Thing 1 and Thing 2

I am participating in 23 Things for several reasons. Personally, I am very interested in learning about all the new technological tools available today. I was a Communications major back in college, and I can't even imagine how different that program would be today. I notice and hear little things all the time (ie., RSS feeds, Web 2.0, etc.) and often wonder what they are. I am so happy to be learning about these tools, so I can stay current and keep up with the rest of the world.

Professionally, I recognize the importance of learning about these tools, so I can be better in tune with my students. I am amazed how easily children adapt to and use technology. Not only are they not afraid of it, they embrace it and often prefer it to traditional paper and pencil. In order to be an effective educator, I need to not only understand the tools they are using, but also find ways to incorporate these tools into my daily instruction. "Thing 1" was a very powerful video. It motivated me to want to learn more to help me be a better educator. Thing 2 overwhelmed me. I do think there is value in traditional teaching, and I wonder 1). how can we blend traditional teaching and learning with the technological tools that will teach our students 21st century skills, and 2). how will we, as educators, be able to keep up with all of these changes when we are less comfortable than our students in embracing and learning new technology?

To sum it up, I feel that the tools today are amazing and should be explored and used by our students, but I do not feel that they can totally replace traditional face-to-face communication and teacher-student personal interaction. I look forward to continuing on this journey to find the best of both worlds -- ways to incorporate today's technology into the fabric of my traditional classroom.