Double Journal Entry #5: Media Literacy

Quote

“From video games to social networks, incorporating what students are doing online into the school curriculum holds great, and perhaps the only, promise for keeping students engaged in learning. “

Response

I believe that integration of technology is important, but this statement really bothered me. I believe that there are several ways to motivate students. Students may obtain better comprehensive skills, due to use of technology and how quickly everything changes, but they are still kids. Kids like to have friends, play, be active, and experience new things. So, I feel that that by saying technology is the only way to keep children interested is silly. Another reason I do not agree with this article is because not everyone is in love with technology. I came from a very low SES neighborhood that while a majority of students have used technology before, some students have not. One thing I do agree with this article on though is that using media literacy is definitely more challenging for students. More challenging can be good or bad however, this article only focuses on how great it is. I feel like this article is very one sided and does not do a good job persuading me. In order to truly convince someone how you feel is right, you must first show them that you understand and see both sides of discussion.

Picture

I feel that this picture shows exactly what the author if this article wants everyone to believe. This picture is demonstrating that people are so in tune with technology that it has become a part of us and the way we communicate.

Bibliography

Google Images

Media Literacy

David, J. L. (2009, March). Ascd. Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/mar09/vol66/num06/Teaching-Media-Literacy.aspx

Wikipedia Worksheet

Wikipedia Reliability Worksheet

Article title: Ballet

Answer the following questions to see how reliable a Wikipedia article is.

1. Start with the main page. Does it have any cleanup banners that have been placed there to indicate problems with the article? (A complete list is available at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Template_messages/
   Cleanup.)

Any one of the following cleanup banners means the article is an unreliable source:

This article or section has multiple issues.	NA
This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards.	NA
The neutrality of this article is disputed.	NA
The factual accuracy of this article is disputed.	NA
This needs copy editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone or spelling.	NA
This may contain material not appropriate for an encyclopedia.	NA
This article only describes one highly specialized aspect of its associated subject.	NA
This article requires authentication or verification by an expert.	NA
This article or section needs to be updated.	NA
This article may not provide balanced geographical coverage on a region.	NA
This is missing citations or needs footnotes.	NA
This article does not cite any references or sources.	NA

2. Read through the article and see if it meets the following requirements:

Is it written in a clear and organized way?	Yes
Is the tone neutral (not taking sides)?	Yes
Are all important facts referenced (you're told where they come from)?	Yes
Does the information provided seem complete or does it look like there are gaps (or just one side of the story)?	Complete

3. Scroll down to the article's References and open them in new windows or tabs. Do they seem like reliable sources? (For help in determining the general reliability of a source, check out the Knowing What's What and What's Note: The 5 Ws (and 1 "H") of Cyberspace handout.)
   
   Reliable references:
   
   All references I followed were reliable. They were all books, some I have read or used on previous papers for my dance classes I took at my former university.
   
   Possibly unreliable references:
   
   
   
   Definitely unreliable references:
   
   
   
    

4. Click on the Discussion tab. How is the article rated on the Rating Scale(Stub, Start, C, B, GA, A, FA)? What issues around the article are being discussed? Do any of them make you doubt the article's reliability?

This article received a B on the rating scale. No one doubts the reliability of the article that I see. The

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issues people have with the article, is that they would like more detail and more explanation, on what

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the article states about ballet

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5. Based on the above questions, give the article an overall ranking of Reliable, Partially Reliable or Unreliable.

• You may use a Reliable article as a source (but remember that even if a Wikipedia article is reliable, it should never be your only source on a topic!)
• You may use a Partially Reliable article as a starting point for your research, and may use some of its references as sources, but do not use it as a source.
• You should not use an Unreliable article as a source or a starting point. Research the same topic in a different encyclopedia.

How did you rank this article (Reliable, Partially Reliable or Unreliable)? Give at least three reasons to support
your answer.

I agree with a B rating for this article. I think this article is reliable, but lacks some important definitions.

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As a dancer, I understand the terminology, but if I were not a dancer this article would be slightly

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 confusing and at times it would feel like it is almost contradicting itself. This article still needs to be expanded on. _____________________________________________________________________

  

USERS:

1. Lambtron 

This is someone who I looked at who I feel is a reliable source. He is very interested in the topic and he is a photographer for theater and dance. 

2. Robertgreer

I found this user is not available to  respond or post about his interest or why he has commented, but he is not an anonymous user and he has left his email and address to get in contact with him. 

