So, when we did our podcast I knew an RSS feed was del.icio.us and flikr and different sites like that, but I don't know if I really understood. When Savannah's group presented I kind of realized what those sites were all about and they are really interesting. It is a way to organize your blog and on-line life while letting others get to know about you in a sense. As of right now I only have one RSS feed and that is del.icio.us and I'm so confused with it. I went to put up my links and it is not working. I don't know I guess I have to tinker around with it more. I also have the map, I don't know if that is considered an RSS feed, but I find it cool especially since I see that people over seas have checked out my blog :-)
I feel that they can come in handy with our classrooms:
1- We can set up a del.icio.us account so if we give the students an assignment and they have to keep going back to a certain website they can go to the classroom blog and go from there instead of having to remember the website themselves.
2- If the students have their own blog, RSS feeds can help everyone to get to know one another. Whether it is through their interests or even pictures, we can get an idea of who everyone is.
3- They can also keep me updates with how often my students are on their account and when it is updated.
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
2.0 vs. 3.0
As future teachers we can offer so much to our students with the growing technology we have. Going from the 2.0 world to the 3.0 world gives our students endless possibilities. According to Carly Fiorina,
"We have gone from a vertical chain of command for value creation to a much more horizontal chain of command for value creation" (208).
From that one quote we can see the endless possibilities for our students. Instead of doing the same old discussions, blackboard and overhead copying of notes, we can incorporate so much technology into the classroom. We can bring in blogs and the Internet world so that communication can be easy for everyone and so that students can communicate with other students of other areas. We really don't have to be the sole teachers to our students anymore, their peers can also be educators to them and that can be seen through the 3.0 world.
"We have gone from a vertical chain of command for value creation to a much more horizontal chain of command for value creation" (208).
From that one quote we can see the endless possibilities for our students. Instead of doing the same old discussions, blackboard and overhead copying of notes, we can incorporate so much technology into the classroom. We can bring in blogs and the Internet world so that communication can be easy for everyone and so that students can communicate with other students of other areas. We really don't have to be the sole teachers to our students anymore, their peers can also be educators to them and that can be seen through the 3.0 world.
NY Times Article
"What does a College Education Buy...."
How about you ask a college student? I am a junior in college, and I'm not going to lie...I am paying for college myself. A college education can buy so much, and the best "item" it can "buy" is a great opportunity for a great life. A college education can also buy so many life lessons which anyone can learn from and benefit from.
The one sentences that I feel hit a nerve with me what when Caldwell wrote...
"Maybe college cannot become much more accessible."
How can it not? Coming from someone that does not come from a wealthy family and can easily put their children through school without financial aid or loans I found it very accessible to go to school. I applied for financial aid and I also take out student loans that I will pay back myself. Also, how is it not accessible for students to go to a two-year school and receive a degree in something that only takes two years to receive. Yes, college is expensive, but not impossible. That is a benefit of going to college and earning a degree, you will be able to pay back your loans and such because you will have a job that you worked hard for. Everyone wants to do what they love for the rest of their lives then why not go ahead and do all you can for an education you deserve? It's not impossible.
How about you ask a college student? I am a junior in college, and I'm not going to lie...I am paying for college myself. A college education can buy so much, and the best "item" it can "buy" is a great opportunity for a great life. A college education can also buy so many life lessons which anyone can learn from and benefit from.
The one sentences that I feel hit a nerve with me what when Caldwell wrote...
"Maybe college cannot become much more accessible."
How can it not? Coming from someone that does not come from a wealthy family and can easily put their children through school without financial aid or loans I found it very accessible to go to school. I applied for financial aid and I also take out student loans that I will pay back myself. Also, how is it not accessible for students to go to a two-year school and receive a degree in something that only takes two years to receive. Yes, college is expensive, but not impossible. That is a benefit of going to college and earning a degree, you will be able to pay back your loans and such because you will have a job that you worked hard for. Everyone wants to do what they love for the rest of their lives then why not go ahead and do all you can for an education you deserve? It's not impossible.
Monday, February 26, 2007
Check it out!
