Saturday, October 11, 2008
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Creating what you see below...
Some of these web resources available today can make some really cool multimedia presentaitons depending on how much time you put into them. All of the different items you see below were created using different programs. Each of these programs emphasized different media. They utilized pictures, but some emphasized art (Anitmoto and Scrapblogger) while others emphasized the pictures and audio that we could add (Voicethread). Each of them has a unique twist and can be used to accomplish different tasks. I think I would use animoto to introduce an exciting topic while I would use scrapblogger or voicethread to tell a story or discuss new information.
~Isaac
~Isaac
Monday, October 6, 2008
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Internet: Embrace or Fight?
We were recently tasked with viewing the PBS video series discussing the use of internet by today's youth. This video can be found here: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/kidsonline/
There is no doubt in my mind that the internet has completely transformed social interactions among teenagers. It has also transformed the ways in which we as a soceity conduct our own business. The youth of today are able to multitask using the internet which increases the need for sensory stimulation. All of these factors are going to create massive amounts of new challenges for teachers. These challenges will not be something that can simply be overcome. These challenges will continue to evolve, and teachers that cannot keep up will become less effective if not ineffective.
The question I ask here is "does 'keeping up' mean finding new ways to counteract the internet or find positive ways to embrace it."
On the side of fighting it I do believe that some postive elements of growing up are lost with today's emphasis on the internet. When I was growing up there was no such thing as the internet. I spent time at the library, outside, and around town with my friends. I would not trade my experiences in the great outdoors for anything in the world.
On the other hand when I was growing up the TV was the devil of the day. We children were said to be zombies and slaves to TV, but while I watched a significant amount of TV I still found time to play outside and enjoy activities with my friends. I guess my concern is that the internet is even more addictive then the TV. The other issue is that the TV is still there. As a future Biology teacher, it scares me to think that Earth's natural beauty and amazing diversity of life will become words on a screen or videos rather than hands on experiences.
I am not concerned at all with the internet existing or youth using it. What concerns me is the abuse of it. Internet in moderation can be a wonderful learning tool as well as a means to connect with the world beyond. Youth of today have the ability like never before to immerse themselves in the amazing diversity of cultures and ideas that the world has to offer. However, the abuse of any technology is definately a bad thing. As teachers my stance is that we should not fight the advance of the internet, but embrace it and find the most creative ways possible to help children realize that the internet is something beyond a means to chat with their friends or cheat on their homework.
Some of the issues brought up in the PBS videos I see as problems with parenting that have not been addressed. I don't believe the internet is to blame when children seek out sexual activity, become anorexic, or do other illicit activity. These problems have existed as long as I am aware that there has been parents and children. It is my honest opinion that parenting has taken two extreme turns that are counter productive to good parenting. This videos showed well these two extremes. One being the over protective mother/father who drives her/his child to rebellion. The other is the non-intrested parent that wants to be cool and not exemplify what children need to become responsible adults. Can we truly blame children's behavior on the internet or lack of parenting. My vote would be the latter, but what do you think?
~Isaac
There is no doubt in my mind that the internet has completely transformed social interactions among teenagers. It has also transformed the ways in which we as a soceity conduct our own business. The youth of today are able to multitask using the internet which increases the need for sensory stimulation. All of these factors are going to create massive amounts of new challenges for teachers. These challenges will not be something that can simply be overcome. These challenges will continue to evolve, and teachers that cannot keep up will become less effective if not ineffective.
The question I ask here is "does 'keeping up' mean finding new ways to counteract the internet or find positive ways to embrace it."
On the side of fighting it I do believe that some postive elements of growing up are lost with today's emphasis on the internet. When I was growing up there was no such thing as the internet. I spent time at the library, outside, and around town with my friends. I would not trade my experiences in the great outdoors for anything in the world.
On the other hand when I was growing up the TV was the devil of the day. We children were said to be zombies and slaves to TV, but while I watched a significant amount of TV I still found time to play outside and enjoy activities with my friends. I guess my concern is that the internet is even more addictive then the TV. The other issue is that the TV is still there. As a future Biology teacher, it scares me to think that Earth's natural beauty and amazing diversity of life will become words on a screen or videos rather than hands on experiences.
I am not concerned at all with the internet existing or youth using it. What concerns me is the abuse of it. Internet in moderation can be a wonderful learning tool as well as a means to connect with the world beyond. Youth of today have the ability like never before to immerse themselves in the amazing diversity of cultures and ideas that the world has to offer. However, the abuse of any technology is definately a bad thing. As teachers my stance is that we should not fight the advance of the internet, but embrace it and find the most creative ways possible to help children realize that the internet is something beyond a means to chat with their friends or cheat on their homework.
Some of the issues brought up in the PBS videos I see as problems with parenting that have not been addressed. I don't believe the internet is to blame when children seek out sexual activity, become anorexic, or do other illicit activity. These problems have existed as long as I am aware that there has been parents and children. It is my honest opinion that parenting has taken two extreme turns that are counter productive to good parenting. This videos showed well these two extremes. One being the over protective mother/father who drives her/his child to rebellion. The other is the non-intrested parent that wants to be cool and not exemplify what children need to become responsible adults. Can we truly blame children's behavior on the internet or lack of parenting. My vote would be the latter, but what do you think?
~Isaac
Monday, September 22, 2008
Money for Grades and your Chicks for free?
Recently I commented on a on opinions given by classmates on an article located here: http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/content/education/chi-money-for-grades-11-sep11,0,4916582,print.story. The story is about giving students cash for good grades.
Here are links to the blogs I commented on:
http://sarasciblog.blogspot.com/
http://porterhouse-opinionstation.blogspot.com/
http://2-o-hearts.blogspot.com/
Enjoy!
~Isaac
Here are links to the blogs I commented on:
http://sarasciblog.blogspot.com/
http://porterhouse-opinionstation.blogspot.com/
http://2-o-hearts.blogspot.com/
Enjoy!
~Isaac
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