Lisante, J. (2005) Cyber Bullying: No Muscles Needed. Connection for Kids. Retrieved October 20, 2009, from http://www.connectforkids.org/node/3116.
Cyber bullying, the act of harrasment by the use of technology. Almost half the students have reported that they have been bullied, a little over half the students also reported to have said something hurtful to another student online. A lot of students even make a new name that people do not recognize just to make fun of people. Unfortunately, most people do not get caught, and cyber bullying is becoming a huge problem in schools.
The schools now tells students that school grounds are not just where you come in and where you go out, but because of the internet school grounds are now everywhere. When I was younger whatever happened off school grounds was no longer the schools problem, even if it dealt with another students. Due to the demand that came along with the internet, schools grounds needed to be enlargened to include the internet. Therefore if a student is caught cyber bullying they can get in trouble with the school even if it is not during school hours. When caught they must go infront of a community trial and be decided if they are suspened or kicked out of the school. More harsh restrictions are being put into place to help prevent cyber bullying.
The biggest problem that causes cyber bullying is the idea of instant gratification, it is reported that most students who cyber bully are not always the ones who would have to nerve to do it in person. When you have instant gratification mixed with technology, you can have a disaster. Technology travels at the speed of light, or close to it, and so what you write and click post is instantly available to the public. A scary thought, but when you are writing in the face of anger you do not think of consequences or where it will end up, all that you are thinking about is getting back at that one person.
There is now a new bill that is pending that takes action against cyber bullying. It is even said that harassment by computer is punishable up to one year in prison or a large fine. This is a good thing because it lets the student know that what they are doing is illegal, and that they do suffer serve consequenes from it. Cyber bullying is not only found in adolescences but adults to, and this law will be able to punish both.
To help prevent cyber bullying parents need to sit down with their student and talk about what is acceptable and what is not. You can also ask your child to help teach you to be computer savvy, by doing so it lets you see just how advanced your child is. Some otehr good pieces of teachnology to use is the parental controls, avaliable through a lot of companies, to help prevent your kid getting in to everything. One company even gives you a report of all the action your child has done on the computer for the week.
Now it is time for schools and parents to work as one to help prevent their student from becoming a cyber bully or from being bullied. Rules need to be shared between the two places, and in interest of each other. Each place needs to have consequences for not following the rules, and rewards for following the rules.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Reaction to 5 Strategies to Using Wikis in the Classroom
Wikis are becoming very popular, maybe it is because they are one of the easiest web 2.0 applications to use, or it is because it help engage the students of the 21st century. There are more than 180,000 wikis used in classrooms today. Wikis are a free application, that requires no dowloading software, and has privacy settings to keep your students information confidential. The wiki sites allow students to work together without having to be together.
Students can work on collaborative projects with the wiki. All the students have to have is access to the internet outside of school, and then they can log on at anytime and work on the project. This allows the students to work as a team without having to make schedules perfect, since we are so busy now this is way more ideal. Many times school projects get overwhelming because you can not get a time set to work with your whole group, there is always conflicts, the wiki eliminates this aspect.
Students can also demonstrate their knowledge on the wiki. The can make submit their work to the wiki, and cite sources along with doing this like making time lines for history class. The nice thing about this aspect is the organization factor, instead of having a million papers sitting around that you are trying to collaberate, the wiki will do it instead. A time saving application, yet a vauable one for educational purposes, it lets the students spend more time learning than searching.
Teachers can use the wiki to connect with studnets and to give them a whole list of resources that they can benifit from throught the year. The website allows you to insert new and delete old at any time you want. This gives your students the benifit of easily locating rescources that are acceptable for their work.
The wiki can work as a classrooms news page, or daily event planner. The teacher can put all the class information into the wiki site and keep everything for the class easy to locate. They can add a calender, newletter, homework assignments, notes, classroom rules, and many other things. Then the students are the parents or cargivers of the students can easy locate everything they need and stay informed.
