Digital Parenting?

If you have children, it's time for a chat. Help adolescents stay safe. Sharing part of a wonderful article I read on this subject. What was once private can be made public with a keystroke, and once a message is in cyberspace, it can be copied, shared, forwarded and posted. Young people who send an...d receive messages when they are the most trusting and vulnerable can have serious implications. Parents and teens need to talk about the ramifications and implications of new and emerging technologies, but not always easy as kids usually know more than the parents. Young people navigate the software but they may not consider what a comment in MySpace or Facebook does to their reputation, their future education or a job, let alone the feelings of others. Cyber realities could be hot topics and deserve discussion. You can help adolescents stay safe without nagging. There are ways to help you figure out what to say, when to talk and how to word it so your kids are aware of the issues while they enjoy and benefit from the cyberworld. Our children are in the virtual world. We do need to protect them and empower them! But, they need to know about risky behavior like a picture meant for one person, but received by many could put kids at risk of being bullied. Have the talk on how the media affects our lives and the importance of developing a culture of respect.

Looking for a Job?

Technology Etiquette Tips for Job Seekers - let digital technology help you re-enter the working world. You can even track job openings at http://www.indeed.com/ and http://www.linkedin.com/. Here are some tips:

• Avoid Email Blasts - respond to jobs that fit the "best"
• Embrace snail mail - too many job seekers are sending "hire me" email pitches to employers
• Get personal - if you do email pitches, make them personal
• Follow - up - pay attention to how you should make follow up contacts
• Don't call a Manger's cell phone number unless given permission
• Stick w/land lines
• Manage your digital footprint - Mangers can be expected to go online and perform background checks.

Good luck!

Skype freeware

Skype freeware - http://www.skype.com/ - this freeware enables you to make unlimited free calls from computer to computer, either audio-only or including a live video feed. Skype works smoothly and easily on different platforms, and generally provides high voice quality. Plugging yur computer directly into your network, rather than working wirelessly seems to work best. This is a great way to keep in touch with friends and family that do not live nearby. All you need is a Webcam, and you can buy them relatively cheap. Inexpensive models run around $25.00.

http://www.slide.com/r/uve_4QW06D-Mi1l-0JZX_hRsa6gXs-zH

Web-Based Software

APPS you can access through your Web Browser - Web-based software lets you create spreadsheets, edit photos, and create documents. Applications can be found at www.zoho.com and Google Docs, docs.google.com You must sign up, but it's all free. It has planners, an chat functions so you can share schedules and talk online!

NEW HORIZONS: Internet Safety Classes in School

NEW HORIZONS: Internet Safety Classes in School

http://www.auntlee.com/safety/

Internet Safety Classes in School

Internet Safety classes in school? - Isn't this where it should all start? There is so much that kids have learned on their own, yet there is still so much that they don't know. Kids do need to be warned about the dangers of sharing personal information on the Internet and agreeing to meet Web acquaintances in person. Virginia is the FIRST state to mandate that public schools offer Internet safety classes for all grade levels. Texas and Illinois have Internet safety education, but they don't make their courses mandatory. These such efforts are long overdue as the Internet's technological advances have enabled criminals to reach more victims. We as teachers/guides are sensitive to the needs of the students, however it's difficult to feel comfortable unless we know our students know the dangers they may encounter. There is not a way to protect youngsters from on-line predators unless they themselves are educated. With today's tools, there is permanence in what students are uploading to the web. How will that information effect them when they're looking to apply for college or out job hunting? Do they know how much of this information can be used against them - or exposed? Internet safety classes should be offered into existing coursework for 11-16 year olds as the state of Virginia is doing. Although young people feel pretty safe or "bulletproof", young people are still vulnerable. It's necessary to reinforce the old warning: "Don't talk to strangers". It is my opinion that each state has a Dept. of Education (of Technology), and should work with schools to integrate Internet Safety lessons at no cost to the student, or the district. If they have these classes before they enter High School, then we can do less on-line babysitting and get down to using the Web for all the resources it has, and without fear that "someone" will become a victim.

