Blog Post #2

     Hello, everyone! I hope all of you are having a great week. If you aren't, it's never too late to change it!☺

    I have been using Microsoft Word as a student for many years. Sometime around 4th or 5th grade I formally learned how to use it through a weekly computer class that was part of our curriculum. I learned how to do so many interesting things that I wouldn't have learned otherwise, and I truly learned how to use the program to its fullest potential. That was many, many years ago, and sadly I have forgotten how to do many of the things I learned in that class because I didn't really use this program consistently until high school (only sometimes though) and especially college. I can use the program well enough to do all of my assignments. I definitely prefer Microsoft Word as opposed to Google Docs as an all around program. I will give Google Docs props for being free of charge because Microsoft Office products are not free. For being a free program, Google Docs can pretty much do anything Microsoft Word can do. It is an amazing resource for those who do not get Microsoft Office for free and do not want to spend money. I prefer Microsoft Office because that is the program that I have always used so I am familiar with it. Also, Microsoft Word just feels more formal to me. 

https://www.iste.org/standards/for-educators

    The standard that resonates the most with me just so happens to be the first standard. It is referred to as the "Learner" standard, and it states "Educators continually improve their practice by learning from and with others and exploring proven and promising practices that leverage technology to improve student learning. Educators:

1a) Set professional learning goals to explore and apply pedagogical approaches made possible by technology and reflect on their effectiveness.

1b) Pursue professional interests by creating and actively participating in local and global learning networks.

1c) Stay current with research that supports improved student learning outcomes, including findings from the learning sciences." This is the standard that stood out the most to me because I believe that even when a teacher finishes their formal education, they are never done learning. The education field is constantly changing due to new technology, the abilities of students, and different legislations that may be put in place." 

This standard basically states that a teacher will never stop trying to improve, not only within themselves, but also through their expertise with technology and their participation with their personal learning networks. This is extremely important for K-12 educators because the field of education is always progressing through technology, the abilities of students, and different legislations that are put into place. Just because a teacher has finished their formal education does not mean they should stop learning. This is what makes the difference between a good teacher and a great teacher. A good teacher will just do the bare minimum to provide the students with what they need, while a great teacher will be constantly looking for way to improve. The great teacher will be putting new technology to use, and they will be using their personal learning network to their benefit to learn about recent research and new methods of teaching through their fellow teachers so that they provide their student with the best education possible.

    A digital native is someone who "was born or brought up during the age of digital technology and therefore familiar with computers and the Internet from an early age." I do agree with the term for today's youth because as they grow up, their parents are moving more towards technology as entertainment. It is very common for a toddler to have a tablet of some sort in front of them for them to watch videos or play games, so they learn how the function of a tablet from an early age. I would also consider my generation to be digital natives because although we really didn't have technology as toddlers, we did begin to use technology around the age of middle school, and my generation is now very proficient in the use of technology. I have seen plenty of differences in the way my teachers and I use technology. Many times my teachers have barely any clue how to use the technology, and the technology causes them much frustration, whereas I have very little issues using technology even if I have never seen it before. Also, typically I can fix any discrepancy with much ease. This has had a small impact on my learning, because if a teacher has trouble working with technology, they take up valuable class time trying to fix the problem, when we could be spending that time learning more material. I imagine as time goes on and my generation, the digital natives, become the teachers, technology will be used much more effectively and easily. While there still may be a gap between my knowledge of technology as opposed to my students' knowledge, I don't think the gap will be near as significant as it is right now. 

    Thank you for reading, and I hope you all enjoy the rest of your week! 

"digital Natives - digital Immigrants - wer's glaubt!" by Ralph Appelt is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0