Caleb brought his blog project to a close. I feel like maybe there should have been more resting in there somewhere...
Well this week's topic (which was done after my final, which was a funny trip) involved everyone's favorite thing: MONEY! Oh what a joyous occasion, discussing how to get it... fo FREE. I mean free money for free. That's good, right? In the words of the great Wayne, "SHA!" Of course, most people aren't going to just throw it at you. You have to work at it. Like a college scholarship. On steroids. Twice.
It's only logical. It really is an investment in the classroom. A grant is only going to go to a classroom where a person feels there will be a great benefit. If a business or organization doesn't feel that their money will do a whole lot, why would they give it away? Ca-razy. The work involved is more than just a "do you really want it" process. Their goal is to make you prove that you aren't tossing their money away for no reason. I think it's a great encouragement and motivator. The only downside is that even when teachers really will put the money to great use, the task of getting the money is so daunting that they feel like they couldn't ever get it, and so give up before they even begin. But that's something they have to deal with on their own time, because I'm getting that money. Aw yeah.
And thus ends this little project. It's been a ride. A fun one. A short one, as well. At least as far as classes go. An actual ride that took eight weeks is a little crazy. That would be better tagged a "trip." Bring snacks, kids. But I digress. It's been fun, and I look forward to toying with the bloggifier and finaggling with the whose-a-whats-its to achieve full blogdom. Yeah.
End.
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Copywrong
Oh noes, the class is almost over! That means this could be, like, my second-to-last blog post. Maybe. Who knows anymore?
So anyway, we talked about copyright laws and Fair Use policy and such this week, and there were some pretty big eye-openers. Some good, some bad. Some mediocre. Can there be a mediocre eye-opener? We shall see.
For one thing, it really surprised me how much like every other type of law copyright law really was. Despite the clear-cut rules, there seemed to be a loophole to everything. Oh, sure, you thought you followed the rules, but you did this for this reason instead of another reason, so bad on you. The quiz we took had some pretty ridiculous outcomes, to be honest. One case even specifically stated that the moral implications were not considered. Like... at all. Odd, no? Kinda thought that was part of the process.
But for every negative thing, there was a positive, or at least chin-scratch-worthy, surprise. For instance, who knew that Bill Nye was such a cool guy that he lets his tapes be used from tapes even if protocol was not followed to a t? That was pretty awesome.
Overall, I still think that it's hard to follow copyright law perfectly. Then again, it's hard to follow every law perfectly when you don't know all the rules. This is likely just going to have to be a "learn by doing" type thing. I'll probably make a few mistakes, but I think in the end I'll have a better understanding not just of the process, but of the thought behind it.
At least... I hope so.
So anyway, we talked about copyright laws and Fair Use policy and such this week, and there were some pretty big eye-openers. Some good, some bad. Some mediocre. Can there be a mediocre eye-opener? We shall see.
For one thing, it really surprised me how much like every other type of law copyright law really was. Despite the clear-cut rules, there seemed to be a loophole to everything. Oh, sure, you thought you followed the rules, but you did this for this reason instead of another reason, so bad on you. The quiz we took had some pretty ridiculous outcomes, to be honest. One case even specifically stated that the moral implications were not considered. Like... at all. Odd, no? Kinda thought that was part of the process.
But for every negative thing, there was a positive, or at least chin-scratch-worthy, surprise. For instance, who knew that Bill Nye was such a cool guy that he lets his tapes be used from tapes even if protocol was not followed to a t? That was pretty awesome.
Overall, I still think that it's hard to follow copyright law perfectly. Then again, it's hard to follow every law perfectly when you don't know all the rules. This is likely just going to have to be a "learn by doing" type thing. I'll probably make a few mistakes, but I think in the end I'll have a better understanding not just of the process, but of the thought behind it.
At least... I hope so.
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Learning of the Virtual Persuasion
So here we are, week six of this bloggerific blog. I had actually planned on using it more, perhaps actually fleshing it out and making it my main blog even after the class has finished, but I think perhaps I shall start anew. Of course who knows. Maybe I'll just make new posts on this one later and pretend nothing ever changed. Could happen.
