EDUC 6816 - Final Draft Citizen Journalism Project

Final Citizen Journalism Project report:
Pocahontas County: Season to Season

Final Track star:
The effects of a tourism economy on employment in Pocahontas County

EDUC 6816 - Weekly Reading #10

DeforestACTION, New Literacies and Authentic Research

In What Wikipedia can teach us about New Media Literacies, Henry Jenkins outlines four skills necessary to New Literacies, which he calls “a set of cultural competencies and social skills which young people need as they confront the new media landscape.” Of these skills he outlines four of particular importance:

Collective Intelligence — the ability to pool knowledge and compare notes with others towards a common goal.

Judgment — the ability to evaluate the reliability and credibility of different information source.

Networking — the ability to search for, synthesize and disseminate information.

Negotiation — the ability to travel across diverse communities, discerning and respecting multiple perspectives, and grasping and following alternative sets of norms. 

This video describes a global student collaborative research and action project from DeforestACTION to stop illegal deforestation happening in Borneo.




This project relates to Mr. Jenkins’ four skills required for new literacy in the following ways:

Collective Intelligence — students in remote schools across the globe collectively monitored the Satellite images of Borneo to identify illegal timbering which triggered local, democratic, action when illegal logging was observed.

Judgment — Reliability and credibility were questions that needed answered as the students learned about deforestation, its effects on the environment and the local people, while also learning about corporate interests and governmental corruption that contributes to it.

Networking — Students were allocated plots of land to monitor for changes and disturbances. They compiled and compared these changes with other students across the globe and then disseminated that information to the eco-warriors “on-the-ground.”

Negotiation — As students digitally monitored the satelitte images of the forest, they were able to act as the eyes and ears of the local Borneo people. To do this effectively required student knowledge of the cultural, environmental and social reality of the people. Those locals, armed with the images and information possible by 21st century technology, were then free to physically confront and stop the illegal encroachment that was happening.

Real World Research Practices

"Proficiency at effectively using the new literacies of networked information technologies has become critical to our students’ success in the workplace and in their daily lives." (International Reading Association, 2009).

This project is consistent with the kind of research people might encounter in the workplace. For one, it is authentic. Students aren’t just reading about deforestation and its effects and then writing a report about it, they are using 21st century technology to learn about a problem, and then taking action to solve the problem.

The direct link between learning about a problem and taking action to solve it is an example of the types of research necessary in a business or service workplace, for example. In an innovation-economy, identifying problems, finding solutions, and putting those solutions into production is the information research required of its workers.

In that way this project is an example of that:

Identifying Problems - Illegal logging that creates deforestation.

Finding Solutions -  Using Satellite images to monitor illegal encroachment.

Solutions to Action - Alerting “on-the-ground” locals to protest the activity.

The connection between 21st century technology, global citizenship and action is a strong example of authentic research for the students. I particularly liked the direct change the students could see/experience (for example, when they triggered the alarm that illegal encroachment was happening they could visually see it stopping).

I think this has more implications than just teaching students how to research in the workplace. I think it can be a powerful motivating factor for democratic participation. Many times, I think people want to help when they see a wrong-doing, but too often they feel powerless to influence real change. This example shows a straight line between observing wrong-doing and taking action that leads directly to change. This shows students both the VALUE they have in the global world and, for educational engagement purposes, the VALUE of their learning experiences.

Sources:

Jenkins , H. What wikipedia can teach us about the new media literacies (part one) [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://henryjenkins.org/2007/06/what_wikipedia_can_teach_us_ab.html

International Reading Association (2009). New Literacies and 21st Century Technologies. Retrieved from http://www.reading.org/Libraries/position-statements-and-resolutions/ps1067_NewLiteracies21stCentury.pdf

DeforestACTION. Retrieved from: http://dfa.tigweb.org/

EDUC 6816 - Citizen Journalism Project - Rough Draft

I was intending to create a radio story, but I realized that what I really envisioned was a "documentary style" radio report. However, without conducting actual interviews this was not possible (and, I think would distract me). So, instead, I created a website.... which, I  think uses a lot more New Literacies than just a research report masquerading as a radio piece. Please feel free to leave comments for me. And, if you have any ideas - please post them to the Forum on the website!


Pocahontas County WV - Season to Season

EDUC 6816 - Weekly Reading #9

Original by Markus Angermeier Vectorised and linked version by Luca Cremonini
CC-BY-SA-2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
("Folksonomy" is my favorite term on this Word Cloud)

 

This is a response to:

The Participatory Classroom: Web
2.0 in the Classroom

What makes a literacy practice a "new literacy."
According to this article, literacy practices that emphasize participation, collaboration, shared ownership, and multimodality are considered "new literacies."

How might a Citizen Journalism project support the development of "new literacies."
The Citizen Journalism project emphasizes production over consumerism. In other words, the students will be producing a journalistic report instead of just watching, reading, or listening to one. This is placing emphasis on participating in their community, especially because non-traditional research methods are used (in my project, interviews will form the central part). They will be creating this project with their classmates, and will therefore share ownership of the project. On a final note, the project will embrace multiple uses of communication, instead of the report being just written, my students will be blogging, creating a radio report, and digitally "writing" a report with images and text while collaboratively creating a website.

