Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Feedback of AR Website:
Subject: Re: Presentation Feedback
Sent By: Jessica Cruz On: December 1, 2010 11:48 PM
To: Sonya Davis-Russell
Feedback of AR Website:
You had a very interesting topic for your action research project. Initially I thought all our AR projects had to deal with use of technology and Web 2.0 applications. However, your AR allowed for opportunities where technology was used as a data collecting source. In addition, the site is organized in a very clear fashion. There is a good amount of video footage documenting the process and documenting target feedback. These videos are an additional source of data collection and they provide relevant details of the participants that speak to the purpose of the action research. A very interesting use of technology was in the data diaries. This was a very informative tool for viewers of your Website.
I have a question regarding your cycle III - when do you intend on launching that and how will it be different from Cycle I or Cycle II?
Another question, how would you consider integrating technology as a tool for your participants to use during cycle 3? Or would you? If not what is your rationale for this?
Lastly, just make sure before presentation day you have your summary completed. It is currently missing.
Let me know if there is any additional feedback or support you would like from me.
Best,
Jessica Cruz
Monday, December 6, 2010
Wk 4 Publishing Leadership Project Part 2 of 2
I have decided to publish my AR project with the Journal of Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia (JEMH). JEMH is designed to provide a multi-disciplinary forum to present and discuss research, development and applications of multimedia and hypermedia in education. The main goal of the Journal is to contribute to the advancement of the theory and practice of learning and teaching using powerful and promising technological tools that allow the integration of images, sound, text, and data.
Photo compliments from the JEMH website is used only for educational purposes.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Wk4 Publishing Leadership project part 1 of 2: Intro Paragraph
I am researching two sites to publish my Action Review; the first site with the Journal of Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia (JEMH) and second site is the Journal of Technology and Teacher Education (JTATE). I fell in love with both sites after looking at a few of the other ones. I feel that since I have had exposure to how creditable peer reviewed articles are, I would love to have my Literature Review hosted on either site. JEMH is designed to provide a multi-disciplinary forum to present and discuss research, development and applications of multimedia and hypermedia in education. The main goal of the Journal is to contribute to the advancement of the theory and practice of learning and teaching using powerful and promising technological tools that allow the integration of images, sound, text, and data.
JTATE serves as a forum for the exchange of knowledge about the use of information technology in teacher education. Journal content covers preservice and inservice teacher education, graduate programs in areas such as curriculum and instruction, educational administration, staff development instructional technology, and educational computing. JTATE is the official journal of the Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education (SITE).
PUBLISHING LEADERSHIP ARTICLE
Photos are compliments of the JEMH and JTATE websites and are used only for educational purposes.
Wk4 Free Post
I was wondering why people care so much about blogging and I don't. I just don't find it interesting enough with the amount of time it takes up out of my time to read other people's thoughts or comments. Personally, I haven't find a blog yet that has given me that "oh my God, this is the blog I've been searching for" feeling. I rather spend that time reading a great self help book or watching a gospel play than sitting in front of a computer blogging about my experiences or reading about someone else. I'm a people's person. I prefer to talk directly to a human and have instant gratification. The Bible tells us that the eyes are the windows to the soul. I truly believe that. When you look in the eyes of someone while conversing with them, a lot of the time you can tell if they are being truthful, genuine or just pulling your leg. It's really hard to judge that from a blog post. I am not knocking blogging. I simply don't find it interesting enough for me to sit down and do it faithfully or religiously every day. Maybe someday I'll get to that point but today is not that day. Happy blogging to all those who find it fascinating and for those of you like me who find it asinine, keep living the life that makes you happy; bloggers do!
Wk4 Wimba
I was able to attend the Wimba but didn't have time to present. I am meeting with a couple of classmates to share, give and get critique on the AR site. As soon as I get critiques from them, I will update this post.
Peer Reply
@ Jennifer Scioscio,
Wow, I know just how you feel about your school closing. When I was over seas in England, I taught in a Elementary school and the base closed down. I really liked it there. I’m sorry to hear that your school is closing. I know that you will take with you a wealth of expertise to your new school and your new principal and staff will wonder how they got along without you. Good luck at the new school.
Wow, I know just how you feel about your school closing. When I was over seas in England, I taught in a Elementary school and the base closed down. I really liked it there. I’m sorry to hear that your school is closing. I know that you will take with you a wealth of expertise to your new school and your new principal and staff will wonder how they got along without you. Good luck at the new school.
Wk4-2 DB Quickies: my dream teaching/presentation environment
Topic #2: What stands in between you and your dream job? Why do you deserve to work in a dream job environment? What do you bring to the table? Be specific.
The only problem I see that stands in the way of my dream job is that position is called a Technology Coach and just this past school year, half way through my EMDT program, my district down sized those positions. Most of the people with those jobs either had to go back into the classroom and still be Technology Coach or they had to find another job out side the district.
I feel that if I put in the time and effort in attaining a Master’s degree in EMDT to be called Highly Qualified in my district then I deserve the a shot at the position. After all, it’s the main reason I came back to school because it was the dream job I wanted. I learned more about incorporating media into lessons to increase student engagement. I had plans of sharing that with my students but also with other teachers throughout my district. I feel that learning new Web 2.0 tools that are proven student stimuli is what I can bring to the table. I have seen my students in my own classes participate more in learning when I have introduced Web 2.0 tools to them from the EMDT program that I was exposed to.
Photo is of two of my students giving a PowerPoint presentation on their internship experience.
Peer Reply
@ Treye Powell,
What a fantastic community project! I’ve often thought about speaking with our Sr. Citizen facilities manager in my area to offer basic computer courses to our Srs. You are very accurate when you say that many students don’t have access to PC’s or internet in the home. I run across that daily in my classroom. I hope your dream come to fruition. Good luck.
What a fantastic community project! I’ve often thought about speaking with our Sr. Citizen facilities manager in my area to offer basic computer courses to our Srs. You are very accurate when you say that many students don’t have access to PC’s or internet in the home. I run across that daily in my classroom. I hope your dream come to fruition. Good luck.
Wk4-1 DB Quickies: my dream teaching/presentation environment
Briefly share what your dream teaching or presentation environment would be like, be specific about what such a place would include (beyond just the tech toys).
