"But if we are only asking students questions or assigning them tasks that can be accomplished through a simple search (and a copy/paste answer), then we are not asking them to think critically or to use digital tools in substantive ways. Writing tasks should be inquiry-based, generative, and supported over time." -Troy Hicks and Kristen Hawley Turner Article

The second I read this statement in Troy Hicks and Kristen Hawley Turner Article, I immediately could relate to this.  Throughout my school years, I have had all sorts of assignments and questions that needed to be answered in a critical thinking way.  When I have trouble coming up with an answer though, I would go to google and look up the question to see the response the internet would give me.  From there, I would come up with my own statement after reading the answer I received from google.  If I did not have the technology and internet for help then I would have to sit there, grab a book or two, and think of the answer over a longer period of time.  I would really have to think of the question and give my best opinion for the answer without the help of technology.  Children now a days, in school, can find the answer to any question within seconds by asking ''Siri'' or ''Google", and I agree that it is not a great way of really learning the material. 

I really enjoyed the SAMR Model because it talks more about the applications that can be used inside and outside the classroom to help students learn and really understand what it is that they are talking/reading/writing about.  The Wheel has so many different applications that can be used in the classroom to help students out with what they are learning while using technology and having fun all at the same time.  The other SAMR Model has some examples of old fashion classroom learning techniques and the website uses substitutions to tell the now up to date learning technique for the old one.  For example, every classroom used to have huge textbooks and novels to bring with to class every day.  Now, teachers use iBook because it is the fastest and easier way to get books needed for a certain class.

There is a big difference between the article and the SAMR Model.  The SAMR Model gives good examples on things that can be used in the classroom and that can be very effective to help students learn.  The article does not list anything that English teachers can use to help these students to have ''digital literacy''.

Social Media could be used so much and extremely well at that in the classroom setting.  Loomio was the website I had researched and I liked that it was different from the others, it did not just give a tool to use in the classroom but to use among teachers and staff as well.  There were so many different sites talked about today that I feel the article could have addressed.  Most of the sites could be used to write English papers and set them up in an organized way.  They could be used for all grades levels and it could be useful and easy for teachers to also use when reviewing the students rough draft or supportive points they are incorporating into their essays. 

The lecture today really did open my eyes and make me realize how many tools are out there involving technology.  I would most definitely use a lot of these websites, applications, and tools in my classroom.