A Grad Student's Thoughts

Like Pieces to a Puzzle…It All Came Together!

lishaj — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 22:50:22 +0000

With my grad class coming to an end on Dec. 15th I’d like to reflect back on what I’ve learned, and wow was there a lot! After I didn’t allow myself to get bogged down with terms like podcasts, mashups, RSS, and social bookmarking it was interesting to see just how much there is out there on the web. Before this class I didnt use the web much except for email, MySpace, and Facebook applying to jobs and just playing games By week 6 I realized that all of these tools came together to form what I now know is Web 2.0.

Everything about Web 2.0 is really cool! (Web 2.0 is a two way internet where people are reading and writing – collaboration!) I love how there is so much interaction, collaboration, and personalization available – for free! If I had my own classroom right now, (I’m a paraprofessional) I would be using so much of this technology. Technology is what the kids love and if the teachers know how to teach using it, it can be a great thing.

I found a great article entitiled Back to School with the Class of Web 2.0 http://www.solutionwatch.com/512/back-to-school-with-the-class-of-web-20-part-1/
Part 1 lists a bunch of great tools for students and teachers to use.

Part 2 is all about office applications and Part 3 talks about educational blogging, photosharing, and almost everything my grad class discussed. There are a ton of great links to the programs. I chedked some of the programs out and they were really neat. If you have some extra time please see what’s out there, you would be surprised

Web 2.0 tools can easily be used in the classroom: photo sharing (Flickr) video sharing (YouTube,TeacherTube, Podomatic), blogs, and wikis can all be used by the students.
Examples of some uses:
Flickr
Photos can be shown of pictures around the world in social studies. Animal photos for science class and any type of photos can be used to start a writing prompt in English.

PodoMatic
Students can create audiocasts and post to the internet about what is happening in the classroom (morning announcement style), read plays and stories. If students can not create the matieral there are plenty of podcasts they can listen to online

Blogs and Wikis
A teacher can create a classroom blog where students and parents can find information about homework and tests and whats happening in the classroom. Or students could have individual blogs to do out of class writing assignments. Students can read classmates’ blogs and other professionals to gain a better understanding of collaboration.

Once you become familiar with Web 2.0 the ideas will begin to flow and your kids will thank you for learning how to use these tools!

My Classroom Video

lishaj — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 19:59:27 +0000

My assignment this week for grad school was to create a video of anything This was pretty easy for me to do. All I needed to do was use my digital camera, upload to my computer and edit with Windows Movie Maker. I loved using Movie Maker – very user friendly I also became a member of the YouTube community, my video can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1sMUh9Gbek. It’s about 3min long and it shows the elementary school where I work at and the inside of my classroom. I didn’t take any video of the students because I did not have time to get parental permission, so all you will see is an empty classroom and me giving an introduction. I loved creating this short quick and will definitely make more videos from my classroom.

May I Have Your Permission…. Please?

