Blog Journal #5

I first began using Twitter for social reasons in high school. Since then, I have discovered how great of a tool Twitter can be for professional purposes. Although I am still learning to use Twitter as a professional, I have interacted with a science teacher who is also in the department at a secondary academy in Lincolnshire. During an education talk thread on Twitter, this user posted resources for teachers to use to teach students new topics. I found this very beneficial to other teachers, as the worksheets were free to download and use. In my future career as a clinical psychologist, I believe Twitter can be helpful to stay up-to-date with new research. Additionally, I believe it will be a great way for me to connect with other professionals in the helping profession who understand the difficult aspects of the job. 

Upon reflecting on the digital divide and how it affects education, I realized how truly disadvantaged students who do not have adequate access to technology are. If students do not have access to modern technology, they will consequently not have access to the resources that other students have access to, creating a digital divide. Additionally, students with limited access to technology will not be as familiar with technology if they are required to use it for assignments. This may mean that they have to spend more time familiarizing themselves with the software they need to use compared to advantaged students. If I were a teacher, I have no doubt that I would have students who have less accessibility to technology. Therefore, I would strive to make sure that any of my assignments that require technology are able to be done in class. More specifically, I would provide my students with school-provided technology during class and dedicate time to their assignments. 

Additionally, when I provide my students with time to work on laptops or iPads, I would implement Kahoot and Dyknow. Kahoot is an online game-based learning platform that can be used to review class material and have fun competitions in the classroom. As a student in high school, I was introduced to Kahoot and it was a great help to me especially when reviewing for exams. It also helped motivate me to study because I wanted to do well in the Kahoot game. Dyknow is an academic software that allows teachers to monitor students' laptops or iPads and restrict them from certain content or websites. I would like to use this because it can be very tempting to go off track when given access to technology and it will allow me to monitor that my students are staying on task and spending their time efficiently.

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