WEEK+8


 * __ WEEK 8 - Monday, March 8, 2010 __**

**__Co:Writer__**
 * Co:Writer can be used by students/individuals who have illegilble handwriting, very poor phonetic or inventive spelling, a physical disability that makes typing difficult, and difficulty translating thoughts into writing. Co:Writer interprets spelling and grammar mistakes and offers word suggestions. With regards to word suggestions, the program can be set up by the user to provide a number of options for words spelled incorrectly and to predict what word may come next. For example, I could set the word suggestion to provide six options; therefore, if I were to spell a word incorrectly, I would have six words from which to choose the right word. In addition, the font size and background color can be altered to suit the student. The more Co:Writer is used by a student, the program will recognize some of the words that are used on a consistent basis and will predict them based on when they have been used by the student in the past. When reading the text, if a sentence is highlighted, Co:Writer will read it back to the student. Other features of Co:Writer include accessing a topic dictionary, linguistic word prediction, personal dictionaries, flexspell, word bank, and speech anywhere (highlight text and it will be read to you).

**__Write:OutLoud__**


 * Write:OutLoud is a program used for students/individuals who are reluctatnt to write, experience moderate spelling and grammar difficulties, and who write better with auditory support. Write:OutLoud is a text-to-speech program that reads the words as they are written/typed. Some of the features of Write:OutLoud include a new speech engine, Franklin talking spell checker (reads the words to the students to help them make the right choices), Franklin dictionary (displays and speaks the definition of words), homophone checker (checks document for homophones and offers definitions for alternatives), and bibliographer (helps students to create a bibliography using different formats, such as APA and MLA).

**__What if? Technology in the 21st century classroom__**


 * I found this article particularly interesting because it looked at different school boards in the province of Ontario. It is evident that there is a need to learn more about the benefits of using technology in the classroom, and there is a need for educators to become comfortable using and integrating technology when conveying contents and providing opportunities to extend learning. One statement that stood out for me was: "We are educating a generation of children and youth who have no memory of a world without the Internet, without instant access to information, without an array of media at their fingertips." This statement accurately depicts the students we are teaching today. When I look at the students I have taught in a small rural town, almost every student has a cell phone or Blackberry. The number of students who have laptops that they use at school is increasing. Most students have an iPod, and they all have access to the Internet. It seems that technology is the new 'in' thing, everyone has to have an iPod, cell phone, and laptop, and this is shaping the way in which we teach our students.
 * One program that caught my attention was that of a Virtual Learning Centre, which is being used by the Trillium Lakelands DSB. The Virtual Learning Centre is an "online school and is known provincially as an early adopter of things like synchronous instruction with streamed audio and video, interactive shared whiteboards, online libraries of full text and streamed media, podcasting and voice threads. Students take online courses for a variety of reasons and our feedback is that these courses are well designed, rigorous and incredibly important options for students who may have special needs, illness or life conditions that preclude them from attending bricks and mortar schools. Report card and attrition data coupled with online surveys suggests the program is the key to achievement for many students." I think this concept is incredible and valuable and can meet the diverse learning needs of students. It would be interesting to see if there are any Virtual Learning Centres in our area and if they are effective.
 * In this reading, it was notes that "Teachers in many schools are using technology to support different learning styles and engage all learners, offering developmentally appropriate learning experiences through a variety of media". I think this is a step in the right direction because the brains of students are wired differently and the traditional teaching method of standing at the front of the class and talking for an hour while the students write is not ‘appropriate’ today because the students don’t respond to this approach of teaching. Rather, they respond to using different forms of technology, such as Powepoint slides, or videos and podcasts. We, as educators, should use technology to assist with differentiated instruction, in addition to keeping up with our evolving world of students using technology on a daily basis. When using technology in the classroom, we need to learn how to: " promote innovative thinking and collaborative work; incorporate rich digital resources into student learning; employ varied assessment methods that can in turn improve learning; model ethical practices in the digital age and strengthen their own professional development".
 * When I have a classroom of my own, I would like to develop a class website, like the wiki we have for this class, that has information about homework, assignments, announcements, newsletters, and class updates. This is one way to communicate with students and parents in a way that they can access it when they have time and from any location. I am looking forward to using technology when I teach because I believe it can enrich student learning, we can be creative, and we can learn in leaps and bounds becasue the learning opportunities by using technology are endless.

