50 blogs of educational interest

 As I continue my own educational pursuit, and the learning of technology that filters through are educational systems and daily lives, I have learned of a site called," 50 Educational Blogs, You May Not Know About, But Should".( http ://newsroom.opencolleges.edu.au/features/50-education-blogs-you-may-not-know-about-but-should)  I discovered many blog sites that were developed to assist teachers, students and possible other community members, discuss and promote their thoughts and experiences in the world of education.
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In the Traditional Elementary Education, I found, blogger, Brian Crosby http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CB4QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.brian-crosby.com%2F&ei=U1aEULDWJeb40gHxjIHoAg&usg=AFQjCNEc4qPkpFGM3kgNo39UVRk734Gl3g&sig2=oloFCxVnS2ZR3SQtNRU1Pw  Brian has been a educator in the upper elementary school system for over 30 years.  He is connected also to the blog titled - sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=5&cad=rja&sqi=2&ved=0CD0QFjAE&url=http%3A%2F%2Flearningismessy.com%2Fblog%2F&ei=FlGEUOTgKciB0QGQroD4Dg&usg=AFQjCNE4rP_AmPqeeyOnN8C0AXMKgJrrkQ&sig2=HkE35tq_eDNbcdLbBvWsBQ

Brian currently fuses his at risk students to the use of technology, incorporating field trips,art,hands-on activities, while using a problem based approach.  What is informative on this blog site is that based on literacy,project-based,student access and teacher access.  Brian developed this blog to help  students/teachers to build their world, while also attempting to connect them to the world.  He discusses the possibilities in education in the 21st century and also gives advise for technology.  This blog is based on making connections with other bloggers, links to student works, while encouraging teachers to take an active leadership role. Brian also believes and encourages students to be seen as valuable public resource and that they are doing important work as they are learning, and that society should be more willing to invest in them. One of his blogs that I found interesting, was" Hmm;  Maybe its not Innovate". http://learningismessy.com/blog/?p=1369   It reviews a newspaper article from 1939, about keeping detailed records of each student in order to lay a path of education for that student, so that his/her best interests were met in respect to their current capabilities and their future success.  Although there was only one posted comment on this particular blog,  I found that educators or at least some had insight into students education and a course of reform as far back as 1939, and it is one of the main themes in trying to develop educational reform today and trying to develop innovate ways to met each students needs.

I also reviewed the section on Traditional College and choose "The Chronicle of High Education".http://chronicle.com/section/Blogs/164/.  This blog site contains many authors of blogs, assistant professors, associated professors, undergraduate students and lectures.  This blog site has blogs that contain current news on education and places, advise and opinions.  Such sites include, Building and Grounds, Page view, Wired Campus and several others. This site is geared towards college individuals and administration.
  One of the blogs I linked to was from Wired Campus, it was titled,

"New York U. Turns to Free Site to Help Teach Computer Programming"

     http://chronicle.com/blogs/wiredcampus/new-york-u-turns-to-free-site-to-help-teach-computer-programming/40372.  It was very informative on its views on how to teach computer programming courses and the use of free on-line help and partnership of Codeacademy.  This was sparked by the constantly changing work environment and for students-graduate to have knowledge about computer programming.  They want their graduate to be flexible thinkers, because no matter what profession they go into, they will need to understand digital literacy.  While this particular blog only received five comments, I believe that this blog was  interesting because it was researching and partner-shipping with a company to give students the ability to increase their literacy on technology and increase the probability of them being more successful in their future jobs.

In my last search of blogs, I looked at the section of E-Learning and Ed tech.  With in this section I located the blog site of "Funny Monkey", I choose this site because I liked the name of it. http://funnymonkey.com/blog   In this blog site it features current news in education, major educational issues, technology, classroom solutions.  It looks at these issues using information about Core Curriculum, Education Policy, and Education reform as their platforms.  This blog appears to address the audience of educators in the current process of our educational system, and the current issues they face with common core standards, educational reform, and standardized testing. I found this site to be very informational and gave me more in-sight on current issues in my own educational development of being an educator.  These topics are of extremely hot discussion, with-in the current climate of politics, government and cultural awareness. This blog  opens windows to view what information is currently in the Standards and what educators see as in need of reform because they don't align with what is required and looking at how educational reform can take place.

One of the blogs that I found extremely interesting and informational about standardized testing was,

If We Outsource Standards, Curriculum, and Assessment, What's Left?

http://funnymonkey.com/if-we-outsource-curriculum-standards-assessment-whats-left

It address New York's current educational reform topic of standardized testing , what questions should actual go on the test, because the current ones don't align with the Common Core and the use of students losing valuable educational time, acting as unpaid market researchers,All so Pearson knows enough and can write a test that will tell us whether or not schools are doing their jobs.  Big companies, like Pearson, have big stakes in the development of new curriculum and standardized testing, because they sell what is needed to schools to aid them in curriculum development and the assessments to evaluate students to see if they are currently meeting the standards.  Some New York parents are choosing to keep their children at home instead of continuing to send them to school , and choosing to not have them participate in this procedure, and making their opinion and view of funneling huge amounts of money(public) into private companies.

