When I Become a Teacher PhotoStory

Link to WebQuest

Road Trip to Sturgis WebQuest

iPad Review

Math Ref Free is a free version of the great math reference application, Math Ref. This app gives you just a sample (over 600) of the over 1,400 helpful formulas, figures, tips, and examples that are included in the full version of Math Ref. So, if you're a student, teacher, or need math for work and want to try before you buy, this app is for you.

Because I have an iPad I sampled many different math learning apps.  Many where pretty simple... they give you an equation and you tap the answer and instantly know whether you are right or wrong.  Most of these where geared more towards younger students learning simple addition and subtraction, and multiplication and division problems. I did not find any clear instructions in these apps of course it was the free version I was using and the full version would potentially be more clear.

Since I want to teach secondary math I found the Free Math Ref app to be a great resource for myself as a teacher and for my students. I am constantly looking up formulas and rules in math. These are so abundant memorization is just not possible. With the Math Ref app these formulas and rules are at the tip of your fingers. Students could use this to find the particular information that they need in order to complete an assignment. Without directly telling students what formulas to use they could use the Math Ref app to gather the information that they need.

I must also add that I believe the iPad can be used in many different and exciting ways to stimulate a love of learning in our future students.

Lesson Plan and CSO

QARs + Tables = Successful Comprehension of Math Word Problems

The QAR framework supports comprehension of a word problem that relates to a graphic or table displaying data.

CSO:  select and use appropriate statistical methods to analyze data, develop and evaluate inferences and predictions that are based on models 

By recognizing a variety of question types, students understand that a correct response might require analysis, manipulation, or computation of numerical information rather than identification of a number within the table.
CSO:  create grade-level real-world appropriate story problems using multiple strategies including simple ratios, justify the reason for choosing a particular strategy and present results.

Answering questions that relate to a graphic or table involves a complex, multistep process that includes understanding the question, determining how a response can be mathematically formulated, analyzing the graphic, and offering a response that rests upon sound mathematical principles.
CSO: formulate questions that can be addressed with data and collect, organize, and display relevant data to answer them

Identifying the type of QAR supports mathematical reasoning skills and expands upon successful test-taking strategies.

The Altitudinist

 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 Role

___Efficiency Expert

___Affiliator

___Altitudinist

___Technophile

Your Impressions

WebQuest	Strengths	Weaknesses
Gorillas	Allows students to address a specific issue and think about possible solutions creatively.	Does not encourage much higher thinking because the problem and many solutions are already presented. Students should think of other possible problems instead of just focusing on Gorillas.
Shakespeare	Students have lots of opportunity to be creative. Also working with other students to create skits will encourage higher learning.	There is so much information available about Shakespeare. Maybe students should compare him to another author during that time to get a better appreciation for Shakespeare instead of just analyzing the facts.
Earthquake	This activity is fun and students will enjoy the hands on and competitive aspect of it which will promote higher thinking in order to have the strongest structure.	Higher thinking is important when determining the design of your structure but success also has a lot to do with the materials and construction.
Foreign Country	This activity gives students the opportunity to express the facts creatively using technology.	This activity seems to have too much emphasis on gathering facts about a specific country and then presenting them.
Waves & Sound	This WebQuest promotes higher learning and allows students to go on a journey of learning without just directly stating what they are expected to take from the experience.	This activity make seem boring to many students.

