Podcast

Use this address to access my podcast on copy right and fair use. This information comes from a brochure I created on the issue.

http://uashome.alaska.edu/~NSEIDEL1/ED%20693.mp3

I want to apologize, as the phone rang during my podcast. Note to self, turn off the ringer on phone before begining a podcast.

Privacy

Privacy is a major concern, and it can be hard to determine how much information is too much. Some services ask for minimal amounts of personal information, while others ask for far too much. As a young child, or even a student in your teens, it can be hard to discriminate between the necessary and unnecessary questions many social networks, websites and Internet resources ask for. I even find it difficult sometimes to distinguish between the two. Knock on wood, I have been fortunate and not lost much of my privacy without my own divulgence. Or have I?

Many young people enjoy the social networking sites Facebook and My Space, they would spend hours chatting and changing their personal settings if allowed. I completely understand the draw to these sites, as I too have a Facebook account. I am aware that everything I post on that site reflects me as a person and anyone in my network has the ability to see what I’ve posted, and so do people in their network and so. The scariest part about it, is that agencies, government mostly are probably storing all my interests, hobbies and connections I have. I can’t image being 13 and already having a government profile based off of adolescent ramblings and conversations.

Again it is our role as educators, parents and loved ones to ensure that we work with our students and children when registering for web resources and web 2.0 applications. Privacy Playground is an online game sponsored by the Media Awareness Network that’s goal is to “teach kids how to spot online marketing strategies, protect their personal information and avoid online predators.” This site would be a good follow up to a classroom discussion on Internet privacy.

Privacy Rights Clearinghouse is a resource guide for parents and other adults on the issue of children’s safety and online privacy. It discusses safety tips, how and what people are marketing to teens, and has a resource section just for teens. The site’s goal is to educate adults, sot that information can be passed on between parents and children in a continuous conversation about Internet and website privacy.

Ethical Issues

When I think of the words Ethic and Technology together I immediately think of illegal downloading and copyright infringement. Technology has given us the ability to get any software program, DVD, or music files we want. It is imperative that students and our colleagues know what is acceptable to copy and what is not. Now that I’m writing this the two of these are not all that different, they encompass each other, and yet are different just the same.

Illegal downloading obviously is the distribution of most typically copyrighted material. Although the act of illegal downloading can be an ethical conflict one has with one’s self. I’m sure most people think of saving money when they illegally download or burn a copy of software or music. I know that’s what has been an ethical bridge I’ve crossed many times, and imagine will only be crossing it more and more often as technology advances. This must hold true for our students and children. If I have these same debates with myself, some of them may be as well. Again this is why it is imperative that this discussion come be introduced; otherwise it’s easy for them to say, “Oh, we didn’t know that.” After all, knowledge is power. I thought this site was cute, it lists the ten commandments for computer ethics, http://web.archive.org/web/20001017184124/wise.fau.edu/netiquette/net/ten.html . This would be easy to turn into a lesson with students, and have them come up with the commandments, or guidelines. Another site that has a vast amount of information on computers and ethics is http://web.archive.org/web/20021001132342/www.ciolek.com/WWWVLPages/QltyPages/QltyEtiq.html.

Copyright infringement happens all the time. Some individuals don’t even think twice about copying a picture from Google Images or another search engine. I’ll admit I’m guilty of it. I believe many are ill informed, and don’t really understand the consequences of these actions. Copyright and plagiarism is one of the most likely crimes to be overlooked. It’s not overlooked because no one cares, but technology has brought so much information to our fingertips, it is often difficult to know if what someone wrote is original or based of another individuals work. Students and educators alike need to be taught and reminded of the ethical issue plagiarism and copyright infringement can produce. Here are some sites that delve into copyright and fair use in more detail, Copyright Bay and Digital Citizenship.

Copyright Bay uses a watery bay to describe different aspects of copyright law and fair use. The bay is divided into lagoons, inlets and reefs. The participant visits each of these locations and moves through the slides to get a better understanding of that areas particular content. There are also six separate multiple choice quizzes that can be taken to help reinforce the concepts and give you feedback on which ideas you may need to work a little harder at understanding. The target group for this resource is educators, and I chose this resource because it was slightly more interactive then the other sights I found.

Digital Citizenship is a website for students that a classmate in another course had shared. I liked this site because it is a site that helps educators and parents understand how to teach children to use technology appropriately. I really enjoyed the Nine Themes of Digital Citizenship that lists the correct behaviors that help us all enjoy and use technology.

Security Concerns

The best way to combat security concerns on the Internet is to teach our students and children the tools to determine how to properly check out an Internet sites credibility. I believe if students have the tools to guide and direct them, they will be less likely to be harmed using a web resource or other Internet service.

Security issues envelop so many categories. We have to ask ourselves, what is that we are trying to protect students from; adult predators, identity thieves, or themselves? Once we have this answer, it will allow us as educators to put into effect the type of restrictions and helpful guidelines that keep students consciously applying the .

