Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Class #5 - Assignment: 7/27/10
For comments and thoughts on my class project's purpose and how it will be used, please see my blog posting dated 7/14/10.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Class #4 Assignment - 7/20/10
In reviewing many of the resources, postings, etc. given to us for Class #4, I have not yet decided whether or no I will use Twitter to set up a PLN. Reported advantages of PLNs include 1) A type of global "faculty lounge", 2) Can pick up some higher-ed "gossip", links to classroom resources, etc., 3) Users can "...dip into a rich soup of thought...", 4) Access to Chronicle of Higher Ed Twitter posts, and 5) Twitter can serve as a public forum, which stands in contrast to the "closed nature" of most emails.
Some noted disadvantages might include a) Prof. J. Rosen at NYU posts about 25 tweets a day - as is, it is time consuming already to keep up with the daily flow of email, Groupwise, voicemail, etc., so will a PLN be a distraction?, b) One reference noted that it was easy to waste time microblogging..., c) Concerns over how one's user profile, photo, hashtag searchers, etc., will be used to funnel to your Twitter account targeted ads for products and services, d) Twitter's Privacy Policy includes consenting "...to the collection and use of info, including the transfer of this info to the U.S. and/or other countries for storage, processing, and use by Twitter.", and e) Another reference noted: "If you think email and surfing can make time disappear, wait until you get a hold of Twitter, or more likely, it gets hold of you!".
Perhaps in class on Tuesday, if we have time, we can discuss some of the above, or perhaps there will be some blog postings detailing what other class members are thinking about when it comes to Twittering and PLNs...thanks...Carlos.
P.S. Still having trouble getting a Wordle embedded in my project draft...today the computer wouldn't process Java applets even after checking and resetting scripting, enabling, etc. under Internet Explorer's "tools"...
Some noted disadvantages might include a) Prof. J. Rosen at NYU posts about 25 tweets a day - as is, it is time consuming already to keep up with the daily flow of email, Groupwise, voicemail, etc., so will a PLN be a distraction?, b) One reference noted that it was easy to waste time microblogging..., c) Concerns over how one's user profile, photo, hashtag searchers, etc., will be used to funnel to your Twitter account targeted ads for products and services, d) Twitter's Privacy Policy includes consenting "...to the collection and use of info, including the transfer of this info to the U.S. and/or other countries for storage, processing, and use by Twitter.", and e) Another reference noted: "If you think email and surfing can make time disappear, wait until you get a hold of Twitter, or more likely, it gets hold of you!".
Perhaps in class on Tuesday, if we have time, we can discuss some of the above, or perhaps there will be some blog postings detailing what other class members are thinking about when it comes to Twittering and PLNs...thanks...Carlos.
P.S. Still having trouble getting a Wordle embedded in my project draft...today the computer wouldn't process Java applets even after checking and resetting scripting, enabling, etc. under Internet Explorer's "tools"...
Friday, July 16, 2010
Class #3: 7/13/10 Assignment
Some comments on the "Supplementary Materials", etc. that were posted for the class...
1) "Welcome to the Digital Generation": Although some of the demos given were K-12 oriented, this is a helpful summary and demonstration of 20+ classroom technologies obtainable off the web, etc. For example, Wordle can be used to enhance a blog page, or it can be used to summarize in poster-form the results of a class's discussion of a particular topic. The sub-topic of "25 Techy Tips" covered some interesting hints on using the technology more creatively and easily; and
2) One of the supplements gave a good overview of the steady decline in the use of traditional media, such as newspapers, TV, etc., and the exponential rise in the use of cell phones, social media, etc. There is no doubt that these technologies are becoming very popular and are helping shape the read-write web of today. I think Slideshare might offer many of us some useful presentations that can help our students learn. For example, I found an environmental science related slide set entitled "Northeast Interactions: Biodiversity, Ecology, and Climate Change" that gives a visually pleasing and informative overview/intro to the topic of global climate change from a regional perspective.
3) I would like to try incorporating in my course project a Wordle...maybe I can find a Wikipedia article that I can paste into a Wordle...wish me luck...
1) "Welcome to the Digital Generation": Although some of the demos given were K-12 oriented, this is a helpful summary and demonstration of 20+ classroom technologies obtainable off the web, etc. For example, Wordle can be used to enhance a blog page, or it can be used to summarize in poster-form the results of a class's discussion of a particular topic. The sub-topic of "25 Techy Tips" covered some interesting hints on using the technology more creatively and easily; and
2) One of the supplements gave a good overview of the steady decline in the use of traditional media, such as newspapers, TV, etc., and the exponential rise in the use of cell phones, social media, etc. There is no doubt that these technologies are becoming very popular and are helping shape the read-write web of today. I think Slideshare might offer many of us some useful presentations that can help our students learn. For example, I found an environmental science related slide set entitled "Northeast Interactions: Biodiversity, Ecology, and Climate Change" that gives a visually pleasing and informative overview/intro to the topic of global climate change from a regional perspective.
