When I was in high school I had to write a senior paper. We were able to use any web resource except for Wikipedia. Since then I have always been told that Wikipedia is not a credible source. Because of this, I never research with it. If I’m starting a research paper, I normally type a search into Google. If it is a topic in for example the health field, then I would start with a search on the health.com website. In addition to these searches, most of my research papers require scholarly articles. For this, I will either search for scholarly articles with Google, or I will go to my libraries website and search through there.
Before a research project I will explain to my students what Wikipedia is. I will explain to them what is credible within Wikipedia and what is not credible. For research papers I will accept papers with Wikipedia as a resource, but not as the only resource. And the information has to be sited on the website or else it will not be accepted. I believe the article supports what I’m saying with the credible vs. not credible information.
Internet research needs to include at least 3 sources in my experiences. If Wikipedia is one of the sources, that is alright. Just as long as the whole paper is not based on Wikipedia. Wikipedia has some great information that is cited, however, it’s the incorrect information on the site that is holding it back. Wikipedia has come a long way since I was in high school and trying to use it as a source. I believe that in years to come, the website will soon become completely credible with no doubts.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Monday, November 16, 2009
Cell phones in the Classroom
I personally agree with the no cell phone policy. When I was younger and in high school, I obviously wanted cell phones to be allowed in school. However I don’t think that it’s fair for cell phones to be allowed for school use. Not every student has a cell phone, and for those students who do have phones, not all of them have internet capabilities. So, I don’t understand how schools would make it possible for schools to allow cell phones to help with work. Personally I think that in a way, it could be considered discrimination.
In my classroom I don’t want to see cell phones. I understand if they are quickly being used as a calculator or if a student tells me that they are expecting a text or call from their parent. But for me those are the only exceptions. I don’t see the reason for texting a friend during class while the friend is in class as well. I wouldn’t eliminate them all together but only for certain exceptions. Im not sure of my cell phone policy yet. I have a sister who works at Clackamas high school and their policy is if the student is caught with a cell phone with the intent to use then the phone gets taken from the student and the parent has to come and pick it up at the end of the day. This rule seems a little intense to me, however, it would depend on the rules of the school that I’m working at.
I personally don’t plan on incorporating cell phones into my classroom so therefore I haven’t been thinking of ways to incorporate them into my classroom. Some suggestions in the readings included using them for interviews, audioblogging, internet, calculators, etc. Some teachers could be up to this idea of cell phones in the classroom, I’m just not one of them.
In my classroom I don’t want to see cell phones. I understand if they are quickly being used as a calculator or if a student tells me that they are expecting a text or call from their parent. But for me those are the only exceptions. I don’t see the reason for texting a friend during class while the friend is in class as well. I wouldn’t eliminate them all together but only for certain exceptions. Im not sure of my cell phone policy yet. I have a sister who works at Clackamas high school and their policy is if the student is caught with a cell phone with the intent to use then the phone gets taken from the student and the parent has to come and pick it up at the end of the day. This rule seems a little intense to me, however, it would depend on the rules of the school that I’m working at.
I personally don’t plan on incorporating cell phones into my classroom so therefore I haven’t been thinking of ways to incorporate them into my classroom. Some suggestions in the readings included using them for interviews, audioblogging, internet, calculators, etc. Some teachers could be up to this idea of cell phones in the classroom, I’m just not one of them.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Cyberbullying
Cyberbullying is defined as verbal harassment and threats that occur during online activities. These online activities can include: instant messaging, emailing, social networking such as facebook or myspace, text messages, or chat rooms. I remember when I was in middle school and AOL instant messenger was the high tech way of communicating. When I would get online and talk to someone that I didn’t know I always asked ‘a/s/l?’ meaning age, sex, live. This way I knew who I was talking to or at least thought that I knew who I was talking to. Sometimes it would just be meeting cool people from other cities and states, and sometimes people were much older than me and talked inappropriately. With those people I would just stop talking to them and block them. I believe that’s the only experience that I have had online that kind of led to inappropriateness which I didn’t cause.
The law about cyberbullying is tough. On page 61 of Taylor’s article it says “under the standard articulated by the High Court in Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier (1988), a school may restrict student speech that is at odds with the school's educational objectives. But schools generally may not restrict student speech merely because they disagree with it or find it to be offensive.” Because of this standard right here it makes it hard schools to take control of the cyberbullying issue.
It’s hard to know when students are being cyberbullied at school unless they have evidence and report it to a teacher or a counselor. There are some signs however that a student may be being bullied including “ the student being visibly upset after internet or cell phone use, noticeable withdrawal from friends and activities, academic performance drops, student develops a pattern or absenteeism or tardiness, and the student is a target of traditional bullying” (Norrander). When Cyberbullying happens off-site there really isn’t anything that teachers or administrators can do because of the constitutional amendment of free speech.
If cyberbullying were to happen in my classroom I would hope that the student being bullied would report the bullying student. I would make sure that the bullied student does not feel threatened in my classroom and I would do what I could working with their counselor to make sure that the bullying stops in school for this student altogether.