Bernie Dodge, Department of Educational Technology, SDSU

StoryBird

My Mommy is a Teacher Too! by jcrandallcrawford, jglaspell2201 on Storybird

RED LIGHT TO SOCIAL NETWORKING FOR SEX OFFENDERS

The argument that Mr. Magid is trying to make is that it will not do any good to limit sex offenders' access to social networking sites. Though his opinions and feelings to support this argument are abundant and clear, his evidence seems to ONLY be abundant. Every peer-reviewed study conducted by the Crimes Against Children Research Center and other scholarly organizations, as well as the report of Internet Safety Technical Task Force, has concluded that the risk of online predators is greatly exaggerated (Magid, 2009). To say "greatly exaggerated" does not give me a clear comparison about the actual risk level of online predators. Mr. Magid continues to speak about his own knowledge of sex offenders. I'm not aware of any cases of a predator harming a prepubescent child whom he met on the Internet, and there are very few publicly known cases of sexual contact between a teenager and an adult they met online (Magid, 2009).  He says "I'm not aware". His unawareness of theses cases are probably intentional. Abuse of prepubescent children is confidential and not made public whether the Internet was involved or not. Magid continues with some "evidence" that involves numbers. A January 2009 analysis of Pennsylvania cases by the Center for Safe and Responsible Internet Use found, during a four-year period, that "only eight incidents involved actual teen victims with whom the Internet was used to form a relationship," compared to 9,934 children who were sexually abused in a single year in that state (Magid, 2009). Use of dates, times, and numbers to enforce his argument can easily be interpreted as facts by the average reader. Although with the information literacy strategies I have learned in my Instructional Technology class,  I am aware that this "evidence" can not be validated.  When I click on the link "analysis" I am directed to another posting by Mr. Magid. Also, I am always very weary of the validity of sites with advertisements and pop-ups.

This is a very controversial topic and I am not completely sure how I feel about it. Do I believe sex-offenders give up their right to social networking?...not so much.  I believe anyone can be rehabilitated. To limit rehabilitation seems counter-productive for society as a whole. Although, what role does social networking play for the rehabilitation of a sex-offender?  Um, seems like very little. Unlike Mr. Magid, I would choose to not try to sway emotions about this topic with unvalidated "evidence".  I am only talking about my personal opinion. With the controversial topic: Sex Offenders' Right to Social Networking... I don't believe any facts or statistics could ever completely change how a person really feels about this subject. Personally, I DO agree with Mr. Magid's argument for the most part. The process of trying to eliminate sex-offenders' access to a social networking site seems like more trouble than it is worth. Trouble that could take focus off of sex-offenders that are not registered.  Also, just the word "sex-offender" has such a broad meaning across different states. This label may not always be just. It is my most honest and personal opinion that parents are the most responsible for their children. It should not be the job of society or teachers to control what happens when our children are on-line. Proper use of social networking sites should be enforced by parents. Parents should be involved and aware of all aspects of their children's lives, and then should act and react accordingly instead of displacing blame somewhere else. Although this is just my opinion.


Reference

Magid, L. (2009, August 13). Social-networking ban for sex offenders: Bad call? [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://news.cnet.com/8301-19518_3-10309421-238.html

RESEARCH GETS A TUNE UP WITH WIKIPEDIA

Well I have definitely learned a lot about Wikipedia. I must admit it has aways been a reference I was told to stay away from. After learning more about it I think it is an excellent source of information. 

As in conventional encyclopedias, Wikipedia’s English language encyclopedia contains articles about topics traditionally considered important, but it also includes entries on all manner of contemporary popular culture and current events. (Crovitz & Smoot, 2009) The fact that it is ever changing and can be edited by anyone is considered a downfall of this resource. Yet, I consider this aspect the ultimate perk of Wikipedia.  Here is an authentic demonstration that knowledge isn’t settled, that there are always more questions to ask and always differing perspectives on the answers. (Crovitz & Smoot, 2009) Meaning that it is current and representative of our society on current events. It is a tool that is a perfect example of ideas and research evolving which would be a great way to encourage learning to our students.  Probably most teachers tell their students to stay away from Wikipedia because they think its only use is a reference.  But Wikipedia is to be used differently than a normal encyclopedia.  Because Wikipedia is constantly evolving, its entries often include unconventional sections that might never have been included in a traditional encyclopedia. (Crovitz & Smoot, 2009) I was also very surprised to discover that editing and management of the Wikipedia site is done but volunteers.That it is all non-profit. I believe this alone make it a more interesting and noble source of information. I was surprised also by the scrutiny that Wikipedia has encountered because it can be edited by anyone. As writer and educator Will Richardson has noted, Wikipedia’s goal is nothing less than “collecting the sum of human knowledge” in a vast, constantly growing digital repository. (Crovitz & Smoot, 2009) Maybe the biggest issue comes simple from the name and comparison to a resource like an encyclopedia. If Wikipedia was presented more as an archive maybe it would not experience so much scrutiny?

This is a time lapse of the first 12 hours of the Wikipedia article documenting the VT Massacre. Music is "tuff ghost" by the unicorns.

