Quotes That Make You Go Hmm...

Our ECMP prof directed us to the following site
http://www.quotegarden.com/technology.html, and asked us to reflect on a technological quote.

So many are negative. Don't people see the greatness that technology has broughten to us??? One wouldn't think so from the number of negative quotes that were there.
I chose a quote that I think addresses one of the main problems with technology:
"Humanity is acquiring all the right technology for all the wrong reasons." ~R. Buckminster Fullerse
I think that there is alot of really useful technology that is out there for us; more that is helpful and useful than not. The problem lies in mankind and his demise of morals. Those that use technology for the wrong reasons really give it a bad "rap". We are not seeing or focusing enough on the good-just the bad.

This next quote I thought sort of illustrates one of my thoughts:
"The production of too many useful things results in too many useless people." ~Karl Marxle.
To think is all started with man and his remote control...

Who Says Blogging Isn't Educational?

On Clarence Fisher's latest blog he said that one of his students was on MSN and a person popped up in Chinese. Later the student translated the words from Chinese to English online-
http://remoteaccess.typepad.com/remote_access/2006/10/and_they_say_cl.html.
A true example of the benefits of online learning. WOW!!!
Jane.

More Network Reflecting

I was reading Clarence Fisher's article on his students personal learning networks (pln's) and think that as future teachers who are considering using blogging as a learning tool in their classroom it is worth a read-http://remoteaccess.typepad.com/remote_access/2006/10/pln_conference_.html. His learners had some intersting comments to his questions and Clarence provides some useful insight to their responses. He makes some observations that will be very useful when I am a teacher using this tool in my class.

I think that the internet and the notion of blogging and subscribing to other blogs is just opening up an entire world of knowledge. Knowledge that I would not have if, A-I did not take this class and B-I was not reading other's blogs. Within every blog there are additional websites and links to other blogs that open up so many new topics. I love it. I also like how Clarence Fisher refers to these "educational moments" we stumble across on the web as "serendipity". What a great metaphor! Especially for those that believe in fate. I feel sorry for those that do not take advantage (or are unaware) of the learning that is our there on the web.

If you are on his blog page, make sure you check out this one:
http://dustrunners.blogspot.com/2006/07/pig-and-box.html. A very cute story on copyrighting.

Reflection on Networking

I have finally had the chance to sit down and surf around in the first two blogs (Clarence Fisher's
http://pallas.cc.uregina.ca:8600/SCRIPT/ECMP355_001_online/scripts/serve_home and Will Richardson's http://pallas.cc.uregina.ca:8600/SCRIPT/ECMP355_001_online/scripts/serve_home that were provided to us in our ECMP blog page. One topic thaI found really interesting was networking.
In one of Clarence Fisher's blogs he talks about the benefits of networking
(http://remoteaccess.typepad.com/remote_access/2006/08/planning_for_ne.html). He wanted his learners to acquire five to fifteen people around the world who are alos blogging. He realized that half of their network would be made up of learners in the class, but he was hopeful that the other half would be from elsewhere. In a previous post I had made, I commented on the teacher at Westmount school (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZ8VAef8QM4) who was using blogging to connect to other learners around the world. I have come to realize the enormity of blogging in classrooms and all the benefits that it is providing for both the learner and the teacher. Clarence Fisher stated that he would like to come up with a rubric for networking. I think that this would be a super tool to have. I have left him a comment asking if he has one, and if he responds and provides me with one, I will definitely share.
Will Richardson writes about the benefits of networking with other teachers and the "powerful learning community" that we can be a part of. He offers a link to a site
(http://www.cisco.com/) about human networking. It is quite interesting and inspiring.

