Technology in High Schools

During my college career, I have always been able to use my laptop or have my phone out on my desk. So why is it in high school we are not allowed such privileges? While I must admit, in some boring classes I do tend to wander onto the internet, or secretly text. But more often the not I am taking notes or writing on my laptop, and using my phone (when my computer is not available) to look up words I do not know, or how to spell large words (as sad as that sounds). As an English major, I think I would advocate the use of laptops in my class because I personally take better notes on the computer. If I am writing notes, my hands, from pressing too hard on the paper, become very tired, and I don’t write as many notes. Since I am use to writing on the computer (from the amount of essays an English major has to go though) I would feel more comfortable on a laptop then on a computer.

Then again, to play devil advocate, I’ll be the first to admit English IS boring subject as a student. It wasn’t until I had a couple of classes in college that I learned to love the English major for all its stories and deep meanings. But as a High School Student, I think we could all say, English wasn’t our favorite subject (it was mine, but it wasn’t as fun as college courses). Is it because if we have laptops or cellphones on us, we would be able to focus on the books we are forced to read for standardized tests? Or is it because they are afraid we will be reading something far better on the internet that won’t help the test scores? When we don’t have standardized testing do you think high school students would be allowed laptops and cellphones? Are they THAT much of a distraction that we can’t simply have either? Is there a happy median?

As a future teacher I would have to go back on my own argument. While I wouldn’t like students to have their cellphones AND computers out, I wouldn’t mind either. I know, for myself, that one or the other is a good tool to help me get my thoughts out and help me look up definitions and word spelling. But both seem a bit excessive, that would be, I feel, a technology over load in a simple thirty to forty-five minute class time. So, for me as a future teacher, I would say either or. But is that such a good idea? To have technology in High School classrooms? As you could see, I don’t quite know myself. But since High School IS preparing us for college, wouldn’t it be a good learning experience for students to use their technology in a safe expanded marking period and not a condensed semester like college? Wouldn’t it be good to know what works for them before they get to college?

Technology Autobiography

Technology has always been there helping me with my schooling. When I was younger, I had difficulties in Math, so my parents, knowing I like to play on the laptop computer, bought me a Math computer game. I would play on this this game, without knowing it was helping me with my math skills. As I grew older, and I received my IPhone and Ipad in High School, it was like I had the internet at my fingertips. While this helped greatly with wanted to know facts at that moment, it also became a crutch. It suddenly became harder to check out books from the library. How did I find them without using the internet? Of course, after taking me a very long time, I figured it out. But was painfully slow at it.

The similarities between me and the students in the video Is simple. Most of the students in the video used their phones. As do I, to this day, will always have my phone on me. Not only for texting or getting a hold of someone, but for the fact that if I needed to know something at the exact moment, I would be able to look it up not problem. Also, the use of Apps on the phone not only help consume time when you are waiting for someone, or waiting at the doctor’s office. The use of Apps on the phone is wonderful for consuming time and also finding out new information. While you are waiting, you could read the news, and see current events.  The iphone definitely became an extension of myself.

Also, the use of a laptop is something I had in common with the students in the video. While I do not use it for making music, or videos, I do use it when I want to learn something new, be it a language (Japanese isn’t that easy to learn on the computer…) or a current event. Mostly, when I want to relax and read current even going on around the world, I would relax with my laptop.

The only differences I had with the students in the video was the use of Video Games, and my ipad. No students mentioned the ipad, which in hindsight is almost exactly like a laptop. When my laptop is dead, or when I want to play games, I switch to my ipad. But the students who mentioned the Video Game Consoles, completely opened my eyes. Since I was a child, I had a video game system in my house. I was four years old playing the Super Nintendo. Even today, now that I am twenty-one years old I still play video games on all different consoles. It is true what the student says, your hand eye coordination because wonderful after playing years and years of video games. But also, when I was younger, and there would be subtitles and speaking parts in video games, it actually aided me in reading. It sounds bizarre, but it is true, Video Games helped me learn, and no those educational video games that I spoke of previously. It is amazing how technology will help you learn, you just have to open your eyes and take notice.