Week 5

Chapter 8 demonstrated the vast array of methods in which technology can be incorporated into an on-site class. There is no doubt that all students can benefit from various interactive activities and research materials. Moreover, there is little doubt that the teacher's planning time would increase to some degree as he or she locates these various resources and blends them into the curriculum. Class time is limited and for many teachers seems relatively brief considering the amount of material they have to cover. Supplementing with technology seems to be an effective, appropriate method in which students can become more saturated with the content.

I will candidly admit that I took satisfaction in reading the text section entitled, "Relax Control". As a relatively green instructor, I am still attempting to master the content I teach myself. My fear, as validated under the aforementioned section, is that I will lose utter control of the content and lose face as the subject matter expert. It is true that students will have an inordinate amount of information at their fingertips via the World Wide Web. It is also true that this will challenge the expertise of the instructor. However, I suppose that the greatest goal of all is being achieved: students actively participating in the educational process, and who knows, maybe learning something. This factor requires the teacher to let his or her guard down and truly aim for the educating of the students, not the stroking of the teacher's delicate ego. Truly some food for thought.