SMART boards in the Classroom

In passing the other day, I mentioned to my son's 3rd grade teacher that James got to use a SMART board in my Instructional Technology class.  His comment, "Ah... another waste of money."  He was rather sarcastic about it and it kind of startled me.  And then I thought, "Hmmm... this is one of the reasons why my child gets nothing from his classes."  Seriously, what does he have to offer?  He doesn't use samples or do science experiments for his science class and apparently does not use any form of technology either. 

So, is a SMART board a waste of school funding? 

My first observations of SMART board was the actual application by my 9 year old son in my Instructional Technology class.  He did not have to be asked twice if he wanted to come up and participate in a High School biology quiz.  Note High School, he did not care the grade level - he was interested in the technology.  Much the same way a raccoon is to a shiny object.  So, is this wrong to dangle a 'shiny object' in front of a kid to get them motivated to participate in class?  Personally, I don't think so.  The article Interactive Whiteboards and Learning states:

They serve to raise the level of student engagement in a classroom, motivate students and promote enthusiasm for learning.

This is what I saw in my own son when I watched him try the SMART board activity out for us.  He was genuinely excited to participate.  My favorite feature is that Whiteboards bring the class together: 

Whole-class teaching – brings the entire class together, focuses their attention and provides structured, teacher-focused group interaction.

I've worked in schools that had MIMIO boards.  The kids were very much used to using MIMIO boards in class and it was part of the working structure.  I, myself, have not personally used the technology so it seemed a bit intimidating but with the proper instruction I would not hesitate to use one in my future Biology class. 

Honestly, I don't need to read statistics or surveys to know that this is the direction teaching and the classroom should be moving in.  Its not so much the cost at this point.  This is the next step into the future classroom.  Why?  Interactive boards are going to be the future in the business world.  We've seen it in Sci-fi movies for the several decades.  This is the direction our technology is taking us.  Why would we not have it in the classroom?  I would hate to think students would not have experience with a interactive board until their first day on the job.  Not to mention, as this technology is being developed it will become more accessible and the price will decrease.  This is the future. 

Rubric for my Critical Friend

Here is the link for the Rubric I created for my Critical Friend.

Google Earth WebQuest

Here is a link to my Google Earth WebQuest.

Interactive life cycle of a star

This link is for an interactive life cycle of a star.  I wanted to archive this site for future use.   Perhaps for classroom use.


Interactive Life Cycle of a Star

The Birth of the Moon

My Astronomy paper for my final will be based on this concept.  This is a topic that has always fascinated me.  I will not only delve into how the moon was created but the fact that Earth has an iron core that Mars is lacking.  And the fact that this collision made it so that Earth was large enough to allow her to stay hot enough to keep her atmosphere unlike Mars.  This makes me realize why I love Science so much. 

Goldilocks, Gliese 581 g

The 365 Days of Astronomy Podcast released a podcast on November 2, 2010 with some details on our newest find -  the “Goldilocks” planet, Gliese 581g.  What is unique about Goldilocks?  It is a planet the size of Earth situated in about the same distance from its sun as we are to ours.  To us, our place in the solar system seems normal.  Our smaller planets are much closer to the sun and some of our bigger planets are positioned much farther off.  But this is not usual in most solar systems, because of gravitational pull, larger planets are usually much closer to their suns.  This has caused quite a bit of excitement in the Astronomy circuits.  First, could it have life?  Second, we are getting much better at detecting smaller planets in other galaxies - meaning we will probably find many more planets just like Earth in other solar systems.

However before we get too excited over whether Goldilocks could sustain life.  Unlike our beautiful large yellow sun, Goldilocks orbits a red dwarf sun.  Which is a small and relatively cool star.  Could life still develop?

The 2 Best and 2 Worst WebQuests

In the previous blog my group reviewed 5 WebQuests from different perspectives.  Today we are ranking the 2 best and 2 worst.  We've agreed the 2 best are the Shakespeare and Earthquake WebQuests with Waves and Sounds and Foreign Country being the worst.

#1  By far Shakespeare was the best.  We agreed that it was a well thought out WebQuest and it met the criteria for all 3 of our perspectives. 

• The Altitudinist - Higher order thinking.
• The Efficiency Expert - Time Management.
• The Affiliator - Collaboration.

We liked the idea that research on specific topics had to be completed and then a Play derived from that information.  Students have to agree on how to create the play and then have to learn their lines.  Therefore a lot of thought and collaboration have to be put into this project.

#2  My group agreed that Earthquakes was the second best.  Not only did it met all three criteria but it also places the students in a real life situation where materials are limited but the consequences surrounding a bad design do have an impact on human kind.

#5  My group definitely felt that Waves and Sounds was the worst WebQuest.  It was rather anemic in that not a lot of thought was placed into creating it.  It was more of a treasure hunt in that the students just followed a list of websites to click on and then watch a picture.  Although I do have to say that the animated sine waves were neat to watch.  In the end we could not find any real clear goal to meet our perspectives.

#4 There was a consensus that Foreign Countries was the second worst.  We weren't sure if the competition would hurt or help the project since there was so much focus on it in the WebQuest.  We agreed it could go either way.  The Efficiency Expert felt that there was no clear time limit on the presentation making it run too long for other students to watch and cutting into their time slot. I think the worst trait is that there was no collaboration, in that it seemed to be an individual project.

The Altitudinist

 Macbeth by William Shakespeare

The Altitudinist: Higher level thinking is everything to you. There's too much emphasis on factual recall in schools today. The only justification for bringing technology into schools is if it opens up the possibility that students will have to analyze information, synthesize multiple perspectives, and take a stance on the merits of something. You also value sites that allow for some creative expression on the part of the learner.

Your Impressions

WebQuest - Listed with a number that I have used to rank each of the 5 webquests.                                         
#3  Gorillas
*Strengths - Saving the Gorillas poses the question "What should be done", which satisfies a higher level thinking.  The students are given the challenge that gorillas are endangered and basic info regarding their lifestyles.  In the end students are asked to:

It is time for you to make a decision. Think back on all you have found and decide how you would save the gorilla. What kind of activities are needed to guarantee that your grandchildren will still be able to see a wild gorilla?

I like the fact that students have to bounce ideas off each other to come up with an answer to save a species.  Its a huge topic and how 'we' handle the information 'we' know, such as the declining numbers of gorilla, combined with our future actions is going to determine extinction.  An important link or connection for secondary students to make since they are the next generation.  The students have to 'analyze information, synthesize multiple perspectives, and take a stance on the merits of something' to complete this activity.

*Weakness - The format that the information is given seems a bit juvenile to me for secondary students.  I am wondering how serious I would have taken this WebQuest as a secondary student.
#1  Shakespeare
*Strengths - I really, really liked this WebQuest the best.  I think Josh, Jeremy, and I agreed that it satisfied all of its requirements in making a good WebQuest.  As far as higher level thinking the students were posed the question "do you really have a good grasp of what life was like when he was alive?"  To find these answers they have to research:
     1. The actor - What it was like to act in Elizabethan England compared to Shakespearean acting during our own time period.
     2. Historian - Learn what life was like in Elizabethan England and the personal life of William Shakespeare.
     3. Director - The students have to research theatre practices of Elizabethan England and look at the things done at the Globe then and now, as well as at other theatres of Shakespeare's day.
     4. Linguist - The students will research the plays and poetry of William Shakespeare and the language he used.

