Technology, Social Studies Education and Concept Mapping

Technology is becoming a force that must be reckoned with. Not only is it becoming increasingly more difficult to be successful without some sort of technological competence, but technology allows us to create a powerful world bigger and more meaningful than ever before.
Through technology and the use of the internet, we can help our students develop strong academic skills through engaging them in new and exciting ways that stimulates curiosity and increases motivation. If we can use the internet effectively like this, we can increase the ability of our students and their achievement in so many ways. We can approach education in a way that may further facilitate student learning and comprehension, as well as help them develop the skills needed to be good researchers, to formulate well articulated ideas, and to be good writers and speakers.
As social studies teachers, we should always strive to give the least subjective view of history; however, we all know that this is inherently impossible. Having the internet and access to people around the world through effective web skills and networking allows our students to gain access to multitudes of perspectives. This can help them get the most out of their education, and promote the development of "citizens of the world" who find value in being informed; which in turn will hopefully bring about positive change in the world.
We are far from a perfect world where technology is used to its greatest potential and increases student learning and achievement. It does, however, provide a limitless amount of opportunities to enhance the teaching and learning experience.
The biggest thing I think I learned from this class is that technology is much more than I ever thought it was, and can be an extremely powerful tool when used correctly. This doesn't mean bringing technology into the classroom because "that's just what should happen," but because it increases our access to the world and to knowledge in a way like never before. As I read in an article for one of my blogs, "Being disconnected in the Information Age is not like being deprived of a Mercedes or some other luxury. Being disconnected means being disconnected from the economy and democratic debate." Having technology in the classroom is useless if we do not use it wisely and successfully.
Furthermore, I got an understanding of the vast amount of amazing resources that are out there that can help make technology integration into the classroom a meaningful learning endeavor.
If I could make any suggestions for the course, it would be that participation in and contribution to the different internet mediums would be more strictly defined so that there is less room for subjectivity in grading. Other than that, it definitely changed my perceptions of technology in a positive way, and I do feel a lot more prepared and confident in using technology in my classroom.