Google Thinking Blog

I don't agree with most of what the article says about Google and things moving to internet based. I think that there is a difference in reading a text than online but you still will probably always have the choice between the two. I think it is completely ludicrous that people feel like their brains are changing and being altered, I think they are resisting change. I do believe it is important for kids to learn to spell and write other than type and use spell check, I find myself leaning on spell check quite often. I in no way see this as a bad thing. Most universities do things mostly online and so the kids can transfer better between one school and another.

Google Presentation

Please give me feedback on my presentation! Thanks!

ALEX

ALEX(Alabama Learning Exchange) is a website filled with many resources including lesson plans, distance learning, activities for students, professional development and MUCH more. ALEX is a project that was started and is continued by the Alabama Department of education and is designed to be a "one stop for all" kind of website for parents, teachers, and students. As well as most everything is supplied by the Alabama Courses of Study by National Board Certified Teachers.
I think that this website is phenomenal! It has many resources and ideas available for your students and yourself. I will definitely be using this website when I become a teacher. You are just one or two clicks away from lesson plan ideas, game ideas, and further developing your teaching skills. I definitely want the best for my students and want my classroom to be a place where we can all learn and have fun!

ACCESS

ACCESS stands for Alabama Connecting Classrooms, Educators, & Students Statewide. It is a wonderful program that allows students the opportunity to advance their knowledge when their schools may not warrant it. ACCESS provides high quality learning from a classroom through internet. These are internet based courses that are done through video and strictly online. You may be able to view these during the lecture or even after! It allows many benefits for the students to get equal education opportunities. All of the teachers are AL certified and all of the courses have to meet the Alabama Course of study and other national standards. The teachers, not only being certified, have to meet other standards like organization is required, preparation, constant interaction and engaging activities to hold the students attention. Other benefits are that it has improved test scores as well as things like lab simulations can be repeated many times. Teachers are also readily available to students who are participating in ACCESS. Teachers can hold real time chats, review sessions with whiteboards online and much more!
I think that ACCESS is a wonderful opportunity to allow students, especially ones in lower funded schools, to be able to take courses that will challenge them and help them in College Prep. All students should be allowed to take any courses they are able to take and I believe that this is the first step. I would definitely recommend checking it out!