Week+-+2+-+January+18,+2010

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 * [[image:http://www.google.ca/intl/en_ca/images/logo.gif caption="Google"]]

General** This week we learned about using clickers and Google. I never realized the extent of Google. I have only ever used it for searching the web or images. I was impressed by Google docs and I actually used it today with another classmate for our other class. It was a great tool and much more useful than the Virtual Campus website. We were able to chat while together creating our document to hand into our teacher. While it was only two of us I could see how it would be useful to use in a larger group as well. I also like the idea of the google forms, although at the moment I do not see a personal need for it. I think Google docs would be a great tool for a classroom. I think a teacher could be very creative with it. It is a great tool for working collaboratively. Perhaps you could use it for class projects.

T his reading focused on today's students and the ways in which they ** learn differently than the last generation **. It talked about the many ** differences between the generations **. It also talked about the reasons that the digital generation students are disengaged ins who are the classroom. The curriculum no longer meets the needs of the generation. The digital generation is made up of students who ** use technology on a regular basis and who are use to multi-tasking **. The article suggests that t ** eachers must revise the way they teach in order to meet the needs of today's students **. It also suggests that te ** achers familiarize themselves with technology and software that students are interested in **. I completely agree with this. I love learning about new technology. I do a facebook and myspace account and I have recently thought about taking a look at twitter. I think teachers need to know what students are using. The more we know about it the more we can try to incorporate it into our classroom, which is another suggestion made in the article. The last point I want to talk about is ** cellphones. ** The article says that cell phones are usually banned from the classroom without looking at the ** potential they have for learning opportunities **. I for one, have always been annoyed by students using cell phones and MP3 players in the classroom. i found it disrespectful, but this is the old generation talking. I know appreciate the multi-tasking capabilities of students. While I am not yet sure how to incorporate cell phones into my classrooms I am no longer opposed to the idea. My only inhibition about it comes from the fact that I am from a low-income family and I know first-hand that many students ** can not afford this technology **. A teacher cannot incorporate technology into a classroom which not every student has access to. Clickers: I think clickers are a neat idea but I don't think I am sold on them. I think they are more of a prop than anything. I am also detered by the cost of them. I think as technology is expanded more and becomes increasingly cheaper we will see a fall in clickers. An investment in classroom laptops would be more worthwhile. I think students would be amused by clickers but I don't see them being very useful. All of the uses that were demonstrated are things that can be done without this pricely prop.
 * Reading Response -** Understanding the Digital Generation II
 * Software Commentary**