E-Books and E-Readers

While looking online for textbooks, scholastic journals, and free-time reads, its not hard to spot all the e-versions available for the books. E-Books and e-Readers make it easy to keep many books in one small accessible device. The textbook states "The growth of e-books and e-reader technology shows how the Internet is dramatically affecting the reading activities of many youngsters." (Edwards, Maloy, Verock-O’Loughlin, Woolf, 2014, p. 102). E-Readers allow readers to read a large range of material from textbooks to magazines and newspapers. Some people however have different opinions on the effect e-readers have on younger students. Tripp (2013) states that often time the discussion of a book between a child and an adult is focused on how to properly use the device rather than discussions or relating the illustrations to the text. The e-Readers also do not provide the social and motor refinery that reading physical books offer. 

However, for older students, e-readers can offer supplementary learning tools for students to use.  “ A recent study suggests that the use of an e-reader device that has decreased the number of words and enlarged the font on the screen can improve both speed and comprehension of reading in dyslexic high school students when compared to reading from print books.” (Tripp, 2013, para. 6). The textbook also shows that first year reading and writing students with e-books at California Lutheran University had an increase in academic performance and higher levels of engagement. Im my personal opinion, I think the use of e-books and e-readers are a new great option to get people more interested in reading. Some people may be more intrigued to use an e-reader over a regular book purely for the technology reason. Others may be more inclined to use based on built in glossaries and additional reading resources that can be accessed on the e-readers. I think e-readers are a great option if it means getting students more interested in using textbooks and reading for fun. 

References

Ask The Expert: Are E-Readers Bad For Kids? - Boston Magazine. (n.d.). Boston Magazine. Retrieved July 27, 2014, from http://www.bostonmagazine.com/health/blog/2013/12/18/ereaders-bad-kids-books-tufts/

Maloy, R. W., Verock-O'Loughlin, R., Edwards, S. A., & Woolf, B. P. (2014). Becoming a 21st Century Teacher. Transforming Learning With New Technologies ( 2nd ed., ). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

Understanding Educational Technology Issues and Trends

Developing Lessons and Engaging Students

The generation on students in schools today are very different from the ones a few decades ago. Students lives today are consumed by technology outside the classroom and lack engagement in the classroom without technology. In our textbook it states that one of the main reasons students were dropping out of school was because they felt the lack of engagement in the classroom and got bored easily. Students also said that they were least engaged by teacher lectures and more engaged with group projects and lessons involving technology. I feel that this is information that teachers really need to be listening too. Students are trying to tell teachers what type of lessons and projects will help them focus more in the classroom. Simple technology based writing and design programs, web based learning games, and electronic worksheets are just some ways to incorporate technology in the lessons. 

Using Technology to Enhance Teaching

-Instructional Practices 

Teachers are easily able to incorporate the use of technology in the classrooms for lessons. One example of this is accessing the Web for lessons involving class discussions, presentations, and simulations. I think this is a great idea to get students more engaged. To begin, the majority of students are visual based learners. By using the web and projecting it onto a white board or smart board students will already feel more alert and engaged. If a student is a tactical learner they might be given an opportunity to operate the smart board or a handheld wireless device. Through using technology in instructional practices, teachers are not only engaging the students but they are also reaching all types of learners. 

Digital Divides and Participation Gaps

Unfortunately, computers and digital devices are not provided equally to all schools and districts due to community funding. Some people use this as a large argument for why technology use is not incorporated in the lessons. One of the main concerns of digital divide is for the low-income families that may not be able to afford the latest technologies. However, it is also stated in our textbook that technologies such as computers, internet, and phones have increased in household across the country. The concern is that the families cannot afford the newest technologies such as handheld devices and wireless devices. This however should not affect how technology is used in the classroom. All teachers have access to at least one computer (teachers computer) in the classroom. The teacher should be able to find web pages to display for class discussions. All students also have access to public computers in the school library or in the community library. These group of students are not uninterested in technology in the classroom simply because they do not have access to the latest technologies. These students are also still from the same generation and want and need technology incorporated into the classroom regardless of what they have access to at home. 

Becoming a 21st Century Teacher

Social media, the internet, computers, and other technologies affect the lives of each student in and out of school. Teachers are moving more towards technology based learning tools and students are becoming more engaged. The new Generation that is between the ages of 8 and 18 are being called the iGeneration. These students have grown up using the internet, computers, and other digital media. It only now makes sense to start incorporating these technologies in the classroom. There are many ways to incorporate the use of technologies in schools, not only involving internet research.

Technology-Based Library
These libraries have changed the way students and teachers are able to access useful information. Technology-based libraries contain a vast amount of curriculum and instructional resources that are available easily and efficiently. In addition, teachers and students are able to "bookmark" and manage their information once it has been found. Technology-based libraries also allow teachers to create a structure for how the students will use information to promote critical thinking.

Technology-Based Textbooks
Technology-based textbooks allow teachers to produce a classroom pre packed set of lessons and  reading materials. Technology textbook materials are also available for every subject and primary sources of study. Teachers are also able to publish their own materials for the students in the classroom to review and discuss.

Technology-Based Teaching Tool
Using technology as a teaching tool allows teachers to individualize instruction and extend the time teachers spend with their students. Technology teaching tools also allows the teacher to cater to the different learning styles of the students. Intelligent tutoring is also available for speech-to-text, text-to-speech, hand writing recognition, and other assistive programs.

There are many extremely useful ways that technology can increase the efficiency of lessons in the classrooms. Since there are many options in how to include technology in a class, teachers can decide which programs work best for their class and teaching styles.

As a future teacher, one of the tech tools I'm excited to incorporate into my classroom are tablets. Tables are super portable and have educational apps in every subject area. Students are able to work on reading and writing skills, math skills, science information, and other important subjects in game format. Tablets also come in a wide range of prices making it possible to have more tablets rather than one laptop for the same price. Students are also able to access the internet and school approved websites and are not able to perform texting. Students also get excited about being able to use tablets to research and work on skills easily.

After reading through the chapter on becoming a 21st century teacher I was amazed at how much I learned about how technology can be useful for education. The chapter goes in depth to explaining the generation of students that are being taught and how they can be taught more efficiently. My eyes have been opened to all the possibilities and to how much of a positive effect technology can have on my classroom if I explore all the available options. Not only can students use resources such as internet, websites, apps, and intelligent tutoring at school but also at home or at public libraries. I would also like to focus on the strategies the textbook gives on learning new technologies. As a 21st century teacher, it is also important to model all the ways technology can be used in positive ways to learn and have fun learning. There are so many programs and websites to cater to all learning style that all students can get involved and get excited about learning. Im excited about what I have learned in this chapter and can't wait to see how technology can enhance my future classroom.

Maloy, R. W., Verock-O'Loughlin, R., Edwards, S. A., & Woolf, B. P. (2014). Becoming a 21st Century Teacher. Transforming Learning With New Technologies ( 2nd ed., ). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.