Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
The pros and cons of social networking sites
Two heads are better than one. This is what social networking offers. Web 2.0 tools break a lot of the rules of traditional education. Indoctrination left a long time ago and is no longer effective at all in education. Modern education supports a constant interaction between student and teacher, and it is Web 2.0 tools that made it easy.
I believe blogs are one of many best choices for teachers to use as educational tool for K-12. As we know the idea of "comment" in the blogs allows everyone to participate in an article (or lesson), and thus the supporting ideas will be increased. The professor can add a new lesson in his blog, and students will show their feedback on the lesson through comments. It is possible for students to add links as additional sources. So, students will feel that they are part of the education process.
Flickr is another web 2.0 tool. I have noticed that most people using it are photographers or Photoshop designers who want to show their works. I do not use it, but I love it because it gives me an opportunity to learn from others. I believe Flicker is a good tool to encourage students who want to share their works. But, they should beware that their works should have a copywrite.
The new generation is characterized by an independence and open-mindedness that leads to freedom of expression. In 2010, in the Middle East, there was a demonstration because of a young lady whose age was 19 got arrested because of her blog. She just wrote her opinions. She is one of many people who has gone to jail because of blogging. As a Middle Eastern teacher who likes blogs and hopes to use them with her students, I’m afraid that blogging will not work in some countries because students’ families warn them to not write their opinions on the internet or use blog things.
Social networking is a gift. But unfortunately it can cause harm. Some people using Facebook to show off what they have done or what they are doing right now is not a good way of using social networking. Sometimes, I wonder what the point of the Facebook is if the result is just updates of games that your friends have played or silly personality tests or pictures of their open mouths. It is not entirely useful. If students are treating social networking this way, can they respect it as an educational tool also?
In the end, social networking has more pros than cons. Facebook is good for publicizing things that used to be private. While that might get people in trouble, it can also lead to greater freedoms. Because of Facebook, there were demonstrations in the Middle East (Yemen, Egypt, Syria, Tunisia, Morocco, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Libya). Before these demonstrations happened, I could not have imagined that they were possible. However, social network services make the impossible possible. It allows people to connect and inform each other, and this is the point of education.
I believe blogs are one of many best choices for teachers to use as educational tool for K-12. As we know the idea of "comment" in the blogs allows everyone to participate in an article (or lesson), and thus the supporting ideas will be increased. The professor can add a new lesson in his blog, and students will show their feedback on the lesson through comments. It is possible for students to add links as additional sources. So, students will feel that they are part of the education process.
Flickr is another web 2.0 tool. I have noticed that most people using it are photographers or Photoshop designers who want to show their works. I do not use it, but I love it because it gives me an opportunity to learn from others. I believe Flicker is a good tool to encourage students who want to share their works. But, they should beware that their works should have a copywrite.
The new generation is characterized by an independence and open-mindedness that leads to freedom of expression. In 2010, in the Middle East, there was a demonstration because of a young lady whose age was 19 got arrested because of her blog. She just wrote her opinions. She is one of many people who has gone to jail because of blogging. As a Middle Eastern teacher who likes blogs and hopes to use them with her students, I’m afraid that blogging will not work in some countries because students’ families warn them to not write their opinions on the internet or use blog things.
Social networking is a gift. But unfortunately it can cause harm. Some people using Facebook to show off what they have done or what they are doing right now is not a good way of using social networking. Sometimes, I wonder what the point of the Facebook is if the result is just updates of games that your friends have played or silly personality tests or pictures of their open mouths. It is not entirely useful. If students are treating social networking this way, can they respect it as an educational tool also?
In the end, social networking has more pros than cons. Facebook is good for publicizing things that used to be private. While that might get people in trouble, it can also lead to greater freedoms. Because of Facebook, there were demonstrations in the Middle East (Yemen, Egypt, Syria, Tunisia, Morocco, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Libya). Before these demonstrations happened, I could not have imagined that they were possible. However, social network services make the impossible possible. It allows people to connect and inform each other, and this is the point of education.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
13 Reasons Why I Cannot Stand Technology Anymore
I think what we have now of technology is enough forever. We do not need new technology. I feel my life became silly because of it. I will tell you why I cannot stand technology anymore, and please tell me if you agree or not.
