Reflections on Media Literacy Project

The media literacy project our group did - internet alcohol sites - was a very interesting project for me. I was amazed by some of the sites, and worried at the same time since I have an 18-year-old who I always worry about doing the underage drinking scene. I was glad we chose that topic and the information we gained was invaluable.

I really enjoyed this project - probably as much as all the rest of them. Since media is such a large part of everyone's life, I have learned the importance of giving our students the tools to look at things presented in the media critically. It's something we don't even do as adults as much as we should.

Looking at intended audience, means of attracting those audiences, etc. was beneficial. I agree with both Dr. Stearns and Charity that we need a media literacy class. It would be a great, and fun, class to teach.

The other thing which I leave this project knowing is how books are only a small part of literacy. There is so much more than I would have ever assumed, and I now look at everything from a literacy point of view.

Syracuse Schools Laptop Program

Heard this morning about the problems with the laptop program in the Syracuse school system. I can't believe (or maybe I can) that kids spent so much time downloading porn and other things they knew were inappropriate. Unbelievable. The sad part is now they are rethinking the enire program. How can kids ever have access to new technology when they spoil it for themselves by doing things like this.

I wonder if kids in other countries who are technologically advanced in comparison to the United States have the same kinds of problems with their youth. If not, maybe that would explain why we are behind other countries when it comes to technology in education.

Interview

This was a very difficult task for me because technology is so new to me. I feel like I'm not able to "think on my feet" as quickly as some in our class who have much more experience in this field. I chose to do a website about interracial students in YA literature (a subject I explored in great detail in our YA literature class). This website gives students a chance to look critically at works dealing with this subject matter and blog about their own experiences as they relate to the recommended readings.

Hobbs Chpt. 4 - "Advertising, Persuasion, and Propaganda

Great chapter and says so much about where we are today. Advertisers certainly understand a great deal of their market is aimed at adolescents - $170 billion in 2002 alone. This makes it imperative they reach this group. As such they have an enormous amount of impact on what young people purchase. We need to remember this is not only true of the television media but also other advertising media. Cigarette ads placed in stores where young kids can easily see them - influencing their choice of whether to smoke or not smoke.

How many things are advertised in a positive light making them look attractive? The models in ads are always beautiful/handsome and thin. No wonder our teens are obsessed with body image. Advertisers give them the idea that if they purchase their products they will also be beautiful and popular. I think media is an extremely important thing for our students to study and to understand. They need to know who is being targeted and who is being left out. They need to be able to take apart these ads and find out why they are done the way they are and who they are trying to influence.

I wonder how many would care about wearing brand name clothes if those clothes were not associated with being popular and beautiful. In our town it's Old Navy and Aeropostale. My son won't even look at clothes without those tags. It's as if by wearing something else he will no longer fit in. We need to address these issues with kids and help them explore the advertising media and find out the real reasons behind their ads. If advertising weren't such a big $ business do you honestly think advertisers would spend millions for the chance to run an ad during the Super Bowl? Some of these ads are never shown again, and yet they understand the impact just one showing will have on their audiences.

This was a wonderful, insightful chapter. It's an important chapter for those of us who are future educators.

Internet Access on School Buses

Check out this article. Is this really another chance for students to learn, or is it putting more stress on kids? What does everyone think?

I know some kids from when I was in school who rode the bus in excess of one hour both to and from school. Why not put the time to good use? Don't "adult" commuters do it all the time? I think it's a good idea. Lots of kids own laptops. I just hope they won't leave their work for the last minute thinking "I'll do it on the way to school".

Friedman-"Dirty Little Secrets"

How long is it going to take for educators/educational administrators in this country to realize we are sending our kids out into the world ill-prepared for what lies ahead. We still want our students to memorize things - standing in front of a classroom feeding them information they can recite back to us on tests. Do we do this because it's in their best interests to be taught in the manner? Absolutely not! We do this because it's what is easy for us - we don't have to work so hard. We don't have to learn the latest technology to pass on to our students. We can rely on doing things in the same old way. We need more educators willing to work harder. That's why 307 is so important. Hopefully we will learn some of the skills we need to use in our classrooms to prepare our students for the flat world they will be entering.

Every teacher/administrator should be required to read Friedman. It's essential to understand how far behind other countries we are and how woefully prepared our students are when it comes to entering this flat world. How will they become the untouchables?

April 23rd Quiz - Going Backward a Bit

Shape-Shifting Portfolio - I guess when I look at myself along this line I think about my age and the fact I have so many more things to put in my portfolio than someone younger because I have lived so many more years and experienced/had the opportunity to learn so many more things than someone younger than myself. Also, I can't even begin to comment on all of the new things I have added to my portfolio this semester - especially from 307. There are so many things I can do now (maybe not do well, but at least do) than I could at the beginning of the semester. All of those skills have become a part of me. More importantly, how I feel about acquiring and using those skills have also become part of my portfolio. I can put anything into my portfolio, but if I don't use it then it's of no value. I have learned to have confidence enough in myself to at least give all of the things I have learned a try when I get into my own classroom. In that respect, my portfolio has grown so much this semester.

Pokinitis - I admire someone like Will who sees a teachable moment in almost every situation. He will inspire his daughter to become a great writer because of his enthusiasm for all she does. What a wonderful thing to bring to the table not just for her as his daughter but as someone who will have so much to offer to this world.

I wish I had had someone like Will to point me in the direction he does everyone around him. The really great thing is that through his blog and now his "office" in Second Life, we can communicate with him on an everyday level and he can steer us in some directions we might not have otherwise considered possible. Maybe someday we will be blogging away to him and he will inspire us to write a book about something as simple as poking someone. I look forward to the possibilities.

Blog Quiz - Week of April 25th

Task #3 - Last things first

First let me say - where was this teacher in the Buffalo School system giving his students simple/direct directions about saving the iMovie when I was doing mine. I could have used this information last week.

I am extremely interested in this since it is a joint project with the University of Buffalo - where my 18-year old son will be going in August. I thought it was a great idea to get kids so involved in technology. From my limited experience in the classroom I know that kids "die" to use the computers in the classroom. If we can allow them time and tasks so they can use computers and media then we have their attention already. From there it's just a matter of providing a little guidance and getting them started. Congratulations to Buffalo - not exactly my neck of the woods, but it's a city that I absolutely love.

Second - the web link for the media literacy when I clicked on it brought me to a site that was in a "foreign" language - or something like a "foreign" language. Is that the correct website? I just wondered if it is what I am supposed to be looking for.

Task #1 & #2 to follow shortly - I've got to go finish putting out things for our community's "Spring Cleaning" which occurs tomorrow. You snooze/you lose! Hope you'll understand. Be back to finish this quiz in awhile.

