Blog Entry 7: WebSense

My school district has begun to use a new web filtering software by the name of WebSense, it was adopted by the county about a month ago to major fanfare (sarcasm). The software not only monitors the county network, it also submits e-mail alerts with information about potential problems and users, this information is then forwarded to principals and tech specialist at the locations. I always complain about the filters the county uses, but I am pleased with the e-mail alerts and the information they contain. I also was suprised at the amount of streaming media coming from my building and the bandwidth it uses. As usual, I am frustrated with all the valuable sites that are blocked, but I am impressed with the effectiveness of the filter and ease of integration.

Blog Entry 6 : Supporting Student Critical Thinking

The teacher's role in a classroom that promotes critical thinking is one of a facilitator. The teacher must encourage students to think for themselves. I become frustrated when students ask me for answers or refuse to look deeper in the text for answers, they want answers expressly stated and don't like the idea of "reading between the lines." Critical thinking is a skill that has to be fostered through successful exercises and modeling by the teacher. Teachers have to be willing to admit and correct their own mistakes, this vulnerability will go a long way to show students it is ok to be wrong or change your position on a subject once you have all the information. One of the biggest obstacles comes in the form of teachers giving up their dictatorial control and allowing students to participate in the democratic process of the classroom. The teacher's role in the critical thinking process is paramount and helps to foster an environment conducive to learning and critical thinking.


Egbert, Joy. (2009). Supporting learning with technology: Essentials of Classroom Practice. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Working Definition of Technology Integration

Technology integration is the use of technology (computers, phones, A-V equipment, and PDA’s) as a tool in the process of instruction. It should not be looked as a primary component to the teacher in the delivery of a lesson but as a supplemental part of the whole process. The technology should enhance the ability of the teacher in their delivery of the curriculum. The most important thing to emphasize is the point that the technology is a tool, just like a chalkboard, pencil, or tablet, used to aid in the delivery of instruction. Technology integration is going to be a major issue in the coming years in the field of education and the definition will evolve and changed many times in the near future.

Technology Integration Article Summary

Hong, Wang (2008, October). Exploring educational use of blogs in U.S. education. US-China Education Review, 5(10), 34-38. Retrieved August 19, 2009, from ERIC database.A very popular Web 2.0 tool is a blog. Blogs are tools that allow individuals to record and document ideas and thoughts on various issues that can later be shared with others. It is an electronic log. Blogs have advantages and disadvantages: they allow for more instantaneous interaction and collaboration, helps save paper, and creates a sense of ownership. The downsides are they are hard to regulate, facts may be incorrect and some of the views may be extreme.EduBlogs are blogs used in education and many instructors have moved to this format. This is beneficial not only to the instructors but also the students. This can be intimidating to teachers apprehensive with technology and it also removes authoritarian power from the teachers. Students play an active role in the learning process.Blogs have the ability to remove socioeconomic barriers that have hampered the development of vast populations. It allows students to view ideas from different cultural perspectives they may have previously been unable to share. Blogs have tremendous potential to impact education. Research is being conducted now and will need to continue in order to establish best practices.