Post Number One

I guess it's a little silly to create a new blog, considering how sporadic a poster I am with my other one.

Oh well.

My main reason for doing so is that one of my teaching credential classes requires us to get used to instructional technologies; blogs fit under that category, I guess. So here we are! This will probably become a place for my more random musings - things that I don't really intend to make sense, etc.

Not that I ever don't make sense, of course.

So, first off: My Technological Experience
It would be safe to say that I am the most computer-savvy one in my home. Whenever Mom needs a PowerPoint, or when Dad first worked with Office 2007, I am/was the one that teaches them what to do. Mom swears that our generation was born with chips in our brains. If I don't know how to do something, I generally can figure it out; I'm no longer afraid of causing irreparable damage. Facebook (and before that, Xanga and MySpace) is one of the most convenient and useful ways to keep in touch with friends. I've dabbled in graphic design and have fun with Publisher. My family has historically been a PC clan (Personal Computers, that is; not Politically Correct), but one of my jobs had a Mac, so I know how to use those, too. I find technology useful; distracting, too. There are times when I need to shut off my computer and ignore my iPod in order to do anything productive - or so I can fully relax.

Item 2: My Educational Experience
As a teacher candidate at CSUSM's single subject program, I am surrounded by education all day, every day. Not that that's a bad thing, mind you. When I was at Biola, not only did I live, breathe, sleep and eat books, but I also worked as a tutor at the Writing Center. There's something about helping others develop a skill (and seeing the "aha!" moments) that is incredibly gratifying. It's fun getting those "aha!" moments myself, too. A key mantra that we candidates are being drilled in is that we're never going to stop learning. Having the title "Teacher" doesn't make us any less of a student than the 10th graders are. Hey, fine by me! Who wouldn't want to keep discovering new and fun stuff for the rest of his life?

Item 3: My Future with Technology in Education
As a prospective history teacher (especially if I set up on-line classes), I can see technology playing a big role in my methods. Though I always have - and always will - love to work with books, the amount of information at our fingertips is too good to pass up. As a research tool, I'll expect my students to take full advantage of the internet and legitimate resources for their own projects. Maybe I can use blogging as a way to get them to reiterate what they've learned. Publisher, PowerPoint and other Office applications have already become staples in the education world: it's hard to imagine life without them.

And now for something completely different. Even the most stalwart history-hater must succumb to the narrative of Eddie Izzard: