Personal Reflection #2 for Social Networking

Assignment 4 – Personal Reflection #2

Page 68 – “We argue that as young people are accessing these sites anyway, we need to give them the critical skills to negotiate the spaces carefully. They will come across texts that are racist, sexist, or otherwise socially unacceptable, and they need to be helped to recognize these as such.”

What are your thoughts about this? Do you agree or disagree? Why or why not? How can we help students develop critical skills to determine the validity of information?

This quote comes from the book Web 2.0 for Schools: Learning and Social Participation. Julia Allison Davies and Guy Merchant state this quote while discussing YouTube. The statement, when read with the entire paragraph, lends itself to debate.

On the one hand, teachers would like to have tools they can control. To paraphrase the old television show, "Students say the darnedest things." Even in a classroom discussion, a student may say something Ms. Davies or Mr. Merchant might describe as "socially unacceptable." The question the teacher is faced with is whether to censor the comment (and ignore it), or use it as a teaching moment. If the choice is the latter, the teacher then becomes the moderator of a spirited point-counterpoint session.

Isaac Asimov created science fiction's "Three Laws of Robotics." In the book, Robot Visions, he uses tools as an analogy for these three laws. First, a tool must be safe to use. Second, a tool must perform its function, as long as it does so safely. Last, a tool must remain intact during its use (unless its destruction is part of its function (Asimov, P 424-425). While that final law may not apply here, the first two point to the concept of digital citizenship or "Netiquette."

When I look at the two sentences given, I would certainly agree that students need to be able to discern the message a particular web site is giving. Technology Teachers are becoming Technology Coaches, giving students the opportunity to work on assignments, commenting only when answering questions. Dr. Ardito employed this technique during our last face-to-face. There have been many instances when half-truths or false messages have been shared online. Who hasn’t received a forwarded e-mail or a Facebook post touting the latest urban legend? Later in the paragraph, Davies and Merchant go on to say, “teachers can provide pupils with the tools to read such texts in discriminating ways.”

The greatest critical skill one could impart to students is to use multiple sources when searching the Internet. Students may use only the first hit on Google, and believe that one hit to be the truth. With multiple sources, we would remove inaccuracy, half-truths, and bias. Typically, the first hit on Google is for a Wikipedia page. Here, Wikipedia has become sensitive to the bias some of its contributor convey. Wikipedia notes where citations are needed, and gives a detailed bibliography a student can use.

The only part of the quote I would be concerned with is the last sentence. It is almost as if Davies and Merchant have established some “moral code” when it comes to certain sources found on the Internet. While I agree there’s a difference between “the authentic and the inauthentic,” what constitutes “the racist from the non-racist?” This week, Volkswagen caused controversy with an ad slated for the Super Bowl. In it, a Caucasian is speaking as a Jamaican. Some find it funny because of the absurdity that the voice and face don’t match. Others compare it to an audio version of an old minstrel show. I would hate to think that in a paper on racism, a student couldn’t use a primary source because of something acceptable in 1920 but not today. Here, classroom discussion would serve as a vital tool.

Assignment 3 – The Importance of Wikis in K-12 Education

 

I am reminded of the movie Forrest Gump. In his telling of his third visit to the White House to meet President Nixon, he states, "I went to the White House, again...and I met the President of the United States, again."

I have personally held a dislike and distrust of Wikipedia in general. In my general use, I have found errors. At a One Day University workshop, it was stated that the average Wikipedia contributor was male and between 16 and 22. After the Tea Party movement erupted, the term tea-bagging was being used pretty freely  in some circles. I went to the Urban Dictionary for answers. Urban Dictionary is an interactive site, allowing users to add or update definitions. While I was pretty shocked at the original definitions for this term, I was appalled by later definitions, added to reflect some users disgust of the members and movement.

In a classroom, or a controlled environment, Wikis would lend a positive addition. In Web 2.0, Solomon and Schrum describe three options provided by Wikis: allowing others to edit work, earlier versions of work are kept (and can be reverted back to), and the instructor can keep track of all of the entries. With group collaboration, this would allow two situations. First, the students who have a weaker student in their group can mentor and move him (or her) along. The students in the group would not have to worry that the other student will "hold them back." Thus, we don't get groups which segregate by grade point average. Second, we avoid the student who reflects Sheldon Cooper (of The Big Bang Theory). Sheldon would think nothing of taking the Wiki and rewriting the entire file "to suit his needs." I do like that teachers can keep track, and mentor students in a Wiki's proper use. Being able to revert is critical.

