My Journey into Digital Technologies

Hi,

today I began my chosen module for this semester. As a mature student I choose this module to broaden my understanding and skills within the ever growing planet of technology. I say planet as I often feel I am an alien visitor to this place of buttons, clicks, beeps and digital language. As a mother with children whose life seems to revolve around technology I have learned only the basics of what I needed to travel around this world but have never understood properly the real significance of it in our society or its huge impact on education. My first thoughts were that I would learn how to use the technology I have seen in classrooms efficiently so that I could show the pupils how to use it and it would enhance and support their learning and my teaching. However, after reading the Scottish Government (2016) A Digital Learning and Teaching Strategy for Scotland it has become apparent that not only should I be able to do this but as a tool it’s important for many reasons which I hope will come to make sense over the coming weeks. Some of the reasons outlined in my reading are that digital technology in schools can provide equal access for all children to its benefits in their learning helping raising attainment, it equips children with the skills they need for their future careers in a dynamic digital workforce and it enriches what has to be taught and how it is assessed. Prior to the lecture on Tuesday I had not quite picked up on these reasons and was a little sceptical about the pots of money being thrown at schools to purchase digital materials, although after our discussions today I can really see the force of the Scottish government policy and I hope by the time I reach the end of my module I will be convinced as an old school learner of the value and importance of digital literacy for our learning now and into the future.  As a learner myself I have already been able to see the benefits of online resources, email, assessment and presenting and I am looking forward to developing my creativity with the use of devices such as programmable toys for teaching in the classroom. And indeed by completing the self-assessment wheel was surprised how much I already know. Perhaps the two hundred hours’ study and weekly blogging will bring me into the 21st century and the reality of being a native in our ever increasing digital world but more importantly teach me to be an effective and innovative teacher of the future.

Logging off until next week…