Reflection on Tuesday's Class

Today I really enjoyed learning about all the different Web 2.0 tools there are out there in cyberspace.  There were so many different ones to choose from it was a bit overwhelming.  There are so many ideas floating around in my head about what I could do in my classroom to incorporate technology to my students.  All the core subject areas have possibilities of linking technology to them to advance the students higher level of thinking skills.  We have talked about the feeling of being uncomfortable when we aren't spoon feed and told exactly what information we need to know.  For my generation, that is all we knew in school.  Then when I went back to college, I remember taking classes my junior and senior year that weren't all spelled out.  Those teachers wanted us to think outside the box.  I remember hating those classes because I was so confused at what the teacher wanted since they didn't provide examples or even a list of items that needed to be included in our projects.  I had know idea what the teacher wanted.  All I knew was that they wanted us to be creative and innovative on our own.  I really struggled with these classes and spent numerous hours pondering and staring at a blank screen or paper.  But in the end I was amazed at what I had actually created.  I think we as educators need to start teaching children how to think outside the box at an early age.  Because then when they are older and in junior high and high school, they won't feel so uncomfortable.  They will know how to expand their thinking to even greater heights.