Chapter 9 in Richardson's book Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms is all about social networks. As I began reading this chapter, I thought I knew a lot about social networks. Why wouldn't I? I have accounts with most social networks already and have had them for quite some time. I even remember using "The Facebook" where you had to have a college email to even sign up for it!
However, after reading just a few pages of this chapter, I feel that I had an "Aha" moment. I never had thought of social networks as being either friendship-based or interest-based. Although I was using my social networks for both friendships and interests, I never really separated the two as being different from one another. After coming to this conclusion, I realize that I use both my personal and professional social networks accounts with both interests in mind. With that said, I plan on making my professional account more interest-based rather than friendship-based. It might be a hard move, as I do use my professional social networks to communicate with students (as it seems to be the best way to get communication with my students). However, I do agree with Richardson that being Facebook friends with students is not a great idea.
I thought this chapter really opened my eyes to social networks being interest-based tools. As he stated perfectly in Chapter 9 in regards to students using social networks, "they are connecting to peers and adults outside of their physical spaces, people who they don't know but with whom they share a passion. They become at once teachers and learners in these spaces, and, in the process, they learn about the things that school can't or won't teach them" (Richardson 131). This could not be more true. Students, when interested in a topic, can use social networks to dive into the topic and learn endlessly about it. In a way, social networks are a way for a person to branch off an learn about whatever it is they may want to, even if what they are learning about is completely foreign to their location.
References:
- Richardson, W. Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms. 2010.
Wednesday, August 13, 2014
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
Robin Williams
I had a tough time going through my Feedly account this morning. After hearing the tragic news about actor/comedian Robin Williams passing away due to a suspected suicide last night, I had to take a few deep breaths and hold back the tears when going through my news feed. Most posts I saw were in regards to his passing.
Robin Williams will always be one of my favorite famous people. As a child of the 80's and 90's, I grew up on his movies. From Peter Pan in Hook to the genie in Aladdin, Robin Williams was the life of any movie he was apart of. It was not until I reached adulthood that I was able to appreciate, and view, his older stand-up comedy (something that I have always loved to view). He was a very funny man!
I hope that if anything comes from his passing, is that people start to look seriously at peoples' mental states. Although Williams was always laughing and seemed to be in a good mood when shown on television, he no doubtingly had some issues he was dealing with. It is said that he was battling addiction a few times in his past and that he was also suffering from depression. I cannot help but think of the basic saying, "don't judge a book by it's cover". Robin Williams may have had the best "cover" for himself, but it appears the person that is Robin Williams had a different story altogether inside. I hope we as a society can learn to see the inside of people and their feelings, and spend more time learning about warning signs of depression and things that lead people to take their own life.
References:
- "Autopsy expected in death of Robin Williams." CNN August 12, 2014. Web. Retrieved August 12, 2014.
Robin Williams will always be one of my favorite famous people. As a child of the 80's and 90's, I grew up on his movies. From Peter Pan in Hook to the genie in Aladdin, Robin Williams was the life of any movie he was apart of. It was not until I reached adulthood that I was able to appreciate, and view, his older stand-up comedy (something that I have always loved to view). He was a very funny man!
I hope that if anything comes from his passing, is that people start to look seriously at peoples' mental states. Although Williams was always laughing and seemed to be in a good mood when shown on television, he no doubtingly had some issues he was dealing with. It is said that he was battling addiction a few times in his past and that he was also suffering from depression. I cannot help but think of the basic saying, "don't judge a book by it's cover". Robin Williams may have had the best "cover" for himself, but it appears the person that is Robin Williams had a different story altogether inside. I hope we as a society can learn to see the inside of people and their feelings, and spend more time learning about warning signs of depression and things that lead people to take their own life.
References:
- "Autopsy expected in death of Robin Williams." CNN August 12, 2014. Web. Retrieved August 12, 2014.
Wednesday, August 6, 2014
Teaching Common Core Math with Minecraft
Minecraft. I'm sure you have heard of it... at least if you are in communication with someone under the age of 13. But did you know that educators are using the game to teach common core math standards?
According to an article posted on the NPR site, the game Minecraft is being used to help apply and practice common core math standards. The article goes over a 5th grade "classroom" in Louisville, Kentucky in which the teacher has their students practice math concepts while playing the game. The article focuses on the common core standard of, "graphing points on the coordinate plane to solve real-world and mathematical problems".
As a gamer myself (more so when I was younger, but I still presently dab a little into the gaming world when time allows) I find it very interesting that more and more teachers and educators are utilizing games as learning tools. Whether "players" are thinking of it or not, they are applying a lot of lessons learned into their gaming sessions. For example, playing Minecraft allows you to work geographically in your (virtual) surroundings. Although you may not notice it as you are playing, you are working on your spatial skills. In other games such as Battlefield or Modern Warfare, you are working on hand-eye coordination and are learning how to follow tasks in a certain order.
I am glad that games are being used more in educational settings and I hope to see this trend continue. Games are fun, you can learn from them, and you can definitely grab student attention with them. That is a win-win for this teacher!
References:
- Katayama, Devin. "In Louisville, Ky., Minecraft Teaches Math." NPR. August 3, 2014. Web. Retrieved on August 6, 2014.
