Wikipedia

Prior to this class, I never knew that Wikipedia was written by anyone who wanted to contribute to the site. I always assumed that professionals were the ones writing these articles. I suppose this is why professors always told us not to rely on Wikipedia when researching for our papers. I do think, however, that Wikipedia is a great way to get students interested in technology. The same assignment that we were given would be just as great of an assignment for them. Plus, the students would feel really good knowing that other people could access their work.

Metaphors

        I like the metaphor “time is a thief”. It’s so extremely simple, but so true! There is never enough time in the day to do the things we want to do! You wake up in the morning thinking of the fifty million tasks that lie ahead, all which vary depending on the person: eat breakfast (or grab breakfast, or skip breakfast), head to work, head to lunch, grab the kids, cook dinner, feed the dog/cat/fish/bird/rabbit/kids/husband/wife, pack lunches, clean kitchen, wash clothes, iron clothes, blah, blah, blah, blah, SCREAM! We do all of this, and sometimes even more, only to go to bed dreaming of the same process you have to start all over again the next morning.

        What about life itself? Have you ever looked at your face and thought “When the heck did I get wrinkles!?” Have you celebrated an anniversary, trying to remember how long ago your bachelor/bachelorette party was? Have you sat at your child’s graduation remembering how tiny they were when they were born? Have you given your daughter away at her wedding remembering the day you attended her graduation? Have you retired from a job, walking out on your last day remembering every last one of the events I just named? Let’s face it: time flies when you’re living life!

        The greatest advices anyone has ever given me all involved time: don’t wish away the hours of your youth; don’t let time pass you by; live each day as if it were your last, etc. Time is a thief; it’s here one minute and gone the next. I think we go through a daily, maybe even hourly, journey each day in efforts not to let it rob us.

        In his article, Postman mentions that our children’s worldview of language is typically interrupted by our tendency to focus too much on the grammar, punctuation, and mechanical hoopla of language. I agree with him. I’m all for teaching the basics of language, but only for the purpose of advancing students towards a deeper understanding of how language affects our daily lives. I think if we teach students concepts and connect then to real life, such as I just did with the term “metaphor”, then students will be able to better appreciate their language as a part of their lives, rather than as just a part of their English grade.

Social Networking

     Social networking can be a great thing! We all use different ways to connect. Nowadays you can send a pal a quick text and get a response within seconds, you can IM them from your laptop, email them from your Blackberry, or send them a message from your Facebook or Myspace page. We’re no longer in the times where making a phone call or sending a letter are the only means of communication. In fact, you’re now considered “old school” if you prefer having a phone conversation with someone rather than sending a few texts back and forth. Although this new communication provides dozens of new ways for people to connect, you have to be very careful about how you present yourself when networking. You have to consider your audience and who can access your page to assure that you are presenting yourself in a good manner.

     Because students are so up-to-date with social networking, teachers should consider all of the ways they can implement it into their lessons as an attempt to help kids learn in an interesting way. One great way to implement social networking is by blogging. Teachers can set up a blog page that allows their students to ask questions to them as well as to other students. Teachers can also post assignments there for students who missed class or who need a reminder of upcoming due dates. An example of this is Cobb County’s blog site, Typepad. All teachers are required to submit something to the site at least three times each week. As a student teacher, I loved this because it was a quick way for students to contact me. Also, it reduced the amount of students I had towering over my desk each day because they had questions or needed help.  

     Of course there are some concerns regarding social networking. If teachers do not monitor their sites, and students don’t take personal responsibility, social networking can take a turn for the worse. We’ve all seen cases where students were bullied or where students (and maybe even teachers) used their sites in inappropriate ways. This is discussed in an article that discusses the pros and cons to social networking as a teacher.

     I personally think that social networking can be used in a productive way in order to motivate students to learn. As I stated, I love using the blog in order to help students talk to me and to other students. However, I do not think that I would ever allow my students to befriend me on Facebook or MySpace prior to their graduation simply because I’m aware of the problems that can occur from students accessing their teachers’ personal spaces.

     What’s your take on it?

A New Type of Web!

     Technology is a GREAT thing, and it is amazing to see how much it changes throughout the years. One of the funniest things in the world is watching my mother adapt to new technology. She’s completely clueless about text messaging, blogging is unheard of, and even Microsoft Word can be considered a challenge to her. In this day and age, sometimes shooting an email to a friend/colleague prompts a quicker response than calling them, but according to my mother, Hell will freeze over before she learns the ins and outs to yahoo and AOL. While I laugh at her many attempts to learn something new, the truth is, when referring to technology, there’s ALWAYS something new. Just as soon as she becomes an expert in one area, something new and improved emerges.

     So what does the fact that technology is a whirlwind of ever-changing nuts and bolts have to do with me? EVERYTHING! If technology is going to continue to change, then I’m looking forward to the ride! Of course, me being just ONE step more advanced than my mother, the ride will be a challenge, but it will be worth it when I consider the perks: my students will benefit from my will to be technologically savvy and to implement technology into the classroom.

     Web2.0 is not the same as the web was years ago. Facebook, myspace, Xanga…they’re all fairly modern. However, you would think they’ve been around for years the way kids know how to navigate them. But this is precisely my point; I have to attempt to be just as hip with the Web as my students. So how do I accomplish this task? Well, for one, willing to learn is a part of my committment to lifelong learning. The ultimate task is to find new and exciting ways to implement the web into my classroom, and being a teacher of English, the web can definitely be a useful tool for promoting fun learning. Therefore, I look forward to stealing ideas from others on how to do this!

Until later, CYBER ON FRIEND!