I found the article "Laptops in the classroom: Mend it, don't end it
Teachers: Step down as the sage on the stage and learn to be the guide on the side"
By Justin Reich extremely interesting. I can't believe that at the college level professors would not allow laptops in the classroom. Even though professors say that laptops "turn students into stenographers instead of critical thinkers, or, more often, distract them with online shopping or e-mail" the college requires their students to purchase them. The fact that colleges would even sconsider doing this distrubs me. Aren't colleges suposed to be places for free thinking and higher education? How can we expect our students to be better global members if they can't even use their laptops in class?
I think that teachers want to ban laptops from the classroom as part of the implied teacher and implied student syndrome. Reich states,
. Computers can transform the way students learn only if instructors change the way they teach.
"As a teacher, I can confirm that most of us love to be the center of attention, and laptops threaten our fiefdoms. For years, we have pointed the desks toward us and shut the window blinds to maintain our monopolies. When we punish the class clown, it's not for being funny; it's for being funnier than we are. Admitting laptops into the classroom means facing the reality that in the competition for attention, our best lectures can't even beat solitaire."
Teachers are not banning laptops from the classroom because they are not beneficial to the students; they are doing it because they want to be the central focus. Professors need to reconsider their rule because it should be the students at the center focus of the classroom.
Furthermore, Reich states, "To productively use laptops in the classroom, teachers need to be willing to surrender their supremacy. Students no longer need us for the facts because facts are instantly available on the Internet. Instead, they need us to help them figure out what to do with all that data." This quotation reminds me of Friedman's text. Our student no longer need us for imformation. They need to learn to become composers.
I think that teachers should be stopped from banning laptops in the classroom. Professors should know how beneficial technology is to students and they must encourage its use in the classroom.
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Throughout this semester, one of the concerns from the members of the class was Internet safety. On the New York Times online, I found an article that illustrates a specific way that the popular website, Myspace, is trying to keep children safe. The article "MySpace Gives Details of Its Plan to Reveal Known Sex Offenders" by Louise Story, describes the corporations idea to reveal th eidentity of sex offenders on Myspace. The corporation is willing to work with state attorneys to keep kids safe. Story states," MySpace, a division of the , said it would release information about its members as long as it was able to comply with the Electronic Communications Privacy Act." Furthermore, the chief security officer of Myspace, Hemanshu Nigam, "said in an interview that the site had already taken down the profiles of thousands of sex offenders since the beginning of May when it began running its own database check."
Many of us are concerned with Internet safety, but it seems that the incresing popularity of sites, like myspace, is increasing security. Check out the article!http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/16/technology/16myspace.html?_r=1&ref=technology&oref=slogin
Many of us are concerned with Internet safety, but it seems that the incresing popularity of sites, like myspace, is increasing security. Check out the article!http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/16/technology/16myspace.html?_r=1&ref=technology&oref=slogin
Brief Reflection on this Class
Throughout this semester, I learned a great deal on what a classroom should look like. I realize that collaboration is a great way for students to learn and take the regins of their own education. Furthermore, technology is so important. During my student teachign I did not use enough. However, I plan on creating a class website and blog for my classroom next year. This class is extremely beneficial. Not only did we learn different types of technology to use in the classroom and several ways to do it, but we learned what it was liek to be students ourselves. We struggled and learned from each other. We experimented, succeeded, and failed. But the most important thing is that we learned how to integrate technology into the classroom. Thanks everyone, and good luck with the rest of your years at Cortland!
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Facebook and Classifieds?
I recently found an article on the New York Times website that discusses facebook. I’m sure that most of you are familiar with Facebook, and maybe like me, you have wasted several hours on it. In the article, “Facebook to Offer Free Classifieds” by Brad Stone, the idea of adding free classified ads to the website. According to Stone, “Facebook, which has 22 million active users, more than half of them in high school or college, hopes that the new feature will offer yet another reason for users to return to its site regularly, instead of going elsewhere to conduct their Internet business.” Isn’t this the collaboration that Friedman discusses in his book? Facebook has hired people who came up with combining classified adds and the original Facebook to accommodate more people. Mark Zuckerber, Facebook’s founder states, “We don’t try to lock people up or take more of their time, but we try to provide them with easier ways to do the things they want to do on the Internet.” Because people are constantly on the internet, they like their sites to be more accessible and easy to use. The new classified ads on Facebook will allow users to create classified listings in four categories: housing; jobs; for sale, where users can list things like concert tickets and used bikes; and “other,” a catch-all that could include things like solicitations for rides home for the holidays.” This is an interesting article. Check it out.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/11/business/11facebook.html?_r=1&ref=technology&oref=slogin
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/11/business/11facebook.html?_r=1&ref=technology&oref=slogin
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
Technology and Interview
For the technology portion of the interview, I decided to create a class website. This site opens with a message to t he students and parents. This allows parents to see what their children will learning in the class. Also, the students and parents will receive personal information about where I atteneded college. I would futrther expand on this by creating different pages that students could add to. Students create pages that allow them to show their parents th different work they have completed. Also, districts willliek this because parents will be informed.
Sunday, April 29, 2007
City Voices City Visions
After reading “City Voices City Visions,”I was instantly reminded of our 307 class last Wednesday. While we were discussing our media literacy projects, we, the students, were creating our learning. We were researching media literacy sites and projects that could help us create ours. Similar to the article, we were “discussing issues, planning and storyboarding, researching in books and on the Internet, writing scripts and narratives, and clustering around computers in cooperative work groups, creating meaning out of the curriculum and their experiences. They describe their classrooms as being filled with excitement and learning.” With the exception of the students working with video cameras, our learning environment was student centered. We were constructing our own learning just like the students in Buffalo.
Furthermore, to be more specific to the article, I think it is great that students are using technological devices to construct learning. In their videos, these student were able to research different concepts of English literature and personalize them. This is a great opportunity for students.
Furthermore, to be more specific to the article, I think it is great that students are using technological devices to construct learning. In their videos, these student were able to research different concepts of English literature and personalize them. This is a great opportunity for students.
Chapter 6: Reading the World
Chapter six in Renee Hobbs’s book Reading the Media: Media Literacy in High School English is titled “Learning to Read the World.” In this chapter, Hobbs discusses the positive effects from teaching student “political efficacy and civic engagement” (93). Throughout this chapter, the reader is presented with several examples on how to integrate the reading of world texts through media. At the beginning of the chapter, Hobbs justifies why she would teach these skills to her English 11R students. She states, “Reading does not consist merely of decoding the written word or spoken language; rather, it is preceded by and intertwined with knowledge of the world and action in response to one’s learning” (93). This quotation is the foundation on which Hobbs’s belief of reading the world is based. Students must learn reading, writing, and listening skills, but they must be able to use these skills to assess and evaluate the world around them.
Furthermore, in this chapter and study of the English 11 students, Hobbs measured the “students’ ability to critically analyze television news and radio programming,” which increased students comprehension and message analysis skills”(94). By analyzing and evaluating different forms of media, these students will be more prepared to analyze the world around them. According to Hobbs, media literacy “affects the development of critical thinking and civic engagement skills” (94). These are the exact skills with which teachers would like their students to leave their classrooms. Also, in this chapter, Hobbs discusses viewing skills, listening skills, political efficacy, and gender differences.
The first aspect of this chapter that I found interesting was the students response to Al Gore’s speech. Al Gore presented a speech on school violence, but the students found an inconsistency with something Gore said. In relation to the Love Canal, Gore stated, “I was the one that started it all.”(94). However, after the students listened to a taping of Gore’s speech, they realized that it was not him that started the hearing on the Love Canal. By exposing this, the students were able to credit him “as falsely taking credit for too much”(94). Thus, by critically analyzing and researching Gore’s speeches, these students were able to expose Gore’s lie. This is what we want our teachers to do. If we can make are students not be passive but active listeners, people will not be able to take advantage of the ignorance of American citizens.
Another aspect of this reading that I found interesting was the portion on listening skills. As future English teachers, we will be responsible for helping our students become exceptional listeners. Hobbs states, “Attentions, memory, empathy, interpretation, emotional response, characteristics of stimuli, and context all affect the listening process”(104). Even though there isn’t a single method for teaching listening skills, Hobb’s illustrates how important they are. Another part of the listening section of this chapter that I found interesting is when Hobbs states, “With iPods, MP3 players, and podcasts now a ubiquuitous feature of the adolescent’s cultural environment, English language arts teachers should continue to explore the ways that students’ critical listening skills can be developed through media literacy activities”(206). This directly connects with many concepts that we have discussed in 307. These are audio devices that our students are using at home, so why can’t English teachers integrate them into instruction? By teaching our students to critically analyze what they hear, they will be more apt to questiont he world around them.
Finally, the last point in this chapter that I found interesting is the way gender plays a role in reading the world and political efficacy. At the beginning of the semester, we discussed how female students are more reluctant to participate in class. Well, according to Hobbs, females are reluctant to participate in politics. According to Hobbs, “Political efficacy is defined as citizen’s faith and trust in the government and their own belief that they can understand and influence political affairs”(107). During Hobbs’s research, she found that female students did not feel as comfortable and male students in discussing and analyzing politics.
After reading this chapter, I realized that using media to teach students to evaluate the world around them will make them better and more informed citizens. Hobbs states, “As students fain the ability to comprehend news and politics by asking critical questions about media messages, they grow in knowledge and feel more empowered about their ability to understand government and politics. But they also develop s skepticism about the extent to which political leaders truly represent their interests”(94) These students will not believe everything they hear or see in the media; they will obtain the skills to see through lies and inconsistencies in the media.
Furthermore, in this chapter and study of the English 11 students, Hobbs measured the “students’ ability to critically analyze television news and radio programming,” which increased students comprehension and message analysis skills”(94). By analyzing and evaluating different forms of media, these students will be more prepared to analyze the world around them. According to Hobbs, media literacy “affects the development of critical thinking and civic engagement skills” (94). These are the exact skills with which teachers would like their students to leave their classrooms. Also, in this chapter, Hobbs discusses viewing skills, listening skills, political efficacy, and gender differences.
The first aspect of this chapter that I found interesting was the students response to Al Gore’s speech. Al Gore presented a speech on school violence, but the students found an inconsistency with something Gore said. In relation to the Love Canal, Gore stated, “I was the one that started it all.”(94). However, after the students listened to a taping of Gore’s speech, they realized that it was not him that started the hearing on the Love Canal. By exposing this, the students were able to credit him “as falsely taking credit for too much”(94). Thus, by critically analyzing and researching Gore’s speeches, these students were able to expose Gore’s lie. This is what we want our teachers to do. If we can make are students not be passive but active listeners, people will not be able to take advantage of the ignorance of American citizens.
Another aspect of this reading that I found interesting was the portion on listening skills. As future English teachers, we will be responsible for helping our students become exceptional listeners. Hobbs states, “Attentions, memory, empathy, interpretation, emotional response, characteristics of stimuli, and context all affect the listening process”(104). Even though there isn’t a single method for teaching listening skills, Hobb’s illustrates how important they are. Another part of the listening section of this chapter that I found interesting is when Hobbs states, “With iPods, MP3 players, and podcasts now a ubiquuitous feature of the adolescent’s cultural environment, English language arts teachers should continue to explore the ways that students’ critical listening skills can be developed through media literacy activities”(206). This directly connects with many concepts that we have discussed in 307. These are audio devices that our students are using at home, so why can’t English teachers integrate them into instruction? By teaching our students to critically analyze what they hear, they will be more apt to questiont he world around them.
Finally, the last point in this chapter that I found interesting is the way gender plays a role in reading the world and political efficacy. At the beginning of the semester, we discussed how female students are more reluctant to participate in class. Well, according to Hobbs, females are reluctant to participate in politics. According to Hobbs, “Political efficacy is defined as citizen’s faith and trust in the government and their own belief that they can understand and influence political affairs”(107). During Hobbs’s research, she found that female students did not feel as comfortable and male students in discussing and analyzing politics.
After reading this chapter, I realized that using media to teach students to evaluate the world around them will make them better and more informed citizens. Hobbs states, “As students fain the ability to comprehend news and politics by asking critical questions about media messages, they grow in knowledge and feel more empowered about their ability to understand government and politics. But they also develop s skepticism about the extent to which political leaders truly represent their interests”(94) These students will not believe everything they hear or see in the media; they will obtain the skills to see through lies and inconsistencies in the media.
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Miss Emerson's class blog
Chrissy's class blog is wonderful. I really like her idea of using numbers for teacher identification. I think that students will be more apt to have thoughtful discussions and responses if the names of the students are kept secret. This sor of reminds me of the cyber bullying on which Barb and Darlene presented. On Chrissy's class blog, she has prompting questions and ideas for her students. I think that this will definately enhance Our Town. Not only will students gain a better understanding of the text, but they will be able to use and becom familiar with technology.
Chrissy I give you props!
Chrissy I give you props!
Quizlet
Wow. This quizlet site is amamzing! I think that a lot of students would be more interested in practicing vocabulary if they could do it online. The flashcards, matching, and quiz will help the students learn vocabulary while using technology. Our students are on the internet so often, that this site will entice them to practice. Also, the section of this site that allows students to discuss vocabulary words and their usage is really interesting. Students could chat online and learn vocabulary. This is a great idea.