My dream teaching environment would be to train teachers how to incorporate multimedia venues into their lessons. I picture a computer lab full of 20 Macs, a Smartboard, and twenty veteran teachers who are resistant to technology change. Patience has always been one of my strengths and I can see me being so patient with them allowing them their time to vent about why they shouldn’t have to complete the training and then forging forward training them how to use the technology. I like a challenge because I get bored really easily. Therefore, I need a constant change and challenge to keep my job interesting. What better way to maintain a challenge high than to train an old dog new tricks (figuratively speaking)!
Wk 3 Free Post
Today, I feel like I have made great strides in getting back on track with my AR project. I've been so frustrated with my AR Lit Review. I have had to submit it six times. The first 4 times were lack of supporting resources, the fifth time was resource citing issues and the sixth time was too much supporting resources. Thank God it's approved! I was about to through my laptop out the window.
Aside from that, I have decided that I really want to travel as a career and film documentaries opposed to sitting in the classroom. Using my EMDT degree, I'm better equipped now to go out and complete educational family documentaries through travel. That is my next big step. So GOD, please grant me the strength to keep my eyes on YOU when all doors appear closed to my dreams. I know YOU are the supplier of my heart's desire and not man. WATCH OUT WORLD, HERE I COME!
Wk3 Reading: Art of Possibility, Chapters 7- 9
After reading/skimming chapters 7-9 a couple items stood out for me; the first being "nature makes no judgement but humans do (pg. 105) and this reminds me of my father's saying that "there are no bad children, just bad parenting." People have a tendency to look at situations and call them bad. In biblical times, Jewish men could have more than one wife. Today, we look at that and say that's bigotry. If God was okay with it (if you believe in God), then why does man (humans) have to make things so complicated. Nature has a way of fixing itself without human input. We tend to make a mountain out of a mole hill.
Another eye catcher was the story of Beyond the F--- It. Life has a way of pushing you to your limits or what you might have thought was your limits. It's great to go beyond your breaking point sometimes. It teaches you that you are stronger, more capable of success than what you previously thought.
Zander, R.S. and Zander, B. (2000). The art of possibility. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.
Peer Reply
@ Tracy Alt,
Loved the DragonflyTV podcasts from PBS kids. It’s always great to find Web2.0 tools for the younger bunch. Keep up the great work.
Loved the DragonflyTV podcasts from PBS kids. It’s always great to find Web2.0 tools for the younger bunch. Keep up the great work.
Wk3 Discussion Deeper: Video Use in Education
List four or more video podcasts, list video sources (pages) and videos URLs that you believe can either help you or help your students. These video podcasts, video sources and streaming video should be directly connected to subject matter that you work on or an educational area of interest.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/series/techweekly
This is a great website that offers numerous podcasts on technology issues. The best part of this site is that it is actually a technology news site that turns their articles into podcasts. If you are too busy to read, just download them to your ipod and listen.
http://www.techpodcasts.com/
Here is another great tech podcast site. It talks about problems with technology like the iphone and other products. They give really great advice on how to purchase technology.
http://www.podbean.com
I love this site because it teaches students, educators, and the normal Joe how to create any type of podcast. It hosts them for the user for free or you can pay $4.95 per month to get the premium package. This sites helps beginners to become comfortable with podcast creation.
http://www.pcworld.com/video.html
This is a really cool site. It has video podcasts on it. I watched a video podcast about the bendable Oled screens by Samsung. This site talks about any type of world news about technology.
Peer Reply
@ Sanaa Okacha,
You are so right about colleagues having a hard time with basic computer operations. I teach computer courses at my school and I run into that a lot. As for the grading system, I feel that if nothing else, teachers should embrace it because it empowers the students and the parents when they have instant access to grades online. They can react quickly to correct any grades that are not satisfactory after the teacher has put them.
You are so right about colleagues having a hard time with basic computer operations. I teach computer courses at my school and I run into that a lot. As for the grading system, I feel that if nothing else, teachers should embrace it because it empowers the students and the parents when they have instant access to grades online. They can react quickly to correct any grades that are not satisfactory after the teacher has put them.
Wk3-2 DB Quickies: Difficulties starting new programs/breaking the norm
Topic #2: Why do you think educators are so resistant to change, especially when it comes to technology? How do other institutions, such as business, deal with technological change?
I believe educators become so resistant to change is because they don’t want to have to learn yet another program just to have it put by the waist side of all the previous ones implemented by the district. Many times we are asked to use a program in our curriculum and then before it has really been given a fair chance to see if it works or has made a different in the lives of the students and or educators, the district comes in and either scrap it or add yet another component.
Another reason I believe teachers have a hard time with change is simply because it takes them out of their comfort zone. Instead of feeling empowered, they feel like the student who doesn’t understand the concept and is destine for failure. It’s more of not being in control of what you know or have learned in the past to help insure success with the new program. Learning a new technology program is always scary even for us techies.
Concerning businesses implementation of new technology, they just do it. If your not on board with the new changes and programs within the organization, then begin to update your resume.
Peer Reply
November 21, 2010 at 3:33 pm
@ Shannon Gillett,
What a great idea to have students peer teach. I am so glad that your students didn’t fail you and rose to the occasion. All they crave is to be heard, encouraged, and pushed a little and you gave them all the tools to be a success for that project. However, we all have to deal with those veteran teachers who don’t want to welcome the new era of change. Hang in there. I have been in education more than 12 years now and the one thing I pray for as long as I stay in education is for God never allow me the strength to block change and growth.
@ Shannon Gillett,
What a great idea to have students peer teach. I am so glad that your students didn’t fail you and rose to the occasion. All they crave is to be heard, encouraged, and pushed a little and you gave them all the tools to be a success for that project. However, we all have to deal with those veteran teachers who don’t want to welcome the new era of change. Hang in there. I have been in education more than 12 years now and the one thing I pray for as long as I stay in education is for God never allow me the strength to block change and growth.
Wk3-1 DB Quickies: Difficulties starting new programs/breaking the norm
Briefly share any experiences you’ve had when you’ve had a part in introducing a new program or a new way to do things at your job site. Please share any triumphs or frustrations you’ve had trying to improve the system or when you’ve pioneered or piloted some outside the norm.
