Week 6: The Digital Divide

When I was at Brenau University working on my BS Ed, this amazing new "thing" came out called the internet.  You could use your home phone line to connect to America Online internet service provider. This awesome dial up allowed you to enter "chat rooms" where you could talk to strangers, or log onto the Brenau Library where you could search holdings (not for the actual paper mind you.)   I was amazed, flabbergasted really. From that point on, I was in awe of this new thing called the internet.  I remember also my first teaching job and when we started communicating by email. We had this huge meeting where we were told not to use school email for personal correspondance. I still don't. 

  I completed my Masters and and will complete my Specialist all online. I have learned to research and find valid sources, and I have learned to weed out the trashy ones.  At this time, there are a millon ways to easily research and find wonderful information within a matter of seconds.  It simply takes the right search engine, web site, and keywords and you can find just about anything you need.  Google Books also offers online books  and google scholar has become an often used site for me. 

      Students and teachers all need guidance when evaluating quality resources.  I have often used cybersmart to help me with lessons for students. The internet has really helped to facilitate research in all areas. I hated going to the library, trying to find what I needed, then using the microfiche machine to read/make copies! YUCK! Further, this was a major time drain for me.  Now I can sit at home and research at any time, for any reason, and I can find great information as long as I know what I am looking for!

Week 5: Mobile Computing Devices

   My mobile computing devices are most definitely an extension of who I am.  I wake up to an alarm on my cell phone, pick up the phone and check mail on three email accounts, and respond when necessary all before getting out of bed.  I use my laptop to complete my MEd and my EdS. I take my ipad to meetings and I drool over new apps that facilitate learning. Today, we had a county wide technology meeting for Media Specialist, Coaches, etc. .  We discussed the use of tablets, how to go wireless and keep it safe, etc. . The presenters were using their iphones to flip through their Keynote presentation that was projected on a big screen . . I almost jumped up and clapped! WOW! How cool was that?  I use the ipads daily with my kiddos in the Media Center, hunt down great apps, and am diligently trying to facilitate higher order thinking with my ipads. I love technology and I think that right now is the best time to be a Media Specialist because such wonderful new tools are being developed every day!


There are several sites I use to search for apps: http://teachwithyouripad.wikispaces.com/Blooms%20Taxonomy%20with%20Apps for our school:

https://sites.google.com/site/bloomsapps/home

http://teachwithyouripad.wikispaces.com/Blooms%20Taxonomy%20with%20Apps