According to an article posted on the NPR site, the game Minecraft is being used to help apply and practice common core math standards. The article goes over a 5th grade "classroom" in Louisville, Kentucky in which the teacher has their students practice math concepts while playing the game. The article focuses on the common core standard of, "graphing points on the coordinate plane to solve real-world and mathematical problems".
As a gamer myself (more so when I was younger, but I still presently dab a little into the gaming world when time allows) I find it very interesting that more and more teachers and educators are utilizing games as learning tools. Whether "players" are thinking of it or not, they are applying a lot of lessons learned into their gaming sessions. For example, playing Minecraft allows you to work geographically in your (virtual) surroundings. Although you may not notice it as you are playing, you are working on your spatial skills. In other games such as Battlefield or Modern Warfare, you are working on hand-eye coordination and are learning how to follow tasks in a certain order.
I am glad that games are being used more in educational settings and I hope to see this trend continue. Games are fun, you can learn from them, and you can definitely grab student attention with them. That is a win-win for this teacher!
References:
- Katayama, Devin. "In Louisville, Ky., Minecraft Teaches Math." NPR. August 3, 2014. Web. Retrieved on August 6, 2014.
Google and Collaborative Editing
I thought I would combine two articles that were presented for this week for one of my weekly blog posts. The two articles I will talk about today are the 7 Things you should know about... Google Apps and Collaborative Editing.
Ever since starting this MA in Educational Technology, I have been thoroughly impressed with what Google has to offer... for FREE. With a simple sign up of a free Google account, one can do many things with a few clicks of a button. You can send and receive email via Gmail. You can create various documents with Google Drive, as well as save them in "the cloud" and not have to worry about having your work only located on one device. You can also utilize their many apps that allow you to do a plethora of things. You can even create a group via Google Talk and communicate with each other in real time via your device's camera.
The aspect of these Google services that goes unnoticed, at least in my eyes, is the ability to share and collaborate what you create/work on. According to the article 7 Things you should know about... Google Apps, "Sharing content is as simple as granting someone access, which facilitates collaboration without having to transfer files or worry about software compatibility". With my job (teaching distantly online) collaboration and sharing of content is essential. Also, when students are working from home and are not in a classroom setting, there tends to be a disconnect from learning. By utilizing Google Apps and it's collaboration tools, I can try to create a classroom environment (even if it is done virtually) that can help connect learners to each other and to the content being delivered. According to the article 7 Things you should know about... Collaboration Editing, "working simultaneously on a document can build a sense of community among the editors that is not possible if the document were simply passed from one individual to the next".
I feel that having a Google account is somewhat of a necessity to be successful in today's education field. Especially completing your education via a virtual school, utilizing Google and it's collaboration tools are important and useful resources to make the most of your education. I plan on using these more than ever this upcoming school year.
References:
- 7 Things you should know about... Google Apps." Educase Learning Initiative March 2008. Web. Retrieved on August 8, 2014.
- 7 Things you should know about... Collaborative Editing." Educase Learning Initiative Decemeber 2005. Web. Retrieved on August 8, 2014.
Ever since starting this MA in Educational Technology, I have been thoroughly impressed with what Google has to offer... for FREE. With a simple sign up of a free Google account, one can do many things with a few clicks of a button. You can send and receive email via Gmail. You can create various documents with Google Drive, as well as save them in "the cloud" and not have to worry about having your work only located on one device. You can also utilize their many apps that allow you to do a plethora of things. You can even create a group via Google Talk and communicate with each other in real time via your device's camera.
The aspect of these Google services that goes unnoticed, at least in my eyes, is the ability to share and collaborate what you create/work on. According to the article 7 Things you should know about... Google Apps, "Sharing content is as simple as granting someone access, which facilitates collaboration without having to transfer files or worry about software compatibility". With my job (teaching distantly online) collaboration and sharing of content is essential. Also, when students are working from home and are not in a classroom setting, there tends to be a disconnect from learning. By utilizing Google Apps and it's collaboration tools, I can try to create a classroom environment (even if it is done virtually) that can help connect learners to each other and to the content being delivered. According to the article 7 Things you should know about... Collaboration Editing, "working simultaneously on a document can build a sense of community among the editors that is not possible if the document were simply passed from one individual to the next".
I feel that having a Google account is somewhat of a necessity to be successful in today's education field. Especially completing your education via a virtual school, utilizing Google and it's collaboration tools are important and useful resources to make the most of your education. I plan on using these more than ever this upcoming school year.
References:
- 7 Things you should know about... Google Apps." Educase Learning Initiative March 2008. Web. Retrieved on August 8, 2014.
- 7 Things you should know about... Collaborative Editing." Educase Learning Initiative Decemeber 2005. Web. Retrieved on August 8, 2014.
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
Facebook Messenger
Oh how this article hit home! While looking for an article to write on in my Feedly page, one of the first articles I came across was in regards to Facebook making their messenger service mandatory. I have been a 'holdout' of installing Facebook Messenger on my phone and do not mind hitting the "NO" button to install each time I open up my messages on Facebook.
