Journal #3 Nets-T 5

For this assignment I had to read, summarize, analyze, and reflect on an article from the digital edition of Leading and Learning with Technology.

 Journal #3: Bring the World into your Classroom
McDermon, L. (Sep/Oct 2010) Learning & Leading with Technology, Bring the World Into Your Classroom. International Society for Technology in Education.

The title for this article Bring the World into Your Classroom; was appropriate and explains the jest of the whole reading. The author starts out the article by giving examples of ways that technology can enhance the learning experience in the classroom. She goes on to give examples, which supports how students would benefit, and all the possibilities of learning through technology. The author also gives valuable information to the educator on how to get set up to teach through technology and reiterates why it is important for our students to be up to date with 21st century technology.
I found the article to be straight to the point and useful. I appreciate how she gave information on how to get started. Her ideas about videoconferencing were wonderful. I have never heard about the program Read Around the Planet, or Megaconference Jr. These programs are splendid ideas and I’m grateful that they have been brought into our education system and I am hoping that more and more schools catch on soon. This stuff is amazing; I want my daughters to have access to programs and opportunities like these. As a future educator, I decided to print out the article and save for when my turn comes to have a classroom. And then; hopefully I will be able to incorporate some of Linda McDermons suggestions into my classroom.
Questions:
Bringing technology into the classroom is fairly new, and therefore I haven’t heard much about it. I am wondering, if you were to be able to show videos in the classroom for learning purposes, how would you go about getting them approved?
I would assume that you would have to get it approved by your principle, but I am also wondering if schools even allow teachers to use internet videos. I have observed in plenty of elementary classrooms and I have never seen it done. And if the principle approves it; do you have to stop there, or keep going and get the parents permission as well? These are all issues that are unclear to me.
How will the students benefit from learning how to video conference?
Like the author, I also believe that this is the 21st century world and it’s important for students to be exposed to the technology that is around them. By videoconferencing the students have to utilize other technology skills that they end up learning so many skills in one conference. Videoconferencing can expose a student to the possibilities of the web. Think about how often they will probably use this acquired skill in the future for their benefit. They could use it in future education, they could use this skill to help get a career, or they could use it for their own personal benefit.