Digital Divide/Digital Inequalities

This week has been filled with excitement and new discoveries.  I enjoyed completing the digital divide project as it exposed me to new technologies which I could incorporate into my own classroom.  One of the multimedia principles I focused on in my presentation was keeping it simple and that more is not better.  Oftentimes when I watch a presentation, it is difficult to read text on the slide while simultaneously listening to the speaker.  Using simple pictures to represent what will be said, helps those viewing your presentation to understand exactly what point(s) you are trying to make. It is also very important to remember that when you are going to use text on a slide, not to add too much.  People will quickly lose interest in your presentation if there is text overload.  


As I read and digested the information about digital divide, I realize that even though students in my district are very fortunate to have access to many technologies, there is a huge difference in skill.  The difference in skill exists not only between students, but also between teachers.  To close this gap, my district needs to unite on the technology front and all agree that technology IS extremely important to learning. I learned that even though students do have access, how the technology is used is vital to digital literacy.


With this new knowledge of technology, I would like to help my peers incorporate technologies into their classrooms more effectively.   I hope to help my peers with this point in the fall as I participate in professional development for educators. Throughout the EdTech program, course work includes an enormous amount of exposure to new technologies.  I'm hopeful that as I work through the classes, I will build that knowledge base and teach others how to apply those technologies into their classrooms. 


I wish I could have done this project during the regular school session, so that I could survey teachers, students and administrators about technology use.  I feel this would have supported my statements about skill level and justified my ideas for improvement within my district.


I hope you enjoy my presentation on Digital Divide at the Tyrone Area School District.


Digital Divide/Digital Inequalities Presentation


Google Slides Presentation

Week Two Reflection

Technology for Everyone

As I reflect back on the weeks activities, all of the discussions surrounding the definition of educational technology, and the wonderful collaborations between peers I have been wondering about something that hasn't been discussed.  There may be that rare student or students who resists your attempts to integrate technology into your curriculum.  My question is: Is technology for everyone?  We live in a ever changing, globally digital, technology rich world, with digital literacy standards to uphold.  I would love to see everyone have access to technology, but are there examples of people who really just do not want anything to do with it?




I experienced this in my classroom last year on a couple of occasions.  First, from parents and then from two students.  The majority of the students attending the district in which I work come from hard working families that live at or below the poverty level.  My students who are freshman, all received Google Chromebooks last year.  When talking to these particular parents, they just didn't want the added responsibility of their child having the Chromebook, and what it would cost to fix it.  In my classroom, I experienced resistance from two students, on separate occasions.  These students had similar reasons why they didn't want to use the technology.  They felt it was easier to write by hand rather than writing on their Chromebook,  they didn't like researching, and they really didn't like having to carry the Chromebook around with them all day long at school.  It is difficult to work with students who are hesitant to use the technology. 


With the last two weeks behind me, hopefully with greater exploration into the definition of educational technology ahead, I will have a solid answer to my question. 

EDTECH Welcome

My name is Teresa Myers and I am excited to be part of the educational technology program at Boise State.  I am a high school Health and Earth Science teacher of 8^th and 9^th grade for the last 13 years, in a small rural community of Tyrone, PA.  I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition from Penn State University, along with teacher certification in Health and Earth Sciences. My husband of 17 years and my two lovely daughters, ages 6 and 12, are the light of my life.

The purpose of my learning log is to showcase what is completed in courses throughout the MET program.  It will also serve as a communication tool between myself, professors, and classmates where we will help each other improve. Finally, it will help me to see what has been accomplished, and what still needs to be accomplished to reach my goal.

Elements of Educational Technology

Elements of Educational Technology 

Elements of Educational Technology Paper

As I reflect back on the last couple of weeks of my first two courses through the MET program, I am amazed at how much I have learned already.  I set up a Google+ profile to collaborate with peers so that we can share ideas, help each other with assignments, and as a way to learn about important announcements from Professor Saba.  Using hangouts was great because we could literally communicate with our peers at an instant if we had a questions that needed immediate answers.  I also set up my very own Blog and began using it as a digital notebook of assignments completed in the EdTech program.  Being able to post videos on the Blogger App was very easy to do and is a powerful communication tool as well. 

Educational Technology is not cut-and-dry.  The thirteen elements of educational technology need to be taken into account when determining the success of students.  It was difficult to choose three that were most important.  Professor Saba's diagram even showed elements overlapping, as if one could not exist without the other.  The thirteen elements are equally important and mutually dependent. In my classroom, I'm sure I will be looking at my classroom in such a different light after reading about the elements of educational technology.  I have already began thinking about one of the most important aspects of educational technology to me which is "study".  It is very important for me to know that the technology  I am using is actually helping my students.  I hope to develop assessments to measure this with my students in the fall. 

Apprehension for starting my first two online courses is beginning to subside.  Balancing my coursework with my family life, learning how to be a student again, and making time relax has been difficult. After completing several assignments in both of my courses, I'm beginning to feel as if I can do this.   I realize that the road is still a long one, and I have a tremendous amount to accomplish.  I know that I will have the support peers and professors along the way to help when I'm struggling.