I feel that the use of technology in the classroom is a given these days. Kids must get used to referring to technology for multiple purposes -- not only for the workplace, but for life in general (communicating with others, being informed about what's going on in the world, and even pragmatic tasks like finding an apartment). And for this reason, kids who may not have access at home, must learn to utilize what is available to them in the community --libraries, universities, school computer lab, etc.
As a teacher, I will make sure that every kid has equal opportunity to use technolgy for assignments. I like the idea of doing a survey on the first day of the course to find out what they know and have experience with. Also, if students need class time to work on an assignment in the computer lab or need help from me after class, I will make it happen. And so I don't foresee any problem using technology in my class. I do think it would be a disservice to all of my students if I do not use technology. As I am finding out from this and other classes, technology opens up a wide world of learning opportunities -- through games, information searches on the web, videos, library databases, etc. It creates a much more dynamic classroom and it also prepares kids to be dynamic learners. They will be better prepared for work and college if they are technologically savvy and excited to learn from technology.
To make sure that disadvantaged kids have access to technology, I will give them the time and place for to use it in the computer lab or classroom. All students will have equal access to technology for assignments and activities. I will also teach them how to find access to computers and other technology by teaching them, for example, where the library is or where the nearest college campus is.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Power Point
I enjoyed listening to power point presentations on Monday. From what I remember from school, I honestly found that I would usually check out during PP presentations. For a lot of students like me, it's a time for daydreaming, and some people can't really help not paying attention. But my classmates showed me how power point can be really interesting, if used correctly.
I liked the presentations that used a lot of visuals. If only text is used, it's hard to see the purpose in using the medium at all. I liked how text was used sparingly and gave information very to the point -- people, for the most part, avoided adding unnecessary words or phrases. I also enjoy visuals and videos that the presenter can refer to as they are talking - this is good for the visual learners who need to look at something while they are listening.
What I found difficult was that certain more complicated topics require a lot of time and thought to putting together visuals and texts that flow and make sense to the listeners. I happened to pick a topic that could involve a huge amount of information (Mexico City) -- I probably should have narrowed it down a lot more -- so it took me a long time to put it together, and I never felt satisfied with how things were laid out. I felt it could have been a lot better and more understandable with text divided up on different parts of the page. Power point can be like putting together a good documentary or designing pages in a magazine or book...it's an art to a certain degree, but shouldn't be too fancy either....and it has to be understandable while the presenter talks. So I think power point should be used for the right kinds of presentations: that require lots of pictures or videos, and text prompts that help give a very general understanding of what students are looking at and listening to, so that the presenter can refer to it while talking. It should be very simple and elegant and each page should focus on one main idea. I like how power points allow for use of graphs, and texts that can be spread through the pages in categorized bullets, and like I said before, visuals and videos. And I think my classmates did a really good job of using these features.
I liked the presentations that used a lot of visuals. If only text is used, it's hard to see the purpose in using the medium at all. I liked how text was used sparingly and gave information very to the point -- people, for the most part, avoided adding unnecessary words or phrases. I also enjoy visuals and videos that the presenter can refer to as they are talking - this is good for the visual learners who need to look at something while they are listening.
What I found difficult was that certain more complicated topics require a lot of time and thought to putting together visuals and texts that flow and make sense to the listeners. I happened to pick a topic that could involve a huge amount of information (Mexico City) -- I probably should have narrowed it down a lot more -- so it took me a long time to put it together, and I never felt satisfied with how things were laid out. I felt it could have been a lot better and more understandable with text divided up on different parts of the page. Power point can be like putting together a good documentary or designing pages in a magazine or book...it's an art to a certain degree, but shouldn't be too fancy either....and it has to be understandable while the presenter talks. So I think power point should be used for the right kinds of presentations: that require lots of pictures or videos, and text prompts that help give a very general understanding of what students are looking at and listening to, so that the presenter can refer to it while talking. It should be very simple and elegant and each page should focus on one main idea. I like how power points allow for use of graphs, and texts that can be spread through the pages in categorized bullets, and like I said before, visuals and videos. And I think my classmates did a really good job of using these features.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Chatspeak
Linda Howard says that she fears for the newer generations because kids are becoming more privy to writing with “shortcuts and acronyms that make instant messaging, text messaging, and online chatting so popular” and this has “no place in academic, business, and other formal writing settings where it is essential that all individuals involved are using language that is clear and concise.” She also says that “good writing skills are essential as school students go on to college in traditional settings or online, and they will need to fully express their opinions and expound on subject matter in a way that compels them to think and engage with others on a deeper level.” Though I agree with these points, I do not agree that so called chat-speak will hinder kids’ ability to engage with others on a deeper level. If there is a lack of ability in that realm, I would not blame it on chat-speak itself, but much larger cultural and societal changes – like the argument that kids’ attention spans are shortening due to an emphasis on multi-tasking, and other similar affects of technology.
