Ed+and+Megan's+Page

= Ed and ﻿ Megan =

//Is it okay for teachers to be technologically illiterate in the year 2009? What should be about those who are?// // Ed: // BLUE // Megan: // RED

While I take a break from watching my beloved March Madness to think of this question some more. I start thinking about how when I was in 8th grade my dad, my uncle, and I went to the tournament when it was in Pittsburgh. How we all missed work or school those 2days. We called my mom from a pay phone and my uncle had to make 5 or 6 phone calls. ( he's a plumber and my dad took the whole week off) Then when I was a freshman in college( 2002) the three of us went again. I missed 2 classes and my uncle was making calls all day, but it was on his cell phone. ( my dad took the whole week off) I got my work emailed to me that I missed. I did the very next day. My friends called me throughout the day while I was there. Plus me and my dad called my mom on her cell phone during the breaks. It was a difference of 8 years from my first trip to the tournament to the next and my goodness how the technology changed! Now to answer the question at hand. NO! Teachers should not and can not be technologically illiterate. During the games I can sit here and type this on a web blog and somebody in California cheering on the Bruins can edit this same page if they want. My uncle can order parts with his blackberry while he cheers against the Bruins. A plumber has to be able to use technology, ceos, mailman, and of course educators. I can't go a day in school without using technology. I have to be able to teach math as well as technology to truly educate the 21st century students. For the older teachers who aren't as learned in technology districts need to offer training sessions. Whether they be professional development days, in-service days, or after school act 48 sessions. They need to learn. The world is changing and so are classrooms, making educators keep having to educate themselves. The only problem with the session is who's paying?

In my opinion, it is not okay for teachers to be techonogically illterate in the year 2009. Technology is becoming more and more of a part of our students' lives every year. Many of our students have access to technology at home, and they certainly find it to be extremely engaging. Not only do young people enjoy using technology, but it is essential that all students learn to use it correctly. They will have to be technologically literate as adults in both their work and personal lives. As teachers, it is our job to prepare our students for life outisde of the classroom. Teachers who are not technologically literate are ignoring an important part of their job.

Many of the teachers I know would love to incoporate more technology into their instruction and learn more about different applications. They do not use technology to its full extent because the technology is either not available or they have not been properly trained on it. In-service days would be the best ways to train staff on new technology applications. However, during such in-services, there must be ample support so the teachers can make the most of the training. The training process for teachers of different forms of technology must also be ongoing. We live in an ever-changing technological world.

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