Due for week #3

1. What do I think about the "language" that many of my students speak? I speak it, I live in the area that my students live; so I guess I have evolved with today's language. I don't lock myself into a position where I get stuck. I like where I am at and I like where I have been. I am also looking forward to where I might go. I guess I adapted like animals do with the changes in their environment. Because I don't shut the doors and windows when I get home, it has allowed changes in my life and my language to be on a subtle basis. When I don't understand what is being said by a younger person, I do what they do, just ask.
How do I perceive technology? I think think there is a lot of good, but that price also brings some bad things as well. I think I can tie this together my feelings to what I read in the Educause text. The Educause text continues to revolve mainly around post-secondary learning. With that being said, the clientele of student will also be different, but my feelings about technology will carry across secondary into post-secondary. Like I stated before, technology is a great tool; what scares me is the inability of many students/people being able to 'step-out' of their IPOD, or their cell phone, or their PDA. Technology is a great tool but it can never take away the human ability to prioritize the circle of life. I appreciate technology because it blossomed while I was growing up. I still think its OK for kids to play with matchbox cars and tonka trucks. If everyone in the world thought that using computer driven devices would secure there existence in life, they are in for shock. The service industry is the only industry driving America. Plumbers, Electricians, Auto-Technicians are some examples of what fills the workforce - computers are working people right of jobs. Yes computers do make those professions more efficient, but they are not doing work. People are too scared to get there hands dirty. I see it everywhere, kids would rather do nothing and surf the web than burn some calories doing some hard labor. One has to look into the past, what made this country so great 100 years ago wasn't the computer. It was the character of the person. A blend of hard work with some efficiency intertwined (i.e. the computer) - All I see in the future is a lack of secure decision making - kids today have so much data at their fingertips they are having trouble locking on to decisions - they have the numbers but they can't get to the conclusions. Please don't get me wrong, I love technology. I use it in my classroom and I it does make the learning experience so much better. I wish it were around when I was in school. But that switch has to be turned off sometimes. Its OK to pick up twigs and rake leaves. The readings in the Educause are exciting and also distrubing; I don't like reading that NetGen learners "refuse to accept our elders speeches or sermons." I think we can learn from each other. Older people and younger should come together for the betterment of the world, not its my way or else. That is the feeling I am getting from this reading. I did like that Chapter 6 addressed the issue of students lacking critical thinking - it does reinforce my beliefs. I don't know if that is bad or good? - we will see

2. What is considered a R/W program? To be honest I am still not 100% sure but I think I know. My understanding stems out of my research with Google Docs, I believe a R/W program requires no software installed on your computer. Your computer at home will run software programs that are on another server (i.e. from the Internet). Your computer is basically a dummy terminal. I did some research and watched a video, I think the concept is really neat. My head was already spinning on how I can use it in my classroom. I teach automotive technology but I know Google Docs can fit into my curriculum. I always tell my students that this profession is very special and that we have to learn so many different things from different fields and IT technology is one of them. My wheels are spinning....