I found this blog extremely interesting because of the current crises of education and the much talked about need for reform.  I would strongly recommend viewing and increasing one's knowledge of  whats going on in  

education, as we continue to address the need for educational reform.

Question and Thoughts About Growing Up On-Line and Being A Digital Nation

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/digitalnation/view/ http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/kidsonline/view/

Wow, Growing up digital in the 21st century is an eye opening process as well as a very complicated process of obtaining knowledge  skills and appropriateness of on-line behavior.  After watching two documentaries about growing up in a digital world, The following questions are to be considered and answered in regards to the two videos.  

Questions for Thought:

1. Compare and Contrast each documentary. What has changed from the first one (Growing Up Online) made in 2008 to the newer one (Digital Nation) filmed in 2010 ? How did what you watched in the two videos support your feelings about technology or how did it change your views?
Much has changed in the evolution of technology in the last several years.  In the earlier video children/students were essentially living most of their lives through technology, that has not changed much over the last couple of years.  Most parents/teachers didn't have a clue as to the sophistication and knowledge their children/students had with technology. Teachers/parents had little to no experience or knowledge about technology and they felt that this put them at a disadvantage and disconnected from children.  Children had a totally different society that they engaged in, people that they engaged with, and an ability to invent who they were.  This made it difficult, especially the parents to control what was going on in their children's lives.  Having been a part of a teenager's growing up,  I felt as if I didn't belong or was apart of her life, as she was always engaged in on-line activities.  I was also concerned and feared the Internet and what kind of dangers it involved, mostly due to my own lack of knowledge and skills of the technology world.  I  saw that there was no regard to possible consequences of being on-line, it was who they were and what they did.  Children/ students were more comfortable being  on-line than in public, as it was the reverse for adults/ parents.  There was and still is as of today, the fear of on-line predators and cyber bulling.  Media coverage has heightened this concern, and the fact that the Internet has punctured the net of safety , or has it ? Have we just developed more ways of inviting them into our lives.  Technology is not going away, each day new technology becomes available , and we as parents/teachers must stay as informed and educated about the newest technology to help support, educate and develop good digital citizenship to our children/students-we can not continue to have students/children develop their own private worlds, outside of our reach, especially with the newer technology, encouraging students to multitasks and the development of the virtual world on line.  The differences between the two videos is amazing, given the short amount of time that has elapsed between the two.  Most of use are now immersed in technology, its a wired world we now live in for both students and adults  We as adults are now connected but not as completely as are children/students.  There still remains a major generational gap  Students today are multitasking throughout every thing that they do.  One of the big questions at large is what is it doing to their brains.  Some research has yielded troubling results, but this leads us to inquire and do more research into the use of the net and what it does to the brain. Some research says its impossible to multitask and not lose focus, but others indicate that it is possible.  One of most increasingly big problems are the physical and mental health problems that have been attached to users of the Internet and not knowing when to UN-plug.  Technology continues to play an important and vital aspect to individuals and their lives, How do we continue to develop with it, without it affecting lives in a negative and all consuming manner?

 2. Your thoughts on multitasking. Do you agree? Can you multitask? Do you disagree with the video on the topic of multitasking?  I find myself in the middle of agreeing and/or disagreeing on the subject of multitasking.  My current profession encourages multitasking in order to get  things accomplished in a timely and what is viewed as an effective manner.  I view myself as being able to multitask, but I also know I can lose focus and concentration when presented with multiple tasks.  I did not grow up in the generation of technology, so to say that students can or can not multitask without it affecting other parts of their lives, continues to be a big question that needs answers. 

 3. Is there an addiction happening in society today with technology or is it just a new way of living? Should we be concerned?  I do believe that their is a huge concern with technology addiction.  You look around your current environment and look to see who is actively engaged with some sort of technology, My guess is that you will find more individuals engaged than not. There are more individuals who use technology and they don't know when to disconnect.  South Korea presents a huge example of  this issue.  With rising medical concerns and conditions, such as ear, eye, hand problems, we need to educate and develop good technology behaviors and attitudes.

 4. Do video games serve a purpose in education or are they a waste of time?  i do believe that video games can be an excellent resource in education.  It enables students to engage in concepts that allow them to solve problems and come up with new and different solutions.  It can engage them in activities with excitement and enthusiasm and the ability to succeed, then when presented with the general activity where they can choose not to participate and feel that they may fail.

 5. Do you believe that digital tools such as Google tools can save schools that are struggling?  Where schools are struggling, requires us as educators to look closely at the curriculum.  Teachers are continually growing with embracing of technology in their classroom.  We need to figure out how to use these tools in the education of students so that they can and continue to succeed in their academic life as well as the real world. We must meet children at where they live today.

