Using technology as a tool for communication and interaction (chapt. 8 & 9)

I found chapter 8 to be quite interesting; chapter 9, not so much. Chapter 8 focused on communicating and networking with websites, blogs, wikis, and more, and I enjoyed reading about how we can use these tools to aid our instruction in the classroom while also sharing ideas and information through various learning environments. As a teacher, electronic communication is key. By maintaining communication with students, parents, peers, and administrators even while outside of the constraints of the classroom, interaction and synchronicity can be maintained at all times. I was intrigued by the text's mention of the five major ways for teachers to use electronic communication both inside and outside of the classroom, which included: (1) Teaching interactively, (2) Sharing information, (3) Building learning communities, (4) Publishing student work, and, (5) Energizing student writing. While I discovered points of interest in each of these categories, the section on sharing information really got me thinking. The text mentions that 36 percent of families use the internet to communicate with schools, although only once of twice a year. This statistic dumfounded me. Family members are contacting schools only once or twice a year? That's it? With electronic communication so widely accessible, this statistic seems quite low. Further, the book claims a positive connection exists between internet-based family communication and higher academic achievement. Why does this correlation happen? What's driving it? No matter the reasoning for it, we must use this realization to our advantage an bring families into the educational mix through online communication. But how can we accomplish this? How can we engage families into the learning process using electronic communication? As the chapter continued, information about textspeak was presented. This email and instant messaging language of abbreviations, symbols, and letters, (and also emoticons) is used to achieve quick communication. As a preservice ELA teacher, I am curious how the internet with shape the constrict of language as we know it as generations continue to technologically progress. Will text speak become standardized? Is it rly kewl 2 talk lik dis? I found this cool website that explores chat acronyms and text messaging shorthand, and provides a list of meanings for those of us who may be a bit out of touch with this lingo: http://www.netlingo.com/acronyms.php. This got me thinking again, wondering how textspeak is influencing formal education and standardized english grammar rules. Is it ever acceptable to use this language in schools? As educators, do we move with the times and adapt to this new trend, or squash it in its place and banish it completely from our classrooms? As I wrapped up chapter 8, I was thinking about collaborative learning and the text's mention of its place in learning as a result of technology integration. Both wikis and blogs encourage students to work together to learn information and provide feedback and create discussion with their peers. In this sense, technology can be a very collaborative tool. However, technology also gets a wrap for being isolating and leading to anti-social traits in those who spend countless hours behind their computer screens. So where is the dichotomy happening? Is technology a tool that brings us together or one that keeps us apart? How has technology effected our capacity for socialization? Just to touch on chapter 9, I was unimpressed by most of the information provided by the text. PowerPoint, though a great resource in classrooms, is already partially outdated. In fact, I did not learn about any new resources from this chapter. Where was information about sites like Prezi? This presentation site is so much interactive, engaging, and aesthetically pleasing than even the best PowerPoint. The only cool thing I found in chapter 9 was the lesson activity idea all the way at the end of the chapter. Here, they discuss having students go on a poetry hike, bringing along a camera and later, creating a haiku-type poem that will provide a multi-sensory experience. I want to use this idea in my own classroom one day, and will think on a way to incorporate it into my own teaching practice.