Double Journal Entry #10

Quote: "When I did finally learn to read, my teachers didn’t have much to do with it. I was 11, and even my school-appointed tutors had given up on me (Schultz)."

My Reaction: After reading about Schultz's sad experience in his early school years, I was reminded of something Dr. Pamela Kiefer would often tell the school board I served on: "We must approach education with commitment of all children have gifts and talents." The caveat to that is that some children may have gifts and talents to a greater degree and some less; regardless, educators must assist students in developing their unique gifts and talents to the fullest potential.

How might the learning environment been different for Mr. Schultz had that belief been instilled amongst the teaching professionals he encountered? I recall how one of my younger brothers struggled early on in elementary school with reading. The teacher pinched him, ridiculed him in front of the other students, and badly damaged his self-esteem. After meeting with school officials and much testing, it was recommended my brother see an optometrist. Lo and behold it was discovered that he had an uncommon eye stimatism. Glasses allowed him to function much better and he was moved to another classroom. However, the teasing and bullying from other students continued due to the teacher setting the tone that my brother was inferior and unworthy. To this day he struggles some with reading and writing; however, he is a highly skilled carpenter and has produced spectacular works that has impressed even architects. Little did that teacher know what a marvelous gift and talent my brother had in his hands and in his head.

As long as there exists the ability and desire to learn, a student can be educated. Professional educators must assist students toward maximizing ability; when desire is lacking, educators must strive to inspire the desire.

Schultz, Philip. "Words Failed, Then Saved Me." New York TImes 3 Sept. 2011, sundayreview ed. Web. 30 Oct. 2011. <http://tinyurl.com/3rfx9zj>.

RESOURCES

What is Dyslexia?. Narr. Jane Emerson. 2011. You Tube, 2009. Web. 30 Oct. 2011. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3yL1emzIpg>.

What is it like to have dyslexia? . 2008. You Tube. Web. 30 Oct. 2011. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwZLFTW4OGY>.

Website Evaluation

Save the Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus


Who is the source of the information?

• Has someone taken responsibility for the content of this Web site?

Yes, address concerns to Lyle Zapato.

• Is information about the author or organization clearly stated?

It claims to be affiliated with Kelvinic University branch of the Wild Haggis Conservation Society.
Lyle Zapato appears as a legitimate book author on Amazon.com, Aluminum Foil Deflector Beanie.

• Are there any links to in-depth information about the author or organization? A search of Lyle Zapato leads to numerous fictitious sites, including Zapato Productions Interdimensional, with the tag line “Serving the Paranoid Since 1997.”

There are many links leading to other conservation organizations, and Kelvinic University.

• Can you contact the company or author through a real world postal address or phone number?

No phone. May send e-mail to Lyle Zapato.

• Can you confirm that the company or author is a credible, authoritative source of information?

No. It is not a credible source. The Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus is fictitious. This site and that of Kelvinic University are hoaxes.

• Can you verify the authority of any of the site's content that is attributed to other sources?

No.

What are you getting?

• Is the information biased in any way?

Yes. It is fictitious and much of it ridiculous.

• Does the site rely on loaded language or broad, unsubstantiated statements?

Yes.

• Is emotion used as a means of persuasion?

Yes.

• Does the site offer more than one viewpoint?

No.

• Are there links to other or alternative viewpoints?

No.

• Does the site's information seem thorough and well organized?

Yes.

• Does the site clearly state the topics that it intends to address?

Yes.

• Does it follow through on the information it has promised?

Yes. You may download a free box pattern of a Trick-or-Treat box for the Tree Octopus.

• Does the information seem complete and consistent?

Yes.

• Is the information well written and easy to understand?

Yes.

• Does the Web site offer a list of further in-depth resources or links to such resources?

Yes,  but they are not credible.

• What's the copyright status of material found on the site?

No copyright.

When was the site created?

• Is a reference date provided to show when the material was put online, or when it was last updated?

Created 3-8-1998. Updated  10-20-2011.

• Do the links work?

No. The link for the Ethical Treatment of Pumpkins led to the Facebook Login page.

Where does the URL orignate from? A search on easywhois.com indicates that the registration for the Tree Ocotopus domain name has expired. However, Zapatopi.net is still live. (Another site created by Lyle Zapato)

Conclusion:

The site is colorful and well constructed. It claims to be affiliated with conservation groups that give it credibility at a first glance. It lists media tab, FAQ's, Sightings, and offers terminology that looks official. There is a tab for a promotion for tree octopus kit.
The site is created by an individual and not on behalf of any organization. Upon further reading, many of the claims are so ridiculous that one can infer that the tree octopus is a fabrication.
This is definitely not a site appropriate for elementary and middle school students as some of the links lead to sites whose content may not be suitable for students ten and under.

Double Journal Entry #9

Quote: "...teens, while socially active online, are not aware of the potential negative repercussions of sharing too much intimate detail of any kind, about themselves." - Laura Owens

Reaction:
Students should learn how to use online social networking in a responsible manner. They need to understand the different ways that information shared online could be used maliciously. For example, thieves use social networks to find out when families will away on vacation or out for an evening so that they can burglarize the home. Identity theft is becoming more rampant; social networks are a potential source for stealing pictures and personal information. We must also warn teens and small children about unsavory individuals who might scour social networks to find a victim. Students should not be made to feel frightened of online social networking, in fact, research shows that the benefits outweigh any drawbacks. It would be a service to students if teachers would find ways to integrate social networking into the curriculum.

Owens, L. (2009, April 23). Internet & Anti-Social Behavior Theory Unfounded: Facebook, MySpace, Online: Research Refutes Cyber Socializing Fears | Suite101.com. Psychology Suite 101. Retrieved October 21, 2011, from http://laura-owens.suite101.com/internet--anti-social-behavior-theory-unfounded-a111897 
Additional Resource

Here is a good source provided by an agency of the federal government regarding online safety tips:

Federal Trade Commission: Social Networking Sites: Safety Tips for Tweens and Teens
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/tech/tec14.shtm

Google Form

Answer my holiday questions.

Web 2.0 Tools

A great application to use in business education is JUX, a drag and drop-based Web creator. This tool would be useful to use in a marketing class that requires students to create a Web page to promote a product or service. Students could also be assigned to create Web pages for school events and student organizations. What might be fun is to have students create a Web page to promote a product using a Voki as a featured celebrity spokesperson. Before implementing the assignment, school policies would need to be researched regarding use of technology in the classroom. Students would need to follow proper procedures regarding use of copyright material. (I would prefer that all their work be orginal for this assignment to stimulate creativity.) Students would benefit from being given examples of what is appropriate and not appropriate. For example, promoting a new flavor of ice cream is appropriate; promoting weapons is not. As a safeguard, it should be a requirement that Web pages need to be approved by the teacher before going live on the Web. Other considerations would be the availability of computers, internet access, and any limitations on the school's digital capacity.

My Teaching Philosophy

Integrating technology into teaching practices is important because we need to prepare students to use technology in their jobs and personal lives. Technology can be used to teach students to collaborate on projects with students from other classrooms within a building or in other geographic regions. Students will learn to think critically when evaluating the credibility of information found on the Web. Another skill that students will gain is the ability to use digital sources for storing and organizing information.

VOKI Lesson Title: Using Voki's for business education.
Author: Kimberly Thompson
Brief Description: High school students learn the fundamentals of salesmanship using Voki's to give responses to common objections heard in the sales process.

Magazine Cover