I have to say for about a little over a year (maybe more!) now, I have had the message to install Messenger on my phone. All I can think to myself is, why would I download yet another app to use in conjunction with a different app? Seemed pointless to me. Now I think I understand WHY Facebook is doing this. They want to begin CHARGING people to use Messenger. I guess I understand the logic behind it. People are using your service to communicate with people instead of text-messaging. Phone companies charge you do this and using Facebook to share these messages saves people money. Facebook, as a company, sees this as a chance to bring in even more revenue. Smart for Facebook, but will people really start to pay for the service? I know I will not be one of them! If I want to send a more private message to someone, I will gladly use my phone (which I am already paying for). If it is not a personal message, I will just simply post it on my friend's wall.
No Facebook, I will not conform to using Messenger! And I hope others will not as well :)
References:
- "Facebook Makes Messenger Mandatory." Read Write Web. July 29, 2014. Web. Retrieved July 29, 2014. http://readwrite.com/2014/07/29/facebook-messenger-app-foursquare-mandatory
I have to say for about a little over a year (maybe more!) now, I have had the message to install Messenger on my phone. All I can think to myself is, why would I download yet another app to use in conjunction with a different app? Seemed pointless to me. Now I think I understand WHY Facebook is doing this. They want to begin CHARGING people to use Messenger. I guess I understand the logic behind it. People are using your service to communicate with people instead of text-messaging. Phone companies charge you do this and using Facebook to share these messages saves people money. Facebook, as a company, sees this as a chance to bring in even more revenue. Smart for Facebook, but will people really start to pay for the service? I know I will not be one of them! If I want to send a more private message to someone, I will gladly use my phone (which I am already paying for). If it is not a personal message, I will just simply post it on my friend's wall.
No Facebook, I will not conform to using Messenger! And I hope others will not as well :)
References:
- "Facebook Makes Messenger Mandatory." Read Write Web. July 29, 2014. Web. Retrieved July 29, 2014. http://readwrite.com/2014/07/29/facebook-messenger-app-foursquare-mandatory
Social Media in Plain English
For one of my posts this week I will look at the Social Media in Plain English video that was shared via Blackboard. Having used social media for quite some time now, I feel pretty comfortable using and explaining the pros and cons of using it. However, after viewing this video I feel I can now explain what social media really is a lot better (and have a great example to use as well)!
To be 100% honest, I was a little lost when I began watching the video. I found myself thinking, "What in the world is the connection between Facebook and ice cream?" After allowing the video to continue to play, I finally started to understand the analogy being used.
The video relates social media (a medium for people of all shapes and sizes to express their thoughts and ideas) to a town that makes all different types of ice cream. Each citizen in the town starts to create their own unique ice cream flavors and starts to put up a board to let people leave comments, reviews, or descriptions of their flavor. This is very similar to the posts that people put on their social networking sites. People are able to write about what they want and then can see comments and suggestions from people who would like to share.
I think I might keep this video on my favorites and use it to explain social media to older generations of people. Just this past weekend at my family reunion, I was trying to explain what Facebook and Twitter were to one of my elder grandparents. I would have been nice to use this video to help me explain what it was!
Check out the video below to see for yourself!
References:
- Common Craft. "Social Media in Plain English." Online Video Clip. YouTube. May 28, 2008. Retrieved on July 29, 2014.
To be 100% honest, I was a little lost when I began watching the video. I found myself thinking, "What in the world is the connection between Facebook and ice cream?" After allowing the video to continue to play, I finally started to understand the analogy being used.
The video relates social media (a medium for people of all shapes and sizes to express their thoughts and ideas) to a town that makes all different types of ice cream. Each citizen in the town starts to create their own unique ice cream flavors and starts to put up a board to let people leave comments, reviews, or descriptions of their flavor. This is very similar to the posts that people put on their social networking sites. People are able to write about what they want and then can see comments and suggestions from people who would like to share.
I think I might keep this video on my favorites and use it to explain social media to older generations of people. Just this past weekend at my family reunion, I was trying to explain what Facebook and Twitter were to one of my elder grandparents. I would have been nice to use this video to help me explain what it was!
Check out the video below to see for yourself!
References:
- Common Craft. "Social Media in Plain English." Online Video Clip. YouTube. May 28, 2008. Retrieved on July 29, 2014.
Tuesday, July 22, 2014
Josh Smith Here To Stay
Since starting my Feedly account, I have subscribed to many different feeds. I have feeds coming in the areas of education, news, history, science, and sports. While I usually blog about posts in the areas of news or education, I thought I would blog about sports for a change. I am a huge sports fan and thought I could share my opinion on the matter at least once for this course.
Well, today is that day my fellow sports fan (I imagine you must be a sports fan if you have made it this far into my post!). Today I will blog about the Detroit Pistons and their forward Josh Smith.
Oh to be the highest paid player on a poor-performing team. You know you will bare the brunt of the team's negative criticism, especially a team that had high hopes for the second half of the season. With a lack luster season behind Smith, this off-season Pistons fans have been hearing nothing but trade talks regarding J Smoove. Most recently, there has been news that trade talks have opened up (yet again) with the Sacramento Kings. I thought these talks would prosper to something, but when this article came across my Feedly today, I began to think J Smoove will really be on our opening roster next season.
