Beliefs.

        My personal beliefs about technology are two fold. One of the first things that comes to mind when I consider how I personally feel about technology with regard to teaching, is that it is absolutely going to be a part of my world, my children's world, my students' world, etc. There is no escaping it, if anyone was going to try. It is inevitably going to be one of the most used resources in our classrooms, and it seems eventually, one of the most prevelant in each one of our lives. So even though I didn't grow up with a computer and an Ipod and cell phones, etc. my students will. They will know what instant media is, and they will understand how vast the opportunities are to gain information with the touch of a keyboard. They will want and crave and learn best through media instruction. So no matter where I come from, and how little or how much technology I'm used to, digital and media communication and learning are going to be essential as I become a teacher within the next year.

     My second thought on pedagogy with regard to technology is that I don't think technology is the "say all" when it comes to learning. I don't believe that we can give our children a computer and have the computer teach a child everything that a teacher could. Technology can be an incredible resource, especially when used with guidance and moderation. But there are other parts to learning that are so incredible as well. Face to face communication, expression, socializing, physically interacting in the classroom, etc. are a part of learning and growing as human beings. Putting everyone behind a computer screen may make us computer savvy and uick with technology but it doesn't necessarily make us happy, communicative, socially mature individuals. I also believe in reading - actual textbooks - and writing - with a pen and paper - as a part of personal discipline and education. Not everything has to be instantly gratified - I believe a lot of what we do educationally should be a process of discovery, found within contemplation, thinking, meditation, trying things that don't work, and having to find the answers for ourselves. What joy can we find in the beautiful process of discovery if we simply went to Wikipedia.com? There is so much more to educating ourselves and our students than that.