Technology In School Interview

On November 24th, 2016 I interviewed my cousin. Her name is Olivia, and she attends Eagleville Elementary School. She is ten years old and is in the fifth grade at Eagleville Elementary.

I asked her the question, why do you want to use technology for learning? At first her response was a little vague. She responded, I do not know. Once I was given that response, I asked her how are you using technology in your classes now? She then went on to explain that she has been using her cell phone to record video during one of her elective classes. She explained that she was to make a time lapse video. She created paper people, paper car, and paper locations. She did her video over her vacation she had in Chattanooga with her family. She would move the paper people and paper locations, and she would record the movement little by little. She made the video look like the paper people we going to different locations. The project was really neat, and she was very proud of her project. She said she loved using her cell phone in class, and she loved that her teacher let her use her cell phone in class. Once everyone completed the project, each student showed their video through the computer.

She then went on to say that her school has iPads and laptops that are shared through out the school. The equipment can come to the classrooms upon the teacher's request. Olivia said she loves when he iPads come to her classroom and she gets to use them. She has a tablet of her own at home, and she knows how to work the iPads. After her response of she did not know, it seemed to me any kind of learning that involves technology is was excited about.

After hearing her excitement about using technology in the classroom, it made me really want to include as much technology as I can in my future classroom. Whatever technology is available at the time, I would want to use it in my classroom. My ideal technology in the classroom is computers are available for each student. If not computers, I would love to have iPads for each student. I would want to use to the latest educational apps. There are so many apps out that could be utilized in the classroom. I feel like using different apps could help the students academically. The apps could be used to help aide in teaching lessons and digitally assess students. I would want to incorporate technology in my lessons as much as I can.

Texting and the English Language

Today I am going to discuss an online video. The video is a TED talk. The title for the video is called Txtng is killing language. JK!!!’. The speaker of the video is John McWhorter. This video was published in February 2013. Here is the link for the online video: 

https://www.ted.com/talks/john_mcwhorter_txtng_is_killing_language_jk

John begins his TED talk by expressing his opinion about texting. He feels like the invention of texting is a positive discovery. He relates texting to humans speaking. In his video, he says that language was discovered many many years ago, and writing is a tool that came after language and speaking. McWhorter said, "Now don't get me wrong, writing has certain advantages. When you write, because it's a conscious process, because you can look backwards, you can do things with language that are much less likely if you're just talking." He then discusses that we do not speak like we write. Our speaking is much more common and casual. Our writing is usual professional and thought out. What is texting? John answers that question. He says, “What texting is, despite the fact that it involves the brute mechanics of something that we call writing, is fingered speech. That's what texting is. Now we can write the way we talk."Texting has created new structures. Saying LOL and slash in text messages have changed the meaning. LOL usually means laughing out loud, however in some context LOL is used to show empathy in text messages. Slash is used to change the subject in text messages. To wrap his TED talk, McWhorter says, " And so, the way I'm thinking of texting these days is that what we're seeing is a whole new way of writing that young people are developing, which they're using alongside their ordinary writing skills, and that means that they're able to do two things." He then says, " And so texting actually is evidence of a balancing act that young people are using today, not consciously, of course, but it's an expansion of their linguistic repertoire." 

When I was younger, I witnessed texting enter the world of technology. It became a new way to communicate, and texting came into the world like a storm. I got my first cell phone, and i began to text immediately. It was one of the biggest ways I communicated with my family and friends. Young people are learning to text and use technology at younger ages. I agree with John McWhorter. Texting should not be frowned upon or be viewed negatively. Texting is a great way to communicate, and it is not running the English language. In my opinion, texting should be embraced. The English language is constantly changing just like technology. Change is constant, and as a community we should be open to it.