A diversity of information, outside of googlenation.

First thoughts around students use of google for everything:

I completely understand where my students are coming from, I remember in high school when the librarians tried to teach us how to use lexisnexis and other databases that our school had access to, I figured I could just get strong information from google anyway. It wasn’t until I went to college that I discovered the joys of pubmed, and beyond that, the thrills of finding actual texts in the school library. For this reason, I want to make sure we slow down, and emphasize the “sources cited” section when we assign projects. There is something really satisfying about finding a manageable amount of articles on pubmed, or a manageable amount of books in the library, instead of the overwhelming amount of choice that google, ask and yahoo offer.


How has technology changed my life?

I use the internet every day to stay connected with my friends, and to research what other teachers are doing. I use it to teach myself A LOT. There is a lot of information I previously would not have been privy to had I not had internet access. I believe this acess allows me to expand on things I have learned in a traditional setting, and to supplement a lot of the learning that I did in college, as well as the coursework I am doing now in graduate school.

What is possible for my students?

My students do spend a lot of time at the computer, so I imagine that they will be able to channel some of that energy into research. I think they can find the joy in learning new scientific information and seek it out. As long as it is written in an accessible manner, I think they should be able to consume this information readily.

Where do I stand on this issue and why?

I want to be an enabler. I want to give them the introduction to the information, then point them in the right direction so that they can seek out this information in greater detail than I can give in class, and allow them to make it their own. I mentioned guevodoces in class a month ago, and was so impressed with the amount that my students retained, and even the reports of students researching this information on their own. I know I am meant to teach to a regents curriculum, but I feel that I should include the kind of information that will make my students feel very inquisitive, and encourage them to seek outside information. I want to give them a taste of something that they can find interesting or meaningful in their own lives.

What students, teachers, or other individuals does this issue bring to mind?

This issue brings to mind Ashley, who spent the evening debating with her mother whether or not guevodoces was a real thing. Alfredo and Felix who frequently surprise me with their background knowledge. Shirley who insists that science is her favorite subjects and mentions the crazy experiments her old science teacher used to do.

What would someone who totally disagrees with you say about this issue and your stand on it?

Most likely, they would argue that students only need to use google or ask for now, since their knowledge doesn’t have to be in depth. They don’t need to search complex databases because they most likely would not be able to understand the high-level articles these sites provide anyway. They would say that this information is only tangential, and may wind up confusing the students. They would say that I should stick to a prescribed regents curriculum. They would say that this information has no bearing on what the students are learning or need to know, and just serves as a distraction.


Why did I choose this issue?

Once you really learn how to focus your searching, and how to find valid information that can elucidate concepts for you that used to be difficult, you can master that information. I remember what it was like to feel ownership over the information I was receiving, and not like I was some vassal for information that was thrown at me. I loved feeling that what I was researching was both academic and interesting, and that it mattered to me personally as well as academically. I want my students to feel the same way, so that this love of investigation and learning can be cultivated in their minds, and assisted through their mastery of the educational technology at hand.