REFLECTIVE ASSIGNMENT Supporting Information Literacy and Online Inquiry in the Classroom

Introduction

Each of the preceding six courses I have taken prior to this have all proven to be a valuable learning experience. This course stands out from the others because of the awareness which has been brought to my attention of the responsibility I have as a teacher to instruct my students on not only the new, but essential literacy skills they must possess in order to be successful.

While teaching the new literacy skills to my students my biggest revelation was how much we all needed to learn. I found myself learning along with my class. I was amazed at the amount of wasted time my students can spend searching for information, and when the search was complete there was not any guarantee the information they found would be accurate. Eagleton and Dobler (2007) mention that: “to prepare today’s students to be successful in school and to compete in tomorrow’s workplace we had better start teaching them to be web literate”(p.119) . I came to realize this was an issue which needed to be addressed immediately.

The knowledge I have gained during the course has already taken affect. It is reflected in the changes to my lesson plans and the way I conduct my classes. I am fortunate to have a classroom full of computers which are connected for internet research. My students do some very interesting multimedia projects during the year, and now they will be much more productive because of what I have learned during this course. I believe my students will become more efficient in their web browsing techniques and it will be reflected in their work.

I work in the technology department at a middle school. My job is to expose students to various types of technology. For example computer technology, bridge building, and typing skills to name a few. The professional goal I have already begun to pursue is to promote the use of technology in all areas of my school. I believe it is critical that all teachers regardless of the subject they teach understand the importance of promoting new literacy skills through out the day. In the past it has been viewed as the responsibility of my department to do this. The steps I have begun to take are designed to encourage other teachers to integrate technology in their classrooms. For example: I collaborate with teachers to use their subject matter in my technology classes, and offer my computer room to them when it is not occupied.

Conclusion

To be successful in promoting new literacy skills it should be a common goal of an entire school. The use of technology does require a learning curve and the acceptance of change to a teachers routine. It does require a change in the culture of the school, however, in the long run teachers and students both receive the benefits.

References
Eagleton, M. B., & Dobler, E. (2007). Reading the web: Strategies for internet inquiry. New York: The Guilford Press