"Technology lite" Article Response

A point this article made that I had never thought of before is that being truly literate is not only being able to use the technology but to use it thoughtfully and with a purpose. Rather than simply teaching how to use the technology, we should be teaching how to use the technology so that it provides some greater understanding that could not exist without it. The article gave an example of this with the student who did an interpretation of a poem using a powerpoint; without that technology, she would not have been able to interpret it as she did. I know from my experiences in school that generally teachers are only concerned with making sure that their students can use technology, and not whether they are using it to its full potential. I've made more powerpoints than I can count in my middle and high school years, but I have never once had a teacher explain how they can be used not only for presentation but for understanding; how the different elements do not have to be separate and unrelated components but can combine into one whole, deeper understanding. Something I particularly liked about this article was that the authors admitted that technology can be difficult to work with and frustrating, but it is worth the frustration. When it comes to the topic of integrating technology in the classroom, people are usually very black and white in their opinions. Either they argue that it is too difficult to learn, particularly for older teachers, and that teaching the students can be a pain. Or, people argue that technology is just so easy to learn and students pick up on it without any effort. It is interesting to read an article in which it is understood that working with technology can be incredibly frustrating, but that there is reward to be found in the struggle; and that "a sense of humor always helps."

The Single Story of LGBT Youth

I decided to look at the single story of LGBTQ+ youth. I wanted to choose a single story that I would want to look at with future students of mine. When I thought about the single stories I had when I was in middle/high school, the first one that came to mind was the one I had of LGBTQ+ youth. Although I grew up in a house that is very accepting of everyone, I also grew up in a community that is not, and most of what I knew about LGBTQ+ youth came from what I saw on social media or the news. That is not necessarily a bad thing, except that most of the stories that a young student on social media is going to see will have the same flavor: a youth is so brave for coming out to his/her parents and they were so wonderfully accepting, or this child was disowned by his/her parents for coming out. Again, these are not bad things to see or read about, but they can paint the single story that LGBTQ+ youth are either happily accepted or struggling for acceptance, and that is simply not entirely true. It is often not so simple and these stories don't show what these youths are going through internally. They don't show that even that youth with the accepting parents still spent days, weeks, months, maybe even years, worrying that they will not be accepted. I think that it is important to show students more stories than the highly publicized ones they see on social media, and that is why I chose the books that I did. I think that they offer a closer look at the lives of LGBTQ+ youth that students probably would not see in other media.

1. Ash by Malinda Lo
2. Almost Perfect by Brian Katcher
3. Lizard Radio by Pat Schmitz
4. The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzie Lee
5. The Gay Metropolis: The Landmark History of Gay Life in America by Charles Kaiser
6. Last Seen Leaving by Caleb Roehrig

Technology in the Classroom and for Social Justice

I believe that, although technology has caused the Digital Divide, it will also be the thing that demolishes it. As far as the use of technology in the classroom goes, as much as I myself enjoy traditional methods, I think that it is inevitable that tech will eventually take over the classroom. I think that there are benefits to that as well as drawbacks; students will be given more control over their learning experiences, which will likely promote students' success, but those students in impoverished areas where tech is not as readily accessible may be left behind. And that, I think, is where technology for social justice comes into play. While change never happens overnight, particularly, it seems, when it comes to using technology for good, having apps like Streetwyze are a fantastic place to start. If communities can be better documented, then they can be better helped. If the communities are improved, the schools will follow, and, eventually, tech will be made available to every student. Now, obviously this is a very slow process, particularly when not all communities are so accepting of developing technologies, but I think that this the best way to start working to close that Digital Divide.