lishaj — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 22:25:18 +0000

CLASSROOM COPYRIGHT CHART
Medium	What You Can Do	According to	The Fine Print
Printed Material
Poem less than 250 words Excerpt of 250 words from a poem greater than 250 words Articles, stories, or essays less than 2,500 words Excerpt from a longer work (10% of work or 1,000 words, whichever is less–but a minimum of 500 words) One chart, picture, diagram, graph, cartoon or picture per book or per periodical issue Two pages (max) from an illustrated work less than 2,500 words (like childrens books)	Teachers may make multiple copies for classroom use.	United States Copyright OfficeCircular 21	No more than one copy per student. Usage must be: At the “instance and inspiration of a single teacher” and when the time frame doesn’t allow enough time for asking permission. Only for one course in the school. No more than nine instances per class per term (current news publications such as newspapers can be used more often). Don’t create anthologies. “Consumables” can’t be copied. Don’t do it every term (if time allows, seek permission). Can’t be directed by “higher authority.” Copying can’t be substitute for buying. Copies may be made only from legally acquired originals.
A chapter from a book An article from a periodical Short story, short essay, or short poem Chart, graph, diagram, drawing , cartoon, picture from a book, periodical or newspaper	Teachers may make a single copy for teacher use for research or lesson preparation.	United States Copyright OfficeCircular 21	Same as above.
Portions of a work An entire work A work if “the existing format in which a work is stored has become obsolete”	A librarian may make up to three copies “solely for the purpose of replacement of a copy…that is damaged, deteriorating, lost or stolen”	Section 108 Copyright Act (1976 ) as amended by the Digital Millenium Copyright Act	The library must first determine that after “reasonable investigation that copy…cannot be obtained at a fair price” or that the format is obsolete.
Text for Use in Multimedia Projects
Same rights as “Printed Material” above	Students may incorporate text in multimedia projects. Teachers may incorporate into multimedia for teaching courses.	Fair Use Guidelines for Educational Multimedia	Teachers may use for two years, after that permission is required. Students may keep in portfolio for life.
Video
Videotapes (purchased) Videotape (rented) DVD Laser Discs	Teachers may use these materials in the classroom without restrictions of length, percentage, or multiple use . May be copied for archival purposes or to replace lost, damaged, or stolen copies.	Section 110 of the Copyright Act	The material must legitimately acquired (a legal copy). It must be used in a classroom or similar place “dedicated to face-to-face instruction”. Not for use as entertainment or reward. The use should be instructional. The place should be a non-profit educational institution.If replacements are unavailable at a fair price or are available only in obsolete formats (e.g., betamax videos).
Video (”Motion Media”) for Use in Multimedia Projects
Videotapes DVD Laser Discs QuickTime Movies Encyclopedias (CD ROM)	Students “may use portions of lawfully acquired copyrighted works in their academic multimedia”, defined as 10% or three minutes (whichever is less) of “motion media”	Fair Use Guidelines for Educational Multimedia	“Proper attribution and credit must be noted for all copyrighted works included in multimedia, including those prepared under fair use.”Tina Ivany, UC San Diego 12/08/95
Video for Integration into Video Projects		.
Videotapes DVD Laser Discs QuickTime Movies Encyclopedias (CD ROM)	Students “may use portions of lawfully acquired copyrighted works in their academic multimedia”	Fair Use Guidelines for Educational Multimedia	The material must legitimately acquired (a legal copy, not bootleg or home recording).
Illustrations and Photographs
Photograph Illustration Collections of photographs Collections of illustrations	Single works may be used in their entirety but not more than 5 images by an artist or photographer. From a collection, not more than 15 images or 10%, whichever is less.	Fair Use Guidelines for Educational Multimedia	Older illustrations may be in the public domain, but the collection may be copyrighted.
Music for Integration into Multimedia / Video Projects
Music	Up to 10% of a copyrighted musical composition may be reproduced, performed and displayed as part of a multimedia program produced by an educator or student for educational purposes.	Fair Use Guidelines for Educational Multimedia	Some authorities site a maximum length of 30 seconds. (www.indiana.edu), some do not mention a maximum (Tina Ivany, UCSD, 12/08/95). See below.
Computer Software
purchased software licensed software	Software may be lent by the library. Software may be installed at home and at school. Software may be installed on multiple machines. Software may be copied for archival use to replace lost, damaged, stolen, copies. Software can be distributed to users via a network. Librarians may make archival copies.	Section 107 and 108 of Copyright Act and subsequent amendments.	Take aggressive action to monitor that copying is not taking place (for retention). Only one machine at a time may use the program. The number of machines being used must never exceed the number of licensed. If unavailable at fair or is an obsolete format. The number of simultaneous users must not exceed the number of licenses. A network license may be required for multiple users.
Internet
Internet connections World Wide Web	Images may be downloaded for student projects.Sound files may be downloaded for use in projects (see portion restrictions above)	Fair Use Guidelines for Educational Multimedia & DMCA	Images may notbe reposted onto the Internet without permission.Sound or music files may not be copied and posted on the Internet without permission.
Television
Broadcast (e.g.,ABC,NBC, CBS, UPN, PBS, local television stations) Tapes made from broadcast	Live “off the air” broadcasts may be used for instruction. Tapes made from broadcasts may be used for instruction.	Congress	Things get interesting when you want to retain tapes. Minimum rights allow for 10 school days. Enlightened rights holders often allow for much more. PBS series Reading Rainbow offers three year retention rights, for example. If you like it enough to keep it more than three years, buy it!
Cable Television
CNN MTV HBO (etc.) Tapes made from cable.	May be used with permission. Many programs may be retained for years –depending on the program. Check with Cable in the Classroom.http://www.ciconline.org/main.cfm	Cable Systems (and their associations)	The guidelines for television programs were defined by Congress before cable television was a factor. Cable programs are not technically covered by the same guidelines as broadcast television.
Film or Filmstrip	.	.
16 millimeter films filmstrips	“Teachers may duplicate a single copy of a small portion…for teaching purposes”	Copyright Policy and Guidelines for California’s School Districts, California Department of Education	These must be films or filmstrips that you own.
Return for updates to:	http://www.mediafestival.org /copyrightchart.html	Hall Davidson	hall@cccd.edu