**__ Media Literacy - Article from the "Association for Media Literacy" __**
 * Virtually allthat we know, or think that we know, about the world beyond our immediate expereince comes to us through the media
 * Media literacy is concerned with the process of understanding and using the mass media. It is also concerned with helping students develop an informed and critical understanding of the nature of the mass media, the techniques used by them, and the impact of these techniques.
 * Media literacy education must aim to produce students who have an understanding of the media that inclues a knowledge of their strengths and weaknesses, biases and priorities, role and impact, and artistry and artifice.
 * **All media are constructions**: Questions to think about? How is this message constructed? How well does it represent reality?
 * **Each person interprets messages differently**: Each person(s) can interpret or negotiate a message differently based on age, culture, life experiences, values and beliefs. Question to think about: How might others understand this message differently?
 * **The media have commercial interests**: Media are created for profit. Advertising is generally the biggest source of revenue; commercials are the best way to generate revenue, product placement (paying to have a product prominently displaying in programs or movies), sponsorship, prizes, pop-up ads, and surveys on the Internet: Questions to think about: Who created this and why? Who profits if the message is accepted? Who may be disadvantaged?
 * **The media contain ideological and value messages**: Producers must choose what will and will not be included in media texts, so there are no neutral or value-free media messages. Question to think about: What lifestyles, values, and points of view are represented in or omitted from this message?
 * **Each medium has its own language, style, techniques, codes, conventions, and aesthetics**: Over time, we understand what each technique means. We become fluent in the "languages" of different media and can appreciate their aesthetic qualities. Question to think about: What techniques are used and why?
 * **The media have commercial implications**: Media literacy includes an awareness of the economic basis of mass media production. Networks look for audiences to be delivered to sponsors.
 * **The media have social and political implications**: Awareness of the braod range of social and political effects stemming from the media. The changing nature of family life, the use of leisure time and the results of televised political debates are three such examples.
 * **Form and content are closely related in the media**: Each medium has its own special grammar and technological bias and codifies reality in unique ways. Different media might report the same event but create different impressions and different messages.

**__Media Literacy/Media Education - Article from the "Media Awareness Network"__**
 * **//Media Literacy//**: it is a quality that can be achieved; must be able to decode, understand, evaluate and write through, and with, all forms of media; read, evaluate and create text, images and sounds, or any combination of these elements; expected outcome from work in either media education or media study; skill of experiencing, interpreting/analyzing and making media products; sift through and analyze the messages that inform, entertain and sell to us every day
 * **//Three stges of media literacy://** (1) becoming aware of the importance of managing one's media "diet" - making choices and reducing the time spent with television, videos, electronic games, etc.; (2) learning specific skills of critical viewing - learning to analyze and question what is in the frame, how it is constructed and what may have been left out; (3) explore deeper issues: who produces the media we experience - and for what purpose? Who profits?
 * **//Media Education//**: ongoing process which can develop and evolve; broad description of all that takes place in a media-oriented classroom, whether the subject matter is English, goeography, etc.; encourages a probing approach to the world of media: who is this message intended for? who wants to reach this audience, and why? from whose perspective is this story being told?
 * **//Media Study//**: when schools or teachers organize specific course of units to study the media

**__Reflection on media literacy__**
 * My understanding is that media education is the process of being educated about various forms of media and how it is presented to the public. I think that when we educate students, for example about the media, we are trying to provide the background knowledge about what media is, what forms it is found in, who can access it, what messages does it portray.
 * After some time reflecting, my interpretaion of media literacy is that it is the process of actually reading and going through different forms of media to learn about the messages, through text, pictures, sounds, and video, that are being sent out to the public. I think media literacy is a process that involves critical thinking skills, to read between the lines and to dig deeper to find meaning. I believe that students and individuals in society need to be media literate so that we understand the function/goal of media and to be able to analyze and interpret based on our values and understandings the messages they are trying to get across.

Bitstrips
 * Bitstrips is similar to that of Comic Life, however, it is easier to use. Bitstrips allows individuals to create avatars, scenes, and comics. I think there is more flexibility in producing a product that really looks like a comic one would find in a newspaper or magazine. The options provided when designing avatars makes these characters more realistic and life-like. In particular, when designing a scene and comic, the angle, rotation, and the way the body of the avatar is facing can be changed. In my comic strip, I have one avatar running ... how cool is that!
 * I designed two avatars (one has two different outfits) and the step-by-step process was clear and simple
 * To design an avatar, all one has to do is click to select the desired characteristics, which include gender, height, build, nose, eyes, eyebrows, mouth, skin tone, head, ears and the style and color of clothing.
 * When going to save the avatar, one option provided is to further edit the avatar that has been created. More options are provided in this function, such that I can change the color of the shoes, I could add make-up and jewellery to the avatar, I can change hair color and style.
 * After designing my avatars, I wanted to design a comic. This is when I became extremely frustrated because I didn't know how to get my avatars into the comic. However, all I needed to do was, when the 'comic builder' page appeared, was select the tab "art gallery", then select 'my stuff' and then click and drag the avatars I created on to the comic strip.

Comic Life
 * __ My Bitstrip Comic __**


 * I had a **BLAST** learning how to use Comic Life and I have enjoyed making different comics since being introduced to Comic Life! When making the multimedia video with Alex, I thought it would be interesting to have a little comic about each group member. I downloaded the program and away I went, making a comic for Alex, Daljit and myself. I was fascinated by this program, and found it easy to learn how to use the text bubbles and change the shape of the frames. I had a lot of fun playing with the different contrasts for the photos. In the comic of me below, I used the paint function. For Daljit, I didn't like the initial coloring of her photo (it was too yellowish) so I decided to try black and white. I just found that the options were endless in terms of what I could do to manipulate and create comics. I could choose the style of frames I wanted and with the comics below, I have used two different styles because I had two different needs! Overall, I think this is one of the best programs I have learned to use and I can't wait to incorporate it into my classroom!!!