I spent an hour on Flickr and could not find a single image that inspired me so I decided to use a personal image (I hope that is alright). This is a photo taken of my daughter in June. She was just shy of 9 months and yes, she is demonstrating that she knows exactly how a television remote works.
I have spent years watching my nephew become addicted to technology. I always said that when I had children, there would be a restriction on the amount of technology introduced to them. While I recognize that we are in a digital age and technology is everywhere, I was always determined that my child would have the same upbringing I did: playing in the cul-du-sac, games of hide and seek, drawing hop scotch with my sidewalk chalk, creating my own musicals to perform for neighbours, etc. And yet, at 11 months old, my daughter knows how to guide her finger over my iPhone and point a remote at the television DESPITE my best efforts to limit her exposure to these things.
Becoming a parent has really changed my perspective on technology and how much we can control its role in the lives of our own children and the children we teach. It has also brought to light, as has been mentioned by others, just how behind I will be technologically compared to my students despite growing up myself with access to computers and internet for most of my childhood. My daughter has changed a lot about me over the past year but specifically, she has changed the way I think about education, and consequently, the role technology has in education. I am now finding a middle ground where I am excited for the opportunities that the new technologies present while also being passionate about the relevance of my less high-tech upbringing. I will go out on a limb and state that I fear some parents rely on technology in place of their own time evidenced by how much children watch television, how much they play video games, reading social networking sites instead of books, etc. We will be seeing the effects of this in our classrooms. I am interested in the ways we as teachers will provide our students with the most positive aspects that technology has to offer while combating the negative effects such as reliability on spell check, addiction to cell phones, etc.
That being said, I have a LOT to learn about how we can use technology positively in our classrooms and I am excited to do so in this class.
5 responses so far ↓
TMD // Sep 12th 2012 at 4:11 pm
I caught myself the other day heading to my son’s room to tell him to get off his iPod, on which he’s been spending endless hours building structures in Mindcraft. He protested that he was reading a novel and, reassured, I left. Then I pondered why I considered one form of imaginative engagement inferior to the other. It isn’t a given, is it?
bsangster // Sep 12th 2012 at 6:37 pm
Wicked photo! I am the oldest of 12 cousins on one side of my family and being the oldest (arguably) I’ve gone through the most drastic age of how technology has changed. As I watched similar scenes play out with my cousins swiping iPod/Pads and cell phones it made me jealous of their intricate control, focus, and logical thinking.
Once my cousin was speeding through an online version of a SEGA game of Sonic that I had played when I was younger. His ability to problem solve in a matter of minutes was astounding. The more I think of the ways that these games allow for a deep form of logic and control I am just jealous that our culture didn’t provide me with the same opportunities.
dinouye // Sep 12th 2012 at 6:39 pm
Yes. As a mom I grapple with similar questions. I’m pretty “old school” and marvel at the kids’ imagination as they play with simple objects, but also recognize the potential for learning inherent in technology. I remember packing for a long flight with a preschooler and a kindergartner. Crayons, coloring books, play-dough, activity books. And also the leap-pad! I wrote a little blurb to this effect on my “momoir” blog: http://www.picklesandpopsiclesticks.blogspot.ca/2012/01/old-school-341.html
mdry // Sep 12th 2012 at 6:55 pm
Thanks! I will definitely read that.
I agree about the problem solving. It is fascinating how video games develop those skills. At the same time, though, I find my nephew is bored by some things are I think are an integral part of childhood in favour of something more stimulating because of the constant exposure to the fast-paced, high def images on tv and in video games. This is why I am both open to and cautious of the volume of over-stimulating technology available to children today. I can’t decide where my comfort level with this lies.
dinouye // Sep 12th 2012 at 7:05 pm
yes it’s a constant negotiation. But nothing beats seeing children engaged in pretend play!
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