Journal 1

 
     I personally think that in today's society what influences teachers and students to use technology in the classroom is the fact that it pushes the boundaries of what is possible to both learn and teach. With the introduction of technology in the 21st century, individuals around the world have acknowledged the impact technology can have in an educational environment through its ability to engage students and keep them interested and excited to learn. I have concluded that many teachers choose to utilize technology as it makes even the most boring lessons interactive and keeps the positive morale up within the classroom. On the other hand, the appeal and efficiency of technology influences students to want to use computers, smartboards, and other devices to complete their assignments and pursue their education. While there are many mixed feelings about the extent to which technology should be used in the classroom and if there are positive effects, I find that the overall effectiveness and ease of using technology influences teachers and students to use it in the classroom.
       As I read the ISTE standards, I find myself completely agreeing with the seven standards and feel as if they serve as accurate guidelines towards becoming a successful instructor in the technological world. The one standard that is particularly meaningful to me in the list of ISTE standards for educators, is the ability to be a learner. I think this one stands out the most for me as I think it is significant for educators and leaders to understand that they are not perfect and do not know everything as the world is constantly changing and there us always so much to learn with each and every day. I also think this is important to state for educators who utilize technology as it is vital to be open to learning new devices and gathering how they can impact their students lives as time progresses. On the other hand, while I personally strive to remember this standard as I pursue my own career in this field, I do believe that there are some ISTE standards for students that are outside of my skill set. For instance, when I reflect on my skills from a student perspective I do not feel that I strongly express the qualities of a computational thinker. According to the standards, this standard requires students to "develop and employ strategies for understanding and solving problems in ways that leverage the power of technological methods to develop and test solutions".  I perceive this standard to mean that a student has the ability to navigate and overcome struggles within the technological world and because I lack this ability, I will try to do better because it is important in today's society.
       Similar to the way I mentioned that I believe technology has many benefits and has positively impacted the world we live in, I also agree that that the term "digital native" fits for today's youth. The term native is defined as "a person born in a specified place or associated with a place by birth, whether subsequently resident there or not," therefore the young individuals of our world have entered this world and grown up an environments that entirely revolves around technology and new advancements. As I grow older, I find it more difficult to see vast differences between the digital natives and digital immigrants, because almost everyone has grown to learn and at least partially understand technology. However, when I was younger I found myself and my fellow digital natives being able to solve issues or navigate technological devices much more quickly and with great ease in comparison to digital immigrants. This has impacted me to want to learn how to use technology and be aware of its potential so I am able to help and relate to my students and children. I anticipate that I will utilize technology a lot less than my students as I am aware of the amount of experience today's upcoming youth has with technology.

    
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