journal entry #7

For our last week of class we were allowed to choose our own article relating to technology to journal about. The first one I chose is called "How does Technology Influence Student Learning" by John Cradler, Mary McNabb, Molly Freeman, and Richard Burchett. The article is broken down into 3 main ideas of how technology has influenced learning including: Achievement in content area learning, Higher- order thinking and problem solving skill development, and Workforce preparation. Studies have been performed and documented on students understanding of mathematics concepts from educational software. Teachers have reported magnificent changes in students skills of language arts and social studies after their students multimedia projects. 

Questions:1). How can the computer software Inspiration help students in the classroom? Inspiration  is intended to help students visual learning skills and is used in a variety of subjects. Most students, including myself, are visual learners and need to have diagrams/ charts/ representations in front of them a lot of times for them to truly understand the subject or idea. 

2). How can the internet develop students critical thinking skills? The CAST study has found that when students use the Internet to research topics, share information, and complete a final project they became independent critical thinkers. The Internet allows students to look at all sides of a story or subject and then they in turn can decide for themselves and choose what they want to believe.