Friedman and the Education Gaps
After reading Friedman’s “Dirty Little Secret” “The Education Gap at the Top” and “The Education Gap at the Bottom” I realized that American students are not pursuing careers that will put them at the top of society. When Friedman discusses the “bottom” of the education gap, he discusses why many Americans are stuck in careers or degree programs that will not allow them to advance in the global economy. Friedman says, “Americans have always wanted and expected their public schools to be the agent of social mobility, the principal means by which poor people can lift themselves up by their bookstraps and grasp the brass ring. But that is no longer the reality in too many parts of the country today, because of the disparities in funding”(346). This illustrates that our public schools are not encouraging American students to explore careers in math, science, and technology because many do not have the resources.
However, when Friedman discusses the people at the “top” of the education gap, he says “We simply are not educating, or even interesting enough for our own young people in advanced math, science, and engineering” (335). People at the “top” of the education gap are pursuing careers in math, science, and technology. For instance, Friedman uses the example of going out to dinner with his daughter, her roommates, and her roommate’s boyfriend, Eric Stern. Stern was getting his Ph.D in “biomedical engineering with an expertise in nanotechnology”(337) . Friedman goes further by showing the reader that Stern’s family was very involved in science and technology, which contributed to Stern’s career path. However, the most interesting part of this example is when Stern says, “I am looking around at a table eating pizza with all these smart women, and it never occurred to them to do science. They were all in humanities” (338).
As a preservice teacher, and after taking this class, I realized that without technology our students will not be marketable. If ELA teachers teach English in isolation from technology, we will be depriving our students of the education they deserve. According to the “Bottom Line”
“Young Chinese, Indians, and Poles are not racing us at the bottom. They are racing us at the top. They do not want to work for us; they don’t even want to be us. They want to dominate us—in the sense that they want to be creating the companies of the future” (351).
The world is flat. And as preservice ELA teachers, we must encourage our students to seek careers that will allow them to “dominate the companies of the future.” Teachers need to realize that symbolism and setting are not important. What is important are close reading skills, technology skill, and the ability to adapt to the world around them.
However, when Friedman discusses the people at the “top” of the education gap, he says “We simply are not educating, or even interesting enough for our own young people in advanced math, science, and engineering” (335). People at the “top” of the education gap are pursuing careers in math, science, and technology. For instance, Friedman uses the example of going out to dinner with his daughter, her roommates, and her roommate’s boyfriend, Eric Stern. Stern was getting his Ph.D in “biomedical engineering with an expertise in nanotechnology”(337) . Friedman goes further by showing the reader that Stern’s family was very involved in science and technology, which contributed to Stern’s career path. However, the most interesting part of this example is when Stern says, “I am looking around at a table eating pizza with all these smart women, and it never occurred to them to do science. They were all in humanities” (338).
As a preservice teacher, and after taking this class, I realized that without technology our students will not be marketable. If ELA teachers teach English in isolation from technology, we will be depriving our students of the education they deserve. According to the “Bottom Line”
“Young Chinese, Indians, and Poles are not racing us at the bottom. They are racing us at the top. They do not want to work for us; they don’t even want to be us. They want to dominate us—in the sense that they want to be creating the companies of the future” (351).
The world is flat. And as preservice ELA teachers, we must encourage our students to seek careers that will allow them to “dominate the companies of the future.” Teachers need to realize that symbolism and setting are not important. What is important are close reading skills, technology skill, and the ability to adapt to the world around them.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Sansa Connect
The article, “A Music Player that Needs Seasoning” by David Pogue describes a new type of iPod, by the company Sansa. This music player is called the Sansa Connect which costs about $250. The uique part about the Sansa Connect is the antenna. It allows for a wireless connection. This company is also collaborating with Yahoo.
The author describes it as:
“1.black, shiny, softly rounded plastic case, the size of a closed cellphone;1 click wheel, like the iPod’s but made of black rubber;7 jacks and buttons on the edges: volume keys, earbud jack, proprietary U.S.B./charging connector, On/Off, Hold, memory-card slot;1 antenna;”
Check out the article
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/19/technology/19pogue.html?_r=1&ref=technology&oref=slogin
The author describes it as:
“1.black, shiny, softly rounded plastic case, the size of a closed cellphone;1 click wheel, like the iPod’s but made of black rubber;7 jacks and buttons on the edges: volume keys, earbud jack, proprietary U.S.B./charging connector, On/Off, Hold, memory-card slot;1 antenna;”
Check out the article
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/19/technology/19pogue.html?_r=1&ref=technology&oref=slogin
Will's Weblogged Continued
After reading other blogs by Will, such as “Blogging Environments,” “Business Cards We Love to See,” and “Setting Up Shop in Second Life, I realized just how much technology is impacting our lives as future teachers.
In Will’s blog, “Blogging Environments, he discusses how blogs are becoming more accommodating to teachers. This shows just how popular blgging has become in schools. As teachers, we must realize that we need to incorporate blogging into our classes. If the blogging environment is “shape-shifting” we must too.
In Wills post “Business Cards We Love,” he discusses how a teacher made a busness card for a class wiki. He satates, “ They write. They collaborate. They publish.” This is exactly what educators must be doing for their students. We must encourage our students to be creative, write, and publish to a wide audience. This is similar to “Pokinitis,” for this is exactly what Will is encouraging his daughter to do.Finally, Will’s blog “Setting Up Shop In Second Life,” the reader sees just how much programs like this are influencing our students. We must compete with this for our students’ attention.
In Will’s blog, “Blogging Environments, he discusses how blogs are becoming more accommodating to teachers. This shows just how popular blgging has become in schools. As teachers, we must realize that we need to incorporate blogging into our classes. If the blogging environment is “shape-shifting” we must too.
In Wills post “Business Cards We Love,” he discusses how a teacher made a busness card for a class wiki. He satates, “ They write. They collaborate. They publish.” This is exactly what educators must be doing for their students. We must encourage our students to be creative, write, and publish to a wide audience. This is similar to “Pokinitis,” for this is exactly what Will is encouraging his daughter to do.Finally, Will’s blog “Setting Up Shop In Second Life,” the reader sees just how much programs like this are influencing our students. We must compete with this for our students’ attention.
Webquest
Savanna, Lauren, and I are creatign a webquest dedicated to the study of multicultural iterature. However, we are not making our students read one text from one culture; we are allowing them to choose. This will make the webquest more authentic to their interests, and they will be more apt to learn about the culture. On our webquest, we are allowing our studnts to choose from Latin Amrican, African American, or Middle Eastern literature. Then the stusdents will have to choos a novel to gain a better understanding of the gorups experiences. Next, the students will go on a culture quest by using the links on the page. Finally, the students wil lhave to answer a critical lens that deals with prejudice and oppression. We rteally thingk this would be a great resource to use in the classroom.
Shape-Shifting Portfolio
According to the article “ Shape-Shifting Portfolios: Milennial Youth, Literacies, and the Game of Life, the millenials will have the advantage to create shape shifting portfolios. Shape Shifting Portfolios are defined collections of skills—for example, educational, social, service, and sports experiences and achievements that can be arranged and rearranged in order to define and redefine oneself as a certain kind of competent person.” As future teachers, it is essential that we encourage our students to continue to change their portfolios.
For instance, the author of this reading describes a young woman named Katie’s portfolio. The author states, “Recently, Katie recognized that that as she attempts to shape shift with her portfolio to showcase her talents and efforts, she may actually need two distinct portfolios—one portfolio to display a focus and concentration of effort and another to represent her flexibility and diversity of effort” (118). I think that creating a portfolio that exhibits your past and present accomplishments is vital for a shape shifting portfolio. However, I agree with Katie because employers want to see that you can be flexible and promote and celebrate diversity.
I also thought that Thomas’s theory on shape-shifting portfolios was interesting. He states, “a lot of people today are, they’re intent on finding the most programs and not how can I better myself? [but] how can I make myself look better?”(119). I agree with Thomas. As teachers we must help our students actually master the things they are putting into their portfolio. What they are learning should be authentic and actually help them become better applicants for the global market.
After reading these accounts on different portfolios, I realized that people must shift-shapes. In our society, technology is changing so rapidly that someone who is unable to change with technology and the world around them will not be a good applicant for a position. Employers want to see that the people they are hiring will be able to continue their professional development, so they can bring more to the work environment.
For instance, the author of this reading describes a young woman named Katie’s portfolio. The author states, “Recently, Katie recognized that that as she attempts to shape shift with her portfolio to showcase her talents and efforts, she may actually need two distinct portfolios—one portfolio to display a focus and concentration of effort and another to represent her flexibility and diversity of effort” (118). I think that creating a portfolio that exhibits your past and present accomplishments is vital for a shape shifting portfolio. However, I agree with Katie because employers want to see that you can be flexible and promote and celebrate diversity.
I also thought that Thomas’s theory on shape-shifting portfolios was interesting. He states, “a lot of people today are, they’re intent on finding the most programs and not how can I better myself? [but] how can I make myself look better?”(119). I agree with Thomas. As teachers we must help our students actually master the things they are putting into their portfolio. What they are learning should be authentic and actually help them become better applicants for the global market.
After reading these accounts on different portfolios, I realized that people must shift-shapes. In our society, technology is changing so rapidly that someone who is unable to change with technology and the world around them will not be a good applicant for a position. Employers want to see that the people they are hiring will be able to continue their professional development, so they can bring more to the work environment.
Monday, April 23, 2007
Pokinitis
After reading Will’s blog titled “Pokinitis” it made me think about how our future students will be producers. During the conversation with his daughter, Will encourages his daughter to use her imagination and turn it into a book. This part of the conversation made me think about Friedman’s discussion of uploading and our students becoming producers instead of information consumers. Will is encouraging his daughter to create and take the reigns of her learning.
This conversations illustrates that teachers must be able to find the aspects of our students lives that are most important to them. Then we must encourage them to use those things that they love to inspire them to create. At the end of the conversation, Will tells his daughter that she “could write it, draw the pictures for it, and then when it’s all done, we could make a movie of it with you reading it so other kids could even listen to it.” Will’s daughter will not only be able to have her book illustrated and published; she will be able to create a movie and post it on the internet so millions of people can see her work. As teachers, we must realize that the composing process has advanced. It is no longer acceptable or beneficial to have our students simply read their papers in front of their classmates. Our students must learn to create movies and podcasts, so they can reach a larger population of people.
This conversations illustrates that teachers must be able to find the aspects of our students lives that are most important to them. Then we must encourage them to use those things that they love to inspire them to create. At the end of the conversation, Will tells his daughter that she “could write it, draw the pictures for it, and then when it’s all done, we could make a movie of it with you reading it so other kids could even listen to it.” Will’s daughter will not only be able to have her book illustrated and published; she will be able to create a movie and post it on the internet so millions of people can see her work. As teachers, we must realize that the composing process has advanced. It is no longer acceptable or beneficial to have our students simply read their papers in front of their classmates. Our students must learn to create movies and podcasts, so they can reach a larger population of people.
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Webquest
Savanna, Lauren, and I met once againt our webquest project. We came up with soem great ideas and have divided the work. I don't want to reveal too much, but I will say that this may be something that all of you will want to use in your classrooms. We're really excited about it.
Women Reluctant to Pursue Careers in Computer Science
At the beginning of the year, we discussed gender bias in the classroom. In connection with that discussion, I found an article on The New York Times website that discusses the absence of women in computer science programs. In the article, “Computer Science Takes Steps to Bring Women to the Fold” by Cornelia Dean, the topic of the lack of women in computer science programs is illuminated. As Dean points out, “[f]or decades, undergraduate women have been moving in ever greater numbers into science and engineering departments at American universities. Yet even as they approach or exceed enrollment parity in mathematics, biology and other fields, there is one area in which their presence relative to men is static or even shrinking: computer science.”
In 1985, 38% of women received a degree in Computer Science. Then in 2003, 28 of women pursued a degree in computer Science. And the amount of women has decreased to only 17 %of women studying to be Computer Science majors in the 2003-2004 school year.
This is a major problem because it seems as though women are not aware of the possiblities computer science can bring. Furthermore, as Friedman discussed in his book, our students must pursue careers that will allow them to function in the flat world. The article points out that “The Advanced Placement high school course in computer science may be part of the problem, according to Dr. Cuny. “The AP computer course is a disaster,” she said. “It teaches Java programming, which is very appealing to a lot of people, but not to others. It doesn’t teach what you can do with computers.”
Could the lack of women in computer related majors be something that educators are doing wrong?
Check out the article.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/17/science/17comp.html?_r=1&ref=technology&oref=slogin
In 1985, 38% of women received a degree in Computer Science. Then in 2003, 28 of women pursued a degree in computer Science. And the amount of women has decreased to only 17 %of women studying to be Computer Science majors in the 2003-2004 school year.
This is a major problem because it seems as though women are not aware of the possiblities computer science can bring. Furthermore, as Friedman discussed in his book, our students must pursue careers that will allow them to function in the flat world. The article points out that “The Advanced Placement high school course in computer science may be part of the problem, according to Dr. Cuny. “The AP computer course is a disaster,” she said. “It teaches Java programming, which is very appealing to a lot of people, but not to others. It doesn’t teach what you can do with computers.”
Could the lack of women in computer related majors be something that educators are doing wrong?