Anyway, the topic of discussion this week centered around the so-called "virtual classroom" and whether I thought it was a good/bad/mediocre idea. To sum it up, yes. I think It has great merits, in that the students can have more individualized learning plans that could potentially increase their... potential. On the other hand, something that I brought up in the discussion, it reminds me of the debate of home school vs. public school in that a main concern from my corner is socialization. Students really need to be around other students, whether for learning purposes like the classroom or simply for social interactions. While the virtual classroom is not going to turn kids into boring computer-wilding robots, unless they are actively involved in other activities, they may miss out on a crucial part of development, and there is no telling what the consequences of that would be. But like all things, if done properly (which in my opinion involves some sort of extra-curricular such as a sport or science team, etc.) then the benefit to this sort of program could be vast. But like I said, it has to be done right. There is also a concern about the amount of drive the student has. If it were me in a virtual classroom, I wouldn't have lasted. I can take the occasional online assignment and such, but if my entire curriculum was online and I had the ability to do it at my leisure, you can bet that I'd be procrastinating until I had 22 hours left to do 23 hours of work. But then again, I wasn't always a driven student. It's something that has to be developed.
I am afraid, however, that this will hurt us in more than one way. For one thing, it could be a threat to brick and mortar schools, which allow education for those who may not have access to the internet at home. Since the virtual classroom is less expensive (apparently about 1/3 the price per student), I'm afraid that more and more funding will be pulled from brick and mortar schools and this will end up leaving a lot of students behind. Additionally, since several more students are able to take classes online in a single "classroom" than in a brick and mortar school, this could theoretically mean a lower demand for teachers as one teacher can cover a lot more students in a virtual classroom. These are just some of the things I see. I'll be a fence-sitter for now, but I'm not sure when I'll fall to either side.
Anyway, the topic of discussion this week centered around the so-called "virtual classroom" and whether I thought it was a good/bad/mediocre idea. To sum it up, yes. I think It has great merits, in that the students can have more individualized learning plans that could potentially increase their... potential. On the other hand, something that I brought up in the discussion, it reminds me of the debate of home school vs. public school in that a main concern from my corner is socialization. Students really need to be around other students, whether for learning purposes like the classroom or simply for social interactions. While the virtual classroom is not going to turn kids into boring computer-wilding robots, unless they are actively involved in other activities, they may miss out on a crucial part of development, and there is no telling what the consequences of that would be. But like all things, if done properly (which in my opinion involves some sort of extra-curricular such as a sport or science team, etc.) then the benefit to this sort of program could be vast. But like I said, it has to be done right. There is also a concern about the amount of drive the student has. If it were me in a virtual classroom, I wouldn't have lasted. I can take the occasional online assignment and such, but if my entire curriculum was online and I had the ability to do it at my leisure, you can bet that I'd be procrastinating until I had 22 hours left to do 23 hours of work. But then again, I wasn't always a driven student. It's something that has to be developed.
I am afraid, however, that this will hurt us in more than one way. For one thing, it could be a threat to brick and mortar schools, which allow education for those who may not have access to the internet at home. Since the virtual classroom is less expensive (apparently about 1/3 the price per student), I'm afraid that more and more funding will be pulled from brick and mortar schools and this will end up leaving a lot of students behind. Additionally, since several more students are able to take classes online in a single "classroom" than in a brick and mortar school, this could theoretically mean a lower demand for teachers as one teacher can cover a lot more students in a virtual classroom. These are just some of the things I see. I'll be a fence-sitter for now, but I'm not sure when I'll fall to either side.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Googlification
Ok, so I get it. Google is big. They keep information, and they put it to their own uses. It's in the terms of use, and we all agree to it when we use Google. I may be simply brushing off something that's a bigger deal than it seems, but google isn't coming to my house and enslaving me with the information they have on me. No torch and pitchfork are required! Ok, maybe a little pitchfork, but certainly no torch. I can understand being wary of Google collecting all this information, but it's not like they're trying to hide it. They've said they want. All. Information. Ever. That's all all. Not some all, or most all. All. And you know what information they need for that to happen? Mine. Yours. His and hers. If you don't want them to have it, don't Google. Wait, what? But... it's so tantalizing and useful! Yeah, that's kinda the whole point. It's called trading. One thing for another. In this instance, you just happen to be trading your information for theirs. Or the information they have on others. This means that, yes, yours is likely now in the open, and any that is not in the open is in their servers. You know who else does things like that? The government. I think that the real reason people think Google is out to get them is that the image that they have of people who know everything about us is from movies and TV shows where the CIA or some other agency can instantly find everything about a person instantly from any computer, when in fact I doubt this is the case. Do I understand all that Google does with my information? Absolutely not. If I had to understand exactly what something does with the information I give it, I would not be using this computer right now. Bottom line: Google isn't trying to hurt me with my information, and as such, I'm ok with them having it. Call it a leap of faith.
