Journal 4- What is in the Backpack?

NETS-T 2
Incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning.

Basham, J. D., Perry, E., & Meyer, H. (2011). It's in the bag. Learning and Leading with Technology, 39(2), 24-27. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-and-leading/digital-edition-september-october-2011.aspx

When reading"It's in the Bag" I learned what a digital backpack was. I never realized that there was a name for all the things that we have been learning in class. The "digital backpack" is not necessarily a back pack that a student would wear to school but it can be tools that students use in technology, such as Blogger, Google Apps, Twitter, and so on and so forth. There are so many learning tools that students can use to access instructional data. This type of backpack can support all learners. It can be a physical backpack where students may go out in to the field and take pictures of a subject, then upload to an application and use the media to present to the class. The great thing about the digital backpack is that it can be very cost effective to a classroom. Digital backpacks can be a great way to incorporate the going green movement in society. It actually can reduce the amount of paper students use on homework and in the digital world projects and assignments can be saved forever. No need to keep all that work you may use one day in the bottom of the closet. I think that the article was a great new learning experience for me and am excited to start adding and building my digital backpack. iGoogle is a great place to add those type of links and applications.


Question #1: Why is it that teachers do not take advantage of this technological aspect of teaching?
I believe that they do not know how many resources there actually are. I also think that they may not have the confidence in learning and exploring, or the feeling that they "won't know what they are doing."

Question #2: What are ways as future educators can we help other teachers incorporate technology in the classroom?
I believe that we can help by creating a blog, presentation using the tools that we are learning in class. I mean we all learned how to do some amazing thing. I get excited and can't wait to show my husband all the cool things we are learning in class. I feel that if we used the resources that we have learned we could help other teachers keep up with the ever changing world of technology and its just so much fun!