Check out the article.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/17/science/17comp.html?_r=1&ref=technology&oref=slogin
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Will and Friedman
I found Will’s blog post about Friedman very interesting. Maybe because we are reading The World is Flat in class, but I really liked the idea that “Green is the new red, white and blue.” In this blog post, Will quotes Friedman’s article. He says:
“How do our kids compete in a flatter world? How do they thrive in a warmer world? How do they survive in a more dangerous world? Those are, in a nutshell, the big questions facing America at the dawn of the 21st century. But these problems are so large in scale that they can only be effectively addressed by an America with 50 green states — not an America divided between red and blue states.”
In this quotation, Friedman is saying that future generations will only be able to combat the world’s problems if they are able to change with the flatworld. Furthermore, Will states, “And, this is a moment of serious challenge to our traditional ways of thinking about consumption and our use of the planet’s natural resources, just like it’s a moment of serious challenge to our traditional ways of education.”
I feel that this blog post illustrates that we must steer our students to think about how they can use technology to improve the future.
“How do our kids compete in a flatter world? How do they thrive in a warmer world? How do they survive in a more dangerous world? Those are, in a nutshell, the big questions facing America at the dawn of the 21st century. But these problems are so large in scale that they can only be effectively addressed by an America with 50 green states — not an America divided between red and blue states.”
In this quotation, Friedman is saying that future generations will only be able to combat the world’s problems if they are able to change with the flatworld. Furthermore, Will states, “And, this is a moment of serious challenge to our traditional ways of thinking about consumption and our use of the planet’s natural resources, just like it’s a moment of serious challenge to our traditional ways of education.”
I feel that this blog post illustrates that we must steer our students to think about how they can use technology to improve the future.
Social Computing
After reading Will’s blog on Social Computing at the University of Michigan, I realized that this relates to a concept that we have discussed itn ENG 307. As a class we have all experimented with new technology, and we have succeeded at picking up the basics. I agree with Will here: why do we have to have a degree in social computing? What we need to teach our students and ourselves to do is experiment with technology. We need to make technology instruction authentic by making our students learn from mistakes ad actually take up the concept.
In fact, our students shouldn be proficient in this before they enter college. They need to enter fields that are math and science based, so they can apply the technology they learned to these fields.
In fact, our students shouldn be proficient in this before they enter college. They need to enter fields that are math and science based, so they can apply the technology they learned to these fields.
Video On Demand
After reading about the video on demand system, I thought just how great it would be to integrate this type of pedagogy into my future classroom. As the article “Video Helps Overhaul District’s Curriculum” illustrates that educators “need to engage a new generation of students who are visual learners.” Due to all of the technology that our students are using at home, we must appeal to that specific learning style to maximize how engaged are students are in the classroom. This school in Baltimore seems to be assessing what will really engage students, and ensure that they are inspired and actively connected to the class curriculum.
Furthermore, according to the article, “The system, SAFARI Montage by the Library Video Company, will allow teachers to access and play more than a thousand video programs from leading publishers such as National Geographic and Scholastic.” This is a great resource for teachers, and it will make learning more fun. National Geographic and Scholastic are well known companies that realize that students are becoming more visual learners. As educators, we must realize this also to help our students succeed in life.
This article also made me think of the Lehman Alternative School and Chris Sperry’s media literacy lesson. I enjoyed that lesson immensely. I think that that types of visual learning helps students truly grasp and understand difficult concepts.
Furthermore, according to the article, “The system, SAFARI Montage by the Library Video Company, will allow teachers to access and play more than a thousand video programs from leading publishers such as National Geographic and Scholastic.” This is a great resource for teachers, and it will make learning more fun. National Geographic and Scholastic are well known companies that realize that students are becoming more visual learners. As educators, we must realize this also to help our students succeed in life.
This article also made me think of the Lehman Alternative School and Chris Sperry’s media literacy lesson. I enjoyed that lesson immensely. I think that that types of visual learning helps students truly grasp and understand difficult concepts.
Connections between On Demand Video Technotari and Lets Abolish High School
After reading the article “Lets Abolish High School” I realized how debilitating a high school can be for a student. In this article, the author describes how students hate high school, and how our nation deems adolescents as incompetent and unable to act mature. However, by using the example of his 15 year old son, who is intelligent and mature, we see that this misconception lies in the eyes of educators who bore their students.
For instance, in this article, the author, Epstein states:
“A century ago, there was no way to address these concerns, but, thanks to computers and the Internet, we now have rapidly improving tools that will soon allow virtually all young people to master essential material at their own pace, and to do so at any point in their lives. There will probably always be a place for the classroom, but it will be a place where intense and intimate learning takes place with highly willing students, not a step on an assembly line.”
This quotation directly connects to the article on video on demand and the Technorati readings. For instance, the video on demand article discusses that students are visual learners, and technology will allow students to lean and actually love what they’re learning by accessing this program. Aslo, Technotari, who is the main aggregation point for all forms of social media on the Web, including blogs, of course, but also video, photos, audio such as podcasts and much more, shows the increasing trend of using media and technology.
Furthermore, Epstein states, “education needs to be spread out over a lifetime, and the main thing we need to teach our young people is to love the process of learning” If we were to look at the trends and realize that our students are competent but just bored with the mass education mill that we force them to go to day after day, we would be able to make our students love and appreciate knowledge and learning.
For instance, in this article, the author, Epstein states:
“A century ago, there was no way to address these concerns, but, thanks to computers and the Internet, we now have rapidly improving tools that will soon allow virtually all young people to master essential material at their own pace, and to do so at any point in their lives. There will probably always be a place for the classroom, but it will be a place where intense and intimate learning takes place with highly willing students, not a step on an assembly line.”
This quotation directly connects to the article on video on demand and the Technorati readings. For instance, the video on demand article discusses that students are visual learners, and technology will allow students to lean and actually love what they’re learning by accessing this program. Aslo, Technotari, who is the main aggregation point for all forms of social media on the Web, including blogs, of course, but also video, photos, audio such as podcasts and much more, shows the increasing trend of using media and technology.
Furthermore, Epstein states, “education needs to be spread out over a lifetime, and the main thing we need to teach our young people is to love the process of learning” If we were to look at the trends and realize that our students are competent but just bored with the mass education mill that we force them to go to day after day, we would be able to make our students love and appreciate knowledge and learning.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Webquest
For the next project, Lauren, Savanna, and I are going to create a webquest. We decided to work on this project because we feel that we will be able to incorporate it into our future classrooms. We don't want to give too much away, but we are going to create the webquest on multiculrual literature. This is a hot topic in schools, and we feel that it would be great for our students to delve into. Currently, we are researching different webquests and gathering our materials.
Blog Guidelines
I recently found an article in the New York Times that I found very interesting. Brad Stone wrote the article titles “A Call for Manners in the World of Nasty Blogs” which describes a people who would like to institute a form of blog etiquette. Individuals feel that there should be a guideline for what is appropriate to write on blogs.
Stone states, “Mr. O’Reilly and Mr. Wales talk about creating several sets of guidelines for conduct and seals of approval represented by logos. For example, anonymous writing might be acceptable in one set; in another, it would be discouraged. Under a third set of guidelines, bloggers would pledge to get a second source for any gossip or breaking news they write about.”
I found this article extremely relevant to our class because we have talked about censorship and what is appropriate for our students to read online. Check out the article at http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/09/technology/09blog.html?ref=technology
Stone states, “Mr. O’Reilly and Mr. Wales talk about creating several sets of guidelines for conduct and seals of approval represented by logos. For example, anonymous writing might be acceptable in one set; in another, it would be discouraged. Under a third set of guidelines, bloggers would pledge to get a second source for any gossip or breaking news they write about.”
I found this article extremely relevant to our class because we have talked about censorship and what is appropriate for our students to read online. Check out the article at http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/09/technology/09blog.html?ref=technology
Blog Guidelines
I recently found an article in the New York Times that I found very interesting. Brad Stone wrote the article titles “A Call for Manners in the World of Nasty Blogs” which describes a people who would like to institute a form of blog etiquette. Individuals feel that there should be a guideline for what is appropriate to write on blogs.
Stone states, “Mr. O’Reilly and Mr. Wales talk about creating several sets of guidelines for conduct and seals of approval represented by logos. For example, anonymous writing might be acceptable in one set; in another, it would be discouraged. Under a third set of guidelines, bloggers would pledge to get a second source for any gossip or breaking news they write about.”
I found this article extremely relevant to our class because we have talked about censorship and what is appropriate for our students to read online. Check out the article at http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/09/technology/09blog.html?ref=technology
Stone states, “Mr. O’Reilly and Mr. Wales talk about creating several sets of guidelines for conduct and seals of approval represented by logos. For example, anonymous writing might be acceptable in one set; in another, it would be discouraged. Under a third set of guidelines, bloggers would pledge to get a second source for any gossip or breaking news they write about.”
I found this article extremely relevant to our class because we have talked about censorship and what is appropriate for our students to read online. Check out the article at http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/09/technology/09blog.html?ref=technology
O'Brien Chapter
After reading David O’Brien’s chapter “‘Struggling’ Adolescents’ Engagement in Multimediating: Countering the Institutional Construction of Incompetence,” I realized how effective the Internet and technology can be in motivating adolescents who are reluctant to do work or participate in class.
While I was reading the chapter, one quotation really sparked my interest. O’Brien states, “adolescents classified as ‘at risk’ or ‘struggling,’ labels they usually acquire early in their academic careers, competently engage in media-centric tasks, most of which involve using media as well as engaging in traditional literary practices”(31-32). This quotation illustrates that students that educators target as “at risk” or “struggling” students are not given the chance to excel. If we can incorporate media literacy or technology into our classrooms, we would be able to reach these kids.
When I was student teaching, I encountered many students who were labeled by teachers as at risk, struggling, or problem students. I feel that the problems that these students had were because they were made to think that they incapable of learning or accomplishing the tasks their other classmates did. I think that taking a personal interest in these students will make them feel valuable, and if we can incorporate the things they like, like technology, into our lessons they will be more apt to learn.
While I was reading the chapter, one quotation really sparked my interest. O’Brien states, “adolescents classified as ‘at risk’ or ‘struggling,’ labels they usually acquire early in their academic careers, competently engage in media-centric tasks, most of which involve using media as well as engaging in traditional literary practices”(31-32). This quotation illustrates that students that educators target as “at risk” or “struggling” students are not given the chance to excel. If we can incorporate media literacy or technology into our classrooms, we would be able to reach these kids.
When I was student teaching, I encountered many students who were labeled by teachers as at risk, struggling, or problem students. I feel that the problems that these students had were because they were made to think that they incapable of learning or accomplishing the tasks their other classmates did. I think that taking a personal interest in these students will make them feel valuable, and if we can incorporate the things they like, like technology, into our lessons they will be more apt to learn.
Tuesday, April 3, 2007
The Flatworld is Here
I found an article in the New York Times that reminded me of the Flatworld that Friedman describes. The article titled M.I.T Education in China, Minus the Degree by Noam Cohen, is about a man, Mr. Chu, who made millions of dollars translating Chinese fantasy novel.
Six years ago, M.I.T. created an OpenCourseWear project, which made the institutions course material free for over ten years. If a person attended the university for this period of time it would cost something like 100million dollars. The people who used this program accessed the college’s materials online.
This article just shows that other countries are taking advantage of our resources. The information is out there and they found it and used it. The world is flat. Now someone in China can use the educational materials at one of the leading colleges in the United States and make millions off it. Our students have some serious competition.
Check out the article http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/02/technology/02link.html?_r=1&ref=technology&oref=slogin
Six years ago, M.I.T. created an OpenCourseWear project, which made the institutions course material free for over ten years. If a person attended the university for this period of time it would cost something like 100million dollars. The people who used this program accessed the college’s materials online.
This article just shows that other countries are taking advantage of our resources. The information is out there and they found it and used it. The world is flat. Now someone in China can use the educational materials at one of the leading colleges in the United States and make millions off it. Our students have some serious competition.
Check out the article http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/02/technology/02link.html?_r=1&ref=technology&oref=slogin
Live Chat
After reading the live chat transcript, I realized that the individuals in the chat had some of the same concerns and ideas I had about using technology in the classroom.
One part of this chat that I found extremely interesting and connects to 307 is the questionfrom Susan Victor about the “biggest roadblock to successful implementation of technology in schools.” I agree with Trotter that both are roadblocks, but as teachers we need to recognize them and overcome them. If we don’t we will never prepare our student for the “real world.”
Another person who seems to “get it” is John Eldredge. He states, “Isn’t the next step the use of technology applications to directly enhance student learning and achievement?” Eldredge gets it because he is thinking ahead. He knows that technology is going to play a big part in the livces of or students. Trotter replied to this and even said that “there has been a lot of research into creating computer-based environments.”
Sheri Hunter also gets the digital world, for she has created technology benchmarks for her students “to ensure that all students have access to the media and are prepared to continue to learn in the digital age” This is a great idea. Just like we have the regents or ELA exams we should have technology benchmarks. These would be tests that ensured our students would be prepared to use technology in the world.
One part of this chat that I found extremely interesting and connects to 307 is the questionfrom Susan Victor about the “biggest roadblock to successful implementation of technology in schools.” I agree with Trotter that both are roadblocks, but as teachers we need to recognize them and overcome them. If we don’t we will never prepare our student for the “real world.”
Another person who seems to “get it” is John Eldredge. He states, “Isn’t the next step the use of technology applications to directly enhance student learning and achievement?” Eldredge gets it because he is thinking ahead. He knows that technology is going to play a big part in the livces of or students. Trotter replied to this and even said that “there has been a lot of research into creating computer-based environments.”