Check out this article...I found it very interesting that technology is being used in the classroom NOT by computers...I think you will find it interesting and get the wheels turning in your head...it did with me!
http://media.www.thevistaonline.com/media/storage/paper962/news/2007/02/22/News/Students.Click.Their.Way.Into.New.Technology.In.The.Classroom-2737494.shtml
http://media.www.thevistaonline.com/media/storage/paper962/news/2007/02/22/News/Students.Click.Their.Way.Into.New.Technology.In.The.Classroom-2737494.shtml
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
PLS, Hobbs, and ELA/NCTE
I feel like everything in common with the three readings is that technology needs to be reinforced in the classroom in some way, shape, or form....simple as that. It's crazy knowing that being an up and coming teacher I have to really try hard to get my students interested in work and wanting to do work and acheiving this would mean I need to get going on my technology skills and get them up to date as well. When you think of technology though I was thought the computer, but all three of those sources don't only reinforce the computer or internet, but watching movies and putting a spin on it or doing a writing assignment and putting a creative spin on it. If you can make assignments as creative as possible using any type of technology they want then you have your students hooked (within reach and ok'ed by the teacher, but only my opinion).
Hobbs
Your mission, whether you chose to accept it or not, is to figure out if bringing new concepts of teaching and learning into the classroom will be beneficial.
You accept? Let's see how it goes....
Well, it seems like Renee Hobbs did a great job at Concord High School with getting the English teachers to integrate new scientific technology in their classrooms and having them be effective. She knew what she wanted and she received the results she deserved. She even states that,
"Concord High School is one of the first school districts in the United States to integrate media literacy so extensively in the secondary curriculum."
I feel like she played a big part in that by motivating the teachers to cooperate with her and try out new technologies. The teachers could do what they wanted in whatever order, but they did get through to the students and it was successful. The students in these classes were given the opportunity to really analyze literature in such different ways. The read a book then watched a movie and were able to see the differences in the way scenes and characters were portrayed. They were able to try their skills at being screen writers and coming up with a screenplay to As I Lay Dying. In my personal opinion students want to have fun. If your students can have fun with what they are doing and not really realizing they are learning we are doing our jobs. School isn't supposed to be boring and dreadful, it should be fun and worth going to. Hobbs helped incorporate different aspect we would have never thought of in order for students to be intrigued, while learning about new technology at the same time. She succeeded with flying colors.
You accept? Let's see how it goes....
Well, it seems like Renee Hobbs did a great job at Concord High School with getting the English teachers to integrate new scientific technology in their classrooms and having them be effective. She knew what she wanted and she received the results she deserved. She even states that,
"Concord High School is one of the first school districts in the United States to integrate media literacy so extensively in the secondary curriculum."
I feel like she played a big part in that by motivating the teachers to cooperate with her and try out new technologies. The teachers could do what they wanted in whatever order, but they did get through to the students and it was successful. The students in these classes were given the opportunity to really analyze literature in such different ways. The read a book then watched a movie and were able to see the differences in the way scenes and characters were portrayed. They were able to try their skills at being screen writers and coming up with a screenplay to As I Lay Dying. In my personal opinion students want to have fun. If your students can have fun with what they are doing and not really realizing they are learning we are doing our jobs. School isn't supposed to be boring and dreadful, it should be fun and worth going to. Hobbs helped incorporate different aspect we would have never thought of in order for students to be intrigued, while learning about new technology at the same time. She succeeded with flying colors.
PLS and Hobbs
Renee Hobbs and the six principles of media literacy have many ideas and concepts in common which is very interesting. The one main goal that both Hobbs and the media literacy have in common is getting new technology into the English classroom. By doing this, students could be able to improve their writing and critical thinking skills, and they would be introduced to new ideas and concepts from other student around the world. This can then open their eyes and ideas to different cultures, some they would never know about without media (such as blogging). One of my favorite excerpts from Hobbs is,
"Scholes urges English educators to incorporate a wide range of texts including films, television, advertising, the Internet, music, and popular culture. With an ever-increasing range of media messages in so many forms, students need to understand the process by which authors convey meaning about socially constructed experience. The use of digital media and popular culture texts not only stimulates young people's engagement, motivation, and interest in learning, but enables them to build a richer, more nuanced understanding of how texts of all kinds work within a culture."
Think of how our students would love to engage in music and television and movies! Many kids do not like English class, they find it boring and they feel they don't really learn everything. As an upcoming English teacher is discourages me because out of all the classes you take during your high school career English is the most important because for the rest of your like you will be reading and writing and need the skills you learn in high school to do both of those. My junior year English teacher taught a poetry lesson for a crazy amount of time. We all moaned and groaned and wanted nothing to do with it. She actually made it really fun for us. One part of the project we had to re-write the poem we chose in our own words any way we wanted to. Also, I feel the best part of the project was he had to find a song, any song, that directly related to our poem. Granted yes it was hard to find a song, but it was different then doing the ordinary. By making us using different media and different types of thinking it really made us enjoy what we were doing.
