Blog Post 2

         I've been using Microsoft programs, specifically Word, for the vast majority of my schooling. I am even certified in Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. While Microsoft programs aren't the easiest ones on the market, I've found that they offer the best balance of simplicity and opportunity. They have a lot of features that you can't find on platforms like Google. Overall, I prefer them for my own schoolwork, but for more personal writing I tend to use Google Docs. The benefit of Docs over Word is that I can pull up those documents on my phone just about anywhere, but now with Microsoft 365, Microsoft is catching up in this aspect. 

         The ISTE Standards for Educators serves well as a comprehensive list of guidelines. A few of these guidelines stand out particularly to me as someone who grew up using technology in school. In particular as a college level student, standard 2.3b is one I wish my teachers in high school had been able to pay more mind to. Standard 2.3b promotes the teaching of digital literacy. There is an inherent understanding for me now of what it means for an online source to be credible, but I had to struggle to learn those things on my own early on so that they could service me as such now. The standards also make a few points that go beyond the technological aspect of teaching. For example, standard 2.4d promotes educators exemplifying "cultural competency" in interactions with students and families. This ability to interact smoothly and kindly with people of all different backgrounds is applicable to every single aspect of life, so it's inclusion in the ISTE, while a bit redundant, is an important one.

        As someone who grew up with gradually building technology, I've found that it has, in fact, made it easier for me to pick up new technologies that come out. I remember my first elementary school's transition from chalk boards to white boards, and later my better funded middle school transitioning to Smart Boards. These changes, even then, seemed a lot easier on me than on my instructors. I even had a few instructors that preferred to use the white board and/or projector even once they had a Smart Board installed in their classroom. It is understandable that my peers who witnessed the same would also have more ease and adaptability than others. However, some claims that are made about us so-called digital natives have less to do with the technologies and more to do with the individual. For example, it is said that students now have shorter attention spans. While this is definitely true for some, and while it is a logical conclusion that has been made, it is not a universal statement that can be made. Another claim that is made is that students no longer like to read. My rebuttal is thus: when did students ever like to read for school? Then, when it comes to reading for pleasure, the fact is that it comes down to how a student's parents have treated reading at home. My mother placed a lot of emphasis on it, so me and my siblings have better reading comprehension and higher reading levels overall, but even despite this I am the only one of us who likes to read for fun. A student finding pleasure outside of their technologies is in part the responsibility of the parents, but also has a lot to do with character in the end. The basic facts of "digital natives" and their differences to "digital immigrants" are indisputable, but the more widespread effects of this nativity become very nuanced and make it difficult to point fingers at one single thing. In the end, it is important to use new technologies that the students easily recognize, while still limiting their constant exposer to media in order to help them be more well-rounded. I can imagine how it might be more difficult for educators to connect with their students when it comes to media, but I also know that the easiest way to bridge that gap is to simply interact with the culture of the internet and acknowledge its day-to-day effects.