This week's Wikipedia debate gave me a new angle to think about. I have not ever encouraged my students to use this search resource because I thought it couldn't be credible when anyone is able to edit the information. I decided to bring up the discussion with my first graders! With a little guidance from me, they were able to express some valid arguments both for and against Wikipedia. I was very proud of their critical thinking! The discussion resulted with the idea that Wikipedia is okay if you can match the information through another location.
The search engine information was definitely valuable. Of the teachers with whom I work, many still have a block against using their email. They think they are really doing something when they have their students do a Google search on a subject and call it internet research. To be honest, until recently, I thought Google was the only way to search, too. With the help of the search engine resources this week, I feel much more confident about how I use them. Mega-search engines...What a concept! However, I can't imagine how such a beast can really be efficient.
Finally, the Tom March quote proved to be quite a discussion piece. Understanding that March gets paid to be emphatic, I actually appreciated the quote for expressing the pressing need educators have to gain the knowledge and tools to effectively integrate technology into their teaching.
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