How I might use ALEX

As the classroom becomes more and more connected to the internet, resources like the Alabama Learning Exchange are becoming more and more important to have. Having a central place that my students could go and get information from out of class is invaluable. I would know exactly how and what they were learning outside of the classroom. It would also give the students parents the ability to see exactly what their children were learning, which is very important to me because without support at home, most children would not do well.
But as I look at ALEX and the good things that it offers, I also cast a skeptical eye in its general direction. Since the classroom is becoming more intwined with the internet, it seems silly to limit a childs research or activities to one site. I know that this was not the intent of ALEX, but I also know that if a child starts using ALEX and his/her teacher does not challenge them to use other resources, the child will not venture out and find all the other useful information on the internet.
Will I use ALEX? Probably. But I will certainly not be limited to it, nor will I limit my students to it.