On "Changing the Way We Think"

I think that this article was interesting, but a little off base. Yes, almost all technologies have an impact on the way people think, however, the rapidly growing use of the internet can not be compared to generational drug habits. I think the internet is just one more popular source to turn to for instant gratification. This has only been inevitable since the industrial revolution. First we changed the way we work, to reduce the workload, now we have an easy way to access information. Instead of picking up a dictionary or encyclopedia, which may only take five minutes of our time, (heaven forbid) we now google it. However, I do think that the internet may effect the development of children. My generation did not grow up with easy access to these resources, so I feel like I am still able to maintain my mind's processing skills. Unlike the children growing up with a mouse in their hands googling anything that catches their curiosity. I definitely feel this could have some damaging effects on the future of our human evolution.

On "G-Drive"

I think that this is a great idea!! What a wonderful alternative to the risk of the ever-failing hard drive. I have had problems with a pc and macs when it comes to hard drives, and I think that it would be great to have an easy, and free way to back up all that information. Google just keeps on coming up with new ways for efficency and progress!

ALEX stands for the Alabama Learning Exchange and is very easy to access online. The site offers resources for all facets of the school community. Created by the Alabama Department of Education, the site offers many tools for the teacher such as lesson plans, web links, and the Alabama Course of Study guidelines. It is a one stop place for a teacher's needs and benefits the classroom as a whole. The homepage is very easy to understand and navigating through the site is pretty self explanatory.

I think this site is a great tool. I have ALEX on several occasions for projects here at school and found it very helpful in limiting the workload of weeding through all the random google suggested sites. The Alabama Course of Study shows the visitor all of the subjects and the objectives that must be met for each grade level. It is actually really useful to look at these because it helps you to get an idea of what is required for your desired level to teach. The lesson plans provided are a great way to get ideas on how to apply the objectives to the classroom in fun and creative ways. Also, if you don't find what you are looking for, the site has links to other pages that you may find more useful. Overall, ALEX is a great resource and I would definitely recommend the site to a fellow classmate or teacher.