Technology: The New Creative Outlet

The idea that was brought to us this week in technology was about how to apply creativity to learning disciplines through technology. I see in this modern world many things that I have not even been introduced to that are creative ways to use technology. The strategies of today are completely different than what they were years ago. We can learn a lot through things like smart board, PowerPoint, clip art, Imovie, and many more. This can expand our learning to new levels if we know how to incorporate it in the right sense. I feel that in classrooms of today technology can help the creativity fly if  you use it to only help along side, not do the teaching for you. I think many students of today are visual so it is always better to demonstrate ideas on something that they can see. With technology as advanced as it is today we have a million opportunities to spice up our classrooms with creative ways to teach lessons. I think my biggest problem is learning how to be creative with technology. It all looks fun when it is done and perfect but I struggle at knowing how to be creative and not just afraid of the outcome. We need to look at technology less like a television and more like a paintbrush. I am not a artist by any means but hopefully a computer can help me to express myself even being artistically disabled.  Thus then my students can have only limitations with technology when they only limit their lack of imagination. I think that technology could enhance creativity and creation if used in the right way. 

There Is Not A One Step Solution To Inequality

When I think of online school I do not see a lot of valuable outcomes. A topic that came up in my technology class was about if teaching online classes would eliminate inequality in school districts. I think this topic is a hard thing to give a definite yes or no answer to. Maybe it would help in the way that students do not have as much interaction with each other face to face. So in a sense the stereotypes of gender, race and age would not have as much effect on their attitude toward each other. Well these idea might be true in some cases but with names, last names, and probably bio’s of each student there is still going to be some inequality taking place. Just because the children are not face to face with their peers and teachers does not mean people are still not going to judge. My point is that by changing the way we perform school we are not going to totally take away the inequality in school districts. That problem is going to be taken away with the teachers in administration doing everything in their power to make sure that things are being achieved with all students not just the ones they want to teach or think are important. The inequality data about how students are doing in racial areas is always that the ethnic students are performing consistently lower than the white counterparts. Thus the bottom half comprises primarily of the poor and ethnic minorities. These are the numbers we need to be worries about, not if we are going to use online school or the basic public school. We can only educate our teachers and help them understand the tragedy they are creating but not attempting to achieve equity for all students.

Can Technology Help Gender Equality in Schools?

A question that has been brought to our attention in technology class is "technology eliminates gender inequality in schools". Well maybe that is true in some cases but I feel those are very unique and special cases. When I think of technology I see boys all over the latest version of a gadget that they can make their newest toy. When I have ever been around technology in school or even just in life, if there is a girl and boy sitting next to me and I need help I immediately ask the boy for help first. Why is that? Well I would say because I naturally think the boy will know how to help me more effectively than the girl. So with the question does technology eliminate gender inequality in school, I have a hard time agreeing with that statement. Maybe I do not know a lot about this topic but I have a feeling that I have some insights. We as educators have hindered closing the gender gap on the capacity for both genders to use technology at the same level. Administrations should be putting policies in place that ensure equal exposure to technology for all students. All students should have equal accessibility regardless of sex, race, socioeconomic background, or disability. Administrations can also be responsible for educating the teachers in gender issues. It is important for teachers to be informed of innovations in classroom management plans and teaching strategies which are fair and equitable to all students. Boys tend to receive more praise for skills in technology while girls tend to be praised for social skills such as team work and compromising. Students should be called on equally to answer higher level questions. Where as now boys tend to be asked these questions, and they tend to offer answers more frequently to technology questions than girls ever do. For me this shows that technology is not being used properly to help inequality in genders. Maybe the technology itself is not making the inequality but the educators who are enforcing it are doing a poor job of allowing a gender gap to take place.