My biggest fear with facilitating these new technological programs into the classroom, is the pressure from parents to stop it. With all of the many internet predators that prey on children on the internet, it is no wonder why parents are concerned. I feel as though it is important to explain to parents that using the internet can really do more good than harm. I was recently reading an interesting article that really tied in with my idea, and the results are quite interesting. Instead of allowing concerned parents to put an end to internet use, it is the responsibility of the teacher to inform them on all of the many pluses:
1.) Blogging is the first and foremost important tool that a child can use in this day and age. By allowing children to voice their opinions on a blog site, you are allowing for them to receive positive feedback from other students from literally all over the world. Through doing this, children can learn a whole new array of knowledge, anywhere from what another culture is like, to a foreign language.
2.) Podcasting is also a great way to get students interested in new topics. In Will's book, on page 117 in the final paragraph on that page, he states the many benefits of podcasting. Nearly every single class could learn from podcasting, not just English teachers. Richardson gives several ideas on how podcasts can be faciliated into the classroom. I agree that it may be difficult to get this started, but once we put down the paper and pen, we will open up our students to a whole new world.
More information on blogging, as I feel that it is the most popular and well-known new form of technology. Will states that blogs can:
-promote critical and analytical thinking
-be a powerful promoter of creative, intuitive, and associational thinking
-promote analogical thinking
be a powerful medium for increasing access and exposure to quality information
-combine the best of solitary reflection and social interaction (Richarson 20).
As teachers, we need to assure parents that incorporating the internet into the classroom is not a bad thing. The days of using pens/paper/pencils are over, and are quickly being replaced with new technologies. It is up to them as parents to make their children aware of the dangers of the internet, as there are several. Educating them on the dangers will allow them to reap the benefits of the internet.
Here it the website I found. It's helpful and reassuring.
http://www.stsimon.com/news/images/focus2_106_teens.pdf
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Great point, I feel as teachers if we inform parents alot more and get them more involved they would be more likely to let their kids do more and wander freely on the internet. Maybe the reason we don't do more with technology is because of the fear of getting a phone call from your principal saying you are in trouble due to something a kid saw on the internet in your classroom. If every teacher had a blog with the parents of the student in your class the communication would be great and parents would know what is going on in their kids lives in the English classroom. Maybe we should educate the parents more than the students sometimes.
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