"Fully half of all teens and 57% of teens who use the internet could be considered Content Creators. They have created a blog or webpage, posted original artwork, photography, stories or videos online or remixed online content into their own new creations." That is amazing. People do not realize how big this is getting. Knowledge is spreading like wildfire.
Teens seem to be alot more aggressive with blogging other forms then adults and it might be because of accessibility. Teenagers access the internet more, talk about it more. I mean how many adults do you know that have the sidekick cell phone? I may be wrong! But i feel teens instant message more then adults. I do not mean accessibility in the sense that teens have a better chance to access the internet more. I simply mean they DO access it more. They spend hours a day instant messaging their friends.
The desire to download is also much stronger. The whole idea of "sticking it to the man." Teens download everything from movies, to music, to pictures. A big thing that i attribute 57% of teens that have internet "creating content" is Myspace and Facebook. That is the craze. Facebook is absolutely huge. I would love to find out the percentage of students that use facebook. And myspace is there for the younger generation as well.
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
David Warlick (or D War as i like to call him)
I agree with David Warlick's main question of What students should be learning is the most important question to ask. David Warlick belives the current priorities by which educators evaluate and teach students is incorrect.
I agree with the idea that the wrong priorities lead to problems in the classroom. Older teachers have their comfort zone and they are use to doing what they always do. They keep a routine, get soft. This doesnt inspire much in the motivation department. And we should always try yo inspire our students.
There is an endless world of opportunity out there. New ways to connect with people, like never before.
A big thing is that we as teachers must adapt our teaching methods. It is hard because we are entering a system that is reistant to change. It has been a slow system to adopt any new change, conventionally it has been the same for thirty years. But i feel now it may be more flexible to change. With pioneers like Will Richardson and Ward Cunningham.
I agree with the idea that the wrong priorities lead to problems in the classroom. Older teachers have their comfort zone and they are use to doing what they always do. They keep a routine, get soft. This doesnt inspire much in the motivation department. And we should always try yo inspire our students.
There is an endless world of opportunity out there. New ways to connect with people, like never before.
A big thing is that we as teachers must adapt our teaching methods. It is hard because we are entering a system that is reistant to change. It has been a slow system to adopt any new change, conventionally it has been the same for thirty years. But i feel now it may be more flexible to change. With pioneers like Will Richardson and Ward Cunningham.
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Read/write web
I find the whole web 2.0 movement fascinating. When the internet was first created it was just a wealth of knowledge. A place to access information. Web 2.0 is not just about consuming, it is about creating. And we see that in this class. It is not just about ingesting all this knowledge, we physically apply it (i am doing it right now) by creating these words. By doing these posts we are contributing to Web 2.0. But this really isnt about us, but about our students. It is about what we can bring to our students. And i like that idea. Because our students are going to create a lot, and we are going to help them create a lot, but what can we expose them to, that will spark that one unsatisfied student. Will it be a blog? Or a wiki? A podcast?
I really feel many people still access the internet in the old reality, the old web. Web 1.0. That is something we need to change, we must first change that within ourselves, and then within our students.
I really feel many people still access the internet in the old reality, the old web. Web 1.0. That is something we need to change, we must first change that within ourselves, and then within our students.
Will Richardson part of a panel presentation at the 2006 Milken Global Conference
Will gave a very powerful speech at the Milken Global Conference. It was very professional, yet appealed to the family man. A great thing he mentioned is that we "have control over our learning." He says "in ways we never had before" which suggests we truly are doing revolutionary things. This presents teachers and students with very powerful opportunities, potenial for great things. They are a great way to connect to people and ideas. He stressses that they are not online journals. These blogs and other feeds are learning spaces. These things can lead to something better. A better way of learning and interacting. On many levels these are intellectual engagements.
