Saturday, June 2, 2012

So much to learn with technology

It really doesn't seem like a year has passed since I posted on this blog. After using glogster, I've realized how much more blogger has to offer.  There is so much to learn with technology.

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Educational resources for Learning Lesson Models

I located this site while researching the different Learning Lesson Models. Along with offering an overview of different models, the site has a number of links that offer examples of lesson plans. http://clifmims.wetpaint.com/page/Lesson+Plan+Models

Monday, July 25, 2011

EDU 655 Lesson

Welcome to the Lesson. The purpose of this activity is to gain a basic understanding of Instant Messaging (IM). The following PowerPoint presentation will give you a brief overview of the history, current applications and benefits of IM. The PPT also offers step by step instructions on how to acquire an IM account. After watching the PPT, check out the IM on your email provider link. Gain some information about your particular IM and any special features that it offers. You may want to start an account! After you have started an IM account, or simply researched your options, share your experience on this blog. Thank you for your participaton in this lesson.
Click on the following link to view the PPTx

Monday, June 20, 2011

Finding the Fallacy in an Advertisement

Please view  PDF “Finding the Fallacy in Advertisements”  sent to your email address.
 On this blog,  please  follow proceeding directions to complete the task of discovering and identifying the fallacy in  each of the 3 specific advertisements.


Next....
 Reflect on the defining elements of common Fallacies.
You may visit Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy (January 27, 2003) Retrieved May, 30, 2011 from   http://www.iep.utm.edu/argument/ for reviewing common fallacies.
Following are three advertisements.
 Read the ads  and “Find the Fallacy”

Advertisement #1



Advertisement  #2


Advertisement # 3





Finally......  Click on  this link   http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/5B3YCZZ 

 and take short quiz. You will Identify the Fallacy ! Good luck and thank you for your participation.

Monday, June 6, 2011

Connect Activity EDU 652

The following quiz was retrieved from philosophy.lander.edu (PLE) and consists of numbered questions (10-25) on the PLE site. This quiz is designed to test your knowledge of common fallacies, based on information that you have acquired through previous assigned readings and activities. You are to post your answers to these questions on this blog. Following your posts, you are at liberty to visit the site and correct your work. URL is located at the end of assignment.


Directions:


Please evaluate the following statements and identify common, recognizable fallacies. You will find one in each statement.


1. John Bardeen, a professor at the Advanced Institute of Physics, has gone on record to say that the American Medical Association needs to raise its standards for physicians. The opinion of a man of that brilliance should not be disregarded.


2. If we took a poll right now, almost every American would agree that a vaccine for AIDS will soon be found. Therefore there can be little doubt that AIDS will be practically wiped out in the near future.


3. I made low grades on my first tests in math and English. I must really be dumb.


4. As a daughter when I was four, my father taught me the beauty of numbers, and I have excelled at mathematics ever since. My conclusion on why females do not score as high on math tests? The males with a high aptitude for mathematics are not spending enough time with their daughters.


5. I think that the tests given in this class were more than fair, and I think you will agree with me because, if you do not, your grade in this course will certainly be in jeopardy.


6. The result of my doing well in economics is very simple. I eat Post Toasties for breakfast every morning for breakfast, and this breakfast helps my ability to analyze in great depth. I think it must be all those complex carbohydrates.


7. Oriental Philosophy is the best course taught at Lander University. I know this because all of my friends say so.


8. Look Mr. IRS examiner, of course I owe taxes--I'm not denying that. However, I was unable to file on time because my wife was sick and my two children need my attention. Surely the IRS is not opposed to keeping the family together.9. Mr. Smith, maybe there is some truth in what you say about me being rude to sales people, but I have certainly heard may sales people complain about your manners, so you are certainly not the person to point this out to me.


10. Sir, don't you want to look more closely at our aluminum siding for your new home? When we put this up your home will take on the glow of beauty, and you will be admired by others as someone who cares. Not only that, but your life will be richer as you invite with pride others to your home to share the better way of life.11. It is easy to see that goodness is in the world and not just in our minds, because as we look at the world, some things are obviously not evil in themselves.


12. Mr. Watkins has clearly and concisely detailed his arguments concerning the relative safety of tobacco products for third world countries. But, let me remind you that we could hardly expect him to say anything else because he has worked in the tobacco industry for the last twenty years.


13. All persons act in order that they might get pleasure. Even so-called altruistic persons who help others so much that they do almost nothing for themselves get pleasure out of giving. Otherwise, they wouldn't do it. Suppose a person hits himself over the head with a hammer. He must get pleasure from it, because why else would he do it if he didn't get pleasure from it?


14. The Roper Organization says that more persons watch CBS's 60 Minutes that any other news program on television. Therefore, it must be the best news programming on TV.


15. Hilda Robinson, an old backwoods, ignorant lady who never got past the fourth grade in school, claims that chicken soup is good for a cold. What does she know? She is ignorant of the scientific evidence.


16. Watch the Business Report at 7:00 on channel 6. It's the best report on current dealings on Wall Street because no comparative study of business reposts has ever proved to our satisfaction that there is any better.


