Social Justice and the Use of Technology

I believe that technology should be an important part of my classroom, even if some of my students don't have outside access to computers. Technology skills are essential for all students to learn, even if they're currently unable to make use of those skills outside the classroom. More and more jobs require these skills and as a teacher I wouldn't be fully preparing my students if I didn't give them instruction on such an important part of the work world.

It's tempting to cut back on technology in the classroom so that those who are less privileged in their access don't feel discriminated against, telling ourselves that those who do have access already have strong skills, but students suffer when technology is eliminated or severely restricted. Most teens don't create power point presentations in the sanctity of their bedrooms, or learn to use academic databases while hanging out with their friends, so even kids with strong ties to technology will benefit from exposure to it in the classroom. And if we neglect to teach students without outside access these important skills we will be crippling their ability to find jobs in the future.

One way to increase access would be for me to open my classroom before and after school to anyone who needs more time on the computer. I could also give my students information about Free Geek, which would allow them to volunteer their time and earn a refurbished computer. I could even look into scheduling a field trip to Free Geek so that all of my students could learn more about it as a community resource. I would also look into grants and other opportunities that might be available to help increase the exposure to technology of those in need.

The Pros and Cons of Powerpoint

Based on the power point presentations I've been the victim of in the past I assumed that the purpose of power point was to cram as much information on a screen as possible so the audience could read along with the presenter. This class showed me that power point is more of a garnish than the main entree, and seeing my peers' presentations was a good way to reinforce the ups and downs of using power point.

One of the things I liked best about today's presentations was the use of cool, historical photographs, as well as informational graphs that really supported the content of the presentation. One presentation talking about time had historical timepieces and another had photos of suffragists from history. Rather than listening to a presentation with nothing to look at, I was given both aural and visual information.

The most distracting thing for me was when people depended too much on their slides for the content, and when they hadn't rehearsed enough. This led to long pauses and filler words that made the presenters sound less sure of their material.

I spent quite a bit of time rehearsing mine but I think I would have been less nervous and a little smoother if I had rehearsed a bit more. I think my linear equations slide could have used a little more unpacking and explanation, as well, which I would do in a classroom situation in which I had more time.

I actually liked using this media, though it was a slow process for me. I think it will go more quickly as I become more familiar with the program. The upsides, of course, are the way it integrates visual input into what might be an otherwise vanilla lecture. You can have videos at the ready and use powerful photos and graphics to reinforce the information. The downside, for me, is the time it takes to put together a presentation. Even as I get faster at using this, I know that my time is going to be super packed with things to get done and there may be lots of times where a power point presentation will have to be low on my list of priorities.