Journal 4

"Audioblogging With Cell Phones" By Liz Kolb
In this article Kolb challenges the cell phone ban in schools and suggests that they may have a positive potential inside the classroom. It's well known that cell phones could be used by students to cheat on tests or text message during class but Kolb points out that they may be beneficial learning tools as well. She describes in this article a step-by-step process that students could follow to create an audioblog with their cell phones. She says they could be useful for collecting and storing data, developing multimedia projects and conducting interviews. Also, with the use of cameras and camcorders, the students could use their phones to create iMovies later. Some examples Kolb offers are interviews of local authors (English), veterans of war (Social Studies) or recording sounds of a trip to the zoo (Science). Also, the phones could be used to refer back to how a mathematical problem was solved in class. There are some concerns with this issue that Kolb addresses:
Privacy Issues - Blogger.com is not a protected site but Kolb suggests blogzy.com as an alternative.
Copyright Issues - Students need to be aware that they need permission to publish certain material like copyrighted music (cyberbee can be helpful here).
Cost Issues - Gabcast has no fees and could be used for up to 200 MB (@60 min.) of recording. Also, multiple channels could be set up for more time.
Control Issues - Boundaries of when cell phone use is permitted need to be set and perhaps social contracts also.
Kolb argues that if we explore the use of cell phones in the classroom teachers would be "able to connect with the technology that students are using daily in their social lives to be used as a meaningful learning tool".

1. Would I allow the use of cell phones in my classroom? I think that Kolb makes some good points and that they should be allowed in certain settings but we should also be aware that not all students own cell phones (I don't!).
2. How can teachers prevent cell phone misuse? If students want to cheat, they will even without their cell phones. As a teacher, I would hope to have a little more faith in my students.

Journal 3

"Video in the Age of Participation" By Glen Bull

In this article Glen's main point is that "digital video is the next frontier in the technology world". He suggests some sources of video on the Web such as PBS, National Geographic and the NGS WildCam Africa site. Performing a search on YouTube of "Pete's Pond" will also reveal many postings of wildlife video clips from it's members. Being a biology major, I'm excited to explore these sites when I have some free time (what's that?:-). Glen emphasizes the importance of being able to link these resources to content and standards in the classroom. He says that the Discovery Education unitedstreaming Web site provides this type of service. It also links grade level, content and standards together. Another key feature is that full length videos are chopped into shorter segments to allow easier access for teachers.
Glen also mentions the Discovery Educator's Network (DEN) which allows both teachers and students to edit and remix video. Teachers who are enrolled with DEN are given the title "DEN Star" as a reward for their efforts. DEN also offers a lot of workshops and instructional seminars for it's members. The article points out that the majority of students are already operating in a sort of digital world and that this needs to be translated into the classroom. Web 2.0 also offers many resources such as MotionBox, JumpCut and VideoEgg. Glen concludes that "with combined efforts, we may shrink the gap between the explosion in use of video on the Internet at large and effective use in the classroom".

1. What is a unitedstreaming school? Apparently it's a type of program that offers various kits and tools to help teachers integrate technology into the classroom.
2. What do I think about digital video in the classroom? I'm all for making the learning process more interesting and fun for the students. Anything the can grasp their attention and get those wheels turning is all good.

Journal 2

"Breathing Fire into Web 2.0" By Justin Hardman and David Carpenter

In this article Hardman and Carpenter suggest that many of today's schools are not as up-to-date as their students concerning technology. They stress the importance of introducing Web 2.0 in the classroom through the use of wikis, forums and blogs to build "virtual learning communities". However, the Hong Kong International School (HKIS) is a step ahead of us. They have already created an all-in-one Web-based system called myDragonNet. This new system includes all of the resources we already use in the classroom to post information (like WebCT) as well as e-mail but it also incorporates three more aspects: 1) classroom and group management 2) curriculum development and 3) electronic portfolios. Justin Hardman (coauthor of this article) was put in charge of developing this system.
He began by researching the needs of students, teachers and administrators and the major concept was that "all functions should be integrated". The program ended up taking on many of the same characteristics of Web 2.0 and this created a move to support Web 2.0 capabilities. Hardman suggests that "schools should seek to work within and exploit this power of interacting online". He also claims that since myDragonNet reflects many of the real world issues, he is better preparing his students for the future. The program is now in solid shape after two years of development. The power of the system lies in it's connections and communication between the faculty and students. The system also includes a photo gallery (images and videos), "sticky notes", space for extra-curricular activities and updates "live" information. Standards and benchmarks are also easily accessible. Other core components include a messaging system, resource library, calender and user profile. It also provides a space for storing and showcasing work for students and teachers in the electronic portfolio section. The authors also stress that the program does leave room for improvement.

1. What aspect of myDragonNet do I think is really cool? I really see the value of electronic portfolios now. I think they are an amazing resource. I also really like the expansion of communication between students and teachers that the program provides.
2. How could this type of program benefit my classroom? The benefits are numerous but probably the most valuable is the communication aspect. It suggested in the article that the program could also improve communication with the parents. This would really help everyone to get onboard in the learning process. I think sometimes the parents need to be reminded of their role in educating their child as well.