Journal #4

 Basham, J. B., Perry, E. P., & Meyer, H. M. (2011). It's in the bag. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/store/my-virtual-products.aspx


Reading the article “It’s in the Bag”, by James Basham, Ernest Perry, and Helen Meyer, at first I was a little confused about digital backpack but by the end I fully understood. The digital backpack is an actual knapsack that contains an array of digital and hardware tools, resources, and instructional materials handpicked to engage learners in project or problem based learning experiences. I think this is the coolest thing ever and is a great way to learn and an awesome way to use all resources. I loved when they used the digital backpack with the elementary students and they went to the zoo. It made the students really think and made them use all their resources. It took imagination, creativity and time to do the project. Inside the digital backpack there are three main components: foundational technology, modular technology, and instructional support materials. The digital backpack provides a powerful, flexible, and teacher friendly design for engaging learners of different ages, interests, and abilities.

If the school you are at does not have the resources to be able to do digital backpack, what can you do about it? It is very important that every school has the resources needed for the students to learn, but if that’s not the case then push for it. Get the parents onboard; get the administration on board till you get what you need to provide the best learning environment for each student.

How do you make sure you stay current on all technology uses? Always make sure you are on top in the technology world. Go to workshops, use any social networking cites and ask questions.