Project #4 C4T Summary 2

Project #4 C4T #2 Summary

C4T #1

Recasting the Bullying Narrative

by Liz Losh

Here is a summary of the blog linked above:

As Berliner explains, their critique focuses on the administration and policy issues involved in program development and implementation and how community centers must “learn the language of evaluation” in new ways to “speak back and alongside funding institutions . . . and bring youth to the table.” She also observes that too many funders rely on the assumption “that youth are inherently empowered through media production,” which can be a problem for unrepresented youth when there is “reflection and catharsis involved” in which the most important work is involved with something other than “finished product that is marketable.” 
“The piece missing is the fact that girls are making media all the time,” Berliner pointed out, although young people “are not necessarily inherently skilled at the kinds of technologies that we assume they are.” However, because participants were coming in “with different experiences of technology, the process ignited a kind of sociality and intersubjectivity.” Ultimately, she discovered that “it was not about what it means to be girls — which was what was being told to them — but to come up with ideas, to be creative together, to be playful, to collaborate.” 
In this process, Berliner also saw the young participants assuming considerable agency in “making decisions about music” and reflecting “what their lives were really like” to “strengthen ties and experiences” that reach engaging with systemic rather than conversational issues. “They drew out emotions and discussion from youth who didn’t ever actually pick up a camera or get in front of the camera. They were just around the media technology in space.”

Here is what I wrote back:

Hello! My name is Callie Barton and I am an elementary education major at the University of South Alabama. I found this blog article to be very interesting. Media can be a great way to get information out there and people talking as long as it is used in the right way. Sometimes it is good to get someone in front of the camera who doesn't have any experience but has a great story. As a woman I am all about empowering women and anti bullying. Media is a great way to speak out about issues but you want it to make a difference and make people aware. If it only changes one person's opinion then in my mind it is a success. Keep doing what you are doing ladies!

Callie Barton

C4T #2

Potential and Pitfalls of Digital Reading Platforms for Connected Learning

by Howard Rheingold

Here is a summary of the blog linked above:

At the recent Tech for Schools Summit hosted by EdSurge at the USC Rossier School of Education, organizers promised that the event was designed “for educators by educators” and that attendees would “gain exposure to cutting edge tech tools.” I arrived with an interest in learning more about the ways that education technology tools are marketed to teachers and the extent to which these tools offered teachers opportunities to customize Connected Learning experiences for their students.
It didn’t take long for me to realize that the major players in literacy-oriented technology tools are digital reading platforms — software that allows students to read and interact with texts without the bother of paper. I visited three of them — LightSail, Curriculet, and Actively Learn. Since I have not personally played with any of these particular products myself (yet), I do not intend to review them individually; instead, I’m more interested in thinking about what they mean to classroom literacy teaching in a more general sense. 

He went on to list the pros and cons that he witnessed and found in each of these subcategories of the software:
Library '
Curriculum/Assessments
Annotations
Data

Here is what I wrote back:

Hello Mr. Rheingold. I am an elementary education student at the University of South Alabama. I found your blog about technology tools that are being introduced to help educators teach and students learn to be very interesting. I really like that you did the "homework" and research yourself instead of just going with the most convincing sales rep. Most people wouldn't put that much effort into finding out the differences and pros and cons unless they really cared. I read all of the features and I agree there are some great tools that can be very useful and others that are just there and wouldn't harm or help the students. Hopefully when these programs are launched and the companies get feedback from teachers and students, they can reprogram the software to only keep the things that are useful. I look forward to seeing these programs for myself and doing a little research of my own. Your blog has been very informative.

Callie Barton