Week 6: Assignment 2-1 Reader Response


              Both the articles this week, Middle School Science Teachers’ Confidence and Pedagogical Practice of New Literacies and Using Social Networking Sites to Facilitate Teaching and Learning in the Science Classroom, discuss the use of technology in the classroom. The first article suggests that using information and communication technologies (ICTs) should become common practice in every classroom, especially in the science room. ICTs can be used to support a student’s scientific inquiry. While doing this, students will cultivate their new literacy skills and become well-versed using technology. It is up to the educator to integrate these technologies in a meaningful way. Many educators are struggling to do this. In order to support the students technology use, teacher’s also need to be well-versed and comfortable using it.
              The second article suggests using social networking sites to help facilitate teaching and learning in the classroom. These networking sites are very similar to Facebook, a site that many digital natives are familiar with. They can serve as a platform for students to collaborate and also to present their projects. With these sites, the teacher can have control over what resources the students are using and how they are using them. They help to create a safe, online community that the parents can also be a part of. One social networking site the article suggests is Edmodo. To learn more about Edmodo and it’s functions, click here.

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