Post #7

An advantage with using presentation software in K-12 classrooms is that it allows for a clear an organzied way to relay information to students. Presenting class notes on PowerPoint lets students copy down the information easily. A disadvantage with using presentation software in K-12 classrooms is that it can become very tedious for the students. It takes away from any hands- on learning opportunities and can be considered very boring, even for the speaker/teacher. Some students may have problems actually absorbing the information on the slideshow if they are only focused on wrting down the information, and miss out on any discussion going on at the same time.

If I were using PowerPoint in my classroom, I would only put basic, short notes on the slides and try to rely mainly on my own notes when speaking to the class. I feel like students may pay more attention if they are actually listening to someone speaking and figuring out what is important rather than simply copying down information without comprehension. I think this would also allow for more discussion between myself and the students. I would also use PowerPoint when presenting specific details, graphs, dates, timelines, pictures, etc. However, when presenting more in depth material, such as politics or philosophy, I would only rely on the slideshow for more basic facts.

I recently read an article about the issue of how technology in the classroom may cause inequitable education (http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/methods/technlgy/te400.htm). The article addresses how funding can result in cerain schools recieving newer and better technology based on property taxes. If a school district is in a lower socio-economic area, they most likely will not recieve the same amount of money for computers, microscopes, or interactive whiteboards if the school is struggling just to retain teachers, compared to a school that is in a neighborhood with higher property taxes. This just makes me wonder how this issue can be resolved. It wouldn't be fair to take away from schools that can afford new technology, but how can we help struggling school districts give the best education possible with technology?

Post #6

I do not think I would use Web 2.0 technologies in my classroom. I do not think these types of technologies would be useful in lower grade level classroom. Social networking, blogs, and video sharing have many great uses and applications, however I do not think they are appropriate tools for educating young children. These programs could also be very distracting to students and teachers.

I think Wikipedia as a learning resource is only appropriate when one is searching for very general and basic information. I do not think it should be used as an academic source . Anyone can post information on Wikipedia, which means there is no way to tell if the information provided is factual. A free online encyclopedia is a great tool, but it has little significance if anything can be posted without being reviewed by an expert.

Last week we acquired skills on making Wikis. I found this to be a very interesting technology, although somewhat tedious with the very basic word processing. I think this could be very useful in education because it would allow for a teacher to create their own website about a selected subject area or specific topic, organized anyway they see fit. This website could be viewed by students and their parents at home to allow for review of the material.

Post #5

The interenet can be very useful when it comes to student research. Search engines, virtual museums, online articles, and data collections are very useful to students who are trying to compile information. It also allows for students to gather large amounts of information very quickly, which would create a more through essay or presentation, for example. A search engine may not be useful is an assignment asks for the student's own opinion or a deeper analysis using one's own skills.

Another way the internet could support student learning is through distance education. The internet allows for web based classrooms, where lectures can be posted on slides and assignments can be turned in online. This allows for people who may not be able to physically attend school obtain an education or degree. Online encylapedias, dictionaries, and other resource materials can also help support student learning. Websites that create math problems, like www.funbrain.com, can be useful for younger students as well.

I plan on teaching children no older than 6th grade. Because of this, it will be very important that I supervise my students while they are researching the internet. It will be very important for schools to have a system of blocking inappropriate websites. If this tool is not available, it would be necessary to use a children's search engine, like Ask Jeeve's for Kids, because of the high risk of inappropriate material showing up on a normal search engine, like Google.