Virtual Conferenceing

The world around us is quickly becoming dependent on technology. Even in the last 7 years, think about all of the technological advances we have seen. From cell phones, to complex medical surgeries, technology is everywhere. With this advancement in technology, it is usually the younger generations that pick it up first. I did not know how to turn of my iPhone until a 13 year old showed me. I had to teach my mom to text, and she showed her mother how to open attachments on an e-mail. The younger generation is always much more "technologically savvy" as my mother would say. It is because of this, that we as teachers need to be up to date with new forms of technology.

I think that virtual conferencing is a great thing to establish with my students. I want them to be able to reach me outside of class with questions they might have, and sometimes picking up a phone is intimidating. I was able to see the importance of virtual conferencing through my e-mail conversation with Kristen. We were able to "chat" back and forth regarding my Plan of Action and I could get her suggestions without having to have a face to face meeting. We were able to communicate our ideas and respond to each other after having time to think. We did not have to give suggestions on the spot, but were able to spend time on reviews and edits. I think that it was very helpful to me as a student, and a great way to help a student who the teacher was unable to meet with.

I think that establishing a line of virtual communication between students and the teacher is very important and very useful, especially as technology continues to advance at this rapid pace.