High Stakes Testing - Helping or Hurting?

Check out this site for an on-line live chat about this subject on Monday, April 30th.

MP3's and iPods As A Vehicle For Cheaters

I heard this one on the radio this morning on my way to Cortland. A school (can't remember which state) is banning iPods in the classroom. It seems students were using this to cheat on exams. They were putting notes on them disguised as song lyrics and also loading mathematics formulas, etc. onto them. Then they would put them inside their shirts, run the chord up and put the earbud in place and hide the chord with their shirt collars.

Isn't technology wonderful - let's hope students put as much time and effort into using it for the good as they do in finding ways to use it for other purposes. I am always amazed. Think of the talent involved in hiding notes in song lyrics. What a waste of a student's time and talent. Just thought I would share this latest "use" of technology.

Second Life

Okay, here's another great big - or should I say huge - challenge. I am going to give this Second Life business a try once I get caught up on my homework/blogging/research papers/studying for finals, etc. Okay, so I probably won't get to it anytime soon --- but I promise I am going to try and give it a try the first free moment I have. I actually am excited about this - not so much for myself but more for my son who loves video games. I think he will think this is great - I could be wrong, but I hope not.

Thanks, Ray, for showing us what you have done. I admire you for being able to do what you do with all of this technology. I know that you are not technically a student in our class; but I just wanted to let you know I admire what you do and the expertise you bring to us. Thanks for sharing your time and your knowledge - and thanks for your help with our iMovie. I wish it had worked, but that's not your fault. At least now I know how to add music to my stills if ever I make another iMovie. Just kidding - actually I have some wedding photos from my son's wedding last November that I would love to turn into an iMovie. He just had a birthday on the 23rd and I didn't know what to get for him so I told him I would catch up with him later. Now I think I have a great idea.

Project #3 - iMovie

I can honestly say that working on this project has greatly increased the number of grey hairs that I have - although I try to keep them hidden. I have never been more frustrated by anything, and also never more proud of myself than when I finally had a small light bulb moment and got some of what I was supposed to be doing. Notice I said "small" light bulb moment. I am only too aware how much more I have to learn in order to make this a useful bit of technology for my Shape-Shifting Portfolio; however, just the fact that I have a small portion of it in my portfolio absolutely amazes me. And quite honestly, I think I will be the kind of teacher kids will love because they will feel so bad for me and my ignorance of technology and so incredibly excited about helping me learn and watching my face "light up" when I finally get it. It's going to be great, and I'm going to use it just so my students will feel sorry for me and then happy for me and finally inspired by me.

Why Teachers Quit

If you get Teacher Magazine, check out the article on "Why Teachers Quit". It's very interesting

SCHOLAR'S DAY

I just wanted to say I thought Scholar's Day was something worth attending. I learned a great deal from the "Cyber Bullying" session, and I was also impressed by student's uses of podcasting to make presentations about Health, Elementary Education, etc., during the Poster Presentation on Podcasting.

My problem with Scholar's Day is the fact so many things go on all at one time. Why not make sessions shorter (maybe 30/45 minutes) and make more time slots available for those who wish to attend. I personally would have liked to attend at least four or five other sessions but could not because of conflicts with the ones I chose to attend.

I know that Professor Stearns was disappointed with attendance at some of these sessions, but I can honestly say the one on Cyber Bullying was filled to capacity and there were a great number standing as well.

I think the day needs to be "pumped up" from an advertising point of view. I know I got an e-mail about it, but not really much information unless you went to the site and looked at the schedule. Perhaps they could pass out copies of the schedule (like the one you received if you attended) to students before the day actually arrives and each professor could spend more time talking about Scholar's Day and what it means and why it's important for students to attend.

The bottom line, however, is there will always be students who choose not to attend and who choose to use it as a "day off" form classes. Unfortunately, nothing is going to chance that fact. For those professors who are presenting and feel they have something worthwhile to say which they want their students to hear then I think it's important for them to encourage - and not just encourage but let students know what they are presenting and why it's important for them - students to attend. Beyond that - and better marketing on the part of the college - there's not much that can be done. It's still a matter of choice and the only way to improve attendance in a greater way is to make it mandatory for students to attend at least two sessions. It's an idea.

It's Savannah by a Landslide

I already knew in class who I admired most in our class, but I don't get home until late on Wednesday nights - 9:30 pm - and so I didn't get ready to blog about her until this morning. In keeping with trying to do better in reading other's blogs, I looked at some this morning only to find Savannah's name everywhere as "most admired".

Savannah blogs all the time - she is my hero when it comes to this. I think she reads everyone's blog as well. She is always prepared (or should I go so far as to say she is over-prepared - if there is any such thing) for class. She is dedicated and knowledgeable. She is passionate about teaching - something I would hope we have in common. She is helpful - don't know something? just ask Savannah! If she doesn't know the answer she will point you in the right direction.

So, as my heading says, it looks like Savannah is ahead by a landslide; and lest anyone get upset with me, I know this is not a contest. I am just impressed by how many lives Savannah touches everyday, and I am sure she would be extremely modest and say how she's just like all the rest of us, a college student studying education and trying to do her best.

PBS Online Portal for Teachers

Check out this article. Click on the photograph after you read the short article and it will take you to the PBS Portal. Click on the Reading and Language Arts tab at the left and check out the lesson plans they have for critical thinking, etc. Nice site.

Megan and I taught Kaitlin some of the things in Garage Band - we showed her how she can use the effects to change your voice so that one person can "play" the part of more than one person. She felt this was helpful and gave her the motivation she needed to move on with her next project.

Kaitlin showed us how to make a web page, and she showed me how the use of the templates in this program are similar to those in the inDesign program which I used for my last project. I do not feel as intimidated by this now and feel I could search my way through this and set up my own web page. It is always easier for me to learn something new like this when I have a one-on-one instruction.

Virginia Tech Tragedy

It's hard to get away from the events on the campus of Virginia Tech for even one moment. As I sit watching the news again this evening I have become increasingly aware of one thing in my life - if I am going to teach then I need to be passionate about my commitment to the profession as well as the students I will someday teach. At least three professors lost their lives in the horrible events at Virginia Tech yesterday. One was 76 years old and had taught there for 20 years - that means he started his career at this school at about the same point in his life as I will be in mine when I begin my career.

Hopefully none of us will ever be called upon to give our lives in the course of our teaching profession, but maybe it's a good idea to take stock and ask ourselves if we love what we are doing enough to put our lives on the line. I hope I never face what these professors and these students have faced, but if I do I hope I will be that professor blocking the door so my students can escape out the window to safety. What an enormous love and commitment to the students sitting in your class every single day.

