Resources Abound for Setting Up Internet Safety Programs
By Jennifer Hanson
Internet safety and policing must be an issue schools battle, as the school learns computer technology at the same pace of the students. A task anyone would be weary of leading, educators and parents have decided to educate their students on the importance of online safety . Topics such as web addresses, posting comments into the cyberworld and communicating with unknown people are addressed with safety being the number one priority.
Actions such as law enforcement speaking in a class, and specialized groups being created within the school; students acting as ambassadors for other students are ideas, but I believe more needs to be done. Hudson suggests working with the school staff, such as teachers and librarians, educating them, but I believe that will only help them learn, not the students. Based on experience, I believe students may "tune out" on these presentations and more action needs to take place to prevent mischievous behavior after law enforcement comes to the class or after the senior high school ambassador speaks.
As strange as it sounds, I am a fan of policing inappropriate behavior by censorship. It would be helpful in schools if the IT department could block the use of curse words and/or websites such as Facebook or Myspace. I believe this would be an idea "Project Safe Childhood" Coordinator would also like. As un-American is censorship is, it is protecting students, especialy younger students. Project Safe Childhood work with law enforcement, the schools and parents and believes educating the community is the first step. Unfortunately in this day and age, our students may have an upperhand in technology and a schools' best measure in safety may be to just block it.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Thursday, October 22, 2009
A Safe Alternative for Students
Searchme Simplifies Searching
By Kaya Hardin
As adults, we have trained ourselves through experience of using the web. When an elementary student wants to find out more on Zebras, and simply types "zebras" into Google, it can be a bit overwhelming! I tried for myself and was distracted right away by the pictures, but under that was the first site: Wikipedia, a website anyone can go into and edit. There are 559,000 choices after that! This may be a bit overwhelming for a 2nd grader.
Searchme is more directed to students and offers screen shots of each website. Its a more simple search drive, less wording, more visual and safer. What I found to be an incredible smart design for students was its ability to narrow down the subject. For instance, zebras would be broken down into wildlife, sports teams or schools with that name, pictures, sounds, or zoo's that have zebras nearby.
I find this site to be safe for students but also a stepping stone for young students just beginning their research online. Searchme allows young children to organize and create saved files which can only boost their confidence as they work away on the computer. Most young children want to act like grown ups. This website allows students to feel very grown up with its user friendly space. This can only lead to greater confidence and looking forward to the next step in learning.
By Kaya Hardin
As adults, we have trained ourselves through experience of using the web. When an elementary student wants to find out more on Zebras, and simply types "zebras" into Google, it can be a bit overwhelming! I tried for myself and was distracted right away by the pictures, but under that was the first site: Wikipedia, a website anyone can go into and edit. There are 559,000 choices after that! This may be a bit overwhelming for a 2nd grader.
Searchme is more directed to students and offers screen shots of each website. Its a more simple search drive, less wording, more visual and safer. What I found to be an incredible smart design for students was its ability to narrow down the subject. For instance, zebras would be broken down into wildlife, sports teams or schools with that name, pictures, sounds, or zoo's that have zebras nearby.
I find this site to be safe for students but also a stepping stone for young students just beginning their research online. Searchme allows young children to organize and create saved files which can only boost their confidence as they work away on the computer. Most young children want to act like grown ups. This website allows students to feel very grown up with its user friendly space. This can only lead to greater confidence and looking forward to the next step in learning.
Our New Era
Lights, Camera, Learning
By Glenn Bull and Lynn Bell
I thought it would be entertaining to find an article from my graduating year of high school, 1997. Our world has faced such a drastic technological change, which only seemed to be a delightful alternative to research 12 years ago. This certainly was a "cultural shift", as they describe it in the article. Moving from analog to digital also sped up our activity online, but it also gave us the opportunity to use computers and cameras; whether it be still or motion, online.
I found this article very interesting for the points it made on the advanced steps with a digital upgrade for tasks such as editing. Editing movies online is simple compared to 10-15 years ago! Not only does this free up ones time, but as an educator, I feel comfortable enough to create movies online for my own classes, knowing our technology has made it easy enough, user friendly as we say. I could apply these user friendly advancements in technology to apply towards a virtual teacher traveling through another time; and article I wrote about last week.
With our youth being the most active on the web nowadays, it is vital adults keep up in order to receive the respect of their students and the parents the students go home to. The article mentions benefits of using digital video over analog with subjects such as history, language arts, and science. The only subject Bull and Bell shy ed away from (after mentioning it) was science. Back then, they perceived using these tools would not be as effective because science tends to have more "hands on" opportunities. I laughed to myself at that comment because now, in 2009, I know the most impacting biology and chemistry lectures I have witnessed have involved a computer simulation of organisms. The pictures from those textbooks are long forgotten but I still recall the amazing simulations created on the computer. We have come so far in a decade!
