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

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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

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