I feel like this is our generations thing. This is it, blogs and wiki's. Throughout time there have been different forms of transfering communication. And as we evolve they become more effective. There was a time where a message would have to be run from place to place, then much later we evolved a mail system, and a telephone, and fax machine (a mojo), we got e-mail, and then im, and now the mail form of communication to the masses is blogging. The thing about blogging is that it transcends all those other forms of communication. It truly is for the masses, Millions of people can respond and create. It is an essential place to learn and expand ourselves.
I feel like this is our generations thing. This is it, blogs and wiki's. Throughout time there have been different forms of transfering communication. And as we evolve they become more effective. There was a time where a message would have to be run from place to place, then much later we evolved a mail system, and a telephone, and fax machine (a mojo), we got e-mail, and then im, and now the mail form of communication to the masses is blogging. The thing about blogging is that it transcends all those other forms of communication. It truly is for the masses, Millions of people can respond and create. It is an essential place to learn and expand ourselves.
Will Richardson
First of all, i would like to start with saying i really like Will Richardson. I like the way he presents himself, how articulate he speaks and so effectively. Many of us met him last semester in the library. And before he started speaking, i was thinking who is this guy? I really do not want to be here. I have a lot of things i need to speak to my lit circle about.
But then something happened. He spoke, and his knowledge, which was quite over my head, struck something within me. We need equip ourselves for this world. We are living in a society that revolves around technology and far too many of us are technologically illiterate. We have to learn, we have to find the desire to better ourselves. Will said something to this effect, and don't quote me 100% because its been some time but he said "Most of the jobs in the year 2015 haven't even been invented." Every thing is changing around us, already the classrooms are being updated. New methods are being utilized. It is scary but high school is already different from when we attended, and that was four years ago. Book clubs, lit circle's, class blogs. When i was in high school, we were barely a loud to go on the internet, we did work in excel or other programs. The extent of our internet access was searching on Google. Now students are creating i-movies and searching the net for endless things. They know how to put their videos on the internet, type fan fictions. It is truly amazing.
Our Students will always be ahead of us technologically. It is our job to keep up with them. I mean look at our teacher she can't do half the things i can do (just kidding). But these students out there are just dying to learn from technology, that is why it such a powerful tool.
Will is the person that sparked my keen interest in learning more with computers, along with Dr. Stearns(first time i think i have ever referred to her as Dr.). They have been key to my progression. They helped break down certain barriers, for example wikipedia.
And i am going to say this before i get into the wikipedia story. I firmly believe that in about 5 years wikipedia is going to have revolutionized it self even more. I feel like the credibility aspect is going to be so astronomically precise that it is going to be THE source. I really feel they should adapt the commenting format (i feel like this will happen) and it will be like amazon.com or where it says your reliability rate. For example, if someone writes 3 true, reliable statements and then writes "Columbus discovered American in 1485" (an incorrect statement) his credibility level will be 75%. So if you want to consider the source you click on the statement and you see who posted it. If the person has a 20% credibility ranking your not going to believe the comment. I feel like this would function as a deterrent for people writing something they arent sure of. Because if no one is going to listen to what they write or what they write constantly gets edited out, why would they even post something close to incorrect. This idea needs rendering but i just regurgitated it in text for the first time so.
Anyway what led to that was Stearns always told us to use wikipedia but many of us were hesitant becuase many teachers discriminated against it and people think it is unreliable. She always told us the number of people on there was incredible and if you made a mistake it would be corrected within minutes. When Will came he showed us wikipedia and it said the last edit been done 1 second ago, and there had been 500 edits to the site in the last 2 minutes. This was about noon on a week day. That is a powerful source!
But then something happened. He spoke, and his knowledge, which was quite over my head, struck something within me. We need equip ourselves for this world. We are living in a society that revolves around technology and far too many of us are technologically illiterate. We have to learn, we have to find the desire to better ourselves. Will said something to this effect, and don't quote me 100% because its been some time but he said "Most of the jobs in the year 2015 haven't even been invented." Every thing is changing around us, already the classrooms are being updated. New methods are being utilized. It is scary but high school is already different from when we attended, and that was four years ago. Book clubs, lit circle's, class blogs. When i was in high school, we were barely a loud to go on the internet, we did work in excel or other programs. The extent of our internet access was searching on Google. Now students are creating i-movies and searching the net for endless things. They know how to put their videos on the internet, type fan fictions. It is truly amazing.
