Chapter 4 & 6

            As we know, technology is becoming very integrated in today’s school system.  Technology may be used to reproduce the existing practices (automate) or change the existing practices (infomate). Technology is used in the classroom in both if these ways.  Teachers are the ones who determine how they want to use the technology in their classroom.  The issues teachers have with integrating technology are also mentioned.  Some teachers do not feel that technology is necessary in lessons that they have already created, or do not believe that they have the time to integrate it.  They believe that including the technology in their lesson is only a burden.  I do not agree with this because as times change, lesson plans should be changing.  In modern teaching, technology is very beneficial and if it will enhance the lesson, teachers should make the time to incorporate it.  Teachers should understand that they are integrating technology for the student’s benefit, not just to make a lesson less boring.

            In addition to how the technology is used, I have learned about the different technologies that can be used.  Digital pens sound extremely interesting.  I love the idea of a pen that can write on any type of paper, which can then be transferred onto the computer.  I think that this is great for students, especially older ones because they tend to loose notes.   This would be a way for the students to take notes and upload them in an organized matter.  This will make class notes always available, without having to worry about losing your notebook or pages from your binder.       

             I also find virtual field trips and interactive videoconferencing to be amazing.  They are interesting and can teach students without the hassle of going outside of the classroom.  Some may even be people or places that cannot be accessed outside of the classroom.  I believe that many teachers do not like planning trips because of the responsibilities and travel that come with them, but I know for a fact students love trips and they can be very informative.  An interactive videoconference is also great because sometimes speakers are not available to come into the classroom, but they can give the students the same knowledge through the video.  These are a great way to engage the students in a different type of learning without having to leave the classroom. 

            Lastly, I believe that WebQuests are another great tool that can be used in the classroom.  They are a great tool to use in the classroom because they engage the students in electronic learning.  The students are given predetermined sources, where they have to read and access information to complete a task.  They should be designed by the teacher with the students in mind.  What are the students capable of doing and achieving?  You cannot provide resources that are above your student’s reading level.  WebQuests can be found online, but teacher’s must review them and even possibly modify them for their students.  As we saw in class, the High School teacher used an Edgar Allen Poe WebQuest, but it wasn’t very engaging or meaningful to his students and the goals of his lesson. 

            Teachers have loads of information and resources available through the technology library, but they have to know how and when to use them.  Teachers should make bookmarks to store useful websites and to make accessing them easier.  Teachers have to be able to explore all of these online resources and find what meets their curriculum goals and standards.  I believe that a tag cloud is also a great way to manage information.  I was amazed to see all of the educational resources listed in Chapter 6 because I have never heard of many of them.  As a future teacher, I think that I should start exploring educational sites now so that I am prepared with sources when I need them. 

Questions:

1.     Do you think that the digital divide will decrease over the course of the next few years due to the fact that technology is increasing at such a rapid pace?

2.     Integrating technology in the classroom has become important.  What do you do when you have one or more students who are not interested in the technology?  It is not that they have not been given the opportunity to access it, but they simply do not care for using it.

3.     Do you believe that electronic textbooks will ever become the only form of textbooks used?

3/12 "Take Away" Message

At the closing of this class, I have a much better understanding of a WebQuest and how it can be used in the classroom.  I have learned that this is an inquiry based learning tool, that engages the students and includes technology in the lesson.  It is important to first introduce the topic, state the task that the students will be working on, along with the process they will be going through.  Lastly you have to create a rubric for evaluation and a conclusion.  I think it is great that the WebQuest includes websites for the students to view and access for additional information.  After watching the videos, I have learned that they can be used positively and negatively in the classroom.  Proper use involves the students and motivates them.  The second grade students were very involved in the WebQuest, while the older students were just answering questions.  I think that creating this WebQuest will be exciting.  I hope that in the future I can create great WebQuests that engage my students effectively. 

WebQuest Definition

I believe that a WebQuest is an online source of information regarding a unit for students.  All of the information related to the unit is available to them through this website.  This allows the students the opportunity to explore and discover the topic for themselves.  I find it to be a more hands-on-learning experience for the students.  They can view the tasks and goals for on their own.  They will always have access to what is expected of them. 

Chapter 5 Reaction

                Chapter 5 discusses how teachers and students can access and assess information from the internet.   This is referred to as information literacy.  We have so much information at our fingertips, and the question is do we know how to use it?  I have never heard of this term, information literacy, but I think it is something that definitely has to be incorporated into the classroom now.  Teachers like to use the internet to bring their curriculum to life.  I know from experience that the great videos, pictures and articles from the internet can be shown to the children to engage them in a lesson.  Teachers have to know how to use the internet wisely in their classroom. 

                When it comes to the students, we have to make sure that they know how to locate information and determine if it is useful.  According to the text, the ETS pilot study proved that most college and high school students do not use media literacy skills correctly.  Something else you have to be more aware of is plagiarism.  Do your students know how to read information off the internet and put it in their own words?  No matter what it comes down to, technology does play a huge role in our classrooms and we have to monitor it.  I loved the idea of the bookmarking portal.  This makes the teacher more comfortable because she knows what the students are accessing and it gives the students new options to explore.  As stated, most people use Google and Wikipedia.  This opens the students to new information and sources.  I myself was shocked to see the number of search engines listed in the chapter.  I use Google for almost everything.  Wikipedia didn’t surprise me too much because I have heard that this site is unreliable due to the fact that anyone can edit it.

                Overall, I believe that technology is a must in today’s society.  Technology skills are needed to get most jobs as well.  I know that having technology skills on my resume was a must.  Most businesses strive and communicate through the use of technology.  It is great that we are giving our students a head start. 

Questions:

1.       By allowing our students to use technology in and out of the classroom for projects and research, are we overwhelming them since there is so much information on the internet? 

2.       How can teachers ensure that their students understand how to choose relevant information when searching a topic?  I know that some students struggle with knowing how to highlight what is important just from a book or a printed article.  How can they distinguish importance when there is so much on the internet?

3.       How can we encourage our students to read more for fun at home vs. going on the computer?