In the same vein but a less conspiracy-riddled one, I absolutely believe in being mindful of one's digital footprint. If a person had a bad day and decided to post a rage-filled torching of their boss on their Facebook page, that's gonna come back to haunt them. If not soon (as in the next day when their boss inevitably hears it from a little birdy), then later when they are applying for a job and don't get it because their potential employer doesn't believe someone who says things like that about their boss should be hired. It's not a small thing, and since it's such a new thing, a lot of people missed the memo (and likely didn't put the new cover on the TPS report) because they simply weren't aware of the far-reaching consequences. The burden is absolutely on us, whether as parents, teachers, or employers, to make sure that those under our wing are aware of the consequences of a negative digital footprint.
In the same vein but a less conspiracy-riddled one, I absolutely believe in being mindful of one's digital footprint. If a person had a bad day and decided to post a rage-filled torching of their boss on their Facebook page, that's gonna come back to haunt them. If not soon (as in the next day when their boss inevitably hears it from a little birdy), then later when they are applying for a job and don't get it because their potential employer doesn't believe someone who says things like that about their boss should be hired. It's not a small thing, and since it's such a new thing, a lot of people missed the memo (and likely didn't put the new cover on the TPS report) because they simply weren't aware of the far-reaching consequences. The burden is absolutely on us, whether as parents, teachers, or employers, to make sure that those under our wing are aware of the consequences of a negative digital footprint.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Blog Post: Wiki Wiki Edition
SO, about that midweek post... Yeah that didn't happen. But I warned you! I did. Perhaps now, you know...
Moving on.
So this week's lesson has been possibly the most eye-opening for me thus far. For one thing, I learned that I had the completely wrong idea in my head as to what a "wiki" was. That's always a fun experience. Not that I had a lot of stock in my knowledge of the term, but as an aspiring English professor, I need to know these things. Need to, I say! But no biggie, really.
After learning what a wiki truly was, though, I realized that I use them on a nearly daily basis. I suppose that I've been using them for years, ever since high school. The use of systems like Blackboard and Moodle in schools does an immeasurable service to teachers and students alike. I mean opening up a website for editing that the entire world may benefit may seem like a ludicrous idea on the surface, but I believe that many people underestimate the human desire for knowledge. It often surprises me how easy it is to find answers on the internet to what seem to be the most random questions in the world. Yes, there is the fact that it seems that almost everything in the world has to be on the internet somewhere, but honestly. I had a roommate in college who was pre med, and when he had an especially difficult time figuring out an equation for biochem or something, he would post on a forum, and almost always he had an answer (and a correct one, at that, with full explanation) within 24 hours. I think that this is because humans not only like pointing out that they know things, but also because they have always had a quest for finding the truth, and hoarding knowledge is a natural bi-product of that. So take something like Wikipedia, give everyone with an internet connection the chance to tell the world the facts of... well, the world, and the amount of response is staggering. We want the truth. Some like to toy with it, but the overall majority want the truth, and that is why we love things like Wikipedia.
Moving on.
So this week's lesson has been possibly the most eye-opening for me thus far. For one thing, I learned that I had the completely wrong idea in my head as to what a "wiki" was. That's always a fun experience. Not that I had a lot of stock in my knowledge of the term, but as an aspiring English professor, I need to know these things. Need to, I say! But no biggie, really.
