Digital Storytelling

In this digital story, I wanted to convey my teaching philosophy and how I plan to approach my future profession.  I feel that many of today's educators attempt to create a model student and don't focus on each student's strengths and capabilities.  Through this video, I attempt to establish how I will go about teaching by using text and images that hit home for what teaching should be and how a teacher should put forth effort to ensure the success of his/her students.

Digital storytelling could be a unique tool to support learning in schools.  This form of media gives students another outlet to express themselves and could spark creativity within students.  The use of images, text, music, and slide transitions goes above and beyond a standard essay and allows students to engage and take pride in the work that they create (especially if it is published on a site such as YouTube for the whole world to see).  As Jason Ohler mentions in his article, "It's personal, yet it touches a universal chord" (Ohler, 2005).  The student can become completely encompassed in providing the world with their own person insight.  I don't find myself as the most creative, but even I became interested in all of the aspects of PhotoStory.


Student Digital Stories
If the idea of digital stories sparks any interest of yours, check out the above link.  This site was created by a multimedia class and has several examples of student created digital stories covering such topics all the way from Abraham Lincoln to Winston Churchill.  These demonstrate fantastic ways for students to learn about significant historical figures.  Check it out!

Works Cited

Ohler, J. (2005). The world of digital storytelling.Educational Leadership, Retrieved from http://www.jasonohler.com/pdfs/digitalStorytellingArticle1-2006.pdf

Essential Question

Essential Question: How does the media influence our perception of the government and politics?  More specifically, what role does the media play in political campaigns and how does this impact how our country is governed?

Standard: SS.10.C.2
      analyze multiple media sources and their influence on public opinion and policy issues.