I have used the Wiki's stepsister, the Google Doc. In its usage, I found it awkward to use. If another user is editing, the document would jump and sputter, with some additions never making it into the document. According to Web 2.0, this could not happen, since only one person can edit at a time. I would hope all group members have each other's phone numbers, since I would hate it if a student went to bed without closing the document.

I have again included six Wikis for this discussion:

WIKI	Type	Use
Bard Queens Computer Science	A Wiki for Computer Science	Intro to Scheme and Netlogo
LEGO Mindstorms	A WIki for a Computer Science Class	Robotics
Artificial Intelligence	A WIki for a Computer Science Class	Artificial Intelligence
Parkside Electronics	A WIki for a Computer Science Class	Computer Electonics
Java Programming Basics	A WIki for a Computer Science Class	Java Programming
Resources for IB Computer Science	A Wiki for Computer Science Teachers	Sharing Ideas

 

The choice of these Wikis was simple. Most reflect courses being taught here at St. Francis Prep. There are a few Wikis that do not match 100%, but what they do is show how my department and I can implement this technology into our classes.

I joked earlier that I am writing a paper much like the last assignment. What this exercise shows is a comparison with the last tool, blogging. I would be more willing to incorporate the Wiki rather than the blog. In the end, education should focus on what students walk out of the classroom with. Wikis seem to focus more on the factual and less on opinion. While I may ask, "What do you think?", and expect them to answer based on fact, I do not think I could handle blogs with their inherent "stream of consciousness."

Wikis are not wastes of time. That is, unless the instructor fails to monitor the process, making it an irrelevant and negative experience.

Assignment 1 –The Importance of Blogs in K-12 Education

Throughout the history of the computer age, numerous people have sought to have the breakthrough invention or application that would solidify their place in the field. In what was known as the Third Generation (the mid 1960’s), the race was on to find the computer language everyone would use. We saw BASIC, B, Pascal, P/L I, among others. In the fourth generation, we saw the explosion of personal computer companies (IBM, Apple, Tandy, Commodore, Atari, and TI, to name a few). Depending on what the public was looking for, some of these fell flat on their faces, while others were embraced and survived.

Today, we see the same explosion with Web 2.0 tools. Some tools are solidly embedded at the present (such as Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter) while others are seeing their 15 minutes of fame disappear (such as MySpace and AOL). To date in this course, I am completely overwhelmed with the number and types of Web 2.0 tools. One will hope that within five years or so, many of these tools will also fade into oblivion. In my classes at NYIT, a teacher showed the criticism towards a new tool brought into the classroom. The criticism was of the blackboard and was written in the 1850’s.

This particular paper focuses on Blogs. After reading the four assignments, the authors would astoundingly agree that blogs are necessary. It reminds me of a cartoon I once saw. A new mother is on her computer in one room. In the next room, you see a baby feverously typing on a computer in its crib. The message on the mother’s computer is “Wah-wah-wah” @ baby.com. I was afraid that this avocation of blogs may reach into kindergarten.

I believe a blog can be useful. We are currently using one now in class. It gives us a voice to share with the class. Solomon and Schrum cite this as one of the reasons to use microblogs in Chapter 2 of Web 2.0. They also point out that it allows the user to think about what they’re about to type. These microblogs have constraints that blogs don’t have: they typically have a maximum word count.

All of the readings extol the uses of blogs on a personal and professional level for the instructor. With regard to students, you would be entering their world (appealing to their “Digital Nativeness”).  Students who seem not to care may participate and get more out of a topic or class. It would allow them a voice they may not have (or wish to have) in the traditional school setting.

The need for professional development remains a top priority for all teachers. In these fiscally tight days, the ability to go away for a three day conference may not be feasible. Following a blog gives a teacher the opportunity to share ideas, learn new techniques, or to see what other teachers are doing in their classes.

