Journals 1-4, (+extra)

Journal #1
Social Networking for the K-12 Set
By Jim Kline

One way of communicating and collaborating is through the use of social networking. The article shows an example of a school that created a social networking system for the district. It did take dedication of some special people to get it going, but it for the SUSD community it is working out great. The community is interacting and collaborating in all areas of the community. So teachers and students from different schools are able to view each others works and make comment on them; which has orked out wonderfully. The social networking has brought SUSD community closer as more and more people are beginning to use social networking. Social networking is very cost effective way which should please the school districts. The next step is for teachers and districts to get over the fear of putting social networking into place.

Question 1: How can it be use in the small class setting?
Answer: I think that a teacher can have a social networking set up for the class; so each student and parent can look, collaborate and make comments. Just as in the article a small class can benefit from their class community. It is something that parents can do with their children at home as well that might bring families closer together.

Question 2: Will parents really use this site?
Answer: It’s Free according to the article. As long as the site is useful and informative parents will return to the sites. Making it user-friendly can help because there are parents who are not computer savvy. The only problem will be if they don’t have internet access at home or if they are still on dial-up it may be difficult to get them involved. Otherwise if parents could see the works of their children and others to see the quality of work being produced in class. There would be greater communication between teacher, student, and parent.

Journal #2
Speaking Math: Using Chat in the Multicultural Math Classroom
By Janet Graham and Ted Hodgson

Not only students chatting but they are using it for school reasons. The article opens up a chat room for students using math chat room for class discussions. The Osborne High School already uses such math chat rooms to supplement students. The chat room provides a unique setting where they are free to discuss math, but because they use programs that math symbols cannot be used students must phrase their questions and answers w/o math symbols. The students must focus on the vocabulary when they are describing in their discussions. Three chat room examples are given and show to have a positive affect on the discussion outcome. The desired outcome of math chat rooms is that students will have a better understanding of mathematic concepts. Test cases have shown that students who take part in math chat rooms have a better understanding of math concepts. Homework can now be completed not only in class but anywhere there is internet access form each of their homes.

Question 1: How can peer online math discussions help learn math?
Answer: It seems to me that it can be of great benefit. In order to ask or to answer you have to have some understanding of the material. A student may feel they are in a comfortable environment to ask questions more openly than a class setting. It may bring out a better discussion. Peer helping peers helps a student's understanding of any material more clearer.

Question 2: Who is facilitating this discussion? Won’t some students use this chat room for cheating?
Answer: It sounds like programs like Moodle were being used in the chat rooms. If students are having to use mathematical vocabulary and discuss concepts then students will definitely benefit from the chat room. Since it is a secondary source of learning and understanding and not finding answers I’m sure listening in on the chat will have its benefits. Test will still have to be taken in a controlled environment. I believe any discussions have great benefits especially when you have several students working toward the same goal.

Journal #3
Five Don’ts of Classroom Blogging
By Julie Sturgeon

When a teacher is incorporating student blogging they should be aware of five dangers. Sturgeon’s first Don’t is not to give students free reign. Anne Davis suggests that students should sign a blogging “code of conduct” and a parent notification and permission before they are allowed to participate in the class blogging project. Brock Dubbles believes that blogging can improve a students writing because a student interests are peaked as he engages in communication with his/her peers. As with anything that is learned practice is key, so going over how to use blogging to its fullest will help.
Secondly, don’t confusing blogging with social networking. Myspace is an example of networking not blogging. Blogging is about helping each other with a project or course work. Davis suggest that the project is focused on collabotation and thought provoking questions that will bring in good communication.
Thirdly, don’t leap at the freebies. Jeffery Yan suggest that freebies will not meet expectations so beware. There are blogging programs like Class Blogmeister that Davis recommends. Fourthly, don’t force a sequential style. What was important today may be buried back behind tomorrows news. So Yan suggest a better method is topical so the blog is user-friendly. Lastly, don’t leave the blogging to students. The teacher should guide the blog.

Question #1: How can K-2 use blogging?
Answer: I don’t see how this can be used for younger grades. Maybe I could see it being incorporated for second graders, only b/c my son has been using an online typing program. But for the K & 1st grader it seems unlikely it can be used. A requirement would be knowing how to type or at least know where the letter keys are. Though in my area I would not be able to use it; I was excited to read about how blogging can be used effectively with guidance. It can open up communication between people who might never speak to each other in class.

Question #2: How can blogging teach students to write better?
Answer: The article mentioned that blogging can help students to write better but it also stated we still need to teach the “standard forms of composition.” I wonder if writing will really improve since blogging, according to the article, has its own blog writing form? I seem to have more questions than answers. I can see that they have more freedom to express themselves, but the only way to improvement is by teacher or peer feed back. By letting students write without corrections blogging can become like “ebonics” (this term was use some years ago)


Journal #4
Power of the Mashup by Suzie Boss and Jane Krauss

The article was about how teachers are incorporating technology tools to enhance learning in their classrooms. The authors are advocating multi-sensory learning rather than just reading the textbook. The article also supplies 8 essential learning functions to planning out a project for the classroom.

It is a wake up call letting me know that there is so much out there. My experience with mashup during my high school lit class was reading a book then watching the Hollywood version or getting to solve a math equation on an overhead projector. It is a great hands-on project for stirring interest and participation in students. Students would not only be learning, but learning about technology tools that are available to them as long as they had a computer available to them. Now it is my job responsibility to get familiar with these tools so that I can incorporate technology like mashup into my classroom. A teachers job is not only to teach but also to refine the ‘how to teach better.’ I’m hoping those tools will be available for me at the schools and classrooms.

Question 1: Would the teacher have the technology resources needed for students to create a mashup project?
Answer: This is a great project if the school can have the resources available for your class. I have heard of great success and positive responses from students from classes that have used similar integration of technology into their classrooms. It is a very active learning. This would mean that I as a teacher must be involved and lobby for technology funding in my school. This is important because it not only teaches academic lessons but also exposes students to technology that they will be using in their future.

Question 2: How can I incorporate the idea of mashup to younger elementary students?
Answer: I would prepare some trip ahead of time like a trip through the rainforest. I’d show video clips of the terrains we’d be faced with and pictures of the rainforest and the life species. I’d make available sites where they could have access to other things about the rainforest. With older elementary students they usually have a project about California Missions. I would give them an option of making a model or have them create a project using the internet with basic instructions. They could even work in teams to prepare a trip for the class to see.


Journal # Extra Credit
A War of Words by Jim Paterson

This article points out another option to punishing students who plagiarize. That option is to teach them how not to plagiarize by teaching students about tools and techniques that can help them better organize their thoughts so they don’t have to plagiarize. As teachers we are in the business of teaching and helping students become better students.

I really liked the article because it made a lot of sense to me. When I was in school they never had these tools and techniques available. When I look back I probably did plagiarize many papers in school because I did not knowing that I was doing it or how to do it better.

Question 1: What do you with a student who does get caught plagiarizing even when all these tools are available to them?
Answer: I would have them redo the assignment. But first, I would review the tools and techniques that are available to them to make sure they understood what plagiarism is and the dos and don’ts of writing from a source. Writing is something that they will continue to do and it is important for them to understand so that they will not have to resort to plagiarism for their next assignment.

Question 2: At what age can plagiarism be taught to students?
answer: This is a lesson that should be taught in elementary level when they begin to write reports. They should be introduced to tools and techniques that can help them become better writers. And then practice those techniques in their assignments. Each year they should be reminded and exposed so that they will have confidence in their writing so they will be less tempted to plagiarize.