Assignment 8

I chose to read the August Best Blog of 2007, "Creating PersonalLearning Networks". This post discussed creating a learning network for the students, not the teachers. Using tools like iGoogle and Google reader, the students would find information about a subject of interest and blog about it. This helps the students become familiar with using the web as a tool to obtain information using more than one source. It also is designed to help them interact with others on the computer in an academic atmosphere. This daily exercise also helps with their writing skills and critical thinking ability.

I think this is a great idea. It is a refreshing way to have students gather information and write about it in there own words rather than sending them to the library to find information and write a paper. This exercise will help students see how easy it is to find information using the web and how to determine if a source is trustworthy and reliable. Doing this daily will help this become a standard way to find information and perhaps students will begin to practice this out of the classroom. Most teens spend many hours a day on the computer, but most of this time is spent on My space and Face book, this exercise will definitely expand their use of a computer.