Good morning everyone. I hope you've had a great week. If you read my post this week appreciating substitute teachers, you'll know I've been a tad under the weather. There's still a lot going on. Today's lead story is inspired by Show #27 with Annice Brave and Jeff Hudson, 20 year veteran English Teachers from Alton Illinois. While that show is mostly about their coplanning method and how they help include more minorities in their honors program, Annice mentioned a tidbit about journalism students having higher test scores than AP students and I had to dig deeper and give you more resources.
After I spent time with science teacher Kaci Heins this week on Every Classroom Matters (Show #29), I did a lot of looking into how you can integrate space into your classroom and have included a few space resources in today's education and technology news.
I came across three pieces of interesting news yesterday: a woman was given a ticket for wearing Google Glass (even though they were off), some pushback is emerging against what some say is false hysteria over bullying caused by news media who aren't getting their facts straight, and an FAA announcement that means you might not need to power down that ebook during landing and take off any more.
There are several interesting articles debating MOOCS as higher ed really starts grappling with a movement that they can't quite get their hands around. And because I had so many resources from him and realized how useful Stephen Downes has been to me through the years, I'm recommending that many of you will want to get his daily updates. Another great resource is Kathy Shrock as I was reminded on my recent daily update about infographics and I”ve included some infographics resources she's organized. Hope you have a great weekend wherever you teach. Remember to matter in your classroom – you make a difference – live it and be it!
Resources for Journalism and School Newspapers
- Welcome to Journalism Education Association
The US national association for journalism educators is the JEA. As you seek to improve and level up your journalism program at your school, this site has many resources for you to use.
“The Journalism Education Association is the largest scholastic journalism organization for teachers and advisers. Put simply, we educate teachers on how to educate students.”
- Resolution on the Importance of Journalism Courses and Programs in English Curricula
If you need “proof” of the merit of journalism programs, look no further than the “enemy” that has been the excuse for killing many journalism programs — test scores. Read this NCTE position paper about journalism in the curriculum which states:
“It is important to note that a body of research provides data showing that students who participate in journalism programs do better on testing and college language arts courses. In Journalism Kids Do Better (Dvorak, Lain, Dickson), research shows students who take journalistic writing courses score higher on the Advanced Placement English Language and Composition exam than students who take only AP or honors English courses. They also score higher on college entrance exams such as the ACT. “We’ve done a number of research studies that show that high school journalism is equal to or exceeds standard English [courses], Dvorak said. “Journalism students’ writing skills, their sensitivity to audience, their use of grammar, punctuation, spelling, their concern with accuracy, their use of sources — all of these things tended to be significantly higher in their performances.””
I would also argue that many students who are not reached by AP or honors courses can be highly engaged in journalistic pursuits. If you want a strong writing program, make sure you have a school newspaper. Share this with your newspaper and annual staff advisors to help reinforce the merit of journalism programs with your board of education and administrators.
tags: education journalism newspapers research bestpractices
- Campus Weblines: Organizing a Student Newspaper Staff
The New York Times has a handy guide for organizing a student newspaper staff including the roles and how to balance print and online “voices”. I also like the section in the guide “Using the Paper to Enhance the Curriculum.”
tags: education news journalism newspaper
- How to set up a student newspaper | Teacher Network | Guardian Professional
This is an interesting article from the Guardian's teacher network about running an independent newspaper using a Grammar school as a case study. I thought this quote is telling:
“The key to the success of the newspaper is to establish a trust relationship with the students involved so that they know the boundaries of their independence and know where their responsibilities lie. The editorial team is appointed and led by the editor in chief, a student selected by an interview with me and the outgoing editor.”
tags: education news newspaper bestpractices
- Best College Newspapers: 2013 Ranking Released by Princeton Review : College Media Matters
As you review the best of the best, peruse the best college newspapers of 2013 as ranked by the Princeton review. Have students and prospective journalists review these sites and look at the articles that are the most engaging and active. Online media is often about the reshare – what type of stories are people willing to share and discuss. Online papers are sort of a focus group for what interests people. Hope this list gives you some discussion points for your newspaper organization.
- Lancer Link : The School Newspaper of Carlsbad High School
This is a great school newspaper that uses Wordpress. You can see that they have advertisements and that this is made possible by wordpress.
- Award Winners | School Newspapers Online
This website aggregates the best online school newspapers from around the web. As you take your school news online consider and review some of the best out there and decide what works for you.
tags: education newspaper journalism award
- Options for Getting a High School Newspaper Online |
Here are 3 options for taking your high school newspaper online. I like that they recorded the pitches. The three options covered include JEA Digital, School News Online, and Interscholastic Online News Network. Also note that you can set up and create your own Wordpress site which may be the best, most affordable option.
- Student Newspapers Scurry to Make Ends Meet – NYTimes.com
College newspapers are met with the same challenges as mainstream media – decilining advertising and increasing online traffic are forcing attention online. Paper is out, social media is in. Organizations that don't get this shift are going to be in deep problems. Is your school newspaper making the sift.
tags: education news journalism all_teachers
Resources to Teach about Space in the Classroom
How cool. Ardulab is an open source platform powered by Arduiono to help monitor and control experiments sent to the International Space station. As I talked with Kaci Heins this week on every Classroom Matters, she has her students designing experiments to go onto the space station. This is doable. We have an ardino in my classroom. Very cool.
