The following is one of my annotated bibliography entries for research I have been doing on this topic. There is a lot of material on the internet on this topic (not surprising) but I found this author and site very useful. Read on...
Criddle, L. (2008). Look Both Ways: Online Safety Consulting. Retrieved March 25, 2008, from
http://look-both-ways.com/default.aspx
The author, Linda Criddle, is an internationally recognized speaker and advisor on child safety and the internet, owns a consulting company and has written a book on the topic. She appears to be a very experienced and credible resource on the topic. Her website offers consulting advice, excerpts from her book as well as links to websites that offer other support for the reader. The intended audience for her book and services are administrators, teachers, and parents of internet users. Her work on this website is exceptional. The website offers bullet-point highlights of different topics of which she advises as well as offers links to sites that the reader would find useful. Certainly, there are risks involved in exposing students to the internet, let alone social networking sites. Criddle’s work offers educators direction on both proactive steps to take as well as on what to do in the event that some type of threat occurs. I would consider her work a must read for educators involving their school and students in social networking.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Friday, March 14, 2008
Social Bookmarking
As part of my course, I have been investigating and participating in social bookmarking. This has been an interesting experience. I have considered myself to be fairly up to date with the workings of the Internet and what it has to offer. However, this has opened my eyes to a whole new avenue of information gathering and entertainment. Social Bookmarking allows you to make public a list of websites that you have found interesting. Further, you have the ability to tag each bookmark with key terms. These tags can then be used as a type of search engine for other people to find websites that include these tags. Likewise, you are able to search other peoples tags and websites listed.
This is a great tool for researching a particular topic. I was able to quickly find a list of websites that other people have found useful to them. It saves time of sorting through useless sites when doing research. Also, it is a useful collaboration tool. In this course, we are doing a group research/presentation project. My partner and myself have the ability to easily share websites we found useful in our research. This is like a new vein of the 'information superhighway'. It is like finding someones old highlighted road map with notations on it when you are going on a similar trip. This will prove to be useful when navigating a continually expanding Internet.
Another factor I found with social bookmarking is a sense of snooping. It feels a little invasive to be sorting through other peoples bookmarks, even though I know they are aware of it. I found myself getting off on tangents finding interesting bookmarks that were off topic. It is like learning about people by sorting through their personal items. Even with the understanding of the purpose of the tool, I still had this feeling of invading peoples privacy. I imagine this sensation will go away as I use this more often. Until then, I'll continue to be a snoop.
This is a great tool for researching a particular topic. I was able to quickly find a list of websites that other people have found useful to them. It saves time of sorting through useless sites when doing research. Also, it is a useful collaboration tool. In this course, we are doing a group research/presentation project. My partner and myself have the ability to easily share websites we found useful in our research. This is like a new vein of the 'information superhighway'. It is like finding someones old highlighted road map with notations on it when you are going on a similar trip. This will prove to be useful when navigating a continually expanding Internet.
Another factor I found with social bookmarking is a sense of snooping. It feels a little invasive to be sorting through other peoples bookmarks, even though I know they are aware of it. I found myself getting off on tangents finding interesting bookmarks that were off topic. It is like learning about people by sorting through their personal items. Even with the understanding of the purpose of the tool, I still had this feeling of invading peoples privacy. I imagine this sensation will go away as I use this more often. Until then, I'll continue to be a snoop.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Youthful Social Networking
I listened to a podcast by Dana Boyd, a PhD student at University of California, Berkley. It was on the topic of Social Networking and Privacy. If you are interested, it can be found here: http://epmedia.ecollege.com/media/emu/ABS-EDMT592-2798455/boyd.mp3.
Over the last few weeks, I have established accounts and profiles on several social networking sites. Through my experience with these sites, I have come to learn much more about the significance of an individuals profile and friends list. I was fairly comfortable with the information the sites encourage you to post, with other things, I just did not complete. However, after I listened to Boyd's podcast, I have looked at this process with a new light. I was making careful decisions when I was sharing my personal information - or more specifically - about what information to share. However, I do not think that kids will necessairly have the skill to make careful decisions with this.
Boyd described how todays youth view social networking sites as 'kid space,' often without an understanding of the potential audience. Kids do not recognize that potential viewers from sexual deviants to employers can and may use the posted information in ways the author had not intended. There is often a big gap between who the kids believe are viewing their information and who actually may be. At worst, this could put them in serious danger, or it could lose them a job opportunity, or simply upset a parent. Either way, the kids must recognize the "invisible audience." This is just one challenge that arises with younger kids using social networking. Certainly there are other problems that may arise with kids making their lives, activities and friends public.