After the students finish this research they have to follow a census guide to help them determine as a group what information needs to be included in the final product.  The students have to "analyze information".  The next step is to decide as a group how to synthesize the information in order to plan a creative presentation.   The last step includes creating a scrapbook of Shakespeare's time period and a final presentation with either a PowerPoint or Skit created completely by the group members.  I really like the conclusion of this project.  It truly is a PBL and forces the students to take all their knowledge to a creative level.

*Weakness - I don't see a flaw in the WebQuest

#2 Earthquake
*Strengths - Jeremy, Josh, and I definitely agreed that this was a rather intriguing project.  The students have to use prior knowledge about the different types of earthquake waves and building designs to create a building design that will withstand an earthquake.  Of course, the limited supplies to create a strong building is the biggest challenge.  If the students succeed their design should hold up to testing.  This all is part of higher level thinking.

*Weakness - I don't see a flaw in the higher level thinking of this WebQuest.

#4 Foreign Country
*Strengths - I like the idea of making this project a contest.  Students do have to analyze their country for a variety of topics such as interesting places, pictures of the people, monuments, natural wonders, events, festivities, and/or anything else that can be found.  The students then have to use their information to create a PowerPoint presentation making sure to make the presentation as interesting as possible to win the contest.  So students might strive for 'unique' information.  I feel it satisfies a higher level of thinking.

*Weakness - I don't like the fact that there is no collaboration.  Without someone to bounce ideas off of or to help weed through nonsense I'm afraid it lacks some higher order thinking. 

#5 Waves & Sound
*Strengths - This project could have been an interesting topic had it been organized with more thought.  However...

*Weakness - This WebQuest seems to be more of a treasure hunt than a project.  Students merely click on sites but are not really given a clear goal.  This is not an impossible project.  The author however states as the conclusion:

Congratulations! You've just mastered a difficult concept of Physics. While it may not have been easy or clear, through the innovations of technology, we have helped you further your knowledge and give you key learning concepts.

What!?!  That just blew my mind.  To me this is a very incomplete WebQuest with not a lot of thought put in it. 

Hydrogen Gas Clouds

I was searching for an article on how our Sun was created from a Hydrogen gas cloud for my Astronomy test tomorrow when I found another interesting article on Hydrogen gas clouds.  Frankly, my textbook is horrible and I have found that I have to do extended research if I want the specifics on any sort of Astronomical function.  I don't mind doing research to further educate myself but I do mind sinking a $100 in a fairly useless textbook.  In any case, I came across this article Massive Gas Cloud Speeding Toward Collision With Milky Way written by the National Radio Astronomy Observatory.  I found it rather interesting and I wanted to archive it in my Blogger for further reference.  I think its phenomenal that we know things are going on like this in our universe.  Furthermore that we understand it and it is activity like this that has helped us to understand the birth of our Sun and other stars like it that occurred millions of years before we were here.

The cloud, called Smith's Cloud, after the astronomer who discovered it in 1963, contains enough hydrogen to make a million stars like the Sun. Eleven thousand light-years long and 2,500 light-years wide, it is only 8,000 light-years from our Galaxy's disk. It is careening toward our Galaxy at more than 150 miles per second, aimed to strike the Milky Way's disk at an angle of about 45 degrees.


An excerpt from the article:

"This is most likely a gas cloud left over from the formation of the Milky Way or gas stripped from a neighbor galaxy. When it hits, it could set off a tremendous burst of star formation. Many of those stars will be very massive, rushing through their lives quickly and exploding as supernovae. Over a few million years, it'll look like a celestial New Year's celebration, with huge firecrackers going off in that region of the Galaxy," Lockman said.

How Many Solar Systems are in the Milky Way?

Excerpt from a letter to NASA

So far, astronomers have found about 70 solar systems and are discovering new ones every year. Given how many they have found in this neighborhood of the Milky Way galaxy, scientists estimate that there may be many billions of solar systems in our galaxy. Whether this estimate is correct, and how similar other solar systems are to ours, remain to be seen. It has only been a few years since the first solar system apart from ours was detected, so this whole subject is still in its infancy. By the time our friends who asked the questions are adults, we will know a great deal more. Perhaps someday you will help find the answers. And even if you don't, you may grow up in a time when humankind has a much clearer idea of how we and our home planet fit into the cosmos.



Thanks again for calling Dr. Marc at The Space Place.

The Top 10

I have to start with WOW! The work the kids put into their Wikis were so professional looking. I understand there are templates that can be used to make web pages aesthetically pleasing but the work still had to be put into it. Something at the end of the video caught my attention when the teacher stated that her kids learned more from doing the website work than being taught by the standard method and then be tested. My guess is that by doing this hands on activity and learning through it Fact vs. Opinion that all of these kids would indeed score higher on a standardized test in this area. I think its great. Not only did they learn Fact vs. Opinion (which I have found is a difficult subject for kids when I have had to teach it) but they learned job related skills by developing a website. Kudos to the teacher!  To check out a Wiki that elementary school kids created themselves click on The Top Ten.

Does this activity differ from much of the activities you engaged during your K-12 education? How? or How not? Give examples.

Absolutely! I come from a totally different time frame. Some of my classes had one computer but they were the old OLD Apples. The kind that only have a flashing prompt when you turned it on. You then had to slide a disk into it to play games or practice typing. There was no Internet, at least not the kind accessible by the public.  I do have to give props to my 10th grade computer programming teacher who taught us how to use DOS by having us create pixelated cartoons that moved.  That was quite cool.  But I gave away the kind of technology there was at the time by same "DOS".  The advancements that have been made since then are phenomenal.

Is your learning style addressed in this activity? How? Give me an example.

Yes.  The kinesthetic or tactile portion of this project being hands on is definitely appealing to me as a student.  The fact that the students were taking part in gathering data to determine Fact vs. Opinion is much more appealing to me than listening to a teacher give me examples.  Also there is definite visual appeal.  Its not that I learn better when something is visually appealing, its that I want to take part in something that is visually appealing.  Before I started this class, my favorite part of blogging was positioning pictures just so around text to help make my point or build my story.  It may be just a personal preference I have but it is something that drives me. 

This project was implemented without the use of textbooks. Are you surprised? Are you interested in teaching in a similar way when you become a teacher?

No, I'm not surprised at all.  There aren't many subjects that need a textbook to guide a lesson.  Its a lazy cop-out if you ask me.  And sometimes I wander if its not because a teacher is not comfortable with the subject he or she is teaching.

