Technology
is a big part of my life at home and at work.
I’m also an online learner so technology is a big piece of my
day-to-day in every aspect of my day. At work, a big piece of my
job is working on the computer and acting as an administrator for our student
information systems. I also do a lot of
computer troubleshooting for our staff.
I am definitely a millennial learner.
“This induces learning based on
seeking, sieving, and synthesizing, rather than on assimilating a single “validated”
source of knowledge” (Dede, 2005, p. 7).
I am constantly doing Google searches to research a topic. Technology has helped me to become a very
resourceful person. It’s accessible and
convenient. The internet is the one
piece of technology that I could not live without. I do everything online. I pay my bills online. I shop online. I pay my taxes online. I go to school online which has proven to be
a great opportunity and experience for me.
“Increasingly, people want educational products and services tailored to
their individual needs rather than one-size-fits-all courses of fixed length,
content, and pedagogy” (Dede, 2005, p. 8).
Walden is definitely tailored to my individual needs. It’s convenient. It allows me to take one class at a time and
still qualify for financial aid. It also
works well with my work schedule and my lifestyle.
Technology influences just about every part of my life
with the exception of personal relationships.
I am not a big social media user.
I think it’s great for networking but I think hinders people’s genuine
and personal interactions. I have
friends that will invite me to important events via Facebook rather than
shooting me a text or a paper invitation.
I often miss special events because people have gotten so out-of-touch
with making personal contact because of the convenience of social media. Overall, I see technology as a huge
benefit. It makes my life easier and it
has allowed me to do something that I’ve been trying to do since high
school. It has allowed me to successfully
pursue a bachelor degree without taking away from other aspects of my personal
and professional life.
References:
Dede,
C. (2005). Planning for neomillennial learning styles. Educause
Quarterly, 1, 7–12.
Hello J.M., I can relate to your post regarding how important technology is in your life but not in social media. I also shop, bank and learn on-line but I do not have a facebook account. I am on the computer so much that I prefer social interaction face to face.
ReplyDeleteDo you think not using social media tools can hinder our abilities to design courses for students who live in social media?
Thanks, Deborah
Hi Deborah. Thanks for visiting my blog. I don't think that not using social media tools can hinder our abilities to design courses for students but I do think that it limits our network of educators and ideas. I familiarize myself with any tools that are popular with the kids but I don't necessarily see an educational benefit for all of them. I actually see some of the social media tools as more of a distraction for students in the learning environment. I also feel that it can have negative affects on the students socially. A lot of teens that I work with don't understand the power of their words. Cyber bullying and sexting is a problem and I think some of that is due to our inability to police and hold kids accountable for their words online. Social media has its benefits but academically I haven't experienced the benefits yet? Thanks again for visiting!
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