Librivox...my final project!

So...things didn't go as expected. I did learn how to use the technology, but was unable to publically post my project. I recited "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud" by William Wordsworth, downloading the necessary technology as instructed on the LibriVox website. However, when I went to upload my recording it wouldn't provide me with the necessary URL links. So, I emailed to the link at the bottom of the page, as directed, but have not yet received a response. Thus I have proceeded to the best of my abilities. However, on the LibriVox link above there are examples of other poetry readings as well.

Overall I found this new technology difficult to navigate. Many of their links of "how to..." were not updated or provided vague instructions. I had to struggle through most of it by tinkering around with the technology. However, as Professor West has mentioned, this is probably what most of us do when discovering how to operate a new technology. I think that this type of technology would be helpful in the classroom as viewed by my lesson plan ideas on the wiki; however I am not sure how often we ought to utilize it. It's purposes are fairly limited - recording and listening to recordings.

A Work in Progress...

So, this week I have discovered that researching your final project is always a good idea. I was so excited to get started with LibriVox that I got everything ready, read a couple chapters to become more familiar with my book, checked out my microphone abilities...and then I discovered that due to copyright laws LibriVox only allows readings and releases of book published before 1923. Well, for those of you who don't know, The Giver was published 1993. Anyhow, so I began a new search. I am now looking into working with Speaking Notepad instead. This will present a couple new challenges. I will need to type what I would like read. But, it also has some great advantages. You can choose the voice, speed, and pitch of how the text is read. I am hoping that this will make it sound realistic and also save my voice.

Anyhow, this hasn't been a long post, but it's the direction and area I'm at right now - research, research, research.

I've got it!

While looking through all of the options and possibilities with this assignment, I really wasn't sure what to do. We've done a classroom blog sight...movie (for their final project)...and so much more. Through my other education and English classes at BYU I've also learned the basics of wikkis, diigi groups, and so forth. That's when I really stated to think!

What would best help me as a teacher next semester? What would be most helpful and relevant to the learning opportunities for my students? What unit needed the most "help"? And that is when it hit me. I have been trying to figure out the best way to read "The Giver" next term. There are some recordings I have found, but most of them are boring or dull. Aka: My students would just sleep through the book! And that's not what I want...I am hoping that they will become vigorous readers through their interaction with texts in my class. I also considered having the students read. However, in most my classes at BYU, they suggest that we read the majority of the book with the students to help improve their reading. Struggling readers usually don't get better by listening to other struggling readers read.

Thus, for my project I would like to learn how to operate Librivox and submit my own reading of the novel. This would enable me to add characterization and personality to the reading without losing my own voice. Furthermore, it would also be interesting to experiment with the possibility of students reading. As was mentioned in the voicethread, it would be intriguing for students to do their own interpretive readings. Perhaps each student could read a few pages and together there'd be a recording of a couple chapters. I'm not sure. But as I explored this idea I recognized that it held a lot of potential :) I'm excited to start and excited for others to become involved. Tell me what you think if you have suggestions!

PS...my book is "The Giver".

Ok...I'm officially overwhelmed

So, I know that we're suppose to be blogging about a technology we found to use in the classroom weekly...but I admit, holding a job, going to school full-time, and trying to plan a wedding can become a bit overwhelming. A decline in grades is expected...and definitely sleep deprivation! BUT I would definitely say it's worth it! And now, to get onto the point of this rambling blog: This past week we discussed in some of my classes how to use technology in the classroom and I thought it'd be a good thing to share with all of you. Prof. Ostenson shared some personal experience he had with creating movies in the classroom - careful not to go overboard so that you get drained out too early! In a group meeting we discussed how reading aloud can help your students, but so many teachers find this exhausting. That's where technology comes in! Take a break...get a tape recording of it!!! Anyhow, I know that's short and sweet - but those were a few thoughts that were running around my head at one in the morning. Gross!

Text the Mob

So...a couple weeks ago (as many of you may know from Bonnie) there was a UCTE conference for English Educators. One of the sessions was on how to better integrate male activity within the classroom. They talked about a site called textthemob.com, which allows you to hold polls and messages for the whole class...all the students do is text their response to a specific number! It was really fun to use and I think it incorporates technology in an appropriate manner. Granted, I'd be careful not to over use it. Also, remember that only students with unlimited texting should participate.

Instructional Video...

Holy smokes! That assignment had some complications that I didn't expect! But, finally, it's done :) I called it Utopian Society. This instructional video is an example of what I would like my students to complete as their final assessment for W10 term...after completing "The Giver". I hope that they will better connect with the novel and the principles we'll discuss through this personal video they create. I think that I will have them do more about their personal utopia though...perhaps make it a 5 minute film.

