This is a very good podcast that I found using the Connect Learning podcatching software. It is a panel discussion about the future of libraries and more specifically, the future of libraries and Web 2.0. It was very interesting. There were four panel members including David Warlick. They looked at the concept of libraries becoming a place of work. Libraries were once a place where where knowledge was “consumed”, now it is a place where it is “produced.” The library media specialist is now called upon to meet the users “where they work.” Please follow this link to listen to the podcast – http://m2.slapcast.com/mp3/dwarlick/dwarlick-2006-11-11.mp3. I hope you enjoy it.
Hi to all! Please enjoy my first attempt at a podcast. Please go to Teri’s Podcast to hear a very special poem from a parent of a special education student. Thanks!
The third, and final resource that I explored was Skobee at www.skobee.com.
A very new site, with great social intentions, but if not careful, could this turn into another matchmaker site? I am thinking that this is not a site that I would use in an educational setting at this time, but maybe the potentialis there to become a secure social bulletin for a school or community?
Skobee is a small company based in San Francisco, CA. For now the site is focusing on social gathering invites. This site provides a simple way to gather friends together for everyday social events like dinner, drinks, movies, etc… This sites goal is: To grow into a place that people turn to when looking for osmething to do. Wanting to provide a resource for people looking to go out on a Friday night or get something together for the weekend. Again, this is a new site, just starting to get its feet on the ground. Time will tell.
The second resource that I looked at was Wink at www.wink.com.
I thought that this site was very interesting, but a little questionable. Being able to locate different people? I am not sure if this is good or bad thing. Where is the privacy, and as a parent and educator, what about inappropriate information and contact information being given to whoever accesses it? I guess I would like to look at this site a little further to see the security level, etc… I guess with a web resource, security is a priority concern!
Anyway, Wink is a people search engine. It targets finding people that are active web and social network users. Wink searches public profiles on MySpace, Bebo, Friendster, Linkedln, Livespoaces, and other sources. Wink uses PeopleRank technology taking direct input about search results from users and refines it, making them able to deliver the results that people think are the best. Wink People Search lets you find people by name, location, school, work, and interest anywhere on the web. You can create your own Wink profile. You can, which is a good thing, control what people know about you. The Wink profile allows you to control your name, location, description, and other contact information. It also provides you with the ability to promote and share links to sites that you own, or have a profile across the web. Wink resource members can link to MySpace, blog, Flickrphotos, wish list, and other pages that you may manage on various sites.
REACTION AND APPLICATION
In addition to comments that I made at the beginning of the evaluation of Wink, This is a site much like MySpace. The educational value is that it would open up communication between students from one school and perhaps students at another school. I was unable to access any information on historical figures, etc…, which a student might be able to utilize in a report or presentation. Again, most importantly, I am concerned with the security aspect of this resource. I guess if I explore Wink further, and educate myself more about this resource, I might become more comfortable with it. Any tool that would open a door to a students learning experince is a plus in my book. I am wondering if anyone has experienced an added need for concern related to using a tool like this with students with special needs? Being a special education teacher, I feel that blogging, etc… has a special place in teaching students with special needs, as demonstrated by a reading that was assigned in class, about a special education teacher using blogging, securely, in her classroom, but I wonder if there is such as thing as “too much” accessibilty, if a student has an account on MySpace and Wink, I worry about the risk of preadtor access.?
CEd/CEdu 534 Report
RESOURCE EVALUATIONS
The first resource that I chose to evaluate was TeacherTube(Thanks Chris!) at www.TeacherTube.com.
TeacherTube was implemented on March 6, 2007, so it is fairly new. It formed from an idea of Jason Smith, a 14 year veteran teacher. This resource provides an on-line community for sharing instructional videos. A login username and password are required. This resource provides professional development with teachers teaching teachers. It is a site where teachers can post videos designed for students to view in order to learn a concept or skill. Videos can be uploaded, tagged, and shared worldwide. Files can be uploaded to support educational activities, assessments, lesson plans, and notes. With this site you can browse hundreds of videos by TeacherTube members. You can also find, join, and create video groups to connect with people with similar interests. You can customize your TeacherTube experience by subscribing to member videos, saving favorites, and creating playlists. TeacherTube videos can be either public or private (by invite only). TeacherTube members are also able to make constructive comments via rating system. Members are also able to flag inappropriate videos, and staff will review flagged sites, and remove inappropriate posts. Best of all, membership to TeacherTube is FREE! TeacherTube is an easy to use site, with an accessible TeacherTube Blog and contact information for thoughts, suggestions, and other feedback.
