Social Media

Diigo Group I Joined
     As soon as Dr. Lambert introduced us to Diigo, I also signed up for Group Diigo for Educators. I joined this group because it will be very beneficial for me as an educator to keep up with the latest trends and also connect with individuals who share the same interests in my chosen educational field.

Appeal of Online Networks

     Somehow, I believe that there is a very fine line between the appeal of online networks for the young and the old. I think the bottom line for both is that it allows for people to connect with others who hold similar values, interests, goals, hobbies and so on. Online networks are marvelous tools for people who would otherwise have no connection to exchange information with people locally, nationally, and even globally!

Positive and Negative Affects of Online Networks in Classrooms

     There are many plusses that online networks produce in classrooms. First, online networks break up the monotony of using papers, pencils, and books all day. Using technology in the classroom allows teachers to bring the lessons to life and add meaning to the curriculum! It also gives teachers the opportunity to exchange ideas with other teachers and pick up ideas about what works and doesn't work in the classroom. The beauty of it is that ideas can be exchanged locally, nationally, and globally without ever leaving the classroom. This is true for teachers and students.

     The negative side is that using the social media may at times be too tempting for some students as they may want to "play" more than learn. Now don't get me wrong! I believe that much learning can and does take place through play. But when students would rather be on facebook than complete online assignments well then it becomes a problem!

Networking Sites

     I truly enjoy the educational networking sites because it allows me to exchange information with other educators. It is reciprocal where I am able to share ideas and also others share ideas with me! The main benefit is that I will be kept current on what others in my field are doing and gaining possible insight on how to improve my own teaching! Because I am so fascinated with this entire concept, I cannot really think of any drawbacks!

Gaming

Gaming in the Classroom

     The most effective learning occurs when students (adults/children) are actively engaged in the learning process! During my experiences working with children, I have often found that children no matter what find games and computers fascinating. Gaming must be incorporated into the learning process in order to hold the attention of children! In the second Prensky article, the author suggests, "It is important for teachers to take their students' gaming seriously, rather than disrespectfully dismiss their playing as a waste of time, and to respect both the time that goes into game playing and the learning that comes out of it. After all, the short attention spans that teachers often lament in their students somehow disappear when the kids get in front of their games -- that is, in front of learning that is more  their learning style." Incorporating gaming into the learning process is an awesome concept! As educators, we must arrive at the point where learning becomes student-centered. We must meet students where they are, find out what interests them and incorporate that knowledge into subjects we must teach! Gaming is a perfect way to do this! Gaming would make learning more interesting. From our readings this week, the 2010 Horizon Report suggested, "the feeling of working toward a goal; the possibility of attaining spectacular successes; the ability to problem-solve, collaborate with others, and socialize; an interesting story line; and other characteristics. These qualities are replicable, though they can be difficult to design well, and they can transfer to games featuring educational content" were all benefits of using gaming in the classroom!

Three Sites

     Though all of the sites were interesting in one way or another, three stood out. The first site was entitled, Game Classroom. It was an interactive homework website for K-6 students, parents, and teachers and covered the subjects of math and language! Each subject was broken down according to the skills. For example, under language, comprehension, grammar, and vocabulary were among the skills included! Under math, subjects such as fraction, algebra, addition, and subtraction were among the many! T

     The second site, PBS-K and primary, was another wonderful, colorful site that assisted students using appealing cartoon-like characters in order to teach children everything from coloring, ABCs, and dressing up through music and song!

      The third site, Arcademic Skillbuilders which teaches math concepts where students use colorful, fast-moving cars to solve mathematical problems!

Benefits of Using These Three Sites in the Classroom

     Not only do these games and sites invite children to build skills or solve problems. But there are "hidden" benefits and skills gained from incorporating them into classroom subjects. Not only are the students actively engaged, but the ability to make decisions under stress is also taught. In Prensky's second article for the week, he suggests, "making decisions under stress, working in teams, and persistence is taught. All three of these sites teach these skills to children during the primary years in addition to those mandated by the curriculum! Another benefit to these sites is that they mirror cartoon characters which are appealing to young children! What better way to break up the monotony of teaching certain subjects than instead of using paper and pencil using colorful cartoon characters that hold the attention of children! Even the soft music that plays in the background sets the mood for learning!

   The world of technology is changing second by second! We must prepare our children to compete globally, nationally, and locally! Gaming and simulators  are an awesome way to do this!

    Combining fun experiences with learning is the way to create optimal learning experiences for our children. The use of simulators and games are the vehicles educators must use on the avenue to academic excellence! 