3) I would like to try incorporating in my course project a Wordle...maybe I can find a Wikipedia article that I can paste into a Wordle...wish me luck...
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
7/14/10: Course Project - Work in Progress
COURSE PROJECT - Work in Progress...thanks for your patience...
(Last updated/revised/ on July 27, 2010)
(Thanks to Rita S. S. for this very informative professional development course on using social media to enhance our classroom teaching and our own learning. We are benefiting from the countless hours you have dedicated in developing your course's excellent Wiki. Also, thanks to my classmates... all of you helped make this summer course an enjoyable learning experience!)
Introduction: For my project, I wanted to develop a blog with which I could make use of several of the tools and apps introduced via our class's Wiki (combined with the use of ordinary text entries) to discuss, explain, and illustrate a selected topic in introductory astronomy. I can then use the blog to easily save and share with students images and videos on topics related to our class discussions. As a new user of these tools and apps, I won't be surprised if you find the lesson developed below somewhat basic in its use of these technologies...
Topic of Proposed Astronomy Lesson: Short overview of the nature of meteoroids, meteors, and meteorites - In the sky, especially at night, what exactly are those sudden, brilliant multi-colored flashes of light we call "shooting stars"?
Since the time the first early-human looked up at the sky in wonder, our species has pondered the true nature of these suddenly appearing, short-lived bright flashes of light in the sky. Today, these are more familiar to us as falling stars or shooting stars. In astronomy, we refer to these bluish-green colored flashes of light as meteors. To understand the nature of these elusive objects, let's begin with...from NasaImages...
==> 120 large meteorite craters known on Earth so far...many of these are weathered (or on the seafloor) and are less impressive visually than Meteor Crater in Arizona;
==> Meteor Crater in Arizona: About 45 meters in size and 300, 000, 000 kg
==> Estimated: An impacting meteorite larger than 1 km across should statistically strike the Earth about once every 3 to 4 million years - large impactors of the K-T variety that drove the dinosaurs into extinction, say 10 km in size, might strike the Earth every 10 million years
==> Estimated: A 1 km sized meteorite would produce a crater 10 km wide due to the release of impact energy equivalent to about a 5,000-megaton atomic bomb, where 1-megaton is about 40X the size of the Hiroshima bomb of 1945. Energy released to form Meteor Crater was about that of a 25-megaton atomic bomb.
From NasaImages...the Chicxulub impact zone (K-T event) found in the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico west of Cancun near Merida...the impact occurred about 65 mya...
(Last updated/revised/ on July 27, 2010)
(Thanks to Rita S. S. for this very informative professional development course on using social media to enhance our classroom teaching and our own learning. We are benefiting from the countless hours you have dedicated in developing your course's excellent Wiki. Also, thanks to my classmates... all of you helped make this summer course an enjoyable learning experience!)
Introduction: For my project, I wanted to develop a blog with which I could make use of several of the tools and apps introduced via our class's Wiki (combined with the use of ordinary text entries) to discuss, explain, and illustrate a selected topic in introductory astronomy. I can then use the blog to easily save and share with students images and videos on topics related to our class discussions. As a new user of these tools and apps, I won't be surprised if you find the lesson developed below somewhat basic in its use of these technologies...
Topic of Proposed Astronomy Lesson: Short overview of the nature of meteoroids, meteors, and meteorites - In the sky, especially at night, what exactly are those sudden, brilliant multi-colored flashes of light we call "shooting stars"?
Since the time the first early-human looked up at the sky in wonder, our species has pondered the true nature of these suddenly appearing, short-lived bright flashes of light in the sky. Today, these are more familiar to us as falling stars or shooting stars. In astronomy, we refer to these bluish-green colored flashes of light as meteors. To understand the nature of these elusive objects, let's begin with...from NasaImages...
Next, some terminology we need to understand...
Asteroids:
"Potato-like" shaped planetisimal matter left over from the formation of the solar syatem that was not acrreted to a planet or moon, for example. These objects are found in orbits between the planets Mars and Jupiter. They range in size from the largest (Ceres at ~600 miles across) to the smallest (about the size of a compact car or desk). Perhaps about 150 asteroids of the 100,000 that are large enough to be photogarphed are 60 to 180 miles across. S-type asteroids are bright red, metallic nickel-iron that easily reflect radar waves, while the bright non-red asteroids are the pure nickel-iron M-type . The darkest (least reflective) asteroids are labeled C-type or carbonaceous and consist of a metal content similar to that found in the Sun. When asteroids collide, the impact debris can be scattered widely, some of which can eventually reach the Earth's orbit area.
