Static vs Dynamic Technology

As I look over the different technologies that are available for distance education, I am assessing on how I use these same technologies in my classroom full of middle school students.  Even though my main teaching practice is face to face, I am finding that I am shifting toward more technology based information and communication with my students.  There are many reasons that I have shifted to more technology base, one major one is the fact that my textbooks are 14 years old and even though the basis of science remains the same, there are always new discoveries that change the way we view science.  I have to be able to keep up with these changes and let my students know about the changes and how it affects their lives and our learning process.  Another reason is the fact that students are now “digital natives” and approximately 98% of my students have a computer and internet at home available for their use and use it on a daily basis.  Our school is in the process of becoming a total 1:1 building and I cannot be left behind my students on how I find and process information.  Students now days are used to finding information on YouTube and other short clips of information and to reach my students, I have to make sure that I incorporate this style so that my students can continue processing information in a way that they use on a daily basis.  The days of learning from static sources is fast being left behind.

References:

McGreal, R., & Elliott, M. (2008). Technologies of online learning (e-learning). In T. Anderson (Ed.), The theory and practice of online learning (2nd ed., pp. 143-165). Edmonton, AB: Athabasca University Press.



Blogs that I visited this week and commented on:

http://jeanniefrazierblog.wordpress.com/2014/05/05/static-versus-dynamic-2/comment-page-1/#comment-28
http://cottrellsidblog.blogspot.com/2014/05/module-5-moving-toward-dynamic.html?showComment=1399431760761#c8076427129209502948