Chapter 5- Social Networking

Describe your personal experience with social networking. If you have never used a social network, explain why.

 I have never used a social network.  I have never really had any interest in social networking on the computer.  All of this type of stuff began after I was out of high school and I just have never really developed an interest in doing this so I never figured out how it all worked.  I do not like typing my feeling or opinions on the Internet for everyone to read.  These blogs and group entries are stretching my comfort level.  The nice things about this is that it is only our class that can read them and not everyone on the Internet.  I really do not have anyone to talk to anyway so I think that has kept me from developing any interest.  I see my children often and if I need to talk to them before I see them I can pick up the phone and call them.  My husband uses them but I never learned to.  Even when we had discussion groups on Blackboard and Sakai in the undergraduate program I was never really comfortable.

Envision the role of social networking the 21st Century learning environments. Write a detailed description of this vision.

I envision it becoming a major part of the classroom.  I can see it being used by the teacher to develop communication with the students.  From giving students instructions to answering their questions.  If they are working in class they could have a communication set up where the student could talk to the teacher through the computer.  I can also see the teacher communicating with the students in the same way.  I think that it will be a way for the teacher to communicate with the students when they are home if he/she needs to and if the students have questions they need answered while at home they may be able to communicate with their teacher to get the answer they need to complete their homework.  If it turns out to be something the teacher had not anticipated being a problem when he/she gave the assignment then she can communicate with the rest of the class so that they all understand what to do.  I think that it will give the teachers direct communication with the office, administrators, and other teachers if need be during the day.  If a problem arises in class or a teacher needs a question answer it has always been a problem.  They may have to leave their classroom unattended while they deal with the situation and if they do not know where the person they need to speak with is they have to search for them which keeps them out of the classroom longer.  With social networking they can communicate with each other without leaving their room.  Also, as much as the students change classes today, if a student is having a bad day the teacher can notify and warn the next teacher the student is going to.  I can see this being very beneficial for both the teachers and students.

Netbooks and iPads

Are you a proponent of one-to-one computing in classrooms? Explain your answer and provide supporting documentation for your argument.

 

I am a proponent of one-to one computing in classrooms.  I am still skeptical of technology but I can also see the benefits.  After using the iPad I have discovered that I am more comfortable with the iPad because it is personal and keeps all my stuff in one place.  When I turn it back on in the morning, the work I did before is still there where o computers and laptops you have to save and integrate information among programs where the iPads integrate information automatically.  I feel that every student having access to either a netbook or iPad could be very beneficial.  With netbooks having limited access to the Internet, keeping the students from playing games when they should be doing their work or listening to a teacher, is a feature that is very important.  I think that having a netbook or iPad where the student can save their own work and  always have access to it will help increase the learning of the students.  In the IPads articles it talked about the teacher being able to download content from the lessons to the students so that they can have access to that information on the bus, home, and pretty much anywhere they go.  If each student had their own unit to take with them, they could access these downloads which I think would reinforce their learning.  Also, being able to access their textbooks on one small unit rather than caring several heavy books would be beneficial.  Many students don't take their books with them because they are so heavy to carry and then find out later it would have been beneficial to have.  This way they always have access to their books without the heavy load.

Discuss the pros and cons of netbooks versus tablets (iPads).

 

A pro of netbooks versus tablets is the limited access to the Internet.  This will help the students stay more focused on their work and not be distracted by playing games or other things that they would rather be looking at.  Another pro for netbooks is that they do have regular keyboards to use when typing.  I find it easier to type on the actual keyboard rather than the keyboard on the screen of the iPads.

