2nd and 3rd things I've learned.

2. Students should be allowed to use social networking sites at school as long as they can multitask for educational purposes.

3. Skype is a wonderful tool for virtual field trips and videoconferencing.

Schools should handle social networking sites by....

I believe that schools should allow students to access social networking sites. I questioned a seasoned veteran teacher who doesn't utilize technology at all and a green teacher who uses these form of sites everyday. The seasoned teacher didn't agree with students using the sites because she was told that there may be predators online and that there was no educational benefit to posting pictures of yourself and sharing the latest gossip online. I found her response interesting yet funny for someone who's never been on facebook or myspace. Everything she stated, she said she learned from her daughter or watching television. The green teacher and I felt the same. We both feel that by instilling good surfing habits within students while they are younger then will be responsible users of social networking. There will always be bullies in real life and cyberbullies. However, if students were taught the importance of time management online they wouldn't run to social networking. If we allow students to access these sites we would have a window to their world. Columbine may have been prevented.... Kids always show signs whether verbally or non. Social networking sites allow them to express themselves and show their growth emotionally and educationally. Isn't that what portfolio's are for? Couldn't we as teachers help them integrate their studies and their concerns? Schools need to accept that social networking sites aren't going anywhere. Students at my school use proxy server websites with various names that change daily because the tech people catch onto them. However they students stay a step ahead because they are always on facebook or myspace when I see them in the lab. The system has already been beaten. Why not join them?


http://thejournal.com/Articles/2009/09/16/Social-Networking-in-Schools-Incentives-for-Participation.aspx

Social Networking in Schools: Incentives for Participation

• By Patricia Deubel
• 09/16/09

In July 2007, the National School Board Association published results of three surveys regarding social networking, which included 9- to 17-year-olds, parents, and school district leaders in charge of Internet policy. While it came as no surprise that 52 percent of all districts interviewed prohibited any use of social networking sites in school, an interesting result with implications for schools was that "almost 60 percent of students who use social networking talk about education topics online and, surprisingly, more than 50 percent talk specifically about schoolwork" (NSBA, 2007, p. 1). The NSBA also found that schools and especially parents have strong expectations about the positive roles that social networking could play in students' lives, and both are interested in social networking as a tool.

With this in mind, one has to wonder why social networking has not been leveraged more in schools to enhance the education of youth. A quick answer would have to do with ensuring their online safety, which has posed a challenge to schools, as well as the typical issues surrounding introduction of any innovation. Such issues include factors that teachers can not easily influence or alter: research and policy factors and factors inherent to technology itself, and those factors that they can influence: district/school factors such as culture, factors associated with teachers' and students' beliefs, attitudes, experience, technology skills, and so on, and the technology-enhanced project itself (Groff & Mouza, 2008, cited in Klopfer, Osterweil, Groff, & Haas, 2009, p. 16).

However, there are at least two more issues to consider. District leaders want some evidence that social networking would fulfill their expectation of adding strong educational value and purpose. According to NSBA, before district leaders would buy into social networking for school use, there would need to be a strong emphasis on collaborative and planned activities, strong tools for students to express themselves, and an emphasis on bringing different kinds of students together, all with adult monitoring. I would add that social networking activities have not been promoted in schools, in part, owing to how student achievement has been measured as mandated by the No Child Left Behind accountability system, which has strongly influenced daily life in classrooms.

So where is the evidence that district leaders need, and what are the incentives for participation in social networking activities? Such evidence is tied to providing a 21st century global education, including project-based learning, which connects the social and the networking to curriculum and standards. An additional incentive considers the value and renewed focus on the development of the whole child, if changes in school accountability noted within School Accountability: A Broader Bolder Approach (BBA, 2009) become a reality.

Going Global
Interest in social networking in education is global, as evidenced by the wiki Social Networks in Education, which contains a "must-see" extensive list of social networks used in a variety of educational environments or for educational purposes. While open-access sites like Flickr, MySpace, YouTube, Del.icio.us, and Facebook might easily come to mind and contain relevant curricular content or groups with dedicated purpose (e.g. YouTube's education channel or Flickr's Visual Story Telling), schools often ban their use. They might be considered just too global and too scary. You'll find some alternatives among the Global Projects listed by the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development in Victoria, Australia. Childnet International, a London (UK) based company, provides additional information, advice, ideas and examples, and resources for using social networking services with young people at its Digizen.org.

_______________________________________________________________

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2010/feb/05/051548/student-gripes-voiced-social-networking/news-breaking/

By RONNIE BLAIR | The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 5, 2010

Updated: 03:48 pm

WESLEY CHAPEL - Teenagers have always griped about their schools and teachers.

Maybe they traded snide remarks about a less-than-effective chemistry instructor as they enjoyed lunch in the cafeteria. Maybe they gathered in small cliques at the mall and railed about unfair rules handed down by the principal.

Regardless, the complaints usually were heard only by those within listening distance.

These days, though, students can turn to social networking sites on the Internet to air their gripes and reach a much wider audience, including an audience that might not be receptive to the message.
That's what landed Alex Fuentes into trouble.

Last month, the senior at Wesley Chapel High in Pasco County was booted from his school's National Honor Society after he created a Facebook page critical of the school and its D grade from the state.

Fuentes, 18, said the page started as a joke, but he was also frustrated by the school's poor showing on the state's grading system. Plenty of other students jumped on the Facebook page to offer at times profane comments about Wesley Chapel High.

Fuentes said his school's chapter of the National Honor Society accused him of violating his pledge to be loyal to the school and dismissed him from the organization. He decided to transfer to another school.

Fuentes' page was hardly unique, though.