I really appreciate Boyd's suggestions to educators. She encourages educating kids through conversation - not lecture, setting norms, keeping an open mind, modeling with your own profile, and simply be present. As with teaching a lesson in class, a student will learn much better through experience and engagement, rather than just listening. Along this reasoning, I see the advantages to teachers having heir own accounts and modeling how to appropriately use these social sites. A student will be much more likly to follow the lead of a teacher on the site than a teacher lecturing them about the sites.
Social networking sites are just one of the latest innovations that is demanding our attention. While kids are jumping in the deep end of these sites, we need to get in the pool with them and show them how to swim safetly. Kids simply claiming these sites as their space, and shunning adult intervention is short sited and foolish. They need to learn new types of lessons about privacy and safety that we never had to in our youth.
...now, remember to be home when the street lights come on.
Over the last few weeks, I have established accounts and profiles on several social networking sites. Through my experience with these sites, I have come to learn much more about the significance of an individuals profile and friends list. I was fairly comfortable with the information the sites encourage you to post, with other things, I just did not complete. However, after I listened to Boyd's podcast, I have looked at this process with a new light. I was making careful decisions when I was sharing my personal information - or more specifically - about what information to share. However, I do not think that kids will necessairly have the skill to make careful decisions with this.
Boyd described how todays youth view social networking sites as 'kid space,' often without an understanding of the potential audience. Kids do not recognize that potential viewers from sexual deviants to employers can and may use the posted information in ways the author had not intended. There is often a big gap between who the kids believe are viewing their information and who actually may be. At worst, this could put them in serious danger, or it could lose them a job opportunity, or simply upset a parent. Either way, the kids must recognize the "invisible audience." This is just one challenge that arises with younger kids using social networking. Certainly there are other problems that may arise with kids making their lives, activities and friends public.
I really appreciate Boyd's suggestions to educators. She encourages educating kids through conversation - not lecture, setting norms, keeping an open mind, modeling with your own profile, and simply be present. As with teaching a lesson in class, a student will learn much better through experience and engagement, rather than just listening. Along this reasoning, I see the advantages to teachers having heir own accounts and modeling how to appropriately use these social sites. A student will be much more likly to follow the lead of a teacher on the site than a teacher lecturing them about the sites.
Social networking sites are just one of the latest innovations that is demanding our attention. While kids are jumping in the deep end of these sites, we need to get in the pool with them and show them how to swim safetly. Kids simply claiming these sites as their space, and shunning adult intervention is short sited and foolish. They need to learn new types of lessons about privacy and safety that we never had to in our youth.
...now, remember to be home when the street lights come on.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Social Networking and Education
I have joined the social networking site Classroom 2.0. This is a network designed to allow educators at all levels to communicate and share ideas. There are about 5,800 members internationally, although mostly from the U.S.
I completed an introductory message set up to create a forum for new members. It did not take long to get comments from other people. However, the only comments I have received so far are from people who seem to be using the site as a business network. I have been contacted by people from business ventures such as Livetutor, an educational consultant, Living-Textbook, curriculum designers, and fund raisers. I felt a little like new prey to a group of waiting predators. It was a little disappointing to see the only contacts were people out to make money from people on the site.
To be more proactive, I joined a group within the site for Second Life. It is described as a forum where educators could discuss the potential use of 2L in education. So far, there has not been any recent discussion in the forum.
Social networking does appear to have potential for educators. It would be very useful to inquire about new ideas for teaching particular units and sharing our successes and challenges. further, I can imagine sharing whole unit plans. I have always felt that there is nothing wrong with stealing good lesson ideas in teaching (as long as you are not financially profitting from someone elses ideas...). I typically collaborate with other teachers in my content area, but this offers the opportunity to bring in a wealth of new ideas to the table.
However, as with many aspects of the internet, you need to sort through things you do not need, such as the business solicitations. I suppose there is a place for those as well, if you have an interest in what is being presented to you. But for my interest so far, they seem more of a nuisance. I look forward to the opportunity to discuss practical educational applications with other teachers. We'll have to see how things progress.
