I believe that while the internet can be an incredibly valuable tool for finding information on a topic, I always find that textbooks nearly always contain a lot more useful and reliable information. Personally, I find that the Internet can be very frustrating at times to use, especially when you’re looking for something very specific and having to try avoid unreliable websites where the information can be adjusted by anyone at all who has access to the internet.

So in response to Hayley’s posting I would have to agree that yes while the internet does provide us with easy access to an abundance of information, it should not take precedence over textbooks, but rather enhance our understanding of what we have already read in printed textbooks.

Source: http://cache.eb.com/eb/image?id=79401&rendTypeId=4

When I first read Cathie’s posting, I felt doubtful that buying a phone for each child was a better investment than having computers which the children can just share instead. These uncertainties brought me to delve right into the article and find out how this could be. I soon found out further advantages of this device which started to convince me that perhaps these phones could possibly be a big hit, with their ability to be upgraded easily each year if necessary, the less maintenance required to operate them in comparison to computers and the fact that they were voice based which would enable students to practice their reading and foreign languages if they wanted. Therefore I think that there is a chance for these cell phones to be a success in educating students in the future if they are reliable and affordable.

Source: http://a.abcnews.com/images/Business/phones_all_ssh.jpg

The man who was providing the demonstration in the video claimed that “today’s kids are so use to more of an interactive lifestyle … so this thing [smartboard] helps to deliver the education and deliver the material in a way that they’re more use to seeing”, which I agree is very true. Unfortunately, this video didn’t really discuss the benefits of the smartboard in enough depth, yet after perusing Cathie’s posting titled Interactive Whiteboards in the Classroom, I learnt that they not only help “increase student motivation, enjoyment, engagement, collaboration and participation” but also to “develop positive attitudes and behaviours towards learning and increase student’s sense of positive identity.”. From hearing such optimism in relation to this creative invention, I look forward to using one in my future teaching.

Source: http://www.edtech.co.nz/Store/6/47/images/smartboard.jpg

I didn’t have to ponder much longer as Bianca later mentions in her posting that the teachers who aren’t incorporating technology into their classrooms are using worn-out personal excuses such as “computer illiteracy, time, unreliable computers” and “lack of computers”. I would have to agree with Bianca that this is not time to be making excuses, and that she is completely right in saying that “there are so many fascinating and exciting activities” online that can help to “celebrate students’ work”. I, like Bianca, hope that teachers start realising sooner than later that we are living in a world basically run by technology, so in order ensure to engage in technological activities and ideally feel ready to face the real world.

Within the article, David Thornburg, discusses the misunderstanding of many teachers, who believe that there is no need to incorporate technology into the classroom since kids already have access to technology in their homes. Thornburg states, however, that “while it is true that many of our kids have developed tremendous technological skills…it doesn’t mean that they have the research skills or the wisdom to know how to make meaning out of the stuff that they’re finding.” This is where the benefits of WebQuests comes in, as according to Dr. Bernie Dodge, these online lessons force kids “to make sense of what they are reading” in addition to learning how to work in groups, evaluating a multitude of resources and recognising and dealing with numerous perspectives on a specific topic.

So in short, WebQuests help to not only challenge children, but to teach them life long skills such as teamwork, and thus prepare them for success in the future.

Source: http://cyberschoolbus.un.org/crc/images/PAR72484.jpg

Within her posting, Shalena mentions a number of benefits brought about by using podcasts in classrooms, such as the ease of creating them, the requirement of minimal equipment and their ability to “reach a wide audience.” I also am very fond of Shalena’s idea of using podcasts for assessing students so as to “give children a new and exciting way to be creative and express their ideas”. I strongly agree with Shalena on this creative approach to assessing students, as I believe that the way in which students are assessed should vary from the traditional methods and instead reflect the changing world around us.

Source: http://images.apple.com/au/education/profiles/kids_congress/images/index1_k12page3.jpg

As I was perousing the net for some interesting computer images I came across an interesting article called Geek Redefined which looked at the evolution of the term “geek” as displayed below:

Definition of “Geek:”

· Circa 1970 (Merriam-Webster): a carnival performer often billed as a wild man whose act usually includes biting the head off a live chicken or snake.

· Circa 1990 (common usage): a nerd who loves computer code and techie gadgets.

· Circa 2007 (Wikipedia): an individual who is fascinated by knowledge and imagination, usually electronic or virtual in nature.

I found it interesting to see how having technological expertise is becoming a much more valuable asset as time progresses and technology continues to become more and more highly developed. As discussed in this article, society now has a new found respect for ‘geeks’ and no longer regards them as “nerds with bad clothes” with “no social skills”, but rather as people who are knowledgeable and completely vital in a computer crisis. I think this article just strengthens my desire to make my students feel confident in using technology in the classroom. In doing so, I feel as though I will be preparing them for any technological challenges they may in the future as well as setting them up for success as members of a society where technology is progressing at a rapid pace.

This article interested me particularly, as not only am I studying Primary School Education at university, but also International Studies where I am learning German which I hope to later be able to teach in primary school. Hence, to be aware of the benefits of technological tools, such as digital stories in teaching a foreign language, I can thus incorporate these Internet-based stories into my teaching methods so as to hopefully further develop the listening comprehension and literacy of my students in a playful and enjoyable context.

Source: http://us.123rf.com/400wm/400/400/lisafx/lisafx0709/lisafx070900032/1640209.jpg

I think one of Idet’s most vital point in her commentary was that it was “not the technologies themselves” that were important, but rather “the ways that we use the technologies and think about them.” I believe that if technology is used in a thought-provoking manner as an alternate to the sand castle building technique, it can help to engage children more strongly by enabling them to continue building experience.

Source: http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/rmhttp/arts/apictureofbritain/images/gallery/wales/human/3/web/112101392423323168243_1_web.jpg

The article “Mapping Knowledge: Concept Maps in Early Childhood Education” by Maria Birbili discusses not only the advantages of concept maps for students but also for teachers. According to Birbili, such advantages of concept maps for children include their ability to help children “organize and spatially represent both what they know and what they are thinking” as well as “depict relationships amongst concepts”. This in turn enables teachers to discover what it is the student knows and can also be used as an evaluating tool. Teachers can also benefit from using concept maps to help them “to plan, structure, and sequence the content of their teaching”.

I think it is crucial that teachers not only use technology for the children, but take advantage of the benefits they can gain from it too. When I become a primary school teacher, I definitely plan on using on concept mapping not only as an evaluation tool but to also aid my lesson planning.

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