In the Blogs, Wiki, Podcast text the fourth and fifth chapters are about wikis and RSS feeds.
In my high school chemistry class we actually used a wiki as a class project. It was a really great way to collaborate together without having to meet at the same time. I really enjoyed the wiki project that I have already done and would like to do something similar with my future students. With the knowledge from these chapters, I now have plenty more ideas for how I can use wikis in my classroom. I believe that the upper elementary school students that I plan to teach could use wikis to do brainstorming and book reports with a little bit of help and encouragement.
Before this chapter, I had never heard of and RSS feed before. I think it will be a useful tool as an educator. When my future students have their own blogs, I can use the RSS feed to access all of their blogs in one convenient place. I'm sure with all of the work I will have to do as an elementary school teacher, using an RSS feed will make my life that much easier.
Monday, September 24, 2012
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Frontline: Growing Up Online
I viewed Frontline's video Growing Up Online. After giving my opinion of the documentary a lot of thought, I have responded to the two following questions.
How does this video impact your thinking about technology's role in the lives of your learners?
For the students that I will teach in the future, technology is so much more than a learning tool. It is a part of their personalities and a vital part of their day-to-day lives. In Chapter 3 of the video, a student named Jessica discusses how she created a completely new persona online named Autumn Edows. Jessica created an entirely new goth persona online that she felt proud to be. Autumn Edows didn't get shoved into lockers or bullied; she was famous. It's normal for adolescents to experiment with their self-image, but now they can do so online. I had already known that teenagers do this, but the documentary really brought it home for me.
As Steve Maher, Social Studies Teacher, said in Chapter 2 of the documentary, "We almost have to be entertainers. If you look at the advertising world and the media world that they live in, they consume so much media. We have to cut through that cloud of information around them, cut through that media and capture their attention." Teaching has changed a lot in the past decade because of the constant stream of media that kids absorb. It has impacted students' ability to focus, and as teachers we need to adapt to that.
What will you do differently as a future teacher as a direct result of this new thinking?
I will be more sensitive to the several different types of pressures that students encounter online. Cyber-bulling is a threat that is something that several students of this generation have experienced. Students not only have the opportunity to be bullied in school, but also in their own homes. An example of this is discussed in Chapter 6 of the video. Ryan asked his dad how to fight because he was being bullied at school. The part that the dad didn't know about was how Ryan was also being bullied online. Ryan decided to seek relief elsewhere online and found a boy who he discussed death and the best ways to commit suicide with. Tragically, Ryan went through with the suicide in October of 2003. As a teacher I will be extremely sensitive to the possible bullying going on both inside of and outside of the classroom. I will be sure to give students as much support as I can give as well as refer students to getting more help if needed.
Also, with all of the media that students absorb, the pressure to be "beautiful" is stronger than ever. In Chapter 5, Sara discusses her anorexia and the support she finds online to resist eating and tips on how to purge. From personal experience, I know that children as young as elementary school can be affected by negative body image. I want to be an elementary school teacher, and I know that this is an issue that I will have to deal with. As a teacher, I will promote a positive self-image in my classroom. Every child is beautiful, and they need to be taught to love their bodies.
Have you ever been a victim of cyber-bullying, or felt the pressure to be skinny from the onslaught of media that we are subjected to on a daily basis? What would you say to kids that have experienced this type of pressure? I'm sure my opinions aren't the only ones out there.
How does this video impact your thinking about technology's role in the lives of your learners?
For the students that I will teach in the future, technology is so much more than a learning tool. It is a part of their personalities and a vital part of their day-to-day lives. In Chapter 3 of the video, a student named Jessica discusses how she created a completely new persona online named Autumn Edows. Jessica created an entirely new goth persona online that she felt proud to be. Autumn Edows didn't get shoved into lockers or bullied; she was famous. It's normal for adolescents to experiment with their self-image, but now they can do so online. I had already known that teenagers do this, but the documentary really brought it home for me.
As Steve Maher, Social Studies Teacher, said in Chapter 2 of the documentary, "We almost have to be entertainers. If you look at the advertising world and the media world that they live in, they consume so much media. We have to cut through that cloud of information around them, cut through that media and capture their attention." Teaching has changed a lot in the past decade because of the constant stream of media that kids absorb. It has impacted students' ability to focus, and as teachers we need to adapt to that.
What will you do differently as a future teacher as a direct result of this new thinking?
I will be more sensitive to the several different types of pressures that students encounter online. Cyber-bulling is a threat that is something that several students of this generation have experienced. Students not only have the opportunity to be bullied in school, but also in their own homes. An example of this is discussed in Chapter 6 of the video. Ryan asked his dad how to fight because he was being bullied at school. The part that the dad didn't know about was how Ryan was also being bullied online. Ryan decided to seek relief elsewhere online and found a boy who he discussed death and the best ways to commit suicide with. Tragically, Ryan went through with the suicide in October of 2003. As a teacher I will be extremely sensitive to the possible bullying going on both inside of and outside of the classroom. I will be sure to give students as much support as I can give as well as refer students to getting more help if needed.