One of my favorite features is the idea of using the wiki as a filling cabinet. The wiki can store files, images, videos, student artifact, and almost anything you can think of. It is a controlled area where only the teacher can access it, meaning it's safe. Also, the teacher can reach this "filing cabinet" anytime they wish, they do not need to be on school grounds to do so. It is great as a backup resource.
As the popularity of the wiki grows so does the demand of finding new way to improve the wiki and its uses. Although, just by having a wiki does not mean that you are engaging the students it needs to be a two way street. The students have to be willing to use the wiki and share information. When the wiki is used appropriately and each person is using the site then it becomes very engaging for all students. The wiki is a great way to help engage our new 21st century learners.
Wetzel, D. (2009). Suite101. 5 strategies for using wikis int he classroom. Retrieved October 15, 2009, from http://teachingtechnology.suite101.com/article.cfm/5_strategies_for_using_wikis_in_the_classroom
Students can work on collaborative projects with the wiki. All the students have to have is access to the internet outside of school, and then they can log on at anytime and work on the project. This allows the students to work as a team without having to make schedules perfect, since we are so busy now this is way more ideal. Many times school projects get overwhelming because you can not get a time set to work with your whole group, there is always conflicts, the wiki eliminates this aspect.
Students can also demonstrate their knowledge on the wiki. The can make submit their work to the wiki, and cite sources along with doing this like making time lines for history class. The nice thing about this aspect is the organization factor, instead of having a million papers sitting around that you are trying to collaberate, the wiki will do it instead. A time saving application, yet a vauable one for educational purposes, it lets the students spend more time learning than searching.
Teachers can use the wiki to connect with studnets and to give them a whole list of resources that they can benifit from throught the year. The website allows you to insert new and delete old at any time you want. This gives your students the benifit of easily locating rescources that are acceptable for their work.
The wiki can work as a classrooms news page, or daily event planner. The teacher can put all the class information into the wiki site and keep everything for the class easy to locate. They can add a calender, newletter, homework assignments, notes, classroom rules, and many other things. Then the students are the parents or cargivers of the students can easy locate everything they need and stay informed.
One of my favorite features is the idea of using the wiki as a filling cabinet. The wiki can store files, images, videos, student artifact, and almost anything you can think of. It is a controlled area where only the teacher can access it, meaning it's safe. Also, the teacher can reach this "filing cabinet" anytime they wish, they do not need to be on school grounds to do so. It is great as a backup resource.
As the popularity of the wiki grows so does the demand of finding new way to improve the wiki and its uses. Although, just by having a wiki does not mean that you are engaging the students it needs to be a two way street. The students have to be willing to use the wiki and share information. When the wiki is used appropriately and each person is using the site then it becomes very engaging for all students. The wiki is a great way to help engage our new 21st century learners.
Wetzel, D. (2009). Suite101. 5 strategies for using wikis int he classroom. Retrieved October 15, 2009, from http://teachingtechnology.suite101.com/article.cfm/5_strategies_for_using_wikis_in_the_classroom
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Educational Uses for Cell Phones Reaction
Marc Prensky talks about the possiable uses for cell phone in the classroom setting. The nice the about cell phones is that most people have one, even in elementary schools the number of students with a cell phone are rapidly reaching fifty percent. Cell phones are like a miniture computer that fits into your pocket, therefore meaning, extremely convinient. If cell phones are one of the biggest resources students have to connect on why not let them use them to there fullest advantage? Today'g high-end cell phones have the same computing power are our mid-1190's PC did. "It's time we begin thinking of our cell phones as computers(1)."
"Most American teachers and administrators believe that cell phones have no place in the educational procces(2)." Maybe it is time to re-think the cell phone, the main question Prensky says is "What can the learn" and the answer is "anything," but it all depends if we design it right. Think of exactly every part of a cell phone, and its potential for classroom use.
Voice only cell phones, they are the most common but rapidly being upgraded. They can be used for things like learing languages, on of the biggest things it is being used for. It also can be used for poetry, literature, public speaking, writing, storytelling, and history. One can take a guided tour of voice or listen to a lecture. "...virtual relationships are now second nature to students, and often preferred(4)."
