Intro Week

Having my educational technology philosophy down in writing helps focus my thinking when working on a project or lesson plan.  I now have a jumping off point. 

At this point, what potential uses do you see for blogging?  Stephen Downes' article on Educational Blogging was written in 2004. Have we met this potential? What's preventing us from doing so?  

I think blogs are great.  In my opinion using blogs in the classroom is a non-threatening way for students to practice their writing skills.  If they are assigned regularly scheduled posts with the only limitations being grammar and basic writing guidelines, then the students have the freedom to write. And isn’t that what the goal is anyway? To teach our students to communicate effectively in written formats? 

November's article, Creating a Culture for Teaching and Learning outlines six areas to think about and changes on the horizon with technology and education. Which one stood out to you the most and why?

The area that stood out the most to me was If its on the internet is it true?.  We must train students to filter what they are consuming.  We have to teach them how to search out evidence for the truth (or untruth) of what they are reading/ seeing.  The students MUST learn to think discriminately about what they consume from the internet.  I have been trying to teach this to my own mother by reminding her that just because someone she trusts forwards her the email doesn’t necessarily mean the content of the email is true.  I am constantly asking her if she checked snopes.com or at the very least googled what she is taking for truth. 

And finally, what are some of your expectations for this class?

I am SO excited about this class.  I am really looking forward to diving into the different topics each week.  I think this class is going to give me a great overview of what constitutes “educational technology.”