I think science is better taught without a textbook.  For example: "What is a mineral?"  For a child to understand what a mineral is they need to see it, touch it, and for Halite - taste it.  If a child has never seen a mineral, how does reading from a textbook help them to understand what a mineral is.  My child is in 3rd grade learning science from a textbook.  Not experiments or first hand experience.  But purely from a textbook.  What is he learning?  Nothing.  At least not from class.  The fact his mom is enthusiastic about science and has the time to sit with him and show him different minerals makes him lucky.  What about the other kids?  What are they learning?  And we wonder why kids form a bad opinion about science at an early age. 

What are your concerns and what do you anticipate as being barriers?

Actually, what bothered me about the video was in the introduction.  I could not believe how much that school had when it came to technology.  Its not that I don't think they should have it.  The kids deserve it.  But what about the school my kids attend?  I've been in a couple of schools in Marion county and we don't have near the amount of technology that one school had.  The first thought that went through my head was, "That's not fair!"  So how do struggling schools and counties compete?  How much difficulty would a struggling school have in carrying out such a neat project, especially if their computer systems were outdated and slow.

Blogging and Sharing

1. What do you like or dislike about keeping a blog for this course?


I've had a Blogger since 2007.  I can see its value and I personally like keeping a blog.  I think it helps develop thought and writing skills.  Basically the old adage "If you don't use it, you lose it" applies in this situation.  I think blogging is an excellent way to practice writing skills.  Over time, I have seen significant improvement in my own writings from the beginning to now. 
 
2. How can keeping a blog make you a more effective teacher?


I agree with the video, Sharing: The Moral Imperative, in which a comment was made or inferred that blogging can be used as a way to reflect.  I think my teaching skills could grow, just as my writing skills have grown.  This could be useful for several reasons.  I could use my blog to go back and reflect on my early thinkings because we tend to forget what are train of thought was while creating anything.  I could also use it to critique my thought processes.  Often if we write something down and come back in a few months to a year we can see it from a second point of view.  Almost like we are critiquing someone else's work.  This would enable me to improve lessons from year to year. 

3. Will you consider continuing to post to your blog after this course is over? Why?


I most certainly will.  I posted before the class started and I want to continue to use this valuable tool after.  In fact, I have a trip to Nanjemoy, MD I'm dying to share on Blogger.  My family and I kayaked old wooden WWI shipwrecks.  We took beautiful pictures of ourselves standing on those ancient ships and the ecological benefit these massive wooden giants have created.  We also took pictures of 3 nesting bald eagles.  It truly was an amazing trip.  One I want to share with the rest of the blogging community.  I completely agreed with the video's message of using blogs to share teaching methods. 
 
4 Keeping a blog helps you develop four new media literacies:
Appropriation - The ability to meaningfully sample and remix media content.
Collective Intelligence - The ability to share and pool knowledge and compare notes with each other toward a common goal.
Transmedia Navigation.- The ability to follow the flow of information and stories across multiple modalities.
Networking - The ability to search for synthesizes and disseminate information.

Give me a concrete example of how blogging in this class is evidence of your abilities to do one of these four new media literacies.

Collective Intelligence for the simple fact that I have been following classmates blogs since the first blog list was posted.  I like to see what everyone else is thinking.  I fear that sometimes I make a topic too complicated.  I put too much thought into things that really need to be brought to a point.  I like reading how my classmates do this, since we are all using the same topics.  It also gave me an opportunity to peek into their thoughts and even see how much importance and thought they put into the class and their assignments.

The VARK Questionnaire Results

The VARK Questionnaire Results

Your scores were:

Visual: 4

Aural: 7

Read/Write: 7

Kinesthetic: 7

You have a multimodal (ARK) learning preference.

I am a little surprised about the Aural results.  I prefer visual with hands on.  I do like a step by step written instruction added to the visual.  I don't usually like to receive any instructions verbally.  I tend to space out after the first few moments no matter how hard I concentrate.  For this reason, I do not like to give instructions verbally without demonstrating and I tend to trip on verbal ONLY instructions.  I find I'm just as bad at given them as I am receiving them. Therefore, I tend to stick with what I know.  I feel more comfortable giving a hands on instruction followed up with a written instruction.

Other than my score on aural, I think its pretty accurate.  Then maybe again I'm a bit more aural than I thought.

I made my Picasso with no ears because I don't think listening to directions is my strong point.  But she does have big eyes to watch demonstrations and a really big mouth because I tend to ask lots of questions when I'm learning.

The Limitations of Twitter and Texting

hw mch thort cn B cr8d n rel8ed n 140 chars or less?

This is a challenge... for me anyway.  I think its obvious when I'm trying to relate what I'm thinking I use a lot of room.  But what goes through the mind of the person reading it?  One of two things; first, depending on what the topic is about -  I'm thorough.  I believe my Intro to Special Education teacher referred to my last paper as "Wow!! very thorough and comprehensive."  It's probably because I have to sit and validate everything I write by backing my theories with examples.  OCD on my behalf, I suppose.  And then there is the second thought that could be going through their head - "OMG, she turned a 2 page paper into a 5 page paper."  And YES - I did.  Not everyone wants to spend all their free time reading my thoughts.  Especially when they have 30 more papers to read.  Sometimes keeping it simple and getting directly to the point is worth its weight in gold.  Wish I could take my own advice.  I wouldn't drive myself so nearly insane writing a simple paper.

 

Needless to say, I don't like hyphening my thoughts down to 140 characters.  Trying to find meaning and making sure my reader understands that meaning - is frustrating for me.  At the same time, I can see the advantages of pinpointing, well... your point.  In other words, cutting all the bull out and stating your thoughts directly.  Which at this point in this blog you've already figured out that I do indeed lack the ability to get to the point.  

 

So... yes indeed - I did alter what I was going to say to fit my ideas in 140 characters or less.  In fact, I used the texting translator just so I could shorten each word and add a bit more.  The movie Why Schools Kill Creativity was really good.  I don't think I added my opinion to Twitter in a justified manner.  Its such a big topic and the ideas in it very innovative.  How do you shorten a response to 140 characters or less and not add several replies just so you can finish your thoughts?  But that would have been breaking the rules and I had to find a way to shorten my thoughts, so I did.   I'm still not happy with my reply but you'll have that.  

 

At this point, I think its safe to say that Twitter and texting do have an impact on what I have to say on more thought prevoking topics.  I have to abbreviate or hyphen my thoughts into a cute compact package.  Although I do have to say, I don't think it slaughters my thoughts completely.  I see it as a challenge to come up with a way to say what I'm thinking without adding superfluous information.   

Advice from Mommy

dnt sit 2 clse 2 d tv. yr Iyz wl cross!

uv 2 giv respect 2 gt respect

An apple a dy keeps d dr awy

\_/ lots of OJ

dnt T2 strangers

"Beware of the Man of One Book." ~ Anonymous

"That night I dream of a woman in a white sari holding a baby in her arms. The wind howls behind her, making her hair fly across her face, obscuring it. She places the baby in a laundry bin and leaves."~ Slumdog Millionaire by Vikas Swarup page 65

This is where I am in my current book.  Reading, is that little gift I give myself 15-20 minutes each night before I shut my eyes for the evening.  I also rescue old books from flea markets and junk shops.  My current prize is a book revised and written in 1855 - Shakespeare's Works with Memoirs.  I got it for a mere $3.00.  I'm pretty sure the 18 year old that sold it to me had no idea what it was.  Perhaps it was from some one's book collection who had just passed on and there it sat in a junk shop discarded by relatives who didn't see its worth or importance. 

