Googlizing States (part II) "Follow Up"

One thing that I am astonished with is the idea of a multi-faceted lesson plan. Not only can you work on it from the comfort of your own home, but you can allow for others to join in on the fun. It takes away from the idea of seeing people in person to get a task done. Being in various parts of the world is not a hinderance anymore. It adds a little excitement and symbolizes the advancement of technology. If teachers planned together on Friday's for the next week, this allows them to do it from anywhere in the buildling. One can eat something and CRUNCH real loudly while still working with a partner on completing the much needed task. I love the Google Docs and since I was introduced to it, I can't seem to stop. It is a great tool for kids who are working on a document in pairs. Both can be at home and not have to worry about meeting up at the library with thier partners if they have google docs. They can still get the assignment done together while in seperate places. This is one of many things Google Docs is extoled for. The Google chat is also a useful tool. This gives you the facebook, or twitter feel while working on a document. You have 3 or 4 uses in one program. The idea of Google is catching on and the Goggliness of this technology will make the world google for technology.....

"Googlizing" States all over!!!

The new wave of Google has captivated audiences all over. The new wave has created so much buzz, any type of assignment has been known to yield towards Google for results. Becoming so dependent on Google was once a thing everyone was involved in. The results that it presented and the presumed accuracy attached made it a reliable source. The more one delves into the idea of "Google" and its foundation, the less attractive it seems. Nicholas Carr has created a sound argument against Google and his claims are lined up with what I've seen and done. I have heard about the idea that "in order to find an answer, Google it". It has also been mentioned that "Google" is my best friend. Intellectual ability has been slowly diminished and the critical thinking has been abandoned by many people. According to Carr, Google “is chipping away my capacity for concentration and contemplation.” It correlates with a video/book theory. Whenever a book comes out and its movie is released directly after it, some people would watch the movie and claim they read the book based off of their knowledge of the movie. By watching just the movie, they are stripped of the knowledge that could be gained by reading the book. Expanding one's vocabulary is also lost, while their minds are only at ease through watching motion pictures. Google has the same method and acts as the movie. The critical thinking one could receive by looking through other types of research can be symbolized as the book to the movie.  


Being completely dependent on Google has its disadvantages. As mentioned in the lecture by Dr. Tryon, Google pulls forward information to searches that may or may not be the best of links. The "first come, first serve" basis is put forth and many researchers fail to evaluate this method. While many people explore only the first page of links, the valuable information is put off if it is found on pages 2-10. Like a resume, many people are only concerned with the first page and all extra information is useless and discarded. In the article by Carr "Is Google Making Us Stupid," the web is somewhat weakening the capacity of deep reading that was once considered a strong suit. In the article, it is stated that we "are mere decoders of information" and quickly look to get the job done rather than process the information critically. The argument that Google makes the reader disengaged with their minds is true when attempting to critical read and dive into a passage. This lack of critical thinking makes this state "googly" and the potential is bare. Time for a change......Well see, stay tuned!

The Sweet State of Delicious

In reflecting on the things that I have done in the classroom to be better prepared, I find myself researching the same things over and over again. The more the wheel of researching goes around, the more my head starts to spin. It is like going to Wal-Mart looking for something in particular, but going past the same things that you constantly buy. A classroom teacher is constantly learning new ways to better improve instruction so that every child can learn. While living up to that standard, organization has to come in because in finding things for a lesson, I seem to pass the same things I have used before while trying to find something different about that same topic. With organizational habits come "Evernote". This aid proved useful in saving sites and pages while going back to them as a reference when needed. In reading on the idea of "Delicious" and "Diigo," both add another dimension to the idea of organizing one's notebook. Delicious places information into various categories called stacks. In those stacks, one can see the array of information that act as a bulletin board. By giving a brief look at what the stack holds, it gives the reader an option of whether they want to explore the links on the stack even further. It reminds me of the application on my phone called "Pulse". Both have trending things on them and it pulls out the information instead of you browsing the website looking for the news. This time saving application is very handy with current news and helps one stay on track with the current events.

This sweet state helps teachers get more ahead in the technology department because of the resources that are available. New links can provide avenues to new ideas that create a breakthrough in the lives of children. This personal library can be stuffed with all of your educational and personal fascinations. In the fairness of competition, this state is bribing its way in an effort to receive all types of votes. It is satisfying the sweet tooth of so many people with a lingering after taste for more.

Showdown in the "Wiki" State

Our next stop rests at the state that is sometimes considered the place of “debates”. In this state, there are issues that keep going like an energizer bunny. There are issues that will not rest, no matter who tries to step in and put the fire out. Newspaper after newspaper feature issues that are being propagated throughout the state. This state is officially called “Wikipedia”. In this state, it is useful to see the wealth of information embedded and also the number of people adding their knowledge to a growing pool. While this knowledge is sometimes deemed irrelevant and opinionated, a fresh breath comes after noticing the positives that can come out of this. As a student, Wikipedia was a site that I leaned on for support. It helped me clarify terms and theories. By researching other entities, I was firm in my belief that Wikipedia was useful and accurate. Colleagues say that Google is considered a woman’s boyfriend and a man’s girlfriend when it comes to education because of the broadness and the reliability. Google, a trusted site, produces Wikipedia as a top result for many searchable topics. While that has little bearing on the idea of Wikipedia becoming a trusted site, it shines light for students and strategies that could benefit them. In an attempt to have students think for themselves, the idea is that thinking for oneself provides avenues for self-learning and the solidarity of standing on one’s opinion versus believing everything one reads. By researching, it provides students with the drive to prove something for themselves and the confidence to present information to others. It is interesting to watch the expression on the face of a child who has a rebuttal against a teacher. The fire in their eyes as they strive to prove one wrong and the intuitiveness to back up their statement brings nothing but satisfaction. Their goal of “I’m smarter than the teacher” acts as a medal that they can show off to everyone. The challenge is getting that same drive and directing it towards learning about things they are interested in. The previous state of Twitter produced an interesting idea towards its incorporation into the classroom. This state of Wikipedia brings another avenue of active engagement with the idea of “wikis”. By seeing how Wikipedia works, students can form their own wiki and have people edit their work over time. By adding information to a wiki, it will be a way of watching the views of others on any given topic the student chooses. Having a student produce a wiki adds the pressure of making sure their information is correct and accurate. This sense of freedom, like twitter, makes this incorporation one that lasts more than a year. This can add an effect that travels with students for years to come. This is one of the ways to keep up with this ever-changing world of blogging.