Blog # 2

In Chapter 2 I really learned a lot about how servers, networks, and the internet work. I never really knew how all of that worked and learning about it was really interesting considering it is something that I use almost everyday. The different types of networks was one thing I did not know about. I always saw the abbreviations for LAN on my computer but I now know that stands for local area network which is a network that covers a limited area like a school or office. A wide area network (WAN) covers a much larger region, for example an entire city. People can also set up a home network and run multiple computers in their home off of that network. A major benefit of having these types of shared networks especially in places like a school or office is that everyone shares the same software, data resources, and hardware.
Another thing I learned about was searching for information on the web and multimedia on the web. These two things are great tools to have in a classroom because it gives the students the ability to search for information on the web by themselves and learn about more things. Multimedia access in classrooms gives students a way to learn that is interactive and involves color, sound, and motion which cannot be found in a textbook.
I also learned how things that I use a lot like e-mail, facebooks, and chat have opened up the doors of communication. When a person gets an e-mail address it is a combination of a username and a domain name that is specific to that person. So when someone sends a message it goes straight to their mailbox.
The advancements in computer technology grow everyday. In the very near future almost all K-12 teachers will have access to high speed internet in the classrooms and wireless notebooks will be commonplace. This will greatly increase the quality of learning of children all over the world.