School Plus First Hand

The other day when the learners that I work with and myself were spending our integrated time in the kindergarten classroom, I truly had the chance to see the notion of School Plus
( http://www.schoolplus.gov.sk.ca/) in action. The kindergarten teacher in celebration of Fire Safety Week and Education Week was hosting four guest presenters from the community in her class. The parents were invited to attend and participate with their child. The following community members presented:

• Spokeswoman for the Fire Hall who had the families draw up fire escape plans for their homes and practice 911 procedures, etc
• Public Health nurse came to show a video on head lice
• Dental Health nurse came to talk about nutrition and proper oral hygiene
• Community School Coordinator did a segment on handwashing and germ control

After the parents and students had completed all four stations, there were refreshments.

I was inspired as a future educator to actually see what School Plus could look like in the classrrom. The teacher could have provided the same information to her learners on her own, but I think that bringing the community in was really beneficial for everyone. I think that it made the learning more authentic. I look forward to having the opportunity to play a part in building relationships between my learners, their parents and community professionals as well as members!

Jane.

Jane.

The Perks of On-line Education

I just sat through my first recorded "breeze" class session. Talk about convenience. I like to take online classes because I live in Moose Jaw and have a really busy life. I felt that ECMP 355 was really geared toward the busy student with the prof offering two televised/online sessions a week for the class. Just when I thought that things were great...they just got better!!! I can now watch the class at anytime during the week that works best for me!!! I was even able to scroll around on the screen and click on the links that were provided (although I wasn't able to vote on how I felt the class was going-it would have been all good though!)
I am also really excited about doing a WebQuest for the major project. Talk about learning how to do something that will be useful for when I am a teacher! Which brings me to another topic that I would like to complain about for a moment...
It really annoys and frustrates me when I am in an education class and I am learning information that is totally useless-hey Laurie? I would think that after you have successfully completed your painful first year of nonsense classes - that have nothing to do with your future profession (I know that some good comes out of the first year-just sympathize with me for the time being-I think I "bombed" a midterm today!) the rest of your learning would maybe be a little more relevant. Hence my thankfulness for the practicality of ECMP 355.
Thanks for listening, Jane.

Cyber Safety-Who Is Responsible?

I too was very shocked at the presentation we watched in ECMP. I was so naive as to what can go on in cyberspace that I asked "Why are these sites not shut down?". As a future teacher (and a parent) it is very alarmimg.
I am really bothered by the "hate" sites. Young impressionalbe minds can be easily persudaed. I think that first and foremost it is the job of the parents to:
1. Monitor there children at all times when they are on the computer.
2. Educate their children on what they could possibly find on the computer.
3. Ensure that their children are being raised with morals. If they see sites that could potentially influence their thoughts and they have been instilled with morals, chances are the sites will not effect them.
I think that second, teachers and the schools need to educate their students on the potential dangers of surfing the web. I think that this could easily be accomplished by providing them with the facts. A great way to do this could be as simple as watching an informative presentation like we saw in class. I also think that provinces need to make computer safety part of the curriculum and provide teachers with more materials to make it possible.
There is no way to hide what happens on computers from children. The only way to try and ensure that their cyber experiences are safe is through monitoring and education.

Well, I managed (for the most part) to finish my power point presentation. I just can not figure out how to email the slideshow as a show and not the entire file. Nothing to difficult hope. I am sure it will all work out-always does! I was all worried for nothing. As always, fear of the unknown caused me a lot (FYI-did you know that alot is misspelled; according to my ELNG prof the correct spelling is a lot) of unnecessary stress.
I hope that it (unnecessay stress) is the case for the web portfolio and major project that we have to do. I am hoping to do a web page for class that I am a teacher aide in. I think that it will be very interesting and when I am a teacher I can do it for my classroom. Sounds good anyways! Until next time! Jane.

I haven't posted in a while. I guess I feel that I don't have alot to say...I
have come to the conclusion that we tend to shy away from, and fear the unknown. Power Point Presentation that is! I have put it off for too long. This morning I am going to "tackle" it and win. No matter how long it takes. Jus think abaout how much smarter I will be when I have figured it out! I hope I survive...wish me luck. Jane.