What Strategies do you use in Research?

I think this depends on what it is I am researching. If I am working on a large research paper, I may use scholarly journals and search through them using JSTOR or EBSCOhost. Also, I may use books from the university library. If I am using the internet to find information, I may use Google to look up web sites about my topic or I may use Wikipedia to get a brief overview of a topic.

Reading Response: Chapters 1 & 2

It was interesting to read a little bit about the history behind the internet. Also, as someone who knew nothing about blogs, it is interesting to see the history behind them as well. I had no idea Howard Dean used a blog to such an extent in his presidential campaign. I had never heard of the phrase "Digital Natives". I guess I would be considered just old enough to miss this designation; I know someone whose daughter was four years old and used the family's computer. The Toolbox section on page 8 is an excellent glossary of technology terms. At one point in the text, the writer mentions that using a blog or a web site where a teacher can put links for educational web sites, post homework, and provide a forum for students to react to readings. It is a great idea. Although I am sure I have read blogs before, I am just surprised by how big the blogging community is. I have used the internet for at least 10 years and it just seems like recently blogging has become popular. And as long as I have used the internet, I guess there is always some more surprises out there.

Technology Biography

Technology is a wonderful thing. The first time I used a computer was in elementary school playing learning games like Oregon Trail (left) and Number Munchers. That was what we did in the computer lab; we never did any spread sheets or typing of papers, just educational games. It was not until middle school that I saw people using computers or other things. In fact it was a requirement that you had to use a computer to type papers. My grandmother thankfully bought my first computer for me (a Packard-Bell) and I was hooked. I always tinkered around with it trying to figure out what it did. A friend of mine got the internet before I did and we spent so much time on AOL 3.0. It seemed so cool to be able to talk to people across the country and to look online about movies and music and the like. As I got older, I learned more about computers. I would say that I am not a novice, but I am not an expert by any means.

Aside from playing the educational games in elementary school, most of my experience with computers in school was using word processors to type papers. I did take a class my freshman year of high school in which we worked with a version of Microsoft Office, learning to use Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. I still remember coming up with a PowerPoint in which we had an intergalactic battle between Twinkies and Ho-Hos (don't ask). My next foray into computers was my sophomore year and taking a computer programming class. It was by far the toughest class I have ever taken in my life. I couldn't understand anything we did in that class and I had to ask for help from everyone in that class. Anytime I read the book I fell asleep (no joke) and whenever I asked for help from the teacher, she would show me a programming error, fix it, and move on and not tell me what she did or what mistake I made. Needless to say, thats when I decided computer programming was not for me.

As someone who has had good and bad experiences in the classroom, I think that overall, technology is good for the classroom. Technology is always changing and improving on itself. Programs like Blackboard and websites like blogger.com are just examples of technology that can be used to help students outside of the classroom and a point of reference for students and the teacher. Students need to use technology in their lives; it is our responsibility as teachers to incorporate technology into the classroom.

Update:
After taking this class, I feel I have a better understanding of some of the new technologies out there. I mean, I never knew what a blog was. The class also gave me a more open mind to all the possible applications for using technology in the classroom. I feel more confident with technology and I would definitely like to use something like blogger in the classroom.