Educational Technology Usage Within a Classroom: Educator Perspective
Council on Foreign Relations Investigation (CFR) education is a multi-usage site focusing on the most pressing issues in international relations. The grade level is for middle, high school, and beyond. It has various topics to choose from and investigate, and the website is straightforward. Entering the website, the first option is to select between adolescent articles, lessons, and simulations or a higher education version. Three topics are above the initial grade level selection and cater to all users. The topics are divided between learning about a subject, teaching, or being put into a simulation. How the website is organized directly relates to how a library media specialist or technology teacher would demonstrate the information. Additionally, because the site has so much information and potential ideas for educators, it is an equally interesting website for educators/library media specialists to navigate.
After navigating the site, it is clear the website is formatted for all types of learners; for a student who likes to work individually on research, the website is organized so they can engage and decide what subtopics they are interested in exploring. For people who learn through explanation and guided practice, the teacher section provides a general outline for lessons or potential ideas that can be done in class. For people who enjoy a hands-on approach, the simulation model puts the students as active members within a group trying to figure out a task. To better align with individuals’ curriculum, a section explores related concepts in AP and IB classes.
Usefulness in a School Library
The website can be used in the school library because it has many clear and easy-to-access resources. This website will also work well with younger adolescents in middle school who are starting to engage in the world of research. This website can be a perfect introduction to younger adolescents because the formatting of the topics and searching through different ideas reflect how databases are organized. Overall, the website and resources promote creativity and active engagement, which are always aims when working in a school library. There are various forms of media, from short to long-form articles and videos. Articles are segmented to have precise vocabulary and definitions within the article for any key terms. This is super beneficial for any student learning to navigate a sea of information.
Implications
After navigating the site, I do not have any implications; overall, the website is clear with a plethora of information, yet it feels concise and digestible. If anything, I wish there were three sections of the website so that the age groups also included elementary students to make the resources available to all ages. Still, the website was created only for adolescent education and beyond.
Accessibly
The website overall is very accessible; there were no pop-ups that forced you to make an account. Every part of the website was free, and students or whoever find themselves exploring CFR education could engage with each section of the website wholeheartedly. I really enjoy navigating through the simulations; it seems like such an exciting task students would want to do. If anything, I wish schools made CFR education more readily available to their students because it is such a multi-faceted site that covers many topics in the realm of foreign affairs.
Overall
I would highly recommend CFR education. The website is clear and easy to follow and has many resources available for the public to use.