Dr. Crovitz’s Scrutinizing the Cybershell

I am in Dr. Crovitz’s class right now, and I found it very interesting that he writes and publishes articles.  I guess my other English professors do to, but I have never personally read one.  I loved reading this article, and gaining insight into his view about websites and learning.  In class we discuss how to use a variety of technology in the classroom, and this article gave me further insight into his teaching views and style.  As a future English teacher, I believe it is very important that my students know how to use and understand the web and its content.  As we all know, the web has grown exponentially in the past few years.  I personally do not know what I would do, or where I would be without the internet.  The internet opens up a whole new cyber world, with a vast variety of knowledge and information.  As teachers we need to be able to understand the internet, and we need to teach our students how to effectively use and examine websites and there content.  Soon, I think that everything will be web and computer based.  I mean lets face it, paper books and texts will soon be obsolete.  There is already a hand held computer device out that allows you to download and read full texts, books, and articles.  How much easier and cost efficient would it be to have a computer for every student in the classroom, and have them read books and texts from the internet.  No more book storage rooms, no more waiting for shipments of books to come in, no more student fines for losing books, no more heavy book bags and back problems, and no more books being left at home!  I mean this theory may be far fetched, and probably no where close to happening.  But, it would make life a lot easier!  With that being said, the point is that in a world that is swiftly becoming an online cybershell; students need to be able to understand texts other than black and white.  Having students examine websites and there content, allows them to think outside the box and broaden their horizons.  Personally, when I was in grade school, I would have loved to learn all the hard work and dedication that goes into creating a website.  The marketing that is used in websites today, is mostly geared toward a younger audience.  I was appalled to realize that the Slim Jim website could potentially be influencing young males to do “heroic” acts in order to prove their manly hood.  In order for students to actually understand that these websites and marketing slogans are simply designed to sell a product; they need to become educated about how to understand the imagery and symbolism that is being used in the website.  The web can be a dangerous thing, but it is also an amazing one.  I am all for incorporating the web into my curriculum, and think that other teachers and future teachers should educate themselves on how to use the web to benefit their teaching style.

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