It's times like last night that makes me wish I was a lower level teacher...just a little bit. The Web 2.0 resources just keep coming. I've started a Google Doc of a list of the resources we've talked about and it's getting pretty long. Hopefully, I remember what they all are. I can't believe the FREE stuff out there. The sites for the children's books were awesome! I would also totally use them with older kids, even high schoolers because they like that kind of thing sometimes. Just for a change of pace. I would use children's books for a struggling reader class I taught, and even though they acted like they thought it was lame, I know they enjoyed being read to in that "elementary" way.
I mentioned students being able to distinguish between unreliable and reliable websites last night. We had just talked about that in CI 501 a couple nights before and how important it is that teachers don't limit the exposure students get to the internet. That doesn't mean they should be able to do whatever they want, but giving them a list of websites they CAN use totally defeats the point. In a reading for that class, it said that web browsers were the most commonly used technology in the classroom but teachers were not comfortable with teaching about the responsibility that students need to take when sorting through information. It's a skill that everyone needs to learn in order to be critical readers in this digital world. Maybe teachers need some professional development that shows them how to give some power back to the students in that area of using the web.
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Although you are interested in teaching older students, I think some of the resources we have been introduced too could be useful with a bit of tweeking. The more we get into this course, the more I am trying to find different free sites to use in my instruction. I only wish that our district would place more time/professional development on using technology.
ReplyDeleteYou are right about not just give students the list and let them do whatever. Technology should be used under proper guidance and supervision, especially with younger kids. That's why it's critical to identify reliable sources. I missed the class, but I listened to the recording of the class. I am thrilled to find out how many digital audio books are out there, free, which should be brought to use by all literacy teachers.
ReplyDeleteI do think teachers need professional development about searching on the Web. It is a new literacy skill and most teachers have not been taught those skills, so how do they pass it along to students. They don't!
ReplyDeleteThe sources are amazing - also remember our Wiki - I'll keep posting to that site, if you get tired in Google Docs!!
I really liked your point about teachers needing professional development when it comes to internet and search engine responsibility. It's something that everyone needs to learn for various reasons, including their safety. I'd say just about everyone in school uses search engines for some school related activity or another. We are supposed to teach students things they'll use in life, why not internet responsibility? Good points.
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