What is critical literacy and how does your Citizen Journalism project encourage crtical literacy? How might you change your project to encourage critical literacy?
Critical literacy is examing the social, political, idealogical and economic interests in all text. My project could examine class issues in tourism and unemployment. For instance, people who have these jobs are from the lower class, earning low wages and stuck in the cycle of lay-offs. The low wages of the poor, benefits the middle classes (most of the tourists) by keeping their travel costs down. In the case of Snowshoe, the upper class is benefited by the low wages of the poor by keeping expenses of the resorts down and increasing their profit margins.

What problems may arise when students use Web 2.0 tools for learning in school and how might teachers capitalize on these opportunities to promote information literacy?
Which leads me to my quote this week:

"Because this posting happens in a public space, it becomes particularly important for students to understand the ethical and political context behind their work. Is the content the posted hurtful towards a person or group? Is the information they are publishing accurate and reliable? Are they contributing to knowledge or to misinformation?" (Asselin & Moayeri, 2011)

I think schools are reluctant to use these tools because of fear of liability issues and "safety" on the internet. However, I would argue that by teaching the "rules" of being a good digital citizen and then allowing students to have real-world practice within the classroom, this could help deter online bullying outside of the classroom. If done right, a school could, by embracing the democratic power and openness of social networking (in particular), could create a culture of online citizenship. A culture of good online citizenship is, in my opinion, intrinsically tied to our democratic future.

Additional Resource:
20 ways to use Edmodo
I was thinking of social networking alternatives to Facebook (since that site is blocked) and remembered that Edmodo was a possibility. It even, slightly, resembles Facebook. This slide has some great ideas of how to use Edmodo in the classroom. Figuring out how to make Edmodo work for my teaching context is definitely on my summer to-do list.


References:
Asselin, M., & Moayeri, M. (2011). The participatory classroom: Web 2.0 in the classroom. Practical Strategies Literacy Learning: the Middle Years, 19(2), i - vii. Retrieved from ictandliteracy.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/practical-strategies.pdf

EDUC 6816 - Citizen Journalism - Storyboard/Outline

So, as I've gotten further into this project, I've been able to zoom into the subject of unemployment in Pocahontas County. I'm focusing this project in on the tourism economy and its effect on the seasonal workers of the county. I also wanted to provide opportunities for my students to come up with their own ideas about how to stabilize the unemployment rate so it wouldn't fluctuate so wildly from month to month as seasonal lay-offs happen.

Here is what I'm working on:

The outline to my audio story. 
I have decided to turn this into a photo slideshow with audio, but my intention is for the audio to stand alone so I will develop that first.

The website my student's will use to gather their material, reflect on the process, and publish their final pieces.

The Trackstar to guide my student's through the process.

My students will use Jing, Audacity (an audio editing program), and Windows Movie Maker to create their final reports.

EDUC 6816 - Weekly Reading #8

This post is in response to the article: A Discipline-based Approach to Information Literacy

"In a holistic conception of IL, classroom faculty and academic librarians should have complementary, though distinct, roles in helping students become information literate" (Grafstein, 2002).

Okay - so, in an ideal world this would happen. This article goes on to talk about librarians' roles to teach the information skills needed as a prerequisite across subject matter.... such as:

photo by Ellen Forsyth
Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 2.0

*Searching skills
*Generic critical thinking skills including:
     -Timeliness
     - Authority
     - Bias
     - Verifiability
     - Logical consistency




While teachers should be responsible for the information skills that need subject-based context.....skills such as:

    * Evaluating the content of arguments
    *Assessing the validity of evidence
    *Proposing original solutions

So - this sounds right to me. BUT, in the real world, library funding is being cut. This article also says (in a nutshell) - the earlier the better. In other words, these kind of information literacy skills should be taught to children as soon as they enter school. I totally agree. BUT (again).... these skills, and these interactions, are not being valued (at least not financially) by administration.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that in a lot of cases (especially as students progress in their studies), this distinction between teacher & librarian roles will blur. Teachers (and librarians) should look out for both these skill sets, and, when necessary, compensate for them. I know I don't have the luxury of a librarian and a lot of my students come to me lacking some of the basic skills listed under the "generic critical thinking" category above. I feel responsible for teaching them those (especially when it relates to the internet) and fold them into subject-based context skills. It's probably not as successful as it could be though (in an ideal world).

Questions:
1. What is the difference between IL and BI and why is this distinction important?

Bibliographic instruction (BI) is instruction in "traditional (print) library resources" such as learning how to access information in reference sources and library holdings. Information literacy is about "evaluating information...for authenticity, accuracy, credibility, authority, relevance, concealed bias, logical inconsistency and so on" (Grafstein, 2002).

2. Why should classroom faculty teach IL?
 Two reasons why:
1. IL creates self-directed, life-long learners.
2. Attaining IL also means understanding the basics of subject-based knowledge - which classroom faculty are responsible for.


