Blog Journal #2

 My Experience with Microsoft Word:

    I've used Microsoft Word since I can remember, always being the go-to for any note taking or projects I've had to complete. My Mom is very into the latest and greatest Technology innovations and when Microsoft Word came out, she utilized it for her keeping of family records, and made sure that me and my sister were capable of using it for schoolwork and other documentation purposes. We later came to use it for the creation of calendars, flyers, invitations, lists, and graphs - before we were taught the basics of Microsoft Excel. Personally, I prefer to use Google Docs as it is much more searchable and can be stored online rather than taking up space on my computer memory, and it works seamlessly with other Google Programs. I've used Word quite a bit in my life and am proficient in the software, though it's not my personal preference.

ISTE Standards for Educators:

The Standard for Educators that is the most meaningful for me, is the Collaborator and Designer standard. For Collaborator Educators, It's important to me because a collaborator wants to improve themselves by sharing information and resources with colleagues and with students, who are uniquely aware of what works best for them and their learning. To me, this shows that a teacher, while an authority figure, may not be perfect in everything and can learn something new themselves. The Designer standard is important and meaningful because these types of educators accommodate to learner's different types of learning processes, students being either visual, auditory, or tactile learners. If a student is not met where they'll do their absolute best, how are they to be truly productive and contribute to society in their later years?

"Digital Native" Label:

The Label given to people as being "Digital Natives" is, in my opinion, very presumptuous and judgmental. The Term assumes that someone in this grouping, millennials and following generations, are overly dependent on technology and that technology is the only way to identify this group of people - that they have nothing else belonging to them as a generation besides technology's existence. It's true that Millennials and their following generations have not known a time without digital technology, but is that not the goal in society? To give your children and the next generation a better life that the one you had previously. Teachers have struggled to adapt to technology and other have flourished with new innovations, they know what works for them and what they're comfortable with using to instruct their students. I'd imagine that there will be a gap in ability to use new technologies when I am instructing new generations, but I personally would imagine that I would use whatever I felt would help me most effectively in instructing students - regardless of pressure to change .