Empowering Students with Technology

Chapter 1
In Chapter 1 the discussion of Blocking Versus Access interests me.  We need to teach our children how to find the information they need by being able to read the URL address.  Alan November's book has shown me how to do this, which I didn't know before.  This tells me that the school systems should not be blindly blocking websites and not giving the teachers professional development to understand the information themselves.  It is the teachers responsibility to teach the children research and critical thinking skills but how can they, if they themselves don't have the pertinent information to understand the addresses they are searching?  Filtering gives all parties involved (teachers, parents, administration and students) a false sense of security. However, filtering also takes away many educational opportunities from students by blocking websites like UTube.

  Chapter 2
The school to family connection part of this chapter affected me the most. There are many times when we have school functions that working parents cannot attend. At least two or three students don't have family members who can not attend and that makes the students feel sad and uncomfortable. Being able to SKYPE parents or grandparents into the environment is a wonderful idea. I also like how our curriculum has the capability for our parents to see videos and pictures of our students hard at work. It gives new meaning to the dinner time conversation. As the students are more capable to connect to family, the world and new cultures the more they are able to see the world through a different lens. This will given them real world experiences within the classroom helping them for for the workforce of the future.


Chapter 3
The shift of control is a difficult change for most students and teachers. In preschool we spend most of our day facilitating problem solvers. The problems arise and the teacher doesn't give the direct solution. We guide the students to find the answers themselves. This way the students has ownership of not only the problem but of the solution that is found. Somewhere this breaks down and changes in the primary grades. Through units of study in preschool students are coming up with the topics of interests. if we continue in this constructivist way of teaching right from the start and into the primary grades, the shift will not be so drastic. As they grow and work together to solve problems using their resources, students will not feel the shift. It will be second nature, this way the change from school to the work force will also not be so uncomfortable.
  Chapter 4
My thoughts for this chapter are sparse, since I will only teach younger children. I feel I would never encounter giving them the freedoms of archive research. I do understand the need for organizing the information so a student can use it. Therefore as a teacher of younger children I would create a folder of websites my students could use to research a topic. Using this method could then spark a group discussion on research and what is useful and what may not be. Younger students need to be guided through the organization process and practice continuously throughout the early grades.
  Chapter 5
Online learning seemed like a dream or a sci-fi movie when I was in high school. Now it is a not only possible but attainable in all classrooms. If schools institute online learning, they can combine resources and possibly save money to be spent in other ways. In a time where texts books and supplies are so limited, pooling resources with a high initial cost investment could save future supply costs. Schools, students and teachers can begin slowly. Like any new program, there is bound to be fight and anxiety. As the participants practice and gain knowledge the anxiety and stress lessens.