Forums

Hum, forums...

You'll probably think I always say the same things, but yeah at first I was suspiscious about them. I've never wrote on any, read or even visited any! After the creation of our forum, I went on the net and started to visit a few on topics that interested me. I oftenly read what was posted on our but I never felt like I had something to say. Or when I did write something for the first time, I mislead someone by answering wrongly to his question!! :-P. Anyway, I became more and more involved in our forum, but nowhere else on any others I visited. The thing that bothered me the most I would say was the fact that I got strongly addicted! Like all those applications on the net: mail, msn, facebook, myspace, blogs !!! I started going everyday and reading EVERYTHING!! Even on the subjects that didn't even interested me! I just felt like it was a total waste of my precious time. That's by my opinion the worse part of forums, or for myself, anything on the net!! I also didn't appreciate when people talked about me... I felt like it wasn't fair since I couldn't really defend myself and be sure people would read my responses. Anyway, I still enjoyed the experience, I learned a lot.

As far as my net experiences go, the one I enjoyed the most is the blogs. I already read a few of people I esteemed and I could think of pedagogical use for it. I watched the movie The Freedom Writers some time ago and I strongly agree with that teacher's point of view. I want to work with that kind of students too and I really think having them writing journals is a very good way to help them express themselves in other ways than through violence, drugs or sex. That's why I liked the blogs. I'm not a good writer myself but I still enjoyed reading and writting them. I think that those journals could be replaced by blogs and be environment friendly at the same time since it doesn't use paper! The only problem in disadvantaged backgrounds areas (and their schools) though is the lack of financial ressources so their access to computers is often limited. Anyhow, I plan on trying to have my students blog when I'll teach!!

But now that the unversity semester is over and since I don't want to be in front of the computer screen when the sun is out shinning, I'll neglect my favorites sites a little for the summer period!

Be back in september ;-) !!

Computer Management Class

We had a very interesting conversation about classroom management in a computer class a few classes ago. I have to admit I really don't know how a class in computer lab goes! My associate-teacher never brought the students to the lab while I was there. I guess there is probably a lot of ressources for games for them and they can surely search for their projects, but other than that? Since their first competency to acheive is communicating in the language how can they do that in front of the screen? Otherwise, I now have more tools on how to react to different situations in the lab, I just hope I'll be able to use them someday! Everyone had great suggestions about how to adjust to the waste of time or the tech problems and the discussion about porn sites was really funny! Also, since we did the WikI, I know have more net ressources for activities and in my next practicums at the secondary level I hope to be able to use them! I think I'll ask my next associate-teacher (discusss and suggest) to go at the computer lab to see how it goes. And as you all know, the students know so much about techs these days I won't be scared to ask them for help in problems occur and they'll only feel more integrated and helpful. Finally, I guess my best experience of computer labs was us!! I couldn't have a better example to learn from! ;-)

Open-software what??

Following the readings on Mark's blog and his class on open-sofware I have to say I now posess a few more tools to familiarize myself with this incredible world that is Internet. It seemed like these softwares, programs and others are easy to use, good, without viruses and all the advantages said before. However, all these Microsoft things are the ones I'm using right now!! Since I'm not really familiar with this world, i used what I knew and now every readings I make are telling me to switch for Mac, or Mozilla, or to forget Vista, wich is what I have. I'm use to use Explorer, Microsoft and all that software 'junk' full of bogs and viruses as they call it, should i now change?? Do I have to ajust and learn about all these other new things? Are they really better?.... Or is their lobby only more organized and well paid so we get that information about their product being better?? Hum, wich sources are really truthful....

TIC's

Personnaly, I've never been a huge tech fan... I just don't get it! If there's a trouble with my computer, I'm screwed! Recently though I've been using some of them and I have to admit it's quite convenient. Easy access to my bank accounts, msn and web cam, facebook, text messaging on my (new) cell phone, and I must say I enjoy it! However, I feel archaic because I still have a cd player and not an ipod yet! The things is, watching these videos made me realize my future students are already using techs I didn't even know existed! Technologies develop very quickly, in 4 years from now, when my degree is finished, what will it be? I know we must use these as tools to get into their world and understand their reality but are they really the future? How can we always stay up to date? And by doing everything on our little machines aren't we losing real face to face contacts with one another? I was surprise to be so interested in Mark's classes, I've learned a lot so far but it scares me a lot!