One Day of Blog Silence in Memory of Those Who Died at Virginia Tech

Silence can say more then a thousand words.
On April 30th 2007, the Blogosphere will hold a One-Day Blog Silence in honor towards the victims of Virginia. 33 died at the US college massacre.

Check this out and see if it is something of interest to you. Using technology as a way of expressing our sorrow over loss and of mourning the students killed at Virginia Tech.

Week of April 15th Blog Quiz

Task #1:
The most amazing part of the Baltimore County Public School article for me was the fact they were able to put servers and set up logins for teachers in 169 schools in only 2.5 weeks. I think so many times we hesitate to incorporate the latest technology into our schools because we think it would be just too difficult and time-consuming. If anything, this article should show us we need not be afraid and use such time constraints as issues in fighting the latest technology.
As for abolishing high schools - I would love to see more useof competency-based courses/schools. Wouldn't it be wonderful if all of my life experiences helped me "test out" of certain classes because I already know enough about them from my own experience and my own learning outside of the classroom. I also agree we should allow younger students the opportunity to work if they so desire. Why not? We have laws which protect them from long work days and tiny salaries. If they are capable, willing, and motivated to try their hand at work why not let them? Farmers don't tell their children they are too young to work on the farm. We don't tell our children they are too young to help around the house - in fact we encourage it. Why should this be any different? And most importantly, I agree we sometimes teach our children nothing in a 13-year compulsory education does is make our students hate school.

My favorite line in the article is the one that says: "learning that benefits all students--is necessarily individualized ans self-paced. This is the elephone in the classroom from which no teacher can hide".

Task #2:
I am not surprised by Will's comments about this latest degree on "social computing". He encourages us to do our learning on-line so why would he be encouraged and excited by a university degree that does the same things we can do for ourself without the constraints of a university. Think about it - he says why know the presidents of the United States when you can use your cell phone to access the information on the internet. All of the things he feels we can do for ourselves are a waste of time for us to try and teach students. We need to teach them how to access the information - that is all they need to know. So, I can understand he would feel the best place to learn about social computing is on any one of the websites which deal with this subject. I have to say I agree with him. We already spend too much of our time teaching students what they already know - or what they already know how to access.

Task #3:
Barb and I are going to do an iMovie and we are going to use still photographs with voice overs to accomplish this movie. I am going to keep the subject matter a secret at this moment. It will be something of interest and significance to all of us who are soon-to-be ELA teachers. We will be working on it on Wednesday and I am excited about the project.

We will be learning from this project since neither of us has a clue how to put together an iMovie with stills and voice overs. We will need lots of help from Ray.

The Ron Clark Story

For anyone who tried to access the live video about Ron Clark from my blog (oops!) I have corrected it, and tested it myself. You should be able to view his website now. Sorry for the error and thanks to Professor Stearns for letting me know what I had done wrong.

CHECK THIS OUT

First, I cannot believe that a middle school teacher in Florida responded to my blog -- Second, check out the uses of technology in her classroom and check out her husband's classroom (completely paperless). I am so excited! Below is a copy of her blog to me on my Digital Musings blog:

April 11, 2007 12:28 PM
Jess said...
I teach middle school in Sarasota, Florida and we have what is called NeXt Generation. Our county school district is dedicated to utilizing as much technology as possible within the classroom. On our team, we each have an ActivBoard (similar but more user friendly than a Smart Board), each teacher has his/her own laptop, a class set of computers (mixture of laptops and desktops), and wireless internet connections.We teach our kids how to use Movie Maker, they create web pages using Front Page, they create pamphlets, conduct research, complete online labs for science and even take online assessments. My husband's 8th grade social studies class is complete paperless - he has all of his assignments and assessments online.In order to propel this country's future citizens into the 21st century, we need to invest the money into not only the most up to day and advanced teaching equipment, but also in the training of our teachers to use these machines to their fullest extent. I know that when I move from Florida sometime in the near future, I will not be in the same position, technologically speaking, as I am here. Unfortunately, there are many school districts who are unable to sufficiently fund these sort of programs.
April 11, 2007 6:23 PM


All of this points to our need to be sure and edit our blogs (you never know who is reading them) and our need to communicate with each other on our blogs. If someone who is not a part of our class is checking out our blogs then we owe it to ourselves and each other to check out the blogs of our classmates.

Next Project

Barb and I are still working on what we are going to do exactly. It will be some sort of iMovie, and we are thinking of doing something along the lines of something like the one in the NY Times iMovie. I think it would be neat to use still photographs and turn them into an iMovie with music and voice-over.

More to follow.

Blog Quiz for Week of April 8th

When I read the O'Brien chapter I couldn't help think about a movie I just happened catch over the weekend - it was called "The Ron Clark Story" - and it was about a teacher in Inner Harlem Elementary School. This teacher walked into a classroom that tested way below all other classes in the school and the students simply did not care. As I read the O'Brien chapter and looked at learned helplessness, I thought about the kids in this Harlem school. They, too, had learned helplessness. They had been through 6 teachers in 6 months and no one thought they were capable of learning. Through different methods and an honest and genuine caring on the part of their new teacher -- he stayed with the class even when he wanted to quit -- he motivated them and when the state testing came at the end of the year, the kids in his class scored higher than any other students in the school - even the honors class.

Check out his website, and you will get some ideas for your own classrooms when you start teaching. He used rap music to teach them the presidents of the United States (and he taught them the presidents so they could remember other events in history in a chronological manner). Even though we are learning to question teaching to the test and the validity of high stakes testing at all, we can see a truly remarkable teacher here who pulled out all the stops and used every medium and every means to get his students to succeed in school.

This man is truly someone who engages his students. He has opened his own school this year and his students will visit every continent before graduating. An amazing story, and I thought of it over and over again when I read O'Brien.

Laptops for School

Here is a video clip that tells about an entire state - Pennsylvania - that is getting laptops for all students. They believe that we are not preparing our students for jobs in a technology driven future. Pennsylvan's gets it!!! This video talks about how you can tailor your instruction with each student in mind - not the same lesson for everyone. Check it out.

What does everyone think? Why is New York not doing this in our schools? If the governor of Pennsylvania understands we are now in competition globally in regard to our students, why doesn't the rest of this country "get it"???

Blog Quiz - Week of April 1st

Task #1

The articles from EDUCATION WEEK were simply a confirmation of what I have already come to believe is true from the texts in our 307 class and from my own experiences in the different forms of literacy. The "Outside Interests" article reaffirms most of what students use technology-wise is what they use on the outside of the classroom rather than on the inside. Schools offer little in technology - most computers in classrooms are not even for student use (and this I know from firsthand experience).