Of course, my fear that books will slowly be discarded and turn to dust in some junk shop comes from all the miscellaneous statistics that state over and over again that people are turning away from reading.  That maybe it was becoming a lost art in a world that moves at a fast pace.  However, the article Reading on the Rise states that:

"There were 16.6 million new adult readers of literature in 2008."

That is a remarkable find.  The total number of adult readers was 112.8 million or 50.2%.  Which correlates with the Wikipedia total population of the U.S. which was 310, 585,000.  Its a direction, a good direction for adults to take in my opinion.  In this high paced, stress induced society a few moments to kick back and open one's mind to a whole new world is what we need. 

ThinkAloud

Presentation1 dog island

View more presentations from Jaime Ford.

Teaching Two Literacies

Describe an activity that we have done this semester that has prepared you to teach "two literacies".

Edmodo by far was an excellent example of teaching 'two literacies'.  The collaborative part of the story process allowed the Middle School students to expand their stories by building on another's ideas.  I find this concept extremely fascinating.  Most companies become successful because employees are able to work together to create innovative projects.  Collaborating in school helps prepare an individual to accept outside ideas and continue to build on them.  I would like to see our society value more collaboration efforts over individual achievements.  Its an old idea that is worth revisiting but I digress.  In other words, I think collaborative storytelling helped to create excitement in an otherwise not so exciting subject area for students.  As our graphs and Denise's survey's proved, students were more up to the challenge of story writing when it came to collaborating with another individual.  


Likewise, concluding the collaborative story by morphing it into a digital story was an excellent example of 21st Century writing.  It literally lifted the story from 2D print to 3D action.  All at the same time developing computer literacy skills.


I would most certainly use these two ideas in my class sessions. They both developed an interest in the subject and met fundamental computer literacy skills. 

Name an National Education Technology Standard for Teachers that this activity meets.

I believe Edmodo met the entire first standard under the ISTE/NETS for the exact reasons I listed above.  Edmodo developed an interest in the subject and it helped build computer literacy skills.  In addition, I believe it helped creativity.  Building on another's ideas and selecting pictures and videos for a digital story requires a bit of imagination.  I definitely saw these attributes in several of the creations the Middle School students stories. 

The First Standard under the ISTE/NETS is as follows:
1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity

              Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments. Teachers:
a. promote, support, and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness.

b. engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources.

c. promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students' conceptual understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes.

d. model collaborative knowledge construction by engaging in learning with students, colleagues, and others in face-to-face and virtual environments.

Validating Doggie Island

I chose Dog Island Free Forever to evaluate.  My first thought... this has to be a product of PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) and one of their money grabbing scams.  So to say it grabbed my attention... absolutely!  First of all, dogs running free on an island brings horrid pictures to my mind.  Maybe its my experience in the Veterinary field, I don't know, but when I picture dogs running free I see packs of dogs turning on each other during mating season and literally ripping the hide off of each other.  It is really not a pretty sight and not the picture most people want in their mind when they think of dogs but it happens.  The other thoughts that stream through my mind are:  Are these animals vaccinated at some point during their stay?  How are these animals fed?  What are the limitations to the island? Are all breeds allowed?  Many breeds do not mix well.  Is there some sort of doggie debriefing, to make sure the dog will not run around killing other dogs?  Do dogs have to be neutered first?  Neutering would control a lot of issues that could occur.  And so on...

Webpage evaluation check list

Name of page: Dog Island Free Forever
Address/URL: http://www.thedogisland.com/
Date Accessed:  2010 October 24
How did you find the page? Link recommended by Professor for Evaluation

DOMAIN

What is the domain of the page? .com or commercial
Do you feel that the domain type helps add to or lessen the page’s credibility? I think it lessens the credibility.  Commercial tells me that I'm being sold something.  It may not be credible.  I'm not completely sure I'd be sold on it if it were an organization.  Possibly if it were the ASPCA (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) but I'm positive they would not sell something like this.  If they did, there'd be strict guidelines.  The first thing I notice when I look at this page is the advertisements for pet insurance, flea meds and heartguard tablets, dog anxiety meds and so forth.

AUTHOR/AUTHORITY

Is the author of the page identified?  Not on the main page.  After clicking on Company Information and Contact Dog Island - I found that the Presidents were Xiao Min and Han Fei.  They came together with Linda Reyes "a succesful and interesting woman from Manhattan".  I don't even know where to go with that quote. "Succesful" (note: spelled wrong) and "interesting" tells me absolutely nothing.  I'm guessing this information means that they are the author of the page but I'm not sure because they speak of themselves in third person if they are.

           Is the author of the page an individual?  The authors are two individuals who created the Dog Island company together. 

Something about this who thing is bugging me.  Phrases I read in the website do not make sense to me.  So, I decided to research the two names in question.  I tried to Google their names (individually and together) and came up with nothing other than links that directly took me back to their site.  So, I googled "Is Dog Island Free Forever Real".  A few links came up like http://floridanabob.hypermart.net/DOG%20ISLAND.htm.  This site states:

 "What makes DOG ISLAND weird is it is the subject of one of the silliest urban myths created by some guys who wanted a web site called “DOG ISLAND: FREE FOREVER” at http://www.thedogisland.com/. The entire web site is dedicated to the idea that Dog Island is a paradise retreat where dogs can vacation or live – running on the beach, chasing the local wildlife, and being a dog.... Alas, my dog, it is a myth.  But you have to love the fact that thousands of people actually thought there was a dog refuge island in Florida."

Of course, this site might be a complete fraud as well without further investigation.  So, I checked out Snope.com the urban myth busters themselves.  They backed up the last website and added a bit more:

"The Dog Island site is a hoax playing on western revulsion of Asian dog-eating practices, and its creators deliberately used names identical to those of persons and companies in China who process dogs for human consumption (for example, the "Dawn Fine Bred Dog Center" of which Dog Island is supposedly a subsidiary, the city of Pexian, and the name "Han Fei" are all references to the Dawn Fine Bred Meat Dog Center, a commercial operation in China where dogs are raised for meat), similar to a stunt once pulled by notorious prankster Joey Skaggs."

Amazing!  My worries in the beginning were completely unfounded because Dog Island does not even exist.  The names of the authors are a complete hoax as well.  I wonder how many people took this site for its face value.  Snope went on to say that after they posted their page on Dog Island being "false", the Dog Island authors deleted some of their reference.  Hmmm.... interesting.

There were some tips on the website itself that left me unsettled.  Under the "RATES" section I noticed this:

"Vacation Island, on the other hand, is very very expensive. It is only for rich people who have that kind of money to spend. This is the only way to visit the island with a dog and still come back with your dog."

