In completing this class I have found that weblogs is a great way to find a wide variety of material for learning. Students can benefit from knowing how to blog, but as a first grade teacher with only 3 computers in my classroom this will be difficult for me to give each child opportunity to use the computers and learn about weblogs. I can use the technology learned as a whole class through the promethean board, as for assigning students work on computers after school hours would be impossible because the majority of my students do not have access to computer or internet at home. For the time being I have found many ways to use the information I have learned in this class to help my students, but in a whole group setting.
I also have an issue with using technology in the classroom. It not that I don't want to use or that I don't feel that the students would benefit. I simply do not have students that have techonology available to them at home. Nearly half of my students do not have computer access in the home. We do use a lot of techonology on a daily basis, but it is generally by me showing them a powerpoint or using the SmartBoard. The students do have access in their computer/keyboarding classes, but not everyone has these at the same time as my class, nor can they use that class time to do my work. I feel that if schools want us as teachers to provide students with 21st century learning opportunities, they need to do more to provide computer access to all when needed. My students do very well and learn a lot when we can use computers, but those times are few and far between and my students suffer for it.
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