Post #5

In school using the internet for research can be extremely helpful. Researching is made easier, and the internet allows access to many sources that are not readily available at libraries around schools. Articles, journals, websites, books and anything else that could help a research project are all available to help students or anyone trying to find information. I think the internet is a positive for researching. As I state it important I also think that every student should know how to look for, find, and cite books. I think every research project should have a mandatory policy of at least one or two sources as books. This will help students stay in touch with books as well as using the internet to expand the knowledge in the paper. The internet for research is useful especially in history and science or on any subject based paper, while in English research is not always as useful or necessary. A lot of English papers focus on the students creating a story and this does not require sources. In teaching elementary school, the book brings up a good point in the proper search engines. For the younger kids search engines such as Google and yahoo are not always the best, bringing up all results some of which are not appropriate for the younger children. The search engines created especially for students are what students need to use to help narrow their search to information pertinent to their topic.

Other ways web based resources can help learning is through multiple websites. Many web pages have educational tools i.e gaming programs that engage students while at the same time yield learning. A lot of websites are created to help teachers teach, with interactive lessons including video and sound as well as pictures. A lot of the interactive web pages also include multiple links with some to quizzes and tests that can help build up the students knowledge base. In elementary school these websites come in handy and help feed their growing imaginations. Another way to use web based resources is through online schooling. Florida Virtual School is a large part of Florida education and applies to those home schooled as well as students who cannot go to school because of health reasons or people just wanted to take more classes.

As far as concerns about teaching students in a technological environment I do not have many. I will be teaching elementary schools most likely first or second grade. In these grade levels- as of now- the exposure to computers is not overwhelming. Students are exposed to their teachers use of the computer especially through the recent 'smart boards.' In 1st and 2nd grade most of the focus is on hands on work. If/When they use a computer my only concern would be of their safety online. Hopefully it would only be set to go to the link they need such as for Accelerated Reader quizzes and etc. I would be concerned with having the internet exposed to my students because the web opens up a new world. My concerns are not high because of the assumed minimal amount of computer exposure they will have, but my concerns are all enclosed around the safety of my students and keeping them from pictures or web pages they do not need to see. I would limit the accessibility of the computer, and hopefully be able to monitor them when they are using the computer.