Blog Journal 4

   Prior to this class I was already familiar with twitter and used it in my free time. I have always viewed it as a social media tool, in the sense that it could only be used to communicate about social events or to share memes. It wasn't until this class that I was exposed to the world where twitter could be used as an informal professional tool to connect with other people within your field or specialty. I have been interacting with the other students in our class on twitter and some students in other sections. It has been interesting to see how similar and different our point or views are on the same topic.
   Although I have never viewed twitter in this particular outlet, I will use it in my future career because it is an easy way to exchange ideas with other professionals in the educational field. It is a great way to talk with those who may not be in our immediate area or are hard to get into contact with. I would also like to use it for my students to collaborate and discuss classroom related topics, much like we do in our class. I like that twitter is a very informal platform that opens the door for many people to be involved in a conversation and with use of hashtags or the @ symbol, the conversation can open up to even more people and the people they know. Twitter and maybe other social media platforms may be more useful than this generation can see.

   With the incorporation of technology into the classroom comes the over arching issue of the digital divide. It is important to acknowledge that many students may not have access to the technologies you want to use. Those who have access to these technologies and programs that can aid them in the classroom will have more of an advantage, not only in the classroom but in life as well. Our world is constantly changing and adapting with the use of technology, it is important to know how to use because it is more than likely that it will be utilized. Students who have technology readily available to them will be more familiar and comfortable with using it in their future careers.
   Sometimes the digital divide is not because of financial problems but because of lack of access. This could mean lack of access to a library, computer lab at school or even lack of a good internet connection. These factors will more than likely be present in my classroom and in order to stray away from the implications of it, I would try to bring the technology needed into the classroom for all the students to use while there. I would also make sure that if there are some circumstances out of my control then maybe that particular type of technology should not be incorporated in the classroom.

   There are many great, useful educational softwares out there for teachers and students to use. One that we use very often is MicroSoft office, it incorporates MS Word, MS Excell, MS PowerPoint and many more. It is extremely helpful in not only providing students with the proper tools to complete their assignments to the best of their abilities, but to also ensure proper and uniform formatting when their work is submitted. Students will also be able to use and become familiar with the same software that is used by many jobs and companies in the work environment.
   Besides MS Office, there is also a great too that I used all throughout high school called Khan Academy. It is a site that basically offers extra help in the core subjects with videos and practice problems. I would definitely use this with my future students because they will be growing up in a fast paced society and with that means an even faster paced education system to help them keep up with society's demand. Students will fall behind and unfortunately their isn't always time to help them catch up or to provide them with the extra help they need. Khan Academy offers extra help at home and allows students to work at their own pace.