Reflection on Chapters 4 and 5

Chapter 4: Wikis

After reading the chapter, I feel that wikis can be a very powerful tool in the classroom. Early in the chapter, the debate about 'Wikipedia' was addressed. Some feel that it is not a credible source, and strongly suggest for students to avoid it, while others feel it is the best option for information on the internet. I believe that there are many pros and cons to Wikipedia, but I think the most important takeaway from this chapter are the concepts that lie within these wikis. As a future teacher, I feel that students can benefit from a classroom wiki. Collaborating with classmates and the teacher, students will become more comfortable with technology and improve their communication skills. One aspect of wikis that people dislike is that anyone, anywhere can edit a given topic. In a classroom environment, this can be beneficial because students can give constructive criticism to one another, and possibly teach something to a classmate. Conversely, a student can learn from a classmate, and possibly discover a new way of thinking about a given topic. Provided that the teacher demonstrate proper use and safety of a wiki, students will get more out of a lesson and be potentially inspired to use wikis in other courses.

Chapter 5: RSS

I felt Chapter 5 was very intriguing for me, as I was not familiar with "Really Simple Syndication" prior to taking this course. I feel that all people, not just students and teachers, can benefit from using RSS. If someone is truly interested in learning more about a topic, subscribing to an RSS feed is essential. These feeds give them updates such as new information about a topic and people posting their opinions on these topics. Like wikis, RSS definitely can benefit students and teachers in the classroom setting. Students can use collaboration with RSS, as they can view items posted by students their own age, even if they don't go to the same school. They can use these fellow students as their 'classmates' and help each other gain new perspectives on a given topic. RSS also can aid in projects such as a research paper. By receiving RSS updates, students can decide which items they want to use for opinions, statistics, etc. I think teachers should begin to introduce the concept of RSS to their students in early elementary school. By beginning with the basics and getting them comfortable with it, students will expand on their knowledge of RSS and it can benefit them as they progress through school. By the time they reach high school and college, they can use as an academic aid. Also, if they have younger siblings or friends, they can introduce RSS to them, and the cycle will continue in a positive way.