References

Crovitz, D. & Smoot, W. (2009, January). Wikipedia: Friend, not foe. English Journal, 98(3), 91-97. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/archival/EnglishJournalArticle2.pdf

Wikipedia Reliabilty

I used wikipedia worksheet to examine the reliability of the:

Labrador Retriever
Wikipedia

This page did not have any "clean-up banners".
The article was written very clear and all aspects were organized.
There was a neutral and informative tone to the article.
All important facts were referenced and there were links to related topics.
The information provided seemed very complete with no gaps. There was an overwhelming amount of information of the topic.

When Examining the References for this article I believed these sites to be:

Reliable References

1. ^ AKC Dog Registration Statistics
2.  Conant, EK; Juras R, Cothran EG (February 24, 2011). "Incidence of the mask phenotype M264V mutation in Labrador Retrievers". Research in Veterinary Science. doi:10.1016/j.rvsc.2011.02.002. PMID 21353269. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21353269. Retrieved May 5, 2011. 

Possibly Unreliable References

1. ^ "Litter Size in Dogs". Crown Partners Scientific Library. Royal Canin. http://www.royalcanin.us/library/littersizeindogs.aspx. Retrieved April 25, 2011. 
2. 3. "Labrador Genealogy". U.P. Labradors. http://www.uplabradors.com/uplabradorsgenealogy.htm. Retrieved 2007-10-03. 

Definitely Unreliable References

1. Miller, Liza Lee; Cindy Tittle Moore (2004-01-07). "FAQ Labrador Retrievers". Puget Sound Labrador Rescue. http://www.pslra.org/html/articles/faqs.htm. Retrieved 2007-09-13. 
2. ^ "Purina Life Span Study". Purina Pet Institute. Archived from the original on October 26, 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20071026133336/http://purina.com/company/press/2003/BodyFat.aspx. Retrieved 2008-09-04. 

The Labrador Retriever article is classified as a "good article criteria".  Most of the discussion pertains to whether or not certain pictures should be taken out or left in to this article. Also what color lab best represents the breed.  After reading the discussion nothing makes me doubt the validity of this article.

I find this article to be a very reliable source.  It is well organized and describes the Labrador breed in every aspect from history to temperament. It is also a reliable source because you can use it to elaborate on whatever topic your are trying to explore about the Labrador retriever. I also believe it is reliable because of the neutral tone. All three colors of this breed are equally examined and explained.

Wikipedia

a. What is Wikipedia?
"Wikipedia is a multilingual, Web-based encyclopedia project, operated by the Wikimedia Foundation, a nonprofit organization."b. How would you answer the question posed in this piece “How reliable can a source be when anyone can edit it?”?
"The problem with Wikipedia is that it only works in practice. In theory, it can never work."
c. Who do the creators of Wikipedia place their trust in when it comes to weeding out misinformation?
They put their faith in the "wisdom of crowds," believing that by having many people watching what appears there, errors and vandalism will be weeded out, sooner rather than later.
d. Why did founder Larry Sanger leave Wikipedia?
 Mr. Sanger left Wikipedia, believing that it should give more authority to experts; he has since created another site, Citizendium that does just that.
e. What would abuse or vandalism look like on a Wikipedia page?
self-interested editing by prominent businesses and governments around the world
f. What do the statistics quoted in the third paragraph of this piece reveal?
there are currently Wikipedias in more than 280 languages, with a total of more than eight million articles. The encyclopedia is among the top 10 most-visited sites on the Internet around the world
They are obviously doing something right.
g. Why do you think Wikipedia is so successful?
I think it is successful because it was a great idea from the beginning. It is non-profit so people find it to be reliable.
h. Why might Wikipedia’s creators not want to accept advertising?
This will cheapen the validity of the site. Wikipedia is information not advertisements.
i. How does Wikiscanner help increase the reliability of Wikipedia entries?
the IP address of anonymous editors of the site to be easily checked; the tool, Wikiscanner, quickly exposed examples of self-interested editing by prominent businesses and governments around the world.

Dog Island Think Aloud

Dogisland

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EXCEPTIONAL STUDENTS JOIN THE RACE WITH A BOOST FROM TECHNOLOGY

I am currently taking Introduction to Special Education where I have learned a lot about teaching exceptional students.  I believe the thing that I really learned was how little I knew about the different conditions that make students exceptional.  It is so important that we are knowledgeable of learning disabilities, autism, ADHD...etc.. if we are planning on becoming teachers.  We are sure to encounter exceptional students in our classrooms. Teachers are the closest people to children with learning differences besides their parents. Treatment, diagnosis, and the where and how exceptional students should be taught, are all very controversial topics.  Also these types of disabilities are different for everyone so there is no one solution for dealing with exceptional students.  Each students will have certain methods that work for them but will fail with others.

