Technology has changed how we read and how we do research. Previously, a person may have had to travel to conduct research on a certain subject; now the Internet provides information at the stroke of a keyboard. It critical for today's students to learn how to read informational text. They need to understand that it is easy for anyone to write an opinion about something, or even to write as if they were an expert on a topic and to post it on the internet. Students must learn to critique their sources. There is also such a wealth of information about the same topic, that students must learn to hone their searches in order to find just what they are looking for. They need to be able to sift through information to discover what is important for their understanding and what they can dismiss.
Since information is so readily available, we need to ask ourselves, what should we teach our students? Is it more important to understand concepts or memorize details? Is it more important to teach students to work together to solve problems, or to try to figure out everything on their own?
Prairieview teachers are thinking about and discussing these concepts and providing our students with skills that equip them for success in an ever-increasing technological age.