The law about cyberbullying is tough. On page 61 of Taylor’s article it says “under the standard articulated by the High Court in Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier (1988), a school may restrict student speech that is at odds with the school's educational objectives. But schools generally may not restrict student speech merely because they disagree with it or find it to be offensive.” Because of this standard right here it makes it hard schools to take control of the cyberbullying issue.
It’s hard to know when students are being cyberbullied at school unless they have evidence and report it to a teacher or a counselor. There are some signs however that a student may be being bullied including “ the student being visibly upset after internet or cell phone use, noticeable withdrawal from friends and activities, academic performance drops, student develops a pattern or absenteeism or tardiness, and the student is a target of traditional bullying” (Norrander). When Cyberbullying happens off-site there really isn’t anything that teachers or administrators can do because of the constitutional amendment of free speech.
If cyberbullying were to happen in my classroom I would hope that the student being bullied would report the bullying student. I would make sure that the bullied student does not feel threatened in my classroom and I would do what I could working with their counselor to make sure that the bullying stops in school for this student altogether.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Social Networking
When searching the pipl.com website the first site that popped up was my myspace account. Luckily I have known about teachers who have gotten in trouble for their myspace profiles so mine is set to private. The seconed site that popped up was my email address: wondergirlmg@hotmail.com. Im alright with others knowing my email address, however, because I haven't changed my email address since middle school Im not comfortable with using it professionally. Because I have played collegiate sports at three different schools I found many web pages about athletics. Im definately okay with having those available to others online because they are completely appropriate and I am proud of the majority of them. On the pipl.com website, there were pages qualifying the search that had my name on them but weren't me. It was kind of disturbing to me because they showed myspace profile pictures that I felt were inappropriate and something I would hate to get blamed for. I would hope that if someone searched my name that they would know that those pictures are not me.
After reading the provided article and searching my name through pipl.com, I made sure to follow all the links to the pages where my name was displayed. I wanted to make sure that I knew exactly what was available on the internet about me. I also made sure that my myspace was set to private just in case I misread anything by mistake. I also went ahead and created a new email through gmail that just includes my first and last name. I think that by doing this it will look alot more professional on a resume then my previous email address.
I believe that when an individual decides to make teaching their profession then they are aware that they are an important role model for students. By becoming a role model they should understand that they are always being watched. Whether it is their driving, going out to dinner or drinks in public, or going to a movie, they will most likely run into students, parents or administration. It is extremely important that they are always aware of their actions and anything else that would portray them in an inappropriate way to the public. When it comes to teachers speech, I think that teachers should be given the right of free speech, however, I believe that teachers should be aware of what is coming out of their mouths. It is hard to take one side or the other on this issue, I just feel that as a role model a teacher always needs to be aware of everything.
I thought the story about the teachers partners nude photos was quite interesting. Even though it wasn't the teacher who was nude and the nudity was art. it was perceived as completely inappropriate. When my sisters was going through her master's program, there was a guy who was also in the program who got kicked out for having inappropriate pictures on his myspace. He was part of a weight loss program and had taken before and after pictures in short spandex shorts. Because a student didn't like this guy as a student teacher, the student found these pictures on myspace and turned the teacher into the principal. He will now never teach in Oregon.
To protect myself from all the social networking chaos, Im going to make sure that Im always aware of what information is on the internet about me. With the social networks that I belong to, I will make sure that they are set to private and that the available information and display picture are completely appropriate.
After reading the provided article and searching my name through pipl.com, I made sure to follow all the links to the pages where my name was displayed. I wanted to make sure that I knew exactly what was available on the internet about me. I also made sure that my myspace was set to private just in case I misread anything by mistake. I also went ahead and created a new email through gmail that just includes my first and last name. I think that by doing this it will look alot more professional on a resume then my previous email address.
I believe that when an individual decides to make teaching their profession then they are aware that they are an important role model for students. By becoming a role model they should understand that they are always being watched. Whether it is their driving, going out to dinner or drinks in public, or going to a movie, they will most likely run into students, parents or administration. It is extremely important that they are always aware of their actions and anything else that would portray them in an inappropriate way to the public. When it comes to teachers speech, I think that teachers should be given the right of free speech, however, I believe that teachers should be aware of what is coming out of their mouths. It is hard to take one side or the other on this issue, I just feel that as a role model a teacher always needs to be aware of everything.
I thought the story about the teachers partners nude photos was quite interesting. Even though it wasn't the teacher who was nude and the nudity was art. it was perceived as completely inappropriate. When my sisters was going through her master's program, there was a guy who was also in the program who got kicked out for having inappropriate pictures on his myspace. He was part of a weight loss program and had taken before and after pictures in short spandex shorts. Because a student didn't like this guy as a student teacher, the student found these pictures on myspace and turned the teacher into the principal. He will now never teach in Oregon.
To protect myself from all the social networking chaos, Im going to make sure that Im always aware of what information is on the internet about me. With the social networks that I belong to, I will make sure that they are set to private and that the available information and display picture are completely appropriate.
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