be more responsible because they have to pace themselves but they are not forced to communicate with others or deal with the pace set by an actual teachers.  Education is already political and if businessmen and politician can advocate online learning and save money, they will.  At my particular school/community there is no push for online courses.  The students that are failing are sent to Venture which is a continuation school.  There they work at their own pace and only have to go to class once a week I believe.  It is telling that the students who are failing in the classroom tend to perform better when they can work on their own or at their own pace.  It is great that they are able to perform better but I also believe that avoiding all interaction with teachers and other students makes things a lot easier for those students who refused to work hard during the school year.  As for my teaching, I am not sure what that means. I do not want to be replaced by Siri in the near future as I think it is a disservice to our youth and our country.  Students need to prepare to interact in the real world.  Unless we become a country full of iRobots I believe it is vital for students to grow up having classroom experiences.  
4. "Technology Resources for the Teacher": I found the following useful 
1. http://www.dropbox.com/
1. This website is great for me because I am constantly making iMovies or PowerPoints that are too large to send via email or save to my 4gb usb drive.  Having a virtual dropbox that will allow me to access those large files would make my #teacherlife much easier.  
2. http://download.cnet.com/Cool-Timer/3000-2350_4-10062255.html
1. This is just nice because I would be able to download a timer.  I usually use an online timer from Google when we are doing outside Reading in class or group work that needs to be completed in 25 minutes.  
3. https://drive.google.com
1. Another online storage from google
4. http://www.chatzy.com/
1. Not sure how I would use this but it is pretty cool to have a website where all students could get online and chat with each other without having to go through creating and verifying a user name.  
5. http://teachertube.com 
1. May be able to find some cool clips that are relevant to my subject matter. 
6. http://www.tubechop.com/    
1. This is awesome because I often find YouTube clips that I wan to edit or chop up.  I can do this by downloading the YouTube video, then converting it, then editing it in iMovie.  That can be a tedious process at times so this seems convenient for short clips.