Blog Post 1

Looking back at my K-12 experience, I do not remember technology that much in it. In elementary school, once a week we would go to the computer lab for about an hour. We usually spent this time either learning techniques to typing, playing math games or spelling games. This helped us become more familiar with computers for future use although we did not spend much time using computers. Between the three years in middle school, computers were rarely ever used and most assignments were to be done by hand and not typed on the computer. High school incorporated computers more as I remember very frequently going to the computer lab and working on projects on the computers. Technology was used inside and outside of the classroom much more during high school. Although technology was not a major component of my K-12 experience, I feel as though it was the right amount to teach me how to use it without becoming obsessed with it.
If I were to begin teaching tomorrow, I would definitely integrate as much technology as I could into my classroom. The least I would do is bring my own computer into the classroom and connect it to a projector. This way I could show things to the classroom on my computer rather than on the whiteboard all the time. Using smartboards and laptops can keep the students more engaged in their learning and make things more interesting. It all comes down to how much the school can afford. If the school could afford to give my classroom a smartboard and 28 laptops like in the class I volunteered in, then that would be ideal. The more technology in the classroom the better, because that is our future. The sooner that students are able to become comfortable with how to work technology the better they will do when they grow up, because knowing how to use these devices is a necessity.