Core Competencies

After reading the New Media Literacies article, I found it interesting that they focus more on the idea of kids having the social and cultural skills to be able to participate fully in a technology savy classroom. It seems too often teachers try to incorporate as much technology as they can, however, does this truly benefit the students? I really enjoyed the approach this article took.

The "Play" literacy is one I fully agree with. I like that they discuss how having the desire to play can have a positive impact on your interactions with technology because you're more likely to try more with a computer than those who don't have that sense of play. "Multitasking" is one that is becoming more and more necessary in society. Often kids are on the computer doing homework, listening to music, being on facebook and more. It seems it is necessary to build one's multitasking skills to be able to be successful in society today. I have also found that "Negotiation" is more relevant with technology after being in Education 109. I've found more ways that technology is beneficial and have also been able to see how it connects you with people who see things differently than you do.

I think all of these literacies have been used in class thus far, as we are being forced to use beneficial technology and play with it to learn more about it and it's benefits. Multitasking is one used in and out of class as we are seeing how many things we will need to be doing at once as teachers.

Engaging Others on Twitter

After realizing my last attempt didn't post to Twitter, I tried again just now to ask about beneficial ways to incorporate technology into classrooms. Personally, I felt it would present more of a distraction to students rather than benefit them. Although, after being in class and seeing how many useful sites there are I now feel that it could be a potentially great thing. So I'm waiting for responses as to how education can help in classrooms!

Privacy

For teachers, it is difficult to maintain privacy. This is especially true with today's technology and the fact that it continues to get more and more advanced nearly every day. Even with being able to set Facebook to private, etc. you never know just how much or how little the public is seeing. I do feel that it is not a prospective employers place to ask for a username and password to access a private Facebook account, simply because you are taking every precaution to keep your personal life private. The only other option would be not to have a Facebook at all, however most people do use it for it's intended purpose and should be allowed to continue to use it regardless. However, it is our job to make sure we are protecting ourselves as educators and not putting ourselves in compromising situations by having inappropriate pictures, etc. on Facebook or any other social website. I feel this is especially true after seeing just how much you can pull up on the internet from years and years ago about a business or even a person.

EDUC 109/261 Blog

In Education 107, we were shown how to blog using Google Blogger. I decided to continue using this because I can create a new blog under the same username and do not have to sign up with a new e-mail and password. Also, it will come up separate from my EDUC 107 blog. I am also at least familiar enough that I can create blogs and won't have to re-learn it on a separate website and can just continue using Google Blogger like I have been.