Come back with your dog?  UGH?  What is that suppose to mean?  Not too mention, it sounds completely juvenile. Who says "Its only for rich people" in anything that is remotely professional.  Especially, if it is for a product that is being sold.  And then I read:

"Dogs never want to leave the island once they experience it, so you will not be able to have your dog again. You can come to the public visiting days, they are three times a year. Sometimes, someone sees their dog again."

At this point, I thought to myself, "What is the catch?  If you may or may not see your dog again... how can you be sure they aren't put in a dog fight ring?"  Seeing Snopes break down of Dog Island makes a lot of sense as to what I read - it is not a professional website and there was a reason why there were so many holes.  The only thing I don't understand is why someone would go to the bother of creating a really nice look website that is a hoax?

In any case, at this point there is nothing left to evaluate.  The site is a fraud.

Reflections in Writing Before and After Edmodo

Before the middle school students tackled using Edmodo and collaborating with FSU students, there opinions on writing was mostly divided.  A third liked writing, while a third didn't.  The remaining third were on the fence or felt that it was a bit boring.

 
After using Edmodo and collaborating with FSU students, the same middle schoolers overwhelmingly agreed that they liked writing much more.  This is rather significant.  I believe when something is enjoyable much more effort is placed in the process of creating.  If Edmodo can encourage middle schoolers to write more, then the benefit would be substantial.  More writing would mean more practice, more practice would mean better writing.  From this exercise, I can conclude that Edmodo was quite beneficial in promoting writing and creativity.

21st Century Writing

When given the statement "Schools are not preparing students adequately for jobs in the 21st century", I proposed to the class:

Critical Thinking Skills ~ Factoids are being memorized but students don't have the ability to put these facts into practice.  Memorization doesn't mean anything if you can't apply it.

Some of the feedback that returned to me from various members in the classroom was:

*I completely agree with Jaime!  Every day on the job is going to bring new events and ideas!  The only way to be prepared is by being extemperaneous!
~I found this statement interesting.  By applying my statement to surprises within the job it only furthered or strengthened my statement about critical thinking skills lacking in the 21st Century.

*I agree every day is a new day and new ideas come in constantly.  We need to advance with the times.
~This statement backed up the first opinion that was given.

*I agree with this statement.  Too many people are living in the past.  We need to kick our generation into high gear. 
~I like the statement "kick our generation into high gear." It shows how far behind we are.

Edmodo and my thoughts....

What is Edmodo?
Edmodo is a private microblogging platform that teachers and students can use to send notes, links, files, alerts, assignments, and events to each other.

I like the use of  Edmodo as a literary tool.  It is a secure way for students to create their stories in an Internet enviornment.  I also like the fact that the students were able to develop a story with selected members outside of the classroom and then take these stories and use translate them into digital stories. I  also like the fact the students were able to receive 'safe' feedback from chosen individuals outside the classroom.  I think it is excellent practice in collaboration, as well as, practice before students eventually start posting materials publically. 

I think the Fairview Middle School students did an excellent job on their stories.  Obviously, they are still learning to develop and hone their skills but for the most part their teacher is taking them down the right road for learning these skills.  I am impressed that the teacher is integrating technology into the learning curriculum.

As with their writing skills, their communication skills are something they are developing in this class as per the mission statement of their teacher.  I thought many of the students were very articulate of their feelings towards the FSU students work.  I was even more impressed that many of them did not seem overly nervous.  Being able to articulate one's thoughts and feelings is a step in the right direction towards developing critical thinking skills.

I would consider using Edmodo in my science class.  Mostly for the fact that I think it is a good setting to practice technology skills.  I could see my students using it to document science related hypotheses and experiements.  I also think that it would be very motivational to link to university students the same way our class linked to the middle school students.  University students through Edmodo could become very good mentors towards public school students in any cirriculum. 

"Reading" Media Pictures... How Deceptive are They?

It's amazing how a picture captured in a moment in time can be used to sway an audience one way or another.  In this picture, the photographer may have caught a glimpse of the president at a moment when he was carefully choosing his next words or he/she may have caught a moment just before the interview while the President was gathering his thoughts.  However, the intent of the photo is to capture the President as a 'broken man'.  His eyes are averted from the camera and the worry lines across his forehead are very apparent and deep.  The angle of the camera is such that the view makes it look as if his head is lowered.  Of course, from this same angle his gray hair is accentuated.  Many of us think of 'stress' when we see gray hair.  I know I do, even when I see them on my own head.   His shoulders are raised as if to say, "I don't know how to handle this situation".  His oxford shirt is professional but not much detail is shown; unlike the next picture where this same shirt gives more detail making it look a bit more casual.  The background is blurred, making his location confusing.  It is very apparent that the overall picture shows a stressed out man, that is not sure of his role as president.  Upon reading the article, the writer likens the Gulf oil spill to one of Jimmy Carter's downfalls.  A situation in which Carter lost all chances of winning another election.  This particular photo supports the story that the President's future is doomed.

It is amazing that this picture was taken the same day.  The President went from looking like a man in distress to a man full of confidence.  In this picture, Obama has a smile on his face.  His gait as well as the way he is holding himself up is much more confident.  This is aided by the fact that the camera angle is looking up from the ground giving him a superior appearance.  His Oxford shirt is rolled up at the ends painting a much more casual picture. While he may look superior, at the same time his clothing makes him look more like the common man. This gives him a personable appearance.  Furthermore... unlike the previous picture, the President is at the site of the oil spill.  This makes it look like he is tackling the issue head on.  He is not afraid to be close to the disaster and see it first hand.  This picture is far from the gray haired man with the stress wrinkles, who looked removed from the situation, portrayed in the previous picture.  Of course, this is exactly what the writer wanted to capture by using this particular picture.  The article uses phrases and words such as "poised to seize", "he's up to the enormous challenge", and "reassure".   This is a Presidential photo, not a photo of a 'broken man'. 

Media Literacy vs. Traditional Literacy

The skills involved with media literacy and traditional literacy are similar to a point.  Both involve comprehending the material presented; as well as being able to write about the material; and of course ultimately using critical thinking skills to break down the material and being able to question, analyze, and evaluate it.  However, media literacy goes a few steps further than traditional literacy.  The reader has to be able to keep up with lightning fast, changing information presented to them.  As society grows, the influx of information is phenomenal.  The reader has to be able to distinguish what is a reliable source and what is just simply bologna. 

I honestly believe it was too hard in the past to produce a book that was based on pure nonsense or conspiracy theories.  It was not impossible, just harder.  The creator had to be dedicated to produce nonsense.  It's expensive to produce a book, have it edited, and then published.  However, you don't even need Internet access in your own home, the library is free, to make a webpage.  There are also several free sites to help someone create their own webpage, including Blogger.  Furthermore, the user can almost publish anything that they want.  This is scary for a few reasons.  Children are vulnerable and without the skills to determine what is reliable and what is not, then their absorption of the material presented may not be healthy. 

There are also several different ways to access this material today.  The user has to understand how to use search engines, as well as, follow relevant links.  To be honest, I'm not sure I have these skills.  I'm not completely sure what is considered a media literate individual.  I think I understand but I'm not sure I do.  It is so easy to get distracted by a colorful, interactive website. 

