What is SETI@home? SETI@home is a scientific experiment that uses Internet-connected computers in the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI). You can participate by running a free program that downloads and analyzes radio telescope data. This was inspired by the mavin that we talked about in class...I am pretty sure that the group that started seti is not the same as .

Gameing (X-box ettc.)

Xbox.com
ign.com
bungie.net (halo3)
gamespot.com

These sites are windows for gamers to link their gaming system together with other players around the world. People can mic or instant message to each other while participating in the game. You can have up to 16 players in a game scenario all at one time. These sites are very graphic in "violence" category and anything can pretty much said...unless your profile is set up for under 18. I was talking to some of my students and they were describing this to me..I was completely facinated.

Webkins

I am fascinated by the social networking tool Webkinzs. My daughter received a Webkinz for her 2nd birthday. At first glance I thought that it was just a stuffed pink animal puppy. My neighbors daughter had to tell me what it was. The pink puppy (plush toy) comes with a tag...that has information to register the puppy on the online site. Children use this code and tag to sign up their animal. Actually the adopt the animal. They animal comes with a small house/room that they can decorate and arrange for the animal. Children can set up information to manage and take care of their animals, such as feeding, cleaning and clothing, etc. Children can play educational games in webkinz. They can also give their code to a friend and if their friend is logged on while another child is logged on they can communicate to each other. So it is a small social networking site. Their are many restriction on the site...words that can not be used..such as bad language and phone numbers and street addresses. Children can also earn kinzcash to buy things for the animal. The site is marketed to parents. Parents can sign on to manage their child's profile. Kids love it, and it cost about. There are many webkinz or lilkinz to collect and add to the child's profile. It is a "safe" and educational site! check it our www.webkinz.com.

Working on Project 2

Since, we did not have class on Wed. My partner (Heather) and I started to shoot digital pictures for our presentation. We used a digital camera to photography our project demo. The demo that we are doing is "how to make a slab, Doiley bowl". This is a ceramics project. We photographed a student, going through all of the steps to make a bowl. We made sure that when we photographed our student that only her hands were photographed...due to the Internet posting restrictions regarding pictures of students. We used the digital camera to photograph and then we uploaded the pictures to our computer. We will use these pictures as part of our created podcast.

Prensky

I was reading an article by Presnky from 1996 (I did not realize this until 1/2 way through reading the article.) He was talking about my generation (gen x). He was saying how we a such a visual generation...seeing thousands of images daily. Watching MTV, Going on the computer and growing up with video games. That as adults we will get bored in our jobs if we are not constantly busy...the term multi tasking. It seems that a lot of the same issues he is addressing today as well as 10 plus years ago. I think that with the advancement of the computer. I strongly multi task daily.. I feel that while being bombarded with many things...images, sounds, students, teachers etc...that I personally am used to this way of life. It seems like he is saying that if we are in a lecture...we are the first ones to get bored. That's why all of these new types of technologies are being created. For example..today's social networking sites. In reality, have things changed so much from 10 years ago. Yes..but some of the same issues are still here.
I also watched a TV report of children and video gaming. He reported that gaming is good for young children through teenage years. The games must be educational for the learning to take place. He mentioned that it is also important for the parent to know what games and play with the children as well. Without monitoring kids could be playing games for non educational means. Monitoring is important and that children learn well with the viewing and interaction of visuals , music and some kind of interaction/challenge.
I read Presnsky's last blog entry and he said that he was getting tired of blogging. That he would rather use his words to create books. He had some heat from some of his blog followers. Presnsky also said that he is getting tired of blogging and having to deal with all of the pop up advertisements. He wants to just write and not respond to the extra stuff on the blog today!

Check out these sites

Some of my students told me to check out some of the following sites....I am listing them here, so I do not lose them.
World of Warcraft, Runescape, Moonbase, Marinsworld, Sherwood, Stickman, Mapplestory, Toontown. I am not sure if all of these sites are "social-networking sites...I will try to check some of these out!

Second LIfe

I was asking my junior high and high school students today if any of them use this web site. Many did not even know what it is. Some kind of heard about it or know someone that uses it. Some of them referred to Second Life being like SIMS. A few of my students do use it. One girl is a 7th grader, her friend gave her a password so she can use the site. I I wonder if parents know what there kids are doing.