Selected Webquest:
https://sites.google.com/site/boordwebquest/

	Beginning	Developing	Accomplished	Score
Overall Aesthetics (This refers to the WebQuest page itself, not the external resources linked to it.)
Overall Visual Appeal	0 points There are few or no graphic elements. No variation in layout or typography. OR Color is garish and/or typographic variations are overused and legibility suffers. Background interferes with the readability.	2 points Graphic elements sometimes, but not always, contribute to the understanding of concepts, ideas and relationships. There is some variation in type size, color, and layout.	4 points Appropriate and thematic  graphic elements are used to make  visual connections that contribute to  the understanding of concepts, ideas  and relationships. Differences in type  size and/or color are used well and  consistently.  See Fine Points Checklist.	3.5: The webquest uses visual images to relate to the content, but the Webquest does have a few pages that could use additions to further interest the students.
Navigation & Flow	0 points Getting through the lesson is confusing and unconventional. Pages can't be found easily and/or the way back isn't clear.	2 points There are a few places where the learner can get lost and not know where to go next.	4 points Navigation is seamless. It is always clear to the learner what all the pieces are and how to get to them.	4: The site flows very smooth and outlines each step in the process.
Mechanical Aspects	0 points There are more than 5 broken links, misplaced or missing images, badly sized tables, misspellings and/or grammatical errors.	1 point There are some broken links, misplaced or missing images, badly sized tables, misspellings and/or grammatical errors.	2 points No mechanical problems noted.  See Fine Points Checklist.	1.5: One of the links do not work but it is because it is an archived article from the Washington Post
Introduction
Motivational Effectiveness of Introduction	0 points The introduction is purely factual, with no appeal to relevance or social importance OR The scenario posed is transparently bogus and doesn't respect the media literacy of today's learners.	1 point The introduction relates somewhat to the learner's interests and/or describes a compelling question or problem.	2 points The introduction draws the reader into the lesson by relating to the learner's interests or goals and/or engagingly describing a compelling question or problem.	2: The introduction informs the student that they will first become a critic of famous campaign ads and then have their own opportunity to make an ad.
Cognitive Effectiveness of the Introduction	0 points The introduction doesn't prepare the reader for what is to come, or build on what the learner already knows.	1 point The introduction makes some reference to learner's prior knowledge and previews to some extent what the lesson is about.	2 points The introduction builds on learner's prior knowledge and effectively prepares the learner by foreshadowing what the lesson is about.	2: The introduction shows the student what needs to be done, why it's important and what will be expected by the end of the Webquest
Task (The task is the end result of student efforts... not the steps involved in getting there.)
Connection of Task to Standards	0 points The task is not related to standards.	2 point The task is referenced to standards but is not clearly connected to what students must know and be able to do to achieve proficiency of those standards.	4 points The task is referenced to standards and is clearly connected to what students must know and be able to do to achieve proficiency of those standards.	4: The task is model after an Ohio K-12 Benchmark in Social Studies and builds upon student knowledge to increase their understand of the media's impact on presidential campaigns.
Cognitive Level of the Task	0 points Task requires simply comprehending or retelling of information found on web pages and answering factual questions.	3 points Task is doable but is limited in its significance to students' lives. The task requires analysis of information and/or putting together information from several sources.	6 points Task is doable and engaging, and elicits thinking that goes beyond rote comprehension. The task requires synthesis of multiple sources of information, and/or taking a position, and/or going beyond the data given and making a generalization or creative product. See WebQuest Taskonomy.	6: The task is feasible, and incorporates student discussion that will allow for various viewpoints to be presented that would not be presented otherwise.
Process (The process is the step-by-step description of how students will accomplish the task.)
Clarity of Process	0 points Process is not clearly stated. Students would not know exactly what they were supposed to do just from reading this.	2 points Some directions are given, but there is missing information. Students might be confused.	4 points Every step is clearly stated. Most students would know exactly where they are at each step of the process and know what to do next.	4: The Webquest is very easy to follow and execute
Scaffolding of Process	0 points The process lacks strategies and organizational tools needed for students to gain the knowledge needed to complete the task. Activities are of little significance to one another and/or to the accomplishment of the task.	3 points Strategies and organizational tools embedded in the process are insufficient to ensure that all students will gain the knowledge needed to complete the task. Some of the activities do not relate specifically to the accomplishment of the task.	6 points The process provides students coming in at different entry levels with strategies and organizational tools to access and gain the knowledge needed to complete the task. Activities are clearly related and designed to take the students from basic knowledge to higher level thinking. Checks for understanding are built in to assess whether students are getting it. See: Process Guides A Taxonomy of Information Patterns Language Arts Standards and Technology WebQuest Enhancement Tools Reception, Transformation & Production Scaffolds	6: The Webquest begins with the students reviewing previous campaign ads to understand the process and then proceeds to the more complex task of having to design their own ad.
Richness of Process	0 points Few steps, no separate roles assigned.	1 points Some separate tasks or roles assigned. More complex activities required.	2 points Different roles are assigned to help students understand different perspectives and/or share responsibility in accomplishing the task.	2: Students first serve as critics; followed by producers, directors, and actors of their own ad.
Resources (Note: you should evaluate all resources linked to the page, even if they are in sections other than the Process block. Also note that books, video and other off-line resources can and should be used where appropriate.)
Relevance & Quantity of Resources	0 points Resources provided are not sufficient for students to accomplish the task. OR There are too many resources for learners to look at in a reasonable time.	2 point There is some connection between the resources and the information needed for students to accomplish the task. Some resources don't add anything new.	4 points There is a clear and meaningful connection between all the resources and the information needed for students to accomplish the task. Every resource carries its weight.	4: All of the resources help the student carry out the required task.
Quality of Resources	0 points Links are mundane. They lead to information that could be found in a classroom encyclopedia.	2 points Some links carry information not ordinarily found in a classroom.	4 points Links make excellent use of the Web's timeliness and colorfulness. Varied resources provide enough meaningful information for students to think deeply.	4: The links direct the student to historical campaign ads of interest that the students would not be able to locate in an encyclopedia or textbook.
Evaluation
Clarity of Evaluation Criteria	0 points Criteria for success are not described.	3 points Criteria for success are at least partially described.	6 points Criteria for success are clearly stated in the form of a rubric. Criteria include qualitative as well as quantitative descriptors. The evaluation instrument clearly measures what students must know and be able to do to accomplish the task. See Creating a Rubric.	6: The Webquest includes a detailed rubric similar to this rubric.
Total Score				49/50

This Webquest would be a highly successful tool in the classroom as it has a quality design and promotes the classroom standards required by the state.  After completing the WebQuest, the students should be able to answer the essential question of how the media impacts political campaigns.  Students should be able to conclude that without a strong marketing and media campaign that it is highly unlikely that a president would get elected in today's age.  Therefore showing that the media has a direct impact on how our country is governed and by who that it is governed.

Personally, I would make an attempt to incorporate this WebQuest in my classroom if I taught a 11th-12th grade Government course due to its tendency to have a student think at a higher order of thinking through research, group discussion, collaboration, and finally reflection to fully understand the impact that the media has and what goes into running a political campaign.

