Interesting Webtool Page

I just thought this page was unique for anyone who wants to know about more tools and these tools on this page I believe are primarily for PC users which I am sure a majority of us are. So here ya go!

Enhanced Podcasting Project

If anyone has any questions about the podcast Jo and I did this past Wednesday, please ask! Whether it has something to do with connections or the beat or punk movement altogether. It doesn't matter! We will be more than happy to reply to any questions anyone has about this!

Media Literacy Link Site

I figured everyone should check this out since Media Literacy is something that we all need to be familiar with on multiple levels

Media Literacy

City Voices Article

I thought this was kind of interesting. When I talked with Dr. Stearns and a few of my classmates about my worries of not having the resources, this is what I meant. I would really like to get students involved in something as "cool" as this. The fact that these kids get to use mini DV cameras is a superior advantage for them over other students in other districts. This article relates back to the Friedman chapter and his "dirty little secrets". Then again, everything that has to do with technology in the classrooms does! The educators in students in Buffalo are taking a step into the future. This step is one that needs to be taken by all schools across America. Resources are slim because it seems that just using overhead projectors and standard display equipment is something that a lot of districts see as "good enough". Well guess what? Their "good enough" just doesn't cut it anymore. I do believe the people down in Buffalo finally understand this concept.

Hobbs: Issues of Representation

One of the most important aspects of this chapter would probably be the idea that media content shapes the way we think. At the beginning of the chapter, A teacher has a class do a project on gender representation on TV episodes. I am not going to get into it because I am going to guess everyone has already it. The main point I am bringing about is, if you look closely, The media force-feeds unconscious thoughts of the societal "interpretation" of each sex should be like depending on the structure of the show. Aside from this simple representation, it can influence an outlook on economics, different literary perspectives, and stereotypes. For example, showing two different pictures can alter one's perception of what is told to them. The power of representation through media literacy is a psychological attribute that has been perfected by the media. If we could prefect this in classrooms, we could be able to teach anything we wanted and have anything we wanted absorbed. This chapter is primarily examples of how students perceive different aspects that are presented to them.

The only ideas I have for students when it comes to representation is probably going to be initial work when we start different novels or readings. I want to try and use this "representation" as an eliminator to rid my students of bias. I would probably use it as a way to clear up different arguments about different literary content that students don't agree with. Just like how the Chapter talks about the perception of Frankenstein's monster. The power of representation has always been there, we just have never have used it.

Education Gaps and The Bottom Line

Friedman's perception is one of many perceptions of upcoming educators unfortunately. First, he mentions the problem of educators not getting their students interested in the material that they are learning. Then comes the "thunder". He talks about recent immigrants having a higher success rate in education because of their drive from parental advisement. This is a country based on extreme freedoms presented to us when we are children. It takes more than future endeavors to envelop our students in a cloud of learning. That is one of the major problems, we need to bring our students into a world where they are conquering intellectual barriers.

The second dirty little secret implies that schools that are still living in a "Flattened World", are just leading their students over a ledge into poverty. This is a little drastic to comment on, but it is the truth. A lot of the jobs that were around are now gone because manufacturing companies have moved their companies to exploit the third world and leave the working-class in our nation homeless. Sorry, that concept just peeves me pretty horribly. But seriously, if we do not update our schools to keep up with the rest of society, then we are setting our future up for failure.

I see these gaps as major problems not because of some nationalistic reason like Friedman sees it, but because I believe everyone deserves the same education in order to succeed in the future. Other nations do are taking over technologically in schools though and Friedman believes that other nations are out to get us as Friedman mentions, "They want to dominate us - in a sense that they want to be creating the companies of the future, ones that people all over the world will admire and clamor to work for" (Friedman 351). This is not a race. We are here trying to make better schools for our children and their children so that they will be able to have a more complete understanding of literature and a better opportunity for jobs. I can care less about how other nations are doing. Lets worry about us instead of how they are doing. I am not saying lets not have technology, I am saying lets stop looking at this as a race. Before I came to 307, I honestly had no idea that our schools were even moving towards this sort of notion. I had no idea how much trouble we were in when it came to the use of technology. Now I do, and I plan to use it in the future to fix this problem.

Professional Admiration

I would have to say my good friend Jo Tutko is someone who I admire when it comes to the work he does with technology. One thing I have noticed when we work together is that if there is something I don't know, he knows and vice versa. I think we are a pretty good team and that is what this blog is primarily about I guess. I admire Jo's motivation and relentless attitude towards getting this project done. The computers were having ridiculous problems today and he kept at it no matter what. Granted, he was about to go into cardiac arrest, but he really worked hard. His dedication to doing his best and his knowledge of certain things, such as poetry and jazz and the beat movement has inspired me on many levels and we plan on working together in the future on our own out-of-class project. So, if there is anyone I can count on, its Jo!