3. Crazy-Dancing

This is the most relaible source of the three. This user is a member of the Ballet Wiki-project. 

Double Journal Entry #4: Wikipedia

Quote

"Wikipedia empowers students to take seriously what they have learned in other classes, to see their own research as having potential value in a larger enterprise, and to take greater responsibility over the accuracy of what they have produced." (Jenkins 2007)

Response

I believe that Wikipedia is a great way to get students interested and active in the classroom. However I agree with what the article, college, and creator of Wikipedia when they say that it is not a reference and it should not be sited in research papers. In response to the quote I choose, I feel that this statement is absolutely correct. I feel that Wikipedia is a great way to learn and shows students that research has a place. Not only does this show students that research has a place, but it shows students that research can be interesting and that you are not alone. Wikipedia can be changed by anyone and this allows people to put their knowledge together to make an accurate article on a certain topic. Being able to work together is an essential part of life, and I love that Wikipedia uses that lesson to prove that people can come together and share their knowledge with one another to help others learn. Wikipedia is a part of our present and it is still going to exists in the future, so rather than fight it, I think teacher and schools should embrace Wikipedia and all the knowledge they are trying to share with students. 

Picture 

This is a picture that shows how many different places Wikipedia reaches and how many people have access to the crazy amount of articles they possess. I felt that this was a good image to use to go along with the quote talking about how Wikipedia is read by several people and how their research can be shared with others too. 

Bibliography 

Jenkins , H. (2007). What wikipedia can teach us about the new media literacies (part one). Retrieved from http://henryjenkins.org/2007/06/what_wikipedia_can

Wikipedia: How it Works and How to Use it

How it Works

a.       What is Wikipedia?

Wikipedia is an online encyclopedia that is used in several different languages, that is free of charge.

b.      How would you answer the question posed in this piece “How reliable can a source be when anyone can edit it?”?

Wikipedia has put a lot of faith in people. However with people being able to edit pages they can also gain information and weed out incorrect information faster.

c.       Who do the creators of Wikipedia place their trust in when it comes to weeding out misinformation?

Wikipedia has put their trust in the people. They believe that volunteers who are always watching for new articles, corrections, or vandalism are the best way to fix mistakes quickly.  

d.      Why did founder Larry Sanger leave Wikipedia?

Mr. Sanger left Wikipedia because he felt that there should be more expert control over what is posted.

e.      What would abuse or vandalism look like on a Wikipedia page?

When anything has been changed on Wikipedia, the paragraph that has changes is highlighted and the changes themselves are written in red, making it easy for volunteers to catch.

f.        What do the statistics quoted in the third paragraph of this piece reveal?

The third paragraph in this piece reveals that not only do people all over the world use Wikipedia, but also that it is still a rapidly growing site, that is found credible enough by the public that it is one of the top ten visited sites in the world.

g.       Why do you think Wikipedia is so successful?

In my opinion, Wikipedia is so successful because there is strength in numbers. Anyone can create an article, and anyone can improve one. The more people interested in creating and correcting articles, the stronger the information on the website becomes.

h.      Why might Wikipedia’s creators not want to accept advertising?

Wikipedia may not want to accept advertising because once a website has become filled with advertisements it is a lot less enjoyable to use. Also they may not want to have advertisement s because they do not want you to read an article and then find a shopping website ten minutes later, they want you to surf Wikipedia instead.

i.         How does Wikiscanner help increase the reliability of Wikipedia entries?

The Wikiscanner allows Wikipedia to easily check out articles or corrections made by anonymous people. This makes it easier for Wikipedia to weed out false information. 

How to Use It

How do you use Wikipedia in your personal life?

I often use Wikipedia for research papers. I do not site Wikipedia, but I find information that is useful and then follow use the source that was used to support what was said on Wikipedia.

What do you think the value of Wikipedia is for classroom teachers?

Using Wikipedia in a classroom could be a great way to get children interested. Wikipedia is an encyclopedia and teachers should take advantage of this, just as they would a written encyclopedia. 

Volunteers Make Wikipedia Run...

I learned that wikipedia only has one true employee, that only about 18% of the changes are anonymous, and that information on wikipedia is viewed superior in comparison to written to encyclopedias.

I agree with the neutrality they try to use and promote when looking at articles created and changed on wikipedia. I also agree with the voting process used to determine whether articles should remain on the website.

I disagree with the idea that teachers are beginning to use wikipedia more. At my high school, if we used wikipedia, we were banned from using the computers in the library. 

