Comments for Ms. Gamez's Blog

Comment on Let’s just be friends, I need MySpace by Robert

Robert — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 00:48:53 +0000

In making an educated guess, I would say, “Yes,” social networking sites are causing more problems among students. I think that the non-physically confrontational nature of the internet allows for people to say things “out loud” they probably wouldn’t say in person because there are no immediate repercussions and no accountability, and they know there’s really nothing another person can do to hurt them through a computer monitor. I think it gives people more boldness to be mouthy and so it’s easier to be thoughtless and say offensive or hurtful things to others.
What I don’t understand is why the participants don’t have the foresight to think that they might come face to face with each other someday soon. I could understand more if each party was far away and they probably wouldn’t see each other face to face anytime soon, but many of these online verbal wars are among students at the same school. So of course, they’re going to see each other sooner or later, and when they do they’re going to confront each other and challenge what was said online.
So in this way social networking sites do cause conflict between students where there might not have been any—or at least escalate it.
Of course, I don’t think this makes the social networking sites themselves bad; it’s just one unintended negative result of them. And while students do need to have an outlet for their emotions, this is not an appropriate venue or method for doing it.

Comment on Let’s just be friends, I need MySpace by Guadalupe Aguilera

Guadalupe Aguilera — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 07:20:08 +0000

The idea of creating a MySpace or Facebook is to describe yourself and upload photos and indicate your personal interests such as music, favorite musicians etc. These sites also give the opportunity to link themselves to others within the system and people reveal their personal affiliations. These sites also allow friends to comment on each other’s profiles.

Both MySpace and Facebook have a messaging system similar to Email. MySpace has a bulletin board where people can post messages that all friends can read. MySpace is primarily a way where teenagers can communicate with each other. This could be something positive, but it could also turn into something very ugly. For example, Megan Maier was a thirteen year old girl who met a fictitious boy in MySpace. Then, this boy started saying that she was ugly and fat among other things and she committed suicide. Her parents didn’t know that the boy was a made up person by their neighbors. In my opinion, this was very sick! And the worst thing was that the adults were who created the boy’s fictitious profile.

Our youth needs to be educated about Internet safety. There are no classes that are going to teach young people about Internet safety, therefore; I strongly feel that if we have teen-agers and we know that they have a MySpace of Facebook, it is our responsibility to educate our children about Internet dangers.

Comment on Let’s just be friends, I need MySpace by Jeff

Jeff — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 06:09:47 +0000

Wow, I was just thinking that the other day walking through campus during a 15 minute brunch time. So many students are on their phones catching up on the latest gossip, checking their social accounts, or posting an update. When did getting a break from school for lunch and eating and social gathering become more of a time to let the world know about how you did on a test, or what your current “mood” is, or how someone did something you didn’t agree with and you feel everyone needs to know right now. Not too long ago there was a fight that broke out just as the lunch bell rang and students needed to get to class. Only five minutes into the next period, students were informing me of who it was, how it got started, why it happened, what was going to happen to the students involved, and showing me a video that was already posted to youtube and myspace. My first reaction was shocked that students could get information out to the entire world that quickly, and amazed at how up on technology these students are. A quick second thought was that of embarassment for these students involved. With the use of technology, students lives are quickly becoming less and less private. I’m big into wanting to know the latest and greatest and using them for my benefit, but using it to run down someone’s name or life is unacceptable. So to answer your question if these social gatherings are causing more problems, I could only imagine if you were to ask that same question to the founders of these sites, they would have to agree that it was not the purpose of the site. It is the responsibility of the users to use it for what it was created for. But as users, we need to use better judgement as to what we do with it. Students haven’t matured enough to understand fully that there are often consequences to freedom of speech.

Comment on Let’s just be friends, I need MySpace by missrosa

missrosa — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 00:49:02 +0000

When people are talking online, or IMing they tend to say things that they might not have said to a person face to face. When people are typing their thoughts they lose some of their filter that they might have if they actually said their words out loud. For this reason I believe that social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace are making problems between students worse than they might be if these students were actually having face to face conversations. The conflicts between students escalate in silence online. If they were having verbal arguments face to face they might be able to get some of their aggressions out and maybe even come to a resolution, teachers might see what’s going on and try and help them resolve their issues. Unfortunately there is no way for teachers to supervise all students profile pages and see what is being said, so if there is a problem teachers can’t help. Also, when students argue online in silence they are just bottling everything in and, like the girls in the video, just blow up when they finally do come face to face.

