I think this standard wants me to recognize the importance behind using technology to

enhance students’ learning and well-being. While using telecommunications and information-

access resources can significantly improve students’ classroom and learning experience, it may

also hinder it if utilized either inappropriately or inefficiently. It is important to understand the

difference between appropriate times in which technology can be effectively used and

inappropriate times in which it will simply complicate the presentation of information. Not only

is this standard speaking to the importance behind accessing telecommunications resources, but I

also think it wants me to understand it is also beneficial to use electronic mail and web browser

applications to effectively communicate with both students and parents.

The artifact I chose for this standard is an annotated bibliography, critiquing numerous

web resources that could be used to support instruction regarding multiplication. For the

annotated bibliography, I explored many educational websites and web pages, looking for

specific web resources to integrate into instruction for teaching multiplication to students in

grades 3-6. I believe that I now know “how to access telecommunications resources to support

instruction.” While some of the web resources directly provided activities and worksheets for

students to utilize when learning multiplication, others simply listed links to other sites with a

variety of multiplication resources for students. Additionally, some of the web resources required

a yearly fee for access. As a teacher, I can use these web resources for both “information-sharing

and remote information access and retrieval.” The students will use the information provided in

order to improve their education. Through each individual website related to multiplication, I

will “identify and index desired information resources” for the students.

Through my research into multiplication web resources, I was exposed to a variety of

interactive online games, worksheets, teaching strategies among many other general resources
for implementing technology into teaching students multiplication. After reading teacher success

stories on some websites, I have now realized, as a prospective teacher, that I should incorporate

some interactive web resources into the curriculum to enhance students’ education. While some

resources tailor to students who are visual learners, others tailor to auditory learners, reaching out

to all students through multisensory activities. Additionally, there was large variety amongst the

web resources, helping me realize that I must take into account different students’ personal

interests and needs into our daily activities while continually encouraging them to enjoy learning.

By exploring educational websites and web pages for web resources regarding

multiplication for grades 3-6, I feel more prepared to teach and learn in a diverse society. While

many people may interpret ‘diverse’ as an ethnically and racially diverse environment, I have

interpreted “Diverse Society” in terms of varying learning levels for students. Some students

may learn at a quicker rate than others, making it important to have different resources based on

students’ different academic needs. Multiple interactive games found among the web resources

contain three or four different levels made for students with different academic understanding. It

is important for me to understand that students learn at different rates in order to prepare myself

in the best way for a diverse group of students. These specific web resources help prepare me to

teach and learn within a diverse society. I look forward to using this knowledge in my future and

am confident that my future experiences will furthermore build upon these understandings as

well.