This chart can be found at http://www.mediafestival.org/copyrightchart.html

The topic of copyrights came up in my class on Monday night…some of us were very confused by what we can and can not use in our classrooms and in our video/audio projects. I thought this chart was very clear and easy to read. Some of this is surprising to me! Especially about playing 10% of music in projects, using only 5 images from an artist, and no more than nine instances per class per term when using printed material. From reading this chart, I feel like I’ve violated copyright laws many times :O I think teachers, should be able to use whatever they want in the classroom – as many pictures, songs, videos, and what not without worrying about copyrights. If it’s for an educational purpose and they aren’t passing it off as their own stuff, what’s the big deal? There are people downloading music everyday from BearShare and LimeWire and using material on Myspace…why can’t it be used in the classroom and in school projects without worrying about legal issues?

Two articles about copyrights and fair use:
http://www.edutopia.org/copyright-rules-teachers
http://www.techlearning.com/db_area/archives/WCE/archives/copywes.php

Website giving quick facts about copyrights and examples that happen in classrooms: http://lcweb2.loc.gov/learn/start/cpyrt/

Internet Footprint

lishaj — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 21:22:13 +0000

I came across a great 2 and a half minute video on Alexander Russo’s Blog hosted by Scholastic about how kids are tech savvy these days with posting information online. However, they do not realize that this information can be traced back to them years later after they have gotten about making that video or posting those inappropriate pictures. The video shows that kids are posting videos on You Tube about ways to cheat on tests. I actually went to You Tube and searched “ways to cheat on a test” and got a ton of videos. There are really some creative/desperate/pathetic people out there.
Coke Bottle Cheating:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUkeiqom_s4

Notes under your shirt:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSLJMVQFoXo

Notes on/in a pen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixVHBv654_U

Anyways, who is responsible for teaching our kids these online ethics, I guess that’s what we would call them? Is it the parents that need to be monitoring their children and explaining the effect of their online “footprint”? Or is it just another thing to be added to our teachers’ plates? Is it really going to come down to high schools offering an Internet ethics class? Kids are getting very creative/bold with what they are posting from ways to cheat, to binge drinking, drug usage, and fighting. Someone needs to inform them that they are ruining their online identity and possibly and future career options – who is going to be?

Please watch the video:
http://scholasticadministrator.typepad.com/thisweekineducation/2008/11/web-tests-kids.html

Audiocasts Can Be Fun!

lishaj — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 00:01:15 +0000

My assignment this week for grad school was to create a podcast and upload to your blog. Sounded simple enough, right? WRONG. This assignment started out as a nightmare! I first had to find a microphone, which I ended up borrowing from my boyfriend, then I had to download Audacity. Never heard of this program and had no clue how to use it. So I take the laptop into school on Friday with my microphone ready to have my kids create a “Morning Annoucement”. Well, this was interesting and entertaining. I couldn’t write a script for them because they can’t read (they are special needs kids) and I was trying to explain to them what we were going to do but all they wanted to do was “rock out” with the microphone. After several attempts, and I do mean several attempts we finally created a 3min announcement that makes a little bit of sense if you listen closely!
I ended up not using Audacity, instead I used Acid Pro instead which seemed to be much easier for me to use. The kids had a great time playing with the microphone and listening to themselves talking, singing, and laughing. They asked if we could do this every week and I just might do that, now that I know what I’m doing. Overall, I really liked this assignment and think podcasts can have a vareity of uses in the classroom!