Since I am new to blogging, I don’t feel I am qualified to identify an “excellent blog.” So, what I did was to find the following blogs. I have a sampling of different types of blogs to that show blogs in different light:

Blog	Type	Use
Box of Chocolates	Personal and Professional Blog	Sharing ideas
iLearn Technology	Educational Technology Blog	Sharing ideas
A Room with a View: Class 2	Class Blog	Implementation for class use.
Thinking About…	Student Blog	Example of a student blog.
Berkshire County Day School	School Blog	Example of a school blog from school leaders
Edutopia	Educational Technology Blog	Sharing Ideas

 

No idea we look at in this course should be considered “a waste of time.” However, one has to keep in mind the old adage, “The right tool for the right job.”

Even 900 Year-Old Prayers Aren't Immune to Web 2.0

Teaching at St. Francis Prep, the prayer of St. Francis is out most sacred prayer. For those who don't know it, here it is:

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love.

Where there is injury, pardon.

Where there is doubt, faith.

Where there is despair, hope.

Where there is darkness, light.

Where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,

grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console;

to be understood, as to understand;

to be loved, as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive.

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.

Amen.

I found this on the bulletin board this morning. Since the author related it to social media, I found it apropos:

PRAYER OF ST. FRANCIS (RELOADED)
Make me a channel of your peace
Where there is sensationalism, let me bring your truth
Where there is flaunting of wealth, your simplicity, Lord
And in the midst of noise, prayerful silence
Make me a channel of your peace
To those obsessed with entertainment , let me bring joy
To the vain and the greedy, your humility, Lord
And to the virtual world, authenticity
O Master grant that I may never seek
Quantity over quality
Individualism over solidarity
Anonymity over transparency
Make me a channel of your peace
It is in friending that we initiate dialogue
In networking that we create positive relations
And in the giving of self in love that we truly communicate

Taken from a blog by Fr. Stephen, M.S.C. (http://stephencuyos.com/prayer-of-saint-francis-reloaded/)

There Are No Secrets Anymore.

In my class this morning, students are writing a program for their final project. As I walked around the room, one young lady was busy reading a Google post...one she sent out, soliciting help from the program. She was reading a reply which had the program writen out. We live in a world today where any questtion can be answered using the computer. Are all students this savvy? Obviously not my summer school students, who didn't realize you can type in a question from a homework assignment and find a site containing the answer key for the assignment!

Personal Reflection 1

After reading Web 2.0 How-To for Educators, Leading 21^st Century Schools, and Social Media for School Leaders, I found a lot of the arguments for using Web 2.0 tools seem repetitive. All of the readings seem to focus on the fact that as we entered the new century, the tools used should reflect a change from what was once the educational norm. The fact that Web 2.0 is more dynamic than the original Web 1.0, the tools now available should be more powerful in the sense that students should get more out of them.

Davies and Merchant are cited in this question as giving significant reasons for exploring Web 2.0. This list of 8 reasons follows what the authors of the required texts had to say. For instance, Davies’ and Merchant’s first statement (“…young people are already engaged in Web 2.0 practices.”) is echoed by Solomon and Schrum (“Using technology is the Way today’s students learn outside of school because they are comfortable with the tools.” Page 3.). Students have always been curious, and they tend to accept change faster than adults. Teachers have not been as quick to use these tools in the classroom. Dixon uses the term technophobe (page 5) to explain why teachers are hesitant to use these tools. While some reasons seem valid (District or School restrictions), others seem dated (teachers who don’t know what to do).

The second reason reflects the concept of collaboration. When video was first introduced as a tool, the concept of distance learning was born. If a school’s population was too small to have certain courses (A.P. classes, for instance), they could hook up with another school in order to be part of the class. This sharing does not have to reach around the world: in New York, it could mean a neighborhood Catholic School teaming with the local Public School on a collaborative project.

The third reason, which links online social practices to be useful in work and leisure, has already shown results. In the PBS series Frontline, an episode entitled “Digital Nation” highlighted some of these evolving practices. IBM uses virtual meeting rooms to conduct meetings. Those involved are scattered throughout the country. This reflects the chat rooms of the 1990’s. The episode also showed how this technology extended into leisure activities. Gaming sites such as World of Warcraft work in much the same way.

