Week 4

Are you more comfortable composing documents online than longhand?

·        Yes, I am most definitely more comfortable composing online. I must prefer the ease of typing most writing that is required of me.

Have your turned your “remembering” over to a technology device?

·        I sure have!

Do you go to meetings with your laptop, iPad, or tablet?

·        I attended training at Region 10 Service Center during the summer. I hauled my laptop into the meeting room only to find that everyone, and I mean everyone, had iPads. I felt so outdated. I called my husband and went and purchased an iPad. The point to my story is that….yes; I attend meetings with my iPad.

Are you constantly connected? Is the internet always on whether you are at home or work? Is your cell phone always with you?

·        Absolutely, I am always connected. I get really irritated if the internet is down for any length of time. I am never without my cell phone.

How many different activities can you effectively engage in at one time?

·        I am really busy as I mentioned earlier in the semester. I can grade papers for my high school students, answer emails from my college students, play slots on facebook, and chase two small children. I have become a Professional Multi-tasker!!

Do you play video or computer games?

·        I play a slot machine game on facebook and Chuzzle. That is it!

I am definitely a non-traditional student. There are some classes that I believe should only be taught in person, but for the most part I much prefer online classes.

The generation of students who are in high school right now, frankly, concern me. They can play computer games, operate the most complicated of cell phones; however, they cannot seem to save a Word document and upload it to the assignment drop box without being shown 5,000 times. I think that educators need to make sure that we are not confusing cell phone proficiency with computer proficiency. I am seeing these same problems with college freshmen. I am finding that if I show them twice and then refuse to show them again that they are finally taking the initiative to utilize the tools required of them. I find that this group has been babied and that that expectation is instilled in them. My advice is to stop babying them and hold them accountable for the technology that they desperately need to learn to use properly.