I have embedded the video from the internet to highlight a real issue facing teachers and students - not everything on the internet is credible or reliable. In a US study, fifty 7th grade students were asked to critically evaluate this website to comment on whether it would be appropriate to research about endangered animals - 49 out of 50 said it was! This highlights that teachers and students need to be aware that reading on the internet is not like reading a book. Consideration must be given to the text construction, what are the values of the site, the intended audience and who owns or benefits from the website. Furthermore, a .org or .edu site does not guarantee it is authentic - domain names can be purchased. Improving standards in new literacies will not be as a result of more computers but from better equipped and trained teachers who can successfully balance the needs of the class and curriculum with the technology and tools available today.
I have embedded the video from the internet to highlight a real issue facing teachers and students - not everything on the internet is credible or reliable. In a US study, fifty 7th grade students were asked to critically evaluate this website to comment on whether it would be appropriate to research about endangered animals - 49 out of 50 said it was!
ReplyDeleteThis highlights that teachers and students need to be aware that reading on the internet is not like reading a book. Consideration must be given to the text construction, what are the values of the site, the intended audience and who owns or benefits from the website. Furthermore, a .org or .edu site does not guarantee it is authentic - domain names can be purchased. Improving standards in new literacies will not be as a result of more computers but from better equipped and trained teachers who can successfully balance the needs of the class and curriculum with the technology and tools available today.