I was once commissioned to research secondary academies and their internship programs, create an internship program at my school and both run and implement it. It was a great process, implementation went smoother than I had anticipated and I learned a lot. The problem came when I began pitching my research and the benefits it would have for the students in my academy, I ran into opposition with a teacher who was in charge of our DCT program which is the vocational co-op program that students can participate in their Sr. year. In this program, students could leave school early to go to their jobs and receive course credit for working on the job. The teacher felt that it would over shadow her program and thus created minimum sabotage to keep my program from succeeding. When she found out that it would be in addition to her program and not to replace her program, she reluctantly had to accept that it would be a part of our curriculum.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Wk2 Free Blog
This week's free blog is about how tired I am due to working a full time job, staying twice a week after school to tutor students, and work on Saturdays for our Saturday School to help students pass the FCAT! On top of all of that, I have a husband and three children who demand my time the minute I walk through the door. Lastly, let's not forget that I am in month 11 at Full Sail University working on my Master's in Education Media Design and Technology. My AR website is due tonight and I still have so much work to get done on it. I sometimes wonder why all of a sudden it life seems so stressful when just a few short months ago life seemed so easy, too easy to be exact. Anyway, I'm suffering from a lack of sleep because I got up two hours early to catch my plane to a conference and forgot to set my clocks back and now I have jet lag to add to a lack of sleep. I'm going to pass out if I don't get this done soon.
Wk2 Reading: Art of Possibility, ch 4-6
This is such a deja-vue moment with this chapter. I am heading to the National Career Academy in TX and after getting on the train at the Atlanta airport, it begins to jerk as it begins to move forward. I quickly held on along with my group who was traveling with me. We were not expecting the train to jerk so hard on take off. So as all of us scramble trying to catch our balance, I said "man, they didn't even give me time to learn how to poll dance" and my crowd and others who were on the train broke out in loud laughter after my statement. You see, we could hold on to the polls bolted to the ceiling and floor of the train or the hand hoops hanging from the ceiling. Due to the fact I'm short anyway, I grabbed the nearest one closest to me to keep from falling and it just happened to be the poll.
In their book, the Zander's talk about rule 6 which is "Don't Take Yourself So Goddamn Seriously and that's really how I try to view life. I try to find humor in everything I do because it makes me feel good and when I feel good, I make the people around me feel good. I use to always wonder why I attracted all these mean people into my circle. I'm referring to those people who always start an argument when someone looks at them wrong and make comments like "I hope you find what you're looking for" all sarcastically. They always end up trying to be my friend. I really don't want to befriend them because they are so mean to other people and I am just not that kind of a person. I want to love everyone and see the best in everyone so I can't fathom being rude and mean to people. Anyway, I remember asking another one of my co-workers to shield me from that co-worker who is famous for starting silly arguments for no reason. Then she asked me why I was trying to hide from her and I told her because the other co-worker embarrasses me when she treat people rudely in my presence. She then stated that the only reason she is drawn to you is because she would love to have your sense of humor and love for people but she don't know how; so she hang around you so she can laugh because no one wants to hang around her. That got me to thinking...there appeared to be some truth in what she had said. I observe this mean co-worker of mine laughing only when she was around me. Even though I really don't want to hang with her because of her behavior, I still don't treat her any different than I would someone else. Whereas other co-workers would frown and walk away when she came near which made her even madder. I'm really appreciative that they wrote a section on humor.
In their book, the Zander's talk about rule 6 which is "Don't Take Yourself So Goddamn Seriously and that's really how I try to view life. I try to find humor in everything I do because it makes me feel good and when I feel good, I make the people around me feel good. I use to always wonder why I attracted all these mean people into my circle. I'm referring to those people who always start an argument when someone looks at them wrong and make comments like "I hope you find what you're looking for" all sarcastically. They always end up trying to be my friend. I really don't want to befriend them because they are so mean to other people and I am just not that kind of a person. I want to love everyone and see the best in everyone so I can't fathom being rude and mean to people. Anyway, I remember asking another one of my co-workers to shield me from that co-worker who is famous for starting silly arguments for no reason. Then she asked me why I was trying to hide from her and I told her because the other co-worker embarrasses me when she treat people rudely in my presence. She then stated that the only reason she is drawn to you is because she would love to have your sense of humor and love for people but she don't know how; so she hang around you so she can laugh because no one wants to hang around her. That got me to thinking...there appeared to be some truth in what she had said. I observe this mean co-worker of mine laughing only when she was around me. Even though I really don't want to hang with her because of her behavior, I still don't treat her any different than I would someone else. Whereas other co-workers would frown and walk away when she came near which made her even madder. I'm really appreciative that they wrote a section on humor.
Top 10 Free Computer Programs Everyone Should Have 2010-06-14 #77
http://libsyn.com/media/homenetworkhelpinfo/2010-06-14-HomeNetworkHelpInfo.mp3
This podcast lists the top 10 free computer programs everyone should have. This podcast was pondered by The HomeNetworkHelp.Info website and the podcast by GoToMeeting.com
This site also gives students and teachers promo codes to try out the computer programs free for 40 days.
Leo Laporte - The Tech Guy 715
http://www.twit.tv/ttgCommercial free radio show turned podcast. This one is on how to create a home theater which students love.
New Technology For Growing Businesses by Staci Wood Nov. 2, 2010
http://www.smbtrendwire.com/
Anita Campbell is the host of Small Business Trends Radio Show and does a dial talk with experts about the latest technology trends for small businesses.
Maccast 2010.11.05
http://feeds.feedburner.com/maccast
Maccast Jam is a Podcast about all things MacIntosh. This podcasts is a free for all, no agenda podcast about Macs that was created by Adam Christianson. Christianson gives a lot of great tips about how to utilized your Mac to it’s max. He brings on new experts every podcasts to talk about what’s new with Mac. This one features author Clayton Morris.
@ Laura Sawyer,
You really found some great pod casts. Keep up the great work.
http://libsyn.com/media/homenetworkhelpinfo/2010-06-14-HomeNetworkHelpInfo.mp3
This podcast lists the top 10 free computer programs everyone should have. This podcast was pondered by The HomeNetworkHelp.Info website and the podcast by GoToMeeting.com
This site also gives students and teachers promo codes to try out the computer programs free for 40 days.
Leo Laporte - The Tech Guy 715
http://www.twit.tv/ttgCommercial free radio show turned podcast. This one is on how to create a home theater which students love.
New Technology For Growing Businesses by Staci Wood Nov. 2, 2010
http://www.smbtrendwire.com/
Anita Campbell is the host of Small Business Trends Radio Show and does a dial talk with experts about the latest technology trends for small businesses.
Maccast 2010.11.05
http://feeds.feedburner.com/maccast
Maccast Jam is a Podcast about all things MacIntosh. This podcasts is a free for all, no agenda podcast about Macs that was created by Adam Christianson. Christianson gives a lot of great tips about how to utilized your Mac to it’s max. He brings on new experts every podcasts to talk about what’s new with Mac. This one features author Clayton Morris.
