My 2nd life experience

I think second life is a wonderful place to use for educational purposes. My experience has been nothing but positive with second life. At first I was kinda skeptical because it seemed kinda weird to me. I didn't see why people would want to be in another world as someone else. Little did I know that it encompasses much more than just walking around talking to various people. However once I started using the program and got the basics down I was impressed. There aren't any boundaries and you have the ability to create your own building and present presentations etc..... I especially liked the Space Museum and going up on the rooftop for the powerpoint presentation for nlu. I wish CPS would use this for teachers on our professional development days. However some old school teachers would be lost and most schools wouldnt have enough computers to accomodate the staff. Funny thing is that I just got a PS3 and the playstation network is just like second life with the avatars and such. Everyone is walking around watching videos, talking, and purchasing PS3 games. They throw parties on there and play games together. There is even streaming ESPN! LOL!! Second life may be the future...... but of what in education? There are so many possibilities of how it can be used. Let me get to braingstorming..... maybe I can come up with something that will change education as we know it.

I have a dream

I've had a heck of a time choosing what I was going to do my webquest on. I had no idea where I was going to come from and or come up with for my assignment. Little did I realize that I had all the resources that I need right in my face. For the last month and some change we've all heard and or seen a story or 1,000 of them in the media about Derrion Albert, Fenger h.s., and the Roseland community of Chicago. Well I live in this neighborhood and know lots of students from Fenger h.s. personally. Fenger is my school's neighborhood school. What's sad about this whole situation is that Fenger is used as a drop off for students with the lowest test score of their grammar school who couldn't get accept anywhere else. The majority of students who attend school at Fenger h.s. do just that. They attend school and stay out of trouble. However, in my opinion I would say 20% of the students at Fenger are the "hardcore gangbangers" that are keeping this mayhem up. I attended Morgan Park and some of my friends attended Julian, Corliss, and CHAS. However NO ONE wanted to go to Fenger because in the 1980's the good teachers left when they saw the area going down and student population changing. The Roseland neighborhood does have a gang and drug problem but it's not every single block. I'd say 40% of it is horrible the other 60% is perfectly fine. The gangs within the neighborhood all know each other, fight and kill each other but if outsiders, like the students from Altgeld Gardens come in trying to take over it's a problem. That's what happened up at Fenger. Students from the Gardens flexed their muscle on the various neighborhood gangs in an attempt to "show them who's boss." However the neighborhood gangs came together to get rid of the students from the Gardens. This situation was flaring up for years and nothing was done until someone died. Shame on them! Shame on the students! Shame on the principal! Shame on the Alderman-Carrie Austin! Shame on the police! Everyone knew but no one did anything. Now I see my neighborhood all over the media like its the worst place in the city! Well it isn't, there are plenty of law abiding hard working citizens in this community. Arne Duncan holds an emergency meeting and chooses to throw 500k at the situation for more programs. Okay................. They need gang awareness programs, jobs, work study and better academic/technology based programs for students also. There aren't any local opportunities for students to take advantage of. I decided that my webquest will be about if Dr. King's dream is still alive today and look at what he attempted to accomplish and where African Americans stand today.











This was in the paper today:

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/boxing/1843769,CST-NWS-terrell25.article


I'm sorry but I walk in my neighborhood everyday and I feel safe. No one will mess with you if you aren't messing with them or gang banging. I do not walk in fear, I make eye contact with people and I speak to them. I hope you visit the area and see for yourself that it isn't what the media is making it out the be.

Criteria for the selection of web-based materials

I've been using the internet actively for the last 12 years. I've properly utilized online resources for the last 10 years. I used to be a cut and paste type of student. I knew about primary and secondary resources and how to utilize books the correct way. However, once I found out that you could find the information that you needed online, why not use it? That's why I'm glad I was a history major because my professors drilled us over and over again about plagiarism. They showed us how to test the accuracy and relevance of websites. I even wrote a paper with a classmate for one of those professors. Why did he "loan" our paper to classmates who were in the library. Of course the paper that we wrote ended up getting turned in and we were all in hot water. Luckily I had the resources to back up, how I/we wrote the paper. As far as web bast materials you have to be very careful and do lots of cross referencing in order to see if what you are reading is true. Anyone can make a web page and post something, or edit a wikipedia page. Utilizing web 2.0 tools, ID, and addressing credibility issues are other ways that students, teachers, and others utilizing web based materials can reliably use those materials.

Several teachers and institutions provide access to Web-based teaching materials through links on Web pages. An example is how Columbia Education Center provides access to supplemental Web-based Teaching Materials^[1]. University professors and departments often provide similar resource pages to augment learning opportunities for their students. These resources are especially helpful when they provide an extension beyond what is covered in the classroom (i.e. materials on specific disciplines for Education majors who may be have deep knowledge in a specific discipline).

According to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web-based_teaching_materials

Several companies and cooperative efforts have emerged to provide online access to Web-based teaching materials. These entities range from companies producing their own edutainment media to sites provided to aggregate links to other existing content. While the missions of these organizations may differ, they all focus on furthering the World Wide Web as the delivery medium for teaching materials.

