Blog Reflection #4 Net Gen

Are you more comfortable composing documents online than longhand?

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I have to resist the urge to begin written assignments with paper and pencil.  I learned long ago that if I wrote something, I would remember it.  Writing notes, homework, and papers by hand the first time through actually saved countless hours of studying.  I now try to use a digital medium first just because it saves time and in my life, time is precious.  I have noticed that I don't remember things as well when I use a keyboard rather than writing by hand.  This goes for reading too.  If I read something on a printed page, I can remember it and where it is located on the page. I don't have a completely photographic memory, but many times it's uncannily close. This doesn't work for electronic articles or notes.  Maybe it's just old age setting in, but I have to read over material that I have typed or read on the computer more often if I want to remember what information is on the page/screen.

Have you turned your "remembering" (phone numbers, meetings, and so on) over to a technology device?

No!  I have a thing for remembering numbers so they just sort of stick in my head. Besides, I don't trust my phone or computer to 'keep' all of my stuff.  I have lost way too many papers, bookmarks, and pictures over the years to totally rely on a piece of electronic equipment to store ALL of my data. 

Do you go to meetings with your laptop, iPad, or tablet?

No, I am still a pen and paper gal when it comes to taking notes in workshops or meetings.  I cannot type fast enough to keep up.  Also, I think typing on a keyboard makes a lot of noise when you are in a quiet meeting atmosphere.  The 'keyboard' on my iPad is not big enough for me to type accurately or fast enough.  Also, writing by hand comes so naturally to me that I can listen to what is being said in the meeting while I take notes.  I can't do that with typing.  I concentrate too hard on typing the individual letters and end up blocking out the speaker and all the information being given.

Are you constantly connected? Is the Internet always on whether you are at home or work? Is your cell phone always with you?

The internet is not always on. I still rely on the news from the TV in the mornings and evenings, but I don't always have something on.  I still have a land line at my house, but I do carry my cell phone quite a bit.  I use it almost exclusively for phone calls or texts and rarely get on the internet or email.  I have small children and always want to be available if they get sick or hurt while with family or friends.  This was especially true last fall when my father was dying of cancer.  If he fell, my mother couldn't get him back up, so I needed to be immediately available for any and all emergencies.  My husband, being an athletic director and assistant principal might as well as have his phone surgically attached to his ear!  At school, the internet is on most of the day because I take roll and have email messages that need to be done all throughout the school day.

How many different activities can you effectively engage in at one time?

I am a mother of three, teach middle school, run my family's ranch, take 6 hours of grad school, and have a husband and a household.  I do MANY different things at once.  Digitally speaking, I try to limit myself to one at a time.  Watching TV OR on the internet OR listening to music OR talking on the cell phone.  I will listen to the news or a TV program while making dinner or cleaning, but if I am doing homework, I usually like it quite (or as quiet as it can be with 3 kids who seem to be constantly usuing some form of electronic media or another).

Do you play video or computer games? 

Yes, I confess I like to play the Nancy Drew detective games on the computer.  You know, the ones that used to say "For Adventurous Girls 10 & Up"!!  I like a few other mystery games, but do not play very often because I don't have the time to spare.  However, I do not like PlayStation or Xbox type games.  They frustrate me to no end.  I have warmed up to the wii, but usually only play when my kids ask me to.

What generational category do you fall in or are you a mixture of a few?

I still have many 'old school' habits, but consider myself as a mixture.  I will never have as much experience with technology as my children or those that I teach, but I am willing to try new apps, technology, and programs if it will help my teaching and parenting...hence the ETEC courses.  I use technology more than many people, but I am not a digital leader on my campus.  I really think that part of this lag in my technology use can be blamed on 2 things.

1.  For many years I was a stay at home mom living on 1 teacher's salary and didn't have the money to spare for internet access or a cell phone, and

2.  I don't have the time to 'play' around with the newer technology to really learn what I can do with it.  I have had my iPhone and iPad for over a year, and still cannot use them to their fullest potential.

For students in K12, what and how do we need to change?

As educators, we need to educate and train ourselves (if we are more old school) to flip our classrooms and allow students to direct and manipulate the learning and knowledge flows  that through the available technology. 

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