Also, with all of the media that students absorb, the pressure to be "beautiful" is stronger than ever. In Chapter 5, Sara discusses her anorexia and the support she finds online to resist eating and tips on how to purge. From personal experience, I know that children as young as elementary school can be affected by negative body image. I want to be an elementary school teacher, and I know that this is an issue that I will have to deal with. As a teacher, I will promote a positive self-image in my classroom. Every child is beautiful, and they need to be taught to love their bodies.
Have you ever been a victim of cyber-bullying, or felt the pressure to be skinny from the onslaught of media that we are subjected to on a daily basis? What would you say to kids that have experienced this type of pressure? I'm sure my opinions aren't the only ones out there.
Thursday, September 20, 2012
14 Steps to Meaning Blogging
I read the article "14 Steps to Meaningful Blogging" which discussed strategies to take when introducing blogging to students. The strategy that I chose as my favorite is Number 11: Don't grade! In certain situations, grading an assignment can stifle creativity because students are afraid to make mistakes. The best way to go about student error in blogs is by asking them to go back and make revisions without docking points. As a teacher, I will not grade my students for their blogs and not punish them for making mistakes.
The article can be found here: 14 Steps to Meaningful Blogging
The article can be found here: 14 Steps to Meaningful Blogging
Monday, September 17, 2012
Blogs Wikis Podcasts: Chapter 2 Reflection
The enduring understanding of this chapter is that weblogs can be a great tool to enhance student learning if used correctly.
Essential questions:
1. How could a blog be more beneficial in a classroom than a more traditional method such as a classroom discussion?
Some students are too shy to benefit from class discussions. A blog would be a great way for the more quite students to voice opinions and participate without feeling intimidated by the more boisterous students in class. In relation to that, it is impossible to shout in a blog, which can lead to more meaningful discussion and less arguments. Finally, a class discussion is a one-time occurance. When a blog is used, people outside of the classroom can view and gain perspective from the content. A blog is a great way for students to create content that other people can benefit from.
2. Give an example of how blogging can be useful across the curriculum.
A blog can be equally useful for an English class as a math class. An English class blog may be used more as a discussion tool whereas a math blog could be used to share useful links and websites. The limits to what a blog can accomplish is only limited by the imagination of the user.
Essential questions:
1. How could a blog be more beneficial in a classroom than a more traditional method such as a classroom discussion?
Some students are too shy to benefit from class discussions. A blog would be a great way for the more quite students to voice opinions and participate without feeling intimidated by the more boisterous students in class. In relation to that, it is impossible to shout in a blog, which can lead to more meaningful discussion and less arguments. Finally, a class discussion is a one-time occurance. When a blog is used, people outside of the classroom can view and gain perspective from the content. A blog is a great way for students to create content that other people can benefit from.
2. Give an example of how blogging can be useful across the curriculum.
A blog can be equally useful for an English class as a math class. An English class blog may be used more as a discussion tool whereas a math blog could be used to share useful links and websites. The limits to what a blog can accomplish is only limited by the imagination of the user.
Multitasking Reflection
The main point of the Frontline videos, the article "Multitasking Makes You Less Productive" and the Multitasking game was the dangers of multitasking. Our generation is more apt to multitasking, however we aren't necessarily very good at it. When I played the game, I never made it past playing three different flash games at the same time. Also, with every game that was added, it became more and more difficult to maintain all of the games at the same time.
The resources that I looked at impacted my thinking about technology's influence on multitasking. Technology has given my generation a lot more resources that can be accessed with the click of a button. We have smartphones, tablets, laptops, music players, and dozens of other devices that are constantly being checked and fussed with. I now understand that I am distracting myself an decreasing my performance rather than multitasking.
As a teacher I will make sure that my students are constantly engaged. Also, if we are not using a piece of technology, there is no need for that technology to be turned on. For example, if we are not actively using laptops in a class, then they should be turned off or at least shut. The minds of students are likely to wander off if they are not actively engaged.
The resources that I looked at impacted my thinking about technology's influence on multitasking. Technology has given my generation a lot more resources that can be accessed with the click of a button. We have smartphones, tablets, laptops, music players, and dozens of other devices that are constantly being checked and fussed with. I now understand that I am distracting myself an decreasing my performance rather than multitasking.
As a teacher I will make sure that my students are constantly engaged. Also, if we are not using a piece of technology, there is no need for that technology to be turned on. For example, if we are not actively using laptops in a class, then they should be turned off or at least shut. The minds of students are likely to wander off if they are not actively engaged.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)