Sheri Hunter also gets the digital world, for she has created technology benchmarks for her students “to ensure that all students have access to the media and are prepared to continue to learn in the digital age” This is a great idea. Just like we have the regents or ELA exams we should have technology benchmarks. These would be tests that ensured our students would be prepared to use technology in the world.
The Zines
After reading NCTE article about the Zine project, I realized how essential authentic reading and writing are to students. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the project or a zine, the author of this article, Tobi Jacobi, defines it as “typically single-authored, handmade, do-it-yourself, creative publications centered on themes and issues that explore the personal and the political, the extraordinary and the mundane.” Furthermore, this project is an eight week program where university students and high school students work together to share in the writing and the publishing process. This article also illustrates that students who take part in the Zine project are the curricular anecdote to the current pressure teachers face to teach to the test.” In addition, these students write about societal issues such as racism and use their writing to produce a “creative rebellion.”
One parallel between the Hobbs reading and this article is the focus on gender and race stereotypes and propaganda in the media. In the Zine article, it is stated that “Zines have also been…referred to as an act of civil disobedience; a tool for inspiring other forms of activism; a medium through which girls effect changes within themselves, including confronting their own weaknesses, such as racism, homophobia, and other forms of prejudice.” Similarly, In the Hobbs reading, the assigned chapters focus on propaganda and race in the media and the classroom. In Hobbs book, she discusses how as teacher we rarely discuss concepts like race and propaganda when these are extremely important topics in our students lives.
After reading Hobbs and the NCTE article, I realized that English should focus on what is happening in the world. One of the main reasons that I enjoyed English and writing was to expose prejudice and other problems in society. I think that the Zine project will help students write about what is important to them, which is what teachers should try to help their students do. As an English teacher, I know that I would be able to help students do this. I am passionate about exposing societal injustice, and I look forward to helping my students explores these venues.
One parallel between the Hobbs reading and this article is the focus on gender and race stereotypes and propaganda in the media. In the Zine article, it is stated that “Zines have also been…referred to as an act of civil disobedience; a tool for inspiring other forms of activism; a medium through which girls effect changes within themselves, including confronting their own weaknesses, such as racism, homophobia, and other forms of prejudice.” Similarly, In the Hobbs reading, the assigned chapters focus on propaganda and race in the media and the classroom. In Hobbs book, she discusses how as teacher we rarely discuss concepts like race and propaganda when these are extremely important topics in our students lives.
After reading Hobbs and the NCTE article, I realized that English should focus on what is happening in the world. One of the main reasons that I enjoyed English and writing was to expose prejudice and other problems in society. I think that the Zine project will help students write about what is important to them, which is what teachers should try to help their students do. As an English teacher, I know that I would be able to help students do this. I am passionate about exposing societal injustice, and I look forward to helping my students explores these venues.
Sunday, April 1, 2007
Outside Interests
After reading “Outside Interests,” I found a connection to the Alvermann chapters that recently read. In this article, a boy named Randy Hererra describes a disconnect between his life at home and at school. Hererra states, “When I step out of school, I have a pretty high-tech life,[…] When I step in school, I feel like I’m not me anymore. I have to jump into this whole old-fashioned thing where everything is restricted.” As teachers, we must accept that technology is an integral par of our students’ lives. In the Alvermann articles, the fact that students live in two worlds—the school and the home world—completely limits our ability to get through to them. We are doing our students an injustice by prohibiting them from using a classroom computer for research or blocking sites in schools.
Another connection between this article and the Alvermann articles is the idea of the implied teacher and the implied student or learner. The article states, “Many teachers are not comfortable with technology and need meaningful time devoted to teaching them how to use tools.” With all of the research and information about how essential technology is to the global economy and the lives of our students, it amazes me that teacher are not willing to let their students inform them of new technologies. As educators, we must let the students take the reigns of their own learning and bring the technology they use at home into the classroom.
Another connection between this article and the Alvermann articles is the idea of the implied teacher and the implied student or learner. The article states, “Many teachers are not comfortable with technology and need meaningful time devoted to teaching them how to use tools.” With all of the research and information about how essential technology is to the global economy and the lives of our students, it amazes me that teacher are not willing to let their students inform them of new technologies. As educators, we must let the students take the reigns of their own learning and bring the technology they use at home into the classroom.
Technology Counts: Digital Decade
The introduction to the issue of technology counts reminded me of an ongoing debate in English 307. During many of our classes, we have discussed requiring the use of technology in our classes and the problem of some students not having access to technology. For instance the author of the article states, “But fears ran high that America’s schools—particularly disadvantaged ones on the wrong side of the ‘digital divide’—were being left behind.” As teachers, we know that some districts in which we work will not have the technology that young individuals will need to compete in the global community.
However, I found a lot of parallels between Friedman’s book and this report. The first connection that I observed is that “Amid fears that U.S. prospects in the global economy may be dimming, the mathematical, scientific, and technological skills of young Americans have become a leading concern of policy leaders nationally.” This quotation connects directly to Friedman’s discussion of how American students will have to compete with other students around the world for jobs. Furthermore, this quotation also illustrates that our students are not exploring careers in technology, math and science; they are not being informed about what jobs will be out there after they finish their education. Also, “ 21st-century digital literacy must hinge not on the superficial fluency with technology that many students exhibit in their off hours, but on proficiency in such skills as effectively sifting through a glut of electronic information and producing creative work that will be valued highly in the global marketplace.”
This report not only illustrates the concerns with technology that we have discussed in class, but it also shows that the understanding and mastery of technology is essential for the survival of our future students.
However, I found a lot of parallels between Friedman’s book and this report. The first connection that I observed is that “Amid fears that U.S. prospects in the global economy may be dimming, the mathematical, scientific, and technological skills of young Americans have become a leading concern of policy leaders nationally.” This quotation connects directly to Friedman’s discussion of how American students will have to compete with other students around the world for jobs. Furthermore, this quotation also illustrates that our students are not exploring careers in technology, math and science; they are not being informed about what jobs will be out there after they finish their education. Also, “ 21st-century digital literacy must hinge not on the superficial fluency with technology that many students exhibit in their off hours, but on proficiency in such skills as effectively sifting through a glut of electronic information and producing creative work that will be valued highly in the global marketplace.”
This report not only illustrates the concerns with technology that we have discussed in class, but it also shows that the understanding and mastery of technology is essential for the survival of our future students.
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Apple TV
The article, “Apple TV has Landed” by David Pogue describes a new technological invention that will change our students lives. As teachers, we already compete with the television for our students’ attention but now we will really need to get creative. Apple has invented “a box that can connect computers and TVs without wires.” According to this article, DVD are on their way out. With this new box, people can see any movie or television show anytime they want. Pogue states, “Basically, it’s an iPod for your TV. That is, it copies the iTunes library (music, podcasts, TV shows, movies) from one Mac or Windows PC on your wired or wireless home network to its 40-gigabyte hard drive and keeps the copy updated.”
The only problem with the Apple TV is that it requires a widescreen television. You can get one of these boxes for about $300. Check out the article if you are interested. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/22/technology/22pogue.html?_r=1&ref=technology&oref=slogin
The only problem with the Apple TV is that it requires a widescreen television. You can get one of these boxes for about $300. Check out the article if you are interested. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/22/technology/22pogue.html?_r=1&ref=technology&oref=slogin
My Observations
The “flatworld that Friedman describes is changing the future of our students and teachers. Because many teachers are afraid to abandon their traditional practices and grasp new ones, we are doing a great injustice to our students.
After reading and discussing the classroom scenario, I began to analyze my own student teaching experience in the middle school. I realized that the main skills that students need is the ability to orchestrate, adapt, and collaborate. During observation and student teaching, I do not think that the students always did this. I feel as though the teacher took over the class and made the students study what the teacher deemed necessary. When I did student teaching I tried to make the students do as much group work as possible. I felt that they leanred better this way because they were able to bounce ideas off of one another. Also, I picked their groups. I did this because I felt that in the “real world” students will not be able to choose with whom they work.
However, I admit that I did not make my students truly orchestrate their own learning. I feel that I set up the lessons and made them adhere to what I thought was important for them to learn. After doing this weeks reading in Friedman’s book, I realized that when I have my own classroom, I will make my students take charge of their learning, and my role will be to guide them and help them explore. ELA classrooms that do not promote student exploration and student centered learning are not preparing them for the global market. When teachers set up the curriculum and do not involve the students, they are only preparing them for “low-skilled manual labor”(266). And according to Friedman, Americans who are only prepared for manual labor “will have to upgrade their education and upgrade their knowledge and skills, so they can occupy one of the new jobs”(266) . I feel that as teachers we should want to prepare our students to take up these new jobs and not take up manual labor only to find out that they cannot succeed in this new world.
After reading and discussing the classroom scenario, I began to analyze my own student teaching experience in the middle school. I realized that the main skills that students need is the ability to orchestrate, adapt, and collaborate. During observation and student teaching, I do not think that the students always did this. I feel as though the teacher took over the class and made the students study what the teacher deemed necessary. When I did student teaching I tried to make the students do as much group work as possible. I felt that they leanred better this way because they were able to bounce ideas off of one another. Also, I picked their groups. I did this because I felt that in the “real world” students will not be able to choose with whom they work.
However, I admit that I did not make my students truly orchestrate their own learning. I feel that I set up the lessons and made them adhere to what I thought was important for them to learn. After doing this weeks reading in Friedman’s book, I realized that when I have my own classroom, I will make my students take charge of their learning, and my role will be to guide them and help them explore. ELA classrooms that do not promote student exploration and student centered learning are not preparing them for the global market. When teachers set up the curriculum and do not involve the students, they are only preparing them for “low-skilled manual labor”(266). And according to Friedman, Americans who are only prepared for manual labor “will have to upgrade their education and upgrade their knowledge and skills, so they can occupy one of the new jobs”(266) . I feel that as teachers we should want to prepare our students to take up these new jobs and not take up manual labor only to find out that they cannot succeed in this new world.
The "new middlers" and current ELA classrooms
In Friedman’s book, he describes the “the new middlers” or middle class jobs and skills our that our students will compete for or need to compete in the global economy. The first skill that our students must be prepared for is to be collaborators and orchestrators. Friedman states, that “a lot of new middle jobs will involve collaborating with others or orchestrating collaboration between companies” (281). Because the world is now “flat,” these individuals will not only have to collaborate with others in the work place but the global community. In terms of preparing our students to orchestrate and collaborate, I do not think that the typical English classroom is doing a good job of this. In ELA classrooms, teachers expect their students to be passive vessels; they do not let them take the reigns of the class. The teacher is the collaborator and the orchestrator. This will not prepare our students to “operate in, mobilize, inspire, and manage a multidimensional and multicultural workforce”(283).
Another skill that our students must have is being able to synthesize. According to Friedman, “the next new hot selling products and service— will come from putting together disparate things that you would not think of going together”(283). We will need the future employees to be able to see the big picture and figure out what is in demand. This will, of course, surround technology. Friedman says, “Information technology will be so embedded in every aspect of a business that the IT organization will move away from technology to the integration of business process” (284). Unfortunately, our students are not prepared to do this. As teachers, I think that we can see the students who could contribute to the “IT” business, but we squash any form of creativity out of our students. Instead of preparing our students for this synthesis in business, we prepare them for the Regents. In order for students to do well we must let them experiment with technology, so they can see for themselves what could be combined.
Two other skills that ELA teachers are not preparing students with is to be leveragers and adapters. We need people who can understand “how things tie together from end to end” and we need people who are more adaptable and versatile”(288-289). We need to make our students more versatile and able to change with global demands. I feel that school structure is extremely rigid and does not allow for students to break out and figure out what they or the class needs.
In conclusion, the employees of the future will need to be able to understand technology and how it pertains and relates to a global community. The problem is our ELA classrooms are not promoting this. As pre-service teachers, we must integrate group projects and assign team leaders so our students can practice the skills that they will need to compete in the “real world.”
Another skill that our students must have is being able to synthesize. According to Friedman, “the next new hot selling products and service— will come from putting together disparate things that you would not think of going together”(283). We will need the future employees to be able to see the big picture and figure out what is in demand. This will, of course, surround technology. Friedman says, “Information technology will be so embedded in every aspect of a business that the IT organization will move away from technology to the integration of business process” (284). Unfortunately, our students are not prepared to do this. As teachers, I think that we can see the students who could contribute to the “IT” business, but we squash any form of creativity out of our students. Instead of preparing our students for this synthesis in business, we prepare them for the Regents. In order for students to do well we must let them experiment with technology, so they can see for themselves what could be combined.
Two other skills that ELA teachers are not preparing students with is to be leveragers and adapters. We need people who can understand “how things tie together from end to end” and we need people who are more adaptable and versatile”(288-289). We need to make our students more versatile and able to change with global demands. I feel that school structure is extremely rigid and does not allow for students to break out and figure out what they or the class needs.
In conclusion, the employees of the future will need to be able to understand technology and how it pertains and relates to a global community. The problem is our ELA classrooms are not promoting this. As pre-service teachers, we must integrate group projects and assign team leaders so our students can practice the skills that they will need to compete in the “real world.”
Monday, March 19, 2007
Teen Book Video Awards
The article, "Teen Book Video Awards" by Kimberly Maul, illustrates how successful book video trailers are at promoting literacy. At Tribeca Cinemas in New York, publishers, journalists, and filmmakers celebrated the The Book Standard Teen Book Video Awards. Among the winners were Meg Rosoff's How I Live Now, Markus Zusak's The Book Thief, and Libba Bray's A Great and Terrible Beauty.
