Through the use of internet access, modern day schools have been able to enhance thier learning programs to increase the benefits today's students receive. Some of these enable students to communicate with thier teachers and peers more effectively, such as websites like Flikr. Flikr allows students to share pictures and join groups where they can chat with friends and teachers (also available is Flikr email). Others allow students to organize home pages so that they can reach them from any computer source. That is, websites like Netvibes, and Delicious enable students to connect thier homelife with thier school life without the trouble of availability of source. All these websites serve as great tools for today's older generations. But what about today's young? There are many constant debates about when it is appropriate to engage today's youth with today's advanced technology. One side argues it should be as soon as possible because, afterall, technology is the future. The other would say that introducing youth to internet sources and other advanced technologies, would be spoiling them, and depriving them of their natural abilities. (For example, many teachers argue over the age at which calculators should be brought into the classroom.) But what if there was a way to keep both sides of the spectrum happy?
With Google's "Custom Search Engine", teachers are able to take matters into thier own hands. CSE is a way for teachers to make "surfing the web" appropriate and safe for all age groups! By allowing you to create a search engine of your very own, CSE lets you pre select sites and add them to your page. This means that they get to have control over what students see. It narrows down results, giving students a limited number of "highly relevant search results", making the time spent with technology more manageable and safe for the youth.
Want to see how this website works, and all the possibilties it poses for elementary teachers and teachers world wide? Try it for yourself! Below is a search engine that is pre-made. Test it out for yourself by typing in your country of heritage-such as italy, mexico, or Ireland- even Hawaii! Then try creating one of your own! :)
My Search Engine URL: http://www.google.com/cse/home?cx=000428713945287260357:tlo4nu5drw4
My Custom Search Name: Family Heritage Search Engine
Link to test out Family Heritage Search Engine (Below):
<script src="http://www.gmodules.com/ig/ifr?url=http://www.google.com/cse/api/000428713945287260357/cse/tlo4nu5drw4/gadget&synd=open&w=320&h=75&title=Family+Heritage+Search+Engine&border=%23ffffff%7C0px%2C1px+solid+%2399BB66%7C0px%2C2px+solid+%23AACC66%7C0px%2C2px+solid+%23BBDD66&output=js"></script>
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Thursday, September 23, 2010
second place tourney
Posted this picture to my blog from Flikr! What a great site! I picked this picture because it reminded me of how much fun sports, like the internet can be!! I love to play softball during the summer and all year long, and my team and I got runner up in three of the eight tournaments we attended! So I thought, why noy blog it! :)
The Promise of Social Networks: Flikr :]
Through the use of the internet, people from all walks of life are able to engage with one another. With the use of social-networking based websites such as "facebook" and "twitter" children and adults alike are enabled to create an online life; one through which they will do most of thier interacting with thier peers. As advances in technology continue to rise, it is an easy known fact that today's society is predominantly an internet/ social networking community. People are eager to check thier emails, update thier status', upload new photos and check up on friends and family, all at once- and all when they are able to fit it into thier schedules. So what better way than through internet sources that are now just around every corner, and for most people, right at thier finger tips, to encorprate education with the popular networks of today. What are some other ways by which people can achieve all of this with ease and simplicity? One way is through a wonder website called Flikr.
Equipped with organization tools, tour guides, integration devices- which allow people to directly connect other sites such as thier blogs to Flikr- instant messaging, photosets (albums), and email, Flikr serves as one of the best online sources for social networking that is easy to manage and enjoy! Flikr even allows users to meet with thier set contacts and groups via discussion boards and instant messaging chat rooms to exchange thier ideas and discuss individual photographs! This great place makes it possible to keep students engaged and motivated, while aquiring new skills and building on existing knowledge!!
With the continuouos growth of technologically savvy generations, sites such as Flikr would be more than perfect to encorporate into classrooms all around the world.
Equipped with organization tools, tour guides, integration devices- which allow people to directly connect other sites such as thier blogs to Flikr- instant messaging, photosets (albums), and email, Flikr serves as one of the best online sources for social networking that is easy to manage and enjoy! Flikr even allows users to meet with thier set contacts and groups via discussion boards and instant messaging chat rooms to exchange thier ideas and discuss individual photographs! This great place makes it possible to keep students engaged and motivated, while aquiring new skills and building on existing knowledge!!
With the continuouos growth of technologically savvy generations, sites such as Flikr would be more than perfect to encorporate into classrooms all around the world.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Technology: What's fit for the 21st Century?
In today's new age of technological and medincal advances, there are ever-changing ways of immediate communications. And in today's society, the most utilized form of speedy communication is via-internet or phone. With sites such as Netvibes and Delicious, that empower people to have a fast, easy, personal way to maneuver through the internet, people are able to experiance technology of the 21st century at its best.
