Welcome to Educ.205!

Welcome to Educ 205 for the Spring semester. I'm happy you can join Bob and I as we venture forth again with another installment of our illustrious class. Scared of technology? Unsure of what it means to blog, YouTube or even Second Life? Worry not, by the end of the class you'll be techno-geeking with the best of them.

I try and post current technology news and information in this blog on a weekly basis. I'll try and make it education related where possible but first and foremost I want you to start being aware of the technology around you and so by keeping you updated and aware of how technology is progressing and changing you'll hopefully start taking note of what's out there.

Technology has become a mainstay in education and to think that teachers and educators can get by without it is, to put it bluntly, an antiquated way of thinking. Don't get me wrong, I still truly believe that if you have a good teacher who is passionate about their subject and their students, no amount of technology will make the learning experience better. But technology can help make things real for students and for students who may be special needs in any way, technology allows them to learn in a way not previously possible. For me technology in education means globalisation. It means if you work in a low income area where state funds for schools are non-existent, that trip to Rome can still happen. So it's via the internet but students can set up email exchanges, a joint blog between an Indiana classroom and a Roman one is completely realistic. Learning becomes so much more that words on a page or pictures in a texbook. Streaming video, online games, virtual learning environments....there is so much at a teacher's fingertips. And as Bob always says, you are limited only by your imagination.

See you in the classroom for our introductory session on Thursday 17th January.

Ciao!