I think that this cultural shift where everyone wants to share their input or participate in all of these different ways is going to sort of change the way classrooms have existed traditionally. I think kids are going to want to have more of a say in what they’re doing in classrooms because due to this shift in participation, they feel entitled to it. I don’t think I’m necessarily qualified to judge whether this mindset would be justified or not, but that is my prediction. I have also noticed that more and more students have their phones on them in class, leading to students being on their phones or being distracted during school. I find this to be a very challenging dynamic as parents often want their child’s phones on them for communication.
Another challenge I see kids facing right now is that they are so used to constant stimuli. My breakout group touched on this topic for a little bit and it’s interesting because even adults are having this problem. But for school-aged kids and new trends every minute, new internet micro-celebrities, new memes, new pop culture, new everything, it changes so fast that I think it is going to get more and more difficult to keep kids engaged in school. Especially with topics that can take a while to cover.
The last challenge I’ll write about is academic integrity. It can be quite challenging to monitor and it adds a whole new task for teachers. Running assignments through AI-checking programs is an added step to grading written assignments. And with students going to the bathroom during a test with their phones in their pockets, you obviously cannot ban them from using the bathroom but then you also can’t be 100% sure they aren’t looking up answers. I know that students who cheat will find a way regardless, but I still don’t know where to begin about tackling this issue. That being said, AI has some really great uses for teachers! This Forbes article lists some of the pros and cons of AI in schools. Pros such as AI powered educational games and adaptive learning platforms.
To add another positive of technology in the classroom, one thing I really enjoy is the use of programs like Google Classroom or other similar programs so that everything is accessible to the students and parents/guardians at all times and allows for simple communication between teacher, student, and parents/guardians. I really like it for the purpose of allowing students to have easy access to all the course content and materials at anytime.
Another thing that I really enjoy about technology is the ability for teachers to communicate with each other all around the world. Sharing what works for their classes, and what doesn’t work, giving tips or suggesting different resources. It builds community. In "An Anthropological Introduction to YouTube", Wesch said “It’s not just about linking information, but it’s actually about linking people in ways that we’ve never been linked before” (6:38) and I think that is very true and a real game-changer for the education field.
I am really excited about the possibilities of technology in the classroom and how it can benefit our students. I think it can allow us to explore teaching in an even more creative way. I also believe that even though this new digital world comes with some challenges, I think the benefit that it brings of being able to connect teachers and build community can help us in finding balance as we continue to learn.
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