After learning what a wiki truly was, though, I realized that I use them on a nearly daily basis. I suppose that I've been using them for years, ever since high school. The use of systems like Blackboard and Moodle in schools does an immeasurable service to teachers and students alike. I mean opening up a website for editing that the entire world may benefit may seem like a ludicrous idea on the surface, but I believe that many people underestimate the human desire for knowledge. It often surprises me how easy it is to find answers on the internet to what seem to be the most random questions in the world. Yes, there is the fact that it seems that almost everything in the world has to be on the internet somewhere, but honestly. I had a roommate in college who was pre med, and when he had an especially difficult time figuring out an equation for biochem or something, he would post on a forum, and almost always he had an answer (and a correct one, at that, with full explanation) within 24 hours. I think that this is because humans not only like pointing out that they know things, but also because they have always had a quest for finding the truth, and hoarding knowledge is a natural bi-product of that. So take something like Wikipedia, give everyone with an internet connection the chance to tell the world the facts of... well, the world, and the amount of response is staggering. We want the truth. Some like to toy with it, but the overall majority want the truth, and that is why we love things like Wikipedia.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Webcams: Changing Education One Classroom at a Time
It has come time for this week's blogification! Excite thineselves! I mean any post containing two words in as many sentences flagged as incorrect yet present in my everyday vocabulary must mean that there is something very special on the way. Or The dictionary just needs to make some room. Either way.
The internet has produced many things. Many great things. Many things that are less than great. Not the least of these (and debatbly not the greatest) is the wonderful world of YouTube. YouTube is successful for a variety of reasons, but chief among them is ease of access. The ability for any person with a webcam or digital camera to upload videos of people doing hilarious (see: Evil Eye) or downright stupid (see: The Rest of YouTube) things has paved the way for a generation of user-generated greats, and the world has latched on. These videos entertain us, but what about the other side of YouTube? The side where people put things on YouTube that they care about, or that they find to be important or beneficial in some way? That's where the ease of access makes YouTube into one of the greatest tools a teacher can utilize in the classroom. The general content of YouTube can be utilized in a variety of ways, be it making a lesson more interesting by adding a funny clip, or showing students a scene from a certain movie or documentary about a certain subject. But there are other parts of YouTube meant specifically for education, and it is these that make me all giddy. TeacherTube is one such entity. It is not without its flaws, of course, because "free" really just means "you pay with seconds of your life watching boring ads." But the idea behind TeacherTube is a fantastic one: Allow teachers and students to upload videos which can be used in other classrooms, be it teacher to teacher, student to student, teacher to student, student to teacher, or class hamster to class snake. Some videos may really be simple projects, but the potential is limitless.
I believe I shall cut things short for now. I may make an unprecedented mid-week post, but don't hold me to it! I might not! Bust still... I might... Oh, the suspense. Anyway. Yep.
The internet has produced many things. Many great things. Many things that are less than great. Not the least of these (and debatbly not the greatest) is the wonderful world of YouTube. YouTube is successful for a variety of reasons, but chief among them is ease of access. The ability for any person with a webcam or digital camera to upload videos of people doing hilarious (see: Evil Eye) or downright stupid (see: The Rest of YouTube) things has paved the way for a generation of user-generated greats, and the world has latched on. These videos entertain us, but what about the other side of YouTube? The side where people put things on YouTube that they care about, or that they find to be important or beneficial in some way? That's where the ease of access makes YouTube into one of the greatest tools a teacher can utilize in the classroom. The general content of YouTube can be utilized in a variety of ways, be it making a lesson more interesting by adding a funny clip, or showing students a scene from a certain movie or documentary about a certain subject. But there are other parts of YouTube meant specifically for education, and it is these that make me all giddy. TeacherTube is one such entity. It is not without its flaws, of course, because "free" really just means "you pay with seconds of your life watching boring ads." But the idea behind TeacherTube is a fantastic one: Allow teachers and students to upload videos which can be used in other classrooms, be it teacher to teacher, student to student, teacher to student, student to teacher, or class hamster to class snake. Some videos may really be simple projects, but the potential is limitless.
I believe I shall cut things short for now. I may make an unprecedented mid-week post, but don't hold me to it! I might not! Bust still... I might... Oh, the suspense. Anyway. Yep.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Podcasting and Beyond!
