Setting the Stage Reflection

I seemed to be the last person to get a personal computer, cell phone, laptop computer, or anything else that had to do with technology. Now I am trying to be as up to date with technology as I can, but many of my students seem to be a step ahead of me. I hope to change that by this course teaching me new skills.

I currently use laptops computers in my classroom for research and project preparations as well as with Vernier and data collection probes to collect and then analyze data. I also use simulations and online labs whenever I can as well. One thing I learned this week from another course I am taking is that we need to teach students how to think and solve problems. As the readings emphasized, technology is everywhere, and it will be changing and improving as time goes on. Students need to be able to have the skills to handle these changes. Even though the data collection devices my students are using now will be more advanced when they get to college, they will have had the skills of how to set up and operate the equipment and understand what data the equipment is providing.

The technology can only do so much, however. I as the teacher need to be able to not only teach them how to use the tech, but to go beyond the hardware and look at the numbers, graphs, and other outputs. I need to teach these kids how to interpret and communicate their results. They need to THINK about what the data is telling them. They are building confidence about working with technology each time they open up a Webquest, simulation, lab, or set the temperature probe in the test tube of solution. This confidence will be carried with them in the future, so that when they open a fancy high tech computer with high tech probes for the first time in the year 2016, they will be able to focus more on analyzing and problem solving. The future of our world depends on the minds of our students and we as teachers need to teach in a manner that keeps our kids ahead in the game, not lagging behind. Technology is the key for this to happen. It also gives them access to places to share their thoughts and ideas. Isn't communication a huge part of science? Let's teach them how to use the technology, whether it is through blogs, twitter, videos, and others, appropriately so they can communicate effectively!