Purchase actually includes a “slot to space” – that is cool.
Is wearing Google Glass while driving illegal?
Current Reading on MOOCs
- Rebranding: “MOOC” to “CaS” | Inside Higher Ed
Another alternative is to not use the term “MOOC” and call it a Cas”. (another hat tip to Stephen Downes for this article). I'm not sure that changing the name really will change what is a movement to learn online. Yes, it needs to be verifiable and so many things need to happen, but sometimes I find it odd how higher ed flees from anything that sounds trendy. Why not just Make Moocs better. Anyway, realize that higher ed has woken up and realized something significant is happening, how they will respond is yet to be seen. Says the author:
“The thing formerly known as a MOOC will now be called a CaS.
CaS: Course at Scale.”
- Mooc rival OERu puts accreditation on menu | News | Times Higher Education
Stephen Downes pointed out this great resource that is planning to be the “alternative” to MOOCS.
“Open Educational Resources University course will be able to pay a fee to have their work assessed for academic credit, which would then be recognised by all the universities participating in the OERu.”
tags: education news mooc bestpractices
Interesting Counterarguments in the Bullying Debate
Bullying is not on the rise and it does not lead to suicide | Poynter.
Guidance counselors and principals should read this article – not to share and tout as a defense of bullying for there is no defending meanness ever – not among adults and definitely not among children. However, it is time to de-escalate the frantic misreporting and hysteria that some are causing on the topic of bullying and suicide. Suicide is horrible and often the person who commits suicide is bullied — here's a quote from the article that I thought was telling. This would be worth discussing with those who can maturely see the balance that is called for here and again, not to use it to excuse atrocious behavior.
“Reporters are often reacting to other misinformed authorities. For example, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd explained to reporters that he arrested two girls (one 12, the other 14) in Sedwick’s death, after seeing a callous social media post from one of the girls, “We can’t leave her out there, who else is she going to torment? Who else is she going to harass? Who is the next person she verbally and mentally abuses and attacks?” While it’s a great quote, it implies that this girl has the ability, through random meanness, to inspire others to commit suicide.
“Everything we know about unsafe reporting is being done here – describing the method(s), the simplistic explanation (bullying = suicide), the narrative that bullies are the villains and the girl that died, the victim,” Wylie Tene, the public relations manager for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, wrote in an email to me. “She (the victim) is almost portrayed as a hero. Her smiling pictures are now juxtaposed with the two girls’ mug shots. Her parents are portrayed as doing everything right, and the other girls parents did everything wrong and are part of the problem. This may be all true, and it also may be more complicated.””
An excellent stream of useful information about Education: Stephen Downes
I want to point out one of the first blogs I ever read and one I've continued to read since I started building my PLN in 2005 — Stephen Downes is one of the best resource sharers on the web. He's widely read and interjects his opinions and big picture issues into the conversation. I highly recommend that though leaders and researchers subscribe to his daily updates via RSS or email.
Google Glass Driver Ticketed for Wearing Them
- ‘I Was Very Shocked,' Says Driver Ticketed For Wearing Google Glass : The Two-Way : NPR
A driver was given a ticket in California for wearing Google glass even though it was turned off… and yes, the drama has begun. The police officer said it obstructed the driver's view.
“The Google Glass is a hands-free device, but that didn't stop a California driver from getting a ticket for wearing the headset during a traffic stop this week. Cecilia Abadie, who's in Google's Explorer program of people testing Glass before its official launch, got a ticket for speeding — and for wearing a device that could block her view of the road.”
Keep reading, no need to power down your ebook while in an airplane.
You can keep reading, just DON'T MAKE A PHONE CALL. I guess the FAA has heard us now and has demonstrated that playing games, reading ebooks and watching videos can be done and cellular service must be disabled in phones. Even bluetooth accessories can be used… all of this coming soon.
“Saying it has “determined that airlines can safely expand passenger use of Portable Electronic Devices (PEDs) during all phases of flight,” the Federal Aviation Administration announced Thursday that it is advising airlines they can let fliers use their much-loved e-books, tablets and other handhelds “gate-to-gate.”
Cellphone calls, however, would still be prohibited.”
Some more great infographics resources
Infographics – Kathy Schrock's Guide to Everything
It is so helpful when people leave comments on blog posts to point out more great resources. Kathy Shrock has an incredible set of resources about infographics on her website. If you're interested in using infographics in your classroom, take a look.
Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.
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3 comments
Thanks for the articles debating MOOCS from Steven Dowens. I am really interested in this and will be following what is happening in this area in the future.
Stephen is a great resource, I highly recommend following his blog directly. He’s been one of my most constant resources in my own PLN and will add to anyone who wants to hear many sides of the issues. Thanks for commenting!
Vicki Davis
http://www.coolcatteacher.com
Sent from my iPad
Comments are closed.