Reflection #9

REFLECTION #9

Today the teacher is not alone, and works hand in hand with the latest technology. Even in schools where the funds are not what they should be, the methods used are a far cry from when we were all in school. Technology today helps the students stay focused and interested. The teacher today have at their fingertips, literally the world. They are able to utilize all the video resources and written report from decades past as well as images of any topic imaginable in a matter of seconds. Decades ago, the teacher would have to go to the library and seek, in an encyclopedia what a teacher is able to do today, in seconds. The imagery alone surpasses anything that teachers of the past would even dream of doing. Every day more and more advancements in the area of computer technology helps keep us all more connected & interested. Of course, while this makes it easier for the teacher to access information, in turn adds to the workload of the instructor. Just like we can’t imagine living without a microwave or cable TV with hundreds of channels, we cannot imagine not being able to research a topic using the World Wide Web. The possibilities are limitless and very exciting at the speed in which the information is brought to us and the methods in which it does.

In fact, some of the equipment used to today in the schools are not even things that the students actually use. A lot of the technology employed has to do with what is used for organizational purposes, record keeping, and keeping track of the schools progress. Better stride is being made to keep up technologically with the rest of the world when it comes to equipment being used by the students. There isn’t a single area of the school system that isn’t directly affected by technology. Students that have been away from the campus life for a few years will find astonishing, the number of programs and websites today catering to students, their classes and methods to check their work for plagiarism, accuracy and accountability. The American classroom by the same token is lagging behind when it comes to modern technology and unfortunately, often times more affluent neighborhoods are better equipped with the best equipment. A greater effort is being made to make certain that across the board, equal opportunity for all when it comes to the proper equipment. There are institutions that will not accept any work turned in by the student unless it is turned in electronically. There are others that will not accept any work turned in by the students unless it has been sent to Turnitin.com to verify that it has not been plagiarized and so on and so forth. Technology has made significant strides and there is no stopping it or slowing it down. Like technology we need to keep up because at the rate that it is progressing, we cannot afford to stay behind.

EME2040-Introduction to Educational Technology

Prof. Joseph D. McNair

Ernie Joya-D51-07-9182

Ernie Joya