Blogging in Classrooms

From a young age children today have access to and knowledge of technology. I am blown away by the number of children who have their own personal computer or web access on their cell phones. I also see how dialed-in children are to technology. It seems that everyone is communicating through technology. I know teenagers who seem uncomfortable with traditional (or outdated) forms of communication such as talking on the phone. For some children who I know, if you don't text, or have a Facebook account, then good luck trying to talk with the. On the other hand, if you reach out to them in a context where they are comfortable, there is a better response! Integrating technology into the classroom has many benefits that I see as very valuable. For one thing, if you are using resources that the children are interested in, they are more likely to respond, and be interested in what you are doing in the classroom. Also by bringing this type of technology into the classroom, you create the opportunity to shape the way children are using this technology. When the children start using technology in the classroom the teacher has the chance to educate children about safety and privacy issues. Safety and privacy are issues relevant to all children online whether they know it or not, and addressing these issues in the classroom increases student awareness. Also in a classroom setting there need to be guidelines for student decorum. Students need to express themselves appropriately, and diplomatically and they might not consider the consequences of online behavior without teacher guidance. I am really excited about learning ways to use technology to teach, and reach out to my future students. I also am looking forward to expanding my personal usage of online communication.