Journal #4: "It's In the Bag," by James Basham, Ernest Perry, and Helen Meyer

Basham, J. D., Perry, E., & Meyer, H. (2011). It's in the bag. Learning and Leading with Technology, 39(2), 24-27. Retrieved from http://www.learningandleading-digital.com/learning_leading/20110910?pg=26&pm=2&fs=1

Summary: In today's day and age, technology is becoming more and more important educationally as well as i in the professional world. The concept in "It's in The Bag" of creating Digital Backpacks for Project-Based Learning provides teachers as well as students, with a great advantage to technology as well as many other subjects. This toolkit aids teachers in teaching students using simple, strategic instructional frameworks that meet the NETS-S standards. This digital backpack combines Foundational and Modular technology as well as instructional support materials in order to provide an engaging and project or problem-based learning environment. These digital backpacks are not the only available; you can make your own! This article does say that you need to keep certain things in mind when building your own backpack. Will your backpack meet diverse learning needs? How? Does it provide for multiple means of expression, representation, and engagement? I think this idea is great! I also believe that the more logical and effective route to take is for schools to develop their own custom backpacks. I believe this would be more effective because they would be able to customize their own backpacks according to their student's specific needs. To have this type of resource in all schools is illogical, but it is definitely something to work towards.

Question #1
Is this kind of learing something I would want in my future classroom? Why or why not?

It is most definitely a tool I would love to have in my classroom. In a young students eyes, just the thought of being able to use laptops, iPods, iPads, est. in a classroom is exciting in itself, not to mention learning new kids of technology or new ways to complete tasks. I think it would also be engaging for the teacher as well. I know personally I would much rather type up a paper on a computer rather then hand writing it. I also believe that the kind of skills students would enhance by using technology in the classroom would benefit them later on in life as well.

Question #2
How would a teacher effectively use these tools in a classroom without them becoming a distraction?

I think one effective tool to overcome this problem would be to implement consequences for the students if they do not stay on task. I would also make sure that they do not have enough time to become distracted. Presenting students with a project and allowing them an allotted amount of time to work on the project over a period of time instead of allotting them a large amount of time at once to complete the project. I feel as though the fact that they only have a small amount of time, each time to complete their work will detour them from getting off task.

Jounal #3 - "Students Dig up Dirt to Learn About Internet Safety" by Jesse Morehouse

Morehouse, J. (2011). Students dig up dirt to learn about internet safety. Learning and Leading with Technology, 39(2), 34-35. Retrieved from http://www.learningandleading-digital.com/learning_leading/20110910?pg=36 

Summary: I found this article very interesting and I believe it paints a picture of the importance of privacy in today's increasingly technological world. I agree with Morehouse that kids these days are generally oblivious to the personal impact that their lack of privacy can have on them. This article personally aided me in understand the importance of privacy in regard to personal safety as well as the impact certain information can have on one's professional life. I was very impressed with the way that Morehouse was able to address the importance of internet safety in a way that would impact students enough to make them want to improve their privacy. Morehouse taught his students in an interactive and fun way how easy it is for anyone to find out tons of information about you from the things you yourself relieved. One can easily find information such as your full name, birthdate, location, interests, school(s), family members, work location, and many more things from just searching for you. The fact that he gave his students the task of finding out anything and everything they could about a complete stranger, reinforced his point that anyone can find out all these things about you, if you allow them to.  I was very surprised and happy to read that all of his students were impacted enough to change their personal information as to become more safe in the digital world. I believe that safety is one of the most critical concerns that a teacher should have for thier students. Morehouse did an amazing job in teaching his students its importance and in turn ensured himself that he was able to do the best he could.

Question #1:

How can I, as a future educator, ensure that my students are aware of these dangers?

By helping them to understand on a personal level the impact that a lack of privacy can have on one's life. I also believe that enlightening parents on internet safety will further enforce the awareness of students. If parents take these dangers seriously and enforce strict internet safety rules, the likelihood of these dangers decreases. By including students and their parents in a similar simulation, would further enforce internet safety knowledge.

Question #2:

How does internet safety impact me as an adult?

As a candidate for a future teacher, the information I put on the internet is used in may job application processes. As someone who plans on entering a field where good ethics and morals are essential to the a successful career, internet safety and self presentation are extremely important. It is also important as an adult to realize that just because you are an adult, does not mean that dangers that exist in the internet world do not apply to you. An adults information is just as easy, if not easier to obtain then a child's. Practicing good internet safety is most definitely important.

Journal #2 - "Join The Flock" and "Enhance Your Twitter Experience" By Handley Ferguson

Ferguson, H. (2010). Join the flock. Learning and Leading with Technology, 37(8), 12-15. Retrieved from http://www.learningandleading-digital.com/learning_leading/20100607?pg=14&pm=2&fs=1#pg14

Join The Flock

Summary: The author of  Join the Flock, Hadley Ferguson is not only a user of Twitter, but is obviously a huge advocate of this Internet tool as well. Ferguson explains in her article how useful this tool can be. By simply signing up and following people interested in the same things as you, you are able to create your own Personal Leaning Network (PLN). By using "hash tags" one can easily find people who are interested in the same things and follow them! How does this virtual community help you ask? Well, by tweeting ideas, articles, links, and helpful tools you can help others to expose themselves to new things, and they can do the same for you. Learning from others is an irreplaceable tool. Even though I was very apprehensive about using twitter in general, Ferguson has nudged me into a more accepting state of mind. As a future teacher, to be able to instantly access a community that ultimately has the same goal as yourself. Being able to communicate ideas, problems and gain support from people just like yourself is quite amazing. Ferguson places great emphasis on the importance of setting aside time to grow your twitter community, contribute and explore. After all there is no other way to grow virtual relationships but to give them your time and attention.

Enhance Your Twitter Experience

Summary: In the article Enhance Your Twitter Experience, Hadley Ferguson continues to praise Twitter and shares with us tools to improve and organize your Twitter account. Ferguson introduces to us the idea of TweetDeck. This is a download-able Twitter organizer. I must admit that I was slightly apprehensive (very apprehensive really) about downloading this. Instead of shying away from the Twitter experience, I took Ferguson's advice and decided to dive in. I must admit, TweetDeck is a very cool tool. Not only can you sign in and organize your Twitter account, but you can sign in with Facebook, Buzz, Linkedln, Foursquare and Myspace as well! What a great way to stay organized in the virtual community! 

Question #1:

How is a PLN helpful?

Using Twitter to build virtual relationships with people who have similar interests and goals will allow you to learn from others' experiences and allow you to benefit from others' research and ideas as well. Don't forget that contributing to your Twitter community is important. The more you make yourself seen, the larger your community can grow. 

Question #2:

How can I be helpful to my PLN?

Spend a good amount of time every day or week contributing to your PLN. This can be as simple as sharing what worked or didn't work in your classroom that day or week. Sharing articles, web tools or lesson ideas with your PLN is a great was to contribute to the learning experience of others as well.