Reflection

Reflection of the Web 2.0 class - Everyone is surrounded by information in today's world. We are bombarded daily by more information than we could possibly process, yet we still seek information. Continuously, I ask myself; how do I familiarize myself with the 21st century learner? First, we must connect with each other, and that's what this class has helped us do. Myra knew how to engage us in new and exciting ways, just as we have to do for the youth that we serve. The tools that she showed us, help us to organize our information, such as RSS feeds. She also showed us that the new web is participatory, with information flowing in all directions rather than from author to reader. I really enjoyed building a blog of my own. All of a sudden you become part of this community communicating with people with the same or like interests.

• It could allow an administrators to post news events for a school community for upcoming events, announcements, classroom information, school menus (just about anything).
• Someone could use it to announce a short-term problem, or for public relations.
• Blogs could be an excellent tool for community building as regular posts could keep people up to date on a specific topic.
• A blog could even replace a school website that was built a very long time ago.
• The interactive tools we learned about allow students to collaborate on projects, build knowledge together, and publish thier ideas.

After this class, I feel much more comfortable in being a "true guide" as these students approach me. There are opportunities that allow these students to find exactly what they are looking for because of the Web's endless supply of information. Everything anyone could want is someplace on-line and I would not have realized half of it unless I reached out for that professional development and took this class. Because I like to read about the lastest technology, I'll continue to blog about "things" I come across. Myra's blog was a great resource for this class. The idea of building your own professional network where you find the people from whom you can learn and ask questions or make comments is one of the major benefits of blogging. These conversations are so valuable and allows people to collaborate like never before. Through these interactive and public discussions, ideas can be developed and expanded upon. I think we will see more and more podcasts for educational learning opportunities and it will develop rapidly to support and assist educators.

The free online photo management and sharing applications that we learned about were the best. Now I can post my pictures on www.flickr.com and share those photos with family and friends in my hometown 2000 miles away. I no longer have to carry my photo album across the country to share it!

In closing, I do think that students today will need 21st century skills in their job markets. They will be used to communicating with a wide range of people (from all over the world) and they will continue to build personal networks. Schools can help guide them. Educators can help students learn how to process and use the information wisely. Parents of these students are also getting on board using cell phones (text messaging) simply to check in with their kids. They are finding out the benefits of these simple "tools" (cell phones). Two of the Washington area's largest school districts send automatic text message alerts for weather-related school closures and other emergencies. It has us "connected". Technology is changing quickly, and we each seek our own comfort level. Thank you Myra for bringing this PST to the Clerks of Svvsd!

Thing #23

Expand your mind - http://movies.atomiclearning.com/k12/home has been one of my favorite pastimes. It's loaded with tutorials and it's so easy to become familiar with a program in a just a few steps. This is a great tool to have at our fingertips. If a school or district is committed to implementing new technologies, the staff will get the message. This is one tool that is worth your time in "expanding your mind". It's free, it's supported by the school, and it's very easy to understand! It puts you in the "technology expert" seat in a hurry! The ability to be exposed to all the tools (like atomic learning can show you), can help you understand the educational potential of those tools. Keep exploring, it will make a difference!

Thing #22

Cellphones as classroom learning tools - I took Bud Hunt's K12 online class and this was the first conference I tapped into at http://k12onlineconference.org/?p=152 to open the discussion about Cellphones as learning tools. I listened to this podcast and the theory of connecting kids favorite digital toy with classroom learning. But, aren't they distracting? Didn't we live without them for 100 years? Aren't they disruptive and don't they allow kids to cheat on exams by textmailing each other? Apparently not in 25 NH schools where kids can access homework, class assignments and conduct research. But, who is footing the bill? The parents, the school? This conference is also where I linked to http://www.gabcast.com/ and made my own podcast. The benefits of cell phone use: they couple w/Web 2.0 resources, can be data collection tools (and not just social toys), mobile web, calendars, calculators, cameras and audio recording devices. Is the cellphone the "next swiss army knife"? Welcome to the 21st century!