WebQuest About WebQuest

Role of:Technophile

Your Impressions

WebQuest	Strengths	Weaknesses
Gorillas	Links to other sites that allow you to do your own investigation  Allows students to follow up on their research	Design is rather bland; nothing eye catching
Shakespeare	Quality links for students to learning more about the project	Also rather bland design;  a few pictures but nothing special  Several of the links do not work
Earthquake	Striking design: good use of white space, colorful fonts, and bold text for important items  Step by step instructions to guide the learners as they go Conclusion proposes feedback oriented questions that make the student evaluate both the project and his/her contribution to the group	Multiple links do not work  Web and technology use are mainly limited to research
Foreign Country	In-depth use of technology: Microsoft Word, Excel, and Access  Quality list of links (government sites and educational pages) Largest diversity in terms of the task students are asked to complete	Boring text; large chunks of text clumped together Very few pictures within the WebQuest
Waves & Sound	Page Design: Lots of text but it is colorful, broken into block paragraphs and staggered by  several pictures Interactive links provide for the students to assist them step by step	Conclusion lacks depth and thought provoking discussion to get students to think about what they have accomplished  Teacher resource page is rather empty and could make it tough for another teacher to try to replicate this WebQuest Many of the links do not work

My group only reached a consensus on a best and worst WebQuest out of the lot of five.  We felt that the three in the middle were very similar, but we did feel that we had a clear cut best and worst.

After evaluating all five of the WebQuests, my group has determined that the Earthquake Webquest is the best of the five.  This WebQuest included a team atmosphere through its foundation on group work.  The project then required a variety of elements as it called for research, a PowerPoint presentation, a market analysis, and then finally building and testing the building through simulated earthquakes.  The aspect that really put the Earthquake over the top is the quality reflection at the end of the project.  Not only does this require students to design their project, but it also requires them to understand why they succeeded or failed; and it also grades the students based on their understanding and not necessarily the success of the building.

Our group decision on the worst WebQuest was the Shakespeare Webquest.  This project was rather bland and did not seem that it would excite the students.  And as we all know, students learn best when they are having fun.  Personally, I feel that old poems and plays are about the most boring aspects of Literature class, and I would dread not only having to read the material, but also being required to research the material in-depth and put on my own skit.  Also, the WebQuest fell to the bottom of the ranks as several of its links were broken.  The project started out as a quality idea, but I feel that it falls short of sparking the level of student interest that is necessary for effective learning.

Video Games and Learning

Video #1: Are Video Games Making your Kids Smarter?
In the first video, Gabe Zichermann argues that video games can help the intelligence of today's youth and that as parents, you should play video games with your kids to understand why they enjoy the games.  Zichermann argues that video games help young children as it requires an extraordinary amount of multitasking.  These multitasking skills actually make children smarter due to the depth of skill required.  Another claim of Zicherman is that video games increase fluid intelligence levels in children.  Finally, Zichermann sums up his argument with a class study of a third grade class room where video games were implemented as a primary source of learning.  Within 18 weeks, the students improved from a below average 3rd grade reading level to a mid 4th grade reading level.

Video #2: Your Brain on Video Games
In the second clip, Daphne Bavelier argues that video games have many benefits when played in moderation.  Bavelier points out that action games actually have better eyesight due to the improved ability to read fine print and perceive differences in levels of gray.  In addition, Bavelier demonstrates a few sample tests to show how video games establish benefits.  The first is a color/word recognition test in which statistics show that video game players score better than non players.  The second test is an object tracking test which shows that gamers can track between 3-4 more objects that than those who do not play video games.

Video #3: The Gaming School
The final video features Katie Salen who argues that play (including video game play) is an important part of development.  Salen says that collaboration, team building, problem solving and taking own identities all help children develop properly, and all three are skills that are fine tuned when playing video games.  Salen also points out that good game design is similar to good teaching through the scaffolding concept in which instruction is differentiated with the easier material coming first and then building up to the more difficult concepts.  The video also mentions that kids helping to design the game is a vital part to development as it allows the students to focus on their audience and take on the experience from another's vantage point.

