John Hawkins
Reflection 4
I feel as though the trends listed in the report are very accurate. I strongly agree with the idea that social media is changing the way that people communicate, present ideas, and interact. The use of social media allows us to share news and information very quickly and effectively. I learn new things each day from the use of Twitter and Facebook. Some of the things are not useful, however, sometimes I learn key information through social media. This trend is beginning to expand. A few years ago, the age-group and overall population using social media devices like Facebook and Twitter was much smaller. In today’s world, it is not uncommon for young children and elderly people to utilize social media.
The major challenge that I can relate to the most is the fact that education’s own practices limit the broader uptake of new technologies. I believe that people are hard headed when it comes to change, especially with technology. It is important that we focus on some of the benefits that accepting change can have on our country’s education. Trying and applying new technologies to the educational field is very important. I believe that schools should understand how beneficial the use of innovative technologies can be for the kids’ learning and encourage the teachers to urge their kids to apply new technologies.
I was very fascinated with the use of 3D printers. Not only do I find this concept very interesting, I also see how beneficial this can be for education. I would like to experience the way a 3D printer works while creating models and prototypes. If this concept keeps becoming more affordable, 3D printing can become even more vital to learning than it is today. Incredible advances like 3D printers and virtual laboratories are very fascinating to me. Reading this article made it very clear to me that times are changing dramatically and technology is becoming more and more important in the field of education.
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