"Apps For Autism"

In this 60 Minutes News Special they talk in detail about how the iPad is a tool that is helping autistic children communicate. These are the kinds of toolS I would like to use in my classroom to help with communication.  Also I would allow students with learning differences to use word processors. It is much easier for anyone to organize their thoughts without having to constantly correct spelling and grammatical errors.  

LD ONLINE

This is a link to a website that will help us better understand learning differences.  It is most important to be able to recognize when your student is having difficulties. Instead of assuming there is a lack of motivation you must do your research. Children with learning differences may be more of a challenge to teach but, being aware and knowledgeable of these conditions will better suit us when teaching exceptional students.

NCLB Assessment Data

Special Education Level One is the most peaked. Asians Level One is the least peaked. There is no bimodal score in this graph.

HITCHHIKER UN-JUDGED WHEN COMMUNICATING ONLINE

Quote
"The relative absence of non-verbal cues (e.g. attractiveness) and the ability to link with others wuth similar interests, values and beliefs facilitates the formation of relationships based on deeper connections such as shared values and beliefs." (Owens, 2009)

Reaction
Online communication has positives and negatives.  I don't completely agree with Owen's Internet and Anti-Social Behavior Theory Unfounded.  I believe she is only focusing on the positive.  I picked this quote because I do believe you have a better chance of forming valuable relationships online with people that may not ever get a chance to know you because they judge you on your appearance or status.  Problem is when communicating online you can also be as fake as you want.  You have more opportunity to lie and only present yourself the way you believe the person wants you to be.  So, it works both ways.  When communicating face to face you can watch hand gestures, body language, you can look a person in their eyes and feel their true passion about something or sense whether they are lying. Online expression can also be easily misinterpreted. Without the tone and volume  in your voice sometimes what you are really trying to say can be interpreted differently.  There are ways that you express yourself verbally that can not be duplicated with punctuation and written word.  I believe that like many things you have to take the good with the bad. Ultimately the negatives and postives of online communication are equal.  You get the luxuries of what you like about communicating this way but have to be aware of the negatives that come along with it.

Reference

Owens, L. (2009, April 23). Internet & anti-social behavior theory unfounded facebook, myspace, online: research refutes cyber socializing fears [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://laura-owens.suite101.com/internet--anti-social-behavior-theory-unfounded-a111897

Related Articles
Using Body Language

Math Scores Chart

TURN ON YOUR HIGH BEAMS FOR VISUAL LITERACY IN EDUCATION

Quote
"Students understand that they need to have these skills in order to exist in the world, so they're way ahead of us.  Most kids relate to each other through music or graphics. They are regularly bombarded with images and sound. Most of their awareness comes through language of moving images and cinema. That's why it's so important that they learn the language of it." (Lucas, 2002)

Reaction
This quote made me think about what my Intro to Special Education professor Dr. Moroose was talking about in class the other day.  He was talking about his very smart and well mannered 6th grader grandson.  His grandson came to visit and after he was through with his homework he hooked up his XBox.  He was in the back room talking to someone. This baffled Dr. Moroose.  "Who are you talking too?"  His grandson listed off several names and continued to talk and interact with his XBox and numerous friends for 3 hours.


Is our education system and ways of teaching slowing kids down? They are multi-tasking and decision making and interacting on such a higher level when playing things like XBox. Then we get them in a classroom and ask them to read a paragraph, spell a word, pick out subjects and verbs, answer an equation, each one at a time, on paper.. Do they feel like they are in slow motion when they enter the classroom and have to interact this way?  Why don't we use technology similar to XBox to motivate learning?


They consider the various forms of non-written communication as some type of therapy or art, something that is not relevant to the everyday life of a student (Lucas, 2002). This is wrong. Learning to communicate visually and emotionally is an important form of communicating and very relevant in today's culture.