I've always thought Josh Smith was a good basketball player. When he was on the Atlanta Hawks a few years ago, he was in his prime. Not the best at any given aspect of the game, but collectively a very good player. He could score 14+ points, grab 7+ boards, block a few shots and snag a steal or two. He would fill up the stat sheet evenly and do it quietly. When he came to Detroit, I was shocked (why did you leave us WNBA?!?) and excited. Our front court (alongside Drummond and Monroe) would be top-of-the-league in quality and depth. Or so I thought...
Smith came to a team in Detroit that lacked big names and scoring. With starters already set at the 4 and 5, Smith started at the 3, which is out of position for him (I would consider Smith a natural 4). Smith, being the new superstar of the team, usually lead the team in shot attempts. Many of these shot attempts came from behind the three-point line. This is not where Smith should be shooting from. In fact, I would not allow Smith to shoot anywhere outside the elbow. Unfortunately, Smith would hear none of that! He chucked up three after three and had many nights of poor shooting.
To sum up Josh Smith's 2013-2014 NBA season with the Detroit Pistons and his pure awesomeness of a deep-threat shooter, look no further than the clip below. Given the ball at the end of a close game with the Knicks, Smith put up this memorable shot. Just remember, he is being guarded by Carmelo Anthony, who is known for his explosive offense and not his stingy defense...
See how J Smoove attempted to receive the ball around the right elbow but finally possessed the ball a few feet back near the high school three-point line? Chances are he may have made the shot if closer to the elbow... but that's leaving it up to chance. Smith took many shots like the one above and the result was the same. A miss is a miss unless you are Josh Smith! Then it's an airball on Youtube!
Smith will have to live with that airball footage for the rest of his life. Let's just hope Pistons fans will forget about it by the time the regular season comes around, as it looks like Smith will be on our roster to start the 2014-2015 NBA season.
Smith will have to live with that airball footage for the rest of his life. Let's just hope Pistons fans will forget about it by the time the regular season comes around, as it looks like Smith will be on our roster to start the 2014-2015 NBA season.
References:
- Fredericksen, Brady. "Stan Van Gundy's biggest challenge? Fixing Josh Smith." Piston Powered. July 21, 2014. Retrieved on July 22, 2014.
- boomandwatch. "Josh Smith airballs potential game-winner: Detroit Pistons at New York Knicks." Online Video Clip. YouTube. January 7, 2014. Retrieved on July 22, 2014.
- "Detroit Pistons Team Payroll." Basketball Reference.Com. Retrieved on July 22, 2014.
Using Wikipedia for Academic Research
While I was attending CMU for my undergrad, it was definitely common to hear professors throughout the classrooms in Anspach, Dow, and Ronan buildings telling their students not to use Wikipedia for any assignments. Back then, I had to agree. Who would cite and/or use so-called "information" found on a website that can be uploaded and edited by anyone with a DSL or phone-line modem connection???
While today I still do not believe a student should use Wikipedia as a source in any academic work, I have grown to like Wikipedia as a 'starting point' for research. As the video (found below) for this week also points out, Wikipedia can be used as a starting point for academic research if you know a few tricks on HOW to use it properly.
Trick Number One: Developing a Research Plan
Using Wikipedia as a starting point, feel free to see how Wikipedia breaks down the subject/topic by looking at how the information is organized. How does the wiki go over the people, events, and the concepts of the subject? This can be a great start to building your outline for your research.
Trick Number Two: Finding References
Although you may not want to cite the Wikipedia page directly, you can look over the references the Wikipedia page cites for itself and judge for yourself the quality and reliability of the source used. References are located at the bottom of the Wikipedia page and there is usually a footnote within the main content of the page that will direct you to its source.
Trick Number Three: Forming Search Queries
By reading through the Wikipedia page on the subject/topic you are researching, you may find some key words that will aid you in your own research. As the author of the video suggests, you can use a new keyword found on Wikipedia and plug it into your college library search engine. This may lead to different scholarly articles that you may have not come across if you had not used the key word you found on Wikipedia. Personally, I have not thought of this idea and am glad I came across it myself!
References:
- bcveen's channel. "Using Wikipedia for Academic Research." Online Video Clip. YouTube. July 22, 2008. Retrieved on July 22, 2014.
While today I still do not believe a student should use Wikipedia as a source in any academic work, I have grown to like Wikipedia as a 'starting point' for research. As the video (found below) for this week also points out, Wikipedia can be used as a starting point for academic research if you know a few tricks on HOW to use it properly.
Trick Number One: Developing a Research Plan
Using Wikipedia as a starting point, feel free to see how Wikipedia breaks down the subject/topic by looking at how the information is organized. How does the wiki go over the people, events, and the concepts of the subject? This can be a great start to building your outline for your research.
Trick Number Two: Finding References
Although you may not want to cite the Wikipedia page directly, you can look over the references the Wikipedia page cites for itself and judge for yourself the quality and reliability of the source used. References are located at the bottom of the Wikipedia page and there is usually a footnote within the main content of the page that will direct you to its source.
Trick Number Three: Forming Search Queries
By reading through the Wikipedia page on the subject/topic you are researching, you may find some key words that will aid you in your own research. As the author of the video suggests, you can use a new keyword found on Wikipedia and plug it into your college library search engine. This may lead to different scholarly articles that you may have not come across if you had not used the key word you found on Wikipedia. Personally, I have not thought of this idea and am glad I came across it myself!
