Blog Journal #2

1. Word is something I’ve become very familiar with throughout my education. It’s been the primary writing tool used throughout my K-12 years, mostly for essays and papers that I’ve been assigned to write. I use it for creative writing as well, developing various narratives. I find it to be easy to learn, and I’m continuing to learn the program. The Word Shortcuts were very helpful, and I’ve already been using them during lectures. Speaking of lectures, it was only this semester of college that I began using word to take notes. Previously I’ve been very hands-on and physical with writing my notes, but I’ve found word to be extremely useful in fast paced lecture settings.
2. The Standard for Educators that was most meaningful to me was 2.5.a, Designer and Accommodate Learner Differences. The reason why I found it so meaningful was because education and students are becoming more diverse in ways of thinking as we become more open to exploration of learning disabilities. I believe that it is so vital that we continue to develop how we teach individuals and facilitate their growth with their needs, and it felt redeeming to see that that belief is reflected in the standards for educators. I’m curious to see how educators have developed strategies to fulfill this. I know that we have time extensions and separated classes for different levels of learning, but I wonder what else we could do to use technology with aiding those who need a different kind of environment to learn in.
3. I do not agree with Prensky’s assumptions about or the definition of a “digital native”. A digital native is defined as someone born into a time of technology, and therefore has an inherent literacy in the language of technology because they were born into it. While I think the concept is thought invoking, I believe that its blanketed assumptions are not applicable to everyone born in a certain generation. I would actually argue that I am more of a digital immigrant. However, I have noticed a trend that the older an individual is, the less likely that are to be concerned about technology in comparison to my peers. I’ve been in many classes where teachers and substitutes do not know how to operate computers , or ask questions about social media. Many of my teachers were more traditional, focusing on lecture via mouth than being too technologically dependent. I believe that this is a (unfortunately) dying practice. As students who are technologically literate  enter the school system, there will be more of a push to adapt education to being more technologically focused. Many of the ISTE Standards for Educators focus on adaptability and continued learning, and that applies for students who are more used to technological learning that traditional. I think that the next generation of students will be much more literate in the online world than even I am, and I’m interested to see how they interact with the world and if more teachers shift more towards technology.