Watching these videos improves my belief that video games can be effectively used in schools.  I played my fair share of video games while in grade school and I believe that they have attributed to some of the cognitive skills that I have today.  While I'm not saying that playing Call of Duty for 9 hours a day results in a 4.0 GPA, I do believe that video games can sharpen some brain functions.  For example, Gabe Zichermann showed a concrete example of not just how video games improve cognitive skills, but how video games can directly improve reading level through classroom use.  Also, Daphne Bavelier showed how video games assist in terms of object recognition and other visual aspects.  These are huge parts of effective reading, which could in turn help students understand abstract ideas sooner as they can already understand the concrete ideas.  Finally, Katie Salen's discussion of scaffolding really drives home how video games can help.  Scaffolding is the process of implementing a learning foundation and then building more complex concepts on top of that.  Sounds just like moving from level to level in video games doesn't it?  Such as moving from the easy pink stage in Pac-Man to the larger blue stage where the game speed is increase.  

In conclusion, video games are a technology that should be considered for classroom use as they can provide unique cognitive improvements when used in the correct capacity.

Support for Games in the Classroom:
The above link is an article by the Entertainment Software Association that discusses the use of video games in the classroom.  The article touches on scientific research from prestigious universities such as Duke, and also shows real life examples of how video games benefit in a classroom environment.  The article even directly states, "serious games and virtual environments are the future of education” ("Games: Improving education,").  This article coincides with my view point that video games can be used effectively in the classroom to benefit large number a students.  Through scientific research on cognitive skills all the way to real life case studies, it is clear that video games should be considered as a possible way to educate students.  As we all know, kids learn the most when they are having fun with what they are being taught.

Reference List

(2007, September 29). Using Serious Games And Simulations In The Classroom - See more at: http://elianealhadeff.blogspot.com/2007/09/using-serious-games-and-simulations-in.html

Baveiler, D. (Performer) (2012). Your brain on video games [Web]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FktsFcooIG8

Games: Improving education. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.theesa.com/games-improving-what-matters/education.asp

Salen, K. (Performer) (2009). Big thinkers: Katie salen on learning with games [Web]. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/digital-generation-katie-salen-video

Zichermann, G. (Performer) (2011). Gamification [Web]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=O2N-5maKZ9Q

What Wikipedia means for 21st Century Teaching and Learning

Participatory culture refers to a society in which the general public does not solely consume information, but rather helps to also produce the information.  This type of culture applies directly to Wikipedia where it is opened to the public to make additions and change the information as needed.

In terms of 21st century learning, Wikipedia symbolizes our society's access to ever changing information in an ever changing culture.  I think a website such as Wikipedia will be huge in terms of promoting Web 2.0 and allowing everyone to have an opportunity to disperse and edit the information that others will receive.  As Henry Jenkins puts in, "Wikipedia empowers students to take seriously what they have learned in other classes, to see their own research as having potential value in a larger enterprise, and to take greater responsibility over the accuracy of what they have produced" (Jenkins, 2007).

Wikipedia Analysis: Global Warming Article

Step One: Bias

This Wikipedia article does a fairly good job of remaining neutral through its entirety.  The first six sections of the article focus on what global warming is and provides a better understanding for the reader.  After, the article defines two separate proposed responses to the situation, and follows with sections on political, scientific, and public opinion discussions on global warming.  The article also tends to not show any bias as the two sides mentioned (political and scientific) are not necessarily opposing each other, "In the scientific literature, there is a strong consensus that global surface temperatures have increased in recent decades and that the trend is caused mainly by human-induced emissions of greenhouse gases. No scientific body of national or international standing disagrees with this view."  At the same time the article states, "In ratifying the Kyoto Protocol, most developed countries accepted legally binding commitments to limit their emissions," showing that the countries are at least not arguing the claims of the scientific community.  Overall, the article maintains neutrality as it does not try to convince the reader to take one side or the other, but merely states the facts.

Step Two: Triangulation

Claim: Earth's mean surface temperature has increased by about 0.8 °C (1.4 °F), with about two-thirds of the increase occurring since 1980

The Center for Climate and Energy Solutions agrees with Wikipedia's standpoint.  The C2ES states,"The Earth’s average surface temperature has increased by 1.4°F (0.8°C) since the early years of the 20th century. The 10 warmest years on record (since 1850) have all occurred since 1998. The 10 warmest years to date are 2010, 2005, 1998, 2003, 2002, 2009, 2006, 2007, 2004, 2001" (About Science and Impacts, 2013).  The C2ES appears to have strong validity as the organization is non-profit and independent of any political parties.

However, Monte Morin of the Los Angeles Times reports that this is not quite the case recently, "Since just before the start of the 21st century, the Earth's average global surface temperature has failed to rise despite soaring levels of heat-trapping greenhouse gases and years of dire warnings from environmental advocates"  (Morin, 2013)  The Los Angeles Times is typically a reliable source, yet this article could be a little skewed for the newspaper wanting to generate reader interest that may not contain all the facts or may spin the material to be more interesting.

