Learning for meaning – Tinkering

I agree with John Seely Brown when he says that things changed. Imagination needs to be part of the classroom. Without imaginative there's nothing created. I think this is what develop critical learning. Collaborative learning is a good way to increase the opportunities for the students to learn. In fact, there is not only the teacher that can transfer knowledge. Students are also sharing their knowledge and make their learning progress public. Other students can consequently compare and improve their own work and eventually perform better. By interacting each other, they create their own identity. Social interaction is now an important aspect to include into the classroom. By all the technologies that surround the new generation, it is important to adapt nowadays classrooms.

My computer class management skills, ideas and values

I think I would feel comfortable to manage a computer class. I've already had a computer class to supervise before and I think I did pretty well. I had the grade 5 and 6. At this age, the begin to think about XXX stuff but they usually went on online game ( or try to!! ). I think the rules need to be applied. When a student did not follow the rules establish by the school, I had them return to the classroom(there was another teacher with me) or had them work on a paper. Since it was a French class,(and they were anglophone!) they had to visit only French website and talk only in French. For them, it is easier to go on English website and it was the most difficult thing to manage. Every students had regular place to sit. They were also asked to sit at the same place in other class. If there was special needs( a student who keeps talking with a neighboor for example) I made the change needed, noted the place but I not necessarly told the other teachers.
If I would have a student going on XXX website for exemple, i believe I would tell him to close the window and talk with him quietly and explain the consequense. I think I would give him a warning before punishing. Afterward, maybe back to the classroom I would make a speech about that and make clear that next time I see that consequence will apply and people outside the classroom will know.

My Own Online Identity

In reflect to what I've read on the subject, I think it is really important to be careful with the subject posted online. I'm on all social networkings and I used to post pictures of parties and my friends. I think I'll think about it twice next time before I click 'submit'. I'll probably make a clean up of all personal things I posted before I become an English teacher. However, I can explain very well everything I've posted until now. I think it is important to care about our online identity. Some comments or words used may me misunderstood by other people. Parents need to talk about it with their children to explain what are the real purposes of those sites but according to me, the parents shouldn't investigate to much. They need to be confident. If the child is responsible and aware that it can influence their future career they'll with delete and pay attention to the things they are doing on Internet.

My reaction to Sue Water's article

I agree with Sue Water: PLN are a great way for student to ask questions. I also think this is a great idea to have some colleagues on Personal Learning Network to get the opinion of others whereas they can take information for their own teaching. I am glad to see that on the little survey the majority uses blog and Facebook to constantly stay in contact with the students. It is easier for them to ask question and it is also a nice way to see the interrogation of other student. However, it is true that not everybody is comfortable to use those kind of network group. It is important to let the students choose because if they are not confident with the method they are asked to use, there is a big chance that they won't use it. Otherwise, it will be a good idea to clearly show them how to use it.

Here is the link to read Sue Water's article :

http://suewaters.com/2009/06/21/baiting-the-digital-hook-to-build-a-professional-learning-community/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+MobileTechnologyInTafe+%28Sue+Waters+Blog%29

My reaction to Danah Boyd's video

Danah Boyd surprised me. She is not scared to say the truth. I think she really realizes the interest of young people for the new technology. The message she is giving to parents of teenagers is realistic: Internet is not bad. This is like hanging out with friend! It is like a public place where you can socialize, but the difference is that everybody can see all interactions you have with others.

It made me smile when she made the differences between nowadays teenager and the one of the last generation. It proves that teenager will stay like they are even if they use social media! BUT, when she explains why this girl decorate her myspace a certain way, I'm not sure this is always a way to express themselves. I think that social media for certain person, is a way to be somebody else. They may not be the like they describe themselves on those site. I think we need to be careful.

I think, like Boyd, that MOST of teenagers are aware that everything that they post on website like 'Facebook and 'MySpace' can be seen by thousands of people. However, new user or immature teenagers can post things that can have very bad repercussions. Not everybody is aware that only few words can have huge repercussions. I know that some people, even teacher, lost their jobs because they posted pictures or wrote things not acceptable for their social status. Moreover, those people weren't that young!

I agreed with every words she said except for the part when she says that there is a social separation between 'MySpace' and 'Facebook'. I never heard that before and as a part of the new generation which grew with all the new technologies, I should have heard about that.

To watch the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rmoc9F6fceQ&feature=player_embedded