Video

Video was mostly utilized with me in the past by taping presentations and playing them back. It helped me to become a better public speaker and to watch my mistakes that I made. I certainly could have used video to "spice" up any presentation I had. I did use a lot of movie clips and other things like that to emphasize my topic. I could have seen more use in my drama classes then anywhere else. It would have been fun to tape things and play them. I could see using video in my classes (especially in Literature) to have students describe or reenact the plays and classic novels in their own words. They could add music and turn it into whatever they wanted. It would be easy to teach a students something if they can make it their own. I would enjoy seeing the creative sides of the students in my class. When you allow someone to make something their own, I feel you are going to get a better response.
I also could see utilizing video instead of a school newspaper. Allow the students to tape the events that will occur almost like a news show. That would be the perfect assignment for an English class. I would imagine that you could use video with just about anything and allow a lot more creativity and there would be a job for everyone. If a person did not like being on the camera he/she could operate, write or make the story line allowing for all to be involved. The more hands on stuff a student can be involved in the more engaged that student is.
It is also important to utilize the things that are out there to enhance ones education. History channel, Aand E, youtube, etc. When a student can watch something and take it in they will understand it. When video is used to reinforce the idea then it is well worth it.

The end to endless possibilities

I am so glad that this reading addressed the lack of technology that is accessible to the children of the age of "net generation". I see this everyday at my program. The students at the school have the ability to text and some are on face book. (I have found that even if they are not on face book they will lie to the other kids and say they are to save face). This does effect how involved technology is in their lives. It would be wrong of a teacher at my school to assign a student a solely technology based assignment because whether it be for reasons of finances or the student has been legally banned from Internet and computer usage for legal infractions that student could not complete the assignment. I am a firm believer that all students want to learn so it is not that the concepts are far off. The kids in my building are telling the staff how to use the smart boards on a daily bases. They know more than we do when it comes to this. I believe to teach the "net generation" we must listen. Listen to their lives. What are they capable of outside of school and to teach on that level. Try and have everyone on the same page. If a teacher is going to teach a technology inclined listen put everyone on the same level of what is available to them. Do not assume that because they are in this age group that they know everything that the next 14 year old does. It is also not a good idea to assume publicly that they do not. I believe this will be one of the hardest generations to educate based on all the different socioeconomic statuses that are out there. The different religions, families, homes, availability to all the tools needed. It is assumed that we all have a computer, Internet and that we can all read how to complete lessons. I believe that now we may not be able to assume that of our students. It is the world we are in today, laid off parents, Internet shut off because the choice had to be made to pay the electric. This is not going to go away. The children will receive the brunt of this and as educators we may not know this. It will be our job to talk to and listen to the children we wish to teach. That will be the only way they will learn. We will have to learn with them.