Which strategies are most effective for teaching and learning with technology?

Some of the strategies I've already mentioned, and that would be using different software to teach certain topics so that students of different intelligences might understand it better. Another effective way to teach with technology is to really get the kids hands on work, like with podcasts and google earth. New and exciting things really attract a student.
The only problem with all of this is it will all get old, but it will still be more effective than with chalk and a chalkboard.

How can you effectively integrate technology into your teaching and learning?

Technology is popping up in teaching left and right. Teachers can use power point, smart boards, laptops, blogs, whatever their desire might be. The presentation by Gordo, Mike and Chelsea really excited me, because I could really see how students could use things like podcasts. It isn't difficult to really work technology into a topic, in fact, it might make the topic even simpler to teach. Using different software, you can teachthe same topic multiple ways to ensure that each student is able to understand according to their own intelligence.
I know we went over this in class, but we never took it seriously. Gordo and them said it took hours to figure it out, and it just doesn't seem to be worth all of the trouble.

Why might it be important for students to learn with technology?

Well, the best way to answer this question is something that I learned in the reading from Grace's class. The book said that more and more students are learning via technology. More so than their teachers themselves did. Right now everything is run by technology, and that's the way it's going to be unless we start degressing as a race. The reading specifically mentioned the Multiple Intelligence Theory (MI), with MI students learn in different ways. Computers have different programs and software to help students focus on their intelligence to learn the material at hand. Computers are simply a fantastic resource.
The only question or concern would have to do with the cost. The cost for all of these programs must be pretty expensive and that would be diffuicult to deal with when facing a small school budget.

wiki

I guess I didn't know what to add. I'm not very creative when it comes to non-essential things. I think it does have a few good ideas to relax, especially with the homework load that we've been getting recently. I think it would be nice to let my students use wikis in order to show what they've learned and to provide easy access to their fellow students as well as their teacher (me).

NYT middle school article

In this article it is clear to see that there are three main views. Two are argued more seriously, while the third is simply looked over. One side stresses the importance of having middle schools become k-8, so the students will have more time to be nurtured. Instead of being forced into high schools at age 10-11 (arguably their most susceptable time) they have time to figure out more about themselves with the comfort of familiarity. On the other hand some teachers push for a 6-12 school. This enforces the idea of taking kids and having three more years to truly prepare them. The argument is that teachers could take these students, and with the three extra years, get every one into college. The third and ignored view is the idea that all of this time and money in switching is just an expensive distraction. What schools really need is smaller classes and more individual attention from qualified teachers.
I don't know where to stand, I see both arguments and they both make sense to me. I guess if I had to choose then I would choose the latter with one condition. At least from 6th-7th grade the students need to be somewhat separated from the older students while they transition and get used to the bigger schools with so many different things going on. High school is more directed at helping students figure out what they want for themselves in the future, and with a good transition with effective teachers from 6th-7th grade I think the results could be amazing. Put these students into a positive environment that does push them towards college or a future and I think it will not only be better on the students, but also on the teachers.
Imagine being a teacher in high school and getting a a freshman right out of elementary school, so much would have to be done. You couldn't teach them anything, it would all be transition, students would be even farther behind than they are now. But if they start out in 6th grade learning how it's going to work, not only will they we ready by freshman year, but they'll be way ahead. Students will be much better prepared and will have more like 5 years of high school to be ready for the real world instead of three.