The aim of this contest is to "promote books online and through 'movie trailers'"(1). Because adolescents are constantly using the Internet, I cant think of a better way to promote literacy. Not only can the students get a better idea of books that they could potentially read; they can view the previews of the books like the previews of movies. I think that this is a creative way for students to become engaged with reading.
One part of this article that I found interesting was when Libba Bray, the author of A Great and Terrible Beauty, says "It was so great to see her interpretation" of the book (1). I think that this would be a great way for students to analyze a book. Certainly, we all interpret books differently, and I think that it is a great way for students to express their interpretation or analysis of a book.
The aim of this contest is to "promote books online and through 'movie trailers'"(1). Because adolescents are constantly using the Internet, I cant think of a better way to promote literacy. Not only can the students get a better idea of books that they could potentially read; they can view the previews of the books like the previews of movies. I think that this is a creative way for students to become engaged with reading.
One part of this article that I found interesting was when Libba Bray, the author of A Great and Terrible Beauty, says "It was so great to see her interpretation" of the book (1). I think that this would be a great way for students to analyze a book. Certainly, we all interpret books differently, and I think that it is a great way for students to express their interpretation or analysis of a book.
Quiz: Middle School
After reading about middle school students in the article "Trying to Find Solutions in Chaotic Middle Schools, I realized that the ideas and methods we have discussed in 307 can be very helpful. One of the main ideas that I think can help middle school students learn is social technologies like IM or blogging. Because students are using computers at home and the middle school years are very social, these methods would help engage students.
From my experiencince student teaching in both seventh and eighth grade classes, I agree with the way the middle school students are represented in the article. I think that when many of us think of teaching English we think of teaching high school and neglect the seventh and eight graders. I agree with Ms. Lowrie that middle school is "the roughest, toughest, hardest thing to teach"(1). When I was teaching middle school I saw a great difference between the seventh and the eighth graders. The seventh graders were chatty and enthusiastic, which wasn't a bad thing, but I constantly had to keep them on task. If I had them discuss books through IM or on a blog or discussion board I think they may have been more engaged.
However, eighth graders are a lot more difficult. In eighth grade being intelligent isn't "cool," and I agree with the part of the article that says "students made smaller gains in math and stagnated in reading" in Middle School (2). I feel that eighth graders really need to be encouraged to keep learning. Like the article says, the students are now more interested in the prom or going into high school; they lose the innocence and enthusiasm they had as elementary students or even seventh graders.
When I did student teaching, I went from the high school to the middle school and I found it very difficult to get used to. I think that the middle school age group is extremely important to help develop. These students need to be guided to arrive at achievement and success. I remember many parents calling the teachers that I student taught with and pleaded with them about their son or daughter changing or hanging out with the wrong crowd. These students are going to severe hormonal changes that could have devastating effects on their future if teachers do not help them.
From this first hand experience, I learned that you have to do whatever it takes to keep your students interested in the material you are teaching. Incorporating any form of technology that helps students communicate and discuss will make the learning authentic to them. But I think the most important aspect of teaching middle school is being sympathetic and understand. These kids will always remember the way you made them feel about themselves.
From my experiencince student teaching in both seventh and eighth grade classes, I agree with the way the middle school students are represented in the article. I think that when many of us think of teaching English we think of teaching high school and neglect the seventh and eight graders. I agree with Ms. Lowrie that middle school is "the roughest, toughest, hardest thing to teach"(1). When I was teaching middle school I saw a great difference between the seventh and the eighth graders. The seventh graders were chatty and enthusiastic, which wasn't a bad thing, but I constantly had to keep them on task. If I had them discuss books through IM or on a blog or discussion board I think they may have been more engaged.
However, eighth graders are a lot more difficult. In eighth grade being intelligent isn't "cool," and I agree with the part of the article that says "students made smaller gains in math and stagnated in reading" in Middle School (2). I feel that eighth graders really need to be encouraged to keep learning. Like the article says, the students are now more interested in the prom or going into high school; they lose the innocence and enthusiasm they had as elementary students or even seventh graders.
When I did student teaching, I went from the high school to the middle school and I found it very difficult to get used to. I think that the middle school age group is extremely important to help develop. These students need to be guided to arrive at achievement and success. I remember many parents calling the teachers that I student taught with and pleaded with them about their son or daughter changing or hanging out with the wrong crowd. These students are going to severe hormonal changes that could have devastating effects on their future if teachers do not help them.
From this first hand experience, I learned that you have to do whatever it takes to keep your students interested in the material you are teaching. Incorporating any form of technology that helps students communicate and discuss will make the learning authentic to them. But I think the most important aspect of teaching middle school is being sympathetic and understand. These kids will always remember the way you made them feel about themselves.
The Book Thief
After watching the video about The Book Thief, I really want to read it! I think that the director of this video made it extremely interesting by using dim lighting and candles. I have not read this, but it seems mysterious. Also, from the video, I gathered that it was about Nazis and World War II.
I think that this is a great way to entice our students to read books! If we show them videos, they may see the book in a different light and want to read it. Also, we could make our students create a trailor for a book they read. Then they could use new technology and integrate it with English.
I think that this is a great way to entice our students to read books! If we show them videos, they may see the book in a different light and want to read it. Also, we could make our students create a trailor for a book they read. Then they could use new technology and integrate it with English.
Lewis and Finders
In chapter seven, "Implied Adolescents and Implied Teachers: A generation Gap for New Times, authors Cynthia Lewis and Margaret Finders "argue that the 'generation gap' that exists between [students and new teachers] is shaped by the fact that new teachers and adolescents are compelled to perform particular identities"(101). Because new teachers are so close in age to the adolescents that they teach, these authors use the terms "implied adolescents" and "implied teachers." According to this chapter, "engaging in new literacies makes adolescents all the more dangerous, according to Luke and Luke, because their knowledge and skills threaten adults who lack them, leading to the current panic for the good old days of print literacies"(102-103). This quotation brings up a major concern for new teachers: sharing the spot as the source of knowledge with students. As teachers, we must learn that we can learn from our students and it's okay to do so. Because students are practically raised using computers and new media literacy, they have a lot to offer the class.
One aspect of this article that I think pre-service teacher should take note of is based on the idea of using multiliteracies in the classroom. According to Lewis and Finders, "In many ways[new teachers'} struggles with digital literacies were actually struggles with their views of the implied teacher prevented them from fully realizing that their own connection to new media may bring to the literacy classroom"(108). As pre-service teachers, we are around the same age as our students, which indicates that we share some of the same digital abilities. However, because we never used them in the classroom, we do not think of them as a way to promote literacy. For instance, these authors use the example of IM to show how social literacy can be developed. I began using IM in seventh grade, but I never used it in class. However, this chapter shows us that IM can help students use "technology on three levels: language use, social practice, and surveillance"(105). Even though we may see IM as a purely social tool, it does help students develop literacy.
This chapter shows pre-service teacher that we must keep an open mind to the technology that we use or our students use because it will help students familiarize themselves with new literacies.
One aspect of this article that I think pre-service teacher should take note of is based on the idea of using multiliteracies in the classroom. According to Lewis and Finders, "In many ways[new teachers'} struggles with digital literacies were actually struggles with their views of the implied teacher prevented them from fully realizing that their own connection to new media may bring to the literacy classroom"(108). As pre-service teachers, we are around the same age as our students, which indicates that we share some of the same digital abilities. However, because we never used them in the classroom, we do not think of them as a way to promote literacy. For instance, these authors use the example of IM to show how social literacy can be developed. I began using IM in seventh grade, but I never used it in class. However, this chapter shows us that IM can help students use "technology on three levels: language use, social practice, and surveillance"(105). Even though we may see IM as a purely social tool, it does help students develop literacy.
This chapter shows pre-service teacher that we must keep an open mind to the technology that we use or our students use because it will help students familiarize themselves with new literacies.
Chapter 3 King and O'Brien
In the chapter "Adolescents' Multiliteracies and Their Teachers' Needs to Know: Towards a Digital Detente" King and O'Brien discuss the dichotomy of literacy and what should be learned in schools today. In this chapter, these authors illustrate the "electronic social hall" or the "mediasphere in which our students currently live. As teachers we need to create an atmosphere "where print and visual media meet to create textuality that bridges home, classroom, and community contexts"(40). Furthermore, as teachers we must prepare our students to enter and "attention economy" which will "provide our students the material benefits that come with attention"(41).
However, even though our students live in this "mediapshere,"the also live in school culture. King and O'Brien state, "In this culture, information is best understood as a limited commodity. Curriculum coordinators and teachers select, define, delimit, shape, and package the most important information"(41) This is antithetical to the mediasphere because students are not learning about media or what is going to be important outside of the classroom. This is something that pre-service teacher will have to deal with. We will be asked to teach set curriculums, but we must also know that students must learn about technology and media and how it plays into English.
One aspect of this chapter that I agreed with completely was that students that come from underprivileged homes do not gain the same education as students from middle to upper class homes. King and O'Brien state, "This, in effect, leaves the less privileged students with the basic curriculum of the schools, and with experiences that will get them low-paying, service-economy jobs"(44). I think that we must introduce our students to the mediasphere and make sure that they get the information on how to function in it in school.
However, even though our students live in this "mediapshere,"the also live in school culture. King and O'Brien state, "In this culture, information is best understood as a limited commodity. Curriculum coordinators and teachers select, define, delimit, shape, and package the most important information"(41) This is antithetical to the mediasphere because students are not learning about media or what is going to be important outside of the classroom. This is something that pre-service teacher will have to deal with. We will be asked to teach set curriculums, but we must also know that students must learn about technology and media and how it plays into English.
One aspect of this chapter that I agreed with completely was that students that come from underprivileged homes do not gain the same education as students from middle to upper class homes. King and O'Brien state, "This, in effect, leaves the less privileged students with the basic curriculum of the schools, and with experiences that will get them low-paying, service-economy jobs"(44). I think that we must introduce our students to the mediasphere and make sure that they get the information on how to function in it in school.
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
Teaching Adolescent Literacy with Video Games
The presentation Teaching Adolescent Literacy with Video Games was very interesting. At first, I was skeptical about this session, and I had little faith in it. How could students learn from video game? But after listening to the presentation, I realized how beneficial they can be when instructing adolescents. According to the presenters, video game literacy is based on the premise that this is what students are doing outside of school, and this is how they can be engaged in the classroom. Furthermore, the presenters clearly illustrated that video game literacy will not take the place of reading; it will complement reading.
One interesting aspect of the presentation was the video game Shadow of the Colossus. This video game is based on George Orwell’s novel 1984 and War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells. The presenters shared a lesson using the video game and the literary element setting. Because the setting of 1984 is supposed to elicit a sense of oppression, students can feel this by playing the video game. Instead of experiencing the setting through the protagonist or characters in the novel, the students can experience it first hand. This activity provides students with the opportunity to connect with literary influences, understand literary elements, and allows students to react and express emotion.
This presentation connects with the material that we are learning in ENG 307. We keep discussing the idea of bringing into the classroom what our students do at home. This will help keep our students attention while bringing in literacy techniques. I think that we have to be careful with the games we use, but overall this will engage our students.
One interesting aspect of the presentation was the video game Shadow of the Colossus. This video game is based on George Orwell’s novel 1984 and War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells. The presenters shared a lesson using the video game and the literary element setting. Because the setting of 1984 is supposed to elicit a sense of oppression, students can feel this by playing the video game. Instead of experiencing the setting through the protagonist or characters in the novel, the students can experience it first hand. This activity provides students with the opportunity to connect with literary influences, understand literary elements, and allows students to react and express emotion.
This presentation connects with the material that we are learning in ENG 307. We keep discussing the idea of bringing into the classroom what our students do at home. This will help keep our students attention while bringing in literacy techniques. I think that we have to be careful with the games we use, but overall this will engage our students.
Dealing in the Digital
After attending Dr. Kjersti Vanslyke-Briggs’s presentation, Dealing in the Digital, I learned several ways and reasons why teachers should integrate technology into the classroom. During this presentation Dr. Vanslyke-Briggs and her mother, Patrice Vanslyke illustrated what it means to be a literate person in this society. Not only do people have to be literate in the sense of reading and writing, but they must be familiar with the technology that is used today.
One aspect that I found interesting about the presentation was the Youtube one of her students created about the book Speak. This was a project that one of Dr. Vanslyke-Briggs’s students did for a college level class. On this youtube, the girl discussed the 10 lies they tell you in high school. For this project, the student has to know extensive information about the book. In the youtube that we watched, the girl exhibited the protagonists expressions. I thought that this was a wonderful idea for a project. I was really impressed. I will definitely use this in my classroom someday.
Furthermore, many of the topics discussed in the presentation coincided with ENG 307. For instance, Dr. Vanslyke-Briggs discussed how we are digitizing everything and that technology is a “natural bridge” to communication. In ENG 307, we have been talking about the flat world and how everyone is able to use the Internet and technology to create, compose, and connect. Another part of this presentation that parallels the topics we are discussing in ENG 307 is the “cha cha cha curriculum.” According to Dr. Vanslyke-Briggs, this occurs when students do not see how information in different classes link together. By integrating technology into the curriculum, we can bridge the information in one class to another. This will help students authentically learn the information that is discussed in classes.
