Blogging, what can I say? I think that blogging is a wonderful tool to get out a message to the masses. The possibilities of being able to make money off a blog is even more interesting, however it really is not for me. Blogging is great for those who enjoy writing and publishing their work for others to read. I do not enjoy writing and to me keeping up with 2 blogs on a weekly basis has been a little torturous.
These blogs have become even more frustrating in that the instructor who assigned these blogs was removed from the class and to what extent her criteria was to be met was not known. This is due to the fact that feedback did not come on any of the blog assignments until two days after the class ended. If I would have known that the three hundred word limit was going to be adhered to I would have forced myself to have more to blog about on each subject. I do not like to blog because I don't enjoy writing for the sake of writing, especially about things that are not inspiring to me. I know I am capable of writing three hundred words or more. Hopefully in the future I will not have to wait for feedback on assignments until after the class has ended.
Alright, I must keep blogging because there are not enough words.
I like the fact that I am able to keep track of every one's blogs in the class because now I can go back and read what their thoughts were regarding blogging. I have a feeling that many of my fellow classmates did not enjoy blogging either.
Would I enjoy blogging on a subject that I enjoy? Yes, of course I would, however the topic of blogging and blogging just to blog is not what motivates me to write, especially when grading and feedback was pretty much non-existent until two days after the class ended. (While the class was still in session only 4 assignments were graded out of 14 and none of the graded assignments were blogs.) Thus giving the impression that it really didn't matter.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Blog #7: Second Life
I am not a big fan of Second Life for educational purposes because it is not appropriate for elementary school due to the fact that anyone can fly or walk right up to you to chat. The time it takes to move up the learning curve in Second Life is something that educators just do not have in the elementary school setting. Before I use a virtual world such as Second Life with my students many changes would need to be made. For instance, there should be separate areas for elementary aged students that require a password to get into. In order to get a password, the applicant would have to provide information and proof of age as well as purpose for using Second Life.
Even though I do not see a use for Second Life in the elementary school setting, that does not mean that it is not being used by elementary schools. I would love to see an example of how it is being used in 4th grade classrooms. In order to change my mind on the subject I would have to see it in action and know what procedures and paperwork had to be taken care of before the students could use the Second Life software while being under the care of the school system and the responsibility of the teacher.
A fellow student in my Master's program talked about using Second Life to teach soccer, and yes I can see how it would work. I also understand that it would be of value to College students, adults training for a specific skill or task, and perhaps some high school classes. But with elementary school, the area in which I will be focusing my studies on, I do not see where it would fit in where I could feel safe that there would be no complaints and that predators could not reach my students.
If anyone has found a Second Life world that is used for elementary school students, specifically 3rd - 5th grade, I would appreciate it if you would send it my way. With many school districts, this type of social networking would be frowned upon or banned. I cannot lend my support to the fight for being able to use Second Life in the elementary classroom without seeing how it works in action. If I believe in something I am more than motivated to fight for it and will do so without anyone asking for me to. I would fight to use Second Life with my students because I found value in what it had to offer. I just haven't seen that value as of yet. Again, if you know of any Second Life worlds for 3rd to 5th grade students please send them my way.
Even though I do not see a use for Second Life in the elementary school setting, that does not mean that it is not being used by elementary schools. I would love to see an example of how it is being used in 4th grade classrooms. In order to change my mind on the subject I would have to see it in action and know what procedures and paperwork had to be taken care of before the students could use the Second Life software while being under the care of the school system and the responsibility of the teacher.
A fellow student in my Master's program talked about using Second Life to teach soccer, and yes I can see how it would work. I also understand that it would be of value to College students, adults training for a specific skill or task, and perhaps some high school classes. But with elementary school, the area in which I will be focusing my studies on, I do not see where it would fit in where I could feel safe that there would be no complaints and that predators could not reach my students.
If anyone has found a Second Life world that is used for elementary school students, specifically 3rd - 5th grade, I would appreciate it if you would send it my way. With many school districts, this type of social networking would be frowned upon or banned. I cannot lend my support to the fight for being able to use Second Life in the elementary classroom without seeing how it works in action. If I believe in something I am more than motivated to fight for it and will do so without anyone asking for me to. I would fight to use Second Life with my students because I found value in what it had to offer. I just haven't seen that value as of yet. Again, if you know of any Second Life worlds for 3rd to 5th grade students please send them my way.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Blog #6: Communities of Practice
Social Media and the notion of Communities of Practice has now become a reality. People not only use Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter for mindless activities. These applications are being used in business, education, as well as information gathering and sharing of that information to the masses. People connect with their friends in social networks, but nowadays, people are also searching out those with similar interests, whether that be gaming, education, politics, and so on. I believe that we now have Global Communities of Practice, in that through the Internet, Web2.0 tools, and Social Media applications we can meet individuals from all over the world, form relationships, and realize that we are more alike than different. Even though we come from different environments and backgrounds, together we can logically come up with solutions and share that information easily through the use of social media applications. With proper rules of behavior and etiquette online, and given the understanding that users are to follow these rules as they would follow the rules in the "Real World," friendships, partnerships, and new communities of practice can evolve that include members from all over the globe. What a great way for people to brainstorm together and create a better world through communication and understanding. If we all communicate and brainstorm issues of today together, what wonderful solutions to todays problems we could come up with given all of the thought that is put into solving those problems, just think what a better world it will be in the future.
Supporting Links for Blog#6
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7p6pTtEXwaM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rT8wdu_l4KE&feature=related
Blog #5: Social Media
Blog #5: Social Media
With the addition of Web 2.0 tools and social media applications, the Internet has evolved into a collaborative culture. With Web2.0 social media tools, not only a chosen few experts in the field can create, edit, and publish information that goes out to the public at large. With the use of open source documents and other social media Web2.0 tools, anyone is able to collaborate on projects together. Brainstorming ideas together online, interactively, means that users can create, edit, and revise a document online, at the same time, seeing each others input, while at the same time have the ability to video chat. The ability to talk to each other through video chat or text while working together on a project online adds to the creative process and the continual evolution of that project. What comes out of these brainstorming sessions is a better product. Remember that saying “Two heads are better that one?” Web 2.0 and social media, help bring that saying to life in my opinion.
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