A con is that using the netbook exposes the schools network to virus's, malware, and other forms of cyber-mischief.  Because of the way netbooks are made it is often impossible to apply security software to them in order to protect the school systems.  This is not a problem with iPads because they are not networked.  The other con is the limitations of the system capabilities of the netbooks versus the iPad.  There are operating systems that can not be used on the netbook and according to the book several of these systems are ones that are popular among teachers to use.  Also, I think the size is a con.  Although netbooks are smaller than laptops, the iPads are smaller than the netbooks and easier to carry.  I like how the iPads are flat and do not take up much room and I feel are more useful than netbooks. The iPads have lots of apps that can be downloaded that would not be available on a netbook.

All-in-all after looking at both the netbook and iPad, if I had a choice to make between the two for each of my students to have in my classroom I would chose the iPad.

MP3 Players

What are the pros and cons (briefly) on MP3 use at school?

There were several pros mentioned in the book.  They can help English language learners to improve their skills in English which allows them to become proficient in speaking English.  By improving their English speaking skills if the want to learn a foreign language, such as French or Spanish, can focus more on learning these languages and come proficient in listening to and speaking these languages as well as English.  Something else that is a pro is that they are a mobile technology.  Teachers can download information that will help their students review concepts they learned in class on the bus, at home, or anywhere they may be.Another pro for MP3 players is that people can access digital resources in music, English, and geography classes to help them learn more about these subjects.

Thee were also cons mentioned.  Illegal uploading and downloading of music and videos files is a major problem with the MP3 players.  A problem that comes from the use of MP3 players is that students use them as a way to cheat.  By downloading information for the test onto their MP3 players, students were able to listen to information and then apply it to the test they were taking.

I trust you will have looked at (listened to) at least some of the links suggested in the chapter section on "Using Existing Files." What stands out to you most (and why) of those links? How might you use it in your classes?

 

What stands out most to me is the versatility of the podcasts.  The Grandview Library Blog the students could go and listen to the lady talking about books they might like to read so it was something students could use to get information.  On the Radio Willow Web (which was my favorite) the students were able to make their own podcasts over a variety of subjects.  Not only was there a variety of subjects. but all grades were able to create podcasts on what they were learning.  So even students in kindergarten could use this technology.  Then several of the other websites were podcasts for teachers that they could use for resources in their classes as well as ones they could use to learn about new things useful for their own teaching skills.  I was amazed and overwhelmed  at the number of references that teachers could find for them.

I would have the students listen to podcasts that would help to reinforce what ever topic we were discussing.  I would encourage them to go on and find podcasts that would help them better understand and increase their learning.  I think them having informational podcasts to go to would help them learn to use the MP3 for educational reasons and maybe even more responsibly as they find another use for them other than just listening to their music.  I would also utilize the features that allows them to create their own podcasts.  This will help them to improve their communication skills as well as reinforce what they learned by writing it up and telling people.  I think I would also encourage them to listen to podcasts that other students made as well.

There also are suggestions for making podcasts in Chapter 3. Are there any suggestions that might be useful to you in the future? Why (or why not)?

 

One of the ideas I really liked for making podcasts that I would use is the teacher downloading information that the students can listen to later while they are studying.  I feel that this will help the students to review better because they can hear what the teacher says again and will get the correct information.  I know that I took notes a lot in my undergraduate classes and they later when I was looking over them I could not remember exactly what the notes meant.  By the students being able to listen to the teacher in the same context I feel would be helpful and beneficial.  Also, if a student were absent for some reason they could listen to what the teacher said instead of asking for a summary from the teacher or a fellow student, reading some else's notes and relying in them to have taken good notes, or just doing the work without really understanding what they are doing.  Since I do not know much about podcasting it was useful information to me to know that you can use the recording capabilities of cell phones or MP3 players to record audio files for use in a podcast. 

Cell Phones

Chapter 2 presents some astounding statistics. What are a couple of stats that surprise you the most?