@ Laura Sawyer,
You really found some great pod casts. Keep up the great work.
Wk2 - 2 DB Quickies: CD Ownership, Music Sharing or Spontaneous Listening
Topic A: Do you remember the first song/artist that touched you on an emotional level, not just a catchy tune, but something that sank in under the skin?
The first song that really touched me on an emotional level and sank under my skin was "A Home Is Not A Home" by the great, late Luther Vandross. I remember my mother crying once when I was little after she and my father had an argument. I later found out that my father was moving out of our home and they were no longer going to be together. That song came on on the radio and my mother broke down into tears. It was the words to the song that made me cry shortly after missing my father. Even as a little girl of age six, the words to that song was so profound and the message was loud and clear.
@ Jeff, I don't mind so much buying an album with the same song but what does bother me is buying an album with the same song being song by another artist. If an artist is going to remake an oldie but goodie, at least make it better than the first.
The first song that really touched me on an emotional level and sank under my skin was "A Home Is Not A Home" by the great, late Luther Vandross. I remember my mother crying once when I was little after she and my father had an argument. I later found out that my father was moving out of our home and they were no longer going to be together. That song came on on the radio and my mother broke down into tears. It was the words to the song that made me cry shortly after missing my father. Even as a little girl of age six, the words to that song was so profound and the message was loud and clear.
@ Jeff, I don't mind so much buying an album with the same song but what does bother me is buying an album with the same song being song by another artist. If an artist is going to remake an oldie but goodie, at least make it better than the first.
Wk2 - 1 DB Quickies: CD Ownership, Music Sharing or Spontaneous Listening
I love listening to Gospel music, the Blues, Country, well just about everything except Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, and Gangster Rap. Everything else is music to my ears. Truly I am a CD collector. I still have my cassette tapes from my early years and still play them. My all time favorite though is Gospel. I can’t get enough of it.
@ Louise Cooper,
We have a lot in common with the types of musics we love to listen to. However, your 2500 collection make mine look like I’m just a baby at down loading music.
@ Louise Cooper,
We have a lot in common with the types of musics we love to listen to. However, your 2500 collection make mine look like I’m just a baby at down loading music.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Wk 1 Wimba Reflection
After listening to the Wk1 Wimba archives, I heard a lot of talk about the Thesis project. Then I realized that there must be two different ones since I am not a part of the Thesis project. After listening to the correct one, I heard a lot of great, helpful information on the AR Web site criteria. It's really over whelming but I'm up for the challenge.
Wk 1 Free Post
This week's free post is on the frustrations of having to re-write for the fourth time my Lit. Review. I am so upset that I haven't gotten this right yet. However, I'm am so happy right now for the people who have completed theirs. I know now what they have had to go through when they make comments like "I and so glad my Lit. Review has finally been approved." I am so looking forward to when I can say those exact same words.
@ Maritza Layport on Chapters 1-3
READING ASSIGNMENT: ART OF POSSIBILITY CHAPTERS 1-3
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2010
Maritza writes: Thinking outside the box is a common phrase to show our desire as humans to believe there are answers to our questions that have not yet been explored. I see it as “if you always do the same thing, you’ll always get the same result”. By being aware of these thoughts, with a little practice, I can release myself from the paradigm of the same responses to the same situations.
I believe thoughts lead to words and words lead to doing. A recent book I read explained in simple terms that all thoughts lead to creation, if we let them. By viewing challenges in life as opportunities to grow and adapt, we create. I now understand that I can apply this to many situations and relationships personal or professional.
The world offers endless possibilities. It has not been “all invented”. By measuring our achievements by that of others we will very often think less of ourselves. It is true that all things are possible. The great thinkers throughout history have told us this and the majority refuses to believe it or feel we are not as capable as some. Things do appear different when you see them as possibilities.
To ask one’s self, “are my thoughts and actions at this time a reflection of the world, or are they my own original thoughts?”, takes practice. We are not accustomed to believing and living as if we really have choices in life. Anything we do is a “choice”. If a problem bothers me it is because I “choose” to let it bother me. When I take control of my thoughts in this manner I begin to ignore the boundaries that confine me to what I viewed as everyday reality.
My Reply: Maritza,
I totally agree with you on several comments you made pertaining to our reading. The first is thinking outside the box. I believe that in order for us to progress and not become stalemate we must re-invent ourselves sot that we are sharp and on top of our game. It's hard to motivate others when we ourselves are not motivated. Secondly, our thought patterns must govern who we are, what we think and feel. We can not allow the world to validate us on any level. We must self evaluate and improve in those areas that need improvement. Sure, it's okay to receive feed and criticism from others but at the same token, they must not govern our lives. We have the final say in our progress. Excellent observation.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2010
Maritza writes: Thinking outside the box is a common phrase to show our desire as humans to believe there are answers to our questions that have not yet been explored. I see it as “if you always do the same thing, you’ll always get the same result”. By being aware of these thoughts, with a little practice, I can release myself from the paradigm of the same responses to the same situations.
I believe thoughts lead to words and words lead to doing. A recent book I read explained in simple terms that all thoughts lead to creation, if we let them. By viewing challenges in life as opportunities to grow and adapt, we create. I now understand that I can apply this to many situations and relationships personal or professional.
The world offers endless possibilities. It has not been “all invented”. By measuring our achievements by that of others we will very often think less of ourselves. It is true that all things are possible. The great thinkers throughout history have told us this and the majority refuses to believe it or feel we are not as capable as some. Things do appear different when you see them as possibilities.
To ask one’s self, “are my thoughts and actions at this time a reflection of the world, or are they my own original thoughts?”, takes practice. We are not accustomed to believing and living as if we really have choices in life. Anything we do is a “choice”. If a problem bothers me it is because I “choose” to let it bother me. When I take control of my thoughts in this manner I begin to ignore the boundaries that confine me to what I viewed as everyday reality.
My Reply: Maritza,
I totally agree with you on several comments you made pertaining to our reading. The first is thinking outside the box. I believe that in order for us to progress and not become stalemate we must re-invent ourselves sot that we are sharp and on top of our game. It's hard to motivate others when we ourselves are not motivated. Secondly, our thought patterns must govern who we are, what we think and feel. We can not allow the world to validate us on any level. We must self evaluate and improve in those areas that need improvement. Sure, it's okay to receive feed and criticism from others but at the same token, they must not govern our lives. We have the final say in our progress. Excellent observation.
