How can technology be used to enhance cognition?

How can technology be used to enhance cognition? Well, first of all, one must learn to trouble shoot. That was a biggie for me to learn. I recently told my husband that I think I have too many people I use as crutches when it comes to tech stuff.

At school anytime I run into a problem on my computer or elmo or projector or apple tv, I run to Taylor because I know he will figure out what the problem is. At home, anytime I can't figure something out, I have kids and a husband who are always there to jump in and figure it our for me.

Now that I am in this program a few things have happened. First, Taylor will tell me, "Let me see you try to figure it out." And Lacey will start talking me through something. So now, and this is number two, when I catch myself starting to ask someone, at school or at home, to help me with something technology related, I stop and say, "Hang on. Let me see if I can do it." And guess what? 99% of the time I figure it out on my own!

This is the lovely flow chart my kids gave to me when I started school this summer. I have to remind myself to use it. In other words, figure it out! And guess what? Just now I had to figure out how to get this image on here because it didn't work in convenient the "drag and drop" method. I started to ask my husband, then said, "No, I will figure it out." And wa-la, I did it in no time!

Basically, I feel that technology enhances cognition because it forces you to learn something new. I will be learning how to write web pages. At the beginning of the semester in June the thought of learning html scared me to death. Now I really think can do it!

Techs that Enhance Cognition

When thinking of technologies that enhance cognition, I am drawn to think that everything does, at least for me. As I learn new skills on my computer or iPad or iPhone, my understanding grows. I have never made a blog before, so simply doing this assignment has helped me to acquire new knowledge.

At this writing, I am sitting at my desk at Mt. Mahogany, supposedly getting things ready for school to start next month. I hired a few former students to come help me last week, so I'm feeling like I have a good handle on things.

One thing that always stresses me when getting ready for school is the last minute documents, spread sheets, lists, never ending papers. Mainly it's because I don't know how to make them, save them, utilize the tools on Word. But through this past summer I have had to learn a LOT of new things. I sat down to work on my Disclosure Document, class lists, and other items, and found that I had ZERO anxiety about it. THAT was a great feeling!

One of the biggest things I learned this summer is "drag and drop!" Mind blown! I know, Jason likes to tease me about that, but it really has changed my attitude about a lot of things. Seriously, why didn't anyone tell me about this before? Well, actually, I know exactly why. I haven't ever really cared to learn. About anything technology related. Which brings us to the question, then why in the heck get a master's degree in Ed Tech??? For this exact reason: so I would be FORCED to learn new things.

So, back to the original opening, what technologies enhance learning? It depends on what you want to learn, and what you already know!

This Tech or That Tech? That is the Question...

For this post I have decided to focus on "How do we decide which technologies to use?" because this is a big question for me.

When I think of which technologies out of all those we've heard presentations about this last week, I have two feelings: excitement, and then overwhelm-ness. Excitement because I want to use them all! They are all so cool and seem like great additions to my classroom teaching processes. After all, isn't that why I'm in the tech strand? I would love to have a class blog. I would love to use nearpod, I would love to incorporate all the things we saw and heard. However, that leads to feelings of being overwhelmed trying to learn it all.

I have come to a few conclusions. First, I don't have to memorize them before I use them; and second, I don't have to incorporate them all right now either. I already use YouTube quite a bit in my classroom. There are tons of great little clips that I show my class (plus we watch things like KidHistory for fun:)). I am definitely going to use Remind. I'm pretty sure I am going to start a class blog. And of course we will be learning all the features and etiquette of email. But everything else will have to be incorporated as I can. Heck, I think I might even make a power point or two! (Keeping in mind Dr. Sowder's rules of ppt, of course. There's nothing worse than a boring ppt. Well, except district meetings, perhaps...)

So, how do we decide which tech to use? I think whatever seems to come naturally and fit in to what we are doing, without "broadcasting too many channels." I am "friends" on FB with a page called Teaching Resources, and today one of the posts led to this blog: http://www.cultofpedagogy.com/too-many-channels/. (Ok, I know there is a way for me to make that a hyperlink, but I don't know how to do that yet...) It was mainly about passing out a paper or giving an assignment, and then yapping on for a while and then being upset that the kids didn't follow the directions. However, reading the post made me think of having too many technologies, or anything else for that matter, going on in the classroom. I guess it all goes back to Bloom's Taxonomy, updated. What am I really trying to get out of this? Is it encouraging HOTS, or is it just fluff? Things to think about.

Overwhelmed to identity crisis

I'm baaaaack.....

It's been a very difficult couple of weeks for me, between being out of town, surgery, and stats. I suddenly became intensely overwhelmed and threatened to shut down. I did not, however :) Thanks to having a wonderful support team I have risen above and said, "To hell with stats! I will just do the best I can, and if I fail the last test, well then, I fail the last test and I will survive!"

The whole technology component has been a HUGE learning curve for me. And we really haven't even scratched the surface of what is to come. Just getting on Canvas and navigating it, making digital posters, blogging, wiki-ing, making power points, all the stuff people do everyday, and I struggle. But, I am learning :)

According to Erikson, Identity Crisis is the "failure to achieve ego identity during adolescence." There is nothing more uncomfortable than watching a group of young teens who are all trying to figure out who they are. They seem awkward and uncomfortable in group situations. They say funny, outlandish things. It seems hard for them to connect with groups. But put a phone or any mobile device in their hands, and they seem to suddenly be able to relate to so many different people on so many different levels and have deep, meaningful conversations. I have read FB posts from some kids that really surprise me at their maturity level. But as I watch the kids get positive feedback, they start to feel good about themselves and become more confident. I have watched a whole group of kids who started on FB when it first came out, and others who didn't jump on the bandwagon until quite a bit later, or ever, and it is interesting the difference between the groups. Did being on social media cause the kids to become more mature and insightful at a faster rate? Or were the kids who started on social medias more mature and insightful to begin with? Hmmm. i feel a research question coming on...