I understand so much of the reluctance to use these literacy forms stems from teacher "ignorance" and I also sympathasize with that "ignorance". It is difficult to embrace a media you are not comfortable with or knowledgeable about. If "schools represent the past ... and after-school is where they are training themselves for the future", then I think it is time to reassess our school systems and what we are teaching our children.

I loved the idea of using podcasts developed by the teacher for students to use for reviewing for tests. I had a similar idea when my group was working on our podcast and we were talking in class about lectures being done on podcast so students could download them onto their iPod to listen to them whenever they wanted. Imagine walking across campus reviewing for your test - kind of like using the time you spend standing in line somewhere, or waiting in traffic. It's a wonderful idea, and I can see students liking the idea since it doesn't require much effort on their behalf - just listening.

I must say I understand completely teacher's worries about their lack of training in these areas - "An hour of 'here's a neat tool you should try when you get a minute' show-and-tell isn't meaningful, nor is it effective". Sometimes I feel the same way in our class. We have more than a minute, but it doesn't feel like nearly enough to become comfortable with things. I guess that is probably why I will use these new media forms as a learning experience for both myself and my students as well. My students will be teachig me more than I will be teaching them.

My other concern is the one reiterated in the article, "A Digital Decade" regarding fears about "America's schools--particularly disadvantaged ones on the wrong side of the 'digital divide'--were being left behind". I share some of those fears even though research says 95% of all schools now have high-speed internet access. My fear is still for those students from disadvantaged homes.

As far as who "gets it" and who does not - I will say what I have come to believe from our texts and from my observations in class and outside of class - the students certainly "get it". They are comfortable in this new media age and are only too happy to share their expertise. Who doesn't "get it" - or maybe it's more who doesn't WANT to get it - are parents and school administrators, and some teachers. I certainly think some teachers are up for the challenge and see things are changing in our schools (and outside of them) and they know they must reach the kids or they will simply drop out. Administrators I think are too busy doing "business as usual" with emphasis on high-stakes testing and all of the things which have been done for years and years - it's hard to bring them into the 2.0 world.


Task #2

The Zine Project article brings home for me one of the things that Hobbs also talks about in her book. It is the fact there is "a strong relationship between literacy and power, context and learning" and those Zines are "particularly attractive to adolescent writers--mostly girls--who feel disenfranchised by peer pressures and societal ecxpectations to conform to physical, emotional, and linguistic social norms". Hobbs also addresses gender issues in her book. For me this is an especially important area - there are some ways in which my life would no doubt be different if I had learned the power which exists within writing. Just as Hobbs points out, writing can help us discover who we are. What better way to do this discovery then in a setting where the students feel comfortable. In that respect, I do not think I would make the Zines part of regular classroom activity - I think I would keep them something done after school.

Another important aspect of the Zine Project is the community involvement - teaching students to work together within their community. I think this is something so many future employers would find attractive. If we are going to be good citizens then we need to work within the communities in which we live, and I think this is a great way to accomplish this.

I just responded to Savannah's blog about the iLife scrapbooking project. I would be interested in doing some work on that as well.

Field Trip/Chris Sperry Presentation

Yesterday's field trip was amazing, and one I think every student in 307 should get the opportunity to participate in. Let me start with the all school meeting that was wonderful to watch. It was great watching a young student take control of a meeting - reminding everyone of the rules of order and reminding them to sit quietly while others had the floor, etc. - and watching all the students getting up to make their announcements (from the youngest to the oldest). I was also amazed that one of the things they were discussing was having a hand in deciding the curriculum for their school (and to think this is a public school!). It was just a great experience, and I wish everyone had been able to arrive for the meeting.

The tour of the school was wonderful as well - I looked at all of the paintings, etc. and was amazed it takes a vote of the entire school to put up anything or change anything already there. I was so intrigued by their project about the Middle East scheduled to be televised in the next week or two. What these students learn in this school puts some of our other "public" schools to shame.

The presentation by Chris was a real learning experience for me. I must say I had never thought of using other forms of literacy - such as the movies - as a way of teaching students about such basics as plot, characterization, setting, etc. I must say he gave me a chance to revisit my ideas on how a school classroom is conducted and what things can be used to teach students. Even more, I am calling into question everything I have thought was necessary in a classroom. If regents exams are not necessary for graduation - imagine a school in which you don't have to teach to the test - then the possibilities for our students learning are limitless.

I have always envisioned my classroom as being one of "organized chaos" and I think I feel so strongly along that line because none of my own classrooms were like it when I was going to school. Maybe because I grew up in a different generation from most of the kids here at Cortland - I'm not really sure - but I just know I wanted my classroom to be something other than the status quo. This school made me realize it's possible to teach in such a classroom - and even more importantly, there are entire schools that teach in the same manner.

When you challenged us at the end of our day, Dr. Stearns, to seek out the kind of schools and classrooms which will help us grow and develop I knew I must do just that when I graduate. Like you, I have lived in the same town since the day I was born, and I probably would have taken a job here as well after graduation. However, after our tour today, I saw firsthand the kinds of schools and the kinds of classrooms possible and I want to be part of it. THANK YOU for making this tour possible, and thank you for giving us an opportunity to explore all of our future possibilities. I no longer am willing to just settle for a job teaching school - I am ready for an adventure!!!

March 25th Blog Quiz

As I read BRINGING THE OUTSIDE IN and Friedman's Chpts. 5 and 6, I wondered why teachers and administrators cannot see the connection between the new literacies and our futures in a flat world. Friedman points out that "a focused domestic strategy aimed at upgrading the education of every American, so that he or she will be able to compete for the new jobs in a flat world" is so important. Put this together with what he says about how if you are the one unemployed, unemployment is not 5% but 100% and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see how important it is to prepare our students for the new flat world in which they will be dealing with information rather than raw materials (or should I say information will be their raw material).

When you read Friedman and his free market ideas, you cannot help but agree with him about the necessity of free trade, and how it will bring more jobs to this country instead of less. We truly are competing with people in every single country when we compete for jobs - there truly is no American job any longer. The sooner we bring this fact home to our students the better their chances of being prepared in this new world of information.

I do not see much of this sort of thinking in classrooms today, however, and given our knowledge of the kinds of jobs available to those in school today, that frightens me. We can no longer settle for preparing our students in the old "tried and true" methods and assume they will be okay when they enter the work force. I can see how my own education from years past has woefully prepared me for the job market as it is today, and I can truly understand the need to update and make myself competitive with an ever growing global community of laborers.

