Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Databases
Friday, November 7, 2008
FDR's Fireside Chats replaced by Obama's Personal E-Mails
I have to comment on the impressive and effective use of technology during the Obama campaign. The way they used and sent me personal e-mails, address just to me of course, gave me the impression that Obama was talking to ME. Remember what we say w/our students - perception is reality. I mean, how many times did he respectfully ask me to donate just $5, $10 or $15 more?
I think this strategy, along w/others of course, made a big difference in his win and has massive potential to make his Presidency more effective.
Think of the social capital he has now going forward - millions of e-mail addresses that he could potentially send messages to. Soon you are going to hear "Yes we Can!" around the nation and the world!
Further, think of all the funny e-mails you got that keep the propaganda going (palinforpresident.com was my favortie). Will.i.am's song on YouTube - the list goes on an on.
This election, this presidency, will break boundaries on so many different levels. Hopefully, the boundaries breaking will contiue to be only for the better.
The Online Reputation Game
However, I do have something to write about tonight, so maybe this will make up for the past two weeks. Further, it is a Friday night at 10pm, and I definitely deserve extra credit for that.
The 10/6/08 issues of Time Magazine had an article entitled "Outsmart your Haters - How to Win the online reputation game". I don't know how many of you have googled your own name or have gone to the site "Rank Your Teacher". Many of you would be surprised to know you are on there. Students at my former HS, Wayzata, were notorious for going to the site. I have been at CHS since 2005 and no one has switched the commentary yet (which if fine, fortunately for me it was positive compared w/other colleagues), so I'm guessing not as many kids in our district know or care about it. However, it brings up some interesting points. As the author noted in the article "unbridled online attacks are wreaking havoc on people's reputations".
I love the story of one Professor who was criticized on RateMyProfessor for being a "rude, disrespectful, pretentious snob" and fought back w/a Web Video on Professors Fight Back. On it I guess he wrote "We're not there to babysit. We're there to train professionals. Grow up."
At our last class we discussed how certain websites get to the top of the google search. I still don't have that answer, however now I know I could go to an online reputation management firm, Reputation Hawk, and for $1,500/month, they can create Web pages that case me in a positive light. Since that fee would eat my entire paycheck, I think I'll pass on that.
However, this was the advice the Time author, Anita Hamilton gave: "Engage on your own - Attacks can lose their sting if you calmly respond to them..Post a reply, create your own site to correct the record or send an e-mail requesting a retraction." Good luck with that folks!
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Thing #2 Comments
What was your reaction to the videos (or one video in particular)?
The links to the videos didn't show up for some reason. And since I'm at school, I didn't even try opening You Tube.
Are you thinking about using blogs in your classroom? Why or why not?
No. That would be one more thing I'd have to monitor or grade. If I made it required, I'd have to ensure all students had access to a computer and internet. I see more value in some of the higher level courses (AP) where you have students who are more intrinistically motivated.
Are you using blogs in your classroom? How?
No - See above.
What are some ways you envision blogs being used in education?
In AP classes, because those students usually want to talk. Or in a situation where it is vountary. I think the way Nancy Flom set up a blog for students who read something and want to comment on it is very cool - that connects readers who want to be there and makes it a neat, rather than nerdy, thing. (Not that reading is nerdy - I'm just looking at middle/high public school kids in general).
What do you like or dislike RSS readers (or Google Reader in particular)?
It is overwhelming. I signed up for one website and the one time I go there, there are like 100 articles that have been sent to me. I'd like to, but I don't have time to go through it.
How do you think you might be able to use RSS in your school or personal life?
If I were in a different season in my life (not w/3 kids ages 1, 3, 5) and working full time, I think it would be cool to get updates on things I cared about.
Did you find any great resources we should all add to our Google Reader?
Sorry - I'm not that cool. However, I do wish the guy who wrote the article about his Darfur project would share his scavenger hunt website he used - that would be cool. If anyone finds it or something similar, e-mail me. I don't have time to create such an assignment, but I think students would think such a thing would be pretty cool.
Thing 1 comments
What do you think?
I think Web 2.0 is both exciting and overwhelming. Overwhelming - Just reading that Washington Post article online made my eyes go buggy! The text was first on the left, then in the middle, then on the right, with Ads and links in between. Yes, I probably do have undiagonosed ADD, but reading in that format made me nuts! How come publishers don't follow basic readability rules, ie. text shouldn't be in colums.
Exciting - especially after linking to Web Classroom 2.0 - as a social studies teacher, imagine the collaborative capabilities! There was an English teacher looking for cross time zones connections and they found someone in the U.K. I thought I was pretty cool when I student taught in New Zealand and brought letters from my 7th graders to exchange in NZ, but this you can do instantanously. So why don't we have world peace yet???
How do all of these things fit together (information literacy, web 2.0, classroom 2.0) -- or don't they?
Of course they fit together and have to be taught together. I think that video by that culutural anthorpologist said it best at the end of it.
How do you gather, interpret, organize, and store information? How do your students do it?
Personally, it depends on what I'm gathering information for, i.e. a class or my personal use. Internet searches, libraries, and a big file cabinet in the basement is how I do the above. My students - google, and they don't store it unless they learn it.
I accidently deleted this Q while I was trying to bold it (and don't see an UNDO highlighted under EDIT and don't know how to fit it - how is that for information literacy?), but here is the answer:
Yes - I think it a through definition, which is what it should be - info literacy requires so many skills
How has your understanding and/or attitude toward web 2.0 changed in these first steps of MILI?
It makes me both excited and scared to learn it. I'm not a person who is drawn to technology (I can't sit still, instead of sitting here inside on my day off while paying a babysitter, I should be outside w/my 3 kids). I wouldn't do this unless required - not intrinsically motivated to "do" or use technology. I'm learning it because I have to - I don't want to be left behind (but already feel like I am)!
