Computers and the Classroom: Pew Study

After reading the Pew Study and reading others blogs, I am offering my thoughts about the use of computers in the school. To also make a special note, the lovely people at blogger finally fixed my blog. Anyway, back to the topic. Its obvious that internet and computers are playing such a huge part in educating student in America, but why aren't we utilizing them to their fullest potential? Pretty much I am making the same arguement that I have been making all quarter. The computers are another way to reach to children, so why don't we use it more? So many statistics that you read say that children spend so much time/too much time on the computer, so it is obvious that they enjoy spending the time there, so lets put their education there too. The interactive features of internet allow for less to be more flexible, more interactive, and more engaging to children, a revolutionary practice.

Maybe thats why it isn't being used, because people are too scared to try new things. No one is willing to put the kids out there and try to structure a new curriculum based on the internet, because the old curriculum has already been made. Just my thoughts

Fair Use

I find it interesting that college professors get all excited about properly citing materials, when it is kinda dumb anyway. They want to be so specific on the guidelines, but they change every year. And all because the author wants some respect, and its not like he's gonna read my paper anyway. So here we are having to do this and that and jump through some flaming hoops all so I don't get arrested by improperly representing someone elses work, who probably stole it from somebody else. So why is it that we have to be so strict about it, so people like Bill Gates can be the richest man in the world, and if anyone looks at his product in a negative manner, he will have them removed from living. Copyrighting is good though, because I imagine that it is important that people get what respect they are deserved. Though why can't i just say this is the person heres what they wrote, and this is where i found it.....its not like they are gonna read it anyway.

Fair use: What I think about the official guidelines

Properly citing materials is one of the dumbest things that I have to do, but one of the most honest things to do. Personally in my life any and all papers I have wrote have been no more than assignments due to a teacher. Because of this I feel as though my academic integrity was more so imagined than really relevant. I find it really hilarious that we have spent so much time practicing the proper guidelines, that they will change again before we actually need to practice them. And it is this changing of guidelines all the time that really makes me not care about the importance of properly citing things. How serious can I take an idea when it changes, or the audience wants a different format. Though, the idea of proper citing is really important, I think I would get really "unhappy" if someone stole my ideas so I guess we have to do what we gotta do. But heres the next point: Why do they have to be so complicated, so tedious, and precise, why can't I say here's the author, here's where they published it, page numbers, and all that jazz. But no, it has to be organized, that way the original person who wrote it won't be offended....like they are gonna read it anyway, or even know that they were cited. Thats all I got to say about that.

Fair use: What I think about the official guidelines

Properly citing materials is one of the dumbest things that I have to do, but one of the most honest things to do. Personally in my life any and all papers I have wrote have been no more than assignments due to a teacher. Because of this I feel as though my academic integrity was more so imagined than really relevant. I find it really hilarious that we have spent so much time practicing the proper guidelines, that they will change again before we actually need to practice them. And it is this changing of guidelines all the time that really makes me not care about the importance of properly citing things. How serious can I take an idea when it changes, or the audience wants a different format. Though, the idea of proper citing is really important, I think I would get really "unhappy" if someone stole my ideas so I guess we have to do what we gotta do. But heres the next point: Why do they have to be so complicated, so tedious, and precise, why can't I say here's the author, here's where they published it, page numbers, and all that jazz. But no, it has to be organized, that way the original person who wrote it won't be offended....like they are gonna read it anyway, or even know that they were cited. Thats all I got to say about that.

Blogging

Blogging is an interesting phenomenon that seems to have been sweeping the nation. Though my question is what is the point of it? It basically is an online journal for anyone to read, it is a great thought, but what about if you don't want someone to read it. I don't know, there are conversations, emails, telephone calls all sorts of ways for people to talk to other people about their problems, but they would rather post them for the world to see. I don't get it. But blogging is everything that I hoped it would be....easy, so that I may get the grade that I need in this class. But what about it is attracting? I don't know...maybe it is just another way for a 14 year old boy to escape from the real world he lives in. Until next time faithful readers.

Video Games - What are they really offering kids?

Video games is a wierd subject with me. I used to be addicted to just about anyform of sitting on a computer or gaming system that could be imagined. But all the time I spent playing those games, much more was happening in the world around me that I was missing. The really big question is: What do video games really offer kids? The offer an interactive chance to use the imagination. When playing a video game the child becomes the character, and has the ability to make the decisions for the character.

But computers offer alot to the world, and at the same time they can take away from the balance of skills that a person has in thier life. Too many kids these days spend way too much time at the computer, or infront of the television. The United States wonders why obesity has skyrocketed since the late 90's. Could it be that's when heavy use of the computer and video game started?

Litter-a-see: Reeding is goood

Literacy is a very interesting topic, that I would not have even guessed would have been part of this class. I honestly didn't know what to expect about this class in general. Well since you are here I will explain to you my thoughts on literacy. In this age of time, you can not be competitive on a scale of magnitude unless you are familiar on how to use literacy to take advantage of the world. There are so many forms out there, word document, excel files, websites, video games. I feel as though it is completely impossible to be successful without the skills to work a computer. Computers have so much to offer this world right now, it can help a child on a below normal reading level to come to a normal reading level. It can take a child on a normal level to an advanced level. Computers and video game and multimedia are unable to hurt a childs level of reading comprehension, they can only help. In a United States stuck on education policies, it really helps because computer curriculum can be tailored to fit the student.

Computers are major part of human life now, and many people will argue that we should be teaching more of the basics to kids on how to use a computer on a daily basis. My thoughts are still up in the air on that.

On one hand if you offer the computer to a student in the classroom they have infinite possibilities to find the answer to what ever question that they have. But on the other hand they miss the skills necessary to think critically and find the answer for themselves. I am sure that someone will argue that finding it online is the same as finding it for themselves, but that is not the context in which i am speaking.

But coming back to the original topic, my thoughts on literacy. It is necessary, word documents are necessary, powerpoint is necessary, ebay is not a complete necessity, but it is still really cool. Knowing how to take advantage of is what makes up the strength for the need for literacy, and literacy is the backbone of globalization.

My very first blog

Wow....this is fascinating. Blogging is everything that I hoped and dreamed it would be! I just don't know where to start. Well, I will start by introducing myself. My name is Lee, and I am here because my teacher said I had to be here on this website, that is if I want an "A". And I definitly want an "A" because, well it is time in my academic career that I have more "A's" in my repitoire than other letters. I am also a fourth year student here at OSU, and I just turned in my graduation application yesterday for fall quarter. I live on the ever so lovely King Ave, with my two fraternity brothers. So what is it that I have to do well I am here. First I have to introduce myself and tell you all about me so you will think that my life is important and you will keep reading on all days to come. I will undoubtedly hand you lines so that you think I am the coolest person in the world, you will love me. Other than that, I will post my opinions on stuff that I have read, and other people will post there opinions on the opinions of stuff that i have read. The teacher will then grade me based on her opinion of the opinions on the opinions of stuff that i have read. Until next time faithful readers (which will be in like an hour cause i gotta read something first and then I will write my blog)