Tech Case: Voicethread

I could definitely see Voicethread having potential classroom use, but also having the potential to be blocked by administration.

As an administrator, I would question the content on the website, both visual and audio. We have no control over what other people post, so there is the potential for offensive and/or adult content that students could come across. At the very least, the ability to browse any and all threads could prove too much of a distraction in the classroom. I would be concerned about what the students might hear, as well. Given that this is a sight on which people can respond using a microphone, they are free to say whatever they like, constructive or not. Students could easily come across foul language, racial slurs, inappropriate jokes, etc. while browsing this website. In the end, I would just rather not even offer students the temptation.

I think Voicethread is a great tool for prompting group discussions without having to take up all the classroom time to do it. By having the content available online, students can take their time observing and thinking about said content in order to produce a well thought out response. Since classroom time is limited, not all students get to say everything they wanted to say. Voicethread also lets them make multiple responses to a variety of content. Again, classroom time limits the number of times a student has for speaking and how much can actually be covered. Luckily, the website has the option of a textual response in case the student doesn’t have the technology for a spoken audio response.

After doing some browsing of my own, I came to realize that a lot of school projects have been posted to Voicethread. My students could use this website to look at those same projects, to see what other students have done, and draw from the inspiration. The whole social networking of the website offers students the chance to post their project, go look at one that might be similar, and respond saying, “Hey, I really like your project. You hit some great points. I did a project at my school on a really similar subject. Come check it out!” As Tim Tyson is trying to get teachers to understand, students are much more motivated when they have someone to show their work off too. 

As for ways to keep students out of trouble? I think it would be most beneficial if, as a teacher, I browsed the website ahead of time and created a list of appropriate videos for the students to look at. I would only direct them to videos that pertained to what we were doing in the classroom that day. If any students were seen wandering from that designated list, then corrective steps would be taken.

Voice Thread

Three pieces of art for others to analyze.

http://voicethread.com/share/702440/

Tim Tyson

I like the concept of School 2.0 being an environment where rules and regulations are still in place, but the students are still allowed to be engaged and have fun in the classroom. Students can teach teachers just as much as teachers can teach students. If the environment is one of give and take, I think everyone will have a lot more respect in their relationships.

Asking students for an A effort is all well and good, but they need the proper motivation. The story of Conrad was a great example of this. When students get to utilize their own skills to create projects and fulfill assignments, they are more willing to do so. However, they might still only do what is necessary to get the grade. I remember being really excited when my teachers put my work on a classroom bulletin board for everyone to see, but that isn’t big enough anymore. Everyone wants their fifteen minutes of fame, so why not offer that chance? Kids want people to know who they are and what they do. Fortunately, the internet has given us that opportunity. Telling a student that the whole world can see their creation will motivate them to be amazing.

Getting students to care is one of my biggest goals. Trapping young people is a box of pre-set learning and curriculum bores them and they care less and less about the subject. Letting these students research and present something they care about is a greater motivator than a five paragraph essay on Columbus. When they get the chance to inform other people of these issues and make a difference, they are going to put all lot more energy and passion into the project. The students will start to care again.

Web 2.0 Sites

PicLits is a great tool for incorporating creativity with effective writing. The students can find pictures of something they like, thus making the writing part more personal for them. They get the chance to “write” what they know and love. Having a limited number of words to choose from really forces them to think outside the box and make a sentence work. However, having a selection of words can also help students make stronger sentences by using words they might not have considered.

Scratch is nice for getting students to think critically. Getting to create puzzles not only enhances their own learning experience, but also the experience of others. I think it’s great for students being able to teach other students. Someone who is good at math might be able to make a game that will help teach other students who aren’t so great at math. The same can be said for science, literature, history, etc. As the website said, it is also good for getting students to work collaboratively to create functioning games or puzzles.

I’m not sure Voki has any educational value. Blogs are great for getting students to communicate with each other and share information, but I don’t think adding a talking avatar helps. Maybe some people like having a voice talk to them rather than having to read.

Classroom Usage of…

Gabcast seems like the kind of site that students could really get into. If they can do the work while on their phone, it’s golden. Creating podcasts are all the rage now, and the students would get to share with more people than just their classmates. However, it does appear that Gabcast requires payment on quite a few fees. Sure the features are free, but they are still milking you up to $100 for bonus minutes or cast time. What kind of limitations does that mean for the basic plan? Students may end up not finding these features worth it unless they pay the extra cash, which they don’t have.