The article mentions nothing of mathematics. I am interested to see how our computers will help up in that department. For me, that may be the only subject I do not use the computer, or online links to. I'm sure one day, I will laugh at my own comment and rely on it more than a calculator.
By Glenn Bull and Lynn Bell
I thought it would be entertaining to find an article from my graduating year of high school, 1997. Our world has faced such a drastic technological change, which only seemed to be a delightful alternative to research 12 years ago. This certainly was a "cultural shift", as they describe it in the article. Moving from analog to digital also sped up our activity online, but it also gave us the opportunity to use computers and cameras; whether it be still or motion, online.
I found this article very interesting for the points it made on the advanced steps with a digital upgrade for tasks such as editing. Editing movies online is simple compared to 10-15 years ago! Not only does this free up ones time, but as an educator, I feel comfortable enough to create movies online for my own classes, knowing our technology has made it easy enough, user friendly as we say. I could apply these user friendly advancements in technology to apply towards a virtual teacher traveling through another time; and article I wrote about last week.
With our youth being the most active on the web nowadays, it is vital adults keep up in order to receive the respect of their students and the parents the students go home to. The article mentions benefits of using digital video over analog with subjects such as history, language arts, and science. The only subject Bull and Bell shy ed away from (after mentioning it) was science. Back then, they perceived using these tools would not be as effective because science tends to have more "hands on" opportunities. I laughed to myself at that comment because now, in 2009, I know the most impacting biology and chemistry lectures I have witnessed have involved a computer simulation of organisms. The pictures from those textbooks are long forgotten but I still recall the amazing simulations created on the computer. We have come so far in a decade!
The article mentions nothing of mathematics. I am interested to see how our computers will help up in that department. For me, that may be the only subject I do not use the computer, or online links to. I'm sure one day, I will laugh at my own comment and rely on it more than a calculator.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
The Virtual World for Students Today
Walk Fly or Teleport to Learning: Virtual Worlds in the Classroom
By: Maureen Brown Yoder
Including a virtual teacher for students, a virtual version of myself, seems like it would be a successful tool in keeping subjects like history intriguing. As Ms. Brown states in her article, she finds virtual self going places she never thought possible and her students enjoy it as much as they would watching an entertaining movie in class.
The idea of using MUVE's, a virtual creator, is new to me and sounds fun for even the inexperienced web user. Creating a virtual being can be done in a fantasy-like way, for instance using a T-Rex to travel through the Dinosaur age, or creating a man or woman model to look just like you. Opportunities of walking through a different time are more interesting than reading out of a book to the class, with projector style pictures as a visual aide.
I look forward to educating myself about MUVE's right away, so that I can be ready upon my first day of teaching. I also found that "Global Kids" is helpful tool in a virtual classroom, but MUVE's seem much more effective in keeping a class interested in topics that may become colorless.
By: Maureen Brown Yoder
Including a virtual teacher for students, a virtual version of myself, seems like it would be a successful tool in keeping subjects like history intriguing. As Ms. Brown states in her article, she finds virtual self going places she never thought possible and her students enjoy it as much as they would watching an entertaining movie in class.
The idea of using MUVE's, a virtual creator, is new to me and sounds fun for even the inexperienced web user. Creating a virtual being can be done in a fantasy-like way, for instance using a T-Rex to travel through the Dinosaur age, or creating a man or woman model to look just like you. Opportunities of walking through a different time are more interesting than reading out of a book to the class, with projector style pictures as a visual aide.
I look forward to educating myself about MUVE's right away, so that I can be ready upon my first day of teaching. I also found that "Global Kids" is helpful tool in a virtual classroom, but MUVE's seem much more effective in keeping a class interested in topics that may become colorless.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Cyberbullying Seminars
Cyberbullying: Using Virtual Scenarios to Educate and Raise Awareness
By: Vivian H. Wright
I think it is essential in this technological age to educate all teachers about cyberbullying. This article explains the breakdown of the educators workshops to recognize signs of a student being affected by a cyberbully and the steps to make a computer classroom a safe place for students.
Even in our college classrooms, it is very easy to see young adults logging onto networking sites in between their classroom web sites. Knowing we, as teachers cannot police each students activity in front of their screen, it is important to recognize students body language at their computer and any change of behavior.