I feel there is a direct connection between Hobbes and PLS. As teachers this is a great way to expand our students thinking. They can learn so much through the Internet, movies, music and so on. We really can start our kids off young. In kindergarten we can get student to learn how to get onto a computer and bring up educational games. Come fourth grade, maybe get them on the Internet doing you basic research for a project. Middle school some more advanced research and possibly a blog??? High school, we can get our kids podcasting about various subjects and possibly all the kids interested in music, get then writing their own song, recording them and downloading them onto iTunes. This of the endless possibilities. It is a great feeling knowing there is only improvement for our classes here on out. Scary?? Absolutely.
"Scholes urges English educators to incorporate a wide range of texts including films, television, advertising, the Internet, music, and popular culture. With an ever-increasing range of media messages in so many forms, students need to understand the process by which authors convey meaning about socially constructed experience. The use of digital media and popular culture texts not only stimulates young people's engagement, motivation, and interest in learning, but enables them to build a richer, more nuanced understanding of how texts of all kinds work within a culture."
Think of how our students would love to engage in music and television and movies! Many kids do not like English class, they find it boring and they feel they don't really learn everything. As an upcoming English teacher is discourages me because out of all the classes you take during your high school career English is the most important because for the rest of your like you will be reading and writing and need the skills you learn in high school to do both of those. My junior year English teacher taught a poetry lesson for a crazy amount of time. We all moaned and groaned and wanted nothing to do with it. She actually made it really fun for us. One part of the project we had to re-write the poem we chose in our own words any way we wanted to. Also, I feel the best part of the project was he had to find a song, any song, that directly related to our poem. Granted yes it was hard to find a song, but it was different then doing the ordinary. By making us using different media and different types of thinking it really made us enjoy what we were doing.
I feel there is a direct connection between Hobbes and PLS. As teachers this is a great way to expand our students thinking. They can learn so much through the Internet, movies, music and so on. We really can start our kids off young. In kindergarten we can get student to learn how to get onto a computer and bring up educational games. Come fourth grade, maybe get them on the Internet doing you basic research for a project. Middle school some more advanced research and possibly a blog??? High school, we can get our kids podcasting about various subjects and possibly all the kids interested in music, get then writing their own song, recording them and downloading them onto iTunes. This of the endless possibilities. It is a great feeling knowing there is only improvement for our classes here on out. Scary?? Absolutely.
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Web 2.0
Watching that You Tube video sort of put everything into perspective for me. Everything is changing very quickly. One quote that I noticed was that a blog is posted every half a second. That's crazy. I guess we can only get better from here. It really blows my mind that everything no matter what can really be done online or found online. It's like an epidemic, but a good one. Teachers can really benefit from using computers and the Internet in their classrooms. The only problem would be keeping the students on task and in the boundaries of the websites you want them, not off on myspace, facebook, or checking e-mail. It's kinda of scary to see where technology can go from here.
We have to unlearn??
As teachers we need to unlearn, kind of seems like a difficult task, but how Will breaks it down it does not seem that bad. As up and coming teachers we need to realize that the classroom does not revolve around us anymore. Will stated it the best in his blog,
"For instance, in a world where literally any place can be a classroom, we have to unlearn the comforts of four walls that we’ve become accustomed to."
We need to realize that the Internet and technology could teach our students more than we could ever teach them, which is kind of scary. As teachers we need to open our eyes and our classrooms so that our students can excel in ways we never did. Maybe, if we included doing various activities on the Internet including blogging, our students would be more interested in doing their work and more interested in doing good since they aren't doing the traditional reading and writing in the classroom.
One of the 10 things we need to unlearn that Will mentioned that was my favorite is,
" We need to unlearn the premise that we know more than our kids, because in many cases, they can now be our teachers as well."
Just because we have the college degree and the Master's doesn't mean anything. Since there are endless possibilities with learning we can ALWAYS learn something new from anyone or anything because of technology. Maybe, we should really listen to our students to that we can meet their needs to succeed.
"For instance, in a world where literally any place can be a classroom, we have to unlearn the comforts of four walls that we’ve become accustomed to."
We need to realize that the Internet and technology could teach our students more than we could ever teach them, which is kind of scary. As teachers we need to open our eyes and our classrooms so that our students can excel in ways we never did. Maybe, if we included doing various activities on the Internet including blogging, our students would be more interested in doing their work and more interested in doing good since they aren't doing the traditional reading and writing in the classroom.
One of the 10 things we need to unlearn that Will mentioned that was my favorite is,
" We need to unlearn the premise that we know more than our kids, because in many cases, they can now be our teachers as well."