Step Three: Talk Link

The General Sanctions that the article and its editors are subject to are a means of maintaining the integrity of the article.  The general sanctions outline what type of behavior is acceptable when it comes to editing and what kinds of proof and supporting research one needs to edit the article.   Without going about the process in the proper way, an editor may be subject to removal from the site for a determined amount of time to clear the way for those who want to edit the article (and others) in good faith.

Step Four: 

Q14:Doesn't water vapor cause 98% of the greenhouse effect?
A14: Water vapour is indeed a major greenhouse gas, contributing about 36% to 70% (not 98%) of the total greenhouse effect.

Slate Magazine confirms the Wikipedia answer by stating, "According to both the International Panel on Climate Change and many global climate models, water vapor accounts for somewhere between 60 percent and 70 percent of the greenhouse effect. (The 98-percent figure, much beloved by global-warming skeptics, seems to have been first used in a 1991 article by Richard Lindzen. He cites a 1990 IPCC report as his source, but the report doesn't appear to contain that number" (Koerner, 2008).

After researching, Slate appears to be a reliable source.  It is a daily online magazine that reports numerous current events and interesting news pieces.  It has also been awarded the National Magazine Award for General Excellence Online.  A magazine prone to reporting false information would not be eligible for such an award.

Step Five:

I read the section on the projections of future global warming.  I learned that there are not many concrete examples of future warming projections.  I also learned that Wikipedia goes through exhaustive efforts to produce the highest quality.  In this section, one of the editors admits that the article lacks much information on future projections but goes through the criteria substantial for posting new information to the article.  After reading this article, I would support Wikipedia as a reference for school material because of the detail and depth that goes into producing an article like this one.

Step Six:

After reviewing NewsAndEventsGuy's profile, my impressions of Wikipedia have been confirmed even more.  This particular editor has even achieved the Civility Award on Wikipedia for his efforts in articles such as the global warming one.  If this are the kinds of people that are helping Wikipedia prosper, I feel that the website is in good hands.

After completing the Wikipedia Validation process, I feel that Wikipedia would be a reliable source to students. Wikipedia could possibly replace textbooks as has the capability of adapting as new information is discovered.  As Geoff Ruth points out, "While some textbooks are excellent, most bore my students and frustrate me" ( Ruth, 2013).  Tamim Ansary reflects this viewpoint in saying, "In fact, most of these books fall far short of their important role in the educational scheme of things. They are processed into existence using the pulp of what already exists, rising like swamp things from the compost of the past"  (Ansary, 2004). And to answer the common assumption by teachers that Wikipedia is inaccurate, Henry Jenkins proclaims, "Educators ask the wrong question when they wonder whether Wikipedia is accurate, because this implies a conception of Wikipedia as a finished product rather than a work in progress" (Jenkins, 2007).  In conclusion, there is a vast amount of support for Wikipedia as not only an academic tool, but as a possible replacement to textbooks...one that you may want to consider in your classroom to not only save some funds, but to save yourself some headaches.

Reference List

(2013). About science and impacts. Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, Retrieved from http://www.c2es.org/science-impacts/about

Ansary, T. (2004). A textbook example of what's wrong with education. Edutopia, Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/textbook-publishing-controversy

Jenkins, H. (2007, June 26). [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://henryjenkins.org/2007/06/what_wikipedia_can_teach_us_ab.html

Koerner, B. (2008). Is global warming caused by water vapor?. Slate, Retrieved from http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/the_green_lantern/2008/01/is_global_warming_caused_by_water_vapor.html

Morin, M. (2013, September 22). Global warming 'hiatus' puts climate change scientists on the spot. The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved from http://articles.latimes.com/2013/sep/22/science/la-sci-climate-change-uncertainty-20130923

Ruth, G. (2013). No books, no problem: Teaching without a text. Edutopia, Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/teaching-without-text

Teacher of the Year and Media Literacy

“[Kids] don't remember what you try to teach them. They remember what you are.”- Jim Henson

In the above design, I constructed a magazine cover to portray myself as teacher of the year.  In order to do so, I presented myself as a bright, young educator who uses several interesting means of teaching to spark student interest.  To start, I chose a picture of myself coaching my brother's travel baseball team as I felt that coaching is very similar to teaching in terms of providing instruction.  I then proceeded to use teasers of activities that I will use in my class in order to spark interest.  From civil war field trips, political debates, mock elections, and using cell phones or clickers in order to take surveys in class, I am attempting to use modern technology and use it in a form that students will enjoy.

