Wikispace allows users to edit, create, and link pages. I also learned that "wiki" means "fast" in Hawaiian, which is interesting to know because in my opinion, wikipedia is the fastest website where one can retrieve updated information. Almost everything one needs to know is on wikipedia. However, there are some downfalls with wikipedia in that one can change information, which may be misleading. The assignment this week is a bit challenging for me because we are not allowed to discuss matters with other group members outside the wiki. When it comes to group work, I have to communicate by phone or contact with members of the group. It is very weird to communicate to group members only on discussion boards. Overall, I enjoyed creating a wikispace because wikispace is a great tool for teachers to collaborate with teachers or perhaps with students.
The reading this week comes from an article by Colleen Swain and Tamara Pearson titled "Bridging the Digital Divide A Building Block for Teachers". I thought the article was very informative in explaining the Digital Divide and what teachers can do to minimize the divide. Swain and Pearson first explain how the way in which computers are accessed or setup in the classroom affects students in various ways. Computers should be available to students before and after school. In a classroom with one computer, the teacher should place the computer where it is accessible to everyone and not only the teacher. Swain and Pearson also speaks about the quality of software that teachers should consider in their classrooms. Swain and Pearson say, "Teachers must examine how they are using software packages and determine if the software is meeting the needs of all students". Teachers need to experiment and make note of the things that help students with technology.
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