Week Eight - Security

As several of my past blog posts and class discussions have shown, online communication tools can be absolutely fantastic. Consider just a few of the positive elements. With some of the more high-tech choices (something like Skype, for example) you get the ability of using real-time, high quality audio and video, while still retaining a text ability. Something much simpler (almost any sort of electronic mail – email – application) will not have to rely upon a fast internet service, even though online capability is still necessary. Depending on the email service, whether hotmail, yahoo, google, etc., the user is able to transport most types of documents in digital form. This exchange occurs almost instantaneously and nowadays can be sent and received from so many different devices, it boggles the mind (video game consoles, desktop, laptop and netbook computers, phones, PDA’s, tablets, e-readers, Mp3 players, to name a few). However, probably the worst drawback of email is that it remains asynchronous communication. I also like to call this “passive communication” – i.e., even if I send someone 500 important messages, that person does not even have to open the message, much less read it and then respond to it.

Concerning school computers, it seems that most security programs reflect the district’s budgetary constraints. I have seen public schools with few computers, much less internet security tools. Speaking generally, most schools seem to choose companies because of name recognition, something like McAfee or Norton. Not that these programs are not capable of defending a school network; rather, many schools only choose the most basic options when protecting their network. Basic protection, in a school filled with perfect students, would be more than adequate. Generally, that is not the case; and even if students behaved in an appropriate manner, accidents do happen. I have several different protection programs on my personal computer, but most importantly, I am sure to steer clear of sites that might contain security threats whether those risks are real or imagined.

Week Seven - Software

For this entry, we who are not teachers are supposed to use educational software we have seen used by others. Unfortunately for me, practically all of my classes, excluding the present online courses, have only ever been very basic in regards to educational technology. As an elementary student I still remember playing educational games such as Mathblaster or about half-a-dozen speed typing programs whose names I cannot remember (probably something along the lines of early 1990’s pseudo-hipster language – “Rad-Typing!!” or “CoolKeys ‘92”). The only software I still remember in any detail is Microsoft Office, specifically Microsoft Word which has been the standard word processing software for many institutions for as long as I am able to recall.

Microsoft Word, of all the word processing programs of which I am aware, is probably the most all-inclusive. Regrettably, this is also a fairly dull topic as little can be said about Word that has not already been said. There are many basic functions for which Word can be used, including typing out this blog post, editing it, adding a large assortment of special features I might wish to add (but don’t), changing the font or the color of the text or even applying special effects to the text, copying the document then pasting it (which is what I do on blogspot whenever I finish the text documents for this class) or cutting and pasting, correcting any grammatical or spelling errors, and even discovering how many letters you have typed. Word is not limited to just being used to type essays or papers, however. Once one really becomes familiar with the program, they could make newsletters, flyers, posters, emails, calendars, letterheads, flash cards, brochures, and booklets, all of which can of course be used in the classroom either for or by students or teachers.

Editing documents is incredibly simple as much of the process finishes automatically as the user is typing. With the ability to change font and add notes, this reduces the time it takes for the instructor to fiddle with each individual paper and bring the students’ attention to various aspects of rules of grammar or more specific topic-related issues.

Perhaps the greatest advantage of Microsoft Word is its digital form. In this, the so-called Digital Age, information transported in the digital form is done so nearly instantaneously and can be communicated almost anywhere at practically any time. Physically, too, there are numerous handheld devices that can be kept on one’s person if security or portability is needed. All in all, this represents a highly versatile tool that is simple enough to learn at any age, while still being practical and retaining high functionality.

Week Six Blog - QuestGarden URL

http://questgarden.com/136/41/2/111205001034/

There is my QuestGarden URL; I forgot to post the link the first time...oops! I was not crazy about the editing options, seemed a little old-fashioned (for computer software, at least) so I just left the colors and images the way they were, bright and non-existent, respectively.

How to describe the WebQuest? It was actually rather interesting. I do not mind saying that I was a little confused at first as there was a lot of information thrown at me. Once I took a simple idea and started completing each requirement one-by-one, it started becoming much easier. Nor do I mind admitting that I had never heard of a WebQuest or what the heck it had to do with education. Now I know differently.

In short, WebQuest is an online assignment program where student work (usually) cooperatively in order to answer a series of questions or achieve a certain goal, etc. over a certain period of time. The length of time for such a project varies. As stated above, I wasn’t too sure of how this would play out (and I’m still not completely positive that it would in the classroom), but I actually had a good time coming up with the idea and then putting it down on (digital) paper.

So what was my subject? Given the name of this blog my choice is not surprising – Byzantine history! Hey, stick with what you know, right? You can view it in more detail via the link above, but I will give a quick summary. The students would break into a group of around three students (depending on class size) and each student would choose a role to portray. Together, they would choose an emperor or empress and go on to do some research on that ruler, most particularly on the calamities and other goings-on during their reign. One group member would be the emperor and the remaining members would choose to be a representative of the various factions sometimes supporting and sometimes opposing the office of emperor. These of course could include influential members of the Church, the aristocracy, the military, the bureaucracy, and even foreign diplomats or potentates (oftentimes some of these positions would be one in the same). Also, if applicable, they could portray members of the same faction. Depending on how long the assignment would last, there would be varying degrees of expectations for historical accuracy, with the less the amount of time available for research the less critically realism would be judged.

As I already stated, it was quite entertaining coming up with this assignment, which presumably would play out very much like a game. A game, hopefully, the students would enjoy. From such enjoyment serious historical inquiry might then follow. At least, that is the point!