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I really enjoyed this class. I learned a lot more than I thought I would. Not only did I learn, but I learned useful skills that I am sure to use in the future. Thanks!

Surveys

I have completed both the class rating on route Y and the course survey.  

Safety talk with Mom

I had a nice chat with my mom about internet safety. Particularly what safety precautions she makes for herself and for her family. My mom claimed she didn't know much about internet safety, but the more I talked to her, the more "safety rules" i noticed she was actually implementing. She said she doesn't like giving out her personal info, doesn't open messages if they are received from an unknown sender, and doesn't even join facebook groups because she's a bit worried about it all. A precautions she and my dad have made for the family is keeping the computer in the kitchen, a very public area, facing out so it can be viewed easily. This has gotten complicated with the introduction of laptops into the house. My mom worries about the time my sister spends on the computer. Not that she's worried about inappropriate things, but just that it is addicting. We had a nice discussion about what I learned from Elder Bednar's talk. I also referred to some of the videos I had watched and what I learned from them. One thing I had to offer was the bit I learned about being open with your children about the internet. I told her why I thought that was so important and it brought up some more interesting discussions. It was a neat thing to discuss this prevalent topic.

Safety Videos

http://www.netsmartz.org/resources/reallife.htm

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5400750511962500872
This one is just a google video, not an actual website, but it is really good at portraying how careful we really need to be with the internet. It is very important to know what you should and shouldn't do on the internet. The students in my classes will be junior high and high school aged kids. This is an age where kids get into things they don't understand. It will be important to teach my students some of the rules involved with the internet. Students are easily preyed on if they don't have their heads about them. There have been too many victims to stand by and not teach your students what to do and how to be smart

Internet Safety Readings

1. What article did you choose to read for your #5 article?
1. Overpowering the Goliaths in Our Lives By President Gordon B. Hinckley
2. What were the most important things you learned from the readings?
1. I really enjoyed the list of things that can be done to facilitate internet safety in the home. Such practical advice is rarely given. I have often heard about the importance of using the internet wisely and especially guarding yourself against the addiction of pornography. Reading more on this subject was also helpful, but it was refreshing to have a list of things that can be done. I also was interested in the talk by Elder Bednar who focused on the reality and value of physical experience instead of living in a virtual reality. We were given a body for a reason. Use it.
3. How will what you have read influence your actions as a parent and/or teacher of children and youth?
1. There were a couple of new ideas that I haven't really focused on before. Things that i'm sure were mentioned at some point, but that interested me while reading and that i think would be useful as a parent or teacher. Having a comfortable, open atmosphere where things can be discussed, such as the danger of pornography or other addictions. Openness that will inspire children to report if an inappropriate site came up on the screen. Curiosity can be detrimental in some cases. Talk freely with youth about things they've heard about or are curious about.
4. How can you use what you have learned from the reading to have a positive influence on family and friends?
1. Knowledge is a powerful tool. Just knowing what is out there and how to use the internet in a safe manner can limit chances for mess ups. As I discussed above, sharing this knowledge openly is a great tool to helping others be more aware as well. Warning others about the dangers, not only of pornography but also virtual realities and the ever increasing lack of personal communication will help others take a step back and think about their involvement as I have done while reading.

The TPACK of the Project

One of my favorite things about this project is that students will have to do learning on their own. Instead of just sitting in class listening to me lecture, they will have a hands-on tool to discover the content. I believe that this is one of the best ways to learn and the goal of teaching. The technology project will really help with this pedagogy. The content encompassed in the project is not only important for the students, but fascinating to most people. Who wouldn't want to explore more about the heavens? This program "Stellarium" will really help the students explore as much or as little as they want, giving those students who are really interested in the subject an opportunity to learn. There isn't a whole lot of room for that in the curriculum, so it's nice to give them that option.

Link to project

http://docs.google.com/View?id=d9xv3c4_44dvns6cc3

Students will be required to go to this site where they will view the assignment. They will find a link to the course website there where the resources are available in order for them to complete the assignment. We will have gone over in class how to take screen shots and some other technological details necessary for the assignment. Each student will have a blog for the class where they can post their assignments.