Worlde seems like a great tool for getting students into vocabulary. They can excersice their spelling and usage through additional assignments while getting to partake in a fun project. I think Worlde also offers a chance for individuality and creativity. The students will get a chance to make their word cloud look however they like, making it their own.

Museum Box looks great for an alternative to a written paper. Students might like having the chance to tell their story, rather than get it on paper while still worrying about grammar and mechanics. Using Museum Box would let them use their own voice and say what they want to say. In addition, they have the chance to use visuals alongside their verbal presentation, thus empowering what they have to say even more.

Long Way to Go for a Drink of Water

Cybersell

I posted a little late on this. I got really confused on where I was supposed to post. I was looking all over the discussion area on blackboard before Ashley so kindly told me it was a blog post. I felt a little foolish after that.

Credibility of a website had always been a hot button for me, for sure. I’ll be the first to admit that it’s really easy to take information at face value from a website, but you can’t always trust the publisher. I don’t know anything about playing the trumpet, but that can’t stop me from writing an article about it. Then some poor fool comes along and believes every word I say because if I wrote about it, I must know about it. Searching for cited and credentials can be tiring and time consuming, but we have to learn to do it.

I wouldn’t necessarily say the internet is becoming more sophisticated, either. Much like television, I think a lot of it is turning into mindless garbage. Any bob schmo can write, post, or create anything he wants on the internet and it’s not always that great. Sure wikis, blogs, and bookmarking sites are creating more organization, but to me… They’re just making the garbage easier to sift through.

I am one of those people who spends the better part of their day on the computer. Everything I need is on the internet. It’s so easy! But I am saddened by the idea that traditional media might become extinct because of this. I hate to think that students may one day not have the chance to hold a real book in their hands. Maybe I’m just weird, but I love running my thumb over the pages and listening to them flip together. I love smelling the pages of an old book and feeling how soft the paper has become after years of use. I love thumping a brand new sturdy spine against my knuckles and knowing this book will serve me well for years to come. If literature comes to only exist on the internet, future students will only know the plastic clicking of keys, the grey scroll bar, and the 32 bits of color burning their retinas.

Sure the internet lets people and companies reach more people is less amounts of time, but all the personal is taken out of it. I think it is important to teach students not to be manipulated by these flashy tech-age advertisements, and to keep their heads in the real world.

Mmm… Mmmm… Delicious

Browse my bookmarks!

If you don’t find anyting useful, maybe you’ll find something interesting.

http://delicious.com/whitecabaret

Media Literacy and Kids

What’s been big since I was twelve?

Pokemon! Gotta Catch ‘Em All!

http://www.pokemon.com/ Is set up really well for kids. The front page is simple and small so it is easy to navigate. Advertisements are numbered with Pokeballs so they can focus on one advertisement at a time, unlike other websites who flash their ads every ten seconds. A music player in the top corner lets the kids listen to their favorite Pokemon songs while they browse. A TOP NEWS list includes text and pictures to catch the kids’ attention. Finally, a rainbow menu along the top provides easy navigation throughout the site while being fun and cool to look at.

There are minimal distractions and all content focuses on Pokemon. When a kid visists this site, he gets what he came for.

Maupassant (obscure entry)

Liz and I chose the entry on Maupassant, a French author who basically influenced the development of short stories. Being an English education major, I was surprised I’d never heard of him before. Seeing as how he supposed to be so important. Encyclopedia Americana covers the basics. His early life, enlisted in the army, had a job as a civil servant, and he spent his weekends on boats and spending time with his master, Gustave Flaubert. Many of his works are also listed, which I have never heard of.

Wikipedia was far more interesting. When you get the chance to discuss a subject, lots of things can come up. Strange things. Things like how Maupassant a huge, impressive, awe-inspiring sexual appendage to which woman swarmed and swooned. Oddly, he had a fascination for Syphilis and deliberately sought out women who had it until he caught the disease himself. Yay. And the icing on the cake is that both his brother and mother were labeled insane and had to be cared for until their deaths.

Encyclopedia Britannica wasn’t much different than the Americana, except you had an incessant pop-up that kept you from reading. No, I don’t want to activate my free trial. Go away. Overall, Maupassant sounds like a regular author from the 19th century who dabbled in the strange, but no doubt all this absurdity lead to his creativity. Whatever floats your boat, dude.