Blog #4 -Web 2.0 Tool Evaluation

RSS (most commonly translated as "Really Simple Syndication" but sometimes "Rich Site Summary") is a family of web feed formats used to publish frequently updated works—such as blog entries, news headlines, audio, and video—in a standardized format. An RSS document (which is called a "feed", "web feed", or "channel") includes full or summarized text, plus metadata such as publishing dates and authorship. Web feeds benefit publishers by letting them syndicate content automatically. They benefit readers who want to subscribe to timely updates from favored websites or to aggregate feeds from many sites into one place. RSS feeds can be read using software called an "RSS reader", "feed reader", or "aggregator", which can be web-based, desktop-based, or mobile-device-based. A standardized XML file format allows the information to be published once and viewed by many different programs. The user subscribes to a feed by entering into the reader the feed's URI or by clicking an RSS icon in a browser that initiates the subscription process. The RSS reader checks the user's subscribed feeds regularly for new work, downloads any updates that it finds, and provides a user interface to monitor and read the feeds.

Cited from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RSS, by Brian H. on 10/03/09

RSS feeds are considered part of Web 2.0 because it utilizes user centered design and information sharing. The primary purpose of RSS feeds is to use one sites date in another site, application, or browser plugin. Students from third grade/ages 7 and above should be able to utilize RSS feeds. A professional development activity/ sample lesson that could be used with an RSS feed is to have teachers start a google account and receive RSS feeds from several news networks through google reader. They could then pick 2 interesting articles and summarize them with group members and embed a video of the story on their blog. resource.

RSS image uploaded from: http://www.zisshop.nl/Zis/web/%5Cpic%5Crss.gif

Back to the drawing board B.P.#3

I got so used to teaching seventh and eight graders, that I forgot what to expect when I went back to early childhood education. Being a man teaching preschool is quite the task. 80% of the children in my class don't live with their biological fathers and I am their only contact with a male outside of siblings and or other family members. This is a positive in a MAJOR way. They get to see a male role model outside of what the norm in my neighborhood is, and let me say that it isn't positive.

I went from easy street, by having students grade their own papers and record grades to having to wipe noses and serve food family style. I also had to change my teaching methods and become more of a nurturer than a disciplinarian. The one thing that I find bot ages of students have in common is that they are all receptive to positive engaged conversation. I'm not a teacher who raises their voice. I've never had to an probably never will. My aura delivers a strange cosmic energy that mysteriously tells students "don't play with him." However, it was back to the drawing board when it came to preschool. I could use a refresher that helped me with my teaching style and what I should be concentrating on teaching the little people.

I found several websites that offered helpful information that I could use in and outside of my classroom.

A to Z Kid's Stuff - http://www.atozkidsstuff.com/

Lots of very basic approaches to instruction for Preschool and Kindergarten, categorized by headings that will surely make sense to any primary teacher. While this site doesn't necessarily offer lots of interactivity, the storehouse of ready to use ideas is a big selling point.

Early Childhood Technology Literacy Project - http://www.mcps.k12.md.us/curriculum/littlekids/

The forward thinking Montgomery County, Maryland School system has put together this progressive program to promote literacy of technology in the earliest grades. This website offers the background and materials to teachers around the world interested in making use of this fabulous program.

Early Childhood Thematic Units - http://www.sbcss.k12.ca.us/sbcss/specialeducation/ecthematic/index.html

Kathy Van Velzen offers this collection of eleven units complete with Bulletin Board Ideas, Cooking Ideas, Fine Gross Motor tasks, Language Development, Literature, Music, Sample Lesson Plans, Sample Parent Communications, Software Support, and Toys and Materials.

EduPuppy - http://www.edupuppy.com/

Kristen Hammond heads up this well-screened directory of developmentally appropriate ideas and materials perfect for grades K-2. Using keywords and categories teachers can sniff out the best activities, research and resources for the classroom. Very user friendly.

Enchanted Learning - http://www.enchantedlearning.com/categories/preschool.shtml

This portion of Enchanted Learning is dedicated exclusively to younger students. It includes letter and number recognition, colors, animals, transportation, as well as themes, links and a child-friendly search tool. Definitely worth your consideration.

ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education - http://ericeece.org/

This site is one of 16 clearinghouses in the ERIC system, providing resources for educators, parents and families, interested in the development, education, and care of children throughout early childhood. A great resource for research and literature helpful to educators.

Funschool - http://www.funschool.com/

Original activities designed for younger students, Funschool is a great place to have safe fun online. There's lots of familiar game formats here, and great use of JAVA applets for interactive uses of technology. Activities for upper elementary too.

Idea Box - http://www.theideabox.com/

All kinds of timely lessons and activities designed for the primary grades, including message boards where teachers can get together and offer support and ideas for one another. The free monthly newsletter rounds out this exceptionally designed site.

KinderKorner - http://www.kinderkorner.com/

Kinder Korner is a resource web site for teachers and others interested in early childhood education. It has an Internet mailing list and a great place to share ideas, ask questions, and talk about what works in your classroom.

Mrs. Gaines' Kindergarten Links - http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Aegean/2221/gainesgang.html

This is what a truly early childhood collection of links should look like. If you visit no other site from this edition, be sure to visit this one if you're looking for interactive educational games for nonreaders. Close the Geocities menu before sharing with your children.

The School Bell - http://www.theschoolbell.com/

Kathy Gursky offers this collection of themes, activities and resources for the primary classroom. Surf by month, alphabetically or by category. School Bell originals offer new content of interest to young children and their teachers.

A World of Kindergartens - http://www.coe.iup.edu/worldofkindergarten/

Excellent listing of early childhood resources gathered from around the globe and covering such popular areas of interest as the 100th day of school, computers in the primary grades and bookmark collections on high interest topics.

• (*websites suggestions, cited from http://surfaquarium.com/newsletter/early.htm on 10/2/09 by Brian H.)

There are tons of additional materials on the web for teachers to use with their students. We just have to go through them and see if they are worth recommending to our coworkers and classmates.