Second Life

Wow! A complete virtual everything. Not only can you create a avatar or online identity, but you can rent land (for starting at $10.00) per month. Not only can you create living spaces and people...you can also buy, buy, buy. The site has its own money. This is not a free site, every area that you want to go into you can purchase things. You can buy lingerie for your avatar, you can buy you can almost anything in the various shops on the site. The whole thing seems to be based on the buck. It concerns me that people spend a bunch of time here. When it started in 2003 there was 65 acres of land now it is up to 65, 000 plus acres. Its definitely an interesting site....and I can see how it can be very creative especially for the person making the items for this space. Is it all about money...well I guess so. I am concerned that people are losing their "real life" social networking skills. I can see how a lot of people can get in trouble or financial debt with a site like this. I am a bit overwhelmed with second life right now ...I think that I will research more and blog tomorrow.

Ecto

This is in response to Dan's presentation on social networking. I think its great that like Dan my viewpoint is changing daily about social networking. It was nice to hear that he had such a strong opinion that social networking sites....should stay out of the classroom. As he is becoming aware of the possibilities of these tools within the classroom..he is starting to change his viewpoint. Maybe they are needed within the classroom I felt that way too but as I am researching the various social networking sites my views are changing. I feel that they can be worked into the curriculum. I feel that my students would accept these tools with enthusiasm. Ecto sounds like a great site, what type of support would my district give for this site. What school...not mine...has laptops for each student. I am not sure that we would be able to support this site in the full way that it was represented without major funds for new laptops etc.....

Gameing

http://www.educause.edu/ELIResources/10220?tab=4#tab_links

http://www.educause.edu/GamesandSimulations/11263

I was searching info on gaming and I found the exact questions listed on the handout. I was able to watch some of the video's posted on the educause website. The thing that I was interested in the most was the controversial nature of the games. Because games or simulations are associated with fun and "play" people consider this noneducational. According to my research...games are a hands on colorful experience. Learning appeals and motivates the students...a fun way to transfer learning. Since the learner uses so many different types of skill in gaming, the outcome is them using higher order of thinking. I feel that being an art teacher gaming would be a great option for students. It might spark their interest to create or participate.

Chapter 2

There are different types of e-learning to create learning content or experiences. There are learner-led, facilitated, instructor-led, embedded, telemonitoring and e-coaching. The areas that I can relate to the most is the embedded
e-learning. I tend to use the help menu with various programs that I use throughout the day to assist me with any issues that I might have with a particular program. I use this often in Photoshop Elements. I am learning this program as well as introducing it to my students. Sometimes the students have a question of how to do something and I use the help bar for reference. We (my student and I) look at the help menu together and if we find the answerer we practice together and learn together. I find the help menus very easy to use in most programs. I am familiar with instructor led e-learning..but have not had to opportunity to take a class. I find it interesting that the instructor is not actually in the classroom...the distance thing is kind of strange. But the benefit is that you can take the class from anywhere in the world. The benefit is more of convenience.

Chapter 3

What types of tools do you use for e-learning. Well...I feel that this Chapter is open ended. Of course depending what you are creating will effect what you create. It could be a small element to create or use or it could be large scale learning task. It all depends on what types of tools you are comfortable with. It also depends on what might fit into your curriculum.

Chapter 1

You need people in order to partake in e-learning. Participants are need to get through this technology process. Someone needs to create/produce an e-learning product. They have to offer the too (usually by a host on the Internet). Finally you need a person/participant/leaner to use or access the product. There are many different steps in the process. The whole activity starts and it can lead back to the creator as well. There are many different types of technology hardware that the Creator and uses have to consider while creating or using computers. Things to consider for example: processor speed, monitor displays, memory size. Software is also important to help the user store or install data. Examples are external storage devices, CD-ROM or DVD. Operating systems depending on what computer platform you use is also important to consider and how do you connect to the Internet. There is a lot of things to think about while creating an e-learning tool and it is important to consider all areas of using the computer as stated above. If you do not consider these area as a Creator...your learners might not be able to use the product that you create. Also, everything in technology changes so fast...you have to keep up to date on the daily changes in technology while creating as well.