Thing #21

Copyright and Freedom of Information - vagueness; fair use is so hard to understand that it fails to provide effective guidance for the use of others' works today. (yes, I copied and pasted that!) Copyright law is confusing, no doubt. Take the copyright quiz at http://witchyrichy.wikispaces.com/copyright Students need so much guidance in this area, but I have found that those in a leadership role also need help. The website quoted above is Hall Davidson's. He outlines key facts that administrators, educators, and students should know about intellectual property. Many organizations appoint a technology manager to conduct audits and maintain a log of licenses and registration materials, but many do not. The new "system" that can make things easier on students is Creative Commons (www.creativecommons.org). It's a system built within current copyright laws that allow people to mark their creations with a Creative Commons license. This license allows others to use their music, movies, images, and text online for specific purposes, such as for classroom use. The licenses are outlined at http://creativecommons.org/about/licenses/.

Thing #20

Social Networking - I loved the library20.ning http://library20.ning.com/ because it had so many more links connected to just this one site. Once you start exploring...it takes away your time and it's hard to stop. I thot I'd explore the blog post "web toys I'm playing with...". It was great! It took me to www.comigs.com , a place to create and share your comic style stories. I have the perfect 13 year old for this. He loves to write stories, songs, etc. so I'm putting him to the test of this website to see what he can create. I know social networking is a growing concern but there is upside to when someone can reach across vast distances to communicate and share. Students are strong believers in the power of technology to enrich their learning experiences. Are they no longer the people our educational system was designed to teach? I wonder.

Thing #19

Microblogging - Facebook; more popular than porn says Time Magazine. When you can reach all of your friends through social networking (Facebook, MySpace, Twitter www.twitter.com), then porn sites lag behind (for the 18-24 year olds). Social Networks rank first. Web 2.0 is all about empowering individual consumers. It's not enough just to find that old movie; now you can make your own film, distribute it worldwide, and find out what people think almost instantly. Twitter: the exchange of quick frequent answers to one simple question.
Students have a natural affinity for these tools, specifically interconnectedness, immediacy, interactivity, communications, and community. Being so connected, students can dig deeper to find information that stretches their ability to reason. Students can collaborate on projects and consult experts in a matter of minutes and then, share their data with the world. The parents (and teachers) of the 21st century student who plays video games, text messages, conducts internet searches, downloads music, shares files, and uses the Web for homework, have to struggle to keep up! They no longer have to look to a parent or a teacher for an answer, and they no longer have the patience to wait on an answer. It's all right there in this interactive world we call Web 2.0.

Thing #18

Video
I wanted to share something on "Web 2.0", so I searched www.ted.com for a video on Wikipedia. I found a podcast by Jimmy Wales, who developed Wikipedia. As we know, there are no gatekeepers; most content is available without charge, and anyone may add to it's volume of knowledge. I've attached the video for sharing this podcast with you (see bottom of page).As part of the open-source movement, programmers freely provide their source code for the sheer enjoyment of seeing their creation used. Web 2.0 is what makes the term "interconnectedness" come to life. The tools we have today allow multiple users to participate. These tools are effective for business success as well as for personal enjoyment.

Thing # 17

Web 2.0 Awards - I wanted a widget (Widget"= objects on a computer screen the user interacts with (thanks to Wikipedia for that definition)! and here's one to show off at the bottom of this page! I went to www.widgetmate.com/news/. I wanted scrolling news headlines and widgetmate allowed you to customize the way it's presented. The Web 2.0 awards for tools that can be used can be found on http://www.seomoz.org/web2.0 . "

Thing # 16

Learning a language - LiveMocha (livemocha.com), is a free site where members can tackle 160 hours of beginning or intermediate lessons in French, German, Mandarin Chinese, Spanish, Hindi or English. There is no charge for tutoring; instead, members tutor one another, drawing on their expertise in their own native language. Learning a new language does require listening, speaking and memory skills. This speaks for itself, when the number of students entering US public schools with a first language other than English continues to grow. Could this not be a site that those students can access with ESL teachers for English language learners? I don't see Italian on this menu by livemocha, but I can tell you that I've already spent some good money toward dictionaries, and Cd's in hopes of learning "limited" Italian, so when I do get there one day I can communicate with them! If they add Italian to this menu, I'll be tuning in.