At the same time, all of this is so exciting - to think about being prepared for a job not yet invented; and it is also staggering when you think about how the information and knowledge you have today is going to be outdated by time you get your degree.

However, when you look at all of the possible careers (and careers yet to be invented) from which today's students have to choose, it is a wonderful and scary world they are about to become part of. And, as teachers, we need to be aware of "the kinds of good middle-class jobs which successful companies and entrepreneurs are creating today" ... and we need to understand "how workers need to prepare themselves for those jobs, and how educators help them to do just that". If we cannot do these things as future educators then we will send our students out into the world of labor woefully inadequate in their skills and enormously hampered in their ability to obtain a job. It is time for all of us who are going to be teachers to examine our ideas of literacy and become more in tune with the kinds of things our students are reading (what makes them skilled in literacy). We need to be willing to look at all aspects - whether it is the comic book they are making of their time in school, or the picture someone like Gus takes of a bulldozer when asked to bring in a picture of "what he knew and believed about reading". If a picture can cause a student to enter into a 45-minute discourse on how reading is about tearing things apart and rebuilding them once he has enough information from the teacher and other students to do so, how can we not consider photography or comic strips as forms of literacy.

I thought the chapters were wonderful and the BRINGING THE OUTSIDE IN article was insightful and made me more aware of the kinds of things which can be considered when trying to assess whether or not our students are successful readers/writers.

March 18th Blog Quiz

Task A:

As I read chapters 3 and 7 from the handouts, I couldn't help but see myself. I desire to be a non-traditional teacher and yet I too find myself privileging print, and I can see how this might cause me to let go unnoticed the abilities my students will have in multi- and digital literacies. For me this is so easy to do because of my age and the fact school for me has always been traditional. I guess sometimes we think "don't mess with success", and yet I can truly see how this mode of education is not necessarily one mired in success.

I did an observation class last year and during the time I was there, I can recount many, many occasions when students asked if they could "play" on the computer. In fact, "playing on the computer" was one of the rewards the teacher offered for those who had finished all of their "regular" school work. No one acknowledged a student's abilities in this media form might, in fact, be a successful literacy all on its own.

The thing in the chapters which caused me the most self-examination was when it talked about academic versus vocational track curricula and how some students are "routed on a path leading to blue-collar trade jobs" versus those who are being prepared for college. How sad we need to make a choice when it comes to our students. We don't take the time to assess their knowledge and their skills in other areas of literacy, and we simply assume they do not have the necessary skills to become part of the information age.

I saw myself in the statement that "in fact, engaging in new literacies makes adolescents all the more dangerous ... because their knowledge and skills threaten adults who lack them, leading to the current panice for the good old days of print literacies". When I look at this statement, I see the importance of classes like our 307 class - bringing us from the past into the present and the future.

We need to know who our students are, and we need to know the kinds of things that interest them and the kinds of things they read if we are to help them become information brokers in our new world.


Task B:

I loved the articles on the middle schools. I guess probably if I were to choose where I would like most to begin my teaching career, middle school would be my choice. I laughed and I even cried when I read these articles. I have raised four children of my own so I can sympathasize when they talk about how every one middle school student is like teaching three high school students. So I can only imagine what a class of 15/20 middle school students (or the equivalent of 45/60 high school students) must be like.

My very favorite was the "overweight" math teacher who turned the comment about her being a "fat lady" into a teachable moment. I'm going to remember this one for my own classroom should the need ever arise.

The part I was most concerned over was when it talked about how we prepare teachers for teaching elementary school and high school and not middle school. This was especially of concern when I looked at how woefully behind in reading skills these students are when they enter the high school arena. It says that NY state offers a middle school certification, and I was wondering if Cortland offers a major leading to this certification, or if we simply contain it in the 7/12 adolescent education curriculum. I can certainly see (especially when it comes to 6th graders) how we are in need of a "different" kind of teaching for these middle schoolers if we are to keep them from becoming the later high school dropouts.

How very say "reading scores plunged from fifth to sixth grade, when most students move to middle school, and continued to slide through eighth grade". This happens at the same time we have a "breathtaking range of student ability" within our middle schools. Why are teachers not tapping into this ability?

These articles just make me more anxious to finish my education and start my own teaching career before some more of these students talents and abilities are ignored and they become statistics.

NAEP Scores In Reading Just Released!
From the graphs that accompany this article, it would appear things have been on the "downhill slide" since 1998. So, my question is how can things continue to decline over the course of 8 years and no one is doing anything to correct the problem? Don't these statistics make ELA teachers cringe; and if they do, why isn't anyone doing something about it?

This just brings me back to what I said once before - I personally know of someone who graduated from the same high school I did one year ahead of me who - to this very day - cannot read or write. How can we possibly let such a thing occur? It's time teachers take a long look at their classrooms and their students to see if they could change some things to make their students proficient readers!! And, if they can't, then I say they should not have their jobs.

I wonder if anyone knows how much of an affect tenure has on these steadily declining reading levels. Do teachers who no longer have to worry about losing their jobs simply sit back and let children go through their classrooms without ever caring whether or not they have the basic skills to help them succeed in the world?

Or, how much of this is a result of the fact children no longer need to read books. The things they are required to do in class makes it unnecessary for them to have to read the book in order to answer the questions asked of them. I cannot imagine anyone being less than proficient in reading.

Reading this article and looking at the accompanying graphs makes me very sad - and it also makes me very angry. I want to inspire kids to be avid readers, and from the things I hear in our class I am not entirely certain I know how to go about accomplishing that. I am, however, anxious to give it a try.

My son and I were looking for recipes so that he could make something for us for dinner tonight (he's home on leave from the Navy this week and loves to cook and mom thought it would be nice if he made dinner for me). We were looking for a recipe for calde verde on foodnetwork.com and I thought I would try to add it to my RSS feeds - copied the HTML and went into my bloglines and added it to my feeds - bingo, there it was!!! I'm so excited because this means I can add anything to my blog as long as that site has an RSS. I think I'm really getting into this technology "stuff" in spite of all my misgivings!

Just thought I would share.

Blog Quiz: Teaching in Global 3.0

Task #2 - What a College Education "Buys"

Apparently a college education isn't something for everyone - and at the risk of offending someone, I tend to agree. Yet, I wonder why saying that would offend anyone at all. Look at Will and the fact that he doesn't want to go any further in his education (am I saying that he feels that his education up to this point was a waste? Absolutely not!). He simply feels there are other ways of educating students besides putting them in a classroom surrounded by four walls. A great number of adults from my parent's generation were self-taught - maybe not in the realm of technology, but their classroom was their life. And now today with all the means of learning at someone's disposal the kind of education all of us need has drastically changed.

