Inquiry Unit Project  

Nahamee Guerrero

SUBJECT AREA OF INTEREST

My selected areas of interest are math, science, and history. I think right now we are at a point
where through this technology we can advance in Mathematics(as we are one of the lowest in
mathematical understanding). Now more than ever we can make that possible through these
growing technologies.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

AI has the opportunity to change the way we learn in various ways such as
mathematics. Through AI we can achieve a much more customized and proper form of
learning for students. Every child learns differently and it can become extremely
straining on teachers to meet every child's needs but through this the teacher can
quickly realize which students need additional assistance and in what way that assistive
technology can be provided for them. One of the biggest challenges which many across
the educational community are worried about is the financial disparity that exists and
how the use and implementation of this technology will bring to schools across the
United States. In order to successfully implement this we need to be able to properly
fund our classrooms. The biggest issue overall is the argument on whether or not this
will make education more equitable throughout classrooms across the country. Another
issue revolving AI is about what it could cause outside of the classroom and its intended
purpose. Some people fear for the privacy of students in the long run. Some people
believe that with the implementation of such large technology we also face huge risks of
private information that can potentially resurface in the child's future. I myself don’t think
that is such a risk but i do understand the concern stemming from such an idea.

Extended Reality (XR)

Through XR students are able to gain understanding of real, modern problems that
would be difficult to conceptualize otherwise. Research suggests XR can also help
encourage empathy in students, as they can gain understandings beyond learning the
standard facts and statistics that are typically presented to them in the classroom as
well as outside. Through the use of a virtual reality headset, they can develop the
capacity to gain perspectives both past and present which are otherwise hard to grasp. I
can recall various instances in which my teachers have asked me to picture myself in
certain scenarios but even then i couldn’t fully grasp the scene. With XR though we can
fully be immersed in these moments throughout history. An example of this which can
be used in highschool classrooms is having students (with parental permission)
participate in experiencing what concentration camps were like throughout world war II.
The question which follows this though is the ethical view of using Xr in the classroom.
With all of these technological advancements we need to be having constant
conversations about the ethics of using virtual reality in the classroom. Just because we
have the ability to virtually immerse a student to a war-torn country or a historical
moment in time does not mean we should do so without thinking of the possible
repercussions. Outside of the classroom there are many beneficial factors to using Xr
but once again I come back to the ethical perspective and what damages it could cause
emotionally. I momentarily thought of how it could be used to relive memories with loved
ones but I think in various situations it could be more damaging to grieving people.
Overall XR is something beyond anything we could have imagined and through
continuous evolution of it we can properly implement it into classrooms successfully.

Internet of Things (IoT)

This topic was one which I struggled a bit more to get a grasp on but I was able to find
so many articles on how it's being incorporated in classrooms everywhere and how
beneficial it can and will be. ​IoT connectivity allows for a more expansive control over
classroom environments and processes. IoT networks offer a unification on a larger
scale which we normally are not able to accomplish without the interconnectivity of
these devices. One example which I saw that is currently being used in a classroom is a
device called a ​Scanmarker. ​This device is able to scan text from books, papers and
other documents straight into a phone, tablet or computer. This text is then able to be
translated into more than 40 languages. There’s even a function that allows you to listen
while you scan. This device also has a function in which you can listen back to the text
as it is being processed. This can be extremely useful especially for students whose first
language is not English and sometimes require a bit more assistance understanding
course material due to the language barrier. One of the most significant issues across
the board with all of these technological advancements including the Internet of Things
is the potential for privacy breaches. Tracking students’ every movement could result in
a larger risk of confidential student information being shared. Economic disparities is
also another issue that we face with these advancements. In many cases lower income
and rural communities often lack the funding which higher income communities have.
The IOT is something we already partake in and it has so many benefits outside of the
classroom. This technology has made everything much more accessible to us without
the complications of various different avenues. It is an interconnected cloud which puts
everything just a click away from us.

Research Conclusions

The learning environment is evolving more than ever before, and as a result, today’s
learners are very different from those that the outdated educational system was created
for. Through the use of the technological advancements students gain various benefits
which I believe are so important. One of the benefits to this which is such a huge win for
teachers and students is how accommodating this technology can be. These new
systems are now able to support various types of learners and their individual needs.
Through these advancements we can now bridge gaps that we weren't sure we could
achieve. Like most technological advancements there are flaws and still so many
questions to be faced and answered but the end goal is to be able to uplift our students
and give them the proper and equal education they all deserve.

Personal Learning experience

I grew up fortunate enough to have attended a school that had great funding and
because of this I was exposed to the uses of technology within the classroom at a fairly
young age. Learning how to type quickly as well as learning how to use the internet in
order to further my education is something which I am extremely grateful for. I think the
only issue that I have faced personally due to my exposure to technology at such a
young age is the addiction to technology that can sometimes be found after such
prolonged exposure to it. I am barely starting to learn how to detach myself from my
devices and try to only use them when necessary and it is an insanely challenging task
as silly as it may sound. As a future educator I think it is important to understand how
these devices and advancements can affect our students outside of the classroom and
what we can and should do in order to help them succeed.
 References

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