Just because we have the college degree and the Master's doesn't mean anything. Since there are endless possibilities with learning we can ALWAYS learn something new from anyone or anything because of technology. Maybe, we should really listen to our students to that we can meet their needs to succeed.
Wednesday, February 7, 2007
Curriki? Why not?
How amazing would it be as a teacher to communicate with another teacher across the US or how about the world!? Well it is now possible with Curriki. As a future teacher this would be something great to get associated with. On my Monday night class...Foundations of Modern Education, there was a discussion about how other countries surpass us, the US, when it to grades and such and not understanding why. This might be the key to finally being up with the standards of Japanese education or any other education system. I don't know just something to think about, but I would definitely recommend reading even just a little bit of the article because it is very interesting... http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/showStory.cfm?ArticleID=6821
Tuesday, February 6, 2007
Part Three
Well then, some interesting things I heard on the podcast. Not going to lie right now, I would have followed it better if I could have watched it. I am easily distracted to just sit and listen. Anyways....
I would just like to say that my jaw dropped when they said that a student from UCLA was kicked out of the library there then tazered because he wouldn't leave by the police and it was on YouTube!! That is nuts! Someone took the video on their cell phone and just uploaded it. Think of the different situations that could happen such as a car accident or something random like that, that can be recorded and then used to show what really happened.
Another very interesting idea that I heard was that John Edwards has his own blog. Could you imagine if more politicians had blogs where people could post ideas and other such ideas to their mayor/senator/governor etc... Having constant feedback, one would think it would be positive to the politicians. Even with professional athletes being able to blog with them with encouragement and different ideas on how to improve. How about teachers? Maybe students see us as intimidating and can not say something to our face on how to improve our classroom, why not have them blog to get their ideas out on the table?
Now, more online "stuff." Come to find out some politicians made their running for office public on YouTube. It is amazing that YouTube is Billy Fuccillo "HUGE" and candidates running for office are announcing it on there. Who would have thought that just five years ago!? Amazing. Also, the GM car dealership has their own blog. Why? To state what is true and false about their cars they sell. Great idea! It then lets the buyers feel more comfortable and are able to blog about their concerns and hoorays about the cars they buy. They are real people, not actors doing commercials.
Another interesting part of the podcast was where Will and Rob talked about a new school opening in September and how a class was online blogging and such getting to know one another. Then when school started they had a bond with each other. Who would have thought!? How great would it be as teachers having our students blog a few weeks before school starts so that they can get to know each other and form a bond as a class. I don't know? Just an idea.
Last but not least, I found it very interesting that Will stated that he learned more from blogging then all his years of schooling...WOW. Great point to bring up though. From blogging, he could learn what he wanted and what really interested him rather than the textbook stuff he HAD to learn and was forced upon him. I never thought of technology that way, but what a great way to think of it.
Very interesting pod-cast...hats off to Will and Rob!
I would just like to say that my jaw dropped when they said that a student from UCLA was kicked out of the library there then tazered because he wouldn't leave by the police and it was on YouTube!! That is nuts! Someone took the video on their cell phone and just uploaded it. Think of the different situations that could happen such as a car accident or something random like that, that can be recorded and then used to show what really happened.
Another very interesting idea that I heard was that John Edwards has his own blog. Could you imagine if more politicians had blogs where people could post ideas and other such ideas to their mayor/senator/governor etc... Having constant feedback, one would think it would be positive to the politicians. Even with professional athletes being able to blog with them with encouragement and different ideas on how to improve. How about teachers? Maybe students see us as intimidating and can not say something to our face on how to improve our classroom, why not have them blog to get their ideas out on the table?
Now, more online "stuff." Come to find out some politicians made their running for office public on YouTube. It is amazing that YouTube is Billy Fuccillo "HUGE" and candidates running for office are announcing it on there. Who would have thought that just five years ago!? Amazing. Also, the GM car dealership has their own blog. Why? To state what is true and false about their cars they sell. Great idea! It then lets the buyers feel more comfortable and are able to blog about their concerns and hoorays about the cars they buy. They are real people, not actors doing commercials.
Another interesting part of the podcast was where Will and Rob talked about a new school opening in September and how a class was online blogging and such getting to know one another. Then when school started they had a bond with each other. Who would have thought!? How great would it be as teachers having our students blog a few weeks before school starts so that they can get to know each other and form a bond as a class. I don't know? Just an idea.
Last but not least, I found it very interesting that Will stated that he learned more from blogging then all his years of schooling...WOW. Great point to bring up though. From blogging, he could learn what he wanted and what really interested him rather than the textbook stuff he HAD to learn and was forced upon him. I never thought of technology that way, but what a great way to think of it.
