There is a wide range of computer software that is designed to help children with reading components but it’s how much we use the software instead of the actually story book. I have used a wide variety of interactive story book for young children and it is amazing the graphics and the manipulation that you can do with an on line story. I have used them in the classroom with the whole class but mostly with children who have developmental challenges that need the interaction to understand the concept of the story. I understand the concern behind using software to facilitate the learning of students but what about the educational software that actually teaches children how to add, subtract ect.. Children’s literacy develops with time and practice so why not let them use the tools to enhance their abilities. I do not believe though that software will enhance any child’s ability to in speech or literacy skills. I just feel that as an educator why not read the story out of the book and then let the students play with the story to enhance their fundamental learning. Wouldn’t it be great if they developed a program where the students where able to read the story allowed and then talked to the characters with in the story to see what their responses were. Example- Peter rabbit- Why did you go to under the fence you almost got caught? Then have the story give the child an answer. I know not realistic but just an idea. Anyway I still feel that children benefit from story’s on CD ROM it just depends how the story is implemented into the program and that it is not a tool to fall back on. I can see educators using this instead of using a story book. Children still need the understanding of what is a book and the process that is involved in making a book. You never know someone may be an author one day.

Sunsets are a passion of mine. Being able to sit on the beach and watch as the sunset of that day drifts away, all that runs through my mind is one day gone another one to begin.

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.


As I took these pictures I put the mind set of a 6 year old and what they would take pictures of at random.

Sunsets are a passion of mine. Being able to sit on the beach and watch as the sunset of that day drifts away, all that runs through my mind is one day gone another one to begin.

After reading the articles I was taken back by the notion that people who created the internet are actually the ones who we were informed about being the Hackers. I was under the assumption that Hackers were people who would find information out about your computer systems and place private information out into the public sphere. I guess I was wrong. Another thing why is it that the technology language has to be English. I would think that with all the high technology of today you could type in any language and it would convert itself into the language that you are seeking. I still have a lot to learn about technology.
When I finished reading about Young readers and the screen I dwelled on the fact that yes concrete material is one of the most fundamental materials that children can learn from. The fact that we can take a story, read it and explore its ideas and use our voices to enhance the story is wonderful but I also have to agree with technology and reading a story on the screen. I have used many story books on the screen in public schools and children have been able to interact with the screen where they would not be able to do with a concrete story book. The other thing that comes to mind is, story books on the screen are a vital asset to children with disabilities. I am not saying that we should eliminate story books but for a child who needs the extra stimulation by interacting with the book and being able to manipulate the characters on the screen this is outstanding. There are a lot of books that can be read by technology and you would be amazed at the graphics as well as the voice quality. Don’t get me wrong I love books and would never discourage children from taking a story book over a tech book. We just need to keep an open mind about the challenges some children have in our society today and what technology can do for them to succeed.

Sunsets are a passion of mine. Being able to sit on the beach and watch as the sunset of the day drifts away, all that runs through my mind is one day gone another one to begin.

Looking back on some of the photos that I still have brought back a lot of memories. I was fortunate as a child to have my own camera. I took a lot of pictures that were important to me as well as things that were in my environment. I remember taking pictures of people but the only problem was half the times their heads were cut off or part of their bodies were missing.
I have given my two children the same opportunity as I had with just disposable cameras. The difference in picture taking is exactly what Stewart says according to age. My boys are 7 and 11 and the 7 year old loves his possessions and family where the 11 year old loves nature and his environment. I actually didn’t think anything of this until I read this weeks articles and then it dawned on me that my children are doing the same thing. I would like to ask my boys what they think of their pictures and see what they have to say. Knowing what we know about development of children I guess this is just part and parcel of each mile stone of their development. It is very interesting thought to understand what they are thinking at certain ages and how they perceive the world around them. Through the eye of the camera you really can see what is important to them and what they value. As an educator bringing the camera into the classroom could be a real asset to the fundamentals of learning. It could enhance programming and give that boost that sometimes we need.