This is important for all teachers to learn, regardless of their years in the classroom. I am pleased to see schools provide these seminars as a requirement in order to protect our children from bullying, humiliation, distraction, and even suicide as we have seen in the news recently. Anything that we can do to protect out students and help the parents is a gift to each child's future.
By: Vivian H. Wright
I think it is essential in this technological age to educate all teachers about cyberbullying. This article explains the breakdown of the educators workshops to recognize signs of a student being affected by a cyberbully and the steps to make a computer classroom a safe place for students.
Even in our college classrooms, it is very easy to see young adults logging onto networking sites in between their classroom web sites. Knowing we, as teachers cannot police each students activity in front of their screen, it is important to recognize students body language at their computer and any change of behavior.
This is important for all teachers to learn, regardless of their years in the classroom. I am pleased to see schools provide these seminars as a requirement in order to protect our children from bullying, humiliation, distraction, and even suicide as we have seen in the news recently. Anything that we can do to protect out students and help the parents is a gift to each child's future.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
The Benefits of Multimedia
Multimedia in the Classroom
Huey-Ling Fan & Michael Grey
The benefits of providing technology in classrooms has proven to be helpful for students and also the developers in this this article. Providing multimedia composition for middle school children proved to be helpful, significantly to the boys but also surprisingly to the developers of the program.
This article explains the benefits of working with computer programs, explaining difficult subjects such as Composition or even Physics have proven themselves to be "less restrictive" than a textbook style approach. Multimedia can be interactive and delightfully engaging without the humiliation of being wrong in front of the class. Working through academics in a non threatening way allows intimidated students to press on. With the advantage of pressing on through academia, the student continues the learning process and finds new strengths they have, maybe strengths they were not aware of previously.
What I found most powerful from this article was the impact the programs had on the developers. Developers gained more knowledge in the content they were creating for students. This may be the most powerful information I have read yet! For the creators, whom obviously have knowledge in the subject, to get something out of using multimedia tools rather than textbooks, how could it not be helpful to a student who is learning a new subject with new eyes.
I believe one of the most important steps for a student in learning is involvement. With use of multimedia, there is significant proof in engagement and the will to stay involved without the fear of being wrong on front of others. Any outlet to educate and motivate should be embraced. I think this article provided a positive outlook on using technology over reading out of a textbook.
Huey-Ling Fan & Michael Grey
The benefits of providing technology in classrooms has proven to be helpful for students and also the developers in this this article. Providing multimedia composition for middle school children proved to be helpful, significantly to the boys but also surprisingly to the developers of the program.
This article explains the benefits of working with computer programs, explaining difficult subjects such as Composition or even Physics have proven themselves to be "less restrictive" than a textbook style approach. Multimedia can be interactive and delightfully engaging without the humiliation of being wrong in front of the class. Working through academics in a non threatening way allows intimidated students to press on. With the advantage of pressing on through academia, the student continues the learning process and finds new strengths they have, maybe strengths they were not aware of previously.
What I found most powerful from this article was the impact the programs had on the developers. Developers gained more knowledge in the content they were creating for students. This may be the most powerful information I have read yet! For the creators, whom obviously have knowledge in the subject, to get something out of using multimedia tools rather than textbooks, how could it not be helpful to a student who is learning a new subject with new eyes.
I believe one of the most important steps for a student in learning is involvement. With use of multimedia, there is significant proof in engagement and the will to stay involved without the fear of being wrong on front of others. Any outlet to educate and motivate should be embraced. I think this article provided a positive outlook on using technology over reading out of a textbook.
Friday, September 25, 2009
A New Classroom
"In A Digital Future, Textbooks Are History" by Tamar Lewin
There are certainly clear signs of technology taking over the classroom in all grades, but the most cost effective yet frightening is the thought of losing our textbooks in the classroom. Nowadays we all see students bringing their own laptops to class, recording lectures onto their own personal computers rather than receiving worksheets, or dittos. The digital age is making its way past the computer lab and into every classroom but at who's expense?
With the alteration of paper leaving and computer screens replacing what we once held in our hands, I worry if we may be placing too much trust in technology. As Tamar Levin explains, our children live in a different world today. The idea of removing textbooks and replacing them with Internet class links seems helpful to schools in regard to cost, millions of dollars as a matter of fact, but at what cost will it be for our next generations? Lewin explains "our states Governor has set up a slow transition that would supersede high school science and math textbooks with free, “open source” digital versions. The idea sounds fantastic unless a student does not have access to a computer at home. Lower income families may suffer, and a classroom may suffer if computer troubles arise while class is in session.