SMS, or also known as Short Messaging Service, they provide timely remiders and other things. SMS is used by tv shows to do polls and by marketers informational quizzes.. In schools SMS can be used for pop quizzes, poll students' opinions, class discussion, tutoring, and testing.
Graphic displays, most peoples cell phone has some type of graphic display even if it is basic. Schools are currently using computers for animations in things like anatomy and forensics, but just think, we could use cell phones instead. Someday cell phones will replace text books, since they can be put onto phones.
Downloadable programs, people can download the same tools and teaching programs that we download on our computers, and use them in new ways. So by letting them use their phones you will see more exploration.
Internet Browsers, the downfall is that the internet cost more money a month, but it is possiable to use it on almost every phone. There are websites being specifically designed for cell phone compatability. Therefore this is turning peoples cell phones into research tools.
Cameras, they can be used in the classroom for collection data, documenting, jouralism, classifing images, follow progressions overtime. It can also encourage creative writting when they capture a perfect image.
Global posistioning, since each cell phone has a device in it to tell exactly where you are, it is easy to collect information from your location. Some colleges are already using this feature during orientation.
Video clips, this is a new feature, but is able to be used in class to encourage television journalism and creative movie making.
As you can see there are endless possibilies to the world of cell phones. It is accepting them and changing our norms to fit into the 21century technology. As future teachers we need to accept the changing world and encourage the use to help teach our students.
Prensky, M. (2004). What can you learn from a cell phone - Almost anything. Marc Prensky. Retrieved October 6, 2009, from
http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky-What_Can_You_Learn_From_a_Cell_Phone-FINAL.pdf
"Most American teachers and administrators believe that cell phones have no place in the educational procces(2)." Maybe it is time to re-think the cell phone, the main question Prensky says is "What can the learn" and the answer is "anything," but it all depends if we design it right. Think of exactly every part of a cell phone, and its potential for classroom use.
Voice only cell phones, they are the most common but rapidly being upgraded. They can be used for things like learing languages, on of the biggest things it is being used for. It also can be used for poetry, literature, public speaking, writing, storytelling, and history. One can take a guided tour of voice or listen to a lecture. "...virtual relationships are now second nature to students, and often preferred(4)."
SMS, or also known as Short Messaging Service, they provide timely remiders and other things. SMS is used by tv shows to do polls and by marketers informational quizzes.. In schools SMS can be used for pop quizzes, poll students' opinions, class discussion, tutoring, and testing.
Graphic displays, most peoples cell phone has some type of graphic display even if it is basic. Schools are currently using computers for animations in things like anatomy and forensics, but just think, we could use cell phones instead. Someday cell phones will replace text books, since they can be put onto phones.
Downloadable programs, people can download the same tools and teaching programs that we download on our computers, and use them in new ways. So by letting them use their phones you will see more exploration.
Internet Browsers, the downfall is that the internet cost more money a month, but it is possiable to use it on almost every phone. There are websites being specifically designed for cell phone compatability. Therefore this is turning peoples cell phones into research tools.
Cameras, they can be used in the classroom for collection data, documenting, jouralism, classifing images, follow progressions overtime. It can also encourage creative writting when they capture a perfect image.
Global posistioning, since each cell phone has a device in it to tell exactly where you are, it is easy to collect information from your location. Some colleges are already using this feature during orientation.
Video clips, this is a new feature, but is able to be used in class to encourage television journalism and creative movie making.
As you can see there are endless possibilies to the world of cell phones. It is accepting them and changing our norms to fit into the 21century technology. As future teachers we need to accept the changing world and encourage the use to help teach our students.
Prensky, M. (2004). What can you learn from a cell phone - Almost anything. Marc Prensky. Retrieved October 6, 2009, from
http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky-What_Can_You_Learn_From_a_Cell_Phone-FINAL.pdf
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Not All Who Twitter are Twitts Reaction
Doug Johnson gives an interesting take on exactly what twitter is, and who is currently using it. He states that he does have a twitter account, but he does not twitt. Twitter sounds like it is quite similar to a blog, as Johnson says, "micro-blogging." One of the big hits that people often write on is, "What are you doing," a better question may have been what has stumped you today.
