http://www.archives.gov/-- This is the site for the National Archives and Records Administration. It provides documents, historic photos, and much more. It also has a section for teachers and has lesson plans and other information to aid teachers in using documents.


http://avalon.law.yale.edu/-- This site is provided by the Yale University law school and contains a vast array of documents in law, history and diplomacy. It is useful to history teachers in the amount and variety of primary documents available for use, either in lessons or to direct students to for research.


http://www.loc.gov/index.html-- The Library of Congress website provides many useful resources, including lesson plans and resources, primary documents, music, films and much more. It also contains links to other resources for use in the classroom.

Assistive Technologies for Reading
by Ted S. Hasselbring and Margaret E. Bausch

This article discusses the use of technology to help students with learning disabilities read at grade-level. The authors suggest assistive technologies work in two ways, to offer reading support and reading intervention. This assistance provides a lifeline for students with learning disabilities and helps students feel successful in their learning. The two programs the authors focus on offer support which provides students with disabilities to become independent when reading grade-level material. The first program is text-reader software, called Read and Write Gold, and is in use by Kentucky's public schools. This software takes text and converts it to speech, which is customizable by individual students. It also provides writing assistance to lessen the labor involved in composing and editing a piece of written work by reading back portions of text when directed by the student. The second program, READ 180, is designed for older students and provides reading intervention by individualizing instruction based on the users abilities. It provides background knowledge for text, comprehension aid, and vocabulary instruction. While these tools are useful, it is still vital for educators to provide instruction in order for students to achieve positive results.

• Assistive technologies act as a life-line for students with learning disabilities.
• Learning disabilities interfere with students' abilities in grasping principles of literacy.
• Reading support and intervention through computer based application aid students.
• Classroom teachers must learn to quide and support students with disabilities in using computerized applications to ensure their academic success.
• Teachers must provide excellent instruction as technology is simply a tool.

Assistive technologies are an excellent tool to aid students with learning disabilities. While the article focused on reading and comprehension, there are many more areas of instruction that assistive technoloy is useful. As educators, it is imperitive that we use every possible means to assist our students in their learning. We should be constantly on the lookout for tools to aid our students and guide them to success in their education. It is my hope that as technology advances, the ability to aid students with learning disabilities increases and becomes an integral part of their education.

The Overdominance of Computers

by Lowell W. Monke



In this article, the author discusses the debate regarding computers as effective learning tools. While not completely dismissing the need for computers in education, he asserts the need to prepare students to be able to handle the power of high-tech tools wisely. In order to prepare students, they need to have strong inner resouces, such as good moral judgment and empathy. They need inner strength and life experience to balance the power of high-tech instruments. Without strong inner resources, students could use technology to destroy others sense of self and work with a only a few keystrokes. Balancing technology with real world experience is critical to helping students develop as ethical adults.

• Ethical disciple is necessary to help students know how to flex their technical muscle.
• Balance between the digital world and the real world is vital to create ethical adults.
• Technology can create distance from the living world.
• Students should learn how to examine technology's role in human affairs.
• Schools must help students to develop their humanity, outside of the digital world.

Digital technology is a wonderful tool to assist teachers in educating students, but it must be balanced with contact to the living world. Too much technology distances students from the real world, and it is contact with others and the living world that helps to create compassionate, ethical adults. With the high-tech world constantly changing, and arising ethical situations, students need to understand what effect technology can have on humanity and the world. Teaching students to be ethical adults is a very important part of education, and as educators, we must take that role very seriously.

Energy project

Well, after long thought about the energy project, I decided to look at my overall usage to calculate my carbon footprint. I looked at my electricity usage, my driving habits and the amount of gas I use and the amount of trash I accumulate. I discovered my carbon footprint is slightly lower than average, but that I could do more to reduce it. If I replace some lights with lower energy bulbs, walk more eventually purchase a smaller, more efficient vehicle, I could reduce my footprint slightly. If I recycle more, my footprint would be further reduced. I also discovered the average footprint in the United States is quite high compared to the rest of the world, and to the targeted worldwide footprint. Everyone in the US would need to change their habits drastically to reach the target for the world. I had some major technology issues this past semester and lost my spreadsheet, but my powerpoint is available to view here.