Our Students will always be ahead of us technologically. It is our job to keep up with them. I mean look at our teacher she can't do half the things i can do (just kidding). But these students out there are just dying to learn from technology, that is why it such a powerful tool.
Will is the person that sparked my keen interest in learning more with computers, along with Dr. Stearns(first time i think i have ever referred to her as Dr.). They have been key to my progression. They helped break down certain barriers, for example wikipedia.
And i am going to say this before i get into the wikipedia story. I firmly believe that in about 5 years wikipedia is going to have revolutionized it self even more. I feel like the credibility aspect is going to be so astronomically precise that it is going to be THE source. I really feel they should adapt the commenting format (i feel like this will happen) and it will be like amazon.com or where it says your reliability rate. For example, if someone writes 3 true, reliable statements and then writes "Columbus discovered American in 1485" (an incorrect statement) his credibility level will be 75%. So if you want to consider the source you click on the statement and you see who posted it. If the person has a 20% credibility ranking your not going to believe the comment. I feel like this would function as a deterrent for people writing something they arent sure of. Because if no one is going to listen to what they write or what they write constantly gets edited out, why would they even post something close to incorrect. This idea needs rendering but i just regurgitated it in text for the first time so.
Anyway what led to that was Stearns always told us to use wikipedia but many of us were hesitant becuase many teachers discriminated against it and people think it is unreliable. She always told us the number of people on there was incredible and if you made a mistake it would be corrected within minutes. When Will came he showed us wikipedia and it said the last edit been done 1 second ago, and there had been 500 edits to the site in the last 2 minutes. This was about noon on a week day. That is a powerful source!
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Just Tonight
I am in Love. I am absolutely smitten. This video is creative, original, the lighting is amazing, the costume and set design is absolutely spectacular.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGTDRztaCCw
yea it was late last night and i just wanted to get it up so i did not make the link live, but here we go.
To watch the embodiment of my fascination, to see who has me head over heals, click here to see some of the best cinematography (besides the piano part) costume and set design i have seen since Michel Gondry.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGTDRztaCCw
yea it was late last night and i just wanted to get it up so i did not make the link live, but here we go.
To watch the embodiment of my fascination, to see who has me head over heals, click here to see some of the best cinematography (besides the piano part) costume and set design i have seen since Michel Gondry.
I have posted Links
If anyone is interested i have added links to my blog. Those are my favorite places. Many hours have come from losing consciousness and just satisfying my curiosity of the world by devouring these pages. Everything is connected. Normally i will start on imdb just curious aboutwhat new movie Darren Aronofsky is making and then one thing will lead to another and i am looking at something Guy Ritchie did so i decide to wikipedia Ritchie then i netflix a movie and its just an orgy of information. I will get into the Guy Ritchie success story some other time, i think that is one of the most extreme life turn arounds, well Charles S. Dutton's story is pretty crazy too. Anyway, these sites are where i live and breathe. My youtube account is where i create. It is not really where i want it to be yet but that will change. lol if you want to see the arrival of my mac and new monitor, it is on here as well (check it out, jessica brown makes a cameo appearance). I am currently working on two projects with some people, so those skits will be shot eventually. The first is going to be a spoof subway commercial and the other which will not be filmed until i go home because i need a whole crew will take some time. I have titled it:
Yanni: A Newline Investigative Report
Yanni: A Newline Investigative Report
Project meetings
I think it is really cool that our group is on the ball. I have certainly been in groups where people are apathetic and i know i have been uninterested in a topic before. But these guys, man. We are on that ball like it is no bodies business. We have been sending emails to each other, Staci's been talking to Stearns. It is good for someone like me to be exposed to people who are diligent because i have been intertwined with slackers for far to long. Underachieve is not really what i am looking to do anymore. Oh and by the way Little Miss Sunshine, very good. I suggest it, so that means something.