My subtext allows the reader to infer that I am Teacher of the Year material.  In addition to my use of technology in the classroom, I also chose the picture of my brother and I holding a tournament championship trophy so that the reader can understand that I have been a successful coach.  This would allow the reader to draw the conclusion that since I am a successful coach, I will be a successful teacher. 

The tools of persuasion that I use in the magazine cover are association and symbol.  I use the championship trophy to symbolize the success that I have had in instructing baseball players over the past few years.  Then, I use the persuasion tool of association by making the link between success in coaching and success in the classroom.  Overall, my use of persuasion was not over the top and dramatic, but rather based upon my previous experiences.

Media literacy is important for 21st century learning as it allows students to understand what they are reading and what bias or slant the material contains.  It also allows students to understand how to use search engines and other technology to the fullest extent, and to do so without getting deceived in the process.  As Jane L. David states, "By integrating elements of digital media literacy into their instruction, teachers can influence how well students critically assess content, both online and offline" (David, 2009).  Learning the core elements of digital media literacy even promotes traditional media literacy as the similarities are vast and the reader typically knows even more about a text than online articles.  This is definitely a tool you should consider using in your class!

Reference List

David, J. L. (2009). What research says about … / teaching media literacy. Educational Leadership,66(6), 84-86. Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/mar09/vol66/num06/Teaching-Media-Literacy.aspx

Magazine Cover Deconstruction

Characteristics Based Solely On Look of Cover #1
*muscular
*strong
*smug
*intimidating
*massive
*tough

This magazine cover of Arnold makes me feel that he is a pretty intimidating guy.  He is shown flexing his biceps and it appears that there is an explosion behind him.  I also find him to be a cool, calm, and collected individual based on the setting of the explosion.




Characteristics Based Solely on Look of Cover #2
*well-dressed
*confident
*personable
*outgoing
*friendly

This second magazine cover depicts Arnold as a personable and friendly person.  It also appears that he is a powerful, wealthy person based on his appearance and dress.

Deconstruction of Cover #2

The cover from Esquire Magazine is attempting to depict Arnold as very personable guy who society would definitely want as a governor of their state.  The conveyed message would be an idea of both Esquire Magazine and the Republican Party.  The magazine would be interested in using Arnold for the cover as it could spark revenue and sales as the actor/politician was a hot topic at the time.  The Republican Party would definitely be interested in the magazine cover as it is positive press for their candidate.

The target audience for this cover is primarily voting males, typically businessmen or more wealthy individuals.  The text of this cover suggests this as the target audience as Arnold was running for Governor of California at the time, and his appearance and facial expressions attempt to relate with the wealthy business class, but also show himself as personable at the same time.  The other text that relates to Arnold is the caption "The Next Governor of California, Really" to entice the audience into believing that Arnold's campaign is not a joke, but a full fledged campaign with a serious possibility of being elected.

The subtext of this cover only represents positive messages from Arnold's life in order to improve his candidacy.  The cover represents a "strictly business" approach for Arnold to deter the audience away from thinking that he is purely a "meathead".  It suggests that Arnold is more than an actor and that he could govern the people of California in a highly effective manner.  I think the subtext also suggests that Arnold is a very family oriented man by having him point with his right hand in order to show his wedding band.  Such a symbol is huge as Americans typically want a family oriented person in office, not a playboy or movie star.

This message serves to empower the people of California to vote for Arnold.  It may not lift up their spirits in any major way, but it serves to establish public confidence in Arnold as a politician.  And as we all know, the public opinion is just about the only thing that matters when it comes down to election time.

The magazine cover uses a few tools of persuasion to try and woo the audience over.  The first major example is the wedding ring that is shown on Arnold's hand in the image.  Stories had surfaced about Arnold being a player amongst the ladies, yet the small band on his finger gives the viewing audience a symbol of marriage.  It shows that Arnold has committed to a woman just as he would commit to the state if elected, or at least that's what the magazine wants us to believe.  The hopes of the magazine editors is that the readers associate the wedding band with Arnold being a strong family man.  Another example of persuasion is the business casual dress.  I don't know about you but when I think about Arnold, I'm thinking about the sleeveless, extra buff Terminator.  In this case, the magazine exemplifies him as a classy individual, one that looks like he could run the affairs of an entire state on a day to day basis.