I'm interested in knowing how the school's are going to create media literate students.  In reviewing ReadWriteThink website, I think #4 Professional Development for Grades 3-12 would be a very relevant lesson plan.  For instance, the lesson plans include analyzing political cartoons; analyzing the difference between arguments, persuasion, and propaganda; and exploring stereotypes in the media which include race, gender, class, and ethnicity.  All these lessons are the key to being traditional and media literate.  I especially like the fact that it breaks down difference between arguments, persuasion, and propaganda.  I really believe that this is one of the hardest things for kids and adults alike to understand.  Too many times I see adults posting information on Facebook that is complete propaganda and sadly they believe it to be true.  I don't know if many of these people are too lazy to research the information or they don't understand how to evaluate and research the information before they reproduce it in society.  What happens from there?  The next person takes the same information and regurgitates it in the same manner.  I like it when I see propaganda debunked.  When someone actually researches the material and publically refutes it.  I think if nothing else, it makes the original person think about what they post the next time around.  Maybe forcing them to begin researching what they post.   

"Teacher of the Year" Magazine Cover

A Digital Story - Bridging the Gap Between Girls and Boys in Science

Digital Stories vs. Research Papers

Can a digital story substitute for an intensive research paper, successfully? 

While creating a research paper the individual chooses a topic, finds relevant information on the topic, states a thesis using critical thinking skills, creates a tentative outline that contains an introduction, the body, and a conclusion, organizes notes into the first draft, revises into a second draft, and lastly creates a final copy. 

Can all this be done using digital story technology?  What do I think - absolutely!  As long as the individual follows the same criteria.  The topic chosen should be content relevant.  If the research paper assignment is for a history class , then the digital story should have historical relevance.  Likewise if the research paper assignment is for a science class, then the digital story should reflect a topic in science.

After the topic is chosen for the digital story, the individual then has to do research to decide how their topic is going to evolve from an idea to facts.  The student should create a thesis or statement of what they want the viewer to see or learn and then research information to support and defend their thesis.  For instance, if an individual decides to create a digital story about the events on 9/11, then they should know and understand all the important facts such as a timeline of the events.  Random pictures thrown onto the screen, while they can be emotional, do not reflect the idea of what the individual is trying to state.  Which can be confusing for a viewer.  The digital story should flow.

The student should then create a storyboard or informal outline.  This would include choosing pictures that would be relevant to the topic.  As the student chooses their pictures they could then begin formulating what each picture should state.  How they want to arrange the pictures into an introduction , the body of the video, and finally a conclusion - all which would support the main idea. 

After the student has done all this, they could then begin plugging all their materials into a program such as Photo Story.  As they are "plugging in" their story the individual has to make sure the picture delivers the message they are trying to create, the picture is clear, the text or voice prompts added are understandable, and the pictures flow seamlessly so that the viewer does not lose focus of the message being presented. 

Obviously, after all this is done the individual has a full grasp on their topic.  They have done the research and found relevant interactive media to backup the research.  In fact, I think they have gone a step further.  In developing a video on the research information they have followed ISTE NET standards.  If the video is a success, then the student has a full understanding of the technology (#6)  for Photo Story.  Which includes uploading pictures and tweaking them, adding text or voice prompts, and/or adding music.  If the digital story flows and supports the main idea and the message is successfully delivered to the viewers then the student has satisfied #2 ccommunication and collaboration.  Taking the students idea and creating a movie to support that idea follows standard #1 creativity and innovation.  During the creation progress of the digital story the student has to gather information and systematically organize photos, the student finds on their own, to fit the story.  This would satisfy #3 research and information fluency.  As the student organizes the photos and adds text or voice prompts to support the main idea, it becomes applicable to life.  The student is using all the information gathered and applying it.  If the student makes a successful conclusion in their video, then the digital story would support standard #4 critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making. #5 digital citizenship, is a bit trickier. This comes down completely to how the student delivers the message.  Obviously a digital story is very unique to the creator and their message.  Ethical issues can be fuzzy at best.  There are obvious ethics that everyone follows and then there are some that are not so obvious.  Depending on the research done whether it be through a research paper or a digital story, sometimes the message delivered can step on toes.  But assuming the student did not break a major ethical faux pas then digital citizenship can be satisfied as well. 

I think its safe to say, from my standpoint, that digital stories can equal and often out class a research paper.  The information is transformed from black letters on a white sheet of paper to an interactive host of information download-able by the world. 
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Texting? The New Language

I must admit, my original thoughts on text language has softened a bit.  I feared that it may be ruining our language.  For me it may be a generational thing.  I did not grow up texting.  I'm not sure what would have been the look on my face if I were told one day I'd be using an actual 'mobile' phone (one that was not connected to the wall) that had the ability to send 'notes' to other people's 'mobile' phones.  Skip forward a few years to the time I graduated from high school and entered college between 1995-2000 was much different compared to what I see now.  In 1998, you might have seen a few students walking around with cellular phones attached to their ears but they were not text messaging.  Of course, this came down to the simple fact that - it was too expensive.  Heck, using your minutes just to talk was too expensive.  A lot has changed in a very small amount of time.  Today people of all ages can be seen in public texting.  Cellular companies have adjusted their billing to make both talking and texting much more affordable.  I think it was this quick paced change to abbreviate the English language that probably scared me the most.   While I was having babies, the next generation changed the rules.

In the article OMG! Texting and IM-ing  by the Washington Post, Margaret Shapiro took the stance that we should see it as a new language "with its own set of rules for spelling and writing".  This I had not thought of before.  Does text messaging have it's own set of rules for spelling?  Well... the only thing to do now is a bit of research to see how many people feel there is a certain etiquette to text messaging.  A Google search on text messaging didn't take long.  In fact, Emily Post, the etiquette guru herself stated, "Keep your message brief. No one wants to have an entire conversation with you by texting when you could just call him or her instead."  Sounds reasonable.  Keep it brief.  Of course, the best way to keep it brief would be to have a set of guidelines or rules as to what the abbreviations for common phrases would become.  So, then I Googled "are texting abbreviations universal" and I found many websites that are more than happy to educate an individual on the different text lingo.  The problem being is that there are so many with good connotations as well as bad, I'm not sure how one person could memorize them all.   Texting Shorthand states, "these shorthand ways of getting your point across are surprisingly universal."  That's reassuring.  While I'm not exactly sure all abbreviations are universal.  I can see an attempt to make them universal. 

The universality is only one side of text messaging. This You Tube video provides me with the most evidence that text messaging is becoming a new language.



If the next generation is texting as much as 3000 to 11,263 messages a month, then the fact it's becoming a 'New Language' is something to take serious.  The next generation is our future and their leading the way.  If they are indeed creating a new abbreviated language or dialect then we all need to follow in their footsteps to keep ourselves updated.

