Journal 6

Vaidyanathan, S. (2012). Fostering creativity and innovation through technolgy. Retrieved from http://citationmachine.net/index2.php?reqstyleid=2&mode=form&reqsrcid=APAJournalArticle&srcCode=3&more=yes&nameCnt=1

Digital projects often involve the use of scaling, measurements, and experimentation which are taught in the classrooms using traditional methods that can then be used and reinforced in the computer lab.  Additionally, technology education can cut down costs of classroom supplies because the teacher does not have to buy bulks of paper of paintbrushes for each student to use and possibly destroy.  All the tools that are needed for a project come equipped on the software or website that can be easily distributed to the students on their own computers.  Students are not the only people who benefit from digital education; their parents do as well.  Parents have noted that their child can come home and teach them something new about technology that they did not previously know, and are proud to see their children so excited about sharing their knowledge. 

Question 1:  What are some benefits of digital technology in the classroom?

Answer 1:  Digital technology allows for the students to use the skills and knowledge they have acquired in other subjects, and apply in it creative ways.  It teaches the student that it is okay to make mistakes and to think outside the box and take creative license with how they want a project to look.  It lets the students be their own teacher and freely design something that they can be proud of.  The programs they use may also show the students real practical uses of their math and science skills and get them interested in career paths that they may not have considered before.  In addition, technology is always going to be progressing and the skills they learn at a younger age will make it easier for them to forge ahead as the advances continue.  It can also provide some beneficial projects for art work, as this is decreasingly available or encouraged in the classrooms now.

Question2:  Why might digital technology being encouraging to a child in school?

Answer 2:  Digital technology reinforces the skills learned in STEM learning, so that they may perform better in the classroom and benefit from the positive reinforcement of higher grades.  Also, it lets the child take creative control of their work and puts them in charge of their learning which may lead to elevated levels of pride in themselves, their work, and their education in general.  Additionally, some of these children are able to go home and teach their parents about programs and how to use them which may also foster self-confidence that can be taken back into the classrooms in a continuous pattern.