3. What is the role of classroom faculty in developing information literacy?
Subject-based knowledge is necessary to teach these IL skills (which is the role of the classroom teacher):

• Evaluating the content of arguments
• Assessing the validity of evidence
• Proposing original solutions 

Additional Resource:

A blended librarian talks information literacy

This is a blog post about a librarian at Buffalo State College in New York who teaches a class on information literacy - complete with a multimedia research presentation as the final project! It is presented as a microcosm of a larger movement within college libraries called "blended librarians."

Sources:

Grafstein, A. (2002). A discipline-based approach to information literacy. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 28(4), 197-204. Retrieved from http://westmont.edu/_offices/provost/documents/Senate/Full/2009-2010/Discipline-Based Approach to Information Literacy.pdf

EDUC 6816 - Citizen Journalism TrackStar Rough Draft

Here's the link:

Unemployment in Pocahontas County

It is very rough - and some of the tracks didn't show up when I published this. I think it's because they didn't have URLs to link to. I will fix that as soon as I can.

I am still fleshing out this idea. I really want to expand it, but I'm not sure how that will work within the scope of this project.  I see the final project being a small website with text, images and audio recordings.

EDUC 6816 - Weekly Reading #7

Master and Student by Christopher Walker

CC BY-NC-SA 3.0

This post is in response to the research paper: Engaging young learners: The multi-faceted and changeable nature of student engagement in technology-rich learning projects

A quote:

"The project reported here demonstrates that students may be behaviourally, cognitively and emotionally engaged when undertaking technology-rich projects, but that high levels of engagement aren’t necessarily guaranteed by simply infusing technology." (Adlington & Harvey, 2010)

This quote caught my eye because I think it pertains a lot to my situation. I work with adult students, many who don't have a lot of technology skills and frequently complain about using the computers - "I hate computers" is a semi-common refrain in my classroom! I definitely find that simply using technology is not enough to keep my student's engaged and learning. In some ways this is an important, everyday reminder to me that each student is unique and I must allow for multiple approaches to my lessons. But, this is where the diverse nature of technology is so, so helpful.

My challenge is keep students engaged in the project despite the computers. I think this is where having a non-computer technology (like audio recording or photography) is important.

Addtional Resource:

What journalists need to know about interviewing for video

This is some a link to some tips for interviewing on video. I think any teacher who wants to use video in their project should include a lesson plan on how to interview someone.... it is an art to itself. Taking the time and emphasizing good quality to students (especially older ones) is important because they need to feel the final product is going to be "good" in order to truly engage with the process.

The Questions:

1. How might your citizen journalism project resemble a technology rich project?
I plan to use audio interviews and editing an audio piece for local broadcast to infuse my citizen journalism project with technology. In addition, I plan to implement a blog in order to engage my students with a technology-influenced, self-reflective element while collecting the research.

2. What did you learn about sucessfull implementation of technology rich projects?
I found myself really surprised by this quote:

"The classroom teacher reflected at the end of the project that she anticipated that students would be most cognitively engaged during the planning process, and that the interviewing and filming process would prove less engaging." (Adlington & Harvey, 2010)

So, I think one thing I learned was how out of touch teachers can be with the power of non-traditional literacies. I wrote in my side notes when I read this - WOW! How out of touch this teacher is. Clearly she's never made a movie project herself.

I have a lot of experience with documentary video making. My favorite part is the editing. I am always most engaged in that process (even though I find it to be the most tedious). I go into any project with a written plan, but I know the process will affect the outcome of the piece. I often find the editing-stage to be when I truly craft the story (the emotional engagement). It is when I put all the pieces together in a logical plan (the cognitive engagement). It is also the most technologically-challenging part and this also leads to more cognitive engagement (and sometimes a lot of walk-away from the computer frustration!).

I'm not sure any of this research came as a surprise to me - but it was nice to see some hard numbers to back up what I already experienced to be true.

Resources:

Adlington, R., & Harvey, H. (2010). Engaging young learners: The multi - faceted and changeable nature of student engagement in technology - rich learning projects. acec2010: digital diversity conference, Melbourne, Australia. Retrieved from http://acec2010.acce.edu.au/sites/acec2010.info/files/proposal/172/acec2010engagingyounglearners.pdf

EDUC 6816 - Weekly Reading #6

Reading #1: Writing as an exploration: Rethinking the research paper.

"Exploration #24 in the book, called “Combinations,” calls for taking two different objects and creating as many connections between them as possible."

I picked this quote because it's a fun activity and I loved this article because of the fun activities. I've seen the book this article refers to: How to Be an Explorer of the World, by Keri Smith before and have always been curious about it. I think this does it - I'm ordering it (It's actually up on Amazon.com right now in a different tab!).

Alright, I'm going to get a bit personal here - I'm off for the next two months and my son created a schedule for the day based on his daycare center, which means I'm in charge of finding at least 3 hours a day of activities for them. Yikes! I work with adults, so the idea of finding activities for an 8  & 4 is daunting! This book, I think, could be awesome for that! And then, bonus - I'll get to use it with my adults too. I've noticed there are a lot of things that transfer between elementary kids and adults - we all just want to have fun!

Okay, so back to academia.... Encouraging curiosity is my favorite teaching method and curiosity is a great way to develop guiding questions.This book reminded me of one I read in high school called "A Whack on the Side of the Head."

