Libmedia201

The Internet is here to stay. It’s been well over a decade now that ‘average users’ have had access to the Internet, and we’re now knee deep in the Social Media revolution that has defined Web 2.0. It isn’t going away. It isn’t a fad. It’s only going to grow and evolve. It’s already woven into the fabric of the daily lives of millions of people. Yes, a lot of folks are wasting a lot of time doing things on the Internet that don’t contribute to society or offer much in the way of personal growth, but at the same time, there are countless ways in which the multitude of tools and technologies available on the Internet are being used in wonderfully constructive ways. Come and be a part of it, and contribute your voice.

The average classroom has at least one desk top computer, a class set of laptops, iPads are appearing, not to mention that it is standard to have a SmartBoard in classes including Pre-Kindergarten. 

teachers are reporting that students have spent more time with

screens than they spend in school

Recently, technology has made parent-teacher communication easier and more time-efficient than ever before. Telephones, voicemail, and internet technology all allow fast communication about such things as homework assignments, behavior problems, and classroom highlights. The internet is the most recent tool being used for school communication. With some training, teachers can set up class websites with information that the parents are able to view at any time. E-mail communication is beneficial because messages can be sent at any time and the other person does not need to be available to respond immediately (Graham-Clay, 2005). However, in 2004, only 74.9% of U.S. households with a phone line had access to the internet (Merkley, Schmidt, Dirksen, & Fuhler, 2006). While the internet has proven useful in parent-teacher communication, schools must keep in mind that not all families have internet access and must offer less technologically advanced forms of communication such as written notes and telephone calls as well (Graham-Clay, 2005). For schools and families with internet access, e-mail messages are quickly beginning to replace traditional written notes. E-mail messages are more immediate and efficient than written notes. Some parents are able to check their e-mail during the day at work and know immediately how their child's day at school is progressing. E-mail messages are also more likely to reach parents because students cannot "accidentally" forget to deliver or misplace them. E-mail can increase the ease and frequency of communication because it allows teachers to write one message and send it simultaneously to all of the parents in the class (Patton, Jayanthi, & Polloway, 2001). Websites have been created to help parents assist their children with their homework assignments. Homework Central (www.homeworkcentral.com) is a popular, comprehensive site that provides students and parents with study skills and homework assistance for a variety of subjects. Some schools have begun to develop similar websites of their own. These websites increase parents' confidence in their homework assisting skills which makes it more likely that they will become involved at homework time (Patton et al., 2001).