One class I recently used technology in is child development. We watched a video about Montessori teaching methods for early childhood. I also took notes on my iPad.

The technology did lead me to critical thinking because the video we watched was more informative than if the professor were just to lecture. I used critical thinking to choose which parts of the video to take notes on.

The technology was used to promote critical thinking and I think the technology chosen was good for the task. We watched the video on a projector which make it a good size for everyone in the class to see.

In Highschool, I took an environmental science class where "Learning is promoted when new knowledge is applied by the learner" was used often. My teacher would demonstrate a topic, we would complete notes on it, then complete a lab on it. Getting to do a hands on activity after learning the material helped me see how the concepts apply in real life and it helps to make sense of things that might have been confusing during the lesson. For example, one time we learned about the permeability of different types of soil. We got to test how fast water goes through clay, sand, and dirt.

In my classroom I would focus on using "Learning is promoted when existing knowledge is activated as a foundation for new knowledge." This is because it is proven that the brain uses prior knowledge to learn new material. For example, if I was teaching a lesson on subtraction, I would start by having my students recall some rules of addition that can help them understand subtraction.

I support the use of web filters on school devices. The internet is filled with inappropriate content and false statements. Especially in elementary schools, web filters should be used to prevent students from accessing inappropriate websites and unreliable sources. However, I think filters should be less restricted in middle and high school. These students are old enough to know what websites are appropriate to be on at school. It also gives them opportunities to learn about what websites are reliable and what websites have unreliable information.

The type of content that is usually filtered includes explicit content, hate speech, malicious websites, and entertainment. It seems that content is regularly reviewed and can be blocked if necessary. With new websites becoming popular all the time, it's beneficial to be able to control what is blocked.

The information I found does not change my view on web filtering software. I still believe that it should be used in schools for the protection of children.