Meteoroids:
A piece of interplanetary debris smaller than an asteroid. Typically, fall in the diameter size range between that of a dime and that of a quarter.
Meteorites:
Types and physical make-up: 1) Iron meteorites (or irons) - 80 to 90% iron with, traces of nickel, 2) Stony meteorites (or stones) - rocky (contain silicates), but can contain flakes of iron and/or nickel, and 3) Stony irons - about 50% iron and 50% rock.
Meteors:
About 25 million meteors a day are bright enough to be seen by the eye without using a telescope - perhaps many billions would be visible using a telescope. An estimated 1000 tons a day of them strike the Earth.
For illustration purposes...
A) From GoogleSquared: What typical meteorites look like... (Please note: I was unable to imbed this item, which would have shown a variety of meteorites)
http://www.google.com/squared/search?q=meteorite+types#table/agGxUSi_9y8ShDdvDqphCTdg
B) From YouTube: Sample videos of meteors and fireballs (very bright meteors)...
==> 120 large meteorite craters known on Earth so far...many of these are weathered (or on the seafloor) and are less impressive visually than Meteor Crater in Arizona;
==> Meteor Crater in Arizona: About 45 meters in size and 300, 000, 000 kg
==> Estimated: An impacting meteorite larger than 1 km across should statistically strike the Earth about once every 3 to 4 million years - large impactors of the K-T variety that drove the dinosaurs into extinction, say 10 km in size, might strike the Earth every 10 million years
==> Estimated: A 1 km sized meteorite would produce a crater 10 km wide due to the release of impact energy equivalent to about a 5,000-megaton atomic bomb, where 1-megaton is about 40X the size of the Hiroshima bomb of 1945. Energy released to form Meteor Crater was about that of a 25-megaton atomic bomb.
From NasaImages...the Chicxulub impact zone (K-T event) found in the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico west of Cancun near Merida...the impact occurred about 65 mya...
Friday, July 9, 2010
Assignment 7/6 - Comments
Comments on several Google apps...from Carlos...
a) Google Chart: From data, generate the traditional pie and bar charts, dynamic icons (bubbles, pins, etc.), compound charts, formulas, and dial-type Google-o-meter charts. In math, app might be helpful for students when studying graphs and graphing methods, while in a science lab it might be possible to plot experimental data then analyse and interpret its meaning;
b) Google Alerts: In my science classes, could be an easy way to keep me and my students updated on the latest news on course related topics and queries, such as planetary and lunar science, and emerging green-energy technologies, for example; and
c) Google Squared: An interesting app that quickly organizes in a convenient tabular form from across the web info on a specific category or topic. For example, I tried "squaring" on "hurricanes" and "spiral galaxies", which would be topics of interest in some of my science classes.
a) Google Chart: From data, generate the traditional pie and bar charts, dynamic icons (bubbles, pins, etc.), compound charts, formulas, and dial-type Google-o-meter charts. In math, app might be helpful for students when studying graphs and graphing methods, while in a science lab it might be possible to plot experimental data then analyse and interpret its meaning;
b) Google Alerts: In my science classes, could be an easy way to keep me and my students updated on the latest news on course related topics and queries, such as planetary and lunar science, and emerging green-energy technologies, for example; and
c) Google Squared: An interesting app that quickly organizes in a convenient tabular form from across the web info on a specific category or topic. For example, I tried "squaring" on "hurricanes" and "spiral galaxies", which would be topics of interest in some of my science classes.
Monday, July 5, 2010
CLASS #1: Reflections, comments, etc. on articles and links...from Carlos...
We have been asked to give some feedback on several of the posted articles and links...here are some of my observations and comments...
==>Title: "Wikis for univ. faculty"; Author notes their usefulness for student collaboration, participants can all have the most current (class) info, however, before this can all happen, the instructor must become efficient in wiki use...drawbacks include content created on wikis and copied to a Word document lose their formatting...and...be careful about overloading students with too much technology.
==> Title: "50 ways to use wikis..."; Author suggests that not just for the math and science courses I teach, but for classes in general...potential uses include virtual field trips, study guides and test reviews, to elicit student feedback, data collection in a uniform and easy manner, student posting/linking their own creative online efforts, and helping the teacher organize and improve their course(s) regarding areas such as the syllabus, classroom policies and procedures, and collaboration with other teachers on lesson plans, etc. A link to smartteaching.org was interesting.