Overall, the magazine does a good job of painting a quality image of Arnold yet it leaves out several portions of his story.  The magazine cover does not hint to or tell about Arnold's steroid use, or allegations of sexual misconduct, or about about his divorce.  In order to get the full story, you would have to do an internet search or follow newspaper articles on such events and then decide for yourself.

MI Theory and Technology

Jane Carlson-Pickering's article "Teachers in Technology Initiative" provides a very interesting take on how dynamic 21st century learning has become and how Multiple Intelligences can be used to enhance this learning.  One of the main points of the article is that students will learn content better if they are emotionally attached to the subject.  "Our emotions open and close the doors to our ability to learn new information and perform specific tasks" (Carlson-Pickering, 1999).  Students will be less engaged in activities that they don't care about, or have little talent in.  Therefore, MI theory can support student learning by providing instruction in multiple manners that students actually care about.  The article suggests, "...If you are exposed to new ideas that are presented to you through a minimum of three different intelligences, you will have a better chance of remembering the information" (Carlson-Pickering, 1999).  

Personally, I know that MI theory has helped me in my previous schooling.  My strongest MI is kinesthetic (or bodily awareness) and my weakest subject by far is science.  Through lab exercises in different science courses, I have had the opportunity to take a hands on learning approach that allows me to understand in a much deeper way than just being told.

Overall, MI is extremely important in 21st century teaching and learning because it allows teachers to connect learning material to their students through a manner the students actually care about and are interested in learning.

Above is a Picasso Head to represent my strongest MI which is intrapersonal awareness.  I used two different heads to show how I listen to myself and my feelings in order to make daily decisions.  I also chose to make my ears larger and red to stress the importance of listening to myself and also that I am very aware of my surroundings through my secondary kinesthetic (or bodily awareness) strength.


I believe that in addition to multiple intelligence, learning styles do exist.  "...when you analyze an individual, then the learning style often distinguishes itself as a key component of being able to learn or not" ("Learning styles & preferences," 2000)   Learning styles are not all-powerful deciders of whether a student learns or not, but learning styles do help students get a better grasp of concepts.  Basically it boils down to the fact that some learners prefer a certain type of content and means of learning than others.

I think the concept of learning styles is useful for classroom teachers as it can help identify why some students are struggling.  It can also help to determine how a teacher may use another means to help the student learn the material.

Reference List

Carlson-Pickering, J. (1999). Teachers in technology initiative. Retrieved from http://www.21learn.org/archive/teachers-in-technology-initiative/

Learning styles & preferences. (2000, May 29). Retrieved from http://nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/styles.html

Reading and Writing Differently

The perspective in "Reading and Writing Differently" differs from the main stream media view that digital technology has negative impacts on children by providing and discussing numerous ways that digital technology can benefit today's children in a way that prior generations hadn't even dreamed of.  The reading attests that the dynamics of reading and writing are changing and the teaching of reading and writing must be adjusted to accommodate these changes and utilize the most effective approaches.

The National Council of Teachers of English states, "Visual culture and the proliferation of multimedia texts have changed literacy practices both inside and outside the classroom"   (National Council of Teachers of English, 2008).   According to the article, these changes come in textual, relational, spatial, and temporal forms.  All 4 of these forms deal with the best ways to use new technologies in teaching.  Textual approaches use new media to help mold student literacy, relational approaches focus on literacy-focused interactions, spatial contexts focus on where and when literacy is best and worst promoted, and temporal forms focus primarily on the composition time of writers.

The culmination of these 4 contexts and the use of digital technology helps to result in multi-literacy.  Multi-literacy or multimodal literacy uses a variety of interactions to communicate with the learner and, "...involves learning how to negotiate the interaction of different meaning-making systems"  (National Council of Teachers of English, 2008).  This combination of interactions allows for the most well-rounded student learning experience and places the student in the best position to interact with the actual world they will enter into after completion of their education.

Digital technologies can support reading and writing in the context of school throughout many ways.  The first way is through online forums that allow students to post their thoughts and provide their opinions on the thoughts of others.  "Online forums engage students in social interactions and letter-writing," which can improve the student's voice and provide them with outside insight and conversation not possible anywhere else.  (National Council of Teachers of English, 2008)  This interaction with others may also allow students to share readings of interests which may foster improvement of reading skills through repetition.  To continue, "Both social interaction and reflective conversation with others is increased by the use of digital technologies,"  (National Council of Teachers of English, 2008)  These types of interactions can be promoted by using Skype to chat with experts of a particular area or using Twitter as a means to accumulate student opinions on a certain subject area.  Using Twitter in this manner will help improve a student's writing skills as even though the process may be informal, the text of the student will be available to the world; causing the student to want to put his or her best foot forward.