Related Articles
xBox moves into classroom as a learning tool


References
Lucas, G. (2002). Interview by James Daly [Personal Interview]. Life on the screen: visual literacy in education. , Retrieved from http;//www.edutopia.org/lucas-visual-literacy

Teaching Philosophy Voki

Teaching Math to 9th Graders using Voki

RED LIGHT FOR MEDIA LITERACY WHEN TECHNOLOGY BREAKS DOWN

Quote
Moreover, many recent studies identify persistent barriers to integrating new technologies into instruction, including lack of training and help for teachers and insufficient access to functioning technology (Cuban, 2002; Zhao & Frank, 2003).

Reaction
The article "Teaching Media Literacy" by Jane David makes perfect sense to me.  I completely agree with many of her arguments about the importance of teaching media literacy. Choosing appropriate search engines, following relevant links, and judging the validity of information are difficult challenges, not only for students of all ages, but also for most adults, including many teachers (David, 2009).  Keeping up with the changing times can be daunting for teachers but I believe it is imperative.  In order for us to best prepare out students for their future we must teach them how to use modern technology correctly. As the quote reflects there are "persistent barriers" when trying to do so. Obviously lack of training and help for teachers is a huge barrier.  But even worse would be an insufficient access to functioning technology.  When your entire lesson plan requires your students to work online, or even just with a computer, and that computer fails... then what?  How can you hold students accountable for assignments when they can always use the excuse that they had a computer glitch? How can you instruct your class if you can not access your lesson online? If you teach your class using Powerpoint slides on Blackboard and Blackboard is experiencing technical difficulties it really puts a damper on your lesson plans.  Not only must teachers have incredible knowledge of media literacy in order to teach it, students and teachers must also have very reliable technology and reliable technical support.

Related Articles
These are just some pointers to start children on the right track when it comes to using computers.
How to Teach Kids with Computers

References

David, J. L. (2009, March). Teaching media literacy. Educational Leadership, 66(6), 84-86. Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/mar09/vol66/num06/Teaching-Media-Literacy.aspx

Zhao, Y., & Frank, K. A. (2003). Factors affecting technology uses in schools: An ecological perspective. American Educational Research Journal, 40(4), 807–840.

Picture of Cat:  http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gawker/2009/06/lolcat-AUUUUUUUUUUGH.jpg

Magazine Cover

Pure mathematics is, in its way, the poetry of logical ideas.  ~Albert Einstein

Add caption

KNOWLEDGE OF STUDENT BEHAVIOR AND INTERESTS PREVENTS THEM FROM GETTING LOST

Quote
"Teaching must capitalize on students' preferred literacy behaviors online." (Abilock, 2003)

Reaction
It is our responsibility as teachers to understand students' preferred literacy behaviors online in order to better teach them this way. When subject matter seems to have no value to a student this creates a lack of interest. In order for us to get our student's to take interest in our lesson plans we must incorporate subjects that interest them. We also must keep in mind the way that students use the Internet. Not all the myths of student behavior online are true but we must keep behaviors in mind when presenting curriculum this way. If students don't even scroll past the fold then it is imperative that we get our students attention before the fold to encourage them to read on. I believe it is important as a teacher to stay one step ahead of our students especially when it comes to technology and to reasearch current student interests in order to motivate learning.

Related Articles
What Are Students Doing Online?
6 Subtle Ways The News Media Disguises Bullshit As Fact

References
Abilock, D. (2003, December). A seven power lens on 21st century literacy. Retrieved from http://www.infotoday.com/mmschools

Photo Analysis of Obama Pictures

White House: Obama ready to seize claims process

Based on what you have observed list three things you might infer from the photograph.

Read the article title and photo caption.

Which picture gives you more confidence in the presidents leadership abilities? Why?

What questions does this photo raise in your mind?

Post the answer to these questions an the photo in a blog posting.

Reaction
The way the men are walking make them look strong and confident. The American flag gives us a happy feeling and the men with binoculars make us feel safe. 
This picture definitely gives us a more confidence in the president's ability to lead because he is doing something and looks in control of the situation and the caption depicts him this way.
I wonder what exactly they are doing.  I doubt the topic during this picture is the oil spill. They probably cracked some joke about smiling for the camera. It looks a little staged.

Oil spill: BP Gulf leak could stain President Obama like Iran hostage crisis destroyed Jimmy Carter

President Barack Obama is briefed on the BP oil spill relief efforts in the Gulf

Based on what you have observed list three things you might infer from the photograph.