One aspect that I found interesting about the presentation was the Youtube one of her students created about the book Speak. This was a project that one of Dr. Vanslyke-Briggs’s students did for a college level class. On this youtube, the girl discussed the 10 lies they tell you in high school. For this project, the student has to know extensive information about the book. In the youtube that we watched, the girl exhibited the protagonists expressions. I thought that this was a wonderful idea for a project. I was really impressed. I will definitely use this in my classroom someday.
Furthermore, many of the topics discussed in the presentation coincided with ENG 307. For instance, Dr. Vanslyke-Briggs discussed how we are digitizing everything and that technology is a “natural bridge” to communication. In ENG 307, we have been talking about the flat world and how everyone is able to use the Internet and technology to create, compose, and connect. Another part of this presentation that parallels the topics we are discussing in ENG 307 is the “cha cha cha curriculum.” According to Dr. Vanslyke-Briggs, this occurs when students do not see how information in different classes link together. By integrating technology into the curriculum, we can bridge the information in one class to another. This will help students authentically learn the information that is discussed in classes.
Monday, February 26, 2007
Teen Tech Week Wiki
I just checked out the Yals Wiki on teen technology week and it it very interesting. After doing presentation on wikis, I realized what an advantage they can be for spreading information.
This wiki is focused on informing people on the web of Teen Tech Week, which I didn’t even know existed. Teen Tech Week is aimed to “encourage teens to use libraries virtually or in person for their computers, DVDs, audiobooks, databases and other electronic resources” (Wiki). Teen Tech Week also aims to have teens learn to appreciate librarians and all that they contribute to the media world. Furthermore, there is a link on this wiki to the official Teen Tech Week website. This wiki also gives contest details and prizes.
This is extremely interesting, and it shows just how much technology is becoming a art in the lives of teens. There is a whole week dedicated to informing teenagers about technology. This is just showing that Friedman’s flat world is more common and important that we may think.
Here is the website for the wiki http://teentechweek.wikispaces.com/
Here is the website for Teen Week http://www.ala.org/ala/yalsa/teentechweek/contests/contests.htm
This wiki is focused on informing people on the web of Teen Tech Week, which I didn’t even know existed. Teen Tech Week is aimed to “encourage teens to use libraries virtually or in person for their computers, DVDs, audiobooks, databases and other electronic resources” (Wiki). Teen Tech Week also aims to have teens learn to appreciate librarians and all that they contribute to the media world. Furthermore, there is a link on this wiki to the official Teen Tech Week website. This wiki also gives contest details and prizes.
This is extremely interesting, and it shows just how much technology is becoming a art in the lives of teens. There is a whole week dedicated to informing teenagers about technology. This is just showing that Friedman’s flat world is more common and important that we may think.
Here is the website for the wiki http://teentechweek.wikispaces.com/
Here is the website for Teen Week http://www.ala.org/ala/yalsa/teentechweek/contests/contests.htm
RSS Feeds
RSS feeds are an interesting way to keep weblogs organized. Here are three ways teachers can use the RSS feed in their classrooms.
1. Weblogs and RSS feeds
If your classroom alread has weblogs, it may be a lot of work as a teacher to check out each students work. However, Richardson states, "Instead of checking out all 25 student Weblogs every day, you could just collect their work in your aggregator using their RSS feeds"(81). This is similar to what we se up through bloglines. Now it is more convenient to check the new content on our peers' blogs.
2. RSS News Feed
As teachers, we may want our students to find news weblogs to use as a referance or to use in a paper. Now, Google and Yahoo News allow us to subscribe to news feeds. Both of these sites have made it possible to "track standing searches with RSS feeds"(82). This is a great RSS feed for students to subscribe to. Now they can keep up-to-date with current events while incorporating technology.
3. RSS Feeds for Wbsites
I find this really useful in the classroom. Now you can "create an RSS feed from a search of google sites"(83). This means that if there is new content added to a site or a new site is created ona particular topic, you will get informed in your aggregator. This could help us talk about different topics of research that we may use in our classroom.
1. Weblogs and RSS feeds
If your classroom alread has weblogs, it may be a lot of work as a teacher to check out each students work. However, Richardson states, "Instead of checking out all 25 student Weblogs every day, you could just collect their work in your aggregator using their RSS feeds"(81). This is similar to what we se up through bloglines. Now it is more convenient to check the new content on our peers' blogs.
2. RSS News Feed
As teachers, we may want our students to find news weblogs to use as a referance or to use in a paper. Now, Google and Yahoo News allow us to subscribe to news feeds. Both of these sites have made it possible to "track standing searches with RSS feeds"(82). This is a great RSS feed for students to subscribe to. Now they can keep up-to-date with current events while incorporating technology.
3. RSS Feeds for Wbsites
I find this really useful in the classroom. Now you can "create an RSS feed from a search of google sites"(83). This means that if there is new content added to a site or a new site is created ona particular topic, you will get informed in your aggregator. This could help us talk about different topics of research that we may use in our classroom.
Book Talks
I just checked out Nancy Kean's booktalk website, and it made me think of something that my host teacher and I did during student teaching. Every Friday during sixth period study hall, all of the middle school students were required to read for FROG. FROG stand for Friday Reading is Our Goal. the students would have a few weeks to finish their books. This is sort of like the book club that we leanred about in Adolescent literature because the students discussed their books with others.
The main point of this blogis that before we took the students to the library to pick out new books, we would play book talks from the computer, so the students would have direction when they went into the library. The book talks were recorded by another teacher at the middle school, and they were about new young adult literature. The students loved these, and picked a lot of the books mentioned in them.
The main point of this blogis that before we took the students to the library to pick out new books, we would play book talks from the computer, so the students would have direction when they went into the library. The book talks were recorded by another teacher at the middle school, and they were about new young adult literature. The students loved these, and picked a lot of the books mentioned in them.
The Triple Convergence
As, Friedman says, we are in an “era in which technology will literally transform every aspect of business, every aspect of life and every aspect of society” (233). Even though technology has greatly changed our lives, the shift from a 2.0 to a 3.0 flat world will affect society as a whole. Entering globalization 3.0 has made people their own “agents” (202). As a pre service teacher, we must take heed to this 3.0 flat world and prepare our students to function in it. Friedman attributes the 3.0 flat world to something he calls the triple convergence. He defines the triple convergence as “all ten flatteners […] started to converge and work together in ways that created a new, flatter, global playing field”(203). Due to this triple convergence, are students will not only have to compete with members of American society, but people from all over the world. By moving from a vertical to a horizontal “means of creating values,” the playing field flattened out and allowed more competition and collaboration (214).
As teachers, we must prepare students to work and function in this world. Now when students compete for jobs, employers “could look at all its employees […] as a vast pool of individual specialists”(210). The most significant aspect of the 3.0 flat world is that students in America may not be leaders of technology. Students must learn to combine and collaborate with technology to survive the triple convergence.
As teachers, we must prepare students to work and function in this world. Now when students compete for jobs, employers “could look at all its employees […] as a vast pool of individual specialists”(210). The most significant aspect of the 3.0 flat world is that students in America may not be leaders of technology. Students must learn to combine and collaborate with technology to survive the triple convergence.
"What a College Education Buys"
After reading the article “What a College Education Buys” by Christopher Caldwell, I saw a correlation between this article and Friedman’s third convergence.
For Americans, college is “more important that peace in the Middle East” (Caldwell 1). However, in Caldwell’s article, he is saying that Americans try to force the youth to go to college for the wrong reasons. This article illustrates that that American college education is used as a “marriage broker” and “leisure time”(Caldwell 1). According to Caldwell, “a college degree is partly a ‘signaling’ device—it shows not that its holder has learned something but rather that he is the kind of person who could learn something”(Caldwell 2). However, Caldwell thinks that a college education could be “overstated”(Caldwell 2). For example, “the employees who built […] Google in it early stages could never have been trained to do so, because neither the company not the idea existed” (Caldwell 2). Many people view an American college degree as just a “formation.” It does not qualify the student to do anything in particular.
I think that Friedman would agree that Americans are not choosing academic degrees that will benefit them in the 3.0 flat world. For example, during Friedman’s discussion of the third convergence, he describes Indian education. In India, “Most […] students are studying business, math, or computer science”(214). Even though India has a long way to go to become as advanced as the United States, the people there are “hungry” to compete in the 3.0 flat world. I think that Friedman would agree that sometimes education cannot prepare you for something that doesn’t yet exist, like Google, but wee must take 3.0 into consideration. When students go to college, they should become well rounded, but they should also choose a degree program that will make them marketable for the 3.0 flat world.
For Americans, college is “more important that peace in the Middle East” (Caldwell 1). However, in Caldwell’s article, he is saying that Americans try to force the youth to go to college for the wrong reasons. This article illustrates that that American college education is used as a “marriage broker” and “leisure time”(Caldwell 1). According to Caldwell, “a college degree is partly a ‘signaling’ device—it shows not that its holder has learned something but rather that he is the kind of person who could learn something”(Caldwell 2). However, Caldwell thinks that a college education could be “overstated”(Caldwell 2). For example, “the employees who built […] Google in it early stages could never have been trained to do so, because neither the company not the idea existed” (Caldwell 2). Many people view an American college degree as just a “formation.” It does not qualify the student to do anything in particular.
I think that Friedman would agree that Americans are not choosing academic degrees that will benefit them in the 3.0 flat world. For example, during Friedman’s discussion of the third convergence, he describes Indian education. In India, “Most […] students are studying business, math, or computer science”(214). Even though India has a long way to go to become as advanced as the United States, the people there are “hungry” to compete in the 3.0 flat world. I think that Friedman would agree that sometimes education cannot prepare you for something that doesn’t yet exist, like Google, but wee must take 3.0 into consideration. When students go to college, they should become well rounded, but they should also choose a degree program that will make them marketable for the 3.0 flat world.
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
ELA NCTE Standards
The ELA/NCTE standards are very similiar to the PLS standards. After reading through the standards, I relaized that incorporating media into the English curriculum will help teachers meet these standards. For instance, the first standard,
"Students read a wide range of print and non-print texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment. Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary works" could be accomplished by using media literacy."
I can't think of a better way to get students incolced with society. Media allows students to critically analyze what is goin on around them. It also allows students to play around with different types of texts like videos, billboards, articles, and computer texts.
Another standard that I thought correlated well with medial literacy is standard three.
"Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics)."
Students must learn to analyze and understand texts. Students are familiar with media, so this would be an excellent way for them to interpret texts and what is goin on in the world.
When I was student teaching, I observed a media class. It was offered by the Enlgish department, and it was a senior elective. In this class, students learned about the history of media and they analyzed different types of texts like billboards and advertisements. This just shows that media is being adopted by many districts as a way to interpret and critically analyze texts.
"Students read a wide range of print and non-print texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment. Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary works" could be accomplished by using media literacy."
I can't think of a better way to get students incolced with society. Media allows students to critically analyze what is goin on around them. It also allows students to play around with different types of texts like videos, billboards, articles, and computer texts.
Another standard that I thought correlated well with medial literacy is standard three.
"Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics)."
Students must learn to analyze and understand texts. Students are familiar with media, so this would be an excellent way for them to interpret texts and what is goin on in the world.
When I was student teaching, I observed a media class. It was offered by the Enlgish department, and it was a senior elective. In this class, students learned about the history of media and they analyzed different types of texts like billboards and advertisements. This just shows that media is being adopted by many districts as a way to interpret and critically analyze texts.
Monday, February 19, 2007
Hobbs and PLS
Renee Hobbs is "one of the nation’s leading authorities on media education." Hobbs is currently investigating how Latinos view and analyze Tobacco advertisements. She is also conduction a study on "the impact of media literacy education on students' academic performance, family communication and civic engagement" at Montgomery Blair High School in Maryland. Both of these investigations focus on media and its impact on individuals. By conducting this research, Hobbs can revolutionize the education system in America.
I think that Hobbs research is extremely important in the world of education. I am a firm believer that students need to critically analyze their surroundings. I cannot think of a better way than analyzing media. Media is everywhere. According to the PLS, "Being media literate also entails using media wisely and effectively, including being able to judge the credibility of information from different sources." We are constantly listening to advertisments on the radio and seeing them on the computer, television, or billboards. Media is becoming a major part of our society and we need to learn how to filter the information. Even news broadcasts whould be looked at critically. The goal of educators is to make students aware of what is out there and help them filter the information. As an English teacher, I feel that it's important for students to analyze literature, but it is much more important that students can analyze the environment in which they live. Furthermore, "Media literacy is essential for the development of informed, reflective and active citizens in a democratic society." This es exactly what we want our students to be. Hobbs investigation will show us how to create the classrooms where media exists and how to effectively use media.
I think that Hobbs research is extremely important in the world of education. I am a firm believer that students need to critically analyze their surroundings. I cannot think of a better way than analyzing media. Media is everywhere. According to the PLS, "Being media literate also entails using media wisely and effectively, including being able to judge the credibility of information from different sources." We are constantly listening to advertisments on the radio and seeing them on the computer, television, or billboards. Media is becoming a major part of our society and we need to learn how to filter the information. Even news broadcasts whould be looked at critically. The goal of educators is to make students aware of what is out there and help them filter the information. As an English teacher, I feel that it's important for students to analyze literature, but it is much more important that students can analyze the environment in which they live. Furthermore, "Media literacy is essential for the development of informed, reflective and active citizens in a democratic society." This es exactly what we want our students to be. Hobbs investigation will show us how to create the classrooms where media exists and how to effectively use media.