Wk1: Art Of Possibility Chapters 1-3 Reading
The most profound section of this book came from chapter 2 thus far. This chapter took me back to a time early last year when I was struggling with dealing with measurement scores published by our District that in my opinion were not a reflection of who I was as a teacher. I'll share some back ground knowledge about how data is read in my district. In my school, we are grouped into Small Learning Communities (SLCs) where we share the a common group of students. How I am graded as a teacher is based on the FCAT scores and mini assessments given to our SLC students. The problem is, the Florida Comprehensive Achievement Test (FCAT) measures Reading, Writing, Math, and Science, all core classes. I'm a Technology teacher who teach students how to utilized technology and my courses fall under electives. When a student does not do well on the mini assessments or FCAT, I am lump in the group with core teachers who's primary job is to teach, re-teach, and prepare students for the Reading, Writing, Math, and Science portions of the exam which I do not teach. There are times when I'm teaching Microsoft Word application and I give the students an essay assignment on how to format the document but I'm not necessarily teaching them how to write an essay, just how to format the essay in an application. Maybe I'm teaching them how to include a formula in an Excel Spreadsheet to add several columns together, but I'm not teaching them math equations per-say on how to solve say a quadratic equation.
Chapter 2 reminded me of a prayer I prayed after I saw the workshops that I had to attend after data showed that the our SLC students failed to show gains on the assessments or FCAT. I had to attend the workshops because I was a part of SLC team. My prayer was to be delivered from what other people and assessments stated about my teaching skills. I no longer allow conventional performance and achievement measurement, competition, or comparison to other teachers to trouble my thought process. I love this new found freedom. I like Benjamin Zander's comment on how he measures his success by the sparkling eyes all around him (TED). I measure myself by the number of students who I have to run out of my classroom back to their classroom on a daily basis because they are not engaged enough in their other courses and trust me when I say it's a lot of students.
The Art of Possibility, by Benjamin and Rosamund Zander
@ Terrie Whitley
Terrie Whitley writes: October 25, 2010 at 4:30 pm
My district received a T-3 Grant at the middle of the year last year. Through that grant, all classrooms received Promethean Boards, projectors, and each teacher got a Toshiba laptop. (I use my MAC, though…I like it better.) I also have an ELMO in my room. I haven’t used the Promethean Board…no time to put the lessons together, but I do use the projector a lot with my lessons and the things I create to go along with them. The district is trying to step up, but the trainers are not near a “savy” with technology as the Full Sail instructors. That makes whole Saturdays being given up for the trainings irritating to say the least.
My reply: That was great! Your grant provided a lot of expensive technology equipment. I’m wondering if the grant is offered only to your school district (which by the way is located in what state and city) or can other school districts apply for that grant.
My district received a T-3 Grant at the middle of the year last year. Through that grant, all classrooms received Promethean Boards, projectors, and each teacher got a Toshiba laptop. (I use my MAC, though…I like it better.) I also have an ELMO in my room. I haven’t used the Promethean Board…no time to put the lessons together, but I do use the projector a lot with my lessons and the things I create to go along with them. The district is trying to step up, but the trainers are not near a “savy” with technology as the Full Sail instructors. That makes whole Saturdays being given up for the trainings irritating to say the least.
My reply: That was great! Your grant provided a lot of expensive technology equipment. I’m wondering if the grant is offered only to your school district (which by the way is located in what state and city) or can other school districts apply for that grant.
Wk1-2 DB Quickies: DIY Classroom/Presentation Solutions
Topic #2: Tech in your workplace: How has your workplace kept up with tech or not kept up with tech? What kinds of tech things have you bought to use in your classroom/presentation? Please give examples (and have a little fun with the idea…).
My District here in Florida is three years behind in technology. We just received Microsoft Office 2007 at the end of 2009-10 school year. There is simply not enough money in the budget to keep up with technology. I personally haven’t bought any technology equipment to use in my class but I attended a workshop at another school last year and saw that they had SmartBoards. I requested a SmartBoard from my district through a letter stating how I would use it in the classroom and how it would better engage student learning. I received one a few months later after I wrote the letter.
My District here in Florida is three years behind in technology. We just received Microsoft Office 2007 at the end of 2009-10 school year. There is simply not enough money in the budget to keep up with technology. I personally haven’t bought any technology equipment to use in my class but I attended a workshop at another school last year and saw that they had SmartBoards. I requested a SmartBoard from my district through a letter stating how I would use it in the classroom and how it would better engage student learning. I received one a few months later after I wrote the letter.
@ Aminah Bilal
October 25, 2010 at 11:45 pm
Aminah Bilal writes: In Cycle 1 of my ARP I had several difficulties that I had to overcome and my students were able to move past their frustrations and developed patience and stamina! It is turning out to be a challenging yet very rewarding experience.
My reply: It's always great to see that even though AR projects become very challenging, there are others working with you to help keep you motivated. Sounds like you have excellent students.
Aminah Bilal writes: In Cycle 1 of my ARP I had several difficulties that I had to overcome and my students were able to move past their frustrations and developed patience and stamina! It is turning out to be a challenging yet very rewarding experience.
My reply: It's always great to see that even though AR projects become very challenging, there are others working with you to help keep you motivated. Sounds like you have excellent students.
Wk1-1 DB Quickies: DIY Classroom/Presentation Solutions
Topic #1: Briefly share an experience about using media (visual and/or auditory) in class or during a presentation, focus your comment on any work-arounds or solutions you used when the tech wasn’t quite working or when the tech wasn’t adequate to do what you had originally planned.
This past October 11, 2010, we were having a District visit due to our low school grade of a “D”. On the day of the visit, my internet connection failed on my laptop during instruction. I was using my SmartBoard and having the students complete an interactive computer component placement when my internet quick working. I was using a online program to generate the lesson. I quickly plugged my LCD projector into a student workstation close to the front of the room. Five minutes later, District observers came in to observe the lesson. I wasn’t able to use my SmartBoard because the SmartBoard software wasn’t installed on the student work station. I had students instead, come to the workstation to complete the activties. The District workers never new the difference.
