MACUL

Yesterday was the MACUL conference and we all headed down to Cobo to check out the newest tech-related teaching issues and ideas. As someone who isn't as enthusiastic about technology as others, I was surprised to find myself really enjoying the presentations and I walked away with a lot of new information! The first session that I attended discussed the dangers of the internet and safety measures that can be taken to help our kids avoid falling into these traps. It's incredible to me that 16 yr. old kids know how to hack through filters and access sites that they shouldn't be seeing, but apparently this is not uncommon. As teachers, it's imperative that we educate ourselves and our students on the dangers of the internet and help them understand how it can affect them in the longterm. The man who presented offered examples of classrooms that were participating in activities that allowed students to see first-hand how the internet can be detrimental to their future, which I felt was a great idea. Kids would create resumes or portfolios and then post them on the internet with the idea that they would perform a search of themselves and see what turns up. I thought that this was a great way of showing them that you really have to careful what you post on the web.

The second session seemed interesting at first, but it turned out to be a little bit strange. The idea behind this presentation was designing lessons that incorporate the five senses. The speaker provided research and examples of this teaching strategy as well as an activity for the audience to try. I liked the idea of using music to stimulate student's senses and get their creative juices flowing, but some of the exercises were a little bit out there. While it was certainly interesting, I'm not sure if I'd use these strategies on my own students.

The third session that I attended was the most interesting to me, which is funny, because it was all about learning how to use Web 2.o tools. As I said above, I'm not a big tech person, but this session made me want to be!! First of all, the presenter was insanely enthusiastic and did a great job of showing off these tools. Second, the tools that she did present were so neat and I would really like to use them in the future. Some of the tools that were discussed included Tripit, Yelp, Remember the Milk, Ustream, and Jott. My tech knowledge is really limited, so these may not be anything really new and exciting, but I definitely enjoyed learning about them and hope to use a couple in the future. I think the hardest part for me is that I feel so behind in the world of technology and it can be overwhelming sometimes when you think about everything that's out there. However, these tools seem pretty easy to use and I think that the more I use them, the more comfortable I will become with all this tech stuff. Overall, it was a nice way to spend a Friday and I was definitely able to take some new ideas and info away from the conference!

MACUL Session 1: Safety on the Internet

This session involves the dangers that exist online and how we can help our kids avoid these traps. The guy that is giving the seminar has made some really good points and seems very knowledgeable on this topic. Interesting stuff!

He's talking about how filters are fairly ineffective and the best way to help your kids is become educated on this topic. The knowledge that kids possess today is quite significant, and many of the actions that are taken by administrators and teachers, like creating filters, aren't doing enough.

AND I'm really annoyed because this thing won't post!!!!

You have to have the ability to monitor online activities to take legal action.

CIPA - Children's Internet Protection Act

Schools must have a policy and implement certain procedures in order to recieve the E-rate discounts

CIPA supports the use of chats, email...but simply wants to make it safer for students to use these options. WOW!

We need to think about what kids are doing now and what they might be doing in the future that will be related to using the internet and online activities.

Elgg.net - create your own social networking platform that is installed on your own served and you decide how much is public or private... pretty cool!


Ning: Also lets you create your own social networking site.

Ed-Safe Alternatives: takingitglobal.org - how to make a social impact on the world, get more involved

-Now required of the curriculum in Pennsylvania
-Public site
-Very carefully monitored, a safe place for students

BeRecruited.com- Helpful for students

Crowdspring.com - Graphic designers-if you need a logo, someone who can design or create websites...post what you need and people will respond to your request

Des Moines - Students are creating online portfolios for colleges and employers to find and then search for themselves to see what admissions will find about them...pretty cool!

Overall, good presentation and I feel like I learned more about this topic. The presenter was really enthusiastic and included good information and websites to reference!

MACUL Session 1

MACUL TEST