Please click below to listen to our podcast…I promise you will enjoy it

http://aliciaj.podomatic.com/entry/2008-11-23T16_18_59-08_00

Pre-K Counts!

lishaj — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 18:24:15 +0000

I was at a faculty meeting on Friday and the topic of having creating a pre-school program in the district, free of cost to qualifying families, was brought up. This caught my attention because
1.) I need a job and
2.) I believe early childhood education is very important

I was reading up on PA’s Pre-K Counts program http://www.prekcounts.org/ and then I found an article from Associated Content at http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/396213/pennsylvaina_preschool_prek_counts.html?cat=9

According to this article only 31% of the children aged 3 and 4 in the state have access to quality preschool programs, and that was an interesting statistic. I really thought more children attended preschool than that. In undergrad, we learned alot about the benefits of preschool for children and for school districts. When children attend preschool they are taught skills they need to be successful in kindergarten and special needs are identified earlier. I would love to see my district start a program, we definitely need one!

Jump on The Bandwagon!

lishaj — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 18:08:26 +0000

I read an article at http://www.azcentral.com/families/articles/0316kidspodcast0316.html entitled, Podcasting craze spreads to children’s programming.
This artilce discussed how more and more parents are becoming aware of how to use their kid’s iPods for educational uses. A growing number of parents are looking for podcasts for their children that are educational, age appropriate and fun, but parents don’t where to look. The article offered a few suggestions for parents: http://recap.ltd.uk/podcasting www.familyfriendlypodcast.com and thesugarmonster.com . I just wonder, how many parents in my area (Westmoreland County, PA) are familiar with podcasts? I would love to send home a survey at my school and just see how technologically advanced my parents are. I know my school district doesn’t use podcasts at all, and now that I see what is out there, I wish we would!

Another New Word…

lishaj — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 18:01:15 +0000

Podcast. Another new word for me…well, I shouldn’t say “new” because I have heard of them before and had a slight idea of what they were. I mean, I’m 24 years old and don’t even own a iPod, yes pathetic I know. I just never had an interest in them. Anyways, back to podcasts, I never knew how many of them exsisted and how popular they are!
I used iTunes to search for podcasts for personal uses and found CNN, pilates, Grammer Girl and VH1’s best week ever – which was by far my favorite with over 300 episodes! Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to watch every episode yet, but I’m working on it! :) As far as podcasts for children, I think Story Nory was awesome. This has so many uses for the classroom! Sesame Street is also great for the pre-school and Kindergarten. Radio Disney was fun and so was Nickelodean!
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At http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=11531 there is a list of Scholastic’s Top 10 Podcasts for Teachers and Students. Do check it out

The New Pen Pals

lishaj — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 15:49:44 +0000

I came across the article E-Palling Around http://www.thejournal.com/articles/23557_1 by Jennifer Demski that discussed how teachers around the world are trying out SchoolMail (an application fromEpals) that allows students all over the world to connect via email. SchoolMail is designed to be used as email for students and follows the acts about children’s privacy and FERPA. The teachers can control the setting and if they want to allow attachments and who the children are emailing.

I think a program like this is awesome to use at all grade levels. Even the kindergarten kids can meet “friends” in other countries. Older students can talk to others about their country’s cultures, world issues, and relevant current events. STudents will benefit from this by being exposed to more cultures, practicing their writing and typing skills and reading skills. I don’t think teachers could go wrong by setting up virtual ePals for their students.

Rainfall Amounts Possible Link to Autism??

lishaj — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 15:30:52 +0000

As I was browsing through my classmates’ blogs the other day, I came across a blog post about the amount of rainfall linked as a possible cause of Autism and was very interested in this. I read some more articles about it, and I don’t know if I’m buying it or not.

About the Study:
The research from Cornell University compared the rates rainfall between 1987 and 1999 in Oregon, California and Washington, with rates of autism in children who grew up in that period. The relationship between autism and rainfall rates can be explained by the chemical effects of the rain, the experts speculated.

According to researchers, the rain can affect the chemicals to which children are exposed. Besides, the aging process in enclosed environments can affect children’s development, whether through increased exposure to tv or chemicals from the house, or by lack of vitamin D produced by exposure to sun.

The study was published in the journal Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27536036/

I also found a video newscast about the article here:
http://www.nypost.com/video/?vxSiteId=0db7b365-a288-4708-857b-8bdb545cbd0f&vxChannel=PostHealthFeed&vxClipId=1198_081106-11547_110608_an_VINOCUR_B1200&vxBitrate=300