I-Movie and Such

I-Movie: I can do that. I can have my students do that. They are natives to such technology. Let's create a trailer to summarize the text. Let's add an Act to Shakespeare's work but let's make it modern. I have found that students love using I-movie and the IPADs are made for that application. They benefit from the ability to add appropriate music, to conduct video surveys, the options are limitless. This is a time when I love that my students are a part of a one to one program.
    Audacity: It is downloaded but I am not sure where to go next. Should I record mini-lectures, assignments in oral form, reminders about upcoming projects as you do in our course? I am facing the difficulties of navigating the medium at this point but I am excited about the possibilities that this offers. As far as the big project, I am little nervous and concerned about how I plan to do that. I plan to Youtube myself presenting the Prezi and summarizing the material and research concerning the devices our students benefit from the most. I also plan to research how I can use my smartphone for these applications as well. Now this finally feels like a Technology course and it makes me want to scream for help and be excited at the same time!!

Facebook: A Violation of our Privacy Rights?

Facebook is a tool that I use practically each day. In fact, I become frustrated when it doesn't connect and I find myself checking Facebook like my grandparents might have gotten up and read the newspaper. However, as "fun" as Facebook is and as connected as it makes me with people whom I would otherwise be disconnected with, it has its drawbacks. I particularly enjoyed the article " I quit Liking Everything". Like the author states, the Facebook like is somewhat disconnected. It sends a message that one nods the head in approval but the picture doesn't warrant a genuine comment. I find it quite interesting when someone posts " Pray for my family as we have just lost a dear member" and someone "likes" the post. Really? You like and approve that someone has passed. Maybe you like the prayer request if you believe in prayer but this strikes me as strange. If I post a picture of the most beautiful toddler ( my daughter, of course)  in the world dressed haphazardly as Rapunzel on Halloween and you respond with a like, I wonder why you didn't take the time to state how cute she is, how cool her four foot mane of hair is, etc, etc, Consequently, I commit to at least reduce my like activity on Facebook in hopes of reducing ads, seeing more of my friends' status updates, etc. And I hope that others will notice and appreciate the time I take to make a comment about their new baby, wedding announcement or request for prayer. I commit to quit the like.
    Institutional Privacy: I believe that we have a constitutional right to this. Social Privacy is in our hands. We can choose what to post, when, and with whom to share. I make a conscious effort not to post while flooded with emotions. This will only lead to irrational comments, and "drama".

    I definitely believe that teens are subject to drama. It is never acceptable for someone to use the web to create this drama. As far as cyberbulling, this is the common medium that teens use to bully today and awareness of all teens can impact this and hopefully diminish it. If people would see the internet as the public records source that it is, there would be a greater respect. Additionally, it comes down to common sense. I always ask myself how others may perceive my posts. Once I even deleted a post ( quickly I might add) that praised my visit to a new church. I honestly began to analyze whether or not my home church, where I have been a member since childhood, would take offense to my new enthusiasm. I may be overzealous about that but that is better than being complacent. On another note, I am no longer a teen. I am thankful that we didn't have Facebook or social media during my teen years. I may not have the job I have today ( just kidding). At the very least, I know problems would have arisen. Teen focus does not always contain common sense.

Presentations and Dizzying Prezis

I can recall learning how to create my first powerpoint presentation. It wasn't in public school, but probably my first year of college at the community college (on the same campus where I currently teach). Now, it seems I can whip up a power point at the drop of the hat. At that time, it was encouraged to create a "flashy" power point that utilized transitions, animations, sounds and other bells and whistles that I later learned were actually distracting. Now, students can create power points in the first grade. It is something they have done time and time again. When they reach me in high school, power point is something they are sick of or a comfortable friend with whom they don't want to part.
  One my duties as an English teacher at my school is to oversee and mentor students completing their "Graduation Projects". This is a project implemented into their English IV course where students must research a topic, write an extensive paper about their research, create and complete a related product and finally present their experience to a panel of community judges. They are required to have some sort of digital presentation. They always choose power point. Though teachers like myself have shown them alternative slide programs, they have declined. There is a comfort in the power point. While recently practicing speeches, I told my students to use the power point as digital index cards and then take it away once they felt confident. This would help them avoid reading from the slides.
  Reading from the Slides: This must be the biggest problem I have with Power Point. Placing too much information on slides as well, is laborious for the audience. Overall, I think that Power Point is a great way to keep your points organized but I feel that it is too heavily relied on. It is overused.
   Prezi: I haven't fallen in love yet. It is often difficult to navigate, dizzying and overwhelming. Some of my younger students enjoy this tool, mostly freshmen. As one author stated, it is more appropriate for some presentations than others. This is the key to all of this. Finding the tool that is most appropriate for the topic and content. And like everything else we have discussed, sometimes it is used well and other times not so much.