Overall, the best student learning experience can be attained through a multimodal approach that uses a variety of interactions to open as many pathways as possible to help students learn.  Try it out in your classroom and see how it works! 

Creating a digital comic strip and placing it in a blog supports the research recommendation of the above article "Reading and Writing Differently" as it allows for a multiple media approach.  The comic strip could attract a new audience as it encompasses writing, images, and humor along with a joke about texting in today's society.  As mentioned in the article, "The variety of media used by writers creates synergy among different forms of communication, and it increases interactivity and non-linearity for both writers and readers" (National Council of Teachers of English, 2008).  Simply put, you are more likely to get a positive response from your students if you use tools which interest them among your teaching methods.

Reference List

National Council of Teachers of English. (2008). Reading and writing differently. National Council of Teachers of English Journal, Retrieved from http://www.ncte.org/library/NCTEFiles/Resources/Journals/CC/0182-nov08/CC0182Reading.pdf

Poll Everywhere

Click here to respond to the poll online!

Poll Everywhere can be a highly effective tool for teachers of any sort.  The application allows teachers to create polls and students to use cell phones, tablets or computers to respond to these polls.  This application is compatible for use during class and outside of class.  Poll Everywhere benefits student learning as it requires students to pay more attention, but it gives the students a reason to want to give this attention.  The polls also allow for students to freely express their opinions as the results are anonymous.  Now you can say goodbye to the old fashion style of waiting your turn and raising your hand to respond!

The above Wordle represents some of your top responses!

This second Wordle was made with the text of the Richmond Times Dispatch article, "Education: Teachers are key to making technology work,"  which discusses the divide between teachers who use technology to promote student learning and those who don't.  The larger words are the words that appear more often in the article and hold a larger significance within the article's context.

Are Digital Media Changing Language

The main argument of "Are Digital Media Changing Language" is that society shouldn't worry about digital media turning younger generations into any worse of spellers, but we should be concerned with the changes in students' attitudes toward our language itself.  We need to understand these technologies in order to evaluate whether these changes are natural and warranted or if something needs to be done to prevent these changes.

I agree with the notion of this article.  I can personally vouch for myself that I use a different format of the English language when texting friends and family, yet I know when to turn the style off in order to write academic papers; which I have had significant success with.  On the other end of the spectrum, I know quite a few adults who either do not text or text on a limited basis, yet they struggle to spell rather simple words and to grasp some English language concepts.  To put it simply, "Young people can compartmentalize their language.  They have language that they use on the playground and then school language. They know how to speak in classrooms without sounding like goofballs" (Shapiro, 2009).   


I chose the next two images as symbols that signify the process of adapting to technology within the context of our language.  I selected the first image to show how technology is changing education.  The SMART Board is an example of 21st century teaching and shows how technology can now be used in the classroom.  Just as this technology represents change, slight changes in our language don't necessarily have to be negative.

Educational Technology by Alvin Trusty

My second selection serves as a symbol for young people using technology to further their learning.  Just because technology is placed into the hands of kids at an early age doesn't mean that it's a bad thing.  Technology changes, just as shifts in language, can be beneficial when we understand why these changes are occurring and the impact that they may have.

Texting by Glenn Michael Tan

References

Baron, N. S. (2009). Are digital media changing language?. Educational Leadership, 66(6), 42-46. Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/mar09/vol66/num06/Are-Digital-Media-Changing-Language¢.aspx

Shapiro, M. (2009, October 20). Omg! texting and im-ing doesn't affect spelling!. The Washington Post. Retrieved from http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2009-10-20/news/36923178_1_instant-messages-spellers-new-language

Tan, G. M. (Photographer). (2006, July 14). Texting [Web Photo]. Retrieved from http://www.flickr.com/photos/gmtan/189481767/

Trusty, A. (Photographer). (2011, October 19). Educational Technology [Web Photo]. Retrieved from http://www.flickr.com/photos/26668694@N05/6261752720/in/photolist-axk7VN-aMNKWH-8ET9gK-c6UMgE-dRHvic-drBsTS-8CzWiT-dPRYxG-9saFqZ-9saFdH-9saFb4-9sdE21-9bgyNB-c6ULDj-9zDPB4-9zGPXQ-9zGPCb-9zGQds-891BV5-88XmYc-891AKh-88Xn4T-88XmAD