I bet many of you spent a good deal of time this summer social networking on Facebook and MySpace. While online social networking doesn't replace in person social networking (developed by digital immigrants), read through the attached study to see what kind of educational information is being added to Walls. This study, paid for by Microsoft, News Corporation and Verizon, documents that more than 60% of online social networking between teenagers is about school and educational issues. Surprised? Click on the links below to read more . . . By the way, I bet you don't know who News Corporation is? Time to hit the wikis and find out, remember, the world is flat, Columbus was wrong (so to speak ;)
http://www.nsba.org/SecondaryMenu/TLN/NewStudyExplorestheOnlineBehaviorsofUSTeensandTweens.aspx
http://www.nsba.org/site/view.asp?CID=63&DID=41340
Extra Credit: Create a page essay reflecting how you feel about this study, addressing its biases and where your opinions may differ.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Friday, August 22, 2008
Setting and Achieving GOALS
Be Your Own Coach:
1. Pick a main goal and plan on how to get there. Reaching a big goal involves many smaller goals along the way.
2. Make your goals as specific as possible. It’s easier to measure your success when your goal is “to receive a 95 or higher on a math quiz,” rather than “to do better in math.”
3. Write down your goals. Think of it as a contract with yourself.
4. Check up on yourself. Look at your goals daily and note your progress.
5. Learn to recover. Everyone makes mistakes, has breakdowns, and loses track of their goals from time to time. It’s important to recover and continue working toward your goals.
Motivation can be just as difficult for adults as it is for you. Just ask your parents! When you want to get better grades, get in shape for the prom or improve your soccer skills, staying motivated is key. Learning these motivational skills can help you achieve your goals throughout life.
1. Pick a main goal and plan on how to get there. Reaching a big goal involves many smaller goals along the way.
2. Make your goals as specific as possible. It’s easier to measure your success when your goal is “to receive a 95 or higher on a math quiz,” rather than “to do better in math.”
3. Write down your goals. Think of it as a contract with yourself.
4. Check up on yourself. Look at your goals daily and note your progress.
5. Learn to recover. Everyone makes mistakes, has breakdowns, and loses track of their goals from time to time. It’s important to recover and continue working toward your goals.
Motivation can be just as difficult for adults as it is for you. Just ask your parents! When you want to get better grades, get in shape for the prom or improve your soccer skills, staying motivated is key. Learning these motivational skills can help you achieve your goals throughout life.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Learning and Living with Technology
Today I am leaving the west coast after a much-needed rest away from the growing weeds and deer in my garden. I learned a lot on this vacation. I learned how to cope with a project that seemed insurmountable two weeks ago. I also learned that sound devices have different levels and that when recording audio, you must use the same equipment to maintain audio consistency. This placed a huge restriction on my ability to edit my digital story. I did try to edit my story, but the sound quality was poor on the last image, so used the previously published version. I also learned how complicated it was to upload text as an image to Photo Story 3. I tried to add my references to Photobucket, but that process failed me, too. Finally, I decided the only way to upload to You Tube was to add the references in the description.
Upon viewing my student colleagues’ works, it was easy for me to see how many of them are digital natives. Needless to say, I am not one, but experience has taught me that wanting something badly enough is often the impetus to master something new. I will never work as a web designer, but I have convinced myself that I will be able to design a web site from scratch. I may never author a prize winning digital story or movie on You Tube, or even have more than a few passing visitors, but that is OK, too. The satisfaction for me is that I have the knowledge to work in the Web 2.0 world, and most importantly, to teach it.
First, the web design, and second the world of multi-media. We are so lucky to live in time where this fascinating world is available to anyone willing to spend the time to learn it. There will continue to be so much more to learn, and that is a wonder of one’s path in life: learning more. Now back to NJ and the deer . . .
Upon viewing my student colleagues’ works, it was easy for me to see how many of them are digital natives. Needless to say, I am not one, but experience has taught me that wanting something badly enough is often the impetus to master something new. I will never work as a web designer, but I have convinced myself that I will be able to design a web site from scratch. I may never author a prize winning digital story or movie on You Tube, or even have more than a few passing visitors, but that is OK, too. The satisfaction for me is that I have the knowledge to work in the Web 2.0 world, and most importantly, to teach it.