At the same time. I question whether it's students who do not possess the "intellectual capacity to reach basic achievement levels" or teachers who do not teach in a way that makes the education our children are getting useful - are we teaching them to be consumers of information who know what information they need to know and can navigate the technology at their hands to obtain this information? Freidman would agree it's important for them to be able to navigate the information network - knowing how to find the information they need to know.

And having said all of that, the graphics in this article say that one of the occupations with the most job openings for college graduates is post-secondary teachers. So, if college is not for everyone I would guess the numbers in this category would fall dramatically. We certainly don't need lots more college professors if our children are not really capable of a college education. If everyone decides this is true, then many people could find themselves without jobs when they get their diplomas. Scary thought!!!

Task #3 - RSS: A "Killer App"

I added several RSS feeds to my blog - it was fairly easy to do if you followed the directions that Will gave (it must be easy if I thought it was)! I also found something interesting in our text - he talks about "vanity feeds" so you can track what other people are saying about your blog and "being alerted whenever someone is linking back to you". I guess this must be how Will found Savannah's blog and has come to be such a big fan. I think I'll create my own Technorati and see who is checking out my blog.

I would use the RSS with my students to help them with their research papers - great idea having things come to you 24/7 about a subject you are interested in researching. You could also set up a website and have your students use the RSS to access all of the information in their blog. I want to do it myself with eSchool News - right now I have all of the current articles e-mailed to me at my Cortland address. Who knew that I could simply have access to this website on my blog? I learn something new every single day in this class. I can't wait to try this and see if I can make it work - freeing up e-mail space on my Cortland account.

Get Rid of People Who Aren't Any Good?!!?

Yes, this article is talking about us - those who want to be teachers. However, at the risk of offending anyone I guess I understand about concern about teachers having their jobs for "life". Nowhere in corporate America - at least to my knowledge - can someone have a job for life. So, why should we be surprised when corporate America doesn't think we should have that privilege. Maybe our kids would be learning more - you know the whole "rigor" concept - if teachers weren't so secure in their jobs. If we constantly were required to reassess our teaching methods in order to keep our jobs maybe our students would be doing better in school - or maybe not. It's just a thought.

Maybe I have a different opinion on all of this since the possibility I will get in enough years of teaching to qualify for tenure are almost impossible. However, I don't think we should become complacent in our jobs just because we can. It's time for all of us to step up to the plate and take some type of responsibility for the fact that students in this country do not do as well as those from other countries. Whose fault is that? I'm not sure - a little bit of parents, a little bit of the student, and maybe even a little bit of their teacher's fault (yes I said maybe their teacher holds some ownership in all of this).

I suppose my opinion is not a popular one - anymore than the one expressed at this convention. However, it's my opinion.

High Schoolers Learning Less

I can honestly say that I am not surprised by this new study. I am a firm believer that "better" test scores do not necessarily mean that our students are actually learning more. I have no doubt that some classes do "dummy down" their curriculum and I am also certain that some teachers curve test scores to make it appear as if their students are doing better than they actually are - I have been in courses like that myself (one very recently in my educational career). It is hard for teachers to look at our classes who may not be doing that well and admit that perhaps we need to examine our teaching methods, etc. for the answer to the problem.

I have heard so much lately about "teaching to standardized testing" that I wonder how kids can actually do poorly on these tests. Is it just an excuse when teachers ask how they are supposed to teach their students when they have to be so concerned about the standardized tests? If the students aren't doing well on these tests, then what are they learning? Or are they simply learning things that are not included on these tests? I really don't have an answer to those questions. Maybe someone else knows and could enlighten me.

When I graduated from high school I know that there were some who graduated at the same time that I did that - surprisingly or not - could not read or write. How can these things possibly happen in today's schools? I wonder if we, as educators, parents, or students, place enough emphasis on the importance of school and learning and what it means for our future and the future of generations to come. This whole study leaves me wondering if it's "No Child Left Behind" or "Every Child Left Behind". In a generation when it is important for us to be prepared to take on two or even three careers over the course of our lives, education becomes of even greater importance.

Musings on Podcast Project

I can honestly say that I learned alot when I did our podcast, and that most of that learning came from sitting down with the rest of the members of my team and "playing around" with garage band. I still don't feel that I am anywhere near as savvy with this as I could be, but I also understand that all of that takes time and practice and that I will not be an expert with one project.

I think it's important that students be given the chance in our classrooms to "work with their hands" and to have team members that they can count on for help and encouragement. If I had been required to do this project alone, I highly doubt that I would have been able to. However, having others to help and explain things to me really was a plus. I am sure that they pulled more weight than I did in this project, but the important thing is that I really do feel that I learned something, and I am in a slightly better position to be able to put together a podcast at a future date.

I don't think that this project changed any of my thinking as a future educator. I have always been a fan of the classroom where students get to try their hands at things and I am a firm believer that that is a great way to learn. It is something that I did not have in classrooms in my educational career, and maybe that's why I feel it's so important. I really don't know for certain, but I just want to give my students the best of all worlds and if that means that I have to become a sort of "media expert" then that is what I will strive to do.

Reading the World in the Word/Image!

#1 -- When I looked at the six core assumptions in PLS, I found at least three that coincided with Renee Hobbs research project. The first one was that "media literacy teaches critical thinking skills such as understanding bias and credibility through rigorous analysis of appropriate media documents". In Renee Hobbs research she is trying to find out how Latinos in North Philadelphia analyze tobacco advertising, etc. She is trying to to find out how such bias as that from which the tobacco industry creates their advertisements are understood by those reading the ads in magazines.

Secondly, in her research on students at Montgomery Blair High School she is trying to find out the impact of media on students outside relationships - family, community, etc. This is in line with PLS's #6 , which says that "media literacy is essential for the development of informed, reflective an active citizens in a democratic society".

Last, her articles that she publishes on lesson plans and curriculum materials gives teachers the chance to look at these materials - and these materials are materials that "integrate media literacy into K-12 instruction". PLS's #2 says that "media literacy can and should be integrated across the K-12 curricula at all grade levels and in multiple subject areas".

It would seem that Renee Hobb's research and work falls right in line with the work being done by Project Look Sharp.


#2 -- Renee Hobbs is studying the effects of media on the outside lives of people as those of students and teachers in the academic setting. Her research takes on the media influence at all age levels and in different schools. It encompasses both the students as well as the teachers. I think from reading the article that she understands the need for students to be able to read the media and understand and critically analyze what the media is saying. I think that is so important since so much of what students access today comes from media sources. I also feel that her work falls right in line with Project Look Sharp. Both understand the impact of media on the lives of today's students and their need to be able to adequately assess the material that they are reading.