Search Facebook for nearly any high school or middle school in the Tampa Bay area and – with a few exceptions – at least one or more pages will appear. Pages also are dedicated to some elementary schools.

Often they deal with innocuous subjects. Alumni share information about class reunions or the whereabouts of former classmates. In many cases, people praise the schools and express happiness with their high school experiences.

On other pages, though, students and former students slam their schools, rag on the teachers or discuss instances of discrimination, drug use, weapons on campus and inappropriate activities or comments by school staff.

Facebook is just one of many social networking locations. Teenagers can just as easily use MySpace and Twitter to trade barbs about their schools.

It's a new world of student communication where the principal or superintendent has little to no control over a message that reaches a much larger audience than would a critical article in the school newspaper.

School districts say they don't have the manpower or the inclination to try to monitor or refute all the information circulating out there.

"We are in no way the police of MySpace," said Summer Romagnoli, a spokeswoman for the Pasco County school district. "That's not really our role."

In the Fuentes case, she noted, the student was accused of violating National Honor Society rules, not school rules.

Linda Cobbe, a spokeswoman for the Hillsborough County school district, said she does not know of any cases in Hillsborough where a student was disciplined over critical comments written on Facebook or other social media sites.

Cobbe said district employees in Hillsborough can't even access Facebook from work because a filtering system blocks it.

That isn't to say student social-networking sites are ignored completely.

Law enforcement officers might check the sites to learn about drug activity or crimes. Also, Cobbe said she knew of at least one situation in Hillsborough where threats were investigated.

School district officials also could get involved if a parent or student makes them aware of cyber bullying or other potential violations of the student code of conduct that have a direct impact on the operation of the schools.

Case law on what school districts can and should do about comments on the sites is still evolving, though, Romagnoli said.

"It's sort of a new territory for public education," she said.

Just this week, a U.S. appeals court said Pennsylvania school students can be disciplined for creating MySpace parodies of school officials at home — but only if they are likely to disrupt school.

The 3rd U.S. Circuit Court reached different conclusions in two cases Thursday that involve suspending students for fake MySpace pages created off-campus.

In a Mercer County case, the court's 2-1 opinion said a high school cannot reach into a family's home and police Internet speech.

But another three-judge panel said Schuylkill County school officials can suspend a teen for her sexually explicit parody of her principal. The panel says the school could expect the posting to disrupt school.

Any member of Facebook can create a group or page about nearly any subject. One Facebook page dedicated to Hillsborough County's new Steinbrenner High, which opened in August, is titled "Steinbrenner High School is Hell."

Only a few people have bothered to leave comments on the page, though some of those who did laced them with profanities.

Students and former students on a page about Durant High discuss their least favorite teachers, naming names.

One of the topics on the discussion board for the Durant High page is titled "Evil Evil Teachers that Should be Flicked in the Head."

A topic on an Alonso High discussion board is "You know you go to Alonso when. . ."

Some responses are whimsical, but others raise issues about discrimination, weapons, drugs and inappropriate comments by teachers.

It isn't just limited to high schools. Middle school students and alumni also trade memories and critiques of teachers and principals.

"Because it's a forum out there, it goes unchallenged," said Lizette Alexander, Pasco's director of student services. "I write whatever I want and that's my First Amendment right. But it creates a one-sided perception."

Even if they discover inaccurate information on one of the sites, district officials can't really respond, especially if the comments relate to confidential information such as the discipline of individual students.

Sherri Dunham, a student services supervisor, said Pasco schools teach character education and Internet use has been added to that curriculum to encourage students to be more responsible.

Alexander said parents can help by discussing with their children the responsible use of First Amendment rights.

"You need to use good judgment about where you go [on the Internet] and what you put out there about yourself," she said.

1st Thing I learned

Web 2.0 is a platform that allows users to use multiple applications that offer unlimited access to blogs, wikis, video posting/editing, in addition to voip amongst others.

Good Morning Everyone!

I just wanted to post something new to my blog. It's been a while since I've been on here but I'm excited to almost finished with my program. The trip has been long and very trying due to outside factors. These factors haven't deterred my from focusing on and accomplishing my goals. I am focused. My thoughts are partly cloudy with a chance of...... Everyday it's something new. Technology comforts me. Technology allows me to utilize different tools for educational and or personal uses. I don't have to be "me" online. Although I enjoy being me, change is always good. So I hope you all have a wonderful time in class and that we all get A's.

B.

8thB.P. Reflecting........

When I think about the course of events that happened I shake my head and wonder why. I think about how far African Americans have come as a people in the wonderful United States of America and our current state disappoints me. Sure there are lots of positive people doing good work but in my opinion the bad outweighs the good. The future is looking pretty bleak for my people. We need to focus more on getting a proper education and or learning a trade so you can support yourself and or your family and teach your children so they can achieve more in life than you did. I know grown men who live in their mother's basement, have three kids by three different women and only want to party, run the streets, and wipe down a car with rims that cost more than the car. Enough is enough. Everyone thinks it's cool to be thugs and going to jail is the new rite of passage for young African American males. I try my best to lead by example with the boys at my school and in my neighborhood. Charles Barkley and Kanye don't want to be role models. I guess I'll continue to do what they should also be doing. I'm just glad that I'm respected and admired even though I don't don all the materialistic possessions that make people "cool." I hope my webquest causes the youth to take into consideration what is right and important in helping them map out and live their lives in a responsible fashion.

In addition I had a pretty good time developing a web based inquiry activity. I believe my project exemplifies the use of student inquiry for learning because it causes them to look at discuss, and deal with the issues that affect their community. I think web based inquiry would fit within my vision of myself as an educator because it allows students to step outside the everyday norm of worksheets and tests.

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.