Internet Resources for You!

Hey everyone, this site about Internet Uses in the Classroom has some great technology resources for any type of teacher (or person for that matter). I decided to explore virtual field trips because the concept interests me. This website has various trips with teacher resources, different aspects of topics you can cover, and then the tour. If you wanted to have a submission you would need to pay for one...but you can take a few trial runs. I feel that this is a good technological tool to use in classrooms because of the opportunities for learning it provides. I'm from Washington and I remember that growing up we went on lots of field trips and learned through hands-on activities. However, today funds and policies don't permit students to have these activities. Through the media and technology available to us, we can reconstruct to a certain extent a learning opportunity that students may not have experienced. Granted, it's not the same as going out into the world, but there is something to be said for the various multimedias incorporated into one site. I hope you will take a look and enjoy it!

Internet Safety in my Family

So I decided to call my family and discuss with them the importance of internet safety. Some of my siblings have recently created Facebook accounts and my mom expressed with my concern over their naive character. They didn't know what was appropriate and not appropriate to put on their pages - even when they're blocked. I discussed the different concepts we were taught in class (the dos and donts and why not to). Then I had them watch the first clip mentioned in my previous blog. I felt that this clip was extremely powerful in portraying the importance of internet safety. Afterwards, I asked my family if they had any questions and we discussed various things.

Overall, doing this activity has made me truly realize how important it is that we guard ourselves. I would hate for something as viewed in the clips to happen to my family members or anyone I may know.

Creepy Stalkers!

Oh my goodness! Talk about a creepy realization!!! This clip doesn't have a real name, but it shows how giving out personal information can be extremely dangerous. Children may not realize when it is or isn't appropriate to share information - especially online. They need to be taught how to use the internet safely. Something that my Mom does is she has a password to log onto the computer and my younger brothers have to have her log in. That way she knows when they're online and she can check up on them.

Another show I watched was called "Internet Safety for Children". It pretty much illustrates the same message. Kids are naive and need us as adults to supervise their internet use. They innocently give out information to people they may not know, trusting that everyone would tell the truth. When we teach out kids to be honest, they expect that everyone else is honest as well.

The third clip I watched was "Internet Safety: A Cautionary Tale". I found this to be a much more professional looking clip. It was recorded in a documentary style, telling the tale of a young girl that put her life in danger because she used IM - even though she thought she had been careful about the information she shared online. She didn't give out boyfriend info, age, nothing. But through using her IM name (not even connected to her true identity) an older man, who claimed to be 16 years old, was able to google search her information and get her phone number and address. After which he began to stalk her. He continued to contact her online and she began to freak out and shared with her friends her concerns that she might be being stalked. Her concerns drove her to trust her predator. Overall, this film was very effective in demonstrating what can happen to unsuspecting individuals. Even if you're being careful about what you say, be cautious about what you post at all times.

This clip was way too brief, but it said the basics of how just knowing a person's name can reveal much about their identity. I guess this would demonstrate to kids, and adults, how important it is to be careful where you post your info.

"Think Before You Post 2" is a follow up to the clip we watched on the voice clip. It's not anything new, just reinforcing that we should all think before we post. When you put something online you never know who will view that information or where it will get sent. It can be taken and passed on through other people, eventually reaching an audience you didn't even know existed.

Watching all these clips has just made me think of the questions we should ask prior to doing things online. How protected is your facebook? Do you really know who you're talking to? What could they do with this information? Are you in any way providing information that could be damaging to yourself or another?

Internet Safety in Literature

The article I read was "Let Our Voices Be Heard" by Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve. This article was a call to action for every member. Elder Ballard discussed the increasingly negative influences of the media today and how it is focused on destroying the family unit - whether inadvertently or not. He calls for members to look for the good medias available to them and utilize media and technology as an uplifting and edifying opportunity. I love the seven suggestions he gives to parents in order to help alleviate the negative affects and influences of media. They are:

1. Hold family councils and decide media standards

2. Spend quality time with your kids so that you are a main influence in their lives.

3. Make good media choices ourselves as exemplars

4. Have a time limit on media exposure per day

5. Use Internet filters and TV programming locks

6. Have TVs and computers in common rooms, not in a bedroom or private place.

7. Watch appropriate media with our kids and discuss it.

I believe that if we were to incorporate the above suggestions into our own lives and families that media would not be so damaging to the family unit. People would be spared pain and years of regret.

