Google Thinking

Regarding the Changing the Way We Think article, I agree that Google and online search engines in general are innovative inventions that did modify our way of thinking and perception, especially in the way that we receive information and ideas. The way I see it is and according to a part of the article to my understanding, that online searching limits us to information from sources that agree with our views and ideas, that we are not forced to see things form different perspectives and I suppose that is a downside to this phenomenon. I personally do not see any changes in my stimulus or changes in my personality and behaviour because of internet surfing, I feel the same person as before and if any changes occured, they were for the better because I learned a lot from the internet and from going to different websites about different issues, which takes me to the next point. I agree with the article that online searching encourages assimilative learning and finding referencial materials, but I disagree that it does not encourage material that causes changing of views because online searching has caused me at some instances to modify my ideas and opinions. I also think it is amazing how a person can text a long story with 160 or even 140 characters as you can do in some websites according to the article. Overall, I think that online searching/Google is a great invention for the human mind and does not make us any less intelligent, if not more, in my perspective.

Google Presentation

My Google presentation.

ALEX

ALEX which stands for Alabama Learning exchange, like ACCESS, is a program that is created to make school education and learning to be more effficient and convenient. Its website porvides teachers with weblinks to aid them in their teaching. It provides courses online covering all subjects and classes, making it easy for people who live in areas and attend schools that do not offer them. ALEX has a function that makes lesson plans for teachers for their classes, making their jobs easier for them, timewise and effortwise. In making the lesson plans, teachers can decide the objectives and levels that they want the lesson plans, and ALEX will meet those exact requirements. It provides a personal workplace for teachers who are registered to store and submit lesson plans and teacher webpages. It provides a professional opportunities page for people to choose from and receive from their website. ALEX is a resourceful program for both teachers and students alike.

I Think it would help me as a teacher because of the conveniences and the help I would receive from them, can make me a better facilitator of knowledge to my students. It can give me more time to teach my students about the subject matter and to do so with more knowledge and resources, due to its function of making my lesson plan or giving me my workplace to create my lesson plan, in addition to the web links that it provides for teachers/students to receive desired information . It helps me reach students from different places and communicate with them online and at their own pace, helping them to learn better. I think ALEX is a very good invention for teaching and learning.

ACCESS

ACCESS is a system that is made to make high school instruction of better quality, teaching wiswe and technology wise. It gives a technical ability to provide courses through the internet, using the most up to date technology. It also encompasses internet-based classwork with Alabama certified teachers to have access to school sites that would not be able to have contact with them to get them to teach for them, in other words reach al areas including rural with eaqual learning opportunities. Resources provided will involve extra mulitimedia and technology tools to improve teaching. It combines online learning with classroom learning, getting the benefits of both. ACCESS clearly is an innovative invention for high school education.

My thoughts on the usefullness of ACCESS on me as a teacher starts with the fact that it will let me have the opportunity to reach people from distant areas online. Another benefit of ACCESS to me as a teacher is that I will receive technological and educational training which really expands my ability to be a more informed and productive teacher to my students. Through it, I would professionally grow and be forced to be especially organized and prepared, due to its sopisiticated use. Will also give me a chance to give feedbak on how to improve its courses , giving me as a teacher a greater spectrum of understanding alternative teaching. I would be available for individual help for my students, helping them learn at their own speed. It is clear that ACCESS is a very useful tool for teaching.

All information received from the ACCESS website:http://accessdl.state.al.us/showaccess.php?lnk=aboutaccess