PLE site URL:


http://philosophy.lander.edu/logic/fall_rev_answers.html


Thursday, May 5, 2011

Linking it All Together

The past week presented a number of interesting and informative projects. Constructing a group project on the social network Facebook, creating a bookmarking account and completing the PBworks learning course had its share of challenges, but in the long run was both a rewarding and pleasurable experience.   Our assignments included linking all of the tools together and then critiqueing the work of other group members. 
Here is my wiki at PBworks
http://blearningtech.pbworks.com/w/page/38902685/Welcome-Page                   Microblogging, Bookmarking and Feeds
Are twitter, delicious and Google reader household names? Maybe not in all households around the world but there is no question that they are quickly becoming proverbial icons; prolific instruments of our communications and sharing.  Consequently, unless we are tuned in to their relevance we may miss something or someone.
Twitter is a micro-blogging tool, originally created “to send quick updates (tweets) to anyone who… (is) following” (Richardson, 2010, pg 86). Tweets can only be 140 characters long. However, 140 characters of information create an enthusiastic, enduring link of questions and answers, and URL links between millions of followers.
It’s no wonder that twitter has become the fad in politics, and it’s “not just for profits” (2008, ¶ 1) claim the online Corporate Eye. In fact, we might even speculate that President Obama’s tweeting won him the presidential election; as he enduringly “maneuvered the social networking stratosphere… gather (ing) large, massive followings”(¶ 1). According to the Corporate Eye “The world has rapidly moved toward technology and there is absolutely no slowing down”(¶ 6).  From a political standpoint, “politicians”( 6) have to “go where their voters are”(¶ 6) and right now that’s twitter.
How about delicious? It’s one of a number of social bookmarking services where individuals, organizations business and virtually anyone can spread their interests and/or gain information through bookmarking links by use of tags, chosen by the user.  Consequently, diverse tags are a downfall for some bookmarking sites.  For example a particular learning blog can be tagged by a user as “learning, schools, edtech” (Richardson, 2010,pg 91) etc… The Delicious site is unique in its ability to connect “resources” (pg. 90) with “similar” (pg. 90) tags.
 Speaking of education, Delicious is a resourceful site for both educators and students. The application makes searching for particular subject material less complicated and time consuming, compared to using a search engine.
If you like the idea of having the NYTimes delivered to your email, blog, wiki or webpage on a daily basis, you would be interested in acquiring a feed. Really Simple Syndication (RSS) like, Google Reader affords a user subscriptions to his/her favorite news sites, blogs, and/or web pages. Google Reader also offers an “integrated feed search” (Google Reader, 2011), which delivers feeds that interest you based on your subscriptions. Unfortunately, this feature is not always an advantage as not all information qualified as matching your interest is acceptable to your viewing. Like twitter and delicious, the unique aspect of a feed is having easy accessibility to information and contacts along with the continual flow of updated information.
Today, being tuned in requires understanding the relevance of Microblogging, bookmarking and feeds.

References
Google Reader (2011) A Quick Tour. Retrieved May 02, 2011 from http://www.google.com/intl/en/googlereader/tour.html
Richardson,, W. (2010) Blogs, Wikis Podcasts and Other powerful Web Tools for Classrooms. Corwin.
 Corporate Eye (March 19, 2009). The Effects of Twitter on Politics – It’s Not Just for Profits. Retrieved May 02, 2011 from http://www.corporate-eye.com/blog/2009/03/the-effects-of-twitter-on-politics-its-not-just-for-profits/







Thursday, April 28, 2011

       During the process of setting up my PBworks account, I took the time to examine some of the lesson plans that instructors have developed on wikis. There are numerous ideas for diverse courses. Will Richardson also points out the many ways  that wikis are being used in education and suggests viewing the “tinyurl.com” (Richardson, 2010, pg.66) site.
       Wikis have obviously gained ground in pedagogy. To begin, the “Building your PBworks class” page offers an introduction to the use of wikis.  In addition, PBworks step by step guide offers educators, otherwise unfamiliar with  using a wiki, a simple process of getting started; including some resourceful ideas. Having a distinct section for educators, facilities and universities gives PBworks a distinct advantage over Facebook, because the education section reflects a separation between education and personal life. As a social network Facebook  lacks this feature.
       Reflecting back,  EDU 651 week three discussions revealed that there are apparent concerns regarding  Facebook privacy issues. The conflict between what is considered private in an individual’s life, and the realm of  formal education remains a concern when considering a social network for formal education.  
       Discovering that there are a number of applications that can be used to develop  learning courses on FB is  impressive, yet, not proming enough  to override the concerns. It would be advantageous for Facebook to supply a seperate section for educators. It is therefore fair to contend that PBworks is better equipped to consider the needs of instructors than Facebook (FB).  
Richardson (2010).Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms (3rd ed) Corwin
                                                      


Among the tasks for the week were establishing an FB Group, linking the PBworks learning course to the FB group and starting a bookmarking account with delicious. Subsequently, sending e-college emails to colleagues with account links. 
Challenges included:                        
  • Having to Add  potential group members as Facebook Friends in order to add them to group list.
  • Difficulty masteing delicious in such a short time, with numerous other assignments to contend with.
Positive Aspects
  • FB has an option to keep the group "closed" or "secret."
  • PBworks site is complimentary to educators in the establishment of learning courses.