Digital Blog Post #D

Media Literacy is defined as “the capacity to access, analyze, evaluate and communicate messages in a wide variety of forms”. This blog post would be considered a form of Media Literacy, why? Well, because by opening up my browser and logging into my blog I have accessed it, then I would need to analyze the web page in order to post on the blog. That would be one example of Media Literacy. However, media literacy is not only the ability to create but also the ability to explore and evaluate credible web pages for research.

              To build on Media Literacy is my next topic, URL’s and being able to recognize one from the other. URL stands for Uniform Resource Locator and is a “designation at the end of a web address in order to indicate the purpose and goal of the site. The URL is important all throughout one’s education because it is a tool that allows us to eliminate and distinguish where our information is coming from. For example, if I am writing a research paper I would want to stay away from sites ending in -.com and look for sites with -.edu or sometimes even -.org.  Since -.edu sites are educational sites and -.org are organization sites.

                         

             Although Cyberbullying does not directly build on Media Literacy it is important as an online user.  Cyberbullying is defined as “willful and repeated harm through the use of computers”. To me this definition is a little bit outdated and might need to be reviewed seeing as cyberbullying can happen not only from a computer but a phone or an iPad or even an iPod; Also, it only takes one offense for one to be cyberbullied or for one to cyber bully a person. I grew up in this technology-filled era we are living in and I can say that cyberbullying is very real and will continue to be an ongoing issue if not stressed and address soon.  

Reference:

Maloy, Robert, Verock-O’Loughlin,Ruth-Ellen, Edwards, Sharon A., and Woolf, Beverly Park (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.

Digital Blog Post #A

            In the past years technology has evolved more and more allowing for everyone to work more efficiently. One of the many places where it has most evolved for better is in the classroom. Things such as computers, smartboards, tablets, even cellphones which most teachers are not a fan of have become a must have technology in the classroom. These must have technologies are providing teachers with different wats of presenting their students with information. I could give countless examples that I have experienced in my own schooling, the most recent would be in my current college math class; my professor teaches his lessons on a smartboard where he pulls up his PowerPoints and writes on as he is teaching, at the end of class he saves this version of the PowerPoint and posts it online for anyone who may need to reference back to it.

            Another concept that I found interesting is the use of technology based textbooks in the classroom. This gives the teacher the ability to use tools such as video, audio and other visuals in the classroom. These visuals can be extremely helpful in the education of some students since they have been proven to keep them more interested and focused. An article from Scuredge Networks elaborates on 7 fun ways these technologies can enrich learning in the classroom. http://www.securedgenetworks.com/blog/7-Fun-Ways-to-Use-Technology-in-the-classroom-to-enrich-learning

            The third concept that interested me was “Outside the classroom use by teachers”. This concept was mainly focused on research, grading and attendance, home-school communication and educational networking. I feel this is a concept that has recently become more popular among teachers and is essentially needed with parents nowadays since most are on such busy schedules and do not have the time to come into the school. Having this virtual communication makes it easy for parents to keep up on what is happening in school, how their child’s grades are and for older children their attendance. While I was in high school this concept was used more and more throughout the years, for example my mom received emails every time I did not go to school, she also received weekly updates on my grades and could be contacted by any of my teachers this way. As a student I really disliked this system but now being on the other side of the situation I can see how this could be really helpful.

References:

-       Maloy, R., O'Loughlin, R., Edwards, S., & Woolf, B. (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education Inc.

-       Networks, S. E. (n.d.). 7 Fun Ways to Use Technology in the classroom to enrich learning. Retrieved September 07, 2016, from http://www.securedgenetworks.com/blog/7-Fun-Ways-to-Use-Technology-in-the-classroom-to-enrich-learning