Presentations

1. I think that the presentation is a very powerful tool in education, especially in the realm of Social Sciences. Images, videos, and important dates are crucial aspects of Social Studies instruction, and I feel as though the presentation style is the most efficient way to convey the information needed. Throughout our presentations, I was very impressed with the amount of information that could be given, with a simple prompt or picture on the screen. As discussed in class, the weakness of presentations is an overload of information on the screen at one time. I felt as though our class was very to the point and clear in our presentations. I also liked the way videos were used as a reinforcement tool to information presented. I thought that Marc especially showed this skill when presenting his facts on tornadoes, and then instantly following up with footage of an actual event.

2. The biggest flaw I saw in the presentations was the lack of mobility of the teacher. This may be due to the usage of Prezi, and the lack of a feature to click and roam throughout the classroom. However, I think it is crucial to be able to get to all parts of the classroom, and it seemed as though our presentations hindered that ability. I also noticed that some of us simply read the information that was on the screen, and did not provide much additional insight or instruction. The point of the presentation should be to simply grab the attention of the student, and drive home simple but key points. It is up to us as the teacher to fill in the gaps.

3. Obviously my main downfall was the loading of Youtube videos during the presentation. In hindsight, it may have been more beneficial to use Powerpoint, as it can imbed simple sound clips, instead of Prezi, which required a video link. If I were to do the presentation again, this is the avenue I would take. I would also liked to have spent more time on Prezi so that I could master all of its functions. In all I think that the presentation went well, with the exception of some lag time between the Youtube videos.

4. As stated above, I think that presentation software is a huge tool in Social Studies. I think it is an excellent way of making history come alive and become relevant to the students. When we can see or watch or even experience history, we are much more likely to identify and hold on to intricacies. In the future, I would switch my presentation to a Powerpoint simply for the fact that sound played such a huge role. I prefer Prezi in all other settings though, as I feel that it is more versatile and interactive. The downside of using presentation software is simply the misuse of its ability. This is done by overloading the presentation with wordage and information, instead of keeping it simple and clean.

5. In my field I think that presentation style teaching is the most effective tool. If done well, I believe that it is the most effective way to present information and make it alive and tangible to the students. I imagine myself using the software in some way in most of my lessons. Whether it is a quick way to relay information, or an entire lesson centered around the presentation, I think it will be very effective in my classroom. I love videos, and especially in history, I think I will utilize them in order to give my students a chance to peak into history with their own eyes.

Social Networking

My thoughts on social networking in the classroom as conflicted at best presently. Part of me wants to praise them as a god-send and absolute necessity in the classroom. However, I am also held back by the inherent danger of social networking, and how it can be misused both intentionally and by accident. In the article "Have you Googled your Teacher Lately?", the author states that all teachers are protected under the First Amendment, which grants freedom of speech. However, Carter then goes on to detail numerous instances of teachers being fired for their activity online and in social networking sites. Does this mean that we, as responsible teachers, should essentially erase our online footprint? The only way this seems possible to me is to either not use these sites altogether, or institute extreme safety measures and privacy barriers that keep students and others out of our business. Since I am neither proficient in doing this, or really excited to honestly, I find my self in some disdain with the classroom and social networking. I feel that if a student or anyone really wants to find me and information pertaining to me, they will. Therefore, I see it better to leave social networking out of the class, so that I may not ever be accused of encouraging any content that may deemed inappropriate or unprofessional in any way.

It is safe to say that Natalie was a bit of a dummy when it comes to blog posting. While I will not say that it was wrong of her to post her vents on other students, she should have at least done so in a more private way. By only allowing access to her friends and family, she would have never had any problem with this. That aside, I think that security is absolutely crucial when using social networking in the classroom. If I were to use Facebook in my class, I would not use my personal account in any way. I would create a school account, and only give students access to that link. In fact, I would not even tell students that I have another profile. My personal profile would be dripping with every privacy option known to man, to ensure that no student could ever gain access. This is the only way I can see to be truly safe. I do not think it is fair that a teacher should be held to this standard, but I can see why it is necessary. We are spending more time with children than their parents do, therefore, they want to be sure that their children are safe at all times. To ensure that this happens, the educational system and our society has placed teachers on a pedestal, where much respect is given, but model behavior is expected, and unprofessional activity is quickly punished.

I think that cyber-bullying is a very serious issue, and will continue to grow and become apparent in our schools in the future. Cyber-bullying is an invisible battlefield, where students can conduct their warfare virtually without detection. It is for this reason, that it is so dangerous. In the classroom, the teacher can usually identify bullying or other inappropriate behavior and quickly put an end to it. When this behavior is moved online, the teacher is taken out of the equation. Steps must be done to stop this, and giving schools and educators more access and influence in this area is the key. At David Douglas High School, teachers and administration have begun to fight cyber-bullying in this exact way. Students can now be punished for instances of cyber-bullying that are detected by the school. I believe that this is a great step forward in curbing this type of behavior. As a teacher we should take a zero-tolerance approach on traditional bullying, therefore, the same should be true with cyber-bullying. If we are using social networking in our class, or simply have access to students usage, we should constantly be on the lookout for cyber-bullying. I think it is our duty as teachers to seek the protection and good will of all our students, therefore, it is our responsibility to be on the look out for cyber-bullying.

digital natives

i am most definitely a digital native. without a doubt i am have grown up in an age of computers and technology, and to be honest i don't know anything different. i cannot imagine a life where information is not readily at hand by the click of a mouse, or communication is not possible through a simple telephone call or message. i do remember these things as developing technologies during my childhood years, but as i was developing along with them, and had no real need for communication or information. therefore, it was only natural that these things became a part of my life. i shared in infancy with technology, and have experienced life growing up with this monster. i have never thought of the parallels between myself and technology until reading this article. prensky states that,"it is now clear that as a result of this ubiquitous environment and the sheer volume of their interaction with it, today's students think and process information fundamentally differently from their predecessors"(pg. 1). upon reading this statement, it became clear to me that yes, i do process things in a different way than my parents and mentors, and this may be a huge reason why.

my world has always been centered on the premise of easy access to any and all information. there has always been a relatively quick way for me to gain knowledge by means of technology. prensky uses the word "instantaneity" to describe how we have been taught to receive and process information. i am used to an instant form of stimulus, communication, or access in almost all areas of my life, and being a digital native has led me to this behavior.

i have the pleasure of working for the past two years at david douglas high school in southeast portland. the school has had great access to technology, and for the most part has done an excellent job implementing it into the classroom. my work with special education had involved the use of computers, ipods, smartboards, document cameras, and speech devices to name a few. it was very rewarding to see how technology could aid in the education and adaptation of students with severe learning disabilities.

upon arrival at concordia university, i was thrilled to see the technology that is available to students. i am very excited to use this equipment, and i believe that it will help prepare me for any technology items i may run into in the classroom.

i believe that the use of technology in the social science realm is a necessity, and a great weapon to facilitate learning. prensky talks of using technology in the social studies realm. he states that if kids can learn 100 pokemon characters, then why can't they learn the names of all 101 nations in the world (pg. 5)? his answer to this problem is that it is in the way we present the information to students. i could not agree more with the author. why not create a video game that highlights country names, attributes, fun facts, and national history? maybe i am a history geek, but it sounds like fun to me.

intro post of a young blueberry

my name is ryan browning and i am a respected member of the notorious blueberry cohort (were kind of a big deal). i am endorsed in social studies and physical education and enjoy most foods. seafood is my absolute favorite followed by spanish/hispanic cuisine. furthermore, i am awesome, just ask someone. stay blue...