I agree more with Greg Monfils, who says that chat-speak is just like another language or dialect. Learning one langauge does not hinder how one expresses oneself in the other. He would even “go so far as to say that [kids’] command of chat-speak is directly proportional to their awareness that the fashion of chat-speak subverts traditional rules of written English.” If kids know how to shorten a word or sentence, they probably know how to write it in full. “We don’t fear that a Spanish class will diminish a student’s command of English. And a teenager experimenting with a sprinkling of profanities in her conversation with peers will not suddenly forget how to converse properly with her grandmother.” Again, I agree that there is a connection between knowing a foreign language, and jargon, colloquialisms, slang; chat-speak is just another in this category. Our language changes every day, goes through cycles, and new words are invented constantly. And just because there is a new way to get a message across in this technologically ridden society, doesn’t mean that clearly written, formal, concise language will disappear.
Greg also says that “if [kids] deny that they know how to write full words and sentences, it is because “they live to challenge standards. It doesn’t mean that they don’t know what the standards are.” Kids love to rebel. It is natural to them and part of their growing up. But every kid should be able to understand that clear, good writing is important to know in certain careers and settings, and always will be.
Whenever I think of how language alters through the years and is affected by technology, I remember George Orwell’s 1984. I remain accepting and even invigorated by change in my young age, but there is always a doubt in the back of my mind about how much of a negative affect changes in our language and way of life will make. Will deeper reflection and expression someday become obsolete because of our shortening attention spans and need for instant gratification? Will we ever become too lazy to be creative, careful and thoughtful about our words and expressions? I think it’s a great hyperbole on my part, but I always wonder. I think in our core, we need to express full thoughts and feelings in writing and speaking, and that need will never go away. But it is interesting how words and languages change with the advancement of technology and the resulting changes in how people think and communicate.
I agree more with Greg Monfils, who says that chat-speak is just like another language or dialect. Learning one langauge does not hinder how one expresses oneself in the other. He would even “go so far as to say that [kids’] command of chat-speak is directly proportional to their awareness that the fashion of chat-speak subverts traditional rules of written English.” If kids know how to shorten a word or sentence, they probably know how to write it in full. “We don’t fear that a Spanish class will diminish a student’s command of English. And a teenager experimenting with a sprinkling of profanities in her conversation with peers will not suddenly forget how to converse properly with her grandmother.” Again, I agree that there is a connection between knowing a foreign language, and jargon, colloquialisms, slang; chat-speak is just another in this category. Our language changes every day, goes through cycles, and new words are invented constantly. And just because there is a new way to get a message across in this technologically ridden society, doesn’t mean that clearly written, formal, concise language will disappear.
Greg also says that “if [kids] deny that they know how to write full words and sentences, it is because “they live to challenge standards. It doesn’t mean that they don’t know what the standards are.” Kids love to rebel. It is natural to them and part of their growing up. But every kid should be able to understand that clear, good writing is important to know in certain careers and settings, and always will be.
Whenever I think of how language alters through the years and is affected by technology, I remember George Orwell’s 1984. I remain accepting and even invigorated by change in my young age, but there is always a doubt in the back of my mind about how much of a negative affect changes in our language and way of life will make. Will deeper reflection and expression someday become obsolete because of our shortening attention spans and need for instant gratification? Will we ever become too lazy to be creative, careful and thoughtful about our words and expressions? I think it’s a great hyperbole on my part, but I always wonder. I think in our core, we need to express full thoughts and feelings in writing and speaking, and that need will never go away. But it is interesting how words and languages change with the advancement of technology and the resulting changes in how people think and communicate.
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