Reading Week # 6

Reading Week #6 Families

1.     What surprised you, concerned you, or intrigued about students' access to technology in their homes?

      I was not really surprised about student’s access to technology. As I stated in the previous post it’s an age old theme. Every generation has to deal with the technology of that period. Every parent has to deal with the trials and tribulations of integrating the technology into the home, the concerns about independence, separation and autonomy that occur during the teenage years. I was told once that if God had told us what teenagers were like there would be zero population growth. I only disagree with the terms working class and middle class because in today’s economy, they are pretty much the same. In fact the middle class is dissolving and there is mostly ‘those who have’ and ‘those who not’. However after leaving out those terms, parents still want what they consider is the best for their children and perhaps how they were raised.

2.     What kinds of household spaces related to technology, or rules about using technology, were similar or dissimilar to your own household environment?

     I never had my ‘own’ space. I shared a room with my sister, my college roommate and a husband. I only recently acquired my own space and I revel in it. As a result, I made sure that my children (2) had a private space, mainly, their bedroom within which they were allowed certain privileges. I emphasize privileges not rights. I reminded them that until they owned their own place. had a job, paid taxes, they had to follow our rules. We had a family room with one TV, computers weren’t invented yet, nor were cell phones, or ipods, ipads etc. Both had their own phone and that was about it for technology and that was an extension. I also made it clear that I was allowed access to their rooms and friends of the opposite sex were never allowed in their rooms.  I never snooped and they knew that, and as technology evolved we tried to keep up. But they were older and territoriality was not much of an issue.

3.     Could this chapter be helpful for teachers who seek to integrate technology into their classroom activities in more meaningful ways?

            Not every household has the most modern and up to date technologies, or are the sole user of the computer.  I think that teachers know the socioeconomic and family situations of their class, i.e. inner city or private institutions. They may not know each student’s situation, but they have a good handle on what can and cannot be possible outside the classroom. I teach adults from all over West Virginia and I know that there are some places that don’t have access. So if I give an assignment that requires out of class on line access, I give them plenty of time to complete this. My students also know at the very beginning of the program that computer activity will be required and places where they can get access. One example of the socioeconomic situation would be the Garcia family in urban Los Angles.