Journal 1: "Do Web 2.0 Right" (NETS I,III, VI)

Summary: Thank goodness for Daniel Light and Deborah Polin, educators who have already explored the Web 2.0 road and drew a straight path to success.  In the article "Do Web 2.0 Right," Light begins this road with three basic elements used to create successful web based learning environment.  He states that educators must: institute daily practice, carefully consider the audience, and teach and enforce appropriate behavior.  It has been found that the most successful web based curriculums use tools to create continuous, sustained, and meaningful conversations and communities between each students and teacher.  He concludes the on-line based activities and supported lessons will indeed be positive in the students' learning career, but reminds us that it is just as imperative to engage in the student's work, and not have it "end in themselves."

How can you make web 2.0 activities a daily activity within your classroom?

 As a future educator I can use web 2.0 based activities within my classroom by using them to support my curriculums.  They can be used as a communicative space between the teacher and students, or students and students, through the compilation of private journals, generate and support discussions, and a place to share ideas.  In addition to communicative support, it can serve as a creative tool.  Stories, pictures, and research can also be added to web based activities.

What is your position about web 2.0 based activities replacing face to face debates and/ or feedback?

  I am concerned about the replacement of face-to-face debates and discussions with the growing use of blogs.  Light shares students' testimonies where they feel "that the blog(s) allows them to participate even if they are too shy to speak in class" and by “making students go public de-motivated those who were sensitive to peer pressure."  I see and appreciate the fact that blogs and online debates allow for all student voices to be heard, but I worry that our educators are not emphasizing the importance of and the tools to promote self confidence and public speaking.  Will our future generations hide behind a computer screen when faced with controversial topics?  Therefore, we must find a balance between online Web 2.0 based curriculum and face-to-face curriculum in order to create well rounded, critical thinkers.

 

Journal # 3: 100 things that make me happy...

1)      Spending time with my husband

2)      Being married

3)      Being in the ocean

4)      Surfing with my dad

5)      Swimming from the pavilion to the Hanalei Pier

6)      Walking the Hanalei Bay

7)      Hiking the Hanakapi’ai trail

8)      Being in Kalalau Valley

9)      Living on Kaua’i

10)   Having my mom as my best girl-friend

11)   Camping

12)   Swimming in fresh water streams

13)   Getting my hands dirty from gardening

14)   Having dirt under my fingernails after a good gardening session

15)   Yoga

16)   Being able to run for 30 minutes

17)   Hearing the wind in the trees

18)   Being in nature

19)   Being in nature, alone and just listening to the sounds

20)   Laughing

21)   Speaking Portuguese with my husband

22)   Going Forró dancing in Brasil

23)   Traveling

24)   Packing my suitcase when I know I am about to go on an adventure

25)   Adventures

26)   Waterfalls

27)   Spending time with my mom and dad

28)   Listening to my husband laugh

29)   Wearing yoga pants and sweatshirts

30)   The SUN

31)   Laying out

32)   Being able to go to the beach everyday

33)   Salvador, Brasil

34)   Learning new things

35)   Ocean water on my skin

36)   The feeling of being sun-kissed

37)   Traveling with my husband

38)   The color yellow

39)   Dancing with my husband

40)   Dancing with my friends

41)   Dancing Polynesian dance

42)   Real life lessons

43)   When all my homework is done

44)   Working with preschool age children

45)   Working in the Teddy Bear room

46)   Hearing a student tell me “you are the best teacher in the whole world!”

47)   Working with clay on the wheel

48)   Driving to northern California

49)   Camping in Big Cur

50)   Being able to wear a bathing suit

51)   Buying new bathing suits

52)   Shopping in Brasil

53)   Watching something I planted grow

54)   Eating organic food

55)   Buying fair-trade food

56)   Helping someone

57)   How contagious a smile is  

58)   How contagious a laugh is

59)   Cuddling with my husband

60)   Watching my husband carefree childlike spirit

61)   The possibility of having children

62)   The prospect of becoming a teacher!