It was very influential to me, although I don't think I would have ever called it that before right now. It has great ideas of how to use creativity to think about problems in different ways. Although I haven't used it in a while, I used to often open it up and find an activity when I was stuck on a problem. It was always a great resource for helping me get through.

Reading #2: Students As Authentic Researchers: A New Prescription for the High School Research Assignment

1. What is the difference between writing a report and "doing research"?

Doing research means taking an active role in data collection to find meaning in a subject. Writing a report is taking others research and writing a paper to present their findings. Unintentionally, this can also mean presenting the researcher's conclusions as the author's own. I know I've always struggled with that part of a research paper - presenting my conclusions because it always just mirrors what the researcher's is. It always felt inauthentic to me.


2. How might doing authentic research better prepare students for the 21st century work place? Give specific examples from the "Between a Rock and a Hard Place" reading.

Conducting their own research, particularly interviews with people about their subject makes them have to weigh the differences between what a person might say and what formal research might say. This is similar to what the nurses had to do in their jobs, in the reading "Between a Rock and a Hard Place."


3.Why might Constructivist type learning better prepare students for the 21st century work place than Behavioral approaches?

Constructivist learning is more helpful in the 21st Century workplace where problem solving, critical thinking and creativity are highly valued skills. The Behavioral approach emphasizes step-by-step processes, and rote memorization that devalues those skills.  I might be going out on a limb here, but I think the behavioral approach worked for the industrial age because the majority of workers were asked to show up on time, work hard, exhibit good behavior and do their part on the assembly line - creativity, critical thinking, and questioning the status quo were actively discouraged. In the 21st century workplace, workers are encouraged to challenge assumptions and ask tough questions in order to develop new creative products (or services) for customers. Teamwork and self-managed teams are also more prevalent.


4. How does authentic research support new media literacies? Make connections to the reading What Wikipedia Can Teach Us About New Media Literacies Part 1What Wikipedia Can Teach Us About New Media Literacies Part 2

According to Henry Jenkins, new media literacies "are almost all social skills which have to do with collaboration and networking" (Jenkins). Students who do authentic research - via blogs, forums, interviews, and other digital texts - are learning how to navigate these social, digital landscapes. They are also learning to analyze, dissect, critique, create meaning and draw conclusions from each source.

Sources:

Gordon, C. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/aasl/aaslpubsandjournals/slmrb/slmrcontents/volume21999/vol2gordon

Herrmann, B. (2012). Writing as an exploration: Rethinking the research paper. Wisconsin English Journal, 54(2), 49-51. Retrieved from http://journals.library.wisc.edu/index.php/wej/article/viewFile/538/579

Lloyd, A. (2011). Trapped between a Rock and a Hard Place: What Counts as Information Literacy in the Workplace and How Is It Conceptualized? Library Trends,60 (2) pp. 277-296.

Jenkins , H. What wikipedia can teach us about the new media literacies (part one) [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://henryjenkins.org/2007/06/what_wikipedia_can_teach_us_ab.html

EDUC 6816 - Citizen Journalism Project beginnings

My Citizen Journalism Project Lesson Plan beginnings can be found here:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MsPjBolA4qjsZo87QBoLJmyL7mAZbH28BAYtYsFxrAs/edit?usp=sharing

(I tried to copy it into this blog, but the format didn't keep, so I thought it was best to just share it via Google Drive).

EDUC 6816 - TrackStar Final

How does my Facebook profile affect my job search?

What are the strengths of your TrackStar in terms of promoting content learning and information literacy?

Because I teach such a large range of subjects, I am always trying to find ways to double-dip (in a good way!). In this TrackStar I am promoting job searching skills, while teaching a major component of a computer certification my students can receive. Getting a job is a MAJOR goal of my SPOKES class and this Trackstar addresses how my student's Facebook/Social Media profiles can help or hurt that. One of the computer certifications my students' can earn is called "Living Online." One whole section is called "Qualifying the Information" and student's must know how to evaluate information  online in order to pass the certification test.

How does your TrackStar differ from typical classroom research projects and how does it better prepare students for research in the workplace.

I really tried to address the relevance and validity of each website. I think this will better prepare students for the workplace because they will have more experience being able to identify how to find information that will get them to their goal in a more efficient manner.

EDUC 6816 - Weekly Reading #5

This is a response to the article:
Trapped between a Rock and a Hard Place: What Counts as Informational Literacy in the Workplace and How Is It Conceptualized?

What does the term "discursive practices" mean?
The culture of conversation in different settings.

What does "discourse" mean?
Conversation that is connected to a group.

What is the "rock" and what is the "hard place"?
The rock refers to the way information literacy is taught as a skill “confined to information access and use,” which is primarily the way it is taught in schools. The hard place refers to how information literacy is used in the workplace.

What are the differences between the skills prescribed for information searching in academic and workplace settings?
In schools information is “systematically organized and enshrined bodies of knowledge” that are accessed by a particular set of rules. Individuals are expected to acquire information literacy skills independent of each other. In the workplace, information is a shared resource that is as much related to the social setting and discourse of the profession as it is individual, independent skills.

