Red Group: Effect of Attitudes & Experiences

My attitudes about technology and my experiences with it definitely affect the way I think about how, why, and when technology should be used in various classroom settings. My techno-bio and classroom situation posts overlap. In my techno-bio, I mentioned my uneasy relationship with technology. I’m sure my unease stems from relative inexperience beyond the basics of word processing, emailing, and online researching. Overall, I’m a late adopter of almost any new technology (in or out of a classroom), not because I oppose it, but because I’m not easily convinced that I need the next new thing.

In my classroom situation post, an inadequate number of computers in the library affected the successful integration of technology. At my current, overcrowded elementary school, there is no classroom with a 1:1 ratio of computers to students except the computer lab. It is nearly fully booked each day, so it’s hard to get access to it other than your own scheduled Special. In my post, I didn’t use a classroom example from my K-college years. The technologies used now are light years beyond what was available then. That the media have changed doesn’t necessarily make the old ways more effective or less effective; some older technologies have a place in today’s classrooms. From working in K-3 classrooms for the past six years, I’ve seen that students don’t mind the old technologies. While the kids love a chance to use computers, it’s also exciting for them to write on the chalkboard, use markers on dry erase boards, use manipulatives to learn math facts, or get picked to write on a transparency.

From my classroom experience, I’ve also noticed that teachers’ first choice is to use technology they are familiar and comfortable with. With some exceptions, I’ve seen that younger teachers are more likely than older ones to use new technologies. For many teachers I’ve observed, it is easier to use tried and true technology like overhead projectors. However, I think that appropriately integrating new technology can become simpler for any educator, including future media specialists like me, with enough initiative, practice, and planning.