Tech Task #2: The Connected Student

    As a teacher in 2021 I have easy access to all of the elements available to the connected teacher. I can choose which elements to focus on and which ones to utilize only on special occasions. Students are also connected to many of the same things that I am. They are connected to their families, their peers, social media, the internet, video formats and more. With access to the internet comes access to information. 

    Having access to the internet and so much information is a good thing however it can be a bit overwhelming. The internet never stops or takes a break it is always available, even at 3am. As an adult it can be a bit overwhelming at times trying to sort through all of the information that is presented with a google search. When creating a lesson plan the majority of my time is spent googling different ideas, approaches, theories and videos. There are so many different ideas and options, how do I know if I chose the best one? 

    Many students are given complete unregulated access to the internet, not many parents are getting up at 3am to check if their child is sleeping or still scrolling online. With this unlimited access our students are suddenly having to learn how to self regulate them selves and find a system that works well for them. As a 23 year old adult I still struggle with setting personal schedules and keeping to it. Despite the fact that our students staying up till 3am and absorbing tons of information from the internet they still have to get out of bed and make it to school on time the next day. Once they are there they are expected to perform and absorb more information as if they had got a full nights sleep. 

    On top of having to learn how to self regulate students also have to learn to evaluate the information that are seeing on the internet. looking back at a quote shared by Kristen Thompson, "Never send a human to do a machines job." It is obvious that the role of the educator is changing. Schools are no longer the keepers of information. It is the job of the teacher to help students learn and to help them identify what information is credible and what information is not.


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