Week 8
After reading the slide deck for “Empowered” I had regrets not being able to attend Day 8 of DFI to hear Dorothy share. I would like to share my own understanding of empowerment although I do feel I may not do justice to the core message.
Taken from Google, Empowered means to make (someone) stronger and more confident, especially in controlling their life and claiming their rights. I personally feel that being in control of your future is something that gives you hope, optimism, and a genuine sense of autonomy. There are large populations who feel as though they don’t have control and don’t have many choices. It may be that you would like to get a new job with better pay but you don’t have sufficient qualifications or experience. Or it could be the other way around where you like to further your education but you must work to financially support your family. These situations are very real and faced by people in our communities.
We can empower a generation of students by giving them the tools and knowledge they need to take control and make their own decisions in life. One of these tools involves being digitally fluent in a world where technology is evolving. Education gives people choices and the freedom to pursue things that are personally meaningful.
The Future of Tech
The advancement of technology is rapidly increasing and what we thought was a mere dream is now becoming a reality. It does pose the question “ What are we teaching our students, to prepare them for future jobs”? Within the last 10 years, there have been numerous new jobs have created due to the advancement of technology. So, where to now? This space is one of great interest to me and I look forward to keeping a tab on the job market as we move further into this decade. If there was one piece of technology I could implement in my class it would be VR Headsets. Having the ability to put your students anywhere in the world and experience new things that might not get to experience is a game changer.
Coding
Technology is all around us and as teachers, we need to embrace this and get our hands “dirty”. I got my hands dirty and experimented with scratch. This was by far the most challenging task that I have completed on DFI. Not having a coach with me made me realise how important it is to have someone who is digitally fluent. I spent time trying to navigate this space and with not much success.