#3 -- ELA Standard #3 says that "Students will read, write, listen and speak for information and understanding - using knowledge generated from oral, written and electronically produced texts". I think that her book clearly addresses this standard from the very beginning when she talks about her students being engaged in assessing "reality shows" and where they fall on a real/unreal line. She used this media (television) which most kids are very much into and used that media to assess information (finding out things about her students) as well as involving them in critical thinking and assessment. I had never really thought about something this simple as a means of getting kids to think critically. I was amazed.

Bonus -- The article "Literacy for the 21st Century: The Hope and the Promise" was extremely interesting. It addresses the issue that in today's world information comes to us through multi-media as much as through the written words on a page, and how that fluency in reading and writing now means fluency in the "language of printed communications" as well. I really hadn't given that much thought before, but it is definitely so true.

The article talks about "creating a response so that others can know what I now know": we do this in our class with the blog - as I sit here writing I am sharing with others what I know (and sometimes what I don't know as well).

I guess the most important thing is that I am slowly beginning to realize how today's student is not as much involved in knowing everything as they are in knowing how to access what they don't know. When I attended school the teacher was the expert who shared the knowledge with us and what I learned came directly from that person. Now that is not the case. The student doesn't need to learn all of the things that I did because they can access it through a range of media that was not at my disposal. They can access the information - they don't need to memorize the facts, but they definitely need to know how to access that information. I guess that I would call this the "access generation".

My only fear remains one that I find constantly nagging at me. Megan had written in her blog that we as teachers must make sure that the technology is available to our students - writing grants, etc. to see that the computers and internet are available in our classrooms. I agree with that, however, my biggest concern is for those who do not have that access at home. It's really difficult to assume that someone who is struggling simply to feed their family is going to take the time to drive their children to the library to use the computer to do their homework. I wish that we lived in a society where everyone has computer access, but I simply do not believe that is the case. I don't have answers to that part of the problem, and I know that I am probably worrying needlessly. However, I cannot help but rely on my own experience, and I know how deeply frustrated I was at the beginning of this semester when financial concerns kept me from having internet access at home for the first two weeks of classes. I just don't want us as educators to be put in a position to put more pressure on families that are already overwhelmed with the everyday struggles of feeding and clothing their kids.

We were just talking last night about Wikipedia and some parent's concerns about the content on this website and then I read an article about a new site being launched. You can go to the site and read about this if you would like. The article was in eSchool News and it tells how the new site will be more authoritative and will use experts to edit the postings on this site. I thought the article was really interesting. Amazing how we discuss something in class and the next day I read something about that same thing.

In the article on educational technology trends to watch for in eSchool News, I was interested in the prospects of there being educational games for students. I think that is a wonderful idea. All we need to do is look at the success of LeapFrog/LeapPad for young kids and how much it helps them learn (all the while they are having fun), and I can see how learning with games is a great idea.

I know that in our World Politics class last semester with Dr. Hull we used the game Civilization III to learn about what goes into the makeup of countries and got to develop our own society and create our own foreign policy and determine which things were most important to our country's survival. It was a great game, as well as a great learning experience. Most importantly, it is also historically accurate - what a great teaching tool. However, the most amazing part is that I still sit down at my computer and play a game every now and then, even though I'm not a history major or anything remotely similar. I just find the game fun - and I am learning at the same time.

This sort of technology can be a great tool - especially for students who are not motivated learners in certain subjects. I have never been a history fan, but playing this game was something that captured my attention, and I had a great time learning.

I was just doing some studying for a test in Health that I have on Monday afternoon when I read about a site in my text regarding the American Heart Association and eating healthier, etc. So, I decided that I would go to that website and check it out - even though I certainly know how to eat healthier - it never hurts to be informed. So, I click on the website and look for healthier eating, and in the course of my checking things out you will never guess what I happened to find: podcasts about a variety of subjects.

If anyone is interested in checking out the site - both because it addresses technology that we are learning right now (and podcasting just happens to be the project that I am working on for this Wednesday evening), as well as the fact that it contains some useful information for your health-related issues.

I am amazed by the fact that all the things that we are learning about in our Technology class keep popping up. I suppose that they were out there all along - I just wasn't paying any attention. Anyway, just thought I would share with you - go to www.americanheart.org and check it out.

Darlene

P.S. If I knew how to set up a link for this website, I would do that and then everyone could just click on it and they would be there. However, I do not possess that skill - at least not yet. If anyone cares to enlighten me - learning together if you will - I would be happy to hear from you.

Megan - If you are out there checking out this blog, we need to get together about our project. I am on campus tomorrow (Friday) and would like to touch base with you. If not tomorrow then next week - Monday perhaps - just e-mail me at scouten52@cortland.edu and let me know what you want to do.

Thanks.

Darlene

When Will talks about each student needing to learn how to self-direct their own learning, I thought about the reading in Warlick where he addresses the issue of using copyrighted music and then being force to go back and learn how to add music to his presentations without using someone else's music. In the same way, our children need to learn how to do these same things - direct their own learning. I am sure that having to go into the computer and figure out how to make music to add to a presentation was a greater learning experience than if he had sat in a classroom somewhere and had someone spoon-feed the information to him.

Will also talks about getting over the idea that we, as teachers, are the sole content experts in the classroom. With the web our students now have so many more areas to choose from - each website directing them to many more websites and much more information than we could ever fit into a lifetime, let alone a school year. The information they get from this source will be the information that will help them become part of the "Information Age where the raw material is information". Warlick says that we need to teach our children to build with information, and we cannot do that if we continue to think of ourselves as the sole content experts within our classroom.

Also, Will talks about getting past the idea that we know more than our students - nothing could be further from the truth, especially when I look at the information out there - imovies, podcasts, etc. Kids know how to access the information, and that makes them smarter than I will ever be. It also puts them in the driver's seat when it comes to the new "information-driven future" where - as Warlick puts it - "what our children know will be less important than what they can do with it". I think most kids are already two arms and one leg up on most of us as teachers, or soon-t0-be teachers, when it comes to knowing what to do with the information that is available to them on the web.

Darlene

I was just reading a post that Kaitlin had put up on her blog on 2/7, and she quoted from a book she had read. When I was reading that something hit me - like being struck full speed by a mack truck (not that I have ever had that experience, thank heavens). I don't have to know everything about everything to be a teacher. My students and I can learn together - even about the digital world - and I think that would be part of the fun. I have been in a fog lately and I guess I have been missing the fact that kids love knowing more then their teachers know, and teaching me as we explore this digital world together is something that the kids will probably find exciting. A light bulb moment for me. I have spent so much time worrying about all that I don't know that I have lost sight of the fact that learning can be a two-way process. I can learn as my students learn. How much fun will it be to take this journey together - all of a sudden I'm not so scared by all of this. I still don't know anything about it, but maybe that's not so horrible after all.

