6816 - Textbooks, Wikipedia, and Schooling

THINKALOUD PROJECT

Emily jing from Emily

I enjoyed this activity.  There are now more websites that I can use when validating a website.  I also felt that the Jing slideshare helped me really get down and deep into the validating process.  It allowed to to actually think about what I was doing and looking for.  I will be teaching math this coming year; however, maybe one day I will find a way to use this in my own classroom.

It is important to provide students with information literacy skills in the digital age because students are using digital media for anything and everything.  Students have grown up in such a technological world that they need to know how to properly use the skills that they have come to know.

Projects like the ThinkAloud provide students with meaningful information literacy experience because they are not only learning how to evaluate webpages - but they are showing how they are evaluating it with their own words and judgments.  They are also using a technological way of showing their work as well.

Strategy:

Name of page:

Arming Teachers and School Staff with guns

Address/URL: 

http://www.schoolsecurity.org/trends/arming_teachers.html

Date Accessed: 

June 8th 2013

How did you find the page? 

Google Search

DOMAIN

What is the domain of the page?
.org 

Do you feel that the domain type helps add to or lessen the page’s credibility?

yes

AUTHOR/AUTHORITY

Is the author of the page identified?

yes

Is the author of the page an individual?

yes

Is the author clearly affiliated with a corporation, institution, organization or group?

yes. Kenneth Trump is the president of National Safety and and Security Services

If so, does this affiliation lend credibility to the author?

yes

Are the author’s educational, occupational or other credentials identified?

yes - 25-year veteran school safety expert

Is the author a professional in the field or a layperson interested in the subject?

yes

Does the author display any obvious bias?
The author has bias towards not arming the staff members in school

AUTHOR/AUTHORITY, cont.

Does the author provide his/her contact information (usually an e-mail address)?

yes

In conclusion, do you feel that the author is qualified to present the information found on his/her web page?

yes

INTENT

Is the purpose of the page clearly stated?
yes

INTENDED AUDIENCE

Who appears to be the intended audience for this information/page?
the public - especially school staff members

When was the information on the page created or last updated?

2013

CONCLUSIONS

Do you feel that this source is appropriate for your current assignment or information need?

yes

Would you recommend this source to a friend doing similar research?

yes

Source:

National School Safety and Security Services. (2013). Arming Teachers and School Staff With Guns. Retrieved fromhttp://www.schoolsecurity.org/trends/arming_teachers.html.


WEEKLY READING #3

1. How do you feel about using web-based resources instead of textbooks in school?

I am 80% for using web-based resources instead of textbooks in schools.  The other 20% is because I do know that textbooks have so much rich information for our students.  Not only is using the internet or web-based resources better, but using manipulatives and hands-on experiences are better for the students.  However, my 80% is because I know that websites are so much more easier to read.

• They chunk the information so that we are not reading one huge paragraph
• There are pictures that go along with the text/information
• There are sometimes multiple links that will take us to other pages that may have even more information

2. What opportunities for the development of information literacy skills for students if they began to learn without textbooks?

I feel that the internet has infinite amount of information for students to learn from.  I know that students, and myself, find textbooks boring and dull.  If we use the web-based resources - they can be more fun, enthusiastic, and engaging for students.  I know from personal experience that you can google absolutely anything.  I am always googling information.  One of my favorite things to say to any question is "Google It!" The only problem with using the internet for all of this information is the credibility and validity skills that our students need to learn.

3. How do these articles change or support your stance on using Wikipedia as learning resources in the classroom? 

I was shocked to learn that there wasn't really an author for the textbooks.  I always knew that there were multiple authors - but I would have never guessed it was that crazy.  Reading these articles makes my stance somewhat the same - it should be used as an example of how students need to use the internet.  There are some literacy skills students need to learn about while searching the web for information; however, I feel that these are skills that will be easier for them to learn considering the amount of time they are on the internet.  From my own experience, students dislike using, carrying, or reading textbooks anyway.  However, the computer, iPhone, or iPad is right at their fingertips.  

4. Find an image that relates to information literacy and schooling. Embed the image in your blog and provide proper attribution.

Retrieved from : http://librarynext.wordpress.com/category/information-literacy/


Sources:

Ansary, T. (2004, November 10). A Textbook Example of What's Wrong with Education. Retrieved June 8, 2013, from Edutopia: http://www.edutopia.org/muddle-machine

Ruth, G. (2005, February 8). No Books, No Problem: Teaching Without a Text. Retrieved June 8, 2013, from Edutopia: http://www.edutopia.org/teaching-without-text