"Information Literacy" is vital to our society today. Students and teachers are constantly on the internet searching for information. My favorite search engine is the infamous "Google." I use the word infamous because Google is sly in that it provides an abundance of information in a matter of seconds, but at some cost. How much of the information is credible? This is a question that I ask myself every time I search a website, which makes it even more difficult for students to find valid information. In providing research projects, I would apply the techniques from the chapter. The idea of giving students various websites is good to substantiate credibility. I also like how students can compare credible websites to those that are not, such as "Wikipedia." I observed a lesson in a sixth grade class last week where the students were researching a topic on healthy habits and bullying. Students immediately printed information from Wikipedia. Unfortunately, students did not understand why Wikipedia was not a credible website. The next day in class, the teacher had to show the bias within the article to prove her point as to why it was not a valid website for the students' projects. The internet is a good tool to enhance students' learning, but guidance is always necessary. As David Jonassen mentioned in his article, "Computers as Mindtools for Engaging Learners in Critical Thinking," technology should be a learning tool. The students develop critical thinking skills from the active learning environments. For example, "semantic networks." Students can map the structure of an article or story for constructing their own understanding. Jonassen also presented "visualization tools" (graphs, charts) and "conversation tools" (chats, emails, blogs). Both help all students create their own level of thinking, which is student-centered. Rebecca introduced a great article in her blog last week about a school in Mooresville, North Carolina. The students used technology to enhance their own skills. The article presented two different students in the same class who had to present their interpretation of a work. One student who was outgoing decided to present his interpretation by using a video. The second student who was more timid presented her interpretation in a blog. Both students used technology in different ways to display their own thinking.
Technology is rapidly changing not only within the classroom, but even in a Public Library located in San Antonio, Texas Click Here. The article presents a BiblioTech Public Library transformed into the digital world. People of all ages can access 18, 000 books from MacBook Pros and iPads. The future of technology is constantly unfolding before our very eyes.
Questions:
1. Computer skills are important within all academic subjects. Students no longer have technology classes to teach certain skills, such as researching websites or typing a paper. What are some ways that computer skills can be brought into the school system without taking away time from the academic subjects?
2. From your days of schooling, do you feel that audio recordings of published books and/or poems are effective to use within the classroom? Why or Why not?
3. After reading the article about the Public Library in Texas, would you agree or disagree in implementing the same environment throughout all libraries in the U.S.? Explain.
The Texas library is certainly an interesting concept...you can't argue with the fact that dealing with loss or damage of books has become nonexistent now! Many of the limitations of public libraries seem solvable by this new model. For example, the storage space of thousands of books, the limit to how many people can use one book at one time, loss/damages to books, and the staff needed to maintain such large collections. Im not sure, however, if I totally like the idea. Have you had the experience studying or writing a paper where you have multiple sources spread out on the desk in front of you? That can't happen with digital libraries, paging through multiple open tabs can be frustrating and confusing.
ReplyDeleteI can't help but think of the scene from HG Wells' The Time Machine when they are in an abandoned library of dusty, disintegrating books. The characters of the future have never seen a book before! Is that where we headed?
To answer your second question, I honestly do not see any use in using audio recordings of published books or poems in the classroom. I personally remember having these audio recordings as a student and I did not like it at all. When reading a book or poem it is so much more authentic when the class reads it together. The only way I think of it as being useful might be in a ESL class, to help students follow along to improve their English skills, even then there are much better methods. I just can not see any form of effective instruction that can be done using audio recordings.
ReplyDeleteTo answer your second question, Yes. I think it is important in some cases for audio recordings to be in the classroom for students. I teach a self contained English Language Learner classroom and my students who are still learning english and are struggling readers, are getting the extra support from them. While they are not good to use all the time, it really helps my students get started or stay on the same page as some of their classmates. Especially the new comers to the country.
ReplyDeletewhile i was in student teaching i worked with a reading program called junior great books, which allowed the teacher to read the story one day and then the next day the students listened to the stories from a recording. i think this allowed the students to learn and hear the story in a different way which could allow them to realize and discover new things from the story.
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