Cyberbullying and Cyberthreats

In my opinion, internet safety needs to be addressed at home first. Children in the US are given cell phones and are allowed to create facebook pages and my space accounts entirely way too early. Second, parents should at all times check to see what their children are doing online. Third, laws need to be changed regarding searching an electronic devise brought to school. If a school can check the content of a person's bookbag brought on campus and placed inside a locker (school property) then the school should be able to check the content of a digital device brought on the school ground. Teachers need to be more attentive to what's going on in the classrooms because most of this (bullying and threats) stems at school (in the classroom or on the playground) and then is carried to  social sites, because it is easier and much faster to spread rumors to a  larger crowd in just a short period of time. We are losing children at alarming rates due to suicide therefore, it is the responsibility of the parents and educators to take measures to prevent cyberbullying and cyberthreats from occuring at home and in schools.

Digital Citizenship

Because technology is vastly used and found in every arena in our everyday lives  (e.g., schools, workplace, homes, etc) we all need to be aware and take responsibility to make sure that it is properly being utilized for the purpose it was intended, people have abused technology severly and it is one of the reasons why I shy away from it in most cases. Personally I do not shop or pay bills on line out of fear of someone hacking into and retriving my personal information via internet. People have used technology to commit fraud and other vicious crimes like child pornography, cyberbullying, credit card fraud, etc. I use it srtictly as tool to research, keep in touch/track, and to communicate with realtives and friends who have moved away

Flipped Classrooms

Flipped classrooms has its advantages and disadvantages. Personally I prefer the tradition classroom lecture because I am more of a "hands-on" (visual) learner. Watching a pre-recorded lecture will allow me to become distracted especially if I did not get the point the first time and have to constantly rewind the video. Because many children already struggle with short attention span in the traditional classroom this may not be the answer either.  In subjects like math and science (which are my weakiest areas) I need to be able to ask questions right then. I do agree however, for a student who is out due to sports or even an illness this type of classroom setting has some advantages because they can stay afloat with the subject material, it's as if they never even missed class. Another advantage is that it allows the students more time to complete expieriments and clean the room in a resonable time period that wouldn't run into the next class.

Sharks concept map

SHARKS

 Tiger sharks
 Tigers sharks are common in tropical waters throughout the world. They get their name for the dark, vertical stripes found mainly on juveniles.; as they mature the lines fade and almost disappear. They have sharp serrated teeth and are second to great whites in attacking people. They have an average life span of up to 50 years.
  Consummate Scavengers
  Blunt-Nosed Predators
Bull Sharks
Bull sharks live high population areas like tropical shorelines. They are grey on top and white below and their fins have dark tips. They are the most dangerous sharks in the world . They are currently not threatened or endangered species. They have a life span of about of about 16 years.
 Most Dangerous
 Found in Gulf of Mexico
  Territorial

 Hammer-head Sharks
 Hammerhead are found in temperate and tropical waters worldwide. They have wide set eyes that gives them better visual range than most other sharks. Their oddly shaped heads improve their ability to find prey. They are considered the largest of the 9 identified species and are fairly small and are considered harmless to humans. They have an average life span of up to 20 to 30 years.
  Aggressive Hunters
  Dorsal Fins
Great White Sharks

Great white sharks are found in cool coastal waters throughout the world. They are torpedo-shaped with power tails that can propel them through the water up to 15 miles per hour. They have serrated teeth behind the main ones, ready to replace any that break off. They are ranked first in a list of number of recorded attacks on humans. They reach maturity at 15 years of age and have a life span of over 30 years.
 Endangered
  JAWS
 Largest Predatory Fish
Whale Sharks
Whale sharks are the second largest fish in the sea. The whale shark populates all tropical seas. It migrates every spring to the continental shelf of the central west coast of Australia. It is a threatened species, but they are gentle giants who swim with its mouth open wide collecting plankton and small fish. They have an average life span of about 70 years.
 Filter Feeders
 Threatened Species

Sharks

CIPA

Schools and educators need to search for programs that filter all Internet activity securely.There are easy to install and use programs out there that are affordable and allow them to keep the discounts for the E-rate program. In my opinion, these educators are already carrying a stressful workload and the federal government keeps adding to it. Teachers are taking on more and more responsibilities and not receiving any more pay. Teachers should only have to monitor the usage of Internet activity while students are using it in the classroom. There is a software program called OpenDNS that is a filtering system to block harmful content while protecting students and school computers from the latest security threats. From the article I read about it, it is easy to use and still allows schools to receive the discounts offered through E-rate.