Additionally, I did my presentation but was unable to get the recording onto the computer I have available to me. Reflecting on what I presented, I could see that I say ok and umm quite a bit, and was nervous during the beginning. After I got going, I could see that I relaxed a little and the words flowed better and I made more sense. The longer I stand in front of people, the more relaxed I get and am better able to get my points across. I am seriously hoping the problems I encountered this last semester do not plague me again this one.

Energy Conservation Project

Well, after much thought, and many computer problems, I decided (a while ago, but am just being able to post) to evalute what my carbon footprint is, and what I can do to reduce it. In order to accomplish this, I need to track how much I drive, my electricity usage, and the amount of trash I accumulate. My apartment is about 700 square feet, and has two very large windows, which helps heat the apartment when it is sunny, but I do live in Kodiak and the sun does not always shine.

So, my essential questions are:

What is my carbon footprint?
How much fuel do I use?
How much electricity do I use per month?
How much trash do I accumulate?

What can I do to reduce my carbon footprint?

Hopefully, with this project, I can do my part in reducing carbon output, and make a small impact on the environment.

Article Assessment 3

Tools for the Mind

by Mary Burns



In her article, Tools for the Mind, author Mary Burns discusses the current use of computers in the majority of our classrooms during our present age. While she believes computers can be very valuable tools, she states they are not being used to their full instructional potential. In recent years, computers have become an aid for student learning, narrowing the focus of technology, at the expense of other learning "pillars." The reasons for this include training teachers in skills rather than how to best capitalize on computer use, school districts have not made appropriate accommodations or support, and classifying all software as instructionally equal. Many software programs do not support higher-order thinking skills, yet there are many programs that do and these are not utilized often enough or appropriately. Burns offers two suggestions for increasing the use of computers to capitalize of the potential of computer use. First, she suggests teaching critical thinking skills first, then using technology to increase student learning. She also suggests teachers focus on curriculum, instruction and assessment, and not focus on computer use.

• Computers can provide transformative student learning experiences if used properly.


• Developmentally apppropriate and challenging tools offer richer opportunities to practice analytical and critical thinking skills.


• Computers need to be used as mind tools.


• Critical thinking skills first, then technology.


• Focus on curriculum, instruction and assessment.


• Teachers must


• engage in ongoing professional development to understand how technology can be used as a problem solving tool, and to see how computers and learning connect more appropriately.


• Schools must take measures to ensure that they are using computers to their fullest instructional potential.

The article points out many flaws with computer use in our schools, and offers many suggestions regarding how to improve its use. With budget cuts, NCLB and other issues facing our schools today, it is difficult to get the appropriate funding for districts to provide the staff development neccessary to improve student learning. With all the information available on the internet, it is important for students to know how to discern what is correct and incorrect. In the field of history, there are many great sites and many not so great sites, therefore, it is extremely important for students to know how to evaluate these sites. With that in mind, teachers need to be sure students have critical thinking skills developed enough to appropriatly evaluate sites.

Article Assessment 2

The Educators Guide to the Read/Write Web
by Will Richardson

The internet now is a place where users can publish their own information, through blogs, wikis, and other social networking sites. Also, RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feeds, and podcasting allow internet users to access data and information that has been stored by a tool called an aggregator. Many blogs are also stored on these tools.

These tools enable students to access more information and allow them to publish and share their learning with other students around the globe. It is important for teachers to become users of these tools, as well, and to teach their students the importance of identifying sourses and discerning what is authentic and accurate. These new ways of learning and working are valuable and will change the lives of students.

• blogs are tools that enable people to share information on the Web.
• wikis are a collabortative tool that allows anyone to edit and share content, such as wikipedia
• RSS feeds allows people to subscribe to feeds of information through many different sources.
• social bookmarking enables allows for the storage and archiving of information.
• del.icio.us and furl.net are social bookmarking sites.
• another form of acquiring information is podcasting.

The Read/Write Web can be a valuable tool for teachers and students alike. As teachers, it enables us to share information with students other than through traditional methods in the classroom. These tools are also valuable for students who miss school for various reasons, by allowing them to keep up with the information and to submit assignments.

The main drawback to such easy access and ability to edit, information may be erroneous and not reliable. Students must learn to recognize reliable sources and to discern what may or may not be accurate. Which means, teachers must know this, as well, and pass that information on to their students.