I think it is very interesting that young adults and adults are going to YouTube for credible and authentic information. Yes, the site contains real clips from television, which are credible, but what about the other billion or so videos from all the Jane Does with nothing better to do than make a video.
Many of my students enjoy creating videos, editing them, and posting them on YouTube for their friends to view, and I think it is great! I love that they are expressing themselves and showing their ideas to other, but my students are not credible sources. If my students are looking for authentic websites online to support their research or a story that they are writing, I want them to find sources that are truthful and hopefully unbiased. That is all part of the learning process; they need to learn how to tell what they should believe or question online or even in books.
I believe that YouTube can have a role in schools or in my students' lives when it comes to researching and sharing. YouTube contains real video clips from movies, television shows, live broadcasts, and commercials that can support their research and their learning; I would never want to take that away from them. Also, it is a great method that they can use to share their ideas and things they have created; however, YouTube isn't a controlled site and isn't safe for all students. I would love to use something like YouTube in my classroom that is safe for all of my students to view and pull credible information from. Also, something like YouTube could allow them to post school projects or videos online for their peers to view.
If a site like this exists that is free and can get past my school's security, I would love to try it out in my classroom. I am open to the idea of YouTube and other new technologies that could help me and my students.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
My Opinion
Although both articles bring up important points and points that allow us to critically look at the use/effect of the Internet, I would have to agree with the second article by Wolman. He looks at the facts: our world is changing, and people need make the conscious decision to come aboard the 'technology train' with the facts and true knowledge of the implications of the changes.
For years, new technologies and innovations have spread across the world, and they have all (in some way) had a positive effect on people and the growth of the modern world. I think, however, that we need to remember the "old", appreciate the "old", inform youth about the "old", and understand that the "old" technologies (in some ways) brought on the "new".
As a middle school teacher, I show how and help my students to use a variety of resources. Yes, I still make them use dictionaries, but I also allow them to use dictionary.com. I show them how to decide if a source is reputable, but I also illustrate the importance of reading a book about a topic to learn more. It is always a requirement to have at least two Internet sources and two book/magazine/newspaper sources. If we teach our students about the "old" resources/technologies, they will appreciate their use and understand how to use them. Not only as teachers but as active people in our community, we should use new technologies to our advantage yet still give weight to the "old".
For years, new technologies and innovations have spread across the world, and they have all (in some way) had a positive effect on people and the growth of the modern world. I think, however, that we need to remember the "old", appreciate the "old", inform youth about the "old", and understand that the "old" technologies (in some ways) brought on the "new".
As a middle school teacher, I show how and help my students to use a variety of resources. Yes, I still make them use dictionaries, but I also allow them to use dictionary.com. I show them how to decide if a source is reputable, but I also illustrate the importance of reading a book about a topic to learn more. It is always a requirement to have at least two Internet sources and two book/magazine/newspaper sources. If we teach our students about the "old" resources/technologies, they will appreciate their use and understand how to use them. Not only as teachers but as active people in our community, we should use new technologies to our advantage yet still give weight to the "old".
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