Well, in all honesty code freaks me out, but this activity made me see that it is actually possible to handle and understand. Yet I know that it will be a time consuming activity for me at first. Once I struggle through something, I am then able to increase my speed in creating it again, but I often need to struggle in order to master.
Ultimately, I am glad we are able to experiment with activities and ideas I do not even like the sound of for some bias of mine. I guess you could say this activity gave me less prejudice towards the idea of code and more respect for the people that work with it on a regular basis. I definitely still need to practice, but at least I know I can struggle through it.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Rainier Beach Website
Rainier Beach High School is an inner city high school in Seattle. It lacks funds, and has families that come from low S.E.S. households. A school like this can come with multiple stigmas and stereotypes attached to it. People view the students as troublemakers, the teachers as beginning teachers that just need a job, and the school as run down and messy. Naturally, judging by these stigmas, people assume websites from inner city schools are unorganized and bare minimum. That stigma is not true for Rainier Beach's website.
The information is accurate and reliable. There is updated information for students, parents, faculty, and visitors. Anything from sports schedules to accademic programs are posted fror viewers to see. However, there are areas that could be improved.
Visually the website could use some work. They use the school colors in many places which is a good idea, but it hardly has any pictures, logos, or icons. It may be good to put pictures of sports teams along the sports page. In addition, the format to many of the pages seems similar. It would be visually appealing to change up the format a bit throughout the website. Obviously, still keep it professional, but it seems like a written document rather than a website. However, the parent letter, the alumni page, and the calendar and events section are all visually differing and appeaseing. They differ in format, give good information, and offer references and photographs for various events, teams, and people within the school.
Another thing that may prove to helpful is a map to the school. They currently possess directions from multiple starting points, but there is no map for us visual people out there:) Regardless, at least the directions are effective and to the point.
In addition, I want to hear more of the students' voices within this website. Even though it may be an inner city school, the students' voice should be valued as much as any other school. I want to know what they value, what they believe, what they enjoy doing within the school, and what they think needs some work. Students should be allowed to voice their opinions and their values just as much as any other worker in that school.
The information is accurate and reliable. There is updated information for students, parents, faculty, and visitors. Anything from sports schedules to accademic programs are posted fror viewers to see. However, there are areas that could be improved.
Visually the website could use some work. They use the school colors in many places which is a good idea, but it hardly has any pictures, logos, or icons. It may be good to put pictures of sports teams along the sports page. In addition, the format to many of the pages seems similar. It would be visually appealing to change up the format a bit throughout the website. Obviously, still keep it professional, but it seems like a written document rather than a website. However, the parent letter, the alumni page, and the calendar and events section are all visually differing and appeaseing. They differ in format, give good information, and offer references and photographs for various events, teams, and people within the school.
Another thing that may prove to helpful is a map to the school. They currently possess directions from multiple starting points, but there is no map for us visual people out there:) Regardless, at least the directions are effective and to the point.
In addition, I want to hear more of the students' voices within this website. Even though it may be an inner city school, the students' voice should be valued as much as any other school. I want to know what they value, what they believe, what they enjoy doing within the school, and what they think needs some work. Students should be allowed to voice their opinions and their values just as much as any other worker in that school.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Article review plus Annie's questions...
I read the article "Adopt and Adapt: Shaping Tech for the Classroom". Marc Prensky, the author of the article, states, "The biggest question about technology and schools in the twenty-first century is not so much 'What can it do?' but, rather, 'When will it get to do it?'" I agree. Technology brings with it so many possibilities within the classroom that we do not embrace. It allows students to see, hear, and embrace ideas and concepts within a way that a lecture cannot provide. However, a balance must be required. I do not believe infiltrating the classroom with all technological devices and ways of learning is the best way to educate either.
My biggest concern with bringing technology into the classroom comes with the idea that each individual student possess a computer. Pensky explains, "It appears that students who write on a computer turn in longer and higher-quality assignments than those who compose by hand, even though it's still writing." As a future English teacher, I obviously desire to find any possible way to encourage students and help students enhance their writing. However, the problem I find with this idea is that students are students. They will use e-mail. They will go on Facebook. They will not pay attention to an ounce of what you are saying in the classroom. So do we only pull the computers out for assignments? If so, that's basically how we are doing it today.
In addition to this, Prensky suggests a way of helping our attitude against change. He exclaims, "I suggest that every lesson plan, every class, every school, every school district, and every state ought to try something new and then report to all of us what works and what doesn't; after all, we do have the Internet." This is a great idea, but I think it runs deeper than just a fear of change. It lies within a fear of failure. Not only do the perfectionists (in which I am one for sure) in this world fear failure, but our society in general fears failure. This is sad, for it is through failure where people can learn, grow character, and learn who they are. Failure promotes learning! Learning!!! And yet we as educators fear it. Thus, in order to truly learn from one another's successes and MISTAKES, we have to be willing to make mistakes to begin with. Instilling that way of thinking in the minds of our education systems is not easy, because no teacher wants to take risks, and certainly no school system wants to miss an extra paycheck for what people perceive as successful learning.
My biggest concern with bringing technology into the classroom comes with the idea that each individual student possess a computer. Pensky explains, "It appears that students who write on a computer turn in longer and higher-quality assignments than those who compose by hand, even though it's still writing." As a future English teacher, I obviously desire to find any possible way to encourage students and help students enhance their writing. However, the problem I find with this idea is that students are students. They will use e-mail. They will go on Facebook. They will not pay attention to an ounce of what you are saying in the classroom. So do we only pull the computers out for assignments? If so, that's basically how we are doing it today.
In addition to this, Prensky suggests a way of helping our attitude against change. He exclaims, "I suggest that every lesson plan, every class, every school, every school district, and every state ought to try something new and then report to all of us what works and what doesn't; after all, we do have the Internet." This is a great idea, but I think it runs deeper than just a fear of change. It lies within a fear of failure. Not only do the perfectionists (in which I am one for sure) in this world fear failure, but our society in general fears failure. This is sad, for it is through failure where people can learn, grow character, and learn who they are. Failure promotes learning! Learning!!! And yet we as educators fear it. Thus, in order to truly learn from one another's successes and MISTAKES, we have to be willing to make mistakes to begin with. Instilling that way of thinking in the minds of our education systems is not easy, because no teacher wants to take risks, and certainly no school system wants to miss an extra paycheck for what people perceive as successful learning.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Why I want to teach
I want to teach English to high school students. The usual response I receive when I realize such a statement is the question why. Why on earth would you want to do that? And for a while, I did not know how to respond, but now I do. I want my students to value learning, want them to learn more about themselves, and I desire them to learn more about God. I believe literature, specifically stories, have the ability to show students more about themselves and God, as well as encourage them to value learning.
Reading opens someone's mind to more than what they already know.
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