Session ONE

Assignment- Your first post should introduce yourself to the rest of the class and discuss your experiences with mobile devices and even the Apple II if you remember it. Be sure to address why we don't seem to be as excited about mobile technology for learning as we were about the first microcomputers.

My name is Bill Myers and I am 26 years old working as a Computer Technician for the San Bernardino City Unified School District. I have been working with the district for the past four years, first as a substitute teacher, then as a math tutor, and then this job. I also went through school in this district from kindergarten through 12th grade, so I have seen how technology in this particular school district has changed from the late 80's to the present. I remember how excited I use to get to get to play Oregon Trail on the computer. I was lucky enough that I even had one at home that was for my sister who was in high school at the time going into college. I remember taking all my essays home so I could type them up and turn them in all neat on clean white paper, instead of handwriting the whole thing in cursive. Not to mention all the new games they had available on the computer. Amazing thing is the fact I still peck when I type and I've never learned how to properly type with all my fingers. That was one thing that I never learned in school, even though it was expected that you typed up your research papers to put up on the bulletin board. I also remember printing out banners for celebrations and posters to hang. The pixels use to be bigger then the size 12 font now in Microsoft word or Appleworks.

I think the reason why we are not as excited about mobile technology as we were about the first computers becuase for three major reasons. One is because the mobile devices have more capabilites then the first computers did. For example, you were able to type your papers instead of using a typewritter, you can save your papers to look at later, and you were able to play games on them, some you can learn from, such as Orgeon Trail. Now the mobile technology can do all that and more. Some can access the internet, and that brings me to the next reason why we are not as excited as we should be. The internet has alot of things that are inappropriate and this gives them a way to access the material that they shouldn't. Of course districts do a good job of blocking most of this type of material, but nothing is perfect and there are ways around it. And this brings me to my final reason that many teachers, administrators, and staff do not trust students to use the technology appropriately. This is due to the fact that kids are curious and they love to play with the technology and find ways around the rules. This is not all students, but there are enough to hold the excitement to use these devices in the learning process.

Now not all mobile devices can go on the internet, but I still see them not being used properly. One device that comes to mind is a student hand held response device where a teacher can send out a test to the students' devices where they can take the test and the teacher gets immediate results and feedback from the students about a lesson that they just listened to. The students get involved and the teacher gets data back without having to correct it themselves. Now your probably wondering why isn't this technology being used more? Well I have one teacher using this technology and seventeen other teachers not. The reason I see is because all the other teachers are afraid and fustrated with technology because they don't understand it. Some of the blame could be on the fact that some teachers aren't confident in using technology and some blame could go on the fact that alot of these techers haven't been properly trained to use this technology in their classrooms as a learning device. Some techers see it as a waste and still like the old way of paper and pen because they are comfortable with that technique.

This is why I think we are not as excited about the mobile devices as we should be. Me on the other hand love new technology and I always get excited when my school recieves new technology to implement in the classrooms.

What I did?
6/24- Signed up for this class
6/28- After having no internet all weekend, I finally fixed the problem and listened to the podcast and posted my blog
6/28- E-mail Dr. Newberry about the project and to give him my blog URL