Blog #3

A) Why Web 2.0? There's very little I know about Web 2.0 but I see much of its potential. As an educator I see that it can be a useful tool. It can be a useful tool to promote different avenues of communication with teachers, students and the community in a way that strengthen the community learners. The changes is reshaping traditional communication between all members of the community, breaking down barriers between social classes, international boarders, and where we actually think our boundaries lie.

B) As the community lines and boarders dissolve as the Web 2.0, we wait for Web 3.0 otherwise known as Semantic Web. Currently when we search for any information, it organizes sites "in order by popularity rather than, by say, source credibility" [The Power and Peril of Web 3.0 (Ohler, 2010)]. Web 3.0 is both frightening and exciting because it will change how we collect information. It will connect all source of your information and with a single search of your phone number, other information will be revealed such as address, what car you drive, your favorite restaurant. It would make research much faster and easier to access but it leaves people too exposed. I personally, like to keep some of my personal information to myself.

C) As I look into Web 2.0, however, I see much of its educational potential. Its easy to download, easy to access. It is a community binding tool that allows a stronger and tighter bound between teachers, students and community. It is easily accessed and it is accessible by learning communities around the world; and I think its is uniting the world faster and easier than ever before.

Blog #2 Reflection on Virtual Ed. Dives into Common Core

I believe virtual education is an important tool that we need to learn. Students as well as teachers need to touch base on how this would affect them and the learner as well as the teacher. With the trend of internet use and online communication exponentially escalating, virtual education needs to be realized.

1)      In what ways have you incorporated information and media literacy into your classroom?

As a special educator, I must find all avenues to reach my students with special needs. A good handful of them are visual learners. Most are non-verbal and use pictures, not only to communicate but pick up information. I’ve used videos, gone online and found sites that are helpful, etc.

2)       Do you think there are needs to have explicit instruction on information and media literacy or is it accomplished within a more holistic teaching style sufficiently?

I believe there are benefits to teaching to the specific and teaching holistically. Again, with my students with special needs one teaching method would work  for them as oppose to the other. Some students with Specific Learning Disability (SLD) for example, their learning disability maybe be given difficulties learning specifics to holistic. These students you teach them the “bigger picture” first in order to understand the specifics. Other students with SLD learn better when you give them the specifics in order for them to understand the “big picture”.

3)       What limits are there to following national or even state standards of literacy in all schools?

Naturally, when using virtual education, you are given in depth learning opportunities in some areas but are limited in other areas. Contact time between teachers and students may be spent in a number of ways: clarifying misunderstandings, providing alternative explanations, correcting incorrect assumptions, etc. Where lectures are given in a way that does not allow clarification when puzzlement appears on the faces of students, this gains extra importance.

4)      Have you ever been mandated to incorporate information and media literacy into your lessons? In what ways?

When given a list of what administrators will be looking for, incorporating technology in the classroom was one of the major things they were looking for. As a school (my previous school, SVES), all teachers scored the lowest in “incorporates technology in lesson”. To support our teachers, the admin brought people in the give Professional Development Seminars and would continue to do so until all teachers scored higher in that area. Needless to say, much improvement was made very quickly by the teachers.

What's a Blog?

A blog, as defined by the Marriam-Websters Dictionary, is a Web site on which someone writes about personal opinions, activities, and experiences.

Nowadays, blogs could just about to be used for anything. People around the world can share ideas - as if an international blackboard. Doctors can help some other doctor on the other side of the planet within minutes or even seconds.

Another way the blog could be used is to record of plan out activities that you plan to engage in - a appointment book, a monthly plan for your trip, etc.

Unfortunately, the risk of exposure is greater. You can be vulnerable to people knowing where you are, where  you will be, etc. and exploit them.

Resource: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11528-011-0495-7#page-1