You’re correct in that the kids often don’t know as much as they think they do about researching, but I fear that is because we, as educators, are not spending enough time teaching them how to do so. They need to be taught how to discriminate between reliable and unreliable web-sites. Otherwise, they just blunder through the new technologies on their own, gaining what experience they can get.

Before getting into teaching, I was a fundraiser for an international environmental organization. The thing that set me apart from my colleagues and actually led to promotions throughout my tenure there was my understanding of how to use the technology tools at my disposal to make my work performance more efficient. This understanding came about because I was exposed to computers and all they can accomplish from a very young age. I was part of the first generation to grow up with computers. And now, I can’t imagine my life without having one at my fingertips. I could not do my job, or any of the other jobs I’ve ever had, without it.

Computers and the internet are here to stay, and the children, themselves, know that they need to learn the skills to use them effectively.

Lindy

I read that report earlier in the year and was not surprised to learn that students had opinions that were very different from their teachers/mentors. However, I suspect that the students don’t know as much as they think they do about researching and are often content with the sites that are the easiest to find. I’m enjoying your journal. Stay healthy and have a blast!

Phyllis