Read the article title and photo caption.

Which picture gives you more confidence in the presidents leadership abilities? Why?

What questions does this photo raise in your mind?

Post the answer to these questions an the photo in a blog posting.

Reaction
This photo gives us a feel of concern because of the look on his face and the corresponding caption. 
Compared to the other photo I have less confidence in the president's ability to lead when looking at this photo.  Obama is human and looks distraught.  He is is sitting in his office thinking instead of taking action.
Somewhat similar to the other photo, I wonder if the oil spill was actually the topic of discussion when this picture was taken. He looks like he was reading at his desk and is irritated because a photographer snapped his picture.

Digital Storytelling promotes Critical Thinking

As an assignment in our EDUC 2201 class we were asked to create a digital story that explained a quote about teaching. Creating a digital story was a very fun and enlightening experience. Expressing myself through digital story made me relate how this type of media could be used to solve authentic problems. We want students to not only learn with media, but also learn and think critically about media. (Ohler, 2006) There are a lot of ways this digital tool can be used to explore real world issues.

Educational Uses of Digital Storytelling Around the World

Abstract: The purpose of this research study was to determine how educators, students 

and others around the world are using digital storytelling to support the educational 

process. This study provides a general framework about educational uses of digital 

storytelling in different countries and describes the different perceptions of people in 

different cultures about this technology. An online survey was used to collect responses 

from a group of educators, students and others in educational settings to determine how 

they are using digital storytelling for educational purposes. The results show the current 

situation of educational uses of digital storytelling around the world and explore some of 

the benefits and challenges educators face in implementing digital storytelling in their 

institutions. (Yuksel, Bernard & McNeil)

Ohler, J. (2006, January). The world of digital storytelling. Educational Leadership, Retrieved from http://www.jasonohler.com/pdfs/digitalStorytellingArticle1-2006.pdf

Yuksel, P., Bernard, R. R., & McNeil, S.Educational uses of digital storytelling around the world . Retrieved from http://digitalstorytelling.coe.uh.edu/survey/SITE_DigitalStorytelling.pdf

TECHNOLOGY UP-SHIFTS ARTISTIC JOBS INTO A HIGHER GEAR

Quote
"Beyond a literacy that facilitates learning and communication across a wide spectrum of activities, art skills also translate into real world jobs.  Each of the thousands of CD's and DVD's, the millions of incipient Web sites-and the other new media not yet on imagination's horizon-will require musicians, choregraphers, videographers, graphic designers, creative consultants, and many other "artistic" professionals.  Artists are finally having their day." (Ohler, 2000)

Reaction
There is so much opportunity for the artisitc professional in real-world jobs.  Because of technology more people have a chance to show their artisitic side and aquire these jobs. I have always considered myself very creative or artistic if you will.  I can picture how I want something to look but am unable to create it with pencil and paper.  It never seems to come out the way I imagined it.  Sometimes my point of view or idea I am trying to present will be lost because of my amateur drawing, painting, or artisitic skills. With technology I can make my creative ideas come to life with the click of a mouse. Technology gives me some many avenues to be creative and artistic.  Ideas and points of view are easy to portray and even more creative when using technology because the ease of creating something allows more time to be creative.

Related Articles

Reference

artroomvideos. (2009). Top ten reasons why art is good for kids [Web]. Retrieved from   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4-UehaNxzU&feature=related

Ohler, J. (2000, October). Art becomes the next r. Educational Leadership Magazine, 58(2), 16-19. Retrieved from https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vCKbHYY-gzXtLXnLak8i_hoV7TPAOfxNIamNrkWW3Pc/edit?pli=1#

Fair Use of Copyrighted Material

Students can upload their multimedia project to YouTube as long as they understand fair use.  They can not cheapen the materials or pictures that they use, they must use a conservative amount and use it in their own way that is different from it's original use. Fair use includes using material for teaching.  As long as the material is being used in a school related assignment you do not need to get permission from the original creator in order to use the copyrighted material.  My personal opinion is that you can use what you want as long as you are not taking any value or money away from the original creator and you are not making any money from it.

1. Can students upload their multimedia project to YouTube?
2. Are the limitations to the amount of pictures or length of music or video that can be used in a multimedia project?
3. Do you need to request permission from the original creator in order to use copyrighted material in multimedia project for school related assignment?