This past October 11, 2010, we were having a District visit due to our low school grade of a “D”. On the day of the visit, my internet connection failed on my laptop during instruction. I was using my SmartBoard and having the students complete an interactive computer component placement when my internet quick working. I was using a online program to generate the lesson. I quickly plugged my LCD projector into a student workstation close to the front of the room. Five minutes later, District observers came in to observe the lesson. I wasn’t able to use my SmartBoard because the SmartBoard software wasn’t installed on the student work station. I had students instead, come to the workstation to complete the activties. The District workers never new the difference.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
BP12_2010033_One Minute Message #2
All images were taken from the Sparknotes website covered under the fair use copyright law.
BP10_2010033_Link to Froiland's Blog
Here is the link to my comment on Froiland Natividad's blog Kindersite.org.
Screenshot compliments of Kindersite.org from Froiland's blog.
Friday, March 26, 2010
BP9_2010033_Web2.0Tool3_SPARKNOTES
OH MY SPARKNOTES! What a great Web 2.0 website for students, parents, and educators! I was so impressed with this site that I immediately had my 11th and 8th grade sons sign up for a free account. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gotten asked by my sons what’s going on in books they’re reading in their Language Arts courses or Math courses that they can’t understand. Just recently, my 11th grader told me that he has no idea what Nathaniel Hawthorne is talking about in his book The Scarlet Letter. Well guess what? I couldn’t remember myself because I hadn’t read The Scarlet Letter since I was in high school some 20+ years ago but now I remember, thanks to Sparknotes.
Sparknotes is an online Web 2.0 tool that’s free to anyone who may need a memory refresher or recall on just about any subject or book. Sparknotes provides cliff notes on just about any educational book used in any course (Biography, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Drama, Economics, Film, Health, History, Literature, Math, plus many more) (Sparknotes, 2010).
I clicked on the Math cliff notes, then on Order of Operations just to see what kind of information it would give me. WOW! It gave me an introduction of what Order of Operations was and then it explained what an expression was. It was so detailed. Lastly, it gave me step-by-step instructions on how to work out an Order of Operations problem with explanations and a review. Physics; my son is struggling with that subject so we clicked on the subject area that he was studying and there it was, Linear Momentum (screen shops compliment of Sparknotes).
Sparknotes offers so much more though. It offers guides with in-depth summaries on any subject of confusion, blogs, SAT, ACT, & AP test prep, Flashcards to help you study in any subject, Miss Marm (the writing expert), Spark Tests (fun IQ tests, love tests, facts tests, etc.) and SparkLife (funny blogs on how to stay on top of your game). You can even follow Sparknotes on Facebook and Twitter (Sparknotes, 2010).
I have already shared this site with my family, my students and entire high school staff and now you. Won’t you give it a try? I promise you’ll be blown away with amazement! Oh, I forgot to tell you…Sparknotes shows you how to cite any reference from their site, APA style! I told you it was a great tool! Check it out at this SPARKNOTES LINK.
Sparknotes. (2010, March 20). Linear momentum. Retrieved from
http://www.sparknotes.com/physics/linearmomentum/conservationofm
omentum
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Sunday, March 14, 2010
BP5_2010032_Web2.0Tool2_Flickr
I decided to kill two birds with one stone when I signed up for my Flickr account. I have heard the word Flickr a couple of times in connection with photos from my colleagues but I really didn’t stop to ask them about it. When asked to explore and research another Web2.0 tool, I chose Flicker because I wanted to learn about it, what it was, and how could I use it personally and professionally. Flickr brags about being the best online photo management and sharing application in the world. Flickr also offer it’s service for free but a client can purchase a ProAccount for added features for about $2.00 a month.
Flickr was created by Ludicorp and launched in February 2004 (Ludicorp, 2004). Flickr gives the client solution to organize the many digital photos they take on any given day while allowing the clients friends, family, and other contacts permission to organize the client’s photos by tagging them, adding comments, and notes (Ludicorp, 2004).
Flickr has two goals: 1) showing it’s users how they can better manage their photo/video content to share it with anyone who matters and, 2) show their users how to manage their online photos and videos.
Creating a Flickr account was so easy and it also works through FaceBook. After I created my account, I uploaded my photos. However, there was a problem with my upload. I read that Flickr allows it’s clients to upload batches of photos stored in a file or folder and that’s what I did. I uploaded a whole folder of about 180 photos. I learned that there is a 100MB limit on photos you can store a month. The great thing about this feature is that Flickr will highlight your photos with the largest MB so it would be easier for the client to delete them.
One way I would use my Flickr account in my classes is to set up an account that only my students can have access to. I can have them create their own account and have them share their photos they took during a resent class field trip to Islands of Adventure. They can tag, make notes, and comments on each other’s photos. Since this trip was about the hiring processes of the park, the students were able to complete mock interviews with the Human Resource staff, look at some differences between a poorly written resume and an exceptionally written resume, and the wow factor of first impressions, the students can label what phase of the hiring process they were in when their photo was take.
This is a great Web2.0 tool to use in the classroom. I will be implementing it very soon.
Ludicorp., . (2004, February). A Simple guide to flickr. Retrieved from http://theroxor.com/2009/06/09/a-simple-guide-to-flickr/
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Monday, March 8, 2010
BP3_2010031_Web2.0Tool1_FotobabbleInc
FOTOBABBLE
After researching the many Web 2.0 Tools and Applications, I finally decided on Fotobabble because it seemed to be the best application to introduce to my students. My students are always taking photos on their cellular phones and digital cameras and uploading them to the computers in my lab. They use their photos as their screen savers. Sometimes they upload inappropriate photos like students with their middle fingers pointing up suggesting foul language, or pictures of famous actors and actresses half naked. Of course I make them change them.
What is Fotobabble? Fotobabble is an application that allows anyone to turn photos into talking photos. A student can create a talking photo in a matter of seconds with just a couple of clicks. They don’t have to purchase any special equipment or software. Fotobabble is a completely free web-based application. Students just upload their favorite photo, record their voice and share their talking photo through e-mail, Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, or they can embed it into a blog or website (Fotobabble -0.6.8, 2010). However, an account must be established before getting started and that only takes seconds too.
I couldn’t believe how easy it was to learn Fotobabble. I began to think how could I make student learning relevant in my business course using the photos the students already had. Then it hit me; they already have to create a small company as one of their projects this quarter so why not bump up the time line a few weeks.
Every year or so, I go through my old lesson plan notebook to see what projects were a success and what ones I needed to tweek. Creating a Small Company always seemed to be a good one to use but I’ve mostly had them create PowerPoints to share their companies. Even I was getting bored with PowerPoint. So this year I want to see how it will work using Fotobabble. The instructions are as follows:
Introduction
Student Task
Your task is to break up into groups of seven (7) students. Each person will have to choose one of the following roles: President, VP-Marketing, VP-Production, VP-Finance, VP-Human Resources, VP-Public Relations, and an Alternant Record Keeper (who will fill the vacant role if someone leaves the group) and lastly the Board of Directors consist of all of you collaborating together to make important decisions.
