week 1 questions

1.       A weblog is a blog that allows teachers to communicate with students and parents more effectively. Weblogs can be used in a variety of ways including posting assignments, storing handouts and creating a discussion forum for students. Weblogs can be created by using class portals, e-portfolios, collaborative space and used as a classroom website. Weblogs can be used to enhance learning because it gives teachers a chance to have all the information in one place that students can access at home or at school. It also allows for parent to have more of an open door as to what is happening in the classroom and what their students need. I feel as though Weblogs have been used at university level for the past decade and teachers are now starting to see how these resources can be used at any level. (Richardson)

2.       The new literacies include students being able to identify important questions, navigate, critically evaluate, synthesize, and communicate using technology and web sources. I would have to say that calling these new literacies makes it sound like we are teaching our students to do something new when in reality we are teaching them how to apply what they already do to a new area. These are skills that our students develop thought the course of their education, except that part of our job as teachers is to show them how to use them when we are looking at web sources or looking up information or using technology to create different projects. This is very important for our students because the older they become the more they will use these different technologies and need to be able to navigate through all of the information.  

3.       Our school does not have a policy that specifically talks about posting students work online. However we do have parents sign a release at the start of the year that allows students to use the computers and technologies. Students are expected to use the internet in appropriate manners and within the same rules of school. It is also mentions in our handbook that part of our role as educators is to help students be prepared for the ever increasing technologically savvy society.