Thing 1: Going Deeper (Yes, this entry is long!)

After completing thing 1, I have lots of thoughts and ideas about using web tools. The first article: "Truth Can You Handle It" reminded me a lot of my students. As many of us said this summer, we have great ideas implemented and we think students know how to best research it, afterall they're in high school, but sometimes we miss the boat on the research piece.

The students in the article mentioned that they just go with the first source, never thinking about credibilty. I know that when I have been in the media center with students, they give up rather easily. They spend 5 minutes searching online and if they can't find something, they are ready to switch topics--- but hey-- their mean history teacher won't let them. She knows it's out there, but it will take some time and diligence to dig through resources. Anyone have any great suggestions for this???

I desire to get my students to use a variety of sources and juust like the article, I have required my students to use books (yes, those things on the shelves with pages in them) and other sources beyond the web. Beyond this, I am looking for ways for students to be more research savy and going beyond wikipedia, just because it's first. People ar always saying that students are tech savy, and they are at many things, but I don't think that they are coming in with the best web research skills-- they can find a topic, but just like iguana guy in the article-- they want it now with all the answers, and oh my goodness they are going to have to look in more than one place!

I think that all these tools do work together, but I'm not sure that teachers nor students at this point know exactly how to put all the pieces of the puzzle together. Teachers want students to use all these tools, but also desire for them to use them effectively--- I think students know how to use the web for entertainment, but I'm not sure they know how to use it effectively to research.

Overall, I believe how I gather information is somewhat like my students--- I would like it quick as well on a day to day basis-- like weather or directions to a place. However, when I am doing research on a deep topic, I still I guess would be more old school-- many sources, yes including the web, but also going to books, enecyclopedias, journal articles, and especially for history primary source documents. I believe that students should be looking at these by the time they reach high school. We spend much of our research time away from this, when we probably should head towards it more, and better teach our students to look for these. To store information, I have gone more electronic--- for everything from school documents to class assignments-- I think the day of the file folders is pretty much over for me!!!

I do believe that the definition of information literacy is true, because we have reached an age where we can take information with us. I think the thing that I have noticed the most with this course and the first steps of MILI are the web 2.0 tools. I remember when the internet was big news in college and we could use it for research. At this time though, we were just getting information and email was the cool new tool in the late 90s. I am member of facebook, and I am aware that there are sites we can cahnge out on the web, but I was not aware of the extent, nor the amount of things out there and the changeability of information. I think that our students would take whatever they saw as true, because they saw it on the web-- that's the part that's a bit scary.

In all, I am excited about sharpening my skills and becoming better at all the new technology out there for the classroom.

PB Wiki

I started playing more with PB Wiki after class recently, and I have discovered how to set up classes. I think that this could be a useful tool for upcoming discussions on topics of history. I would like to pose questions for students and then have them answer/ build on each others. Overall, I think this this would be a great tool to start off 2nd quarter with-- giving the students something new to use. I believe it could be useful, espeically for the quieter students, who many times don't feel comfortable sharing orally. Hopefully, this would give them an oultet to add their opinion.

It's Wednesday

Happy Wednesday! I'm getting into the school year, and getting settled in. Hopefully, next week the start of school will be settled in and I can actually start looking at more Metronet lessons. I am looking forward at implementing some of these new tech. items into my classes.

School has started

Well, with the coming of September, school has started. I think things are off to a good start classroom wise. Between getting everything set up for the year, and starting to learn 150 names (which I still don't know all of!!!), and having a student teacher, it's been a busy fall start up. So, I will admit, I have not blogged until today, and I have yet to look at my Metronet lessons--- I promise, I will get caught up. :) Hope everyone is having a great first few weeks of school!!