Currently I teach 7th grade English, and asked them how they felt technology and digital media has enhanced their learning in the class, and I was surprised with their brazen honesty. Now, maybe their answers had something to do with the fact that we are currently administering the PSSA exam, but many students thought that the technology available to them has done little to "enhance" their knowledge of the subject material. One student noted that every year a teacher attempts to find a new program to try and make learning "cool" or fun, but then over uses the source so much that it becomes boring, pointless, and unenjoyable. My students have claimed that I, as well as teachers in the past, have ruined the excitement they once associated with Prezi... (Tough crowd) That's too bad since they are in the midst of a Prezi poetry presentation.
Another concerned voiced in our technology discussion today was the fact the BYOD policy has only further separated the "haves" from the "have nots". With more and more students bringing in their ipads, cellphones, and computers, some of the students that cannot afford these technologies feel left out. Also, some of my students said that they feel embarrassed when they have to admit to a teacher or groupmates that they cannot log onto the internet at home to complete projects. I replied that this is why most projects are completed in class with school provided technology, but they seemed to be displeased with some of the outdated operating systems.
A few others also questioned the big push for technology in the district, and said though they enjoyed creating with computers, found it frustrating that many times they thought teachers were using technology just to use technology. Why create a discussion on Edmodo when one could have just as easily been done in class face to face.
Most of the students when asked about creativity and digital media claimed that they wanted to learn how to create their own videos, video games, or apps, and were disappointed to learn that this was not possible with the technology we had available in school. There seemed to be a disconnect between the technology that they viewed as important, and the presentation based web tools that teachers collaborated with.
One positive that did come from the discussions had with the classes today was that most of the students did like the influx of videos and pictures that related the material being learned to their daily lives, but voiced they would rather have the teacher, or someone else create the presentations while they watched. These answers didn't surprise me too much, though it was a bit disheartening how negative many of the responses seemed to be. As I responded to their concerns I did mention part of our goal as teachers is to prepare students for the careers of the future in which technology is playing a much greater role. Collaboration and creation is a must, whether or not 7th graders find it "cool". Though some of the students may not believe that the technology has helped them grow, I do believe that they are becoming better digital citizens and more aware of how subject matter can be used in their daily lives.
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