EDES104 - Assessment Task 1: Individual Task Reflective Journal

  Driving question 1:  What is the impact of technology on education and on us? Original:  During the COVID-19 pandemic, education undergo a dramatic transformation as classrooms shifted to screens almost overnight. An article from The Washington Post titled "How the outbreak is reshaping education" sheds light on how remote learning not only changed the way we teach but also challenged our ideas about attendance, equity, and the human connections that schools foster. Some school systems have kept remote options available, which has opened doors to specialized courses and offered flexibility for students with unique needs. However, this transition also highlighted some serious inequalities, like the “homework gap,” where many students struggled without devices or internet access. It raised important questions about whether technology could ever truly replace the value of in-person teaching. Thinking back on my own online learning experiences, I remember feeling a mix...

  Sandwich feedbacks I have given 1: Mary Jane Skopakow Positives: Your reflections are well thought out, and you are clearly critically engaging with the topic, which is commendable. I appreciate the way you have married personal experiences (you as a student during COVID-19) and academic references, which adds veracity to your writing. Your use of terms like digital natives/immigrants and present discussions of AI tools show that you are making solid connections between theory, research and lived experience. This balance makes your reflections thought-provoking and relevant.  Constructive: You have a few areas that you may want to refine:  Sentence length & flow: At times, your sentences are quite long, which can make reading feel so dense. Slicing these into shorter sentences will ultimately help with clarity and readability.  Clarity & repetition: At times, the same idea was being expressed slightly differently (e.g., technology being both "suppressed in ...

  Peer Feedbacks 1: Mary Jane Skopakow's feedback on my reflections - Stanford Method Hi Davina! Your reflection on the impact that technology has on us was great, and I especially liked how you were able to seamlessly integrate your own past and future experiences as a student and pre-service teacher, respectively, into your piece. I noticed that in your second paragraph you use quotation marks for "zoom fatigue", I do believe it should be changed to an apostrophe. The only other thing that I would wish you would change is for your third paragraph to include more literature. You talk a lot about the implications that new technology has had on our mental health, which is a very big topic of discussion as of late, so there would be many journals exploring this. So what if you try to back-up the content in this paragraph using the peer-reviewed research that others have completed, which will give your reflection a lot more substance and meaning to other readers? Overall, gr...

  Driving question 2:  What are the risks and benefits to self and others in the digital environment, and what are schools doing about it? Digital technologies bring a mix of opportunities and challenges to the world of education. On one side, they connect students from all corners of the globe, open up a wealth of resources, and gear young people up for a tech-driven future. On the flip side, they also introduce issues like distractions, cyberbullying, and unequal access to technology. An article from the Forbes Council highlights the digital divide, pointing out that many students in underserved areas struggle with unreliable internet and lack of devices, putting them at a serious disadvantage compared to their peers. This situation underscores the fact that the advantages of technology aren't shared equally, and without proactive measures, schools could end up widening the gap in existing inequalities.  In a different approach, the Bendigo Advertiser shared a story abo...

  Driving question 1:  What is the impact of technology on education and on us? During the COVID-19 pandemic, education undergo a dramatic transformation as classrooms shifted to screens almost overnight. An article from The Washington Post titled "How the outbreak is reshaping education" sheds light on how remote learning not only changed the way we teach but also challenged our ideas about attendance, equity, and the human connections that schools foster. Some school systems have kept remote options available, which has opened doors to specialized courses and offered flexibility for students with unique needs. However, this transition also highlighted some serious inequalities, like the “homework gap,” where many students struggled without devices or internet access. It raised important questions about whether technology could ever truly replace the value of in-person teaching. Thinking back on my own online learning experiences, I remember feeling a mix of gratitude an...

Education & Technology: A reflective journal Hey there! I’m Davina Raj, and I’m excited to share my reflective journal with you. This blog is part of my EDES104 studies, where I dive into how digital technologies are influencing education, communication, and our daily lives. I’ll be tackling two main questions: How does technology impact education and us as individuals? And what are the risks and benefits for ourselves and others in the digital world, along with what schools are doing to address these issues?  As I work towards becoming a primary school teacher, I’m really curious about how digital tools can enhance learning while also presenting challenges. My own journey as a learner has taught me that while technology can create amazing opportunities, it also brings up concerns about access, safety, and finding the right balance. Through my reflections, I hope to figure out how to use technology in a responsible and effective way in my future teaching career.  Statement...