Here is the video that was presented on Blackboard and was used as the basis for this blog post.
References:
- bcveen's channel. "Using Wikipedia for Academic Research." Online Video Clip. YouTube. July 22, 2008. Retrieved on July 22, 2014.
Tuesday, July 15, 2014
The Art of Storytelling
Although I made a post last week regarding Digital Storytelling, I found this article in my Feedly account to be quite interesting. The article does not go over digital storytelling per-say, but it does go over the importance of general story telling.
The article describes how storytelling is, "the oldest form of teaching", and I would have to agree. When you are telling a story, you are essentially describing a scenario to the listener that is/may be new to them. They can take away new knowledge from this story. Also, the article does a great job of telling you that you are already a storyteller by being a teacher. The article goes on to state, "In reality, teachers don't see themselves as storytellers. Or rather, they see the occasional storyteller and think it's a theatrical, exaggerated show more akin to acting. But hang on a minute -- being a teacher definitely involves acting and theatrics." I could not agree more with this statement! In order to have your message, or content, delivered and retained by your students, you need to first grasp their attention. What better way to do this than by having fun with the material and adding a little pizzazz to your deliver!
The article also goes over the many benefits of storytelling (such as inspiring purposeful talking, enhancing the community in your classroom, and raising the enthusiasm for reading) as well as how you could become a better storyteller yourself (such as reading a wide range of stories yourself, observe other storytellers, and starting off small).
While storytelling might be more geared towards the elementary grades, I feel that storytelling can find a place in any secondary classroom as well! Check out the article to read for yourself!
References:
- "Why Storytelling in the Classroom Matters." Edutopia July 11, 2014. Web. Retrieved July 15, 2014. http://www.edutopia.org//blog/storytelling-in-the-classroom-matters-matthew-friday
The article describes how storytelling is, "the oldest form of teaching", and I would have to agree. When you are telling a story, you are essentially describing a scenario to the listener that is/may be new to them. They can take away new knowledge from this story. Also, the article does a great job of telling you that you are already a storyteller by being a teacher. The article goes on to state, "In reality, teachers don't see themselves as storytellers. Or rather, they see the occasional storyteller and think it's a theatrical, exaggerated show more akin to acting. But hang on a minute -- being a teacher definitely involves acting and theatrics." I could not agree more with this statement! In order to have your message, or content, delivered and retained by your students, you need to first grasp their attention. What better way to do this than by having fun with the material and adding a little pizzazz to your deliver!
The article also goes over the many benefits of storytelling (such as inspiring purposeful talking, enhancing the community in your classroom, and raising the enthusiasm for reading) as well as how you could become a better storyteller yourself (such as reading a wide range of stories yourself, observe other storytellers, and starting off small).
While storytelling might be more geared towards the elementary grades, I feel that storytelling can find a place in any secondary classroom as well! Check out the article to read for yourself!
References:
- "Why Storytelling in the Classroom Matters." Edutopia July 11, 2014. Web. Retrieved July 15, 2014. http://www.edutopia.org//blog/storytelling-in-the-classroom-matters-matthew-friday
Instant Messaging by KINSA
After viewing the Kids' Internet Safety Alliance (KINSA) Virtually Safe program - Instant Messaging video (embed below), I was split on how I felt about the message the video was giving. The video had a 'Instant Messaging for Dummies' feel to it as it went over the basics of what instant messaging was and how to use some of the features. It also went over how to more or less spy on your kid's conversations and friends list.
Now, I understand that as parents we need to monitor our children and be mindful of who they 'hang out' with and what they occupy their time with. I am just not sure that the methods the video went over would work the best. Personally, I feel that you should be having these conversations WITH your children and not doing so behind their backs. I could not help but be reminded of an episode of a show I am currently watching on Netflix. The show is called Freaks and Geeks and in the episode the main character's parents decide to go behind their daughter's back and read her diary when she is not home. By doing so, they soon find out things that they wish they did not know and how their child truly felt about them. To sum it up, the parents wished they did not read her diary. I feel that by reading your child's old instant messaging conversations without their permission, you could be opening up a can of worms!
My advice, talk to your children about internet safety and be open with them. They should in turn be open with you. I do not have any children as of yet, so I could be totally off with this idea. Feel free to comment!
Now, I understand that as parents we need to monitor our children and be mindful of who they 'hang out' with and what they occupy their time with. I am just not sure that the methods the video went over would work the best. Personally, I feel that you should be having these conversations WITH your children and not doing so behind their backs. I could not help but be reminded of an episode of a show I am currently watching on Netflix. The show is called Freaks and Geeks and in the episode the main character's parents decide to go behind their daughter's back and read her diary when she is not home. By doing so, they soon find out things that they wish they did not know and how their child truly felt about them. To sum it up, the parents wished they did not read her diary. I feel that by reading your child's old instant messaging conversations without their permission, you could be opening up a can of worms!
My advice, talk to your children about internet safety and be open with them. They should in turn be open with you. I do not have any children as of yet, so I could be totally off with this idea. Feel free to comment!