How do academic notions of information literacy undermine workplace notions information literacy?
Academic information literacy does not allow for, nor legitimize, the collective knowledge of “non-canonical” expertise. This undermines workplace notions of information literacy, because in the workplace knowledge is shared among members of a profession, or a setting. This collective knowledge is important to the culture of the profession.

How are information needs identified in work place setting like nursing and emergency workers?
Doctors define the informational needs of nurses and emergency workers. Furthermore, Nurses tend to value social discourse among others in their profession and their informational literacy needs are related more to the “ability to map out information landscapes and.... make judgments about the veracity of information.”

Why do issues of plagiarism not resonate in workplace settings?
Because knowledge is a “collective possession” that is shared among members of a team, and then to a workplace and into the larger profession through professional networks.

Are information literacy skills transferable across contexts and settings? Why or Why not?
This sounds like a trick question! According to this article, more research is needed to answer this question but current research seems to suggest No: “Explorations of transfer require an understanding of the setting and the way the setting functions.”

What is "practice theory"?
Practice theory is a holistic approach that allows for a framework based on “human activity, subjectivity, inter subjectivity, embodiment, language and power relationships.”

How does the author of this article define information literacy?
Information literacy is a practice (not a skill) that requires understanding the information landscape of a social situation. By this, I think the author is saying that information literacy is more than just understanding why we need information,or how to go about getting information.

How do educators need to change their understanding of information literacy in order to prepare student for the information literacy practices they will encounter in workplace settings?
Educators need to focus less on research-gathering techniques and start using questions of audience as a focal point of information.

What do the terms "ontological" and "epistemological" mean?
I think it refers to the culture of knowledge in a setting.

After reading this article, how useful is the traditional research paper we expect students to produce in school in preparing them for workplace settings? What are traditional research papers useful for? Should we still assign traditional research papers?
Traditional research papers are useful for preparing students for college and academic, scientific-based careers. It’s tough to say whether I think a traditional research paper should still be assigned. I think it’s important because student’s will encounter this in college and need to know how to research and write this kind of paper. So, yes, I think it should still be assigned, because it is a valued text in some circles, but as an explicit instruction in formal research methods.

What is one of the biggest challenges to changing the way information literacy is conceptualized in school settings?
School settings are academic-based workplaces. In this occupation, traditional forms of information research are more highly valued. To challenge that notion is a challenge to the occupational/situational, “informational landscape” of that workplace. (This makes total sense in my head, but I’m not sure I’ve fully conveyed my meaning here... what I want to say is that the teaching profession relies on hard data for assessment - testing, grades, attendance etc... this hard data is part of the profession’s “informational landscape” and, as a result, highly valued.)

What attributes of the 21st century make it essential that educators change their approaches toward information literacy?
The question of “Who is the audience” seems to be an essential question for information in the 21st Century. Understanding what the social implications of the information are is crucial to understanding the reliability and validity of information.

What changes can teachers make to their classroom activities to engage students in the  information literacy practices they will encounter in 21st century workplace settings?
To address the question of audience: assignments that are created for actual groups of diverse audiences would help. I also think teachers could utilize their students in developing lesson plans and teaching subject matter that the students are “fluent” in (whatever that might be)... this would help recognize students as “experts” and legitimize the collective knowledge that the student’s have (while also forcing them to evaluate that knowledge to determine what is valuable).

References:

Lloyd, A. (2011). Trapped between a Rock and a Hard Place: What Counts as Information 

Literacy in the Workplace and How Is It Conceptualized? 

Library Trends, 60 (2) pp. 277-296.

EDUC 6816 - Trackstar (rough draft)

Here's the link to the Trackstar I'm creating:

How does my Facebook profile affect my job search?

I've identified my three sources, and have left notes to myself on how to flesh out the assignment more.

EDUC 6816 - Weekly Reading #4

How College Students Search for Information in the Digital Age

1. What surprises you about the strategies digital age students use as they conduct research for course assignments?

I wasn't really surprised by this study. One thing that did strike me as interesting was the change in reasoning for procrastination among college students. I thought it was telling that students procrastinate because of other work they have to complete. My initial thought was that this had to do with the "fervor" of pundits and, as a result, the pressure placed on Instructors, to challenge students to do "more, more, more." I'm not sure if this would hold true under scrutnity but  I wonder if this reaction is attributed to growing pains associated with  teaching more efficiently and explicitly in the types of skills students need.

created by Jerry King, Used with permission: From Now On. 

2. How accurately do the findings from this study reflect your own research strategies?

I'm (sorry to say) it reflected my own research strategies to a "T." I found this to ring true particularly true in the "resources prioritization" section. 

I find myself most overwhelmed by the amount of information I find about a subject. I had never connected that this feeling might be tempered if I changed my research methods. 

3. This study provides a detailed description of the parameters of research assignments typical required for academia. How does it differ from the kinds of research people do in the workplace?

Every workplace is different, but it differs greatly. As an educator, the principle research I do is related to finding teaching resources, for example: lesson planning.The other ways I research are usually in troubleshooting products (computers, smartboards etc.). When I worked in the non-profit world, research I would conduct related to writing grants for funding. This typically required demographic information about the population we would serve, and we would usually "recycle" that information from grant to grant. 