Technology in the Form of Internet Use

I found a most interesting article titled "Integrating Technology in the Classroom" and thought that you all might want to take a look at it. A few weeks ago we discussed the use of the internet and the benefits it can provide students in a classroom setting...I felt that this article further explores that topic. Granted, I don't agree with everything said. For instance, it starts out right away stating that "research is the number one reason to use the internet in education." I think this is soooo sad that that is the extent of his initial reaction to internet use within the classroom. There is much more potential for learning and technology than just research! And it's somewhat depressing to think that many teachers may limit students' exposure to such a tedious use of technology.

Have you gotten nervous about using technology?

So tomorrow is my first day teaching for my Practicum Class. Yes, my first day! Today I had to make so many alterations and adjustments to my lesson plan, which has me feeling a bit nervous now to teach! I'll be analyzing 7th graders' ability to identify and use verbs in media and their own writing! The first thing I thought, as finishing up our video presentation, was: how applicable is this! Students utilizing media types in the classroom!!!

For this specific assignment I decided to limit the amount of media they interact with - not that they wouldn't enjoy it or learn more, but mostly because I want their studies focused. Through having this focus on verbs in film (in particular "The Little Mermaid") students will be able to see how media and the word choice affects the feel of the movie. Then they will apply what they learned to their own writing.

Now, I know when I said "The Little Mermaid", half of you freaked out! Watch out for copyright laws!!!! Don't worry, I am aware and abiding by those regulations :)

Anyhow, as I approached this idea of using a movie as an integral aspect of learning I began to wonder how much effective this would be for students and decided to do a Google search. I didn't really get anything answered or discover some new and phenomenal insight...BUT I though you all might find this site entertaining! It's a website that has letters from parents with their concerns regarding specific media content in the classroom and the responses of justification they have received. I thought it was interesting and fun - go ahead, take a look!

Copyrights and Education...

Throughout my educational experiences, both as a student and teacher, I have noticed that some people respect copyright laws while others seek ways to cut corners...minimize their workload. Personally, I can identify with that. I never felt the need to really site sources because who would really look up my references other than a teacher! (Don't worry - I did site them all.) Anyhow, I found it interesting to approach this scenario of copyright within the educational setting from a teacher's perspective.

On the teacher tube website I found a couple of examples of media used within an educational setting that I would like to now briefly analyze. "Abbot and Costello Maths Problem" is a video clip that I can see being used in a math class to effectively teach students the what-not-to-dos in math. It would be very entertaining for students to watch and grasp their interest in learning more about math and the different ways to manipulate numbers; however, the clip is 3 minutes and 6 seconds - going over the allotted time permitted. This being said, I think that fair law should cover the rights of using the clip because it couldn't really be cut any shorter and its use would do much more good educationally than harm by going over 6 seconds.

The second media deals with the use of audio. I found the song "It's Not My Time" by 3 Doors Down. According to copyright regulations we're not supposed to use more than 30 seconds of a song, but this one has almost 5 minutes - aka the whole thing! I wasn't able to determine whether or not this was legally permissable for the website or not. Assumably, I could say that a teacher would only play 30 seconds, even if they have access to the whole song.

All-in-all copyright limitations and boundaries are sooooo tidious but necessary! It's important to have these guidelines, but sometimes I feel somewhat overly contrained when it conflicts with the best type of presentation of material to help better the educational experience for my students.

Google Reader and PLNs

Wow - I am NOT a technologically savvy person! I think this assignment took me way too long to finish...or it just seemed long. Anyhow, I chose to subscribe to the specific sites listed in my Google Reader because I felt they were most relevant to this course. The blogs are those from my fellow blog members...obviously insightful. Diigo was added for the same reasons. And then I added Clif's Notes because that's a useful tool for an english teacher. You never know when you'll need to pull up some information or questions on short notice about a specific topic. I chose for my social link to use Twitter because it is the most commonly used social link of professors I have had here at BYU. They all say they've found the site useful. I suppose that's about it!

Technology . . . and the things I hope it accomplishes

Hmmm....my technology background. Well, that's a short story. I don't have much background in technology. Usually if I become interested in using something I either try and work through the confusion of understanding it myself or I will ask someone that already knows how to use the specific technological tool. Granted, if I do the first most of the time I will become frustrated and just give up! That being said, I am expecting this class to be very informative.

I do want technology to become an integral part of my classroom. Understanding that the students I will be teaching are growing up in a world where technology is at the heart of everything, I recognize the importance of me knowing how to use it and then implementing that knowledge within a classroom setting. I am hoping that this class will better enable me to use wiki, blogs, moodle, and other technological tools so that I might be able to use them in my future classroom. By the end of the course I expect to be familiar with the different tools out there and proficient enough to use them well within a classroom setting...other than that, I don't have any other set goals - except to have a fun semester :)