Very interesting pod-cast...hats off to Will and Rob!
Part Two
"It is spreading because the flat-world platform that makes it possible is spreading and because uploading responds to a very deep human longing for individuals to participate and make their voices heard" (Friedman 124).
So the question is, "What should our students be learning?" Maybe our students should be learning how to have their voices heard. Many students don't like or enjoy school because they are bored and they are not doing what they like to do or are interested in, what if us as teachers had them give us an input on what they are interested in or gives us ideas on how to make our lessons interesting and fun for them or learn? What if we took technology and used "uploading" in the classroom for educational purposes. Possibly upload different videos, or different activities to get our students interacting with technology while they are learning. Technology is a big part of kids lives today, so that if we can get them learning by using technology that would be great. However, if they do not let us as teachers know what they want in the classroom and how they learn we can not help them with how our students should be learning.
So the question is, "What should our students be learning?" Maybe our students should be learning how to have their voices heard. Many students don't like or enjoy school because they are bored and they are not doing what they like to do or are interested in, what if us as teachers had them give us an input on what they are interested in or gives us ideas on how to make our lessons interesting and fun for them or learn? What if we took technology and used "uploading" in the classroom for educational purposes. Possibly upload different videos, or different activities to get our students interacting with technology while they are learning. Technology is a big part of kids lives today, so that if we can get them learning by using technology that would be great. However, if they do not let us as teachers know what they want in the classroom and how they learn we can not help them with how our students should be learning.
Monday, February 5, 2007
Part One
So, I figured I would have went to a few websites in Chapter 2 of Warlick's book, nope I was hooked on one for about 40 mins, yes I said it, 40 mins. What website was it? I went to Ask Jeeves for Kids... http://www.ajkids.com. I'm not going to lie, I had alot of fun. I first went to the website and just looked at the main page. It is just like the jeeves.com website with the little space you can type in what you are searching for. Then off to the right of the screen there are a pile of books with different words on then showing different subjects in school, a dictionary, a thesaurus, an almanac, an atlas, biography, and others. When you click on one of those it takes you to another page which can help answer a question you might have about the subject or maybe have sparked a new interest in that certain topic. I clicked on the science book and then I clicked around after that and I came up to how to make a lava lamp. How cool would that be? Making a lava lamp.
Then yo can click on a link that says Where's Jeeves? It then goes through this cute story of who he is and what he does and what he likes to do. I was interested in it. It had pictures of what he liked to do and it was just cute and creative how it was set up and arranged.
The site also have a fun and games link, where I spent most of my time. All the games and everything is educational, so while kids are having fun they are learning and thinking at the same time. If I could have fun with something like this imagine what a younger kid could do. They had a connect the dots game where it gave you a hint of an animal then you clicked the numbers to connect the dots and you get a few clues then you guess and it gives you the answer. It also has a tic-tac-toe game, it has checkers and that guides the players on how to play the game and make the right moves and really comprehend the point of the game, it also has a spelling game and solving riddles.
Not only can this website help kids with homework and doing papers and projects it is also fun with the games and educational at the same time. If this website was given to me when I was younger I really think I would have enjoyed doing homework and research because there is so much to that website. I feel it should be give out to third graders and up and even younger kids. A website like this can be beneficial to teachers and parents when it comes to getting their kids doing their work.
Then yo can click on a link that says Where's Jeeves? It then goes through this cute story of who he is and what he does and what he likes to do. I was interested in it. It had pictures of what he liked to do and it was just cute and creative how it was set up and arranged.
The site also have a fun and games link, where I spent most of my time. All the games and everything is educational, so while kids are having fun they are learning and thinking at the same time. If I could have fun with something like this imagine what a younger kid could do. They had a connect the dots game where it gave you a hint of an animal then you clicked the numbers to connect the dots and you get a few clues then you guess and it gives you the answer. It also has a tic-tac-toe game, it has checkers and that guides the players on how to play the game and make the right moves and really comprehend the point of the game, it also has a spelling game and solving riddles.
Not only can this website help kids with homework and doing papers and projects it is also fun with the games and educational at the same time. If this website was given to me when I was younger I really think I would have enjoyed doing homework and research because there is so much to that website. I feel it should be give out to third graders and up and even younger kids. A website like this can be beneficial to teachers and parents when it comes to getting their kids doing their work.
Friday, February 2, 2007
Random...
Just a random bit of information, but I was just sitting in my room straightening my hair and a commercial was on tv and for some reason it interested me. As I was watching it it showed Friedmans book "The World is Flat." It was for buy.com and I just found it interesting that a book we are reading was randomly in a commercial.
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