Perhaps due to the increased convenience?

This is probably mentioned in contrast with older word processors or perhaps type writers when one had to be aware of when the line was ending.

students work together in order to co-create content using online tools

Students take in content but work together through various social sites in order to reorganize the material and make it their own - students are manipulating the content actively.

When used correctly, we have clearly seen that student interaction is possible, and even enhanced, using technology in the classroom.

I do share the concern that my students will be off task during my lessons - however, can't they also be disengaged while taking notes in a paper notebook? I also, thankfully, have small enough class sizes that I can stand behind the room and see most computers, so it is easy to spot obviously off track students (ie someone in their email rather than a document).

When used correctly, I would disagree. My students are still interacting with each other. They are often working on the same shared document to create a product, or are talking in a small group and documenting the work in a document. More recently, I have also had students working in groups to produce songs, movies, and other multimedia products to show what they have learned. Thus, I can see in my own classroom that students are still able to interact richly with each other.

A valid part of everyday life both in school, at work, and at home.

Do we think this is true? Is it better to do one thing well or many things at a lower level? I am not sure this is arguing a positive.

Again, I wonder how true this is. It sounds overly negative to me. When I rapidly switch, I would not say that I accomplish absolutely nothing.

There are different "varieties" of multitasking. I have read elsewhere that you can't actually do two things at once, so when you are multitasking, you are, by definition, switching rapidly between two competing tasks. But the question still remains, is it bad to be consistently switching between two tasks?

Research found that you are less productive when switching between tasks.

Project based learning engages students because it is not only authentic, but it is also not easy - students need to work for it.

-We learn from our peers - students look at resources or videos, then when they connect with each other, this is when they really get it. -Lecture is taken out of the classroom so that students are free to actually communicate with each other. This increases the potential of what can happen in class. -You need to core toolkit in order to go into the project. These projects help students to internalize the material.

These are the concepts we want to reinforce with younger scientists - we want to guide them toward coming to these connections more and more independently so they are set up for success in higher level courses.

According to the community of inquiry model, students must engage with the content and engage with other participants in the course in order to best learn. In my experience, discussion forums are a great way for students to interact with each other. In addition, these discussion forums allow students to step into the role of teacher by explaining concepts to others and bringing in new resources.

The online program incorporates a combination of physical labs students complete as well as online activties.

Program includes materials to engage students such as virtual labs and interactive periodic tables. Virtual labs take students through as much detail as which gloves to pick and what to do when something goes wrong, just like in a real experiment. In addition, they send a chemistry kit for experiments that are not dangerous. The courses also include interactive concept maps that tie the concepts together to help students understand.