Also, I did feel a little 'aged' as I watched this as I once had an ICQ messenger handle 'back in the day' and currently use the ICQ alert as my main phone notification sound (Uh Oh!)
References:
- kinsa001. "Kids' Internet Safety Alliance (KINSA) Virtually Safe program - Instant Messaging." Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, Febuary 6, 2009. Web. July 15, 2014.
Tuesday, July 8, 2014
Digital Storytelling
It looks like we get to create another digital story for this course. I have to admit, I was little nervous about creating the digital story we had to do for a previous course. I had a hard time coming up with a story to tell that pertained to my line of work (online distance learning). But after working on the assignment and coming to see how this teaching tool could be used, I began to love it!
According to the article "7 thing you should know about... Digital Storytelling" digital storytelling, "is the practice of combining narrative with digital content, including images, sound, and video, to create a short movie, typically with a strong emotional component." With my last assignment, I really hung on the emotional component. I created a story of an alternative education student who did not want to attend school anymore. I tried to incorporate the emotions that alternative students would face (not fitting in, being bullied, getting into trouble, coming to school regularly) and tell a story of how completing their diploma requirements online would alleviate these emotions/problems. You can see this digital story here.
I feel that using digital storytelling as a teaching tool is great for "switching up" what you normally do in a classroom. By creating a movie for students to watch, they are not writing down notes or listening to you lecture, but instead doing something that they like to do: watch videos. Also, as a teacher, you can be creative and show a different side to your students. It also allows you to be a little goofy and have some fun, which I've found most students enjoy from time to time.
I look forward to creating another digital story, but have to do a little brainstorming first!
References:
"7 thing you should know about... Digital Storytelling." Educase Learning Initiative January 2007. Web. Retrieved 8 July 2014.
Uncovering Ancient History in a Hostile Environment
As I opened up my Feedly page and perused the latest education, history, science, and blog posts by my fellow classmates, I came across an interesting Fox News article on a new archaeological discovery in Iraq. The article, titled "Remains of long-lost temple discovered in Iraq" told a story of a new ancient site that was not initially discovered by archaeologists or scientists, but by ordinary people in the region. The region, the Kurdistan region in northern Iraq, may not be your typical, or safest, place to uncover ancient history.
The site dates back to the Iron Age, some 2,500 years ago, and would have been around during the time when the Urartians, Assyrians, and Scythains cultures were trying to control this area in what is now northern Iraq. Just like "back in the day", this area still has different groups fighting for control of the area. With the country of Iraq being in chaos since U.S. involvement in 2003 (and many would argue WAY before then), recently this site has seen artillery bombing from Iran to the east, plane bombings from Turkey to the northwest, and leftover landmines from the recent conflicts. Also, with the advancing forces of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, or ISIS for short, the site is in constant fear of being taken over by outside forces. The article did say that the Kurdistan region, "is autonomous, and its militia has been able to prevent ISIS from entering it." Even so, this awesome archaeology find is not your average archaeology site.
On a side note, I followed the links within the Fox News article and found that the story is really one that was found on another site: LiveScience. After linking to this site, I found that it was right up my alley! I have now subscribed to LiveScience on my Feedly and have added the site to my Delicious account. Score one for Trevor and score one for life long learning!
References:
Jarus, Owen. "Remains of Long-Lost Temple Discovered in Iraq." Live Science, 7 July 2014. Web. 7 July 2014.
Monday, July 7, 2014
Slideshare Presentation
Although we did not have to share our Slideshare presentations on our course blog, I thought I would as most classmates follow our blogs versus our individual wiki pages. I chose to create an introductory presentation on the geography and history of Michigan that would fit perfectly as an opening lesson for a Michigan history course.
It was fun looking back at my college notes, doing more research, and rediscovering our State's past. I hope you enjoy!
Tuesday, July 1, 2014
Making Summer Fun AND Educational
Recently I found a blog post come across my Feedly in regards to summer learning. The post, "Summer Learning Through Film" by Eileen Mattingly and found on Edutopia, brings up a great way to keep students engaged over the summer months.
We all know that students tend to lose information learned throughout the previous school year during summer vacation. While summer vacation is a much needed break from the everyday learning (and teaching!) for students and teachers, summer vacation can also be a time for students to stay engaged in something educational. And if students are going to be engaged in something educational over the summer months, it mind as well be through a medium that is entertaining -- film!
Whether on a raining day, or when you hear the inevitable 'I'm bored" phrase from your child, why not have them be entertained AND have them engage in learning at the same time?!? By using some of the suggestions that Mattingly presents in her blog post, you can be on your way to providing entertainment AND engagement to those you work with during the summer.
In her post, Mattingly goes on to list a few films that she recommends for viewing. These films are geared more towards upper-elementary and middle-school aged students but can be enjoyed by anyone. Mattingly also provides a link to a website that offers lessons plans to go along with each of the films she recommends. These films include: The Cup, Children of Heaven, The Way Home, Whale Rider, Please Vote for Me, and Like Stars on Earth. Each film is within the realm of world studies and global education; helping share the different cultures around the world. Check them out!
- Mattingly, Eileen. "Summer Learning Through Film". Edutopia 2 June 2014. Web. 01 July 2014.