Ah, the Podcast. What a thing! A tool which can be used for great things, or unspeakably evil things... Like talking about soccer. *shudder*
The idea of the Podcast as an educational force does indeed intrigue me. With my main focus being literature and writing, I can imagine great things with the tools at hand. I am picturing in my mind the old reading notes we were encouraged to make while we read new works in high school. We would write down an unfamiliar word or a phrase that stuck out, and in another column we would write down what we thought it might mean, or in the case of a difficult word, the dictionary definition. A podcast could act as a similar assignment. A student could take verbal notes of things they found interesting or confusing, similar to a scientist taking notes on a tape recorder as he works on a project. This could do so much more than simply helping them notice symbols in literature, though. It is a step towards helping them verbalize their interpretations of passages of literature free from the pressure of standing up in front of classmates fearing that they had gotten it "wrong." Perhaps once they get used to this, they may develop a desire to share with the class, and I could provide the option to allow them to either play some of their reflections in class to generate discussion or to allow their classmates access to listen on their own time. I will have to think about this more later...
I feel it would be irresponsible not to develop some sort of personal MP3 player policy prior to getting into the classroom. By the time I'm actually a full-time teacher the game may have changed drastically, but one must be prepared! This list is not entirely of my own conception, but more of a hybrid of my own ideas and those of some college professors and classmates. So, here goes.
1. No MP3 player should be in use while the teacher, a guest, or a student is presenting anything to the class. If a student is using a laptop or tablet to take notes, those notes MUST be emailed to the teacher at the end of the period or the student will be counted absent or be otherwise disciplined (more geared towards post-secondary education, but who knows?)
2. No MP3 player, tablet, laptop, or other device with access to internet or stored information should be used during testing of any kind unless express permission is given by the teacher. If a student is found to be using one of these tools, it should be considered cheating and the student should receive a failing grade on that test or assignment.
3. When working on any homework, paper, or other assignment for the class, the student may use an MP3 player or other device with music-playing capabilities, provided the volume is not loud enough to disturb other students. Students will receive one warning about volume level before they are asked to put the device away or remove their headphones.
4. If a student is using a laptop or other device to access information in order to work on an assignment, the progress made on said assignment should be emailed to the teacher at the end of the period to ensure the student was utilizing the device for proper school-related things. (Obviously up to the discretion of the teacher)
I think that is a pretty good place to start. I cannot account for all the wily ways students will try to get around these rules, so they will obviously need to be adapted over time to fit the needs of the class and/or district. Look at me, making all these policies! I'm on my way to becoming a professional student soul crusher already! Only kidding...
The idea of the Podcast as an educational force does indeed intrigue me. With my main focus being literature and writing, I can imagine great things with the tools at hand. I am picturing in my mind the old reading notes we were encouraged to make while we read new works in high school. We would write down an unfamiliar word or a phrase that stuck out, and in another column we would write down what we thought it might mean, or in the case of a difficult word, the dictionary definition. A podcast could act as a similar assignment. A student could take verbal notes of things they found interesting or confusing, similar to a scientist taking notes on a tape recorder as he works on a project. This could do so much more than simply helping them notice symbols in literature, though. It is a step towards helping them verbalize their interpretations of passages of literature free from the pressure of standing up in front of classmates fearing that they had gotten it "wrong." Perhaps once they get used to this, they may develop a desire to share with the class, and I could provide the option to allow them to either play some of their reflections in class to generate discussion or to allow their classmates access to listen on their own time. I will have to think about this more later...
I feel it would be irresponsible not to develop some sort of personal MP3 player policy prior to getting into the classroom. By the time I'm actually a full-time teacher the game may have changed drastically, but one must be prepared! This list is not entirely of my own conception, but more of a hybrid of my own ideas and those of some college professors and classmates. So, here goes.
1. No MP3 player should be in use while the teacher, a guest, or a student is presenting anything to the class. If a student is using a laptop or tablet to take notes, those notes MUST be emailed to the teacher at the end of the period or the student will be counted absent or be otherwise disciplined (more geared towards post-secondary education, but who knows?)
2. No MP3 player, tablet, laptop, or other device with access to internet or stored information should be used during testing of any kind unless express permission is given by the teacher. If a student is found to be using one of these tools, it should be considered cheating and the student should receive a failing grade on that test or assignment.
3. When working on any homework, paper, or other assignment for the class, the student may use an MP3 player or other device with music-playing capabilities, provided the volume is not loud enough to disturb other students. Students will receive one warning about volume level before they are asked to put the device away or remove their headphones.