After filling each role, your team of executives will come up with a product or service to sell of your choice and the price at which it will sell for. You will also create a snap shop Business Plan for your company. Finally you will discuss ways in which you will raise capital to start you organization. All information must be presented in a Fotobabble presentation.
Questions that must be answered by each department are as follows:
1. What is my primary role and responsibilities in the organization and what is the responsibility of the Board of Directors? (All Departments)
2. President – What procedures should be used when more than one person wants to speak during a meeting? What type of reports/letters must you make known to the public, to your stockholders?
http://www.hvacrbusiness.com/issue/article/176/three_distinct_roles_define_the_effective_company_president.aspx
3. Human Resources – What is a compensation Plan? What are the Administrative Records? What payroll information does your department deal with?
http://www.businesstown.com/people/compensation-plans.asp
4. Production – What will be your product’s packaging/label? What safety guidelines should your company have to take into consideration?
5. Marketing – What type of advertising and publicity campaigns will you use to promote your product (word-of-mouth, commercials, billboards, radio, internet, posters, etc.)? How will you keep up with inventory and where will it be housed?
6. Finance Department – What are financial statements (i.e. Income Statement, Balance Sheet)? What role does your department play in Payroll? What taxes are your department/company responsible for withholding?
7. Public Relations – How will you attract and retain your customers? What are a few ways to handle negative opposition from your product (ex. if your product harms a customer or another company says that you stole their idea)?
Summary
In summary students should have a general idea of what departments an organization has and its duties to the organization, and what it takes to run a company. Some web links have been provided to get students started. Continue to find references to aid in your Fotobabble presentations.
Deliverables: Students must submit talking photos presentation created in Fotobabble to share their findings with other groups in the class.
Another Educational Use
I can really see this as a wonderful educational tool for groups especially. Let’s talk about Googledocs for example; Googledocs allow multiple users to work collaborative on one document in real time, from any location, whether it is in the form of a Word document, PowerPoint, or Spread Sheet application. Just think if multiple students worked on the same project and would never have to meet in one location to complete their assignment just like in Googledocs except they use Fotobabble. They could take pictures, screenshots, or scanned images of artwork, a Word document, PowerPoint slide, or even a Spread Sheet and add commentary behind them with their thoughts and ideas as how to incorporate them into their projects. Want to know what else makes this a great application; it’s a time saver! We talk faster than we type. With a scripted document in place, projects can be completed in less than half the time it would take to type it up. I will recommend this program to everyone I know who uses computers and digital photos.
References
Fotobabble, inc. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.fotobabble.com/
Managing people-compensation. (2003). Retrieved from
http://www.businesstown.com/people/compensation-plans.asp
Smith, R. (2010). Three distinct roles define the effective company
president. HVACRBUSINESS, Retrieved from
http://www.hvacrbusiness.com/issue/article/176/three_distinct_roles_
define_the_effective_company_president.aspx
After researching the many Web 2.0 Tools and Applications, I finally decided on Fotobabble because it seemed to be the best application to introduce to my students. My students are always taking photos on their cellular phones and digital cameras and uploading them to the computers in my lab. They use their photos as their screen savers. Sometimes they upload inappropriate photos like students with their middle fingers pointing up suggesting foul language, or pictures of famous actors and actresses half naked. Of course I make them change them.
What is Fotobabble? Fotobabble is an application that allows anyone to turn photos into talking photos. A student can create a talking photo in a matter of seconds with just a couple of clicks. They don’t have to purchase any special equipment or software. Fotobabble is a completely free web-based application. Students just upload their favorite photo, record their voice and share their talking photo through e-mail, Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, or they can embed it into a blog or website (Fotobabble -0.6.8, 2010). However, an account must be established before getting started and that only takes seconds too.
I couldn’t believe how easy it was to learn Fotobabble. I began to think how could I make student learning relevant in my business course using the photos the students already had. Then it hit me; they already have to create a small company as one of their projects this quarter so why not bump up the time line a few weeks.
Every year or so, I go through my old lesson plan notebook to see what projects were a success and what ones I needed to tweek. Creating a Small Company always seemed to be a good one to use but I’ve mostly had them create PowerPoints to share their companies. Even I was getting bored with PowerPoint. So this year I want to see how it will work using Fotobabble. The instructions are as follows:
Introduction
Student Task
Your task is to break up into groups of seven (7) students. Each person will have to choose one of the following roles: President, VP-Marketing, VP-Production, VP-Finance, VP-Human Resources, VP-Public Relations, and an Alternant Record Keeper (who will fill the vacant role if someone leaves the group) and lastly the Board of Directors consist of all of you collaborating together to make important decisions.
After filling each role, your team of executives will come up with a product or service to sell of your choice and the price at which it will sell for. You will also create a snap shop Business Plan for your company. Finally you will discuss ways in which you will raise capital to start you organization. All information must be presented in a Fotobabble presentation.
Questions that must be answered by each department are as follows:
1. What is my primary role and responsibilities in the organization and what is the responsibility of the Board of Directors? (All Departments)
2. President – What procedures should be used when more than one person wants to speak during a meeting? What type of reports/letters must you make known to the public, to your stockholders?
http://www.hvacrbusiness.com/issue/article/176/three_distinct_roles_define_the_effective_company_president.aspx
3. Human Resources – What is a compensation Plan? What are the Administrative Records? What payroll information does your department deal with?
http://www.businesstown.com/people/compensation-plans.asp
4. Production – What will be your product’s packaging/label? What safety guidelines should your company have to take into consideration?
5. Marketing – What type of advertising and publicity campaigns will you use to promote your product (word-of-mouth, commercials, billboards, radio, internet, posters, etc.)? How will you keep up with inventory and where will it be housed?
6. Finance Department – What are financial statements (i.e. Income Statement, Balance Sheet)? What role does your department play in Payroll? What taxes are your department/company responsible for withholding?
7. Public Relations – How will you attract and retain your customers? What are a few ways to handle negative opposition from your product (ex. if your product harms a customer or another company says that you stole their idea)?
Summary
In summary students should have a general idea of what departments an organization has and its duties to the organization, and what it takes to run a company. Some web links have been provided to get students started. Continue to find references to aid in your Fotobabble presentations.