Thing #15

Audiobooks & ebooks - FREE! I like the audiobooks idea alot! But ebooks online, even for free is not something I'll explore anytime soon. I can see myself lying in bed when the day is done, and resting with my headphones and listening to a story. I never see myself as going to my computer to read an entire book, online, even if it's free. But, if you'd like to explore one, Myra has provided us with that link at http://browseinside.harpercollins.com/index.aspx?isbn13=9780060558123. It's Neil Gaiman's, American Gods. Would I love to read the book? Certainly-but not online! Amazon offers you an out in the upper left corner asking you if you'd like to buy the book. However, if I want to read the book, I'll go to the library to get it, rather than buy it. Again, that's free and I don't have to sit in front of my screen to read it. I may be interested in signing up for a 3 month trial subscription for just $7.49 at http://www.audible.com/ so I can give the audiobook version a try. Afterall, my eyes are tired at night and it would be a good way to unwind from the day. Can this audio version be uploaded to my Ipod? I would hope so!

Thing #14

Podcasting- Since I posted my thoughts on podcasting in Thing #9, I'll keep this short. Simply put, it's a way to distribute multimedia files such as music or speech over the Internet for playback on mobile devices and personal computers. Anyone with a simple computer, inexpensive microphone, and access to the internet can create a podcast. The simple podcast I created at the top of this page was done on http://www.voki.com/. I simply called an 800 number from my cell phone and that number recorded by voice, and uploaded it to the web! http://www.poducateme.com/guide/ was a great resource in learning all there is to know on podcasting. The first podcast I listened to was http://www.edtechtalk.com/ and just as recent as last week, our Bud Hunt was podcasting on Ed Tech with many other schools around the US about how we and they decide to filter certain sites and who is in charge of that. It was interesting to hear the comments of one school in Alabama that the staff could not even access their own blogs from their own computers. Once the podcast has been recorded and placed on the internet, anyone can listen to it. I think it would be great to have teachers podcasting daily so students can access that class 24/7 and review discussions and notes. Check out my podcast within this page on my voki. How better to experience an event, than by listening.

Thing #13

Google Docs- A great place for "tools", http://www.google.com/educators has compiled a group of it's programs into a collection, particulary those that are appropriate for learning. It's a great guide to all the google products, such as Web Search, Earth, Book Search, Maps, and even Spreadsheets, and Blogger. There are some examples of how educators are using them and their lesson ideas! Google manages much of the details of the tools they offer. Computer based learning activies that are well designed and effective is what Google Docs has to offer. I did some further experimenting on Google Images, since this is where most of our students are directed when it comes to finding images on the web. This is no doubt a unique tool for images.

I also explored Google Glossary and loved it! I like to have definitions right at my finger tips and this is one way to get them, fast! Some of the tools I went to explore did require a Gmail account. As educators become familiar with open-source applications such as these, the future may be that they are just a "common place" for educators to look for and use these applications, creating a huge on-line presence that students will be comfortable with.

Thing #12

Open Source Applications - this is very interesting; saving the purchaser with the need for applications sometimes hundreds of dollars. I can't believe these licenses are not restricted by copyright laws, but apparently they are not. Most PC's do not come with office software, but that shouldn't stop you from creating spreadsheets, documents, even editing photos with apps you can access through the Wed. The cost of software licenses and new computers could be eliminated by schools because of the on-line availability of these applications. It makes sense in a world of freebies on the web today! You can download free source applications to burn cd's, to check for viruses, even to manage a CD collection! Applications from Google and Zoho offer fully functional office suites that run in Safari and other Web browsers. Check out Google Docs on Google. To use them, visit docs.google.com and click on "Get Started". The suite can also import and export Microsoft-compatible files. At Zoho, the applications are free for individuals, but there may be a fee for businesses.