In the everchanging world of technology, new inventions are being discovered and it leaves many minds wondering how to stay afloat. While one new innovation has thousands of users flocking to it and tirelessly becoming professionals of it, other products are quietly being formed waiting for the right moment to let loose. As an educator, it is becoming a challenge to wrap my mind around all of the techological tools and becoming fluent enough to present it to my students. While the end result would be mind boggling for them, the attachment to education and the relevance to a lesson is still undecided.
I would love to incorporate materials like blogging into a classroom stuck on the traditional powerpoint and whiteboard uses. Attempting to use twitter to explain how characters can write to each other in today's time versus the previous generation, or use blogging to sense the opinions of a crowd over whether they like or dislike a leader can be a great way to bring a story to life. I find myself looking into a world of technology contemplating whether I can manage the change from the typical teaching style once viewed as "the way." As much as change really upsets people, in this case, change may not be such a bad thing.
Blogging would be a breakthrough for my students because it would wake up the students who find success in sleeping all period and it will open their eyes to something different. Blogging would be a way for kids to see how interacting with each other over a computer would alter their outlook of each other. They would see their own language, as well as each other's responses. Automatically, their grammar would change and their admiration for the technology would flood their minds to the point where it is more important than other things. It would be a fad that many students would be hooked on. They would be more consistent in doing their assignments via the web and the love for education would grow. It is a world that may draw me in to the point of me looking out saying "What took me so long?"
It can be very daunting for educators to try to keep up with all of the ever-changing forms of technology! I think for new professionals who are still trying to establish lesson plans and deal with all the other constituencies at their schools, this seems even more demanding. I think you are right on though about wanting to find ways to reach students, especially those who seem to be extra difficult to motivate. :) I always try to remind myself that I can't try to incorporate everything all at once because that is incredibly overwhelming. However, I can work on making smaller, more managable changes to my curriculum that can benefit my students. Perhaps, starting with a small blog or Twitter assignment.
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