Post #8

Presentation Software, Digital Divide, and Educational Technology

     I think that using presentation software is a big advantage. It makes class much more interesting for students and keeps them involved.  It also allows them to visualize the information that the teacher is presenting and allows the teacher to easily show them videos.  I don't think that there are any disadvantages to using presentation software. 

     I am on the side of the digital divide that does have access to, use of, and knowledge of technology.  I think that the digital divide will affect my classroom because if I decide to use adaptive technologies such as Goodreads, it will require students to go on the internet on their own time.  To address this problem, I will recommend that the students that don't have internet access go to the library and use the computers there. 

     I am very interested in the problem of the funding for educational technology.  There is a big debate over whether spending a ton of money on technology for students is worth it.  Some schools spend money buying an individual laptop for each student.  I don't think that this is worthwhile, because some students don't have internet access at home, so the laptop wouldn't be beneficial to them.  I do think it is important that students have access to technology at the school.  Having a sufficient amount of computers in the library and having computer labs is an extremely important tool.  Here is a journal that discusses this debate: The Great Debate: Effectiveness of Technology in Education.