"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.