Six Principles and Hobbs
After reading the first fifty-nine pages of Hobbs's book and the six principles of media literacy, I realized how important and what an advantage media literacy can be in the classroom. According tot he six principles of media literacy, media literacy promotes "critical thinking, analytical skills, and the ability to express oneself in different ways." Students are accustom to using media, which will make it easier fot them to develop the skills mentioned above.
In Hobbs's research project she illustrates how media literacy helps "educators to incorporate a wide range of texts including films, television, advertising, the Internet, music, and popular culture"(Hobbs 7). Furthermore, similar to the six principles of media literacy, Hobbs is expanding on traditional education by using media. This clearly shows that that Hobbs is using traditional teaching methods but putting a new spin on them. This not only will help students gain a deeper understanding of the material presented in class. As educators our goal is to help students develop analysis and critical thinking skills, and this is exactly what Hobbs is trying to accomplish. Hobbs research project directly connects to the six principles. Even the way the units are set up help address the goals of the six principles. For example, the unit on propaganda and advertising. This activity allows students to use media and the English language to analyze and identify propaganda. Students must develop an understanding of media to do this, but this activity will have a lasting effect on their impression of media.
In Hobbs's research project she illustrates how media literacy helps "educators to incorporate a wide range of texts including films, television, advertising, the Internet, music, and popular culture"(Hobbs 7). Furthermore, similar to the six principles of media literacy, Hobbs is expanding on traditional education by using media. This clearly shows that that Hobbs is using traditional teaching methods but putting a new spin on them. This not only will help students gain a deeper understanding of the material presented in class. As educators our goal is to help students develop analysis and critical thinking skills, and this is exactly what Hobbs is trying to accomplish. Hobbs research project directly connects to the six principles. Even the way the units are set up help address the goals of the six principles. For example, the unit on propaganda and advertising. This activity allows students to use media and the English language to analyze and identify propaganda. Students must develop an understanding of media to do this, but this activity will have a lasting effect on their impression of media.
Sunday, February 18, 2007
All The Worlds A Stage
Today I found an article in The New York Times that illustrates just how economically rewarding composing on the internet can be. The article, "All the Worlds a Stage (That Includes the Internet)" by Scott Kirsner shows how people can make money by creating videos on a specific site. The site, Metacafe, allows useres to post short videos, and the composer is paid based on the amount of viewers he or she attracts.
This is a new trend on the internet that is attracting many people. Most of these sites cannot attract experienced movie producers, but it is a jumping off point for amatures that would like to compose material and produce it on the internet. This article also lists other sites that allow people to produce video content. The sites include "Revver, Metacafe and Manhattan-based Blip.tv, generate money from advertising; others, like Brightcove, DivX Stage6 and Cruxy"(Kirsner). Some of these have a transaction fee, but the creators can set a fixed price for their viewers to pay.
This article interested me because I think that this could be an activity we could incorporate into the classroom. If we teach students how to create videos and post them on the internet, they could potentially make money for them! This is an example of authentic learning while incorporating technology.
Here is the link to the article. Check it out! http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/15/technology/15video.html
This is a new trend on the internet that is attracting many people. Most of these sites cannot attract experienced movie producers, but it is a jumping off point for amatures that would like to compose material and produce it on the internet. This article also lists other sites that allow people to produce video content. The sites include "Revver, Metacafe and Manhattan-based Blip.tv, generate money from advertising; others, like Brightcove, DivX Stage6 and Cruxy"(Kirsner). Some of these have a transaction fee, but the creators can set a fixed price for their viewers to pay.
This article interested me because I think that this could be an activity we could incorporate into the classroom. If we teach students how to create videos and post them on the internet, they could potentially make money for them! This is an example of authentic learning while incorporating technology.
Here is the link to the article. Check it out! http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/15/technology/15video.html
ESchool News
After reading the report from eschool news, I saw several links between what we are studying in ENG 307 and the six emerging trends the article discusses. First, I saw a parallel between the user created content and the idea that students will all be teachers. We need to realize that students will need to kno how to create content in order to compete in the world market. I think that this article confirms the importance of promoting blogs, wikis, and other forms of user created content, so students can have an opportunity to experiment with it. Secondly, the article talks about social networking. I think that we need to promote this in our classrooms. We should have students exchange screennames so they can discuss material.
After reading this article I beagn to think about a discussion that we had several times in class about students who do not have access to technology. I think that this article shows that they will need to learn it to compete for jobs. Therefore, as educators we must promote these six things so students can become prepared.
After reading this article I beagn to think about a discussion that we had several times in class about students who do not have access to technology. I think that this article shows that they will need to learn it to compete for jobs. Therefore, as educators we must promote these six things so students can become prepared.
Monday, February 12, 2007
NCTE Position Statement
The NCTE Position Statement on Composing with Non Print Media illustrates that a great technological change is occuring. NCTE is urging educators to:
- "encourage preservice, inservice, and staff development programs that will focus on new literacies, multimedia composition, and a broadened concept of literacy;"
- "encourage research and develop models of district, school, and classroom policies that would promote multimedia composition;"
- "encourage integrating multimedia composition in English language arts curriculum and teacher education, and in refining related standards at local, state, and national levels;"
- "renew the commitment expressed in the 1983 Resolution on Computers in English and Language Arts to achieve equity of access to the full range of composing technologies."
Because students are currently using ipods, mp3 players, video, and other forms of technical composition, educators must integrate these methods into insstruction. Students will be able to use reading and writing through these devices. Educators must set the example of life-long learning. If educators show students that they are taking the iniative to learn about new technology, students will see that learning is a life-long process.
Online Politics
I recently came across an article in the New York Times, "Here’s the Online Line on Online Politics" by Robert Levine, that describes a new site that focuses on online politics. This site wich is located at http://techpresident.com/ is like a group blog for politics. Levine states, Unlike most politics sites, techpresident.com will be the online equivalent of a trade magazine, aimed at political professionals who need to keep up with the Internet and technology executives involved in creating the tools they use." This quotation illustrates that even individuals involved in politics feel it is necessary to communicate through the internet.
On this site, the users can
On this site, the users can
- View images and videos of the campaign
- generate content on the blogs
- promotes social networking
I thought that this was interesting because educators could use this site in their class. For instance, students must take a class title Participation in Government. What would be a better way to get students involved with politics than having them post on this site and communicate with candidates. This will allow students to voice their opinions, enhance writing skills, and communicate with others.
In Friedman's book, he discussed that the politics profession is using technology to enhance campaigns. This just supports the fact that the world is moving toward technological communication.
Video
After watching the video, I thought about last weeks discussion of a paper less classroom where students will complete all of their written assignments on computers. At the beginning of the video when the individual who is writing keeps erasing the words he writes with the pencil, I thought of how convenient it would be to write on a computer. Not only is it more legible and flexible; students can enhance their writing and content. For instance, if a student is writing a research paper, they can actually link the source they are using in the paper. This would be so helpful for students and teachers. We could actually see the sources and learn more about the topic.
Another interesting aspect of this video is how the Internet connects people. We can directly communicate with people from around the world. I think that students need to learn to have an opinion on something and take a stand for it. What would be a better way than responding to blogs or websites? Students could even create websites. This helps students become producers and helps them become involved in world issues that affect their lives.
Another interesting aspect of this video is how the Internet connects people. We can directly communicate with people from around the world. I think that students need to learn to have an opinion on something and take a stand for it. What would be a better way than responding to blogs or websites? Students could even create websites. This helps students become producers and helps them become involved in world issues that affect their lives.
Unlearning Curve
After reading Will's blog, I realized just how much the education field must be changed.The first thing that needs to be unlearned that I found interesting 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." This connects with Warlick's statement " This is a realization that we should impart to our students because they will all become teachers, and for that they will need powerful communication skills"(Warlick 64). These quotations illustrate that everyone can be a teacher and a student. Many children and teenagers know more about technology and communication than teachers. As educators, we must provide students with the opportunity to experiment with technology, so they can teach others.
Another thing that educators should unlearn is " that we are the sole content experts in the classroom, because we can now connect our kids to people who know far more than we do about the material we’re teaching." In Warlick's book, he suggests that students to play around with computers because it is [their] only advantage over [educators]"(Warlick 62). Teacher must learn to use students as a resource. We can do that by letting students suggest technologically oriented assignments that are authentic to them. As teachers we must realize that students can be a great source when it comes to technology. It also takes pressure off teachers and allows students to have ownership in the classroom.
The third unlearning strategy that I agreed with is "We need to unlearn the idea that every student needs to learn the same content when really what they need is how to self direct their own learning." This quotation goes back to Warlick's question "What should students be learning?" If we want students to love learning and education, we must make the learning experience authentic. When we allow our students to communicate with others and use the technology that will have meaning in their lives, we are helping them be more marketable to the global community. Every student may not love English, but if we can incorporate a blog or other form of technology that engages them, we can use that as a medium to produce life-long learners.
Tuesday, February 6, 2007
Podcast
After viewing the podcast of the FETC conference, I realized how important technology is becoming. One thing from the presentation that I found extremely interesting was how technology is changing the world outside of education. Richardosn and Mancabelli talk about how technology is affecting journalism, politics, and business.
In the journalism field, blogging is becoming important. A newspaper in Houston is using a blog to have a conversation model of journalism. This fact alone shows how important blogging can be. Now students who enjoy blogging can become journalists. Furthermore, Richardson and Mancabelli discuss citizen journalism. People, who are not trained photographers or videopgrapher, are using camera phones or video cameras to capture important moments and publish them. They can put them on youtube and broadcat them across the Internet. Journalist now are asking the question how can we incorporate technology?
Blogs are also becomig very popular in politics. In the presentation Moncabelli and Richardson both describe how John Edwards and Hillary Clinton have blogs. Citezens can communicate with these indiviuals and offer suggestions. By having political blogs, canidates can actually see what the citizens awnat and need. Furthermore, canidates will aslo see the public as real people because now what they san can be recorded and broadcasted over the Internet.
Lastly, the business industry has integrated technology to enhance business. In order to be effective in the business world, people now have to look at business as a conversation. The owner of GM even integrated a blog into his business.
Now the question that emerges from all of these examples is why aren't schools integrating technology into the classroom. After hearing about these examples of how technology is changing the world, we should be thinking about Warlicks question, but I think that the answer is apparent. Technology and integrating it into as much instruction as possible is necessary and is what should be taught.
After viewing this podcast I really witnessed the benefits of integrating technology into the classroom. Honestly though, we shouldn't be integrating it; we should be focusing our instruction around it. I thought that the part of the podcast where Mancabelli and Richardson talk about reflection is interesting. HNot only does reflection allow students to thoroughly understand the lesson, but it lets students who have a hard time articulating their thoughts a chance to speak out our blog. By having a blog, students can reflect about world issues, books, class discussions, and have teahcers see their intelligence and involvement in the class.
Another interesting part of the podcast was how technology and media can help with differentiated instruction. For those of you who haven't done student teaching, differentiated instruction is hard. Anything that could help teacher find ways to help students learn is worth trying. Richardson and Mancabelli illustrate how videos can tap into a channel that helps students learn. And while we teach students to work on media we can teach them writing in context of the video. I think that this is a great idea!
This podcast really helped me see the advantages that technology can offer students. Technology is a part of our society. It isn't going anywhere, so as educators we must embrace it and help our students understand it.
In the journalism field, blogging is becoming important. A newspaper in Houston is using a blog to have a conversation model of journalism. This fact alone shows how important blogging can be. Now students who enjoy blogging can become journalists. Furthermore, Richardson and Mancabelli discuss citizen journalism. People, who are not trained photographers or videopgrapher, are using camera phones or video cameras to capture important moments and publish them. They can put them on youtube and broadcat them across the Internet. Journalist now are asking the question how can we incorporate technology?
Blogs are also becomig very popular in politics. In the presentation Moncabelli and Richardson both describe how John Edwards and Hillary Clinton have blogs. Citezens can communicate with these indiviuals and offer suggestions. By having political blogs, canidates can actually see what the citizens awnat and need. Furthermore, canidates will aslo see the public as real people because now what they san can be recorded and broadcasted over the Internet.
Lastly, the business industry has integrated technology to enhance business. In order to be effective in the business world, people now have to look at business as a conversation. The owner of GM even integrated a blog into his business.
Now the question that emerges from all of these examples is why aren't schools integrating technology into the classroom. After hearing about these examples of how technology is changing the world, we should be thinking about Warlicks question, but I think that the answer is apparent. Technology and integrating it into as much instruction as possible is necessary and is what should be taught.
After viewing this podcast I really witnessed the benefits of integrating technology into the classroom. Honestly though, we shouldn't be integrating it; we should be focusing our instruction around it. I thought that the part of the podcast where Mancabelli and Richardson talk about reflection is interesting. HNot only does reflection allow students to thoroughly understand the lesson, but it lets students who have a hard time articulating their thoughts a chance to speak out our blog. By having a blog, students can reflect about world issues, books, class discussions, and have teahcers see their intelligence and involvement in the class.
Another interesting part of the podcast was how technology and media can help with differentiated instruction. For those of you who haven't done student teaching, differentiated instruction is hard. Anything that could help teacher find ways to help students learn is worth trying. Richardson and Mancabelli illustrate how videos can tap into a channel that helps students learn. And while we teach students to work on media we can teach them writing in context of the video. I think that this is a great idea!
