Blog on Readings (Ed Tech)

Ch 4 (November), Ch 7-8 (Richardson)

1. What is the right balance between giving students freedom to explore the Web for research and providing them with structure and guidance?

I think that teachers should make students aware of some strategies that can be used to explore the web for research, and then allow them to be free to explore on their own. Teachers should let their students know that it is important when using a database, that you think about where the source is coming from and what biases might exist due to the source, and that the more focused your search question is, the better results you will get (November, 2010). But then I think that it's best for the teacher to allow the students to explore on their own. I think being able to navigate a web source and choose the correct keywords to use to get exactly the information you want is a trial-and-error process that one learns through practice. So I think it's very important to make students aware of strategies, and then let them free to explore and develop their own strategies for searching the web.



2. What is the role of the teacher in helping students to make meaning of primary source material?

The teacher can help students in making meaning of primary sources by asking them to generate questions that they should consider while reviewing the primary source, and ask them to find other documents that support or refute these questions (November, 2010). The teacher might help the student find other documents to support their primary source by giving them ideas of what to search. For example, as November (2010) stated, the teacher could suggest that the student find a document from an organization that is affiliated with the critical question that the student is looking for (example: a student looking for information on Jackie Robinson's involvement in civil rights movement, the student might look to NAACP for information). I would also encourage my students to find an expert to use as a source, or to generate data (surveying people, etc.) to use as a source. These methods are very effective because they also make more of an impact on students, since they are gathering information from a first-hand source (an expert) and because they are collecting their own data to support a hypothesis (November, 2010).


3. How can teachers use Podcasting and/or multimedia tools to promote collaborative learning?

And lastly...here is my podcast to respond to question 3! Richardson (2010) was the main source I used to gather my information from.

It's nothing fancy, but I hope you like it!

My podcast

Okay, I don't think that worked too well so here is my written response. Podcasts and other multimedia tools are great ways for students to collaborate. Students could produce a podcast or a video, upload it to a blog or website and have students make responses to their media upload. Students and teachers could also upload media to educational websites for other students and teachers to use and learn from. Skyping is an excellent way for students to collaborate through videoconferencing, so students can work together from different locations (Richardson, 2010). These videoconferences can also be taped vocally and uploaded for others to listen to. Additionally, different classrooms can could use Skype to collaborate with each other. Students could also watch a show, like a political debate, and be in a chatroom together to talk while watching it live. The opportunities are limitlesss!