REACTION AND APPLICATION
I really enjoyed this site. It is very easy to use and very easy to see how I can and will use this site in my classroom. What a better tool than working together (collaborating) to provide the students that we work with with the best learning experience possible. We are also modeling collaboration, utilization of technology, along with providing them with access to communicating with other people with similar interests. WOW! I feel this a very important thing that we, as educators, can bring to our classroom. This website embraces technology, and as the saying of old states, “Two Heads are Better than One.” I believe that a site like this, that is safe and user friendly, can also create a learning atmosphere for myself, as in topics/concepts of the curriculum, where I am weak, but other teachers are stonger, and I too can contribute and share regarding topics/concepts that I am stronger in.
6. Was there anything in The Rise of Crowdsourcing that surprised you, disturbed you, or made you ponder? Answer to Number 6:This article was very interesting. I guess it makes one ponder about the inevitable. In the age of technology, the “good ole boy network” is expanding, and the days of small-businesses being able to survive without embracing, interacting with, and utilizing technology seems to be becoming I think about this is reference to education. There are teachers who utilize technology in their classroom on a regular basis, and other teachers who are “afraid” of technology, and students in these classrooms are not “exposed” to technology as much as those in the other classrooms where technology is being utilized. Does this make the education that these two groups of students are receiving less valuable? Of course not! We are just being called upon to expand our educational horizons through continued learning and sharing this with our students. Change is difficult, but we can do the best that we can to be sure we are, to the best of our ability, providing the best learning environment possible for our students. I feel bad for the small business entrepreneur who is being out blocked out by the large web-based company. Technology is about collaboration, and that is very exciting! In the article it mentions the fact that many people are able to experience, experiment, and share their own work related to photography, videos, etc… Using the web to access information, pictures, videos, etc…, that we need is here to stay! The easy to use access, along with the reasonable cost, makes the web cost effective and user friendly. I wonder if there is anyway for the photographer mentioned in the article to either become part of the web network of technology, sharing his photos as well, which might increase the quantity of his photos that people would be exposed to and able to purchase, thus increasing his income, with more ease than he is used to, or to develop his own site for view.
In class, you have been introduced to some social networking tools, like weblogs, podcasts, vlogs, etc. It is agreed that some social networking sites can pose a danger to students while others may appear benign and actually enhance a student’s educational experience. As educators, where do we draw the line? What should be acceptable? What should be denied? On what do you make the determination for access or denial? How should we go about preventing students from accessing social networking tools that are harmful to them? When formulating a response, consider the electronic tools students find valuable and why they use these tools.
In looking at this discussion question, I first think about my own accountability related to internet safety for the students/families that I work with. I feel that it is important for myself, and other educators, including ITC’s to maintain a level of competency, through continuing education for example, to provide a safe learning environment for the students. I have read many times that “students know much more than we do related to technology, and that many educators are intimidated when it comes to incorporating technology into the curriculum. That is why, if we continue to grow in our knowledge base, creating a personal comfort level, decreasing the learning gap/learning curve between the students and educators, we become effective models and guides to internet safety. I think that many teachers feel that in the age of technology in the classroom, it may be an all or none type frame of mind. We either implement all of these great technology tools in our classroom or none, and where do we start? If we share our knowledge with each other, taking a little step at a time, such as building a classroom website, we become effective leaders in technology. We don’t have to start out right away using blogs, podcasts, etc…, but maybe collaborate with another teacher, who is currently more comfortable with implementing blogs, podcasts, etc…, in their classroom, and expose the children we work with the passion and model of technology that portrays a comfort level, sense of security, as well as letting the students know that we are aware and monitoring their communication while at school. I’m sure there was a time when e-mails and education were a new and time-consuming tool for the classroom, but now I’m sure that many educators see the advantages and disadvantages, as well, making up our own minds as to what extent we will utilize e-mail in our classroom. I think we have also seen that e-mail has become a needed resource and skill that we have all been asked to develop and use. I believe the same will be true with blogs, podcasts, videoblogs, etc… in the near future. I think that we ALL must continue to familiarize ourselves with the tools available to monitor student communication, as I’m sure that more and more of these tools will become available. Knowing that there are unacceptable websites, blogs, etc…, out there, and this probably won’t change in the near future, we can do our best to educate ourselves and our students, and have a zero-tolerance policy in place to circumvent the dangers of the internet that exist. If “everybody does it”, as in the case of “My Space”, than maybe they will do it if we portray passion, knowledge, and a safe learning environment, providing a safe learning tool, in our classrooms/schools.
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Hi to all. This is my first attempt at blogging. We have a labradoodle puppy (6 months old). He is a great dog. Does anyone have a fun labradoodle story, picture, or pointers, that they would like to share? Let me know.
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