First, the web design, and second the world of multi-media. We are so lucky to live in time where this fascinating world is available to anyone willing to spend the time to learn it. There will continue to be so much more to learn, and that is a wonder of one’s path in life: learning more. Now back to NJ and the deer . . .
Friday, August 8, 2008
Finding an Inspiration
Today I am flying on a plane to the West Coast, and I am armed with my laptop and numerous downloaded photos for the next assignment I need to finish for a course. I had to research how to make a digital story since this material is new to me. As a digital immigrant, the world of multi-media is also new to me, so I have a significant learning curve. However, having programmed before, I am more than capable of deciphering any technology tools available.
Once I completed my research and became more comfortable with digital stories, I had to think of a topic for my students. As a business teacher, I could have chosen numerous topics about history related to finance, economics, etc. Instead, I thought of my own children and what would I like them to know. I read everyday how the younger generation of digital natives lack work ethic; are lost in setting their goals; and in fact, lack self confidence.
I saw some examples of the American Dream, and I thought of my ultimate hero, my father, who journeyed from Italy at the age of 16 in 1926. Then I thought about the countless immigrant families currently working hard in America in order to reach their goals of financial independence in a land of freedom and liberty. These families are driven to achieve, and it is this drive that becomes their focus and ultimately, their direction in life.
I chose the topic Entrepreneurship and the American Dream because I want my students to reflect upon someone they know that made this journey. Perhaps through this reflection the students will not only appreciate the hardships endured by their example, but also realize the American Dream is still very much alive; it just takes some focus and good old hard work to reach it. As a bonus for me, we will be visiting my only surviving uncle who made a similar journey. I cannot wait to show him the completed digital story recording his brother’s journey, long ago.
View my digital story at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8Ud_aytFLk
Once I completed my research and became more comfortable with digital stories, I had to think of a topic for my students. As a business teacher, I could have chosen numerous topics about history related to finance, economics, etc. Instead, I thought of my own children and what would I like them to know. I read everyday how the younger generation of digital natives lack work ethic; are lost in setting their goals; and in fact, lack self confidence.
I saw some examples of the American Dream, and I thought of my ultimate hero, my father, who journeyed from Italy at the age of 16 in 1926. Then I thought about the countless immigrant families currently working hard in America in order to reach their goals of financial independence in a land of freedom and liberty. These families are driven to achieve, and it is this drive that becomes their focus and ultimately, their direction in life.
I chose the topic Entrepreneurship and the American Dream because I want my students to reflect upon someone they know that made this journey. Perhaps through this reflection the students will not only appreciate the hardships endured by their example, but also realize the American Dream is still very much alive; it just takes some focus and good old hard work to reach it. As a bonus for me, we will be visiting my only surviving uncle who made a similar journey. I cannot wait to show him the completed digital story recording his brother’s journey, long ago.
View my digital story at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8Ud_aytFLk
Friday, August 1, 2008
Encouraging Scientists for the Future
When I read the mission of GLOBE, my first reaction reminded me of when I was a teenager, many years ago, remembering the old-fashioned Coke commercials of a long line of people holding hands and singing "I would like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony." There is so much negative press about the US government that I was pleased to see that NASA and other US government agencies build GLOBE.
Currently, 110 countries participate in GLOBE. I was also encouraged that companies like Goldman Sachs recognize the significance of such projects that mesh together the scientific minds of our world for the sole purpose of sharing such information with students. Students, teachers and scientists from around the world manage the outcome of the GLOBE projects, and together, the world works towards an effective, productive environment, hopefully increasing the level of tolerance for one another while expanding the future pool of engineers, technologists, mathematicians, and scientists. Check out GLOBE for yourself at the URL listed below.
http://www.globe.gov/fsl/html/templ.cgi?for_students&lang=en
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