This podcast really helped me see the advantages that technology can offer students. Technology is a part of our society. It isn't going anywhere, so as educators we must embrace it and help our students understand it.
Monday, February 5, 2007
Quiz: Flattener 4
The fourth flattener in Friedman's The World is Flat has a strong connection with Warlick's question what should our students be learning? After reading the chapter on uploading one major thing stuck out in my mind. Students should be learning technology because technology will the path to success in the future.
The prime example that Friedman gives in this chapter that illustrates that students should be learning technology is the story about Apache. Friedman starts this chapter on the fourth flattenter by saying that he doesnt know what Apache is. When he researches it, he gives the story of the man who created it. When Friedman speaks to Behlendorf, a creator of Apache, he asked him how he got into technology, Behlendorf said, "from a very early age, I was around a lot of science where it was okay to be kind of geeky. We always had computers around the house"(97). Behlendorf even goes on to say that he knew basic programming in grade school. This shows that bhe was introduced to technology at an early age, and it benefited him in the long run. After he graduated from High School, Behlendorf went to college at Berkley to study Physics. However, "he quickly became frustrated with the disconnect between the abstractions he was learning in the classroom and the excitement that was starting to emerge on the Internet"(98). This is a prime example of what students should be learning. The Internet which was just beginning to become popular was excluded from Behlendorf's education at Berkley, a very prestigious school. Even though Behlendor was not exposed to technology in Physics he used his computer experience as a child and worked with others in computer labs and eventually created Apache.
Now many people may think that technology is unnecessary in classrooms, but the technology that we think isn't important right now will be important in the future. It's essential in our society to teach what kids should learn and that is to incorporate technology into the curriculum. Friedman discusses how uploading is becoming extrmely important and common in the computer world. Students must now learn to compose and add to the technological community. Like he said, geeks from around the world are creating wikis that will replace things like encarta. Our students must learn how to incorporate technology into their work. We must prepare students to survive in the community of the future and that is based on technology.
The prime example that Friedman gives in this chapter that illustrates that students should be learning technology is the story about Apache. Friedman starts this chapter on the fourth flattenter by saying that he doesnt know what Apache is. When he researches it, he gives the story of the man who created it. When Friedman speaks to Behlendorf, a creator of Apache, he asked him how he got into technology, Behlendorf said, "from a very early age, I was around a lot of science where it was okay to be kind of geeky. We always had computers around the house"(97). Behlendorf even goes on to say that he knew basic programming in grade school. This shows that bhe was introduced to technology at an early age, and it benefited him in the long run. After he graduated from High School, Behlendorf went to college at Berkley to study Physics. However, "he quickly became frustrated with the disconnect between the abstractions he was learning in the classroom and the excitement that was starting to emerge on the Internet"(98). This is a prime example of what students should be learning. The Internet which was just beginning to become popular was excluded from Behlendorf's education at Berkley, a very prestigious school. Even though Behlendor was not exposed to technology in Physics he used his computer experience as a child and worked with others in computer labs and eventually created Apache.
Now many people may think that technology is unnecessary in classrooms, but the technology that we think isn't important right now will be important in the future. It's essential in our society to teach what kids should learn and that is to incorporate technology into the curriculum. Friedman discusses how uploading is becoming extrmely important and common in the computer world. Students must now learn to compose and add to the technological community. Like he said, geeks from around the world are creating wikis that will replace things like encarta. Our students must learn how to incorporate technology into their work. We must prepare students to survive in the community of the future and that is based on technology.
Sunday, February 4, 2007
Quiz 2: Warlick Site
Ok I’m not going to lie I really like the site yahooligans. The address is www.yahooligans.com. This is a really fun and informative site! This could really be a great site to integrate into the classroom. During class discussions and in other articles we’ve read and discussed, we have talked about using technology as a tool to reach out to kids. We have to learn to combine the things that they are interested in to make learning fun. This site can definitely do this!
When you first get on this site, you can watch movies, listen to music, and send ecards. Now these are fun things that can teach kids to use the internet. Another more informative part of this site is the news section. If you click on “news” on the bottom of the page, it will take you to another page that allows you to choose from different types of news topics. You can choose from animals, science, sports, entertainment, and top stories. By having this component to the website, kids can use the internet to stay linked to current events. Isn’t this something that educators try to get students to do? If reading the newspaper is boring, kids can do it online.
Another “educational” component to this site is the “ask Earl” section. You can ask Earl a question, or you can search the questions that were already asked to find out information. In addition, there is a reference section where you can either use an Encyclopedia or a Dictionary to look up answers!
This site combines work and play into one very fun site! Check it out!
When you first get on this site, you can watch movies, listen to music, and send ecards. Now these are fun things that can teach kids to use the internet. Another more informative part of this site is the news section. If you click on “news” on the bottom of the page, it will take you to another page that allows you to choose from different types of news topics. You can choose from animals, science, sports, entertainment, and top stories. By having this component to the website, kids can use the internet to stay linked to current events. Isn’t this something that educators try to get students to do? If reading the newspaper is boring, kids can do it online.
Another “educational” component to this site is the “ask Earl” section. You can ask Earl a question, or you can search the questions that were already asked to find out information. In addition, there is a reference section where you can either use an Encyclopedia or a Dictionary to look up answers!
This site combines work and play into one very fun site! Check it out!
Quiz 2: Warlick Site Alltheweb
After reading chapter two in Warlick’s book, I decided to research the multimedia search engine http://multimedia.alltheweb.com/ I ofund this site extremely useful. It works like google in the sense that you can research topics and find images, but you can also search the news, audio clips, and video clips. I read the section “about us” on the site, and it gave me more information about this multimedia search engine.
Alltheweb.com “combines one of the largest and freshest indices with the most powerful search features that allow anyone to find anything faster than with any other search engine.” Alltheweb is powered by yahoo, and it provides users with millions of PDF and Microsoft word files. This site also allows you to specialize your search, and it can be done in 36 different languages.
The most interesting part of Alltheweb is the news search. By using this option, you can get up to date news reports. This could be extremely helpful for students.
After researching this site, I though about Steven Johnson’s article “Don’t Fear the Digital.” In this other article, (look at my other post for more detail) he talks about how many adults don’t see the benefits of the digital world. But after looking at the alltheweb site, I see just how wrong adults are. This site offers advanced and up-to-date services that allow people to stay in contacts with what is going on in the world.
Alltheweb.com “combines one of the largest and freshest indices with the most powerful search features that allow anyone to find anything faster than with any other search engine.” Alltheweb is powered by yahoo, and it provides users with millions of PDF and Microsoft word files. This site also allows you to specialize your search, and it can be done in 36 different languages.
The most interesting part of Alltheweb is the news search. By using this option, you can get up to date news reports. This could be extremely helpful for students.
After researching this site, I though about Steven Johnson’s article “Don’t Fear the Digital.” In this other article, (look at my other post for more detail) he talks about how many adults don’t see the benefits of the digital world. But after looking at the alltheweb site, I see just how wrong adults are. This site offers advanced and up-to-date services that allow people to stay in contacts with what is going on in the world.
Don't Fear the Digital
I completely agree with Steven Johnson's article "Don't Fear the Digital." Our world is rapidly changing to a society that is dependent on the internet and computers. However a lot of poeple find this chagne to be disaterous. In this article, Johnsol illustrates that kids who use the internet and computer are "mastering interfaces, searchign for information,maintaining, virtual social networks, and multitasking." These are activities that will better prepare students for the "real world." The real world is no longer masteing algebra (which in my opinion it never should have been) its being able to function in a technological society. In this digital society, students, on their own, are learnign to communicate virtually, research topics, write about their opinions, and set up web pages. How could this be a bad thing?
ANother part of the article that I found intersting was the idea that soem people think the computer is weakening the social skills of kids. I think that is absolutely ridiculous. I agree with Stevens that sutdents aren't "using technology to replace their real-world social life; they're using technology to augment it." We can try to ignore the social aspects that technology brings, but those who do will not be able to funtion in the outside world. Kids must be allowed and encouraged to use the internet to communicate.
ANother part of the article that I found intersting was the idea that soem people think the computer is weakening the social skills of kids. I think that is absolutely ridiculous. I agree with Stevens that sutdents aren't "using technology to replace their real-world social life; they're using technology to augment it." We can try to ignore the social aspects that technology brings, but those who do will not be able to funtion in the outside world. Kids must be allowed and encouraged to use the internet to communicate.
Girl Power
After reading the article “Literacy & Identity Girl Power in a Digital World: Considering the complexity of Gender, Literacy and Technology, I agree that teachers are more aware of boys in the classroom. Williams states, “girls received less attention in the classroom than boys and les encouragement for their efforts.” After student teaching I realized just how true this is. Boys are far more apt to speak out and express their opinion. Whereas girls seem to be more reserved and let the boys run the show. Suring student teaching I created a rule that both boys and girls had to speak. I thought that this was fair because girls need to speak out. And if I made this rule, I thought that girls would become more comfortable speaking in class.
Another part of this article that I found interesting is when Williams states, “the gender identity expectations of the larger culture often manifests itself in literacy classrooms over issues of narrative violence and resistance to reading and writing that focuses on emotion and fiction over plot and action.” When I was student teaching, I had a discussion about the way Jack kills the pig in Lord of the Flies. During the discussion, the boys were eager to talk and the girls were very quiet with disgusted looks on their faces. Granted, the way he kills the pig is disgusting, but it was a necessary discussion to have. I responded to the girls by asking them why they looked so sick, and one girl responded by saying that girls just aren’t as violent as guys. While I was student teaching about three major fights broke out in the school and all three fights involved girls. So I brought this up to the class. Even thought girls shy away from violence, I find that it’s the girls in school who seem to be more violent than boys.
Another part of this article that I found interesting is when Williams states, “the gender identity expectations of the larger culture often manifests itself in literacy classrooms over issues of narrative violence and resistance to reading and writing that focuses on emotion and fiction over plot and action.” When I was student teaching, I had a discussion about the way Jack kills the pig in Lord of the Flies. During the discussion, the boys were eager to talk and the girls were very quiet with disgusted looks on their faces. Granted, the way he kills the pig is disgusting, but it was a necessary discussion to have. I responded to the girls by asking them why they looked so sick, and one girl responded by saying that girls just aren’t as violent as guys. While I was student teaching about three major fights broke out in the school and all three fights involved girls. So I brought this up to the class. Even thought girls shy away from violence, I find that it’s the girls in school who seem to be more violent than boys.
Thursday, February 1, 2007
NCTE but not the English One...
Today I was looking up NCTE, National Council of Teachers of English, when I came across another NCTE. This NCTE is The National Centre for Technology in Education. So looked at this website to see what its about. This site is from Dublin City Unversity in Ireland, but the campus is interested in integrating technology into the classroom. According to this site, the objective of educators is to promote ICT (information and communications technology). This was set up so teachers and leanres could become more familiar with current technology anf integrate it into their classrooms. Take a look at the website http://www.ncte.ie/AbouttheNCTE/ICTPolicy/. This just shows that countries all over the world are seeing the benfits of technology in the classroome
Student Teaching and Tech
After last night's discussion in class, I began to think about the role of technology in the clasrroms in which I did student teaching. I was placed at two very different types of schools. During my placements, I realized how technologically savvy students are. Almost every student had a cell phone, which they tried to use in class frequently. The big thing at my high school placement was text messaging. Not every classroom in this school had computers. There was a lab in the library, but it was hard to schedule. But the one thing that stood out to me during student teaching is the students' lack of interest in writing. I think that students need to feel comfortable with writing, and blogs a a great tool to achieve that.
The unit I taught at the high school was on Lord of the Flies. I think that Lord of the Flies is a wonderful book, but many students did not want to read it. I tried to think of ways to get them interested in it and I realized that gang violence would be a good way. Ok I know what you are thinking you can't talk about violence in school, but it really worked. We looked up cases of peer pressure and group/gang violence on the internet. Then, we discussed bum fights and the actual murder of a homeless man. The students read articles that they found online and connected it to Simon's death in Lord of the Flies.
Even though they didn't make imovies or blog about it, which I wish they could have, they were able to use the information on the internet and a present day form of group violence to connect to the text.
Now that I look back on it, I think a blog would have been wonderful for Lord of the Flies. I taught at an inner city district, and I think that they would have been able to write about their connections to the text more freely. Students are comfortable with using the internet. I would say that they prefer it over pen and paper, so wny way that you can bring it into the classroom gives them a more authentic view of the concepts and the literature being taught in class.
The unit I taught at the high school was on Lord of the Flies. I think that Lord of the Flies is a wonderful book, but many students did not want to read it. I tried to think of ways to get them interested in it and I realized that gang violence would be a good way. Ok I know what you are thinking you can't talk about violence in school, but it really worked. We looked up cases of peer pressure and group/gang violence on the internet. Then, we discussed bum fights and the actual murder of a homeless man. The students read articles that they found online and connected it to Simon's death in Lord of the Flies.
Even though they didn't make imovies or blog about it, which I wish they could have, they were able to use the information on the internet and a present day form of group violence to connect to the text.
Now that I look back on it, I think a blog would have been wonderful for Lord of the Flies. I taught at an inner city district, and I think that they would have been able to write about their connections to the text more freely. Students are comfortable with using the internet. I would say that they prefer it over pen and paper, so wny way that you can bring it into the classroom gives them a more authentic view of the concepts and the literature being taught in class.
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