The reasons are:
1. Because of technology, I do not miss my family, who are in Saudi Arabia, as I should. There is no new news of them, not like what would come through a letter. Instead, I know what they are doing at this moment: what they are eating and what they wearing. I miss this feeling that I cannot wait to hear from them.
2. Because of technology, as I a farm girl I cannot imagine that Facebook will teach me how to plant or how to manage farm.
3. Because of technology, the relationship between wife and husband is not as good as what it should be, because of their lover laptops.
4. Because of technology, the family does not stay together to watch TV or to do things together because their children are busy with Messengers or Facebook.
5. Because of technology, Mr. Facebook taught people how to be more curious to know about others people life. The question “Do you have a Facebook?” became essential in every conversation with people.
6. Because of technology, my room became the hottest room in the house because of heat emitted from my computer. I cannot deny it is good in the winter. It helps.
7. Because of technology, there are no children. The children become immediate adults when born.
8. Because of technology, many people wear glasses and gain weight.
9. Because of technology, I would rather live alone rather than live with somebody who has no responsibility because the technology spoiled him/her so they do not know what real life is.
10. Because of technology, cheating of any kind has become easy.
11. Because of Technology, I go to class to teach, try hard to explain to my students, and then I figure out no one is paying attention because the students have many important things to do like texting, looking at others’ lives Facebook, or playing games on their phones.
12. Because of technology, teachers think everything became easy so they give us too much homework. (That is why I am writing this blog entry, by the way.)
13. Because of technology, I'm afraid that we become like people in the movie Wall-E. If you do not know what I mean, you should watch it.
Anyway, I cannot deny that I am grateful to technology. But, I think you should stop inventing things for normal people. We can live a normal life with the technology what we have right now. And we should focus on technology that can help people with disabilities and their needs. They deserve a better life.
P.S. I wrote this because I am overwhelmed with the homework in a major based on technology.
The reasons are:
1. Because of technology, I do not miss my family, who are in Saudi Arabia, as I should. There is no new news of them, not like what would come through a letter. Instead, I know what they are doing at this moment: what they are eating and what they wearing. I miss this feeling that I cannot wait to hear from them.
2. Because of technology, as I a farm girl I cannot imagine that Facebook will teach me how to plant or how to manage farm.
3. Because of technology, the relationship between wife and husband is not as good as what it should be, because of their lover laptops.
4. Because of technology, the family does not stay together to watch TV or to do things together because their children are busy with Messengers or Facebook.
5. Because of technology, Mr. Facebook taught people how to be more curious to know about others people life. The question “Do you have a Facebook?” became essential in every conversation with people.
6. Because of technology, my room became the hottest room in the house because of heat emitted from my computer. I cannot deny it is good in the winter. It helps.
7. Because of technology, there are no children. The children become immediate adults when born.
8. Because of technology, many people wear glasses and gain weight.
9. Because of technology, I would rather live alone rather than live with somebody who has no responsibility because the technology spoiled him/her so they do not know what real life is.
10. Because of technology, cheating of any kind has become easy.
11. Because of Technology, I go to class to teach, try hard to explain to my students, and then I figure out no one is paying attention because the students have many important things to do like texting, looking at others’ lives Facebook, or playing games on their phones.
12. Because of technology, teachers think everything became easy so they give us too much homework. (That is why I am writing this blog entry, by the way.)
13. Because of technology, I'm afraid that we become like people in the movie Wall-E. If you do not know what I mean, you should watch it.
Anyway, I cannot deny that I am grateful to technology. But, I think you should stop inventing things for normal people. We can live a normal life with the technology what we have right now. And we should focus on technology that can help people with disabilities and their needs. They deserve a better life.
P.S. I wrote this because I am overwhelmed with the homework in a major based on technology.
Mikogo
Mikogo is a screen sharing tool ideal for Web presentations, online meeting, remote support, and more. With Mikogo you can share any screen content or application as you need it – websites, PDFs, powerpoint files, spreadsheets, images, etc. No need to upload files beforehand. This allows you to be very flexible during your meeting. They have included all features at no cost, and made Mikogo available for all to use.
For more information:
http://www.mikogo.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7c1KFjzFd5o
For more information:
http://www.mikogo.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7c1KFjzFd5o
Friday, September 17, 2010
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)