Chapter 4

This chapter focused on all of the different types of hardware that e-leaners or creators need to have at home. You have to know about what kind of authoring tools that you might be using or creating..and make sure that you have the correct computer hardware to service your needs. Each person might need to look to purchase certain types of hardware for their own personal or maybe even a work computer. There are so many different types of hardware devices that you could have. Things to think about..processor speed, memory, hard drive capacity, are you playing/inputting video or even photos or audio. You will need ports on your computer to handle using these different components. Cameras video or USB ports, microphones (audio ports). Not only do you need these devices on the computer...but you will have to purchase video camera, cables, digital cameras, microphones etc. There is a lot to picking hardware....I would like the chapter to talk about the cost of the various components. It could be quite expensive to purchase (depending on what you are creating) a computer with all the "hardware" that comes with it.

Social Networking Class Slides

All the presentations by my colleagues went very well. All seemed to share how great some of the various social networking sites and gave some great examples. We seem though to get back to the same issue regarding social networking sites. "they are great" but you can not always use them in the school districts. There is also quite of few negative impacts that might effect to learner or content sharer. There is such an excitement about using the tools, but we seem to get frustrated with the safety concerns and board policy's to follow. I guess we have to learn how to work with the tools provided as well to work with the school boards.

Impact of Cyber-bullying

The difference between cyber-bullying and traditional bullying is that cyber-bullying takes place at any time or place or even in the comfort of the home. Traditional bullying usually takes place within a schools boundaries. Physical as well as mental aliments can be caused from cyber-bullying which is a type of online harassment. This can happen to anyone..child and adult. Cyber-bullying seems to do more damage to the youth (according research by Willard) low self esteem, anger, anxiety and depression are just a few effects. Because cyber-bullying is "written words" the victim can read the words over and over again to relive the experience. This negative experience can happen at anytime...there is no way to stop it. Education about cyber-bullying...can help your students or children become more aware. To educate about caring and respectful behaviors, to teach tolerance and impartiality are just some ways to help to promote awareness of this issue.

Schools and Online Social Networking

Willard discusses three basic factors that exist for students using social networking sites. These factors are that parents do not pay attention to child, teens make bad choice while on the sites, sexual predators are on the prowl. She talks about how filters can help within the district although students can find their way around that at times. ..Schools should as I mentioned in earlier blogs have a policy for students to follow related to educational needs. Students need to be educated and responsible for online Internet safety, students must be monitored and appropriate consequences must be enforced.

Creating and Connecting

ok....what is a tween??? thank you for the urban dictionary...I did a search it means not a teen yet, the group of children between the ages of 10 and 15. "not yet really a teen. The most interesting fact that I read is that today teens spend aprox 10 hours watching tv and 9 hours using social networking sites. In comparison to TV...although we park our selves down in front of the computer as well as the TV. The article says that teens are more interactive and use more communications skills and engage in higher order of thinking while on the computer. Students are using (sharing content) with music, words, pictures, videos, and graphics. I was surprised that a genera of students using social networking in a more "aggressive, cutting edge, breaking boundries etc....were called nonconformist. It surprised me that although these students are spending a lot of time and possibly breaking the rules...the nonconformist are more in tough with their parents. (are they more in touch via these devices or via the old school in person way) the article did not say. Nonconformist..a least the ones that I know...never got along with their parents...wow are times changing. Safety policies are part of the rules that school districts must deal with. Most districts do not allow social networking, and their is a high percentage of districts that have students sign a safety policy. It seems like the circle is here again. We have these great sites to share with our students...and most schools do not or will not support the Internet use with social networking. I feel that it is important to educate the student, teacher, parent and administrators about the safety importance and value to use social networking sites. Policy's need to be in place and students need to know what rules to follow while using the schools computers. I feel that we need to embrace this technology especially since it has been found that students actually learn better while using social networking sites. I am not sure that the schools are ready to take on this vast area...although it could benefit their student body.

Blogging 101

I found this article interesting especially that the elementary level student liked the blogging experience. And why not. It seems like Cassidy presented the student blog in a positive a fun way to learn. They are learning to reflect and share their experiences online. The blog even helped with cross continent learning with students in other countries. It helped them learn about different cultures in the world. An all around learning experience for the students connecting all different types of content including different subject areas and cultures. I was also surprised that the school system seemed to sponsor or support her use of a blog within the classroom with children so young. Parents and other people could respond. I am having difficulty trying to have a class blog. My school is concerned about using web based programs...rules to follow and safety concerns. The school seemed to be open about the whole thing. I wish that I new how she set this up and if their were problems or concerns about the "safety" issues that come with people using this type of social networking site.