What is disheartening in this same video is an English teacher who states that he is seeing text language on English papers such as the number '2' for the words 'to', 'too', and 'two'.  Obviously, these are three different words with very different meanings.  This I have a problem with simply because it is impossible to successfully communicate if words are not used properly.  I don't know the frequency this is happening.  The article OMG! Texting and IM-ing states that,

"Young people can compartmentalize their language," Varnhagen said. "They have language that they use on the playground and then school language. They know how to speak in classrooms without sounding like goofballs."

So obviously Margaret Shaprio's evidence is different than the English teacher's evidence from Oakpark High School. 

However, what I will conclude is that text language is still fairly new.  I think in the end, it's probably not worth getting too exited about.  It is something worth learning to keep ourselves literate with today's society and updated with the growing technology.  Change sometimes provokes obstinance, especially fast paced change.  But as time passes, I believe we, as a high functioning society, will learn when to use it and when not to use it.  Besides it may become a 'hot flash in the pan' and gone before we blink.  Like I said in the beginning, as a child I could not have imagined sending 'notes' over a 'mobile' phone.  How is the next technological advances going to change our language?  Will text messaging become out-dated and just a 'fad' of our past?

Literacy is More than Black and White Letters on a Piece of Paper

What is literacy?  Literacy to me is not only being able to read a text but being able to ingest the information in a way that it can be applied in the real world.  For instance, theoretically I'm an excellent Physicist.  I have the ability to use an equation in the classroom and decipher the correct answer.  However, I do not have the ability to apply what I have written on paper into a real life situation.  This created an embarrassing issue for me.  I can proudly pronounce that I am an 'A' student in Physics but the fact that I cannot apply it in real life means that I am technically not literate in Physics.  There is a difference.  An employer does not want someone who can only 'theoretically' practice physics.  They want someone who can apply it.  Needless to say, I will not be a Physicist in this lifetime. 

However literacy is much broader than the ability to read and apply information.   A simple Google search brings us to the Wikipedia definition which states:

"Literacy has traditionally been described as the ability to read and write. It is a concept claimed and defined by a range of different theoretical fields."

I think we can all agree that literacy is 'the ability to read and write' but what about the 'different theoretical fields'?  What all does literacy encompass?  I actually found an excellent video on You Tube called What Does it Mean to be Literate in the 21st Century? that defined literacy in ways I had not considered. 




In this video literacy included:

• The Basics - the ability to 'work' words and numbers.
• Critical Literacy - the ability to ingest information and apply it.
• Visual Literacy - the ability to negotiate and make sense of an image. 
• "Read the World" Literacy - the ability to understand the world around oneself.
• Information Literacy - the ability to understand and apply information not only from texts but computers as well which can include writing a computer program.
• Visual Media Literacy - understanding information that does not come from texts but images - symbols, signs, and graphs.
• Social Literacy - the ability to read and understand people in general (relationships and interactions).
• Outdoor Literacy - the ability to understand one's surroundings in the great outdoors. 

These are just a few ways to define literacy.  Literacy is beyond reading words.  It accesses key critical thinking skills so that the information ingested includes being able to apply it in many instances including social and technological skills.  I think Wikipedia sums it up best in this statement.

"Literacy involves a continuum of learning in enabling individuals to achieve their goals, to develop their knowledge and potential, and to participate fully in their community and wider society."

Today information is streamed from many different resources.  One hundred years ago, people had limited ways in which to receive their information.  The written word in textbooks, as well as, oral communication about traditions and gossip made ingesting information and applying it much simpler. Plus, one hundred years ago it was much harder to receive information from around the world.  Information traveled much slower and sometimes did not infiltrate small towns and villages.  Today the individual has the world at their fingertips.  Information streams from the media (locally, nationally, and worldly), social resources which include Twitter and Facebook, individual and group resources such as blogs and forums, as well as more 'conventional' textbooks.  It's quite a bombardment from one hundred years ago.  Many of these sources compete with each other and the individual has to have the ability to sort what is pertinent information and what is superfluous or incorrect.  Just as the written word is not always correct, information from the Internet is not always correct either.  For this reason the individual needs to be technologically literate.  In other words, have the ability to ingest what they read and then apply this information in the real world.  Why?  Can you think of one high paying career that does not use technology?  Computers have infiltrated the business world, the medical world, the automotive and design industry, and the entertainment industry to name a few.  A radiologist must be able to read and decipher a patients MRI which is computer based imaging.  If they are not literate in a MRI reading, then they would make a very poor radiologist and not employable.

While flipping through YouTube I came across another video called Education Today and Tomorrow that made me think.



My biggest concern with today's technology is the laziness that it has produced.  Call it an "antiquated OCD" and while I am not completely innocent when it comes to "texting" languages such as chat abbreviations and emoticons, I do believe they have a place.  That place is not in schools or the business world.  I cannot emphasize how many times I have heard this last month that West Virginians are at a "disadvantage" on high stake tests when it comes to grammar.  I have worked hard my whole life to make sure my West Virginia dialect does not enter my professional writings (which includes my blogs) or my professional communication skills in front of a classroom.  Facebook is a good example of where individuals tend to lack correct grammatical skills.  While I understand that it is a 'Social Network', I also see it as a place where I am communicating with my peers.  Grammatical errors and shortcuts lead to misunderstandings.  I do not feel I am putting my best foot forward if my peers are not able to decipher my message.  Plus the old adages 'practice makes perfect' or 'if you don't use it, you lose it' comes to mind.  Are students who are skipping apostrophes and using other grammatical shortcuts doing the same in the classroom or on high stake tests such as the WesTest or the ACT?  Do these same students know the difference between they're, their, and there?  Why does this concern me?  In the above video Education Today and Tomorrow a few statements in particular stand out:

China has more honor students than America has

and

China is rapidly becoming the #1 English speaking country

If China is becoming the "#1 English speaking country" how do American students compare?  This is scary.  In a previous blog I linked a comment from the website Critical Issue: Using Technology to Improve Student Achievement in which it states that U.S. children performed poorly on international assessments.  It further went on to point out that U.S. children lack critical thinking skills which brings us straight back to literacy.  If China is quickly becoming the "#1 English speaking country" and American students are using grammatical shortcuts - in the real world or in a professional situation can these students apply their knowledge with other international students and be understood?  In other words, are American students literate enough to be understood by other countries that understand our language as well as or possibly better than ourselves? Literacy is an important key in competing in today's world. While it is the current fad to write in grammatical shortcuts in America, it may not be understood by the rest of the world who are learning how to use our language correctly.  I believe this is a challenge worth tackling while we bring our kids into the 21st Century. 

Of course, on the same note we will not be able to stop texting languages which are currently en vogue.  So to understand ourselves within our own social structure in America, as the old saying goes "if you can't beat them join them".  Part of social literacy is the ability to communicate and be understood.  Therefore the individual has to be adaptive enough to understand language that is born from 'pop culture' and when and where to use it. 

'Would You Participate in a Triathlon?' Graph Results

'Organic Food ~ Worth it or Over-rated' Graph Results

The Results for My 'Healthy or Blah' Survey

My Survey

Blogging Students?

