My Contributions to the WebQuest Wikis

1. I added a WebQuest called Science of Genetics to the Consensus Building wiki.
2. I also added a WebQuest called The Galapagos-Islands Suspended in Time to the evaluation section of the WebQuest components wiki.
3. On the same WebQuest components wiki, I added The Journey of a Water Molecule WebQest to the graphic section.

Copyright and Fair Use

There are many questions that can be raised when assessing what fair use is and how copyright works. When looking through the quiz on copyright, I was surprised that teachers could post student work on a protected site. It wasn't so much about the copyright I was worried about, but I felt it was an infringement on the students' privacy to have their work on the site without their permission.

Another question addressed a technology coordinator using audio from MP3.com. The explanation said that he could use the material because MP3.com pays for the archives. However, the coordinator doesn't pay and he isn't given permission to use the audio in his classroom.

One of the questions that made me mad was the one that addressed a teacher videotaping a rerun and having students edit themselves into the film. I don't understand how they can be allowed to change original content without permission.

I was somewhat surprised when I read that the teacher that uses various VHS clips as lesson starters. It doesn't seem that the showing of short clips is against the fair use, especially when the teacher is using it for educational purposes.

The question on a teacher allowing students to defeat copy protection so that they can incorporate clips from rented DVDs into a project made me mad. Not only is it going against the copyright, but it is using clips for their own purposes when they didn't even pay for the material to begin with. I do not understand why this is allowed.

One of the last questions that surprised me was the one that addressed a student copying a CD of ethnic music for a presentation. It doesn't seem fair that a student can copy an entire CD when she didn't pay for it or ask permission for its use.

How to help someone use a computer

An article written by Phil Agre addresses the difficulty of explaining how to use computers to someone who doesn't understand. It is hard for a person who knows what he or she is doing to keep in mind that what he or she thinks is apparent may not be so to the person they are explaining the concept to. I struggle to be patient with people when they don't see what I think is right in front of their faces. As a result of keeping in mind that people may not understand what I already know, it is also important that I avoid negative comments when addressing the person I am helping. I know that when I am trying to learn something, the last thing I want is for someone to tell me I am doing it wrong.

When thinking ahead to the project that my team and I will be working on, these ideas will be important for us to keep in mind. People may not originally understand or be able to recognize the importance of what we are trying to present. We cannot assume that they will know why applications are useful for educational purposes. It is also important that we stay positive in our presentation. If people have questions or don't understand how something works, we will have to explain it without acting like we can't appreciate their misapprehension.

Web 2.0 Educator

Kelly Walsh is the Chief Information Officer at The College of Westchester in White Plains, NY. He has created a blog entitled EmergingEdTech: engaging students and enhancing learning outcomes with Internet and Instructional Technologies http://www.emergingedtech.com
This is a rich resource of information about Internet and technological tools that can be used in the classroom in various facets. Kelly blogs weekly on a particular topic and explains its uses for education. He provides many resources on innovative ways to use technology in the classroom. He also connects this information to its different uses for the needs of various students. He has a passion for emerging technology and the possible uses in education. This blog is an abundant resource for teachers who desire new and innovative ways to bring concepts into the classroom.

Type I and Type II Technology

Type I applications of technology in the classroom are those uses where students are being taught in a traditional way through the use of multimedia equipment. An example of this may be the use of an electronic textbook. I have had the opportunity to access textbooks through internet sources in some of the classes I have taken, however I have found them not to be much more helpful than a normal textbook. Another example of type I applications of technology are online flashcards. These allow a student to go through important vocabulary and regularly memorize their definitions. I have also had some experience with online quizzes and tests, which may have some added features like useful diagrams, but overall they are the same as tests and quizzes that a student might take in class. These tools are helpful if used correctly, but they do not allow for innovative approaches to learning. Type II applications of technology in the classroom are those uses where students are being taught in a nontraditional way through innovative approaches and hands on interactive uses of multimedia equipment. An example of this might be simulation software. In a chemistry class I took, I was able to use simulation software that illustrated how molecules might form when we performed our chemical reactions. This allowed me to understand what was going on and the possible reactions that might occur if the experiment was run wrong. Another example of type II applications of technology would be the use of such programs as PowerPoint presentations, which allow students to set up their own presentations and decide what things they want to include etc. Also, programs in which students develop their own creations, like art software, are useful for instruction.