Alexa Ruane- Blog Journal #2

  Hello EME 2040 classmates!

In my educational experience, I have become familiar with both Microsoft Word and other word processing software such as Google Docs. Although Microsoft Word offers many great features and is more widely accepted, I believe Google Docs is a revolutionary tool for amending and sharing word documents. It was not until middle school that I began using Google Docs, but since then, it has been my ‘go-to’ word processor. One of the reasons that I love this application is because it is very compatible for all of my devices. Additionally, I appreciate that it organizes all of my documents without using a ton of storage on my electronics. 

The International Society for Technology in Education’s (ISTE) Standards are empowering for both educators and students. According to iste.org there are seven qualities an educator must embody to effectively ‘empower’ their students. These qualities include being a learner, leader, citizen, collaborator, designer, facilitator, and analyst. There is an immense value in these educational standards, in that they aid educational leaders across the world in guiding students to thrive and reach their goals in both academic and social aspects. 

Out of the seven standards for educators promoted by the ISTE, I believe that leadership is the most essential aspect for K-12 educators to obtain. Without the ability to lead students, an educator is unable to provide empowering learning techniques and relate to their students’ needs. Whether it be a kindergarten student or a young adult in the twelfth grade, students need to feel comfortable with the idea of achieving a shared vision with their teachers. As a recent high school graduate, I can attest to the importance of feeling led within the classroom, rather than forced or dictated.  

In an increasingly modern society, technology has a massive role in the educational environment. According to Oxford Languages, a digital native is “a person born or brought up during the age of digital technology and therefore familiar with computers and the Internet from an early age.” For this reason, I believe that today’s youth can be labeled as ‘digitally native’. As far back as I can remember, digital tools and resources have supplemented my learning experiences. In fact, I believe today’s generation of learners are far more digitally native than their own teachers, some of which I would classify as digital immigrants. I have commonly witnessed educators who lack the ability to effectively communicate with their students digitally. I foresee that my future students will have some technological abilities that I lack as well. For this reason, I hope to implement the first ISTE standard for educators (being a learner) in my teaching practices.