Blog Post 5

    My early experiences of using Twitter have been mediocre. I honestly feel the layout is confusing compared to Facebook in part because I can't find a function like Facebook Groups. When I use Twitter, it is usually to look at tweets from our past presidents and to get updates on COVID. I suppose it is more popular than Facebook with the newer generation, so it may have more relevant information from young people. 

    The digital divide is a growing dilemma in technology driven countries. As the United States because increasingly more dependent on technology for education, the gap between those who have access to said technology is becoming more apparent. The digital divide is a result of our already divided economy and education system. Those who live in more affluent areas are more likely to attend a school with high technological resources, while those who are in more impoverished areas likely have less access to technology and attend underfunded schools with more obsolete technology (i.e. overhead projector instead of smartboards). Many children also live in areas with spotty internet connection or don't have a personal computer at home to complete tasks. I think the best thing we can do as a teacher is to know and understand our students home situations and take their access to technology into account when planning for lessons. This information could be gathered through parent-teacher conferences or simply through surveys. As a teacher, I would like to incorporate alternative lessons and homework for activities where technology isn't available. 

    Nothing is worse than trying to teach a group of 5 year olds and to look around the classroom and see kicking feet, talking, and jumping around. Well, Go Noodle invites kids to use this energy and get up and move around. Go Noodle is a great tool for young kids and those with ADHD who have a hard time sitting still. Physical health is just as important in development as scholarly information and I love that Go Noodle provides fun ways for kids to exercise and take a break from sitting. Another neat software I found was Whiteboard. This program allows students to share in real time on the smartboard and onto others devices from their own device. I think it would be great for any age, but the schools must have access to computers or tablets for this work. I think this program is great because it encourages each student to work independently, but also to collaborate as a class.