 6. Do parents of today have any idea what their kids are doing online? Whose job is it to teach them the safety and digital responsibility? Parents/Teachers/Community/Government??  I view this as a responsibility of all entities.  It must first begin with parent involvement.  They must lay the foundation of  ethics, manners and responsibility of using technology.  As they grow with their use of technology, teacher, community and government must be merged into the child/students use of technology.  The foundations must be laid out at the earliest age that a child begins to engage with technology.

 7. Are kids and adults today ruining their digital footprints by sharing too much information online without realizing that it may be detrimental to their future? Should they care?  Footprints of technology are as important as your presence and experience in the real world.  It reflects, informs and directs who you are as an individual. They leave a path of where you have been, where you are at now, and can possible predict your future path.  We need to look at and be concerned with where are foot prints are, and who we are inviting into are lives.  With the need for instant gratification , we most often do not look at the consequences that are involved with on are line behavior.

 8.“Stranger Danger” and predator fears are often overblown by the media on shows such as Datelines “To Catch a Predator”. What are the real dangers of technology in this day and age?  Technology extends itself into every area of our lives, as it does to predators.  Technology has enabled us to be come more aware of predators and bulling that occur everyday in peoples lives, and the consequences that evolve from using the Internet.  The danger of technology today remain the same as they did several years ago.  Predators, bulling, development of human values, engaging with the real world, all impact how and when you are involved with technology.  Dangers of using technology have always created many complaints.  It does not mean that the complaints are wrong, but we need to gain an understanding of what will they gain in other things as Digital life continues to move forward.  In order to advert the dangers of technology, we as a community of Internet users most continue to educate, develop, and participate in well defined standards and etiquette of technology. 

 Feel free to add anything else you feel would explain your views about the videos and how they relate to educational technology. What was your favorite part of either video? Why? Most interesting?

The most interesting part of the videos was in the second video,  about the virtual experiences.  It was interesting but frightening at the same time.  I did not realize how far the development of the virtual world has come.  Real lives migrated into a virtual world, where most human interactions occur.  I can see the freight train speeding towards this virtual world, and I wonder what effect it will have on the new generation of children and their ability to connect with the real world.  In  gaining some knowledge of virtual world, I can see some huge benefits, such as children experiencing events that otherwise they wouldn't be able to do, virtual reality therapy to treat PTSD in soldiers and other individuals.  What amazes me the most is the involvement of our military and the ability to engage in day to day warfare through virtual technology.  But on the other hand what are the consequences of a virtual reality ?  I continue to develop my own ability to engage with technology, continuing to look at all the possibilities of a digital life and what the future holds

Welcome to The World Of Digital Citizenship

The topic of digital citizen is currently a huge topic both in the classroom and in other environments, that is gaining momentum. In 2010 the Online Safety Working Group wrote a report and submitted it to Congress titled Youth Safety on a Living Internet..  There are multiple organizations, individuals,consumers and educators that continue to work and compose guidelines for digital citizenship.  Most users of the Internet do not realize, understand, implement or recognize  what is considered  being a good digital citizen. The norms of behavior, in regards to technology use, have nine identified categories that make up and encompasses the type of behavior and standards that are expected of technology users.The video below describes Digital citizenship and what it means.

The visual whitepaper, "Fostering Digital Citizenship," discusses why its important to have and utilize what is considered digital citizenship, and outlines the education that students need as they explore, learn and grow-up essentially online.  The paper also outlines three types of risks you might encounter in activities that you take part in online,  Content, Contact and Conduct.  Managing online behavior and reputation are important factors of  good digital citizenship.  Students in the 21st century share considerable more information online than most adults or parents do.  Sharing this information puts them at risk for exposing themselves to all kinds
of unethical behaviors from other online users. Most students believe that the benefits of sharing information online outweighs the risks, with the exception of disclosing their actual location.

It is important for all users of technology to protect their reputations.  As individuals and users of technology, we must learn to respect ourselves, protect ourselves, respect others, protect others, and  respect intellectual property. As adults, we are role models for students on what is considered good online etiquette.  When students see adults using technology inappropriately,  they assume its the norm.  This then leads students to inappropriate technology behavior on their part, ignoring the nine guidelines of digital citizenship and putting them at risk for breaking laws.

Digital citizenship has become a priority for schools and educators that see technology integration as a major teaching and learning strategy for preparing students to live and work in the 21st century,  We need to remember that are students are using technology on a daily basis, and we need to help foster what a good digital citizen is both at school and in other environments.

The following sites provided additional key information to understanding digital citizenship, that we are not just talking about protecting students, but we are giving them information for them to become healthy participates of  of the world of technology.

Why Teach Digital Citizenship
Policy background: Digital Citizenship (PDF)
Own Your Space-An Online Reputation That Counts: A Guide for Teens, supplemental chapter(PDF)