I promote education of technology in the classroom and believe it is vital to our students futures, but will all students benefit? What will come of our libraries and all our texts intended for research and historical significance? Will all these books be discarded by students?
The most damaging comment in this article was intented to be the most positive motivating drive for this change to take place. Neeru Khosla, a founder of CK-12 Foundation creating "flexbooks" fpr the classroom explains that these sites can be used anywhere and can be anything an educator wants them to be and that educators can even print out the "textbooks". My question for her would be then who would be paying for that? The teacher or the parents? If a lower income family couldnt afford a laptop for their 5th grage child, could they afford to print out a textbook for each subject every year? If no, who would pay to save the students education?
There are certainly clear signs of technology taking over the classroom in all grades, but the most cost effective yet frightening is the thought of losing our textbooks in the classroom. Nowadays we all see students bringing their own laptops to class, recording lectures onto their own personal computers rather than receiving worksheets, or dittos. The digital age is making its way past the computer lab and into every classroom but at who's expense?
With the alteration of paper leaving and computer screens replacing what we once held in our hands, I worry if we may be placing too much trust in technology. As Tamar Levin explains, our children live in a different world today. The idea of removing textbooks and replacing them with Internet class links seems helpful to schools in regard to cost, millions of dollars as a matter of fact, but at what cost will it be for our next generations? Lewin explains "our states Governor has set up a slow transition that would supersede high school science and math textbooks with free, “open source” digital versions. The idea sounds fantastic unless a student does not have access to a computer at home. Lower income families may suffer, and a classroom may suffer if computer troubles arise while class is in session.
I promote education of technology in the classroom and believe it is vital to our students futures, but will all students benefit? What will come of our libraries and all our texts intended for research and historical significance? Will all these books be discarded by students?
The most damaging comment in this article was intented to be the most positive motivating drive for this change to take place. Neeru Khosla, a founder of CK-12 Foundation creating "flexbooks" fpr the classroom explains that these sites can be used anywhere and can be anything an educator wants them to be and that educators can even print out the "textbooks". My question for her would be then who would be paying for that? The teacher or the parents? If a lower income family couldnt afford a laptop for their 5th grage child, could they afford to print out a textbook for each subject every year? If no, who would pay to save the students education?
Friday, September 4, 2009
Creative Approaches to Literature
Chatting It Up Online: Student Talk To A Favorite Author, Pamela Livingston
Pamela Livingston explains her experience with her third grade class of all boys, and author Mary Pope Osborne via live chat. The school has already inspired the boys to read the “Magic Tree house” series she has written, and this opportunity through technology allows the boys to make a connection from the fantasy within the book, to the creator of the story, or fantasy. I found Livingston’s article to be incredibly helpful and gracious to the advice she gives to fellow educators. An organized teacher who is ready before “go-time”, is always going to be at ease, but Livingston offers suggestions from experience, such as not informing the class too early in the set-up to prevent disappointment. Instead, save the surprise for later, a couple weeks before the actual chat. Testing hardware, working around network firewalls, having IT support on standby during the chat and providing oneself with a teachers copy of students questions is essential to recovering from any mishaps that may be unforeseen.
This article inspired me to use a live chat opportunity as soon as possible. The instant gratification of the students due to the celebrity feel of talking to someone special creates positive role models and educated aspirations. These opportunities also create memorable experiences for young students, who share with other students on the playground and in conversation, thus inspiring other students to learn and desire more out of all aspects of learning.
Standards: NETS-4
Pamela Livingston explains her experience with her third grade class of all boys, and author Mary Pope Osborne via live chat. The school has already inspired the boys to read the “Magic Tree house” series she has written, and this opportunity through technology allows the boys to make a connection from the fantasy within the book, to the creator of the story, or fantasy. I found Livingston’s article to be incredibly helpful and gracious to the advice she gives to fellow educators. An organized teacher who is ready before “go-time”, is always going to be at ease, but Livingston offers suggestions from experience, such as not informing the class too early in the set-up to prevent disappointment. Instead, save the surprise for later, a couple weeks before the actual chat. Testing hardware, working around network firewalls, having IT support on standby during the chat and providing oneself with a teachers copy of students questions is essential to recovering from any mishaps that may be unforeseen.
This article inspired me to use a live chat opportunity as soon as possible. The instant gratification of the students due to the celebrity feel of talking to someone special creates positive role models and educated aspirations. These opportunities also create memorable experiences for young students, who share with other students on the playground and in conversation, thus inspiring other students to learn and desire more out of all aspects of learning.
Standards: NETS-4
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