Comment on Then vs. Now- Compare and Contrast by missrosa

missrosa — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 03:10:18 +0000

Yes, I think that web quests would be great for my students. The problem is that they have only ever been exposed to Successmaker. They have no idea how to do a basic search, or even type for that matter. I decided that it would be my mission to find them fun things that they could do on the internet that would get them out of the Successmaker rut that they are in. Last week I took them into the lab opened up Work for them and they had a blast just playing with the keyboard and seeing what different buttons did. I am a firm believer in pushing buttons to learn, how will they ever learn how to use a program if they don’t just get in there and try it out?!

Comment on My Goals For Education 515 by steve19421945

steve19421945 — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 02:24:41 +0000

Same goals as mine, make myself a better teacher to maximize student learning. Since technology is such a powerful tool learning technology and keeping current with it is a great way to make myself a better teacher. Unfortunately as far as which programs schools get for computers, the process may be like the way textbooks are bought. Politics are part of the consideration in which computer program is bought, and the best programs are not always purchased. Maybe no or little research is done to find the best computer programs. So we put up with computer programs that teach by drill and eye candy but get boring quickly. How bout make a goal to find the best educational games yourself and ask the principal about using them in you own class? What are the chances? See if the school can pay for the programs? Convince the principal your program is a better learning tool for the students.

Comment on Then vs. Now- Compare and Contrast by steve19421945

steve19421945 — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 02:05:10 +0000

I remember translating for my parents also, but at least thankfully every class I have taken to the computer lab has had enough computers for everyone. Some teachers from LA I have talked to say they have even less support for technology, so their kids have less opportunity to learn new technology due to lack of money. Are there too many highly paid administrators that take up too much of the school budget? I remember computers seemed very confusing when I first started using them in high school, and I did not get the hang of them until I had one at home. I think modern kids do have different brains more attuned to learning by video game than those of 20 years ago. Brains are shaped by the type and amount of stimulus from their environment as the author points out with research on rats and musicians. Musician brains are slightly differently shaped compared to those of non musical people according to research presented by Prensky.

Comment on My Goals For Education 515 by Robert

Robert — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 23:55:56 +0000

That’s a good distrinction you make between using technology as a teacher and teaching the students how to use technology themselves. It took me a while to get that. When I first started my credential program I kept hearing about integrating technology, but I thought I was the one who was supposed to be using it and it was only for the purpose of diferentiating instruction for students with different intelligences. It wasn’t until I was already in this masters program that the light went on and I realized not only are there technology standards for teachers, but for students as well. At that point my lesson planning took on a somewhat different look than before. I wish someone would have told me sooner.
How fun it will be to have a class website where parents can see what their children are studying, check the nightly homework, and leave comments for the teacher. Parents can then have a better understanding of what their children are learning and can have talks about it. It seems like one of the best tools to use for the school-home connection which is so highly promoted.

Comment on Then vs. Now- Compare and Contrast by Robert

Robert — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 23:54:01 +0000

One interesting idea that I came away with in reading your response is that technology seems to have power to transcend ethnicity and social class and is developing as a major link to connect different people. I think in part this may be happening because it is creating a common language and which is facilitating its evolution into a culture all its own. I’ve been thinking about technology in terms of helping students learn, but right now for the first itme I’m thinking about it as a device to bring people together. I have no idea how that might be mapped out logistically, but that’s what just popped into my mind.
Rosa, does it seem like many teachers take their classes to the computer lab just to say that they got in their lab time but they really don’t teach their students about using computers or techology? I ask because everytime I sub at a school and we go to the computer lab its always to use Successmaker. It seems you’re right that kids are tired of Successmaker because that’s all that they’re offered over and over. I’m even tired of seeing them on it. Wouldn’t it be fun for students to have ten exciting programs to choose from so they don’t get tired of the same one? Also do you think webquests are something you would feel comfortable having your students do? If they are old enough maybe you could surprise them with something different that might be great fun for them.

Comment on My Goals For Education 515 by mssalas

mssalas — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 19:35:33 +0000

Rose your goals are great, I think you will leave enough knowledge to help your students in the now and in the future. You have good ideas about teaching them power point, word, etc..it is best to teach them now then to wait till college or high school because even in high school they are using programs such as power point for reports. I do agree with you it is frustrating that schools cannot keep up but they should have a person who can write up grants to get the necessary things teachers need since the budgets cant help.