EDUC 514 Apps

In the last week or two, you've learned a few new tools. Write how you could specifically utilize screencasting, special FX, or Animoto into your current or future classroom. How can you make these tools relevant to your educational situation?

I believe that any of these three tools can be especially useful for the classroom. All three apps can provide an extra bit of fun (especially the special fx app) to any lesson. Screencasting is especially helpful as the videos can be posted to a class website and assist the students with a topic. 

Special FX is essentially used to add a bit more fun to a video. Animoto is great as well. I think the goal with all three of these apps is to use them wisely. The obvious app that has little educational use is the special fx app. The special fx app can add to an educational video however. 

There is another way to use these apps as well and that is to supplement your in-class educational program. These videos can be shown during an in-class lesson in order to add to that lesson. Students can also use all three apps as a part of making a review or content video demonstrating their knowledge. So, there are a number of ways in which these can be used, however, with moderation, they should never replace traditional teaching, but, rather compliment it. 

EDUC 514 Interesting Education Tech!

I think that the advancements in technology are fascinating in the realm of the education. I really enjoyed the Doceri. The idea of an interactive whiteboard and recording is a great thing.  When working with Doceri, i did have a few challenges, like how to upload the video to youtube and the like. However, after a while, I was able to figure the out within another screen. my students are very excited to use this program and so am I. Once I figure out more of the program I will be doing a staff training as well as a student training regarding the program and it's myriad of uses.

Most

What a depressing film. It reminds me of something my Mormon friends showed me. They have a very similar film that they show to people at their church. I think what makes the film powerful is that the characters are faced with a completely impossible choice. Choose the life of the kid or the people on the train. It reminds me of Star Trek II The Wrath of Khan where Spock says "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the one."

The idea of self sacrifice is pivotal to our human experience. I think that while we are not forced with such difficult decisions daily, we still have to decide what path we will choose in life and whether or not we should sacrifice what is important to us for the good of the whole.

EDUC 514:

Challenges!

The iPad is a completely new frontier. It is interesting that as a kid we always had to take our camcorder with us. However, now we have video with our phones and iPads. It is really a unique and different thing to be able to video each moment. My students know so much and it is incredible that they are experts. The idea of Digital Native is certainly true with these students.

I think that doing the work and being cut loose is not a bad thing. The only difficulty I have had in class has been this blog. For some reason I thought the blog and Sakai were the same thing. So, therefore out of sight out of mind I guess! Otherwise I am fine with being set loose to do my assignments.

Webquest Progress

My webquest has been slow going! I have the lesson and the pages planned out on paper, now, I am just putting the type to the screen as it were! So far, I have finished the intro, welcome, evaluation and conclusion pages. my goal in the next day or two is to completely transfer what I have on paper to the screen!

Copyright Law

What's the purpose of copyright law? The purpose of copyright law is to protect creators of works from their ideas being stolen. 

What can be copyrighted? Any original work of authorship which is fixed to a tangible medium of expression. 

How long can something be copyrighted for nowadays? Typically the run is 70 years.

How long could you copyright something for a long time ago? 95 years

What's the public domain? Public domain are items that can be copied and/or used publicly without permission. 

What is fair use? Fair use gives open access to copyrighted works. 

What reasons can you borrow something that's been copyrighted? Education and artistic purposes. 

What's the guidelines of fair use? purpose and character of use, nature of copyrighted work, amount and substantially, essentially are you using it for the proper purposes and to not make a profit or defame the work. 

Digital Immigrants and Digital Natives

These articles are truly fascinating. They were written quite some time ago, however, there are many merits to what is being taught. The main idea is that the communication methods of digital immigrants and digital natives is different. Digital natives refer to those who were born into the technology age, and the immigrants refer to those who were not and are attempting to learn current technology.

One such interesting note is that in the article, it is mentioned how a digital immigrant would still print online information, while a native would not. I wholeheartedly agree with the fact that we as educators must teach to the digital native. Though, I am considered a part of the digital native generation, time has marched on since I was in Elementary school. When  I was in Elementary school, I used Mac IIs with 5.25 floppy discs with Oregon Trail on a green screen. Now, however, students all have ipads and can do digital research. Students as young as Pre-K are fluent in technology.

We as educators in the 21st century must be adaptive and responsive to the ever changing pace of technology and continue to adapt to the changing times.