Learning Styles!

In my opinion, theories are much like stereotypes. There may not be an endless amount of supporting evidence, but there is a reason that people believe these things. Theories are accepted because they make sense and can not  be dis-proven. If these theories really have no meaning, they would not be so widely spread and taught in schools. Students believe that these different learning styles exists because they do. I believe these learning styles exists because I am an auditory learner. I can sit and stare at notes for hours and have no idea what I was staring at. However, if I have a study partner who is quizzing me out loud and listening to my responses, I retain the information and am able to recall it on a test much easier. I believe in learning styles, and when I have my own classroom I want to try and teach information using several different types of examples so I can reach all of my students.

How Do You Learn?

I am an auditory learner. I am not surprised to find out I am an auditory learner. I am much more focused when I am listening to something, rather than looking or participating in things. I enjoy having conversations and I love talking. I believe my friends know I am an auditory learner as well, especially since they know how much I love to hear myself talk. I often do not enjoy silence. I love when there is background sound going on, but sometimes I am distracted from other types of learning because all I am able to do is focus on the sounds in the background. 

I am an auditory learner

Double Journal Entry #3: Technology is how we learn!

Quote

“It will be a real waste if human beings do not explore beyond this technology path towards advancement and growth of the human race in general” (Al-Failkawei, 2005).

Response

Technology is important in learning and for keeping up with times in every day life. By using technology you can reach a broader audience. This article reinforces the different types of learners and how they learn. By incorporating technology into the classroom you could reach all three types of learners at once. To have an activity that children can see, listen to and physically respond to would grab all students’ attention and get all the students involved in learning. When students can make a connection in the classroom they are more interested in learning. Students are like sponges. Students want to learn, they absorb everything, sometimes even without realizing they are learning. To make learning more effective by using technology will only make it easier to connect with students and get them on board, whether it is just for one lesson or to kick off an entire project.

Connection

In relation to this article and quote I have choosen, I believe this diagram should hold the word TECHNOLOGY where the question mark is placed.

Bibliography

Web 2.0 and emerging learning technologies/learning styles [Web log message]. (2011, May 19). Retrieved from http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Web_2.0_and_Emerging_Learning_Technologies/Learning_Styles

Google Images: auditory visual and kinesthetic learners

https://www.google.com/search?num=10&hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1366&bih=581&q=auditory+visual+and+kinesthetic+learners&oq=auditory%2C+vis&gs_l=img.3.1.0j0i24l9.1482.14677.0.17078.13.12.0.1.1.0.195.1273.8j4.12.0...0.0...1ac.1.1UD4KOf9z4k

Google It!

Double Journal Entry #2: Is there a Right Way to Speak or Write?

Quote 

"School is no longer necessarily a place to instill a sense that linguistic rules (or even linguistic consistency) matter."(Baron 2009)

Response

When I read this I was a little concerned in what the quote was trying to promote. While it is clear by reading these articles that all languages change. I still believe that learning proper grammar and punctuation is important. I understand that the way people text has created an accepted form of slang and abbreviations. However, I don't think that just because we have socially accepted these abbreviations that we should put all our eggs in one basket. The way we abbreviate things change. For example at one point LOL( Laugh Out Loud) was the "cool" thing to say, which eventually lead to LMAO (Laughing My Ass Off) which became the new LOL. While we understand what these abbreviations mean, why would we want to teach them in a school, especially  when they are changing in such a short amount time, when we can focus on teaching children to say "that is funny" or "that made me laugh" which will be understood even when LMAO has became out dated. In the second article which I did not pick a quote from, I found it interesting that Benjamin Franklin suggested changing the alphabet, but I did not find it surprising. I completely understand that some of the English language is outdated and that spell check does make grammar skills seem unimportant, but I personally still believe that we should still study proper English in schools. 

Photo Connection 

This is a photo that I feel relates perfectly to the articles I read. Along with this photo is a critique by the person who posted the cartoon on the website, not the person who drew the cartoon. I agree with the author, of this critique. 

Bibliography 

Baron, N. (2009). Educational leadership: Literacy 2.0. (6 ed., Vol. 66, pp. 42-46). Retrieved from

 http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/mar09/vol66/num06/Are-Digital-

Media-Changing-Language¢.aspx

Muller, S. (2012, March 19). Untitled [Web log comment]. Retrieved from

 http://chscats.com/wordpress/?m=20120319

The Results Are In!