I completed an introductory message set up to create a forum for new members. It did not take long to get comments from other people. However, the only comments I have received so far are from people who seem to be using the site as a business network. I have been contacted by people from business ventures such as Livetutor, an educational consultant, Living-Textbook, curriculum designers, and fund raisers. I felt a little like new prey to a group of waiting predators. It was a little disappointing to see the only contacts were people out to make money from people on the site.
To be more proactive, I joined a group within the site for Second Life. It is described as a forum where educators could discuss the potential use of 2L in education. So far, there has not been any recent discussion in the forum.
Social networking does appear to have potential for educators. It would be very useful to inquire about new ideas for teaching particular units and sharing our successes and challenges. further, I can imagine sharing whole unit plans. I have always felt that there is nothing wrong with stealing good lesson ideas in teaching (as long as you are not financially profitting from someone elses ideas...). I typically collaborate with other teachers in my content area, but this offers the opportunity to bring in a wealth of new ideas to the table.
However, as with many aspects of the internet, you need to sort through things you do not need, such as the business solicitations. I suppose there is a place for those as well, if you have an interest in what is being presented to you. But for my interest so far, they seem more of a nuisance. I look forward to the opportunity to discuss practical educational applications with other teachers. We'll have to see how things progress.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
2L Class Meeting
My class at EMU had a meeting in 2L where we ventured to various locations and eventually settled in for a sit down discussion. It was a little rough at first as we were figuring which members were able to have voice chat and which were stuck typing. I never got my voice chat up and running, but I was able to hear. It was also odd to engage people not knowing for sure who they were. In 2L you never know who is behind the avatar. However, if you can keep the names straight, in this class at least we knew who we were talking with. Each of the avatars have a bubble over their head giving their name, so naturally you get into the habit of looking there to identify people. What I did not expect was the crossover into real life. I was at the gym and caught my eyes looking over peoples heads as if their names should appear. I think this was a sign that I have spent too much time in 2L.
Anyway, the class went well. Our professor took us to some locations that I would have never thought to even look for, such as the Sistine Chapel, a psych unit, and Shakespeares Globe Theater. I could easily use a class visit to the Globe, as my class studies Shakespeare and the Globe itself! It was also to observe 2L being used by experienced users as my professor and a friend of his smoothly had discussions, quickly took pictures, traded items, and maneuvered themselves as well as teleporting the rest of the class. It helped me to realize the potential uses of 2L rather than just wandering around. I am excited to see where we go from here!
Anyway, the class went well. Our professor took us to some locations that I would have never thought to even look for, such as the Sistine Chapel, a psych unit, and Shakespeares Globe Theater. I could easily use a class visit to the Globe, as my class studies Shakespeare and the Globe itself! It was also to observe 2L being used by experienced users as my professor and a friend of his smoothly had discussions, quickly took pictures, traded items, and maneuvered themselves as well as teleporting the rest of the class. It helped me to realize the potential uses of 2L rather than just wandering around. I am excited to see where we go from here!
First Trip Into Second Life
I was dropped into Second Life, 2L, as if dropped from a spaceship onto a new planet. Things looked a little familiar, but unique in its own way. After my avatar, Fletch Felisimo, got to his feet, he was bumped by another newbie falling from the sky. I soon realized I would be better off getting out of the way. Walking was the next challenge. Although it seemed easy enough to use the arrow keys to navigate around, I was awkward at best. After walking into many walls, and into and out of a river, it eventually got better. I didn't feel too bad though, because I could see other avatars walking into things. See, where they drop you is on Orientation Island, where you learn how to use 2L, so you can imagine a group of new users bumping into eachother and asking eachother for advice. I eventually got to chat with an experienced 2L user and she took me around a little and showed me some sights. It was nice to quickly see beyond the walls of Orientation Island. I was a great motivator to work out the wrinkles of the basic functions.
With my initial trips into 2L, I quickly began thinking about ways to use this in the classroom. At very least, it is good tobe familiar with this tool that many of the students work with as well. Although, I have since learned that there is a teen 2L. That is probably a good thing, as I ran into a few chats that I would not want my classroom to be a part of. I looked forward to having my class meeting in 2L. It should be an interesting experience.
With my initial trips into 2L, I quickly began thinking about ways to use this in the classroom. At very least, it is good tobe familiar with this tool that many of the students work with as well. Although, I have since learned that there is a teen 2L. That is probably a good thing, as I ran into a few chats that I would not want my classroom to be a part of. I looked forward to having my class meeting in 2L. It should be an interesting experience.
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