     Open content epitomizes an educator's dreams in regards to not only providing access to information, but also providing it in a cost-effective method. Open content is fastly changing the landscape of the way information is disseminated in educational institutions and is an alternative to the traditional copyright methods. Anyone is able to obtain copies of content. Open content is paramount and appealing to educational institutions not only because of cost concerns but also because of the way it allows information to be obtained and distributed. According to the 2010 Horizon Report, "Part of the appeal of open content is that it is also a response to both the rising costs of traditionally published resources and the lack of educational resources in some regions, and a cost-effective alternative to textbooks and other materials. "
    An additional advantage of open content is that it not only allows easier access to information, but it also strengthens and solidifies the way students conduct research. "As customizable educational content is made increasingly available for free over the Internet, students are learning not only the material, but also skills related to finding, evaluating, interpreting, and repurposing the resources they are studying in partnership with their teachers" (2010 Horizon Report). Open content strengthens and enhances research skills that would not normally be obtained through traditional pen and paper research methods.
     Creative Commons is an organzation which affords creators of content to select which rights they relinquish and what rights they wish to retain regarding their work. There are various types of licences under Creative Commons. "Creative Commons licenses require licensees to get permission to do any of the things with a work that the law reserves exclusively to a licensor and that the license does not expressly allow" (creativecommons.org/licences). Creative Commons allows educators to select material to be used in their courses from the original author and synthesize that information into tailor made reading material for their courses.
     Electronic books take the arena of textbooks and every aspect associated with them to an entirely different level. The concept of a student having the ability to carry around thousands of titles on a Kindle and other gadgets is phenomenal! According to the 2010 Horizon Report, "The convenience of carrying an entire library in a purse, pocket, or book bag appeals to readers who find time for a few pages in between appointments or while commuting. Already firmly established in the public sector, electronic books are gaining a foothold on campuses as well, where they serve as a cost-effective and portable alternative to heavy textbooks and supplemental reading." This is excellent for students to have the capacity to select from various titles to read at any given moment of the day or night! Without having to worry about "physically" carrying textbooks around allows students to study no regardless of where they are. This in turn would probably lead to higher academic performance for they are not restricted by heavy books or time!

Cloud Computing

   During my research on cloud computing, I came across three sites that could be extremely beneficial to educators everywhere. The first site entitled, "Financial Benefits of Cloud Computing in K-12 Schools," discussed how schools and school districts could qualify for grant money just by incorporating mobile learning into their daily curriculum. Kissko (2010)  ascertained that cloud computing enabled school districts to become candidates for grant money through the E Rate Deployed Ubiquitously Pilot Program. Under this grant schools and school districts could receive funds for promoting mobile learning. Basically, using cloud computing could be a win-win situation for schools and school districts.
     The second site entitled, " How Cloud Computing Can Help School Education" by Krishnan Subramanian sought to persuade the reader how this exciting phenomenon could level the playing field globally in education. With all of the rhetoric proclaiming that though America is the wealthiest nation in the world, yet globally fails to hold the number one spot when it comes to the education of its' students, Subramanian (2009) suggested that cloud computing could "make it possible for students across the globe to receive a universal curriculum" and "make it easy to give students from America to Africa to Asia" the same education.
     The third site by Tuncan Ercay entitled, Effective Use of Cloud Computing" highlighted the cost-effectiveness of  cloud computing in regards to software and hardware. Ercay (2010) asserted that utilizing cloud computing was cost-effective because less software and hardware was needed. "The need for hardware and software isn't being eliminated, but it is shifting from being on premises to being in the cloud."
     In conclusion, these three sites provided suggestions on how school districts could provide optimal educational experiences through the use of cloud computing while working with limited budgets.

Blogging and Twittering

     Blogging and twittering have skyrocketed communication techniques to new and exciting levels. The usage of blog and twitter pages have not only changed the landscape of the tech world, but these two dynamic entities have also changed the way we as humans share information and the way we interact with one another. For example, blogs are websites that allow anyone and everyone to share information that they deem important. This is a much different method than the past where only a handful of people decided what was newsworthy. According to Lee Lefever "blogs give everyone an opportunity to comment on news that is important to them." Lefever also ascertains that since 2003, 70 million blogs have been created. Blogs allow us to post our ideas and allow others to  read them, comment, and create discussions on topics of interests to us.
     Twittering is another phenomenon that has taken the tech world to another exciting level! When I examine the possibility of using twitter for educational purposes, it makes me ponder how in the world we ever taught without it and leads me to inquire "what will they think of next?" The possibility of sending out educational tweets to my already tech savvy students as opposed to subjecting them to rote memorization or bland pencil and paper assignments gives me a huge adrenaline rush! According to the 2009 Horizon report, twitter allows teachers to tap into the "teachable moment-moment where the student is curious about what they are learning." The report further suggests that other benefits of twitter include connecting with peers, teachers, and experts around the world and affords students the opportunity to learn in multiple ways. These can include one-to-one, one-to-many, and many-to-many communications. Using twitter to reach my students, colleagues, and experts without the limitation of time and physical space makes me tremendously grateful to be a part of this day and age.
     There will be several networks that I will be following. First, I will be following TheNextWeb because I am completely fascinated with the tech world and want to be the first to learn about the newest innovations and inventions. Also, I am very health conscious so I have decided to follow WomensHealhMag in order to obtain tips and suggestions on how to maintain my health and also the latest fashion tips (smile). Since my trip to New York, I am now fascinated with all things New York, so I have decided to follow NYPL, the New York Public Library and the New Yorker, a weekly magazine informing readers of events taking place in New York.
    For my first post, this was painless and quite fun! I cannot wait to post more! Thank you Dr. Lambert!