Their fourth reason reflects on the enjoyment of these tools for both the student and the teacher. To paraphrase my former chairperson, engaging students with activities they know allow them to “take ownership of their work.” While some teachers would think twice about giving students such latitude (the fear that the students work may be less than adequate), other teachers have the personality to not take themselves too seriously.

Their fifth rationale reflects “new literacies.” Shrum and Levin discuss the importance of this at length. In fact, the Westchester section of the NY State Science Teachers’ Association (STANYS) met tonight for a round table discussion on the new State Standards for teaching science. When someone mentioned that these standards were last looked at 10-15 years ago, I cited Schrum and Levin, whose anecdote regarding the changes students have faced over their educational lifetime (K-12) which lasts 13 years (page 10). Students graduating this year began with e-mail (AOL), instant messaging, Word and Excel. They lived through the beginning of Web 2.0, joined social media in its infancy, and have graduated to taking video on smart phones.

The sixth rationale reflects the idea of digital citizenship. Current events can be tied in with these lessons: predators stalking social media, sexting, and bullying are all topics that can be discussed. In the Frontline episode noted before, South Korea has instituted policies on digital citizenship as early as the primary grades. The South Koreans have also instituted policies to deal with those students who overuse the net, especially when it involves addiction to game rooms.

The seventh rationale reflects the inclusion of parents and community into the schools.  Dixon again stresses the need for engagement of all stakeholders in the educational process. Parents can now have access to grades 24/7. They can be more active in their child’s education, rather than waiting for a phone call or a report card. Involving the community allows partnerships, which could allow for expanded volunteer service, involvement in school activities, and partnerships for work or internships.

Finally, the collaborative nature of Web 2.0 allows others to share in the vision of a 21^st century school. Dixon repeatedly uses the argument that a school leader cannot do every job by his or her own self. Much like a ship, a captain may lead, but the members of the crew each has their own job to do to make the voyage successful. Teachers should be aware, however, that criticality and insult are two different things. This reflects back to making students good digital citizens.

Isaac Asimov, in his years as an author of science fiction, created the “Three Laws of Robotics.” When discussing them, he likened these laws to laws involving the use of tools. Tools must be used for the right reasons, have proper safety protocols, and be used correctly (Robot Dreams, pages 424-425). Web tools should also follow these suggestions. Perhaps the technophobia Dixon refers to is the overwhelming number of tools, some of which have fallen out of favor. Perhaps teachers are wary, and are waiting to see what tools stand the test of time. My first website used AOL. Many students admit to have used MySpace. Even though technology advances quickly, the general public hates the constant change. Even changing the look of a website brings groans from people. As the course progress, I hope to see if these rationales stand the test of time (well, 3 months).

So, I'm at a crossroads. I'm here on Earth for more than 50 years, and I'm trying to keep up. I hate the name Digital Immigrant. I hate that tag given to me based on my age. Hell, I survived the TI 99/4. I survived trying to work on Proluge (375 K) when the college supplied only 256K machines. I recall DOS, WordPerfect, Lotus 1-2-3, NetScape, and dBase fondly.

Speaking of Being Alone...

Home Depot is the worst place I know. Ok, I'm not handy. that's not the reason, though. What makes it my worst place is its sheer size. The place is overwheming. Thank goodness for GPS; I would never be able to find a flashbulb.

This course seems to invoke that Home Depot feeling. I have seen many of these concepts at workshops. Do this and the kids will respond. Do that and they'll respond better. They know what they're doing. We will never fully understand.

But, if students are doing things, does that mean we need to incorporate these things. Do I dress like a gangter rap artist to get their attention? Or, is this some master plan to get them to stop using their technology? "I said take OUT your cellphones!" Hmm, reverse pychology, maybe.

As part of my Artificial Intelligence class, I use videos of key people in key locations, such as M.I.T. One key figure is Sherry Turkle. She was very instrumental in supporting technology in its infancy. However, she worries that today's students are missing out on fundemental interpersonal relationships. A TED talk of her concerns can be found at: http://www.ted.com/talks/sherry_turkle_alone_together.html . My favorite line from the talk centers around the newest learning experience: Maintaining Eye Contact While Texting.

Funny stuff. I sometimes wish I could take a hammer and crush a few phones at the dinner table. Maybe I'll go to Home Depot now to buy one.