Week 7

The article mentions the perspective of technology  not helping student achievement.  It further states the quality of technology is dependent on the teacher's knowledge.  There are many teachers that can say they "integrate technology", but having students type their papers using Microsoft Word, or creating a Power Point to present their book talks is not meaningful enough to say that the use of technology will enhance student achievement.  It is important to integrate technology and project based learning, but it is equally important for the teacher to be competent and viewed as an expert.  I can understand why some students say they are bored even though they "got to use a computer."  There is a lot of research that states it is the quality of technology, not the quantity of use which increases student learning.  Teachers must be up to the challenge and continue their professional development of technology to keep up with the speed of today's technological advances.

Week 6

Wikipedia is a good, but not always reliable source to use.  The idea of having a source that anyone can add to or edit is both brilliant and dangerous.  If I have a question, wikipedia is the first place I look.  When using it in the classroom it is important to communicate the possibilities of accessing inaccurate information.  That is why it is necessary to use other sources in addition to wikipedia.  I like to believe that what I read is accurate, but I will have to remind myself to always questions its accountability.

The article on MySpace was interesting to read.  I can see the educational value of using MySpace, but I also think it is a scary think to incorporate into the classroom.  At least with young students.  I definitely see the advantages of its use.  Students are acquiring a countless number of skills as they communicate, copy and paste code, and embed media into their pages.  I don't think they realize the skills they are learning.  I may  not feel comfortable using MySpace in the classroom, but I would like to take advantage of the skills my students are coming into the classroom with and utilize them by incorporating similar media and technologies which are safe.