Cell Phones

I’m excited to integrate technology into the classroom. However, when it comes to using cell phones, I’m hesitant, primarily because of cost. “Currently a basic cell phone has the ability to be the students’ ‘Swiss Army knife’ of technology,” but in order to utilize its more useful features (Internet, etc.), students need more than a basic cell phone plan.

Cell phones and cell phone plans cost money; not all students can afford them, and I don’t think schools should purchase student cell phones. Any money that would be spent on cell phones would be “better utilized for other technology purchases.”

I do see the potential of using cell phones in the classroom, but what do we do in situations where students don’t have cell phones or can’t afford to upgrade cell phone plans? How do we involve these students without drawing attention to the fact that they're part of the ‘have-nots’?

Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying is use of technology (cell phones, email, social networking sites, blogs, instant messages, etc.) to deliberately insult, harass, intimidate, threaten, or cause emotional harm or damage to a person and/or his/her reputation. Although I’ve heard of instances of cyberbullying, I do not have personal experience as a victim or perpetrator.

Cyberbullying is difficult to stop because it is difficult to monitor. It can take place anytime and from anywhere. Perpetrators can remain anonymous by hiding behind a screenname. Cyberbullying is also difficult to stop because of the legal gray area; schools risk being sued for exceeding their authority and violating the students’ right to free speech.

There may be ways to tell a student is being cyberbullied. A drop in academic performance or an increase in tardies and absences may be signs of cyberbullying. Victims may also be visually upset, angry, anxious, or depressed. Cyberbullying affects the learning environment; therefore, I believe schools should do everything they can to prevent and regulate cyberbullying, regardless of where it takes place.

I'm going to do my best to prevent cyberbullying in my classroom. Because I'll be incorporating technology in my teaching, I'm going to establish clear rules and emphasize respect and appropriate online communication. If cyberbullying does take place, I'll react quickly and appropriately to prevent the problem from escalating. Though I'd address the problem individually, I'd want the class (and possibly the school) to be aware of the seriousness of cyberbullying.

Social Networking

Search “Steven Huynh” on Google and you get 11,800 results. You won’t find anything about me though, unless you narrow your search. Instead you’ll find information about the hundreds of other Steven Huynhs in the world. Though there’s really nothing bad, I don’t want people to confuse me with any of my “imposters.”

I’m glad that I don’t have to change anything about me on the Internet. If anything, I’m a little disappointed that I didn’t come up anywhere in the first twenty pages of results. That'll be my goal.

To a certain extent, I believe teachers should be held to community standards, even in their personal lives. Teachers work with impressionable students. Therefore, we must exercise good judgment and be aware of everything we say and do. I think a teacher's speech should be held against them, depending on the circumstances. I’d exercise caution and recommend using common sense.

I like that the article highlighted the potential benefits of social networking sites. As we’ve learned, technology can enhance the learning experience and help teachers relate to Digital Natives. Social networking is a part of that, providing opportunities for communication outside of the classroom. The story that I found most interesting was the one where the principal forwarded the superintendent's e-mail. We can control what we put in an e-mail, but not what others do with it, and therefore, shouldn’t automatically be held accountable for everything outside of our control.

I’ve always been careful about how I conduct myself in person and on the Internet. You never know who’s watching. I’ll be a little more aware of how I use privacy settings on social networking sites to control who can access my information. I’ll probably also “Google” (or "Google Pacman") myself occasionally, if for nothing else, to check to see if I’ve cracked the first twenty pages.

Digital Native

"Today's average college grads have spent less than 5,000 hours of their lives reading, but over 10,000 hours playing video games (not to mention 20,000 hours watching TV)." I wouldn’t be surprised; that sounds about right. Needless to say, I am a Digital Native. However, I can relate to Digital Immigrants.

Growing up, the technology in my classroom was cutting edge! We had dry erase boards and overhead projectors and movies on VHS! It sounds ridiculous now, but at the time, this was all really exciting! I feel very fortunate to have experienced the transition from chalkboards and filmstrips. It has allowed me to truly appreciate the technological advances we’ve experienced so far. For that reason, I feel like a bridge connecting Digital Immigrants with Digital Natives.

When properly used, technology is an effective tool that can improve the learning experience. Technology is only a tool though. In college, I took a course where lectures were pre-taped and broadcast to students in class. The only time I saw the professor in person was during the final exam. Unfortunately, I didn’t learn much in that class. I'm certain we will experience failure in our attempts to incorporate technology in the classroom, but I'm sure we will learn a lot through the process of trial and error.

I’m excited about technology's potential in the classroom. For math, calculators and computers can be used not only to calculate more accurately and efficiently, but also to create visual representations of ideas and concepts. Technology can be used to teach anything!

In order to be an effective teacher, you have to know your students. Prensky’s articles reminded me that today’s students think and process information differently. "Today's students are no longer the people our educational system was designed to teach." Therefore, we need to effectively incorporate technology into our teaching to keep our students engaged. Prensky calls attention to the fact that “[t]oday’s learners are different.” Even with technology, students will be different. As teachers, we must identify our students’ various learning styles and incorporate a variety of teaching strategies to improve the learning experience. Most importantly, we must recognize that technology is only a tool and that exposing today’s students to a variety of teaching strategies (even some "old stuff") will only challenge their brains to think in new and different ways.

Introduction

My name is Steven Huynh. I graduated from the University of Southern California in 2006 with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, a Minor in Cinema-Television, and a Minor in Communication and the Entertainment Industry.

I am currently pursuing my Master of Arts in Teaching at Concordia University. I am interested in teaching High School Math and/or Biology and coaching basketball and tennis.

My favorite animal is the Superb Bird-of-Paradise because of its unique courtship display.


My second favorite animal is the Gorilla because it can play basketball.