I want to be a teacher who can connect with students through the use of technology, a teacher whose class isn’t always predictable (and one in which students can easily nap). My goal is to use technology not simply as a means of projecting information or gathering information via internet (common yet effect uses of technology i will most likely use) but use it in other ways I have yet to explore really. I loved the idea of webquests as well as a few other programs I discovered in my research. Most likely my means of development are going to be through reading; journals, articles, websites, etc. Unfortunately, I don’t always learn best though reading alone so workshops are going to be necessary for me. I know that in my community there is a program to technological development but i was unable to find out the details (i probably don’t know where to look). The journals I am hoping the school will support because I honestly don’t see myself reading it cover to cover often. I seem to only read articles that grab my attention. I hope also to learn a little from student for they know the best way for them to learn (in most cases). Mostly, I need to improve my view of technology, something this class has greatly impacted. The more I work with it in class, the more I think about all the cool things I could do even as an English teacher. Because I want to, I can change my outlook and bring something awesome into my classroom.

“You can’t always trust the internet. Any one can post anything on it.” I remember hearing this a lot in junior high (for almost every teacher) and they could not have been more right. They taught us simple checks to validate the information; if it is unlike anything you have learned… it could be “made-up,” if it was from a .edu, .org, .gov website, it could be trusted, etc. The checks were helpful yet not a very good method of discovering the accuracy of the information provided. The website martinlutherking.org was a good example of the ineffectiveness of the checks. It is an organizational site with references that seem reliable (newsweek, new york times, etc.), but the author and its affliliation were unlisted. The information and links within the website were irrelevant and lacking value. A lot of it was also inappropriate for a young audience because of language, sex, and violence. A number of links were either not available or under construction (a negative indicator). How can a teacher instruct students in choicing accurate information especially since this site was listed as number 25 in a google search (keyword: martin luther king junior)? It is a difficult task and the checks provided by my teachers in the past can still be used, but others should be added and some adjusted. Inform the students that a number of pages on the web may be inaccurate, and allow students the oppertunity to have the websites from which they are gathering information validated by an adult if the contents seems questionable.

One definition of constructivism reads;
“view of learning in which learners use their own experiences to construct understandings that make sense to them, rather than having understanding delivered to them in already organized form….Learning activities based on constructivism put learners in the context of what they already know, and apply their understanding to authentic situations.” (Kauchak & Eggen, 1998, p. 184).” Experience and observation are two of the most influential learning tools. If a student is unable to relate the information, in my opinion it is pointless for how can the information be implemented. A fact is simply that and understanding is not necessarily associated. Is constructivism a “source of evil and the reason for poor student academic achievement nationwide?” Maybe it is based on standardized tests calling for distant facts in subjects such as history. History is more than facts. Much of history is according to perception and is easily manipulated. A student should be able to look at the sources, the facts, and use his/her own judgment to formulate his/her own personal understanding. The same is true in subjects such as literature. One cannot simply use the plot to understand the piece but must gather more information based on prior knowledge of the time period and of human tendencies and further develop his/her own interpretation of the reading. As a teacher, I want my students to have the skills to develop and defend their opinions, skills necessary later in life. Someone is not always going to be there to force feed a person facts and without these skills there will be no development or discovery. A teacher is not, however, useless for it is his/her role to guide the students in developing by presenting information, prompting students to use prior knowledge, and providing a means of discovery. Technology and constructivism in that sense go hand and hand. It can be used to present information, prompt the use of prior knowledge, and provide the means to discover. Hands on activities, simulations, and projects (technology’s features) all play an important role in a constructivist classroom and are necessary to learning (an almost indubitable fact regarding many students learning).