My big fear is that if you restrict access to specific sites and resources, some students will be intrigued to find out what lies beyond. This is why I feel it is so important to educate and inform students, so that they can make proper Internet use decisions. After all, many students spend more time on the computer then they do playing outside today.

Here are two sites that I find to be helpful when informing students about credibility and security. The first, http://kathyschrock.net/abceval/5ws.pdf, is by Kathy Schrock. She believes that “the ability to critically evaluate information is an important skill in this information age.” On this site there are many resources on how to critically evaluate blogs, podcasts, websites, and much more. She also has some basic computer and Internet education resources included as well.

This site, Evaluating Web Pages, has a page of helpful tips on how to verify if a web page is authentic and purposeful.

Current Topic: Integrate Web Application

In order to download any web applications to my work computer or any other computers on the UAS campus, I would need permission from my immediate supervisor. After the permission has been granted, I place a work order with our Instructional Technology department to actually download the application. I do not have the ability to change, alter, add or remove any programs or applications from my work station. I suspect that in some school districts this would be a similar case. Documentation requirements for the installation of anything on my work station only requires my supervisor or I to place a work order with instructions as to what I need downloaded or installed. Work orders may be phoned in or submitted via e-mail. I prefer to submit my work orders via e-mail, as a paper trail is always good, especially if one begins to question themselves - Did I submit that? It is a pretty basic procedure, but unfortunately can take some time before I see any results. So in my case, if I need a application installed or downloaded, it could be in my best interest to submit a work order in advance.

Since I have to go through this work order process, I find it easier to locate and use web applications that do not need to be downloaded or installed on my computer. It is easier for me to have an account and sign in when I need to use the application. On my home computer I am a little weird about downloading and installing programs just to have them. If I am not going to use it on a monthly basis, I prefer not to take up my hard drive’s space, but that’s just me. The web application I found used, and fill has the most potential to be successful in my future classroom is www.dipity.com, an interactive timeline creator. This application can be used for any subject, though I was thinking of its use for science. I like the possibility of using this resource for students to create timelines of scientific process, as an experiment log, or for the creating the life cycles of fauna and flora. Even though I currently do not teach I can use Dipity in my current position. This tool could be used to create a general timeline of events that occur in our department, my administrative roles and responsibilities, so the next individual to take this position can have a template for their work load and the School of Education activities.

Adobe Air

Upon going to the Adobe Air website, www.adobe.com/products/air/everyone/ I found an interactive Ajax desktop application called Earth Browser(http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/exchange/index.cfm?event=extensionDetail&extid=1510519) and downloaded a demo version to my home computer. This application is awesome, it shows everything to do with the planet earth in one place. Here are a few of the items it includes:

stars,night shadows, city lights, northern lights (north and south poles),weather (for each continent), clouds, tropical storms, earthquakes, volcanoes, and wildland fires and much much more.

Each item can be checked on or off, depending on what I am interested in seeing and keeping an eye on. Foe example, I currently have wildland fires checked on, all the wildland fires in the U.S./Canada are shown with a symbol of fire marking there location. I can click on the symbol of one of the many fires marked on the earth, and a text screen pops up that tells me the name of the fire, its lat and long, size, and containment percentage. The same holds true for the volcanoes , if I click on one of the volcanoes, I can learn the name of the volcano, its location, lat and long, elevation and a brief synopsis of its present or past eruption history.

Earth browser has so much potential, and I feel like I don't even know the half of what it's capable of doing. I have the ability to spin the world on its access to see Asia, the South Pole, or Greenland. If I click on a city, the application also gives me the 7-day forecast.

As I mentioned before I am only in the demo mode, the application said it was free when I downloaded it, but occasionally a screen will pop up asking me to purchase something for a minimal price. I just ignore it, and click demo again. It seems to be up to date, and I don't appear to be lacking any pertinent information. I will be keeping this application on my computer for sure.

This is a great application that can be accessed through the desktop, and could be used in science, current events, geography lessons. Of course getting it downloaded on machines at a school site would have to be approved by an administrator, but I can't see why it wouldn't be. There are no adds, and no where else to go or wonder in the application.

Gadgets

I have added so many gadgets to my iGoogle I don't even know where to start. Listed are a few of the additions just on my first tab.

Google Calendar @ google.com/calendar
This is currently a tool I use with my job. It allows me to keep track of
the individuals I work for schedules and my own. They are distinguished by the colors I give them. It is nice to have a quick reference as to what my day will look like when I first log on to the computer in the morning.

World Sunlight Map @ die.net/earth
I find it fascinating to know that when it is dark in Alaska, that it is light in Europe and Asia. It is now 9:39pm and the shadow is just barely beginning to cover Juneau on the map.

Weather Station or Juneau @ code.google.com/p/pwsgadgets
Even though I know deep inside that the weather in Juneau is going to be 55 degrees, raining and overcast, I still find it necessary to see what Weather Underground has to say about the weather. I guess it helps give me hoe that just because the Fireweed has begun to bloom, that summer in Southeast Alaska isn't over.