This is a post to say "hello" to Jason, my one faithful reader:) Wishing you the best of everything,
Mary Ann Keller
Monday, December 28, 2009
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Internet Safety
ARTICLE OF CHOICE
I read the article, “Leave it alone,” by Elder H. Burke Peterson. This article suggests that some of us may feel immune or impervious to the penetrating filth we find the in the media. He warns us that none of safe and that we must leave it alone. Have the courage to turn it off. Turn away from inappropriate material!—This is how we, our friends, our families, and our loved ones will stay safe.
VIDEO RESOURCES
I watched the video on Cyberbullying. This video was about a boy who was bullied at school and so learned to fight. Little did his family know, the bullying he experienced online was even more dangerous. This boy found a website that taught him how to hang himself and committed suicide before his parents even knew there was something amiss. Apparently, Cyberbullying is a serious problem and part of today’s technology culture.
I watched another video on Katie’s Story. This video shares testimonies about a Game called “Missing” that helps teach children about predators on the internet. Katie played this game and wised up, saving herself from a truly dangerous situation.
A child Predator Fear said that most kids know how to be safe on the internet and that those who get into trouble are usually those who go looking for it.
Grooming Gracie educates you on the signs that indicate an online predator such as sending gifts, trying to get personal information such as a phone number or home address, and taking an interest in a child, trying to convince the child of how much they care.
A revolution in classrooms and social life talks about how often students use technology. As adults, we need to be involved and up to date with technology so that we can effectively interact with students. We must know how to use technology if we want to know how to keep our students engaged. It also addressed cyberbullying.
I also watched the movie in class that told the horror stories of online predators and cyberbullying.
TAKE AWAYS
The content available in the media and internet can be a threat to families which is the reason why the church decided to speak up. Media can ridicule and attack traditional families. The internet can lead us off the straight and narrow path with violence, immorality, addictive pornography, and participation in cyberbullying. Media can replace family, school, work, church, and everything else.
Even video gaming and online chat can be harmful to the family, idling away countless hours of wasted time. Using virtual realities can make us lose a handle on reality, diminishing the sanctity and importance of the human body.
So what can we do about it?
Speak up! Tell sponsors that we've had enough! Support positive programs. Be an example to those who look up to you and model for them how to close out of inappropriate programs, how to walk out of bad movies, or how to turn off the computer or television. We should have zero tolerance for anything that chases away the spirit, leaving us vulnerable to attack.
Also, we need to spend time with our children, hold family councils to determine our standards for media. We can use internet filters and keep computers and televisions in public rooms. Have computer monitors facing out to public view.
Educate your family!!!! Teach your family about the dangers of pornography and have children tell you if they encounter any form of pornography while on the computer. Teach your family to have specific purposes when they use the internet. Teach children not to give any personal information on the internet. Teach family members not to open emails from people they don't know.
Emphasize the importance of face to face relationships. Limit your own cellphone, computer and television time to set the example. We must find positive productive uses for technology. We can teach our children how to use online resources and choose websites.
THE DOING EXPERIENCE
I interviewed someone who is hardly familiar with computers, much less the internet. She knew that there are computer filters that will block some websites and keep a history of the websites that are visited. She thought one of her children might have put a filter on the family computer. She also knew that the church had said to stay out of chat rooms. She was not aware of many of the dangers on the internet and so was unconcerned with internet safety.
She was shocked when I shared some of the things I had learned about the dangers on the internet. She was especially concerned because all of her children use the interent all the time and she realized that she is unaware of how much time they spend on the internet and what websites they were visiting. It scared her that she didn't know what her children were doing on the internet.
I taught her a little about internet safety and gave her a copy of rules for internet safety. She read these rules and actually decided to take action. She asked me for a talk from the church that she could use to teach her kids about internet safety for a family home evening lesson. I suggested she read "Let our voices be heard," by M. Russell Ballard. She took the information I gave her very seriously and seems resolved to do something about it.
I read the article, “Leave it alone,” by Elder H. Burke Peterson. This article suggests that some of us may feel immune or impervious to the penetrating filth we find the in the media. He warns us that none of safe and that we must leave it alone. Have the courage to turn it off. Turn away from inappropriate material!—This is how we, our friends, our families, and our loved ones will stay safe.
VIDEO RESOURCES
I watched the video on Cyberbullying. This video was about a boy who was bullied at school and so learned to fight. Little did his family know, the bullying he experienced online was even more dangerous. This boy found a website that taught him how to hang himself and committed suicide before his parents even knew there was something amiss. Apparently, Cyberbullying is a serious problem and part of today’s technology culture.
I watched another video on Katie’s Story. This video shares testimonies about a Game called “Missing” that helps teach children about predators on the internet. Katie played this game and wised up, saving herself from a truly dangerous situation.
A child Predator Fear said that most kids know how to be safe on the internet and that those who get into trouble are usually those who go looking for it.
Grooming Gracie educates you on the signs that indicate an online predator such as sending gifts, trying to get personal information such as a phone number or home address, and taking an interest in a child, trying to convince the child of how much they care.
A revolution in classrooms and social life talks about how often students use technology. As adults, we need to be involved and up to date with technology so that we can effectively interact with students. We must know how to use technology if we want to know how to keep our students engaged. It also addressed cyberbullying.
I also watched the movie in class that told the horror stories of online predators and cyberbullying.
TAKE AWAYS
The content available in the media and internet can be a threat to families which is the reason why the church decided to speak up. Media can ridicule and attack traditional families. The internet can lead us off the straight and narrow path with violence, immorality, addictive pornography, and participation in cyberbullying. Media can replace family, school, work, church, and everything else.