Media literacy education
can flourish only with
a robust understanding
of fair use.


• Did the unlicensed use “transform” the material taken from the copyrighted work
by using it for a different purpose than that of the original, or did it just repeat
the work for the same intent and value as the original?
• Was the material taken appropriate in kind and amount, considering the nature
of the copyrighted work and of the use?
If the answers to these two questions are “yes,” a court is likely to find a use fair.
Because that is true, such a use is unlikely to be challenged in the first place.

My Digital Story

DIGITAL STORYTELLING A FUN ROUTE

Quote

"Ten years ago, a project like this would have been too complex and expensive to be within the reach of most 6th graders. But media-based stories are now every one's to create. And with the Internet as an international stage, they are every one's to watch and enjoy." (Ohler, 2006)

Reaction

Digital storytelling is an example of how technology has made it easier to be creative.  Not only is it easier to be creative but your creativity can be seen by many people.  I think digital storytelling is a great way to express yourself.  We should take full advantage of technology like this when it comes to education.  The mood and emotion of your story cannot be expressed as well in a written story when compared to digital storytelling.  Not to mention it is much more fun to tell a story in this way. We should consider ourselves lucky that digital storytelling is not too expensive for an average student to use these days.  Why would you not want to implement technology like this in your classroom?

References

Hodgson, K. (Artist). (2009). Keeping the mood light: digital storytelling and boolean. [Web Photo]. Retrieved from http://dogtrax.edublogs.org/2009/04/06/keeping-the-mood-light-digital-storytelling-and-boolean/

Ohler, J. (2006, January). The world of digital storytelling. Retrieved from http://www.jasonohler.com/pdfs/digitalStorytellingArticle1-2006.pdf

Related Articles

The Educational Uses of Digital Storytelling

TEXTISM FAD RUNNING ON EMPTY

Quote
Naomi Baron, a professor of linguistics at American University and author of “Always On: Language in an Online and Mobile World,” shares Crystal’s view. She predicts that the number of “textisms” will stop growing as people continue to develop more proficiency in using handheld devices and as the devices continue to grow more sophisticated than simple telephone touch pads. She adds that part of the appeal of texting shorthands is their novelty, and that that will fade. (Shea, 2010)


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Devices that people are using to text are getting more and more complicated and therefore textisms and abbreviations will begin to fizzle out.  With many of the new phones it is easier and quicker to touch the entire word you are trying to use. Similar to T9 but even better you type in the first few letters and you have a large list of possible words you are trying to write. You simply touch that already correctly spelled word and move on. It's quicker than typing a 3 or 4 letter abbreviation that could be misinterpreted. I believe a lot of the abbreviations and textisms were somewhat of a fad. Younger kids got creative abbreviating words to create their own texting "style" .  Some of these will stick but, like most fads the majority will fade.


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David Crystal on It's Only a Theory, defending the proposition that texting is good for the English language. In this YouTube video David Crystal talks about how teens leave letters out of words when texting  because it is cool.  And that they could not leave out certain letters if they did not know the correct spelling in the first place.


Reference
Ammon, Shea. "The Keypad Solution." New York Times. 22Jan2010: n. page. Web. 9 Sep. 2011. <http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/24/magazine/24FOB-onlanguage-t.html>.


Crystal, David. "David Crystal on It's Only a Theory S01E02." 21Oct2009. Online Posting to Gassalasca2. Web. 9 Sep. 2011. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7WSzxQ0nX4>.

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Multimodal Learner

According to my VARK Questionnaire results I am a "Multimodal" learner.  This means that I can learn in many different ways.  I totally agree with this. I do like to learn in many different ways. I usually do many different things when studying for a test.  I always go to class and listen and take notes.  Then when I am studying I might re-arrange and re-write these notes so I can understand them better.  I do my homework so that I can DO what I will be asked to do on the test. I think this was an very accurate account of how I learn and I will continue to study in different ways in order to learn.

REV UP LESSON PLANS WITH WORDLE AND POLL EVERYWHERE

In our Instruction Technology class (EDUC 2201) at Fairmont state we did an activity using "Poll Everywhere" and "Wordle".  This activity definitely facilitated and inspired learning and creativity.  First we posted a poll a Poll Everywhere, which is an audience response system, to get to know our classmates.  Then we were able to view those results in a Wordle which is a fun text anaylsis tool.