Just thought I'd share my "defining moment".

Darlene

I just wanted to talk about our group meeting last Wednesday night for a minute. We are doing a podcast, and our group - Jon, Charity, Megan and myself - met in the library for over an hour before class and worked on our podcast. It was great and yet I still felt terribly inadequate. Everyone seemed to have some idea what they were doing, but I was totally lost. Everytime I tackle the latest technology I feel overwhelmed. I know that I have said that often, but I just want to make sure everyone is listening to me. I want to know how to do all of these things - really I do!!! It's just that I feel like I'll never quite "get it". So, along that line, I wonder how many of the kids in schools today - if any - might feel the same way that I'm feeling. Is it possible that some kids don't have a clue? Or is everyone technology savvy except for those of us who are going to be teaching someday soon?

I guess I was wondering how well I am going to be prepared for Generation M with only one technology course - unless you want to add the Photoshop course I took to my credentials. I don't even have an IM account or an ipod or even a digital camera. I feel like I'm in the dark ages. Are there kids out there in our schools today who are equally in the dark?

Darlene

Maybe if I do this correctly I can copy the post that I made to Will's blog. If all goes well, it should follow this:

February 12th, 2007 at 7:42 pm
I can certainly sympathize with the idea that we need to unlearn that everyone can, and should, learn at the same pace. I have four children, two of whom probably learned at the same pace as everyone else, and two of whom were absolutely bored to tears at the pace of learning in their classroom.
As a non-traditional student who has returned to school and is studying Adolescent English Education, I understand the need to unlearn many things that we have traditionally thought were important in teaching our students. Maybe the fact that I am older, puts me in an even greater position to understand that today’s classroom is nothing like the classroom that I was part of many years ago. I think that’s both a good thing and a scary thing. I just blogged on my own blog for a class I am taking at SUNY Cortland that the thought of my students knowing more than I do is very scary to me. How can I teach students who are already way past me?
The other thing you mentioned was not putting up roadblocks for students to use the sites and tools that they need to learn. I think sometimes we fear the “bad” things that our students can access so much that we keep them from all of the good things as well.

I was watching the "world news" night before last and they had an interesting discussion about one of the presidential candidates - I believe it was Edwards - who had put some bloggers to work on his staff to conduct surveys and get information concerning his upcoming bid for the presidency. They said that amid the controversial issue of using these bloggers and the internet to conduct their survey, that Edwards was so impressed with the work that they had done that he plans to keep them on his staff throughout the entire time that he is running for office.

I thought this was an exciting application of something that all too often we think takes up too much of our time. Who would have thought that blogging could have such an exciting application? I guess that blogging is something that everyone should know how to do and something that all of us need to take an active role in. I wonder if our schools would change their opinions about blog sites if they knew that they had such potential - perhaps changing the course of our country. It certainly gives us something to ponder and consider while we are blogging for our class.

I want to try and find this blog site when I get a moment - does anyone out there have any idea where I might look? Maybe someone has even seen the blog site itself. Let me know.

Darlene

I watched the YouTube Video, and I must say that my lack of technology experience makes it difficult for me to even understand some of the things that we are doing in this class. I semi-understand that with the Digital world that form and content can be separated. However, I guess I don't really understand what that means in regard to using html and the other things that the video talked about. Isn't html part of the digital process - isn't that the address that we had to make so that people could find our blog sites?

Maybe someone can respond to this blog and explain to me what all of this means. I understand the need to be savvy when it comes to all of the new technology that is available to us and to teach in a way that takes into account the new ways that generation M is accustomed to dealing with in regards to learning. However, I question how I can do that as a teacher when I am lost when it comes to all of this. Why are we not required to take more classes to help us learn all that we are being asked to use in our classrooms as teachers? I don't see how we can simply assume that everyone knows how to use all of these tools, and can, therefore, incorporate them into their classrooms.

Can anyone lend some insight? I want to be able to teach in a way that captures the interest and creativity of all of my future students, but how can I do that when I don't understand all of the tools at my disposal - in short, how can I teach students that are so much smarter than I am?
I guess I'm about to be one of those resistant people who thinks that maybe the old ways aren't really that awful and maybe there is some value in using chalk and erasers. I guess that I'm just scared that I won't be able to answer their questions or be able to point them in the right direction.

I understand that I can put something together and someone else has instant access to my thoughts and ideas that I have put down on paper and can use them in a different way then I have, but how does that help me in the teaching process?

Darlene

Okay, here goes - one more try to see if I am doing this right. Keep your fingers crossed for me. I am so "non-technology" oriented that it's scary. I am more the eraser and chalk era and will need to be dragged kicking and screaming into this new technology era. Is anyone else as inept at all of this as I am, or am I alone in this process?
Darlene

NCATE/NCTE Standard #1 addresses the influence of media on culture and people's actions and communications. Certainly all of our students have been influenced by the media in ways past generations could not possibly have imagined were possible. As a teacher it is my responsibility to make certain students have as much technology understanding and experience possible in light of today's media explosion. Personally, I have no (or extremely limited) experience in using technology and in understanding the influence of media on our culture and communications. I know, from a distance, that media has made the world smaller and communication with people from the remotest corners of the earth possible. However, I am still unable to comprehend all of the possibilities open to our students.

Standard #3 speaks of having the ability to help students compose in different media. I can certainly see the necessity of a course like Computer Technology for the Classroom in helping students access all of the available media in their quest for giving voices to their thoughts and ideas. These different media possibilities will most certainly spark the interest of even the most reluctant student - perhaps the student that hates English but loves computers. The possibilities seem endless.

Darlene

Hi. My name is Darlene and I wanted to welcome everyone to my blog. I am a non-traditional student at SUNY Cortland majoring in Adolescent Education/English. I am technically a junior, although my foreign language requirement may make my graduation timetable difficult.

I am new to this arena of technology, and I find it intimidating. All of my more "youthful" classmates have a real leg up on me when it comes to technology. I must admit, however, I am excited by the prospects this technology class presents. I think I am the only person in this class without an ipod. It's scary for me to know my children know so much about technology and I know so little. I have a great deal of catching up to do, and I can't wait to get started.

I can't wait to hear from everyone, and I certainly can use everyone's help and encouragement in my quest for more technologically advanced knowledge and skills.

Darlene