Webquests

At first when I looked at this assignment I was completely unsure what a webquest was and not really looking forward to creating one.  After viewing all of the videos and examining the other materials on what webquests are and how to create them my overwhelmed feelings started to ease.  I had heard of them before but as far as seeing what one actually was or thinking about creating one well that was far from ever happening to me.  I have found a couple of really great webquests on quest garden though and actually am incorporating them into my lesson plans for the next week.  I think this will help me get more familiar with them and they seem very fun that I think my students will really enjoy them.  Thank you Dr. Luongo for the extension though this really helps.  

NJCCCS & NETS

When looking at the assignment about the  NJCCCS it was not a new topic for me.  My district is very strick when it comes to lesson planning and we include at least 2 standards in every lesson plan that we do in each course everyday.  My students use technology all day long whether it be using our SMARTboard or the MacBooks or the regular PCs in our classroom but one thing that I have never heard of are the NETS.  I think that it is very important that students use technology as much as possible to learn.  We are in an age where everything is at the tip of our fingers all we have to do is press a button and information is right there.  These students will only be moving forward as technology keeps on advancing.  Teaching with just paper and pencil is great but it is not going to really be making them any smarter.  When we teach students using technology we will only be helping them move forward.  For my students benefits I plan on implementing more of the technology standards from the NJCCCS and the NETS into my lesson plans. By doing this I will be able to monitor my progress on how well I am incorporating technology into my curriculum. 

Internet Safety

Today my school sent out a paper informing parents how important internet safety is and how it should not be overlooked.  Sometimes young children trust people they do not know very easily and with all of the different internet sites out there today that are so popular like myspace and facebook it is very easy for younger students to be tricked by adults.  Parental controls are very important to have in place on a home computer and in schools.  I know in our school almost everything is blocked but if you give the technology department enough time they can unblock a site so that it can be used for a class.  I was shocked, since I teach the second grade, when one of my students said that they have a myspace after seeing the internet safety paper I had them put in their folders.  It just goes to show how parents need to pay more attention to what their children are doing on the internet and what better way to rest assure that your child is safe then by choosing what they are allowed and not allowed to access on the internet.  The internet can be a great tool when used properly but children need to be taught just like not to take candy from a stranger to not talk to someone on the internet that they do not know.