Deliverables: Students must submit talking photos presentation created in Fotobabble to share their findings with other groups in the class.
Another Educational Use
I can really see this as a wonderful educational tool for groups especially. Let’s talk about Googledocs for example; Googledocs allow multiple users to work collaborative on one document in real time, from any location, whether it is in the form of a Word document, PowerPoint, or Spread Sheet application. Just think if multiple students worked on the same project and would never have to meet in one location to complete their assignment just like in Googledocs except they use Fotobabble. They could take pictures, screenshots, or scanned images of artwork, a Word document, PowerPoint slide, or even a Spread Sheet and add commentary behind them with their thoughts and ideas as how to incorporate them into their projects. Want to know what else makes this a great application; it’s a time saver! We talk faster than we type. With a scripted document in place, projects can be completed in less than half the time it would take to type it up. I will recommend this program to everyone I know who uses computers and digital photos.
References
Fotobabble, inc. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.fotobabble.com/
Managing people-compensation. (2003). Retrieved from
http://www.businesstown.com/people/compensation-plans.asp
Smith, R. (2010). Three distinct roles define the effective company
president. HVACRBUSINESS, Retrieved from
http://www.hvacrbusiness.com/issue/article/176/three_distinct_roles_
define_the_effective_company_president.aspx
Sunday, March 7, 2010
BP4_2010031_RSS Feeds
GOOGLE READER
The more I work with my iGoogle account, the more I love it. Having a place to store all of my favorite Web 2.0 sites in one location is very appealing to me. Google Reader is far the best! Listed below is just a few sites that I have marked as favorites in my Google Reader:
News4Jax – News4Jax is an online version of our local Jacksonville newspaper. Every morning, I get a cup of coffee and log on to News4Jax to catch up on the latest happenings in my town. http://www.news4jax.com/index.html
Teacher Beat – This is a blog site of Education Week where I can find out what’s happening around our country concerning the latest news and insights on teacher – related policies and politics. http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/teacherbeat/
U.S. Department of Education – With this site, I can find funding for educational purposes, conduct research, find out about educational policies, and much more. http://www.ed.gov/
ERIC (Education Resources Information Center) – ERIC is a web based library with more than 1.3 million journal and articles for research.
CNN Tech – CNN Tech is an extension of CNN News where articles of the latest technology discoveries and uses are wrote about. I love this site because I can learn what is happening in the world of technology and also to see if any of the findings can be incorporated into my lesson plans. http://www.cnn.com/TECH/
BP2_2010031_EduUses4Blogs
What About Blogs? Are There Any Educational Advantages for Using Blogs?
I love technology! I love learning about advances in technology. I even teach application technology at a local high school in Jacksonville, Florida. I teach because I love that face -to-face interaction. Nothing pleases me more than to see those light bulbs turn on in the face of a high schooler when a technological application concept that I’m teaching finally is comprehended. What a rewarding feeling.
However, people are under the misconception that I spend every waking moment on my computer because I’m a computer instructor. Imagine that, me, a high school teacher, spending time on the computer aside from my job! Truth is, I don’t won’t to touch a computer after I’ve worked all day on it. When computers are your job, there comes a moment when you have to separate the two, from your personal and professional life and that’s just what I do when I get home.
In saying all of that, blogging is not my favorite past time. Though I follow a few blogs, my friends mostly, I had only started one blog for myself prior to working on my Master’s Degree program at Full Sail University in Education Media Design and Technology. I really felt that when I learned of blogging a few years back that I would give it an honest try and see if I would enjoy it as much as my friends and co-workers who had their own blogs. Needless to say, I didn’t get that much excitement from it as my friends did. I guess it was because I didn’t feel that face-to-face interaction with blogging that I needed to survive. Yes, I need people like I need oxygen and blogging did nothing at all to fulfill that need for me! Personally, I’d like to Skype, iChat, or video conference with a friend, colleague, or business associate on a particular subject than blogging online with them. Yet, if that is their preferred method then I accommodate them.
I have though, introduced blogging to my students. I feel that I need to expose them to as many technological advances available to increase their desire to become life long learners especially in the technology arena. Blogs definitely have a place in education although my school district block a lot of the Web 2.0 blogging sites from students. Blogs are useful teaching and learning tools because they provide a space for students to reflect and publish their thoughts and understanding (Ferdig & Trammell, 2004). I’d like to piggyback on what Ferdig and Trammell thought about blogging and add that blogging is also from my perspective, a time travel capsule for future students in that a blog spot becomes a library of powerful information that other students can learn from. Blogs have been used for all types of educational uses; to display art work, to record thought processes in Math, Science, and Social Studies, and I've used them in the past to have my students reflect on how they could use a software application like PowerPoint.
I might not care too much for blogging for myself but I do support blogging for students in particular. Even as long as I can remember, journaling in the classroom has been a part of education. I even remember my elementary to high school years having to keep an in class journal in one of the black and white composition notebooks that were and still is on every teacher’s supply list sent home by a student. Now, instead of using the composition notebooks to keep a daily in class journal (which can be very hard to read at times), we have online blog spots. Online journaling has many advantages; a state-of-the art format that appeals to students, an increase in quality and quantity of student output, and increased potential for teacher-mediated input and the potential for future extensions to include the addition of links to illustrative websites and other options offered by web-based learning (Philleo & Stiler, 2003).
Maybe by the time I complete my Master’s in Education Media Design & Technology, I may have develop a better disposition for blogging on a personal level. Nevertheless, I have always respected blogging, the bloggers, and the advantages of blogging. I look forward to incorporating more outside classroom blogging with my students in the near future since blogging sites are blocked by my school district. The challenge is to find a safe place free from inappropriate advertising for students to blog about educational projects. I think I may have found one; Ning! Ning is an online social network that allows many types of Web 2.0 platforms. Educational platforms that Ning are especially good for is that Ning allows a teacher to create an education platform free from commercials and they offer the removal of such commercials at no cost as long as it is used for educational purposes. Otherwise, it would cost close to $20.00 per month not to have commercials.
References
Ferdig, R.E., & Trammell, K.D. (2004). Content delivery in the 'blogosphere'.
THE Journal (Technological Horizons In Education), 31(7), 12-20.
Stiler, G.M., & Philleo, T. (2003). Blogging and blogspots: an alternative
format for encouraging reflective practice among preservice teachers. Education, 123(4), 789.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)