4. Do you think the recommendations to improve research process for college students will better prepare students for the world outside of school?

Research needed in the workplace relies on knowing the validity and relevance of the information. It requires a knowledge of information literacy. I think this recommendation will better prepare students for the world:

Instead, we recommend that students be given course-related research assignments that encourage the collection, analysis, and synthesis of multiple viewpoints from a variety of sources, so the transfer of information literacy and critical thinking competencies may be more actively called up, practiced, and learned by students. (Hand & Eisenberg, 2009)

Resources:

Hand, A., & Eisenberg, M. (2009). How college students seek information in the digital age. Project information literacy progress report.

EDUC 6816 Week 4 - Activity #1

I looked at these three TrackStar activities:

Is No Child Left Behind Working?
Drawing Conclusion on Bilingual Education 
Is Time Travel Possible?

I think they could be useful to students to help lead them through the process of validating information and triangulating information from various sources. I liked (and learned) more from the interactive elements of each... I think this activity could be useful.  I do think for most of my students, the trackstar will need to be fleshed out more... less steps within one frame (which I was even getting confused on what to do when). I really geeked out on the Time Travel one!

EDUC 6816 Weekly Reading #3 - Textbooks, Wikipedia and Schooling

Credit: Jeff Peterson
CC BY 2.0

How do you feel about using web-based resources instead of textbooks in school?   
I think using web based resources instead of textbooks is a really good idea, especially in light of the concerns around the textbook “authoring” process outlined in the first article. However I think the author of the second article made great points about replacing the textbook slowly, and the How To: Toss the Textbook tips were even more helpful to think about that process. In GED classes, we have lots of resources, but not one “master” textbook, or one curriculum to follow. I like this because it gives me a lot more freedom to tailor lessons towards individual needs but it is a double-edged sword. I use a lot of web-based resources, but it is very easy to get lost in the ocean that is the internet. I have tried several methods to organize my resources and come up with a plan, but I definitely need more support on that front.

What opportunities for the development of information literacy skills for students if they began to learn without textbooks? 
 I think there would be a lot more opportunities for students to learn information literacy skills without textbooks. Students would have to learn how to navigate and use the web to find the information they are looking for.

How does these articles change or support your stance on using Wikipedia as a learning resources in the classroom? 
I think these articles support my stance that Wikipedia is a great learning resource for the classroom. Wikipedia, for one, is not designed to appease a small group of powerful people making decisions on what information a textbook will include for the majority of school children. Wikipedia is more reflective of the way the world works - information is constantly being debated, discussed, updated, reworded and created in everyday life. It only takes a moment for this new information to become part of the collective knowledge that is Wikipedia. And, secondly, Wikipedia is a great resource for teachers to use to create their own curriculum around.... especially when it comes to teaching kids about information literacy.

Resources:

Ansary, T. (2004). Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/muddle-machine 

Ruth , G. (2005). Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/teaching-without-text

EDUC 6816 Think Aloud

Educ 6816 think aloud from Vanessa Clay

The website I choose to use in my Think Aloud was one half of a debate about arming teachers in schools. The author argued against arming teachers in schools due to her belief that carrying weapons and reacting in a serious situation requires constant training of the type a police officer receives. She clearly stated she was not against armed safety officers in schools. I detected bias mostly based on the website this appeared on. It was called policeone.com and claimed to be "the most comprehensive and trusted online destination for law enforcement agencies and police departments worldwide."

Explain why it is important to provide students with information literacy skills in the digital age:  
Just as students were once taught how to properly use and leverage the library for information, students must now be taught how to properly use and leverage the internet for information. The Internet is much bigger than the local library, and therefore learning those skills is a much bigger task. Information Literacy creates a framework for teaching "internet skills" that go beyond just "this is how you use Booleans to find information on Google."
 
Explain why projects like the ThinkAloud might provide students with a more meaningful information literacy experience than reading textbooks. Use this week's reading to support your explanation. 
Textbooks are distilled and edited to be a particular way, express a particular educational philosophy or be void of any (often times important and culturally relevant) controversy. They do not allow for multiple points of view on any given subject and therefore limits complex thinking patterns to occur. A project like the ThinkAloud allows for those complex thinking patterns while also bringing it to a conscious level which strengthens complex and critical thinking skills in students

Resources:

Brocklin, V. V. . Retrieved from http://www.policeone.com/active-shooter/articles/6126130-Arming-teachers-in-schools-An-argument-against/

Kent, D. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2012/12/arming_our_schools_cost_of_off.html

EDUC 6816 - Wikipedia Analysis

Guiding Question: Does the Wikipedia article appear to be biased in any way or does it maintain neutrality?

Step One: If you find some information that seems to reflect a partiality, preference, or prejudice for or against a person, object, or idea copy and paste that information to your blog:
 
In general - this article was very scientific, with a lot of information and sources to back up the numbers it presented. I didn't many examples of bias, but I did find some word choices that made me think bias might be present:

Warming of the climate system is unequivocal. (Wikipedia)

This word choice seemed very strong to me, and meant to persuade.... although when I checked the reference, the word was taken straight from an IPCC report.

