BY Tanja Kennedy

This Journal offers information and a deeper look into web based learning resources (WBLR) and how they impact teachers and students. WBLR provide the class with information and instruction at immediate pace. This type of learning is interactive and evaluations that are compiled are to create a framework for better assessing WBLR. The framework is developed in three steps. First, the concept of WBLR is defined as a learning object that exists at the intersection of content, pedagogy, and technology.

Hadjerroiut, S. (2010). Journal of Information Technology Education: A Conceptual Framework for Using and Evaluating Web-

Based Learning Resources in School Education, 9, 54-79.

This diagram shows how learning is brought about through a term called the “milieu” which is the physical or social setting in which something occurs. I this case that “something” is learning . This shows the connection between learners and web based learning materials and what is gained through the technological experince.

During this semester I have had the opportunity to really enjoy Web Based Learning Resources. I have taken other classes in technology and have been very disappointed with the set up of the class from the content to the assessment. This class has given me the opportunity to explore the web and use the new resources out there to teach. This Journal also evaluated students taking a web based class such as this one and the feed back was that “most students agreed that they liked the WBLRs both with respect to technical and pedagogical usability.”

Eshet-Alkalai, Y. & Chajut, E. (2010). Journal of Information Technology Education: You Can Teach Old Dogs New Tricks: The Factors That Affect

Changes over Time in Digital Literacy, 9, 174-181.

This Journal focuses on the effects of digital literacy on the young versus the old over the span of changes across five years. The computer digital literacy world focuses on photo- visual, reproduction, branching, information, socio-emotional, and real time literacy skills. This topic points out that experience does not come with age and typically the creativity sparks more in those who are younger.

Results show two major patterns of change over time: (1) closing the gap between younger andolder participants in tasks that emphasize experience and technical control (photo-visual andbranching tasks); (2) widening the gap between younger and older participants in tasks that emphasize creativity and critical thinking (reproduction and information tasks).

I think that this is a very important portion of technology to understand if teachers do become digitally literate then they will be able to create more appealing and interactive assignments via the web, for their students. During this class we were able to look at multiple forms of digital applications and the creativity needed to create on these applications were minimal in some cases but in others the more creative the better the outcome. This topic should motivate new teachers and inspire old ones.

Manochehri, N. & Sharif, K. (2010). Journal of Information Technology Education: A Model-Based Investigation of Learner Attitude towards

Recently Introduced Classroom Technology, 9, 32-52.

This Journal emphasizes the attitude that learners have about technology that is new to the classroom. “Within this specific learning context, simulated and virtual environments (partly based on and driven by classroom technologies) provide the capability and means to create problem-solving groups and communities in which participants can gain knowledge and skills through interacting with other participants and different sources of relevant information. The use of classroom technologies tend to improve the quality of learning by involving learners in virtual and face-to-face exchange environments and by facilitating better access to educational resources such as internet and electronic library.”

There are many studies being done that support the notion that the way that students were taught in the past is not acceptable means of teaching today. The teaching of yester year does not produce usable traits for employment in the 21st century. As technology advances teachers must keep up so students are informed and fluent in those new waves of technology. This is the best way to ensure our students will be a success in their futures. This journal is breaking down the way that current learners learn and what is beneficial for them.

I believe that I am currently apart of the learners that have formed an attitude towards new technology and although they are all around me I still have a bit of rebellion towards them. However I definitely see the necessity in my future for new age technology. I realize that I will be doing a disservice to my students of the future to not take advantge of learning about new technology and implementing this in my classroom and also keeping up with the ever changing technology around me.

These three articles all have an emphasis on the impact technology plays on a current and future teacher. Technology is growing so rapidly that we must understand the web and it’s resources and how to use them. http://www.jite.org/documents/Vol9/JITEv9p053-079Hadjerrouit743.pdf

We must also be cognizant of how important it is to no matter how far we are in to our careers that it is never too late to learn more as it is evident in digital literacy. http://www.jite.org/documents/Vol9/JITEv9p173-181Eshet802.pdf

Furthermore we must remember that technology is always changing and that there is a responsibility for us to learn and be teachers of all new technology, it is the wave of the future. http://www.jite.org/documents/Vol9/JITEv9p031-052Manochehri744.pdf