Technology: Fun or Frustrating?
Posted by Kim Murphy on 23 Sep 2009 | Posted in: Teachers and Teaching
Several minutes ago, as I was pondering an appropriate topic for this blog post, I heard a squeal of alarm from Brenda, the editor in the cubicle next to mine. Because anyone squealing in the workplace is intriguing, I jumped up to see what was the matter. I found Brenda staring at her computer screen in horror. All the images were no longer in the normal direction. They had, in fact, rotated. So in order to see her screen as normal, she would have to lie in front of her computer on her left side. I thought this was hysterically funny. Other editors started to gather, and when the laughter died down, we all began throwing out suggestions for correcting her screen malfunction. Nothing worked and we all felt clueless. It took a technology-savvy coworker to solve the problem.
Technology, it seems, has the power to render everyone clueless from time to time. Do you feel that you have a firm grasp of all things computer-related or do you occasionally want to take a bat to your printer/scanner/fax machine? Do you incorporate technology into your classroom with great joy? Or do you do so grudgingly, knowing that it will cause you headaches? Drop me a line and tell me about technology in your life.
All the best!
Kim
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15 Responses to “Technology: Fun or Frustrating?”
More Comments Pages: [1] 2 » Show All Comments
More Comments Pages: [1] 2 » Show All Comments
Technology is great. That being said I think it, in some ways, has taken away motivation to be creative. Many take their technology and apply it in non-productive ways, ie, video gaming for all hours, etc. Cristy
I love technology! I am also blessed with a son who graduated with a degree in computer science & robotics. Whenever I have a problem, I call my son to come and fix it.
This is so funny that you bring up this topic. I am taking a masters class called Technology Tools for Teachers, and it is making my crazy! I have learned so much from this class, however, I find that finding time to do some of the work and reading required on the internet is hard to do. I guess when I get home at the end of the day, I’d rather sit down and enjoy time with my family vs. sitting in front of the computer reading blogs.
In the classroom, however, I love to you technology, but I have to admit, it does give me a headache. It frustrates me when students won’t listen to instructions, and then I have students at all different places. Does this happen in your classroom as well?
My granddaughter has been using one of the computers in my classroom to “look up” the definitions for her vocabulary words (she’s a fourth grader). This worked well for her until, horror of horrors, the internet went down for 2 days in our building. She had to use a real, honest to goodness book, a dictionary!! Yes, our students need to use technology, that will be the future for them. But don’t we do them a disservice if they are unable to use “old time” tools like books, paper, pencil?
We have outdated computers in my preschool classroom, but I do not allow that to stop me from integrating technology. I made a powerpoint slideshow with music of my students and activities they were engaged in during the year. I made copies and gave these as gifts to the parents on graduation day last June. This year I have been using my Blackberry to video tape the children during circle time, story time, etc. The children are more attentive and engaged when they know they will be in a “movie”. I have found this to be beneficial for assessment in addition to my mini digital voice recorder. I plan to bring my camcorder to film short skits based on the stories we read. I love technology. I wish all schools would get up to speed and understand that knowledge of technology is so important for the future of the leaders,consumers,inventors that we are educating today.
I would like to be able to use technology in my classroom but first I would need reliable computers, white boards( which are not available), and a few other items.
I would also like to recieve some training on the equipment.
It seems that with the computers I generate more paper than ever. Admin. wants copies for the file instead of computer files and so on.
I am not ever going to let go of the “old” ways, I think students should learn to write with a pencil, read paper books, and newspapers not just watch you tube videos.
Everything has a place and is good in moderation.
We are a group of teacher who use technology daily in our classrooms; we are by no means experts in the technology field. We use the blog to communicate how we use technology in the classroom!
It is difficult to use technology when it is not in the classroom, but I think we are, as a nation, slowly heading for creating 21st Century Classrooms!
I find it frustrating. Its use all th etechnology but there isn’t much training for it. UGH.
ITS ALL FRASTRATION WHEN IT COMES TO US PEOPLE WHO HAVE LITTLE EXPERIENCE IN TECHNOLOGY- ALOT OF VIRUSES AND OTHER SOFTWARE COMPLICATIONS ALWAYS GIVE US HEADACHE.
HOWEVER GOOD AND FAST. TRAINING NEEDED TO US PROFESSIONALS IN OTHER FIELDS. WE CRY FOR HELP OF TRAINING AND COMPUTERS TO BE UP TO DATE.
I’m currently going back to grad school for a masters in Instructional Technology. I want to learn more about technology and how to integrate it better in my classroom. I love using technology, and my students become so much more engaged about a topic when a computer is involved. On the flip side, though, there are still many times that I’d be happy to throw my computer at the wall. When technology works-it’s fabulous! When it doesn’t - it’s frustrating! Today in fact, I pulled our mobile lab in our classroom. The kids were so excited. I managed to get laptops passed out, up and running, and…nothing (no internet)! By then, we were out of time so we ended up putting everything up and I told the kids that it happens like that sometimes when you use technology. Come to find out, these computers are picky. There’s a very special order that you have to start everything up with, and I didn’t do that (I’m new to the school and my previous school was set up with a school wide wireless internet, this school just has airports on a cart with the laptops). Next time I’ll know, and I’m sure we’ll have a great time learning with technology.
I get frustrated a lot because we have some ancient computers. I would like to see some updated teach at our school!
I use technology more now than ever. In our classroom, we use a computer on a big screen television to view our math, science, and social studies textbooks. I personally think I have transformed the way a television is used. It’s no longer just a way to view shows, but can actually be used to read and learn. I think a digital textbook is great. I like the fact that with a click of the button you can have an unfamiliar word pronounced for you. We no longer get stumped on foreign or hard to read words.
Having the computer hooked directly to the television enables my students and I to view pictures that we have taken. We have also watched youtube classroom videos together.
It’s also great to use with worksheets. Instead of printing so much, I pull the worksheets up on the television and my students take turns answering the problems aloud or on paper.