The probability that these changes could have occurred by chance is virtually zero.[29] (Wikipedia)

This stuck out to me as well, but on further examination, I think it's an example of neutrality.... If it omitted the word virtual, it would have been more biased.

From 1990–1997 in the United States, conservative think tanks mobilized to undermine the legitimacy of global warming as a social problem. They challenged the scientific evidence; argued that global warming will have benefits; and asserted that proposed solutions would do more harm than good. (Wikipedia)

This just struck me as out of place. It was expanded on, and seemed somewhat irrelevant. I felt this needed a separate Wikipedia article. I felt the authors were biased against conservative think tanks and included this as a "jab."  

 

Some people question aspects of climate-change science,[208][213][214] see: list of scientists opposing global warming consensus. (Wikipedia)

I'm not sure this is an example of bias or not, but I questioned the reason
 behind having this list. Is it to show how few scientists question 
global warming consensus? Is it to lend legitimacy to opposition of 
climate-change? (I don't necessarily need to know the answer to these 
question, but these questions make me think Bias is involved).

 
Step Two: choose a claim to verify. Using Google find two websites. One that supports the claim and one that disputes it.Use this Website Evaluation checklist to validate the sources.

The claim:

Since 1978, output from the Sun has been precisely measured by satellites.[98] These measurements indicate that the Sun's output has not increased since 1978, so the warming during the past 30 years cannot be attributed to an increase in solar energy reaching the Earth. (Wikipedia)

Web Page Evaluation Checklist - 1

Web Page Evaluation Checklist - 2


Step Three: Click on the "Talk link" at the top of the Wikipedia Page. What does it mean that this article and its editors are subject to General Sanctions?
 
 Editors can be sanctioned by administrators for disruptive edits including personal attacks and incivility. Sanctions can includes blocks to edit pages related to Climate Change for up to a year. Administrators are to be "uninvolved" The user can appeal the sanction. Uninvolved administrators means users who are not directly involved in current conflict on the topic. 

Wow - I followed the links into the section with more detail about specific user... That is interesting. I had a general notion that there were rules that governed the use of wikipedia entries, but I had no idea to what extent the rules ran for both editors and administrators. Nor, did I have any idea how the "governing body" and process worked. I definitely didn't understand everything on that page, but I understood that General Sanctions meant the article was tagged for intense review and scrutiny.

Step Four: Scroll down to the frequently asked questions section. Choose one of the questions and read the answer. Verify the answer using another online source.
 Does methane cause more warming than CO2?
(Wikipedia)
Web Page Evaluation Checklist - 3 (The Role of Methane)

 Step Five: Below the FAQ section read the section titled Section on natural systems. This is where Wikipedia editors discuss edits and concerns about accuracy and neutrality with articles in Wikipedia.  What did you learn about issues related to global warming? How does Does reading this section influence you perception of Wikipedia as a resource for learning in school? Justify your stance using concrete examples.

This section focused too much on one study. This user felt that it also didn't include enough "caveats" to the extreme weather predictions. Reading this section (and the section I read further that outlines sanctions and the governing process), convinced me to a greater degree that Wikipedia could be a source used in schools. It is clear to me that controversial subjects (and, I'm assuming, non-controversial ones) are exposed to higher scrutiny that many creditable sources allowed within schools (newspaper articles, for example).

Step Six: NewsAndEventsGuy (talk) and Enescot (talk) are heavily involved in editing the Wikipedia article on Global Warming. Click on their names to see their profiles. Then read their pages. Again. how does this information make you feel about the credibility and validity of information on Wikipedia.Justify your stance using concrete examples.

Looking at the User pages of NewsAndEventsGuy (talk) and Enescot (talk) further confirms my stance that Wikipedia is a source that should be used in schools. There is open dialogue among users. A record of User edits are available to look for patterns. And a casual visitor can clearly see open discussion that happens behind the scenes- which is not available in print forms (and most digital forms ) from school-worthy sources.


Step Seven: How do think Wikipedia could be integrated into classroom activities? What do you think about using Wikipedia as a source of information instead of textbooks? Has your opinion changed? How? Why?

This has been an interesting, eye-opening, activity. I think the best way to integrate Wikipedia into a classroom activity is to use it as an excersise in information literacy. I think after students went through some sort of "Wikipedia: Behind the Scenes" Curriculum, they could then be "cleared" to use it as a source... maybe even if some checklist was involved that included looking at the user edits. Actually, using the checklist for verifiable sites could also be a good activity for any online source a student wanted to use. This checklist could be adapted based on grade level. 

Sources:

Berger, P. W. H. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://earthguide.ucsd.edu/virtualmuseum/climatechange1/03_3.shtml 

Felix, R. W. (2013, February 06). [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://iceagenow.info/2013/02/admits-solar-activity-play-significant-role-global-warming-report/

Phillips, T. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2013/08jan_sunclimate/

 Wikipedia. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_warming

EDUC 6816 - Week Two: What Wikipedia Can Teach us About New Media Literacies

http://my.hsj.org/Portals/2/Schools/3405/Article319694_Wikipedia-%20Sean%20Hickle%20-9th%20grade.jpg

What is Henry Jenkins main arguments about Wikipedia?