4. If a student is using a laptop or other device to access information in order to work on an assignment, the progress made on said assignment should be emailed to the teacher at the end of the period to ensure the student was utilizing the device for proper school-related things. (Obviously up to the discretion of the teacher)
I think that is a pretty good place to start. I cannot account for all the wily ways students will try to get around these rules, so they will obviously need to be adapted over time to fit the needs of the class and/or district. Look at me, making all these policies! I'm on my way to becoming a professional student soul crusher already! Only kidding...
Monday, October 24, 2011
In the Beginning...
Caleb created a blog. Hooray! Despite the fact that this blog is for a class, I do intend to keep it light-hearted, although serious moments may creep in. Be warned! And so, to my first posting.
It has been quite some time since I last had a blog, and at the time there was no real goal for it beyond putting my thoughts on paper... err... screen? I was a young teenager thinking the whole world should hear my struggles. This blog, though. It shall be different. I have grown. Physically, spiritually, mentally, and any other "ally" word one might be able to think up. This blog shall be a chronicle of my experiences in ED 491, my first online class. Beyond that, who knows? But for now, oh yes, it shall be a series of posts pertaining to the subject of this education class and the ways in which it can benefit me.
Speaking of which, that last thought is the entire point of this post. Why am I taking this class? Well, beyond the obvious fact that it is a requirement for the program, in order to be an effective teacher in today's technology-crazed world, one needs much more than an overhead and some dry erase markers. The world of technology has grown exponentially in the last decade or so, and with the proper use of this technology, the classroom can follow suit. Imagine, if you will, a video clip. A man in a strange outfit spouting strange words to a strange woman. But wait, that's no woman! That's a man dressed as a woman in a Shakespearean play! And so begins an English teacher's lecture on Shakespeare and his plays, how he changed literature, the English language, and the world. No longer must students sit comatose while a teacher flips through PowerPoint slides (no offense to any PowerPoint users out there). Instead, teachers have at their fingertips any number of interesting and attention-grabbing programs that can change lectures forever. Technology can be a great addition to any classroom, and it's for this reason that I am taking this class. I want to engage my students. I want to help them enjoy the literature as well as learn from it. Of course I will not win the hearts and minds of every student that walks through my classroom (oh, the sorrow!), but with an extra edge, I just might be able to catch one or two more off-guard and snare them with the wonders that come from literature and mythology.
So there's that. I want to soak up everything I can that will help me and give me a chance to make some kid love literature the way that I do. What more could I possibly want from a class?
It has been quite some time since I last had a blog, and at the time there was no real goal for it beyond putting my thoughts on paper... err... screen? I was a young teenager thinking the whole world should hear my struggles. This blog, though. It shall be different. I have grown. Physically, spiritually, mentally, and any other "ally" word one might be able to think up. This blog shall be a chronicle of my experiences in ED 491, my first online class. Beyond that, who knows? But for now, oh yes, it shall be a series of posts pertaining to the subject of this education class and the ways in which it can benefit me.
Speaking of which, that last thought is the entire point of this post. Why am I taking this class? Well, beyond the obvious fact that it is a requirement for the program, in order to be an effective teacher in today's technology-crazed world, one needs much more than an overhead and some dry erase markers. The world of technology has grown exponentially in the last decade or so, and with the proper use of this technology, the classroom can follow suit. Imagine, if you will, a video clip. A man in a strange outfit spouting strange words to a strange woman. But wait, that's no woman! That's a man dressed as a woman in a Shakespearean play! And so begins an English teacher's lecture on Shakespeare and his plays, how he changed literature, the English language, and the world. No longer must students sit comatose while a teacher flips through PowerPoint slides (no offense to any PowerPoint users out there). Instead, teachers have at their fingertips any number of interesting and attention-grabbing programs that can change lectures forever. Technology can be a great addition to any classroom, and it's for this reason that I am taking this class. I want to engage my students. I want to help them enjoy the literature as well as learn from it. Of course I will not win the hearts and minds of every student that walks through my classroom (oh, the sorrow!), but with an extra edge, I just might be able to catch one or two more off-guard and snare them with the wonders that come from literature and mythology.
So there's that. I want to soak up everything I can that will help me and give me a chance to make some kid love literature the way that I do. What more could I possibly want from a class?
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