Once Louis started to discuss search engines I thought of an application to what I was learning. I had produced an assignment on web searches for one of my online science classes a couple years ago. I had read about and used some of the skills Louis mentioned but still much of it was new to me. So I have been working on updating the assignment to make it even more useful to my students.
The history of the internet section activity were we found researched and then posted new and interesting knowledge we acquired, provided me with much new knowledge and was very interesting. It will be interested to read the forum as more people post as there is quite a bit diversity in our group considering age and backgrounds. It will be interesting to hear what he younger folks have to say as well as the techno geeks and grey beards like myself.
I finally did get my book this week which will make that particular section much easier to deal with. Though it did bring up and issue that I would like your opinion on . Teaching online my students receive there information in many different ways. They can attend or view a taped version of a lecture where I discuss or demonstrate the information from the chapter. They may also view a lesson that has information and interactive games for them to check their knowledge. I also provide power points and web links to further enhance the amount of information concerning the topic. At the high school level we also send out text books. With the addition of the new 6-8 level we are no longer going to provide text books but will provide digital online access to the texts. Now in our meetings the teaches reacted very negatively to the idea of our middle school students not having textbooks. I do notice the difference when I read a textbook and when I read online, but I wonder if that is because there is something different in the way we process the written word as displayed on paper or computer screen or is it more a function of my background and age. After all this computer stuff is almost like magic to me but for my kids it is just another tool. So what is your opinion on this. Think of how easy it would be to have the students use an online text. You would not have to coordinate the shipping, you would reduce your carbon footprint and costs. Hmmmm.........
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Jim, that is a very interesting question about getting rid of textbooks and having students read the information on the internet. While I see the negatives of students not being able to take the textbook with them and possibly screwing around on the internet instead of reading the text, I see a couple bonuses to Etext. The first one that I see is less up keep for the teacher. I know I hate every semester spending time to check in and check out textbooks. Teachers and students think it is a huge hassle. The other major positive that I could see from Etext is the ability to review the text virtually anywhere. As our world goes even more wireless, students will have the ability to access the text from all settings. I see this being very beneficial to the students.
ReplyDeleteI too find this to be an interesting question you pose. I have not received my textbook and find it extremely difficult to read the information online. My students on the other hand, seem to learn way better by reading text online than they do out of the book. I would have to say that we learn best when we are in our comfort zone and for you and I that comfort zone would include learning the way we grew up with, that being by reading from a book. Our students on the other hand grew up getting their information from the net and therefore their comfort zone would be the net more so than books. With today's economy and tech literate students, I would have to say that I think you are right to explore the possibility of fazing out the books. I think as teachers we so often fall into the habit of teaching to our comfort zones rather than that of the students and that is why progression is slowed. If nobody ever reached outside our own comfort zones, we could never reach our true potential and I think you are wise to be on the forefront of innovation rather than on the backside.
ReplyDeleteI also find your post extremely intriguing. I am very concerned about our environment and making a stronger effort to live "green". I have switched to paperless billing for all of my household and personal bills. I know that saves a few reams of paper each year but I can only imagine the impact of millions of textbooks being viewed online and not printed on paper. I also realize that this would take away from a major business but it's an interesting concept. I too find it difficult to read some information online. There is just something nice about getting cozy with a book. It will be very interesting to see what the future holds, especially with the current state of our economy.
ReplyDeleteI have found over time that I do better and better with ebooks and reading. I find myself highlighting using technology. Lots possible as you switch modes. A eReader like the Kindle can hold hundreds of books - and think of the ability to update.
ReplyDeleteWe all grapple with change - but there are some good things with the downsides.
I am an active reader. I have to constantly take notes, highlight, circle, underline, etc. just to keep my attention focused and help me make connections as I read. I was extremely worried about making it through the first week without my 'helpers'. Forced to modify, however, by the second chapter, I had managed to figure out OneNote, imported copies of the text, and was going to town. Not only could I highlight, but there are shapes that help me outline, and I was constantly annotating in the margins. This app. rocks. What made it even better, was as I answered questions within the text, and I was copying an pasting text and tables that I was referring to.
ReplyDeleteIt was geeky excitement at first, but when my book arrived, I actually felt cheated without all the tools.
I'm not ready to convert completely, yet, but I can only wonder if an old dog like myself can learn this new trick, the puppies will probably take on etexts as second nature.