We all know that students tend to lose information learned throughout the previous school year during summer vacation. While summer vacation is a much needed break from the everyday learning (and teaching!) for students and teachers, summer vacation can also be a time for students to stay engaged in something educational. And if students are going to be engaged in something educational over the summer months, it mind as well be through a medium that is entertaining -- film!
Whether on a raining day, or when you hear the inevitable 'I'm bored" phrase from your child, why not have them be entertained AND have them engage in learning at the same time?!? By using some of the suggestions that Mattingly presents in her blog post, you can be on your way to providing entertainment AND engagement to those you work with during the summer.
In her post, Mattingly goes on to list a few films that she recommends for viewing. These films are geared more towards upper-elementary and middle-school aged students but can be enjoyed by anyone. Mattingly also provides a link to a website that offers lessons plans to go along with each of the films she recommends. These films include: The Cup, Children of Heaven, The Way Home, Whale Rider, Please Vote for Me, and Like Stars on Earth. Each film is within the realm of world studies and global education; helping share the different cultures around the world. Check them out!
- Mattingly, Eileen. "Summer Learning Through Film". Edutopia 2 June 2014. Web. 01 July 2014.
Twitter: Don't Be Skeptical
Just like many other people, I was skeptical about hopping on the Twitter bandwagon. I had heard about it a few years ago from friends and family and was told to join up. Before signing up, I had asked a few people what the benefits of Twitter were. They had basically told me that it was just like Facebook, but that you could only write up to 140 characters for your "status update". Upon hearing this information, I decided that I already had a Facebook account and had no desire need to sign up for yet another social media site that only allowed you to write short posts. Boy was I wrong!
As a huge sports fan, I began to see more and more Twitter statuses on my favorite sports broadcasts. Whether I was watching the NBA Finals, Mike and Mike, or the Tiger's game, I kept hearing what people were saying on Twitter. I also saw how regular 'Joe Schmo' was getting his/her thoughts brought into the national conversation. Seeing this gave me the idea that 'hey, I can do this'! Before long, I was up and running on Twitter.
I quickly found Twitter to be AMAZING! Although I did not have many personal friends that I "followed" on Twitter, I was able to follow people/entities that were important to me. Before long, I was following all sorts of Twitter accounts. From ESPN, to Matthew Stafford, to CNN, to NPR, I was quickly getting new information before I could hear about it from my old means of finding new information -- TV, Radio, and various websites. By having a Twitter account and following the things I liked to know about, I could get news and information in real-time.
I also found that using the search feature in Twitter could give you instant access to whatever was going on in the world. Within a few days of signing up for Twitter, there was a movement going on in the Middle East that some termed the "Arab Spring". By simply searching for this term or individual countries that were involved, I could see first-hand accounts of what was happening on the ground in these regions in real-time. I remember being glued to my phone and looking at the updates during the Arab Spring. I would then watch the evening news to finally hear about something I heard on Twitter early that day, or possibly early that week. I also remember doing the same thing with the Boston Marathon bombing. My wife began to think I was the smartest man in the world having knowledge about everything that was on the news! Lol.
Besides getting updates on news and people/entities you care about, Twitter is a great tool for education. This year I created a school Twitter, or a Twitter account I would only use for my teaching job. Although it has not been a full year since I have signed up for this account, I am already seeing positives from it. I can quickly give out important information on upcoming deadlines and events, share and obtain interesting and relevant resources, and stay in contact with many of my students and their parents.
I am glad I jumped on the Twitter bandwagon and I hope you do too! Feel free to follow me at @MrTrevorRheaume
As a huge sports fan, I began to see more and more Twitter statuses on my favorite sports broadcasts. Whether I was watching the NBA Finals, Mike and Mike, or the Tiger's game, I kept hearing what people were saying on Twitter. I also saw how regular 'Joe Schmo' was getting his/her thoughts brought into the national conversation. Seeing this gave me the idea that 'hey, I can do this'! Before long, I was up and running on Twitter.
I quickly found Twitter to be AMAZING! Although I did not have many personal friends that I "followed" on Twitter, I was able to follow people/entities that were important to me. Before long, I was following all sorts of Twitter accounts. From ESPN, to Matthew Stafford, to CNN, to NPR, I was quickly getting new information before I could hear about it from my old means of finding new information -- TV, Radio, and various websites. By having a Twitter account and following the things I liked to know about, I could get news and information in real-time.
I also found that using the search feature in Twitter could give you instant access to whatever was going on in the world. Within a few days of signing up for Twitter, there was a movement going on in the Middle East that some termed the "Arab Spring". By simply searching for this term or individual countries that were involved, I could see first-hand accounts of what was happening on the ground in these regions in real-time. I remember being glued to my phone and looking at the updates during the Arab Spring. I would then watch the evening news to finally hear about something I heard on Twitter early that day, or possibly early that week. I also remember doing the same thing with the Boston Marathon bombing. My wife began to think I was the smartest man in the world having knowledge about everything that was on the news! Lol.
Besides getting updates on news and people/entities you care about, Twitter is a great tool for education. This year I created a school Twitter, or a Twitter account I would only use for my teaching job. Although it has not been a full year since I have signed up for this account, I am already seeing positives from it. I can quickly give out important information on upcoming deadlines and events, share and obtain interesting and relevant resources, and stay in contact with many of my students and their parents.