==> Title: "Dangerous discussions: Blogs, wikis,..."; Noted - A question our whole class might want to discuss: "How can learning be improved by the use of blogs, wikis, etc., w/o reducing the student/faculty ratio or increasing the workload for teachers and students?"
==> Title: "100 best blogs for teachers"; A collection of interesting blogs mainly aimed at K-12 education. The writer does note under "Thoughts on education policy' an interesting/novel grading strategy for papers submitted by students based on "incentivising" students to repeatedly re-submit (after instructor's review/corrections) their papers until they have achieved an A-level grade...the professor notes this grading strategy should ultimately result in better writing from the students.
==> Title: "Web Rage: Blogging and the web have fostered"; It is good to take note of what was stated here on perhaps what can best be described as some "general" or "big picture" unintended societal consequences of blogging and the web, such as,...bloggers as ideological hermits...echo chambers...people talking to other people that believe exactly what they do...and...anonymity. Also noted...1) 2005 estimate: Only 25% of the blogs visited by workers on the job were job related, and 2) 2004 estimate: 15,000 new blogs a day were being created...information overload!
==> My reflections on..."What possibilities are there for using blogs in your class? Why?"; Perhaps wikis and blogs are instructional tools that students would find appealing because they might offer 1) An opportunity to share their thoughts and concerns on class topics directly with the teacher and other students, 2) The instructor can post links to helpful videos and articles that bear directly on learning the course content, and 3) One of the course references (I forget which one) noted that "Social media can extend student discussion outside of the classroom...potentially offering teachers an opportunity to be more thoughtful on the way they teach and to improve their classroom teaching practices."
Thanks for your attention...Carlos...hope to see you in class tomorrow...
Note to class: I have to continue reflecting on some of what I noted above, and I hope the above "ruminations" are not too much for a new "blogger", or should I say, "bloviator", to post!
We have been asked to give some feedback on several of the posted articles and links...here are some of my observations and comments...
==>Title: "Wikis for univ. faculty"; Author notes their usefulness for student collaboration, participants can all have the most current (class) info, however, before this can all happen, the instructor must become efficient in wiki use...drawbacks include content created on wikis and copied to a Word document lose their formatting...and...be careful about overloading students with too much technology.
==> Title: "50 ways to use wikis..."; Author suggests that not just for the math and science courses I teach, but for classes in general...potential uses include virtual field trips, study guides and test reviews, to elicit student feedback, data collection in a uniform and easy manner, student posting/linking their own creative online efforts, and helping the teacher organize and improve their course(s) regarding areas such as the syllabus, classroom policies and procedures, and collaboration with other teachers on lesson plans, etc. A link to smartteaching.org was interesting.
==> Title: "Dangerous discussions: Blogs, wikis,..."; Noted - A question our whole class might want to discuss: "How can learning be improved by the use of blogs, wikis, etc., w/o reducing the student/faculty ratio or increasing the workload for teachers and students?"
==> Title: "100 best blogs for teachers"; A collection of interesting blogs mainly aimed at K-12 education. The writer does note under "Thoughts on education policy' an interesting/novel grading strategy for papers submitted by students based on "incentivising" students to repeatedly re-submit (after instructor's review/corrections) their papers until they have achieved an A-level grade...the professor notes this grading strategy should ultimately result in better writing from the students.
==> Title: "Web Rage: Blogging and the web have fostered"; It is good to take note of what was stated here on perhaps what can best be described as some "general" or "big picture" unintended societal consequences of blogging and the web, such as,...bloggers as ideological hermits...echo chambers...people talking to other people that believe exactly what they do...and...anonymity. Also noted...1) 2005 estimate: Only 25% of the blogs visited by workers on the job were job related, and 2) 2004 estimate: 15,000 new blogs a day were being created...information overload!
==> My reflections on..."What possibilities are there for using blogs in your class? Why?"; Perhaps wikis and blogs are instructional tools that students would find appealing because they might offer 1) An opportunity to share their thoughts and concerns on class topics directly with the teacher and other students, 2) The instructor can post links to helpful videos and articles that bear directly on learning the course content, and 3) One of the course references (I forget which one) noted that "Social media can extend student discussion outside of the classroom...potentially offering teachers an opportunity to be more thoughtful on the way they teach and to improve their classroom teaching practices."
Thanks for your attention...Carlos...hope to see you in class tomorrow...
Note to class: I have to continue reflecting on some of what I noted above, and I hope the above "ruminations" are not too much for a new "blogger", or should I say, "bloviator", to post!
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