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Times of the posts
Why are the times of the posts ALWAYS completely off? That does not make any sense to me. It is 2:52 right now it does not make sense to have them say 11 something. I actually just got an idea of why and i feel kind of stupid now.
But, they should ask you what time zone you are in, and then if you post at 2:54 it should say posted at 2:54 not some other random time.
But, they should ask you what time zone you are in, and then if you post at 2:54 it should say posted at 2:54 not some other random time.
Class Blogging
I wonder, are we suppose to blog more on this or on the class blog. I have not really been on the class blog, except for an introduction. I seem to mildly be having trouble. I tried to write on it and i could not so i just gave up. I tried twice and after about 3 minutes of failing i decided to go on imdb and look up when the hell Zodiac is coming out. LOL i failed to find that out also but i googled and i think March.
Anyway, i think i would prefer the majority of our work to be here so it is a more tangible way of looking at physically seeing how much work has been done. Because last semester i was pretty sure i blogged the most out of everyone or top 5, so i guess this is a way to keep track. So if i see Jessica Brown has blogged 4 times and i have 15 times i can take note of that, or if Savanna blogged 23 times i know that girl is killing me. I don't know you at all sorry for mentioning your name, i thought of diligence and your name came out of my keyboard. I guess thats a compliment, so hopefully you wont feel odd for being in another students blog that you have spoken to about three times. I did not phrase that how i wanted to. So is anyone even going to read these? Because, and i know it is only the first week of school, but i do not even know how to search or what is going on. This should be a lot of fun though.
This thing keeps correcting my spelling and i never realized how horrible i am at spelling. Quentin Tarantino is absolutely amazing. I feel like a lot of my essential things are not grounded well. Whats that called, oh my foundations. Is that right? The base of my learning, spelling, work ethic, all shit. I really feel like in the last 5 months i have learned more then in my entire life of schooling. All i bring into the equation is bad habits, are bad habits...there is an example. It is kind of sad i am going to be grading students grammar in a few years yet mine is still atrocious. That is one thing i am scared of. I really want a good steak actually I could go for a nice medium rare dripping with blood piece of Filet mignon. I had that the night before i came to college when my parents and i went out to a steak house.
I feel like where does this transition come in. When will i magically become better at grammar and spelling? Am i going to be the teacher that writes on the board and has to preface it with "oh, i'm a terrible speller" or "i'm really bad with math" because i do not want that. I need credibility. That is one thing i have learned in this world. Learn how to make people think you are smart. That is the image i am trying to learn to portray. In poker you NEVER show people when you bluff. You show them when you have a flush, or a boat, you do not show them when you win the pot with 4 high. Because you want them to believe you, that you are a good player who is not all over the place. Maybe that was not the best teaching analogy, i kept alot back, christ what is wrong with alot i am not correcting it this time.
Today is a tangent filled day, i apologize. I do not really cause i highly doubt ANYONE has read this far. Who would? I am just doing this for myself. Pouring my brain out and hoping some genius is in here somewhere. I think i should stop though, Sinclair lewis is calling me. I am enjoying him so far, early on. Perhaps i will look back and say "wow was i wrong, or perhaps he will emerge as one of my favorite writers which he certainly could, i like his style. Or i could be indifferent."
Anyway, i think i would prefer the majority of our work to be here so it is a more tangible way of looking at physically seeing how much work has been done. Because last semester i was pretty sure i blogged the most out of everyone or top 5, so i guess this is a way to keep track. So if i see Jessica Brown has blogged 4 times and i have 15 times i can take note of that, or if Savanna blogged 23 times i know that girl is killing me. I don't know you at all sorry for mentioning your name, i thought of diligence and your name came out of my keyboard. I guess thats a compliment, so hopefully you wont feel odd for being in another students blog that you have spoken to about three times. I did not phrase that how i wanted to. So is anyone even going to read these? Because, and i know it is only the first week of school, but i do not even know how to search or what is going on. This should be a lot of fun though.