Blogging in the classroom?  Hmm... this is an interesting subject and not one I had considered until recently.  Are there benefits to having students blog?  I can list a few off the top of my head:

• Blogging helps create writing skills which include critical thinking skills as well as grammar skills.
• Students receive feedback in the form of peers and strangers from around the world. 
• Blogging helps feed the technological cravings student have as well as helping to develop technological skills such as creating links to videos and articles.
• Students can be more free to express themselves and debate topics that are important to them.

In the same breath I can use some of these same examples to explain why blogging can be a dangerous addition to the classroom if not used properly. 

• Students can be more free to express themselves and debate topics that are important to them.

While students need to be able to debate topics freely to develop their critical thinking skills, many do not have to ability to guard themselves from predators on the Internet.  I have neices and nephews who reveal too much on facebook about themselves.  This can include pictures, times and places of social events, and personal information such as phone numbers and addresses.   This leaves them vulernable to internet stalking and/or creeping.  Another concern I have about this is that future employers looks at Facebook and Myspace accounts.  Inappropriate pictures and comments could exclude them from future employment opportunities.   However, if done properly in the classroom the teacher can explain proper conduct of blogging that includes the protection of identity as well as instructing on what is appropriate to display on the Internet.  These skills could then carry over to 'other' Internet socializing.

A second example would be:

• Students receive feedback in the form of peers and strangers from around the world for their writings.

Writings that are public can create feedback from a stranger (i.e. from another age group, a different part of the world, etc...).  The instructor would need to prepare the students on how to handle information that is nonconstructive and/or harmful.  Mainly to keep the student from ingesting everything he or she reads. 

These few concerns are easily controlled by teaching the proper uses of the Internet.  Since kids of all ages are already using the Internet for socializing, blogging would be a constructive way to help guide students on the proper use.  A proper blog might look like this AP College English  blog.  Note that there are no real ways to identify the blogger other than the stamp in the right corner that displays the High School's name.  This blog includes inciteful debates on class content as well as the bloggers opinions on different topics in the classroom.  If I were to create a classroom blog, this is an example of some of the things I would want my students to write about.  I would want their blogs to form an opinion on a variety of topics and in the end show a reflection about those opinions enough to help them develop critical thinking skills and debating skills.

*Eek! Gasp!* No more textbooks!

How taboo would it be if one day every textbook disappeared from the classroom?  Can a classroom function without a textbook?  Better yet, without textbooks is there a way for students to absorb information more efficiently?  We are moving into an era where information becomes obsolete at the drop of hat.  How can textbooks keep up with this evolution?  For instance, I know for a fact that the science books given to students today include Pluto as our ninth planet.  However on August 24, 2006 this science fact became obsolete.  The icy planet Pluto was downgraded to a dwarf planet and all of a sudden we had eight planets in our solar system.  Not only do we now have eight planets but scientist were forced to come up with a more concise definition for a planet.  This is a lot of information.  A lot of significant scientific information.  Are our students learning this information today from our school textbooks?  Only if the textbook has been rewritten and updated in the last four years.  What does that cost and how efficient can it be to rewrite textbooks with every scientific update?  Which also brings up another issue in this day and age - How 'green' can textbooks be?  Or what kind of waste does an out-of-date textbook create?  However if the science class is equipped with the Internet and the teacher is tech savvy, then the students could quite possibly have this information at their fingertips.  Being outdated in subjects such as Science is not what we want for our students or our children.  Furthermore technologies such as iPads can download electronic books or ebooks making updating information much simpler and efficient time wise, as well as, waste wise. 

What about worksheets?  Can children learn from worksheets?  From my experience the child sits in a chair all day copying what the teacher tells them to write in each blank.  It seems rather mindless and absorption has to be minimal at this point.  As a substitute teacher, I have been forced to teach a second grade class purely from worksheets.  It was by far the worst several days of teaching I have ever endured.  Not only was I ready to bang my head on a wall but the class was uncontrollable.  By day two, I had begun to change the class a little bit to suit my kind of teaching which included games and floor time with plenty of visual aids to satisfy little tactile hands.  Of course, I could only do this during break times and in between worksheets since I have no power as a substitute.  On day three, the classroom became much easier to control because the children were excited to be there.  Later I found out, due to the worksheet workload, that class was six weeks behind the other second grade classes in the county.  The teacher's response when told she needed to catch her children up, "But how will we be able to do that many worksheets?"  Time management in the class was obviously an issue.  What would that class had been like if it were technologically based?  If the students had visual aids they could touch, as well as, Internet access that brought them colorful animations to guide them in their math work, audio clips to accompany their spelling work, and video clips to keep them updated on the latest scientific explorations - would the students be more captivated?   Grabbing the attention of a second grader guarantees more absorption of the material presented to them, as well as, an exciting learning environment. 

There is one factor to consider - how feasible is it to supply every child with computer access or an iPad?  The initial cost can be rather scary.  Obviously privileged children live wired lives.  According to the website Critical Issue: Using Technology to Improve Student Achievement, 21 million youth between the ages of 12 and 17 are using the Internet and 78% of these kids are using the Internet in school.  This is truly a fantastic number but what about the underprivileged children?  How do we keep them from being excluded?  While such a large number is using the Internet at school, there are 3 million underprivileged children who are not?  How do we provide them with the technology they need to keep themselves moving in this high tech era? According to the above website, underprivileged children who are given Internet access at school can improve their "economic prospects" by giving them "marketable skills".  I believe that this is a remarkable find.  In fact, this should become a goal worth obtaining.   However the ever burdening financial situation of the school system is a challenge that is harder to overcome than simply saying "All schools should have access."  I believe this challenge is worth the effort to keep American children competitive with the world.

This brings up another issue - is America 'keeping up' with the rest of the world?  Once again, according to the above website, Critical Issue: Using Technology to Improve Student Achievement, U.S. children performed poorly on the international assessments.  Furthermore leaders such as Education Secretary Margaret Spellings and former Secretary of State Colin Powell have stated, "that today's students are not prepared to compete internationally."  What I found even more interesting in this article and what brings me to my point is that "Education and business leaders have also begun to question whether current assessments focus too much on measuring students' ability to recall discrete facts at the cost of not adequately measuring students' ability to think critically and solve problems".  Hmmmm... are we discovering that regurgitated fact from a textbook does not develop problem solving skills?  I have believed for some time that as we evolve as human beings, so should are teaching skills.  It is no longer relevant today to stand in front of a classroom scribbling facts on a chalkboard and testing from textbooks that may have information that is completely outdated while children sit at attention in hard-backed seats.  Each child learns differently. While some may be able to learn from a chalkboard others may need to observe the lesson being taught or even touch and smell it.  While good reference materials should be provided, visual aids are a must.  I once taught a fourth grade class about the composition of soil purely from the cartoon images in the textbook.  How can a student fully grasp the difference between sand, clay, and peat if they are not allowed to touch it?  What may have also helped in that particular lesson was Internet access.  A video on different soils would have brought the students from a dull cartoon version of soil to a more interactive lesson.  I believe that there is enough evidence to support that through the use of visual aids and interactive lessons provided by the Internet and iPads we can throw dated, wasteful textbooks out of the class and bring the individual student into the 21st century.