Even video gaming and online chat can be harmful to the family, idling away countless hours of wasted time. Using virtual realities can make us lose a handle on reality, diminishing the sanctity and importance of the human body.
So what can we do about it?
Speak up! Tell sponsors that we've had enough! Support positive programs. Be an example to those who look up to you and model for them how to close out of inappropriate programs, how to walk out of bad movies, or how to turn off the computer or television. We should have zero tolerance for anything that chases away the spirit, leaving us vulnerable to attack.
Also, we need to spend time with our children, hold family councils to determine our standards for media. We can use internet filters and keep computers and televisions in public rooms. Have computer monitors facing out to public view.
Educate your family!!!! Teach your family about the dangers of pornography and have children tell you if they encounter any form of pornography while on the computer. Teach your family to have specific purposes when they use the internet. Teach children not to give any personal information on the internet. Teach family members not to open emails from people they don't know.
Emphasize the importance of face to face relationships. Limit your own cellphone, computer and television time to set the example. We must find positive productive uses for technology. We can teach our children how to use online resources and choose websites.
THE DOING EXPERIENCE
I interviewed someone who is hardly familiar with computers, much less the internet. She knew that there are computer filters that will block some websites and keep a history of the websites that are visited. She thought one of her children might have put a filter on the family computer. She also knew that the church had said to stay out of chat rooms. She was not aware of many of the dangers on the internet and so was unconcerned with internet safety.
She was shocked when I shared some of the things I had learned about the dangers on the internet. She was especially concerned because all of her children use the interent all the time and she realized that she is unaware of how much time they spend on the internet and what websites they were visiting. It scared her that she didn't know what her children were doing on the internet.
I taught her a little about internet safety and gave her a copy of rules for internet safety. She read these rules and actually decided to take action. She asked me for a talk from the church that she could use to teach her kids about internet safety for a family home evening lesson. I suggested she read "Let our voices be heard," by M. Russell Ballard. She took the information I gave her very seriously and seems resolved to do something about it.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Classroom technology observation
My mentor teacher was very intimidated by technology. We never used technology in the class unless it was absolutely necessary. We used an overhead projector and tape player for shared reading. Once a week, the lab assistant would bring in a Mac laptop for every student so that they could take their weekly assessment on the literacy skills they learned that week. I would often see Ms. Leighton writing notes on her own laptop. But, honestly, she would try to avoid using technology for teaching or administrative tasks if she could. I think we could have enhanced our lessons with technology.
We had a promethean board installed in the class while I was there. My teacher didn’t know how to use it and so we used the promethean board as a projector screen with the overhead projector. The other cohorts had promethean boards in their class as well and told me how much it helped them teach their lessons. I think the promethean board would be especially useful in teaching math allowing students to learn together and have a visual representation of the mathematical manipulations. I finally had to bring in my own laptop and teaching a vocabulary lesson giving a small group of students visual representations of words. The kids loved my technology lesson and were so engaged! Technology can really help give students a multimodal learning experience allowing them to see things, hear things, and move things, interacting with the promethean board for example.
We had a promethean board installed in the class while I was there. My teacher didn’t know how to use it and so we used the promethean board as a projector screen with the overhead projector. The other cohorts had promethean boards in their class as well and told me how much it helped them teach their lessons. I think the promethean board would be especially useful in teaching math allowing students to learn together and have a visual representation of the mathematical manipulations. I finally had to bring in my own laptop and teaching a vocabulary lesson giving a small group of students visual representations of words. The kids loved my technology lesson and were so engaged! Technology can really help give students a multimodal learning experience allowing them to see things, hear things, and move things, interacting with the promethean board for example.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Two video clips
I watched two video clips--
Inside Kapunahala
Bookends of War
Technology clearly enriches children’s learning experience by allowing them to see, hear and interact with the curriculum they are trying to learn, thus letting them use several of their senses in the learning process, keeping them more engaged. The projects students do with technology provide opportunities for a variety of students of different backgrounds and ages to work together, and peer-tutor to create and accomplish, together.
In both videos, all the students seemed to be very engaged—very excited about their learning experience. Students are proud about what they are able to do with technology—what they are able to make. Technology is so exciting for the children because although it is challenging, students find they have a knack for technology. The challenge makes success so much more satisfying. One student said she loved using the technology because she can take what she learns in class, outside of the classroom and apply those technological skills in real-life experiences.
Another thing I learned from these clips—Using technology can help move assessment away from standardized testing and gives students experience, allowing the teacher to observe their skills in a more realistic and student-friendly way. Also, integration is simple. There is a possible technology application for every subject/topic. You can use technology to enhance any learning experience—students didn’t just feel like they were getting better at using a computer. They saw progress in their speaking skills as well.
Inside Kapunahala
Bookends of War
Technology clearly enriches children’s learning experience by allowing them to see, hear and interact with the curriculum they are trying to learn, thus letting them use several of their senses in the learning process, keeping them more engaged. The projects students do with technology provide opportunities for a variety of students of different backgrounds and ages to work together, and peer-tutor to create and accomplish, together.
In both videos, all the students seemed to be very engaged—very excited about their learning experience. Students are proud about what they are able to do with technology—what they are able to make. Technology is so exciting for the children because although it is challenging, students find they have a knack for technology. The challenge makes success so much more satisfying. One student said she loved using the technology because she can take what she learns in class, outside of the classroom and apply those technological skills in real-life experiences.
Another thing I learned from these clips—Using technology can help move assessment away from standardized testing and gives students experience, allowing the teacher to observe their skills in a more realistic and student-friendly way. Also, integration is simple. There is a possible technology application for every subject/topic. You can use technology to enhance any learning experience—students didn’t just feel like they were getting better at using a computer. They saw progress in their speaking skills as well.
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