Delicious is a website that enables its users to "bookmark" on thier own webpage so that they can revisit the compiled links from wherever thier next internet access may be. This allows users to have a constant link to thier favorite and most used websites without always having to have access to thier own personal pc's. Delicious is a convenient source of 21st Century technology that really shows how the internet can serve as a central source of communication. By bookmarking favorite sites, including that of Netvibes, people are able to have speedy access to what they need, when they need it, wherever they may be!
Netvibes is also a great example of 21st century technology, showing how advanced yet convenient the internet can be. Through this personalized, private account users are able to access a homepage just like they would an e mail account. Netvibes offers users a compilation of all thier favorite links through the use of "widgets". When on the account, Netvibes allows users to update, change, delete and add any type of website they please as a "widget". This serves as a great way to organize your most commonly used websites, while also being able to sign on to a private account and check out your email, facebook, twitter, blogs as well as the weather and youtube videos! All through one simple site.
To conclude, sites like Delicious and Netvibes provide a safe, simple way to experience today's technology and a way to stay connected with friends and family, from wherever you may be. <3
Delicious is a website that enables its users to "bookmark" on thier own webpage so that they can revisit the compiled links from wherever thier next internet access may be. This allows users to have a constant link to thier favorite and most used websites without always having to have access to thier own personal pc's. Delicious is a convenient source of 21st Century technology that really shows how the internet can serve as a central source of communication. By bookmarking favorite sites, including that of Netvibes, people are able to have speedy access to what they need, when they need it, wherever they may be!
Netvibes is also a great example of 21st century technology, showing how advanced yet convenient the internet can be. Through this personalized, private account users are able to access a homepage just like they would an e mail account. Netvibes offers users a compilation of all thier favorite links through the use of "widgets". When on the account, Netvibes allows users to update, change, delete and add any type of website they please as a "widget". This serves as a great way to organize your most commonly used websites, while also being able to sign on to a private account and check out your email, facebook, twitter, blogs as well as the weather and youtube videos! All through one simple site.
To conclude, sites like Delicious and Netvibes provide a safe, simple way to experience today's technology and a way to stay connected with friends and family, from wherever you may be. <3
Friday, September 3, 2010
Engage Me or Enrage Me!
The article "Engage Me or Enrage Me", serves as the perfect model for summarizing the lack of interest of today's students in their school work. Separating students into three different groups, the article shows how every year our society is losing "the students who are truly self-motivated" and even the "students who go through the motions"; take away message being that due to an overall misunderstanding of the newer generations, interest in school/educational affairs are quickly diminishing. Which would lead to the third, more modernistic group, the students who chose to "tune out" teachers.
Within the article, it gives reasons as to why this is happening more and more often. It even goes as far as quoting the thoughts of actual students of today, who all seem to agree on one thing: yesterday's education is NOT for tomorrow's kids. The problems with today's educational systems? They are not enticing students to learn in a way that interests them. Rather they are trying to educate them in ways that are, for the most part, out of date. When interviewed for "Yahoo's 2003 "Born to Be Wired" conference", one child expressed thoughts about why the internet is such a great source:
"On the internet, you can play games, you can check your mail, you can talk to your friends, you can buy things, and you can look up things you really like". So the question is, if the web and other new technologies are what is striking the new generation as "the cool thing to do", then why hasn't the educational system tried to reach out to today's students on a level of which they are familiar?
Think about it. If the educational systems would incorporate even a small portion of today's technology, such as blogging, into their lesson plans, then wouldn't it be a good chance that more students would be interested in an assignment?
To conclude, if blogging and other electronic sources were added to school systems, not only would they be saving money on paper and books etc, but their would be more of a student-interest turnout. Not to mention the fact that the students would feel a sense of ownership and pride in their work- while also getting to interact with fellow classmates.
Within the article, it gives reasons as to why this is happening more and more often. It even goes as far as quoting the thoughts of actual students of today, who all seem to agree on one thing: yesterday's education is NOT for tomorrow's kids. The problems with today's educational systems? They are not enticing students to learn in a way that interests them. Rather they are trying to educate them in ways that are, for the most part, out of date. When interviewed for "Yahoo's 2003 "Born to Be Wired" conference", one child expressed thoughts about why the internet is such a great source:
"On the internet, you can play games, you can check your mail, you can talk to your friends, you can buy things, and you can look up things you really like". So the question is, if the web and other new technologies are what is striking the new generation as "the cool thing to do", then why hasn't the educational system tried to reach out to today's students on a level of which they are familiar?
Think about it. If the educational systems would incorporate even a small portion of today's technology, such as blogging, into their lesson plans, then wouldn't it be a good chance that more students would be interested in an assignment?
To conclude, if blogging and other electronic sources were added to school systems, not only would they be saving money on paper and books etc, but their would be more of a student-interest turnout. Not to mention the fact that the students would feel a sense of ownership and pride in their work- while also getting to interact with fellow classmates.
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