Popplet

Let's hope that 'alpha develoment' doesn't take too long.  Popplet looks fun!

Social Bookmarking & Image Bookmarking

My delicious account
http://www.delicious.com/sllamme

WARNING -I have signed up with http://weheartit.com/ as my image bookmarking site, and WAS going to remove my account, but you cannot do so.  I like how easy it is to add images and who wouldn't want the cute little 'I heart it' bookmarklet, but the site is painfully S-L-O-W!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/slamme/
I like flickr 'cause it's much quickr!!!  Let me know if you can't see my pics, I might have to add you as a friend. (?) Not much there yet, but it's a start.

A ning worth checking out

http://essdackartsnacks.ning.com/

Week 5 read & reflect

Will our descendants look like Kif?

A couple of weeks ago, here on my blog, I made the hypothesis that  since technology could be considered a language, and given that our children are immersed in it from birth, could we assume that their technology skills are processed utilizing a different area of the brain than adults? 

How interesting then, it was to learn during the course of this week’s reading that my hunch was correct!  According to Small & Vorgan's book iBrain , the iKid is digitally hardwired, possessing impressively different neural networks than those who came to the digital age as adults. It is alarming to note that this evolution comes at the expense of a weakened neural circuitry in regard to human contact and social interaction.  As indicated in the iBrain, chapter two, implications for the classroom could include students who:

·       expecting instant gratification.

·       possess shorter attention spans

·       feel uncomfortable and isolated when reading books

·       are bored with traditional learning

·       may not have normal interactive social skills and may struggle with being empathetic to those around them.

Finally, an explanation for the reason, “Those kids are getting worse every year”!

In the excerpt from Jensen's Arts with the Brain in Mind we find that the arts can play a key role in the learning process.  Jenson says that ‘art making and seeing are a whole-brained experience’. Through the process of seeing, multiple areas of the brain are engaged. The visual system of the brain synthesizes prior knowledge, plugs in new information, and sets forth a ‘created sense of what is and what could be’. (p 55)  Thus, the greater exposure a student has learning in and through the arts, the greater this bank of prior knowledge he has to draw from and the greater the opportunities for the generation of new ideas. 

Through the process of creating art students:

·       have the opportunity to express themselves

·     develop higher order thinking skills (When art is integrated into the  curriculum, students perform better in other subjects.)

·       become more self-disciplined

·       develop social skills, work ethic, and an appreciation for teamwork

 In comparing the classroom implications of the digitally hardwired iKid to the benefits of creating art, should they be posted side–by-side, lines could be drawn, with art providing a solution to nearly of the implications.  What a powerful case this makes not only for the Visual Arts as a subject, but also for the use of art throughout the entire school.  

How fortunate that I already work in a field where I encourage my students to express themselves on a regular basis.  This further reinforces my belief that the arts might well be the most important subjects in our schools.  Jensen implores us to, “throw out all the preconceptions of who can do art and who cannot.”(p 64) This spoke to me very strongly.  Not that I would ever ‘give up’ on a child, but I sometimes struggle with those students who, who out of laziness or a preconceived notion that they aren’t good at art, simply refuse to engage in any project which requires sustained effort. (You know the type; the ones who make you want to pull your hair out!)  I am exploring the idea of how I can chunk assignments up for these students, so that perhaps, with greater success, will come a greater degree of engagement.  I also believe that I need to provide more time for collaborative projects, which would foster social skills and promote a sense of belonging to a team. 

As the brain of the iKid continues to evolve, it’s imperative that some intervention take place lest humans develop into affect-less beings with enormous heads!

Skype

Michelle and I had a great conversation via Skype this afternoon, after much experimentation we were able to both see AND hear one another. 

Unfortunately, user error ( Computer message - Would you like to save the contents of your clipboard?  Me -  no......AUGH!)  has prevented me from posting the actual snapshot of Michelle,(too bad, because she is adorably cute!)  this screenshot will have to serve as proof of our conversation. ; )

Week 4 read & react

What is your personal perspective on utilizing social networking sites for education? Do the benefits outweigh the risks?

If posed these questions prior to the start of this class, there’s a good chance that I might have sided with so many of my colleagues in a belief that no, social networks should be strictly social.  However, in the past four weeks, my feelings on the matter have changed.  The more I have learned about the iKid and how his multi-tasking brain works, the more I see a need for the educational use of social networking sites.  Yes, there are risks, but I do believe that the benefits are far greater.

There is no doubt that the internet is where our students are.  Whether facebooking, surfing the web, or creating content on a desktop computer, laptop, or smartphone, online IS where they live.  It is no wonder that education is boring to them; it simply has not kept the pace of our rapidly changing world. For education to be successful in the twenty-first century we must be willing to make a radical change.  The web-site http://www.21stcenturyschools.com/What_is_21st_Century_Education.htm gives us this definition - ‘Teacher - From primary role as a dispenser of information to orchestrator of learning and helping students turn information into knowledge, and knowledge into wisdom.’ I feel, with the proper parameters in place, social networking provides a great opportunity to foster precisely this 21^st Century type of learning experience.  The social network Facebook offers bulletin boards, instant messaging, email, the ability to link web-sites, to post pictures, and video.  It would be the perfect platform for a classroom away from school.  I am not advocating that a social network classroom replace the actual classroom, but more as a means of augmenting the regular classroom. Assignments could be posted, techniques demonstrated, lectures recorded, questions asked / answered and feedback given. It would provide the opportunity for our globally connected iKid to reach beyond the walls of the concrete classroom. It’s available 24/7, and a social network classroom has the potential to evolve as it progresses, meeting the needs of the individuals comprising the class. 

Yes, there are would be risks associated with using social networking sites: students posting too much personal information about themselves, cyber-bullying, and cyber-stalking. However, we teach our students many life skills that are outside the realm of standard curriculum such as:  organization, the importance of teamwork, face-to-face communication skills, and self-esteem. We teach them ways to say no to drugs and alcohol, and what to do if a stranger approaches them.  They learn the rules for riding in a school bus and how to ‘Stop, drop, and roll’ if their clothing catches on fire. Why then, can’t we teach them netiquette, boundaries and rules in regard to personal privacy?  Could we not admonish them to stay away from websites that might be inappropriate for them? Guide them through determining the credibility of a website? It seems to me that education is failing to meet the needs of our students in not providing them the skills to navigate safely through their (online) life.

In my opinion, educators should, recognize the risks involved, turn them into learning experiences, and utilize social networking sites to provide iKids the 21^st Century type of education they deserve.

More about blabberize

So BAAAAAAAD, I know, but my kids will love it. This would be an engaging way for students to report on an artist. They could upload an image and then record their voice telling that artist's story.