This thing keeps correcting my spelling and i never realized how horrible i am at spelling. Quentin Tarantino is absolutely amazing. I feel like a lot of my essential things are not grounded well. Whats that called, oh my foundations. Is that right? The base of my learning, spelling, work ethic, all shit. I really feel like in the last 5 months i have learned more then in my entire life of schooling. All i bring into the equation is bad habits, are bad habits...there is an example. It is kind of sad i am going to be grading students grammar in a few years yet mine is still atrocious. That is one thing i am scared of. I really want a good steak actually I could go for a nice medium rare dripping with blood piece of Filet mignon. I had that the night before i came to college when my parents and i went out to a steak house.
I feel like where does this transition come in. When will i magically become better at grammar and spelling? Am i going to be the teacher that writes on the board and has to preface it with "oh, i'm a terrible speller" or "i'm really bad with math" because i do not want that. I need credibility. That is one thing i have learned in this world. Learn how to make people think you are smart. That is the image i am trying to learn to portray. In poker you NEVER show people when you bluff. You show them when you have a flush, or a boat, you do not show them when you win the pot with 4 high. Because you want them to believe you, that you are a good player who is not all over the place. Maybe that was not the best teaching analogy, i kept alot back, christ what is wrong with alot i am not correcting it this time.
Today is a tangent filled day, i apologize. I do not really cause i highly doubt ANYONE has read this far. Who would? I am just doing this for myself. Pouring my brain out and hoping some genius is in here somewhere. I think i should stop though, Sinclair lewis is calling me. I am enjoying him so far, early on. Perhaps i will look back and say "wow was i wrong, or perhaps he will emerge as one of my favorite writers which he certainly could, i like his style. Or i could be indifferent."
I do not think we are suppose to blog like this so i will stop after this one
I have absolutely no idea what i want anymore. I use to want something, but now that thing is gone. My hunger for that has since passed, so i sit here reading the words of sinclair lewis, hoping someting comes my way, sparks my fancy. Puts that glitter in my eye. I dream of Amanda Palmer, taking me somewhere. A place that does not snow everytime you look out your windowsill, some place where it does not hurt your face to touch fresh air. I need a hobby, or a women, maybe neither. I just need to get away from this place where everyone does everything perfectly and better then me. Somewhere i can pretend the people are not dramatically smarter and more successful then me. Where i can use the excuse their parents are loaded and most of the time that satisfies as a satisfactory motive for their success. Here, no one has money and they all succeed, some work harder then i ever could and do better then me others do absolutely nothing and do better then me. I am surrounded by an unclimbable glass wall. People on the outside look at me and laugh at my feeble attempts. "He was a good athlete in high school, so that was his redeeming factor, but what does he have now? Why did he quit? To do better in school? Well that does not seem to be working" I've decided to start a 5 year plan. By the time i am 25 years old i will have created a full length motion picture. I am stumbling now, messing with very amateur ideas but that will evolve. I don't want to write anymore, thinking about creating films depresses me sometimes because of my lack of creativity.
Friday, January 26, 2007
Stream of Creativity
I was feeling very bogged down with my lack of creativity so i am happy to say i've started writing a short story. I have been drawing a little as well, i drew alot over break. I've moved toward abstract work because i have terrible perception of angles and space ratios. Whenever i draw something like a table it looks abstract so i've resorted to drawing no distinguishable shapes at all. I saw a movie on Jackson Pollock (Pollock is the title) and that inspired me greatly. He was greatly inspired by Kandinsky and i think thats really kewl because i saw a kandinksy exhibit in london over the summer and it was wonderful. It was amazing to see his work evolve. And in the movie pollocks work evolves so i guess it was nice to see the juxtaposition of these artists work evolve throught their lives. One thing i noticed was my art use to be very stiff and triangular, now has taken on a more circular ____(insert word). I like my most recent work, i've started to use alot more colors, i use to be a charcoal, pencil, pen guy. Now i use burnt cadmium and yellow, these exotic greens and tropical blues. I fill the paper up more, i've noticed.