Safe Social Networking

We live an age where technology is a huge part of our everyday life. Sometimes the only we interact is through social networks. If I usually want to know something about an event, person, etc I can log on to my facebook and find out. So why not build an academic social network for children to learn and interact with peers and teachers. I feel this site should be monitered at all times to keep children from distractions like games, socializing (not pertaining to the lesson/discussion), etc. Often time teachers don't have enough time in class to cover every they may need to and having this site allows the teacher to touch every base that needs to be addressed. Students who may play a  sport  can stay on track or if a student misses a day of class.Even the student who is shy or afraid to stand up in front of the class and ask questions can benefit from this social tool.

A future full of badges

Using badges is not a bad idea in the educational realm, because it is a way of tracking a students' mastery levels and it allows the student to continue to build on it. However, it can be harmful to the workforce in some instances; in my opinion, badges will eventually do away with personable interviews; by allowing the employer to pull up a list of the applicants skills. You do not get to meet the real person or get to know his character and personality. Also not every skill or learning objective can be acquired from the classroom or a book, sometimes depending on the type of  job a more "hands-on" approach is more beneficial because you will have to apply these skills on the job. Experience is the best teacher and that can't be covered in a textbook, only by doing.

Blog Post #5

No two children are alike; therefore, when it comes to learning, there are visual learners and auditory learners. Gamificaton is a innovative and creative way of learning for the visual learner and children who suffer from ADD,ADHD, or any other learning disabilities. For my son who is ADHD, I incorporate learning games to help as a visual guide,( because he's a visual learner) to keep him  motivated about learning. It stimulates his mind, as well as keeps him focused (where sometimes in class he can't sit still or has problems paying attention). The only downfall to this style of learning, in my opinion, would be the competitiveness. Again, in my opinion I think it would single children out, who may not catch on like some of  the other children, thus making the child frustrated and discouraged.Gamification should be challenging however, its main goal should be to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the individual. Its primary function should be to track the progress of the student. It should be a building block (to strengthen weaknesses) and help bridge the gap between the "No Child Left Behind" Act.

Blog post #3

I'm not at all surprised at the statics in this video. First of all, the kids of the 21st century virtually grew up with advanced  technology. My seven year old can perform tasks on my smart phone that I still haven't figured out. He can navigate the web and download music and apps. It is amazing to me how computer literate he is. My generation  did not have or either could not afford the technology they we now today. I was an adult when  I purchased my very own PC. I did not have any (much) training, what I learned was largely from my oldest son (who was using computers in junior high school). Schools were integrating the use of computers in the classrooms as research tools.  I am still not that knowledgeable when it comes to all the latest technology.
Schools in the US have cut back so much that it is virtually impossible for our kids to keep up with foreign countries.  Schools are only partly to blame, parents need to bear some of the responsibility as well. We spend mega bucks on clothes,sneakers, game systems, IPods,  smart phones, etc...instead of investing in our child's education. Our children spend countless hours on social media sites, texting, and playing  games,  instead of utilizing that time to study. This attributes to poor study habits or the lack of.
Another argument is the fact that some veteran teacher's have a fear of technology. I have been in classrooms just recently where the instructor did not even know how to work a projector, she  would constantly request a tech to come in and "fix it" (all she needed to do was turn it on with the remote). You can not teach what you do not know. Therefore workshops and adequate training should be a major focus in all schools.
As far as the job market is concerned, most (if not all) require basic computer knowledge. I am a sales associate in a retail store and when I was hired I had to have experience with certain software programs (to even qualify for the position). Even in the medical field it is important to be able to know how to operate the various equipment.

Web literacy/Technology

First and foremost, one of the main  reasons  schools aren't teaching web literacy is largely due to cost. Second, is the fact that most veteran teachers aren't too computer savvy. Lastly, technology is constantly changing, which makes it harder to stay afloat.This affects me not only as a student, but  also as an Elementary major because I too, am not as knowledgeable when it comes to modern technology. I was first introduced to the computer in high school for the sole purpose of typing. I had never surfed the web nor did I have to do any kind of research; this was strictly a tool used to aid me in regards to typing. By the time I owned my own PC; I had very limited skills, and  once I mastered one goal, a new and improved technique came along. case in point, I have an older PC therefore the software is outdated. I recently upgraded to Microsoft Office 2007 and  mostly everyone is using Microsoft Office 2010.