Reflection on Overlapping Technologies

I enjoyed our conversation on this and associated topics in class. Thank you to all members of 5513. I feel as though I have only dipped my little toe into a vast sea. I truly am at peace with saying I don't know what I don't know. There of course seems to be multiple replications, duplications,permeatations,combinations, and mirror images of versions and forms and models and brands of software, hardware, information sources,technology doodads and doohickies.Do I think we need them all? In short no. They exist due to a free market (sort of free) and will most likely take care of themselves in due time. I am content to find something that works for me and ride that pony until something that better serves me crosses my path. I most likely won't spend too much time actively bird dogging something to replace what I already have. Its overwhelming and seems dumb to have so much choice....beats the alternative. Gluttony and starvation both drive you to the same party. One is just a more pleasant ride.

Grammar Safari

I found a support site called Grammar Safari. This site provides "grammar safari" activities wherein students "hunt' and "collect" specific common words as they are used in documents accessible on the internet. The process begins with a choice of either finding vocabulary or a grammar structure by one of two ways: 1.begin with a certain text and search for the vocabulary or grammar structure or 2.begin with the vocabulary or grammar structure and find a text in which it is contained.Then students can copy and paste the structures to a word document where they can be saved and tagged so that the source can be found later. The Grammar Safari website which is a project produced by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champlain. Within the site are helpful hints on how to produce activities and already produced activities.
I played around with the site and found it interesting. I think that teachers can use this site for almost unlimited authentic text sources for ELL students. Student can view multiple examples of how structures are used in context to better gain understanding of proper usage. The activities make a game out of the search. Try it and let me know if this is something you feel you can use. I also see how teachers can customize lessons using Grammar Safari.http://www.iei.uiuc.edu/student_grammarsafari.html

So...the biggest problem with technology and children

Problems. Hmmmm... This search did not take me to the place I at first expected. As Dr. Cullen announced the assignment fresh on the heels of the Frontline video which documented a young girl's attempt to gain identity through technology, my initial thoughts were of problems with safety. Safety in a physical sense. While I did find evidence of such danger in my search, I also encountered articles on developmental and social problems caused by excessive and sometimes not so excessive techno usage of young children and adolescents. Some of the information seems to lead me to more questions. Questions which I believe will be asked in evolving forms over many years; in my home and across the globe. How much is too much? What is good use versus bad? How do I protect my children from weirdos who could do physical and/or emotional harm? As a digital immigrant, how do I maintain a level of techno competency to even understand what my children, who will no doubt be natives, are doing with technology?
In certain cases the research is suspect. Researchers also seem to be at odds with each other of findings. There seems to be no shortage of opinions on children and how they use and relate to technology. Many of these opinions are posted as if they are research based, when no such basis is present. I did however, find the information on the following three sites interesting and useful.
The microsoft child safety article gave some great, concrete ways to protect children when on line. Step 1. Decide where your child can and can't go on the Internet. Step 2: Increase your security and privacy. Step 3: Monitor where your kids go online. Step 4: Remind kids not to talk to strangers online.
The Tech News World story offers differing opinions on social and developmental issues regarding children and adolescents and their use of technology.
The CUNY (City University of NY) site is a research paper on children's time spent at home on computing and its correlation to cognitive and other measures of well being.

http://www.gc.cuny.edu/faculty/research_studies/attewell03.pdf
http://www.microsoft.com/parents/childsafety/steps.aspx
http://www.technewsworld.com/story/52677.html?wlc=1266108138&wlc=1266207826

Snow Day Engagement

I know there are several obvious answers to this question of how to engage students on snow days. Lets see if my myopic techno vision can find any of them. Wikis, blogs, websites, and webquests come to mind first. If students have access, they can complete assignments which can take many forms. I look forward to becoming more familiar with wikispaces in particular to use in my classroom. Are any of you 5513ers already using any of these resources? Please share any ideas.

WebQuest 1.0 or 2.0?

It seems that WebQuest is something that has roots in 1.0 and is branching into 2.0. It has elements of 1.0 that are static for finding information but it also allows users to create and edit content which is indicative of 2.0. I have used WebQuests that I have found through other sources. I am excited to use this source to create my own.

Greetings EIPT 5513

I have just entered a new and hopefully brave world. Many will not believe birdchief is blogging. I am so looking forward to what I hope is a semester of amazing growth. I hope to learn and collaborate with what already seems to be a dinamic group. Hanta yo! Aho