So back to my story. It is an exploration into the unknown. Anything that happens in my day i am twisting into my story, and usually i look to movies or literature to think of ideas but now i'm looking more inward. I feel that is where the stream of creativity should come from. I've only written about 5 pages but it has been only two days so.
Oh i also made a song, i mixed to songs together this morning. I couldnt fall back asleep and i had this beat in my head so i tried to get it out.
Eveentualluy i wound up mixing "Mr. Jones part 2" by Ben Folds and "with Arms wide open" by Creed. I felt the themes went together, there was a nice crosshatching. Some parts seemed very agreeable and the others that disagreed provided a contrast which made sense. It is very dramatic and i'm really trying to get into more comical things but everything that pours out of my head lately seems 2 be serious. Unless im making jokes. Girls seem to be the only thing that can inspire me to make a joke, but since i've been surrounded by nothing but women since sunday its been quite exhausting. Tonight was a nice break.
So i have the constant filming going on, making of a website, short story that i am periodically getting down, and progressive works of art. I am content for now.
So back to my story. It is an exploration into the unknown. Anything that happens in my day i am twisting into my story, and usually i look to movies or literature to think of ideas but now i'm looking more inward. I feel that is where the stream of creativity should come from. I've only written about 5 pages but it has been only two days so.
Oh i also made a song, i mixed to songs together this morning. I couldnt fall back asleep and i had this beat in my head so i tried to get it out.
Eveentualluy i wound up mixing "Mr. Jones part 2" by Ben Folds and "with Arms wide open" by Creed. I felt the themes went together, there was a nice crosshatching. Some parts seemed very agreeable and the others that disagreed provided a contrast which made sense. It is very dramatic and i'm really trying to get into more comical things but everything that pours out of my head lately seems 2 be serious. Unless im making jokes. Girls seem to be the only thing that can inspire me to make a joke, but since i've been surrounded by nothing but women since sunday its been quite exhausting. Tonight was a nice break.
So i have the constant filming going on, making of a website, short story that i am periodically getting down, and progressive works of art. I am content for now.
Project iweb
We had our first meeting today for the iweb assignment. I am really excited because, first of all, i love learning new methods of technology. So setting up a website is very valuable and essential.
Secondly, my group is awesome. Everyone is very smart and creative. We get along well, and everyone seems ready to put some work in. I will add more to this later, i am tired for some reason.
Secondly, my group is awesome. Everyone is very smart and creative. We get along well, and everyone seems ready to put some work in. I will add more to this later, i am tired for some reason.
Thursday, January 25, 2007
This is who i am.
I love to travel. In the last year i have gone to England, Paris, Canada, and Boston. I really want to go to California this summer. I'm thinking about getting my masters there actually. I am also thinking about working in Spain or Japan ( Teaching ELA). I am very ambitious, i just don't normally have the grades or brains behind those goals lol to succeed ever, but i will not cease. So here i am after the worst semester of my life. I am going to be a teacher of English in high school. I am very excited to show kids the wonder and beauty of the world. That the kid who struggles to read twenty pages of a textbook can succeed in this world. He's going to have to improve that (lol and i am) but i want to motivate my students with a diversity of methods. Music, movies, graphic novels, classic novels, and so on. I still have a lot to learn.
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
NCATE/NCTE Standards
After reading the NCATE Standards I realize I have a decent grasp on some of the things required. Technology is something that students need to have accessible. More then accessible, they need to be sound. They should be very comfortable with computers, and with Mac's being the most effective computers out there i feel every student should be Mac literate. When i was in grammar school our computer class consisted mainly of typing and playing games. We simply typed off a sheet of paper into microsoft word. We had the whole class to complete the "assignment". The game we played was Oregon Trail. Not very helpful in enhancing our computer skills. We were actually restricted from going online. I find that highly ironic. The goal in the computer lab should be to explore the world through mozilla, not to limit yourself to mind numbing tasks life how I was forced.
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