With Math as my subject matter I believe Poll Everywhere has potential to be used in various different ways.  The simplest being to poll the answer to a tricky Math problem.  Then we could use the various answers and plug then into the problem in class and prove why they are correct or incorrect.  This would be a good way for students to reflect on what they are doing wrong.  Also it will show me as a teacher if students are making some of the same mistakes and where I may need to focus my lesson.

Using Poll Everywhere would be an more engaging and fun way for my students to learn instead of just assigning homework problems that they answer on paper at home.  Poll Everywhere encourages participation and collaboration.  Students will be more willing to participate when evidence of other class member's participation is right in front of then.  Collaboration occurs when discussing the poll results and comparing answers with classmates.

LANGUAGE TAKES A SHORTCUT

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"Before we despair that language is going to hell in a handcart, we should remember two lessons. First, normativeness in language goes through cycles, much like taste in music and politics. All is not lost. And second, regardless of the swings that language goes through, there is room for individual schools or teachers to set their own standards. Most schools have abandoned teaching handwriting, but a few have held their ground, to the good fortune of their students. Just so, if you choose to insist on written precision, students generally will follow your lead." (Baron, 2009)

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Change in language is an aspect of our evolving society and it is not the end of the world.  We should embrace this change like we have done with many other aspects of our changing times. Language itself has always been evolving.  We can see evidence of this when deciphering the required Shakespeare readings in high school.  I do believe that the correct form of grammar and language should be taught and used appropriately.  Like Baron says "there is room for individual schools and teachers to set their own standards".  Most people are afraid of change especially when they don't understand it. Much of the older generation have no idea what "omg" or "LOL" stand for therefore they just think it is ignorant. We must accept change and all the things that come with it in order to continue to grow as a society and a species.

Reference
Baron, N. S. (2009, March). Are digital media changing language?. Educational Leadership: Literacy 2.0, 66(6), Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/mar09/vol66/num06/Are-Digital-Media-Changing-Language%C2%A2.aspx

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EDUCATION REACHES A Y IN THE ROAD

After reading "Education needs a Digital-Age Upgrade" I am sort of left feeling neutral.  It seems that it is essential that Education keep up with modern times but I do not think that that makes earlier methods of education obsolete.

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To take an example of just one classroom convention that might be inhibiting today's students: Teachers and professors regularly ask students to write papers. Semester after semester, year, after year, "papers" are styled as the highest form of writing. And semester after semester, teachers and professors are freshly appalled when they turn up terrible. (Heffernan, 2011)


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I strongly disagree that professors are appalled with our "papers".  I would like to think that some of the papers that I have wrote were somewhat inspiring.  I know I've put a lot of thought and heart into them.  The biggest obstacle for students writing papers is the time restraint and that they have to be a certain length.  I know that papers do not turn out so good when you start them a day before they are due. Also when you are using "filler" to make them long enough.  There are always a lot of specific guidelines you have to follow when writing these papers: what to write about, how many citations to use, what types of references to use...ect. All these rules make it hard to be creative.


When corresponding online with peers you have more freedom.  There are no guidelines to what you must say and you can write as much as you want to get your point across.  Even though I believe "papers" should have less restrictions, I do not believe you can replace writing lengthy, thought out, inspiring papers with blogging...ect.  If these types of papers were not created then what would we ever reference?

References
Heffernan, V. (2011, August 07). Education needs a digital-age upgrade [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/08/07/education-needs-a-digital-age-upgrade/?hp

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Reasearch Papers vs. Blogs

TEACHING NEXT EXIT

I am very happy to be on the road to becoming a teacher.  I am currently at Fairmont State University studying Secondary Education specialization in Math 5-Adult.  I would like to teach high school Algebra.



I believe that the most valuable lesson that I can teach my students is how to "learn".  Students should learn how to create their own "A-HA" moments without the constant guidance of their instructor.  The biggest obstacle in education seems to be the lack of interest of students.  When curriculum is relevant to students it becomes something that they are interested in learning.  It will be my job as an educator to inquire and research my students' interests and use my creativity to incorporate these interests into the curriculum. Activities that are out of the norm and encourage group participation are engaging to students. Also activities that challenge students and are competitive are a fun way to learn.  Developing a curriculum around student interests motivates students and stimulates a passion to learn.