That Wikipedia can be used to teach students “social skills and cultural competencies” needed for the participatory culture that is part of the 21st century world (and 21st century workplace). He also argues Wikipedia is one source to become New Media Literate, and identified several skills that could be enhanced via student interaction with Wikipedia: Collective Intelligence, Judgement, Networking and Negotiation.

What is "participatory culture"?
A culture of few obstacles of artistic expression and civic dialogue, and srong encouragement of sharing of knowledge, ideas and creative products. Members feel their “contributions matter” and a where there is a sense of “social connection.”

What is the relationship between "old literacies" and "new media literacies".
Jenkins describes new media literacies  as “a set of cultural competencies and social skills which young people need as they confront the new media landscape.” He describes “old literacies” as focusing on individual expression while new literacies focuses on the skills needed for social and community collaboration.

What are the reading and writing behaviors associated with "new media literacies".
According to Jenkins, reading and writing behaviors associated with new media literacies are “participatory, social, collaborative, constructive and conversational.”  As a result, we think differently as we write and read then when we read and write individually.

According to Henry Jenkins why is it important to teach "new media literacies" in school?
New Media literacies teach skills that are used in the 21st Century Workplace, and skills that can be applied to Civic Engagement. His four key skills of Collective Intelligence, Judgement, Networking and Negotiation, are all skills necessary for student’s future success.




What can young people learn through contributing or even consuming Wikipedia?
By contributing to and using Wikipedia students learn (among others):

• how to become more critical consumers

• how to research for accuracy
• 
how to write/produce for a specific audience

• they take responsibility to be accurate in what they produce

• how to identify and the importance of citing proper sources

• how to actively engage in group dialogue

How do you feel about Wikipedia after reading or listening to Henry Jenkins? Do agree or disagree with his arguments? Why?
Although I think Jenkins oversimplifies the definition of New Media Literacy, by over emphasizing “participatory culture” and leaving out other aspects,  I agree with his arguments. I think Wikipedia is great source for teaching students about the importance and significance of participatory culture. I feel more convinced that Wikipedia is an established, guided by, and closely guarded, principles for knowledge sharing and collective intelligence.

Find an online resource that supports your position on using Wikipedia as a resource for learning in school. Summarize the argument being made in the resource and explain how it supports your position.
 

Teachers: Please stop prohibiting the use of Wikipedia

This article is a blog written in a personal manner. The author argues that Wikipedia shouldn’t be banned outright but should be used a way to help students learn “credibility, fact checking, verification, and crowd sourcing.” He argues that Wikipedia has what the majority of other online information sites do not: citations, references, links and primary sources. He think it makes more sense for teachers to encourage students to use Wikipedia while citing it appropriately, and finding more sources. He also argues that Wikipedia definitions are easy to understand and give foundational information that will help a student with further research.

I agree with this blog author, especially using Wikipedia to give a foundational understanding of a topic that will allow students to explore more in-depth research about a subject.

EDUC 6816 - Why Information Literacy is Important in a Democratic Society

Three concepts from this video related to the need for Information Literacy in a democratic society:
 
1.) Internet Freedom - A Democracy relies on an informed citizenship who are able to determine their own beliefs...

2.) Digital Activism - .... and act on them. Also necessary to keep a "check" on political power, which can also be done by.....

3.) Political Participation - in which information literacy is critical to determine when information is needed, how to find information, and whether that information is valid and free of bias.

It's important information literacy is taught in schools because students, even the most tech-savy of them, don't necessarily know when additional information is needed. They need to know how to find relevent and valid information. And how to determine bias information, compare it and rate the value of it. I believe education is meant to prepare students to be productive citizens, which includes both the workplace and within their communities. Information literacy is crucial for students to engage in constructive dialogues that results in positive change. 

Without Information Literacy, citizens in established democracies are more likely to fall prey to government repression, and the three concepts stated above will deteriorate. One example the speaker used was how to circumvent the filtering system. He stated any 14 year old in Australia (a democracy) can figure out how to post a YouTube video that is initially blocked by a national filtering system, but in Iran it is a much different story. Information Literacy that the 14 year old boy uses helps keep the filtering system out of Australia, a check on abuses of power in place, and a stronger democracy.

Should Wikipedia be used as an information resource in school? Why or Why not?

Yes! Wikipedia is a great resource for information. Depending on what you are researching, I would even argue that Wikipedia is the best resource for information. It (generally) gives straight forward, easy to understand information that is typically well categorized (and usually correct). It requires users to validate their information with additional references, and if those are lacking, it will tell you so- in plain english - at the top of the page.  It is a great place to start for an overview of a topic. I encourage my students to use the "references" and "external links" section of an article to look deeper into the research topic. In fact, the references cited on a Wikipedia page will usually give you more valid information than a google search would turn up! Wikipedia is a great tool teachers can use to teach their students how, when and why to validate information.

Resources:

TedxTalks (2010, May 31). TEDxSydney - Brett Solomon - Citizen Journalism and the Democratisation of News Coverage. Retrieved May 27, 2013. from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBIKbMSXWfE&feature=youtu.be