I am glad I jumped on the Twitter bandwagon and I hope you do too! Feel free to follow me at @MrTrevorRheaume
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
Article on Teaching Patriotism
How to Teach Patriotism and Respect by Ben Johnson and posted on the Edutopia webpage.
I found this post to be rather dull, but that it did go into a very important issue that many Americans believe is occurring today, a loss of patriotism.
The author of the post describes how younger and older students act during the reciting of the Pledge of Allegiance while at school. Younger students tend to recite the Pledge well, even if they are just emulating their teacher, while older students tend to not recite the Pledge when given the opportunity, or show a lack of respect while doing so (not standing up straight, not placing their hand over their heart, etc). The author then goes into how it is the teacher's role to teach patriotism to their students and that saying the Pledge of Allegiance is a way to showcase our patriotism.
I do remember attending elementary school and having to recite the Pledge. I am unaware if elementary schools in Michigan are still doing this (I teach secondary education) but I hope they still do. I agree with the author that the Pledge is a great was to show our patriotism. If anything else, saying the Pledge can lead to students thinking for themselves on what the Pledge is about and what it means to them.
However, I do believe that there is more to being patriotic than simply reciting essentially what are just words. I have seen many people waiving American flags, yet still do not believe in freedom (or individual rights) for all. I feel that a teacher needs to have students learn about our great country and what it means to be American, not just by learning a few words and reciting them daily. I would take a student knowing about the history of our country, and the various freedoms we do have, over them simply learning the Pledge verbatim without any meaning behind it.
I found this post to be rather dull, but that it did go into a very important issue that many Americans believe is occurring today, a loss of patriotism.
The author of the post describes how younger and older students act during the reciting of the Pledge of Allegiance while at school. Younger students tend to recite the Pledge well, even if they are just emulating their teacher, while older students tend to not recite the Pledge when given the opportunity, or show a lack of respect while doing so (not standing up straight, not placing their hand over their heart, etc). The author then goes into how it is the teacher's role to teach patriotism to their students and that saying the Pledge of Allegiance is a way to showcase our patriotism.
I do remember attending elementary school and having to recite the Pledge. I am unaware if elementary schools in Michigan are still doing this (I teach secondary education) but I hope they still do. I agree with the author that the Pledge is a great was to show our patriotism. If anything else, saying the Pledge can lead to students thinking for themselves on what the Pledge is about and what it means to them.
However, I do believe that there is more to being patriotic than simply reciting essentially what are just words. I have seen many people waiving American flags, yet still do not believe in freedom (or individual rights) for all. I feel that a teacher needs to have students learn about our great country and what it means to be American, not just by learning a few words and reciting them daily. I would take a student knowing about the history of our country, and the various freedoms we do have, over them simply learning the Pledge verbatim without any meaning behind it.
Chapter 1
I found chapter one of Will Richardson's book Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms to be of high quality. The chapter does a great job of providing an overview of how the internet has changed from a simple information-sharing of the few to a mass exchange of all types of information for the masses the internet is today.
The chapter also acknowledges that younger generations are using the internet far more than older generations. With younger generations using and having more experience utilizing the vast resources the internet has to offer, it is a 'no-brainer' that educators need to tap into this resource. Educators can now have students working on classroom assignments outside of the classroom. Educators can also monitor and provide feedback on these assignments in real-time.
I found a quote by Douglas Rushkoff to be of the utmost importance to how the internet has changed our culture. Rushkoff refers to this new age we live in as a "society of authorship" (Richardson p.5). In saying this, Rushkoff believes that today people are able to create their own everything. They can write their own blogs on whatever they deem to be important to them, they can comment on any other blog or article they seem fit, and can update their social status for the world to see.
I look forward to reading and learning more through Richardson's book!
- Richardson, W. Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms. 2010.
The chapter also acknowledges that younger generations are using the internet far more than older generations. With younger generations using and having more experience utilizing the vast resources the internet has to offer, it is a 'no-brainer' that educators need to tap into this resource. Educators can now have students working on classroom assignments outside of the classroom. Educators can also monitor and provide feedback on these assignments in real-time.
I found a quote by Douglas Rushkoff to be of the utmost importance to how the internet has changed our culture. Rushkoff refers to this new age we live in as a "society of authorship" (Richardson p.5). In saying this, Rushkoff believes that today people are able to create their own everything. They can write their own blogs on whatever they deem to be important to them, they can comment on any other blog or article they seem fit, and can update their social status for the world to see.
I look forward to reading and learning more through Richardson's book!
- Richardson, W. Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms. 2010.
Feedly Page With Class Blogs
Here is a snapshot of my Feedly account. So far I have created three groups to better organize my feeds. They are: EDU 653 Blogs, Education, and News. These groups are located on the left-hand side of the page.
As of this posting on 6/25/2014, I have subscribed to all 11 classmate's blogs (one of them being my own) that have had their links posted to Blackboard.
As of this posting on 6/25/2014, I have subscribed to all 11 classmate's blogs (one of them being my own) that have had their links posted to Blackboard.
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