Implications and Teaching Opportunities for Camera Use in Teaching and Learning

In a few short years, smart phones have quickly become the norm for people around the world. Of course, smartphones, just like any other invention have pro's and cons. According to Zogby Analytics, smart phones are meant to make life easier, but the real question is are they really making life easier or are they more trouble than help?

This week on our EDM310 Class Blog, we were given various percentages of data from smartphone users that range from the ages of 18 to 24. In most of the percentages, the answers are quite clear given that the percentages are quite high in number, meaning that a large number of users face the same issues. Also, from what I see from the data, it seems that our generation has become very dependent on smart phones, and it could be viewed in a positive or negative light.

In example of the negative point of view on smartphones, one might say that young people are TOO dependent on their phones and do not know how to function without them. I, personally, have received a few negative comments from people from older generations about my own technology usage. A prime example of this came from an usher in church who told me to put my phone away, yet did not know that I was not texting, but rather, I was looking at my Bible application. On the other hand, in example from the positive point of view, one might say that my generation has become technology savvy, and we use our technology to our advantage. I am sure there are few complaints about those young people that do a great job of providing a leading example of making great use of technology.

If you think about it, as teachers, technology could even make our jobs a bit easier. A new trend in education is paperless classrooms; so in a classroom filled with students with smartphones, laptops, tablets, and many more devices with internet capabilities, the possibilities are endless. Everything could be online or used by smart phone instead of worrying about papers. I really like the new trends in technology and their role in education.

Part B:

As a teacher in a classroom full of students with smartphones and/or tablets, I feel that a huge weight would be lifted off of my shoulders in the area of instruction. Of course, as an educator, instruction plays a huge role in the students education process. However, with so much technology available, there can a much bigger role placed on independent research by students and project based learning opportunities are drastically increased. I feel that all of the same resources that my classmates in EDM310 and I have used, can be used at a lighter scales in an elementary classroom.