Johnson has yet to find exactaly what it is that he could use twitter for in his class, but he does give a link to a website where teachers blog about their use of twitter in class. Twitter seems that it could be a good thing, but you need to explore it quite a bit first to see what content you need to avoid. Twitter is a social system, sounds like a mix of facebook and blogger, I am not a current member, but it sounds like I soon will be.
One complaint is that people always blog about being stuck in an airport, going to work, talking at a confrence, and what happened to them today. It is irrelevant to most people what happened to everybody else in the world, so why post it. Johnson states that he wishes the site would have, may I say, more intellectual conversations going on. Also, he notes that the website does not promote in depth things because they only let you type one hundred and fourty words per post.
When are people twittering is another question to consider, is it on their time or somebody else's. Students are doing it via mobile internet during class, and workers are doing it while they are on the clock. This is a huge downfall since they are taking up valuable time that needs to be done elsewhere. So, how valuable can twitter be.
The nice thing about twitter is that it lets people connect and follow each others post, they can see exactly what you said and when you said it. One may describe it as a twenty four seven chat room, where you don't always have to be logged in to see what happend. Therefore it makes it easy to stay in contact with people and ask questions and get a timely response.
I went to the teacher who twitter homepage, but it was hard to naviagate and find good information on it. I do think that twitter could be a good way to connect with your students and your students with each other, but you would have to have a close watch on everything they say on there and do. No matter what website you use the internet is a dangerous place, so twitter is just as good as the rest of the website you can use in your classroom.
Johnson ends his journal about how he may not be the biggest fan of twitter but thinks that you need to discover it yourself before you make any decisions. He is all about people learning about new technology and finding ways to put it to use in classrooms. Twitter can be a website you may want to use in your class, you will just need to navigate the site yourself and then decide.
Johnson, Doug. (2009). The online school. Not All Who Twitter are Twitts. Retrieved October 1, 2009, from http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/columnists/johnson/johnson034.shtml.
Johnson has yet to find exactaly what it is that he could use twitter for in his class, but he does give a link to a website where teachers blog about their use of twitter in class. Twitter seems that it could be a good thing, but you need to explore it quite a bit first to see what content you need to avoid. Twitter is a social system, sounds like a mix of facebook and blogger, I am not a current member, but it sounds like I soon will be.
One complaint is that people always blog about being stuck in an airport, going to work, talking at a confrence, and what happened to them today. It is irrelevant to most people what happened to everybody else in the world, so why post it. Johnson states that he wishes the site would have, may I say, more intellectual conversations going on. Also, he notes that the website does not promote in depth things because they only let you type one hundred and fourty words per post.
When are people twittering is another question to consider, is it on their time or somebody else's. Students are doing it via mobile internet during class, and workers are doing it while they are on the clock. This is a huge downfall since they are taking up valuable time that needs to be done elsewhere. So, how valuable can twitter be.
The nice thing about twitter is that it lets people connect and follow each others post, they can see exactly what you said and when you said it. One may describe it as a twenty four seven chat room, where you don't always have to be logged in to see what happend. Therefore it makes it easy to stay in contact with people and ask questions and get a timely response.
I went to the teacher who twitter homepage, but it was hard to naviagate and find good information on it. I do think that twitter could be a good way to connect with your students and your students with each other, but you would have to have a close watch on everything they say on there and do. No matter what website you use the internet is a dangerous place, so twitter is just as good as the rest of the website you can use in your classroom.
Johnson ends his journal about how he may not be the biggest fan of twitter but thinks that you need to discover it yourself before you make any decisions. He is all about people learning about new technology and finding ways to put it to use in classrooms. Twitter can be a website you may want to use in your class, you will just need to navigate the site yourself and then decide.
Johnson, Doug. (2009). The online school. Not All Who Twitter are Twitts. Retrieved October 1, 2009, from http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/columnists/johnson/johnson034.shtml.
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