Reflection #5

It is crazy how much research has changed just in the past 10-20 years. I can remember the first time that I was allowed to use the internet in elementary school. I was attending Fairwood Elementary in Renton. The school had just gotten 4 PCs that were able to use the internet. All of the other computers were those tiny box-like macs that only allowed you to do a few things on them. All of the students had to get their parents to sign permission slips stating that it was ok for the students to use the internet. I remember being extremely confused the first time that I used it. I did not know what a search engine was or how to look for information online. I remember thinking that I would probably never really use the internet for research, and stick to using books and encyclopedias. Things have definitely changed for me since then. The internet is now my primary research tool. It is so quick and easy to use. You can get almost any information you want with a click of a mouse. In fact, I have had many teachers who have required students to use a few book references for research projects because it is now our tendency to find all of our research online.

Using the internet as a tool for research can be a beneficial thing for teachers. It is often quicker to use than trying to find information in a books. Teachers can assign projects that do not necessarily require a trip to the library to complete. Also, students can find information that answers a quick question. The internet saves time in classrooms. The internet is also helpful for teachers. It allows them to find quick information, pictures to use in class, videos, or other tools that benefit learning. Although books are definitely important to use for research, the internet has become the fastest way to find information. The internet is so helpful in the classroom, and all teachers should have their students use it in some way.