One statistic that surprised me was that 79% of teens have a cell phone.  I understand that kids today are living in a technological world but I do not feel that it is necessary for teenagers to have cell phones.  Most of them are not responsible enough to use them when appropriate and put them away when they should not be using them.  I know more and more teens have cell phones but I did not realize it was that high.  My children did not get their first cell phones until they went to college because they did not need them before that.  If they were somewhere where I was going to need to get hold of them they took mine or my husbands with them or enough of their friends had them that they could just borrow one.  Other numbers that surprised me was 46% of children in the United States from ages 9-11 had cell phones and 20% of children ages 6-8 had them.  I do not feel that teenagers need cell phones, let alone elementary age children.

Summarize in your own words the pros and cons for cell phone use in the classroom.

 

The con for children having cell phones is they abuse the privilege of having them.  As I stated above they are not responsible enough to use their cell phones appropriately or at  appropriate times and put them away when they should not be using them.  The number of students you see playing with their cell phones in class and texting when they should be listening and paying attention in class is completely ridiculous.  They will not take the responsibility of putting them away.  They misuse them by cheating, sexual harassment, prank calls, and harassing others as well as not using them at appropriate times.  It does not help that parents who allow their children to have cell phones do not teach them to follow rules for their use or follow any rules for themselves.

The pro for having cell phones is that there are many useful tools for the children to use.  They have many devices such as cameras, watches, alarm clocks, calendars, calculators, research reference, games and other features that could be useful depending on what kind of phone they have.   Having access to a phone in case of an emergency is also a benefit, but only if the child is taught to use the phone appropriately and are willing to follow the rules connected with the responsibility of having a cell phone.  They can be useful tools if only the children who have them can be responsible with the privilege of having one.

What do you see as the best idea for cell phone use with students, as suggested in the chapter?

 

Well, I think you can tell from my previous two answers that I feel that the best idea for cell phone use with students is to establish and model ground rules for the use of cell phones in and out of the classroom. I feel that if students having cell phones is to be prompted in the future, they must be taught that it is a privilege and responsibility to have a cell phone, not a right.  If they want to keep their cell phone they must demonstrate that they can handle that responsibility but how will they learn if they are not taught with ground rules.  It is also important for parents and teachers to model these rules for the students so that they can learn the rules but see how important they are.

 

If students can learn to use their cell phones responsibly I really like the idea of them using their cameras to take picture and download to use for projects as well as the teachers being able to download study and guides and other reference materials to the students. 

21st Century Skills

Back when I was going through school the main focus for going to school was the core subject.  We used textbooks, worksheets, glue, paper, and crayons and focused on learning reading, math, science, and social studies within the confines of these materials available.  Over the years, the culture and focus of society has changed.  We have become a society that has gone from hands on materials and researches that we have in our possession to a society that is dependent on the technology of computers and the Internet.   There are resources that people have access to on the Internet that allows them to do research and communicate with other people.  There are technological programs that allow people to create things like movies, slide shows, power points, and other operations to demonstrate what they want to communicate.  So past are the days where students are taught by making things with there hands and materials in their possession to learn core subjects.  21st Century Skills are these technological programs that aide students in learning the core curriculum but it also goes beyond that to teaching them critical thinking and problem solving skills.  There creativity, communication, and collaboration skills need to be developed as well and this is done through the use of computer programs and the Internet. 

I feel that these skills do need to be addressed.  The age that children are growing up in now is saturated with the use of computers.  Pretty much everything that you do is connected through some type of computer program.  It is important that students be taught computer skills, Internet skills, communication skills, collaborating skills through the use of the available computer programs that are available because that is the world they will be living in and having to function in when they grow up, both at home and at work.

They should be addressed in the classroom by giving the students as many opportunities to learn and put these skills into practice as possible.  They should be encouraged to express their creativity and to explore and use these skills without fear of failure.  They may not understand everything at once but with practice they will learn to use it.  They need this encouragement so they will not be like me and be afraid of technology.  They need to be taught to embrace it and not be afraid to try new things because technology changes quickly and they will need to feel confident in trying the new things so they can keep up with it.  They will be using this technology their whole lives so they need to not be afraid of it they are going to function in the world they will be living.