Technology Transformation

When brought up in a conversation, the term technology can either do two things.  It can scare or intrigue.  Often times, there is a stereotype of what type of individuals are scared by this term.  There is also the stereotype that only the 'educated young adults' could somehow manage to understand this technological transformation.  Although, somehow this transformation has reached nearly everyone, somehow in some way. Today in the 21st century, there are moms, dads, and grandparents on Facebook, on-line bill pay users of the elderly, and young school-aged children creating blogs for literary work and checking their Twitter accounts regarding classwork.  From one end of the world to another, technology is transforming at such rapid rates, it is nearly impossible to steer clear from it.
After watching this stimulating video on YouTube called, Shift Happens, the statistics for future innovative and technological advances sent chills down my spine.  E-paper will one day be cheaper than regular paper?  So you mean to tell me, that paper and pencil that I have been raised to love and the smell of old books in a library will soon not exist?  Scary!  Nevertheless, while taking this on-line class to enhance my knowledge of  technology in the classroom, it truly has intrigued me in numerous areas. One day, I am sure to be 100% accustomed to it.
The video, Shift Happens provided statistics about jobs around the world and how fast they are advancing and improving.  In regards to education according to this video, "for students starting a four year technical degree, this means that half of what they learn their first year of study, will be outdated by their third year of study"!  I do not want to give too much information away, so please watch!  

The second video I would like to reflect upon is called Social Media Revolution which is also found on Youtube.  This video truly conveys the impact social media has on the lives of everyone in the world.  Kindergartners are now using Ipads to learn instead of blackboards, customers now rely on websites such as Yelp.com for recommendations, and most shockingly, 1 in 5 divorces are blamed on the partners use of Facebook.  The largest question I have a concern for, is the impact technology is going to have on future education, how I can be prepared for it, and most importantly, how I can use it effectively.

Throughout this course, I have learned, created and designed countless new ideas to build my knowledge of technology and incorporate it in my future classroom.  This video could be used in my classroom as well if I am working with middle or high-school children.  Secondly, it could be used as a great way to hook my students into learning a different aspect of technology.  However, I do not feel as if my students will ever not be intrigued in technology, and it is a wonderful tool to engage students in all content areas.