Computers are not my thing but I must admit that sitting in front of the access grid last week really made my eyes open. I was fascinated with the whole kit and caboodle. I have never seen anything like it before. Okay can you tell I was like a kid in a candy store. I found that the images on the screen were blurred especially the one in the middle I preferred to use the far right screen. Understanding the concept behind the technology got me to think about how can this be used for young children. If you were there at the very end we talked about how a 3 year old and an 11 year old would react to this type of technology. I believe the 3 year old would want to jump and talk out loud and stare at the image on the screen. Instead of wanting to fiddle around with the technology itself. As for the 11 year old I believe that they are the ones who would want to move the cameras to focus in on what they want and use the technology to suit their needs. As an educator being able to adapt this type of technology in a classroom would be most beneficial. Talking with Ken in Ottawa gave a sense of feeling you were almost in the same room as him. Children would benefit by speaking to other children around the world and how their cultures are presented. After class a few of us talked about web cams and how they are similar but the speed of visuals is very slow. The only problem that I saw in the access grid is all the equipment that is needed to run this program. Also the need for a person to be an available tech. to keep things going. I can’t imagine the cost as well as the time and space that is needed for this type of equipment. Anyway I was very impressed and enjoyed the new experience.

While reading through the articles I found that the art of technology is in itself an amazing thing. The art of being able to use photography to view others across distances is just amazing. It’s not that I haven’t heard of this before I just think that if technology can do this now what will be next in the future. Using digital imaging within the classroom can be a real asset to teaching. The children can visualize a task before actually doing it. They can see their peers and themselves after they have attempted to perform the task. A web cam can also be beneficial to access other students as pen pals and have an actual verbal and visual conversation with them. What an educational experience that would be. Being able to access information from another part of the word is not only convenient but for a student doing studies and researches it is less time consuming.
Digital imaging in the class room gives the children the experience to see their environment in a different aspect. Each age group will demonstrate a variety of pictures ranging from people, places and things. For an elementary teacher the idea of using digital imaging within the classroom could give those children who are struggling with a concept or task something to look at and use toward their related task. For example, for a developmentally delayed child seeing themselves perform a task may inspire them to work at that station because they see themselves doing that task. As a mother who is very far away from her children a web cam would be ideal to keep in touch with my children. I think I will have to get one.

Race In/For Cyberspace: Identity Tourism and Racial Passing on the Internet

This article refers to racial identities and weather or not people are willing to divulged any information to the public or weather they are going to keep it to themselves. LambdaMoo is a community of online users that gives them the chance to talk to someone that they have no clue of who they are and their race. The only thing I am confused over is why would you want to tell anyone who you are anyway. The degree in which things happen in our society today ethnicity and racism go hand in hand. Why would you want to subject yourself to that. So making it a choice as to weather you want people to know or not to know has become a personal decision. I personally think that if you choose to put your information on the computer that people should respect you for who you are. But unfortunately our society does not let us and so we have to make ourselves unknown to everyone. Wouldn’t it be nice if we were a race-free society.

A Rape in Cyberspace

Okay this article made me sick. I had a real hard time reading it. I know that rape happens out in our society and we hear about it in the news but to read about it and know that it is happening elsewhere is frightening. I don’t quite understand the article it was hard to follow but from what I did get out of it, these people must have some type of twisted mind to even think of something so horrific to do online. I don’t have much to say about this article it made me very uneasy to even read it never mind talk about it.

Hoffman & Novak (1998), “Bridging the Digital Divide”

From what I understand of this article they took white people and African American people and compared them as to how much they use the computer and weather or not both have access to a computer. Well from what I can tell of course African American people and white people are not going to score the same we each came from different up bringing. Some came from higher class income families and some came from struggling income families. That goes for both sets of cultures. I live in a small community where there are still white families who do not have a computer in their home let alone the internet. There reasoning behind it there is just not the use for it. The children will have enough access to it at school so it is not needed at home. I have to agree that the education system will teach them the basics and really before all this technology came along didn’t we get along just fine.