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 * WEEK 1**

The quote that caught my eye came from "Literacy in the New Information Landscape" by David Warlick. "They have taught themselves how to play the information. Their classrooms and libraries must become places where they learn to work the information." (p. 21) Children are exceptionally gifted in the use of technology. Give a child a new piece of technology and he'll figure it out in no time. However, a possible danger that we can't ignore is what they are doing with the information they are receiving from these sources. Do they know what to do with all of the information they receive? Can they determine if the information they receive is valid? Are they feeling overwhelmed? So many questions come to mind. I have an extremely bright student currently working on a project about sea turtles. She has been working on this project for several months. She has been surfing the Internet for information and saving any pertinent sights into a "Favorites" folder created for her. She did an excellent job at locating information and bookmarking websites from the Web, but she is having great difficulty figuring out what to do with all of it. Even though she has had another teacher and myself to guide her, she is still struggling. However, she wants to continue to search for more information, because she knows "how to play the information." As her teacher, I've realized that I am not adequately preparing my students to compete in a world where such skills are absolutely necessary. So how do we begin to "become places where they learn to work the information." (p. 21) Hopefully, this course is the beginning.

Source Cited: Warlick, D. (2007). Literacy in the new information landscape. //Library Media Connection//, 26(1), 20-21 The article, "Real Projects in a Digital World" from the December 2007 issue of //Principal Leadership// by Boss and Krauss//,// found that "Digital-age projects change expectations for both teachers and students." (p. 24) It was a bit frustrating, yet exciting to read this article. Here is something that engages students and teachers, yet "Few teachers have received formal training in project management." (p. 25) If research and actual application of this teaching-learning method has shown such positive results, then why are teachers not being trained? I've heard many teachers tell about how fun teaching and learning used to be, and how dull and boring it has become. Fortunately, there is a solution to the dull teaching, a project-based curriculum. It does more than engage its participants, it provides our students with real life experiences they can apply in the 21st Century. As such, I'd like to start tomorrow, but I'm not equipped to teach my students in this fashion. There lies my frustration.
 * WEEK 2**

Source Cited: Boss, S., & Krauss, J. (2007). Real projects in a digital world. //Principal Leadership,// 8(4), 22-26.


 * WEEK 3**

Marc Prensky makes the point that "...there is no reason why a generation that can memorize over 100 Pokemon characters with all their characteristics, history and evolution can't learn the names, populations, capitals and relationships of all the 101 nations in the world. It just depends on how it is presented" (p. 6) Engagement is the key. Prensky makes a clear argument for the need to teach children using methods that engage them. I'm completely sold on the idea that teachers need to present material using the technology that students are accustomed to. By doing this we can make lessons much more interesting; and, hopefully, students will retain the content that so many of them struggle with today. However, why is it that children can memorize so many facts from their video games, but have difficulty learning in school? I'm starting to believe that it is the "Digital Immigrants" that are to blame for the "Digital Native's" struggles in school. I'd love to create digital games for all subject areas that would engage my students, but I wouldn't know were to begin. Unfortunately, until then, I will continue to bore my students. As difficult as that is for me to say, I can't help but think about all the times I've had to redirect my student's to pay attention. Maybe I should be the one paying attention.

Source Cited: Prensky, M. (2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants: Part 1. On the Horizon, 9(5), 1-6.


 * WEEK 4**

To my astonishment, Robert Kruger writes that "...unlawful downloading, unauthorized software duplication, and plagiarizing text may be happening right in the classroom.... Yet, most students are unaware that it is wrong" (p. 188). When I came across this quote, I began to reflect on the actions or statements from my students past and present. I recall having classroom discussions about specific movies and software. I’ve heard comments from many of my students about how their parents get movies and software at a very low cost. They are very eager to brag about the deal their parents make. Students are not aware about the crime that's being committed. They’re being taught to make a deal regardless of the consequences. This illegal activity is such a major of part of their lives that they don't see anything wrong with it. It's a normal activity. So, I know that ethics are not being taught at home. It's our job to ensure that students understand how the illegal activities Kruger talks about affect them and others. I plan on taking a step in the right direction by visiting the website Kruger recommends at www. PlayItCyberSafe.com.


 * WEEK 5**

One area that is being overlooked on my campus follows what Betsy Price says in "Who's in Control of the Technology-Integrated School?" She states, "Principals cannot be technology experts, but they must hire staff members and teachers who will work together as a team to make decisions about technology issues" (p. 56). Although Price is speaking specifically about forming teams that include teachers and technology experts; the concept of teamwork in decision making, applies to broad spectrum of jobs. This piece of the quote is what specifically caught my eye. This is such because there is a lot of team building needed on our campus. Many staff member's conflicts with each other are causing our teams to break apart. Lack of trust and overworked staff are major contributors to this problem. Teams at our school are having difficulty communicating with each other, so any type of decision making is a challenge. In order to move forward we must trust each other and work collaboratively. This leads me to question how many teachers have ever played on a team? And, how many were taught to work in collaborative groups during their school years? Learning to work in teams requires practice, otherwise it can prove to be detrimental to the decision making process. For this reason, we must teach our students to work collaboratively.

Source Cited: Price, B. (2005). Who's in control of the technology-integrated school//? Principal Leadership//, 6(1), 51-56.