63)   Being able to love what I do (for work)

64)   Smoothies

65)   COFFEE

66)   Being warm

67)   Having sandy feet

68)   When my body hurts from being active

69)   When my day was productive

70)   The prospect of being a teacher and no longer the student (per-say)

71)   When my arm muscles hurt from surfing

72)   Being on our family farm in Brasil

73)   Spending time in Pirenópolis, Goiás, Brasil – the town my husband was born in

74)   Living near the beach

75)   Memories from my childhood

76)   Being around animals

77)   Sleeping in

78)   Knowing I can count on my family for support

79)   Creative freedom

80)   The freedom I receive from being from America

81)   Knowing that I speak two languages

82)   EATING

83)   DESSERT

84)   Love

85)   Looking at photos

86)   The possibility that my husband and I may move back to Kaua’i

87)   The possibility that my husband and I may move to Brasil for a bit

88)   “Free time”

89)   Playing soccer

90)   When a child giggles

91)   Having family dinners

92)   This year I will be walking the San Diego 3-day with my mom for the 2^nd time

93)   Beach walks with my girl-friends

94)   Playing backgammon with my husband

95)   Learning new card games

96)   Making new friends

97)   Learning about different cultures

98)   Music

99)   Feeling happy

100) Being in love

Technology Self Assessment

Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity (NETS-T #1)

"Top 10 Web 2.0 Tools for Young Learners" by: Chris Riedel
 

Chris Riedel wrote "Top 10 Web 2.0 Tools for Young Learners," an instructional article that simply presents Web 2.0 based tools that can be positively used within an educational setting.  Personally, I found this article straight forward and encouraging; it aided in changing my perspective on bringing web-based equipment into the classroom.  In fact, I chose to review and reflect on a resource derived from NETS-T #1, because, currently, I feel that I lack vision, knowledge, and tools to inspire students learning and imagination through web based material.  However, through such simple, yet innovating support, these tools can certainly find positive avenues within the classroom setting!

            Chris’ information derived from Gail Lovely’s descriptions of the “top 10 web 2.0 tools for young learners.” Lovely states the importance for these powerful tools within the classroom, especially for “the most vulnerable populations because they are the ones who need it.”  These vulnerable populations, for example, consist of the “young learners and non-reader.”

The list Lovely and Riedel present range from web based support that provides avenues to work analytically, creatively, individually, and communally.  My favorite tools were Kerpoof, Create-a-Graph, Yack-Pack, and Wikis.  I found that these tools specifically enabled creative and analytical thinking, placed value on the students’ voice, and created alternative ways to learn.  I am honestly starting to understand the importance of technology within the classroom, for technology can be presented in many forms!

Introducing...

   My name is Tami Greene-Batista.  I was born and raised in sunny Encinitas, California.  I love the ocean, nature, working with young children, gardening, and the sun. I lived in Encinitas until I was 18, going to neighborhood schools: Flora Vista, Diegueno Middle School, and San Dieguito Academy.  When I graduated High School I grew wings and finally left the comfort of my warm little beach town.  This was when the travel bug and the outside world bit... 

   I moved north to attend UC Santa Cruz (so really, I just moved to a colder little beach town) and lived there for 2 1/2 years.  I wasn't completely happy at UCSC so I decided to take time off.  During this time off, I went to New Orleans and volunteered for the Hurricane Katrina relief efforts, moved to Kaua'i and worked and lived on an organic, permaculture farm (at this point in time, I completely fell in love with playing in the dirt and gardening).  I lived on Kaua'i for 6 months and then moved to Santa Barbara where I received my B.A in Global Studies from UC Santa Barbara.  While attending UC Santa Barbara, I spent my last semester in Brazil studying Portuguese, Brazilian culture and Brazilians, the beach, and teaching English in a Favela (slums).   One month after moving back from Brazil, to Encinitas, I met my husband, Rodrigo (who is Brazilian ;) ).  We spent a summer in Santa Barbara where I received a TEFL certificate (teaching English as a foreign language). 

   This last year was spent in Brazil visiting family, traveling, and practicing my Portuguese, and living on Kaua'i.  While living on Kaua'i for the second time, I became adamant about following my dream and not waiting on tourists!  Consequently, we moved back to Encinitas and I am now attending San Marcos State to get my teaching certificate, so I can do what I love... TEACH!

   In terms of being technologically gifted, I am not.  I have a regular cell phone that calls and texts.  I have a computer that I use to hold my pictures, music, emails, and school assignments.  I appreciate the technology in my life, but I prefer to be in the ocean, in the garden, or with physical people.  I am sceptical of the progress of technology.  I am afraid that it is, in fact, forcing us to distance ourselves from one-another, rather than bringing us closer.  I am hoping that Educ. 422 can show me how technology can positively bring people together.

   CSUSM's commitment to cultivate teachers who are dedicated to diversity, educational equity, and social justice is very important to me.  While teaching English in the Calabar Favela in Brazil I saw, first hand, the direct effect of social, economic, and racial discrimination and exclusion in the educational system.  This is a world wide issue. Thus, everyday, I strive to bring equity into my community, my world, and my classroom.