Tech Trends

3D Printing

There are times that I truly regret being an older student. This is one of those times. There is just so much that is going to be happening in the next few years. I've always been one who has used the emerging tech for my own creativity. Whether it has been creating a home recording studio or creating animated videos, I've always been able to utilize the next new thing for my own enjoyment. I will continue doing this with 3D printing. The tech is so amazing and the principal so simple (take an object, slice it, then reprint it one slice at a time) What I will truly regret though will be missing the amazing new innovations that arise from the experimentation of the next generation. I truly love how my daughter's generation have used the creative tools provided. My daughter makes money by selling her "My Little Pony" drawings on line, but what makes it truly special for me is that I bought her a drawing tablet and she's taken to it like a fish to water. The creativity of follow on generations needs to be nurtured and that nurturing will take place in the classrooms of my classmates. I only hope that the curriculum for teachers keeps pace with these changes. It would be a shame to have all these shiny new toys only to see their potential go unfulfilled.

EDTECH Research

Link to my research

I've hit what I like to call my mid-semester wall. The main problem that I had with this assignment is that I already believe what I researched. The past six weeks has shown me that there is a tremendous need for teacher education in technology. I love the three pillars idea presented in one of the articles. I honestly feel that in order for technology to be well used in the classroom, it must be combined with the teacher's style. This is why I want to introduce freeware into the course. I want teachers to become as comfortable with computers and technology as they are with whiteboards. Only then will they be able to fully realize full potential of technology in classrooms.