Not Stupid...Dyslexia [Double Journal #10]

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Think Aloud

Think Aloud

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Website Evaluation

www.thedogisland.com

WHO?

Has someone taken responsibility for the content of this Web site?
- After clicking the "contact us" tab, I finally found some names. It says that Xiao Min and Han Fei are the founders. It also lists names of positions on The Dog Island. All of their e-mails have the same domain name, and the descriptions are irrelevant and just talks about their love of dogs.

Can you contact the company or author through a real world postal address or phone number?
- No. The only way to contact any member of the website is through their personal e-mails. Are there any links to in-depth information about the author or organization?
- No. Just e-mails and a very short bio.
WHAT?

Does the site rely on loaded language or broad, unsubstantiated statements?
- Yes. Multiple times the website says that they "can't offer this to poor people because it's expensice" and that they are funded by "rich people with big hearts."Does the site clearly state the topics that it intends to address?
-No. It has topics but then never addresses them. In the "directions" section it gives absurd reasons why they can't give their exact location and ridiculous directions that involve marking your way with red tape on doors. Also, in the "rates" section, they don't even mention any rates.

Is emotion used as a means of persuasion?-Yes. They subtly try to make you feel guilty about keeping your dog "cooped up" and say that the right thing to do to make your dog happy is to send it there.

WHEN?

Is it important that the information you're looking for be absolutely current?
- Yes, but on this website, everything is misleading

Is a reference date provided to show when the material was put online, or when it was last updated?
-No. There are no dates at all. "Visit" dates are given but just the month and day, no year.

Do the links work?
- The links take you to other pages on the same domain name.



Upon further investigation I discovered this:

"The Dog Island site is a hoax playing on western revulsion of Asian dog-eating practices, and its creators deliberately used names identical to those of persons and companies in China who process dogs for human consumption (for example, the "Dawn Fine Bred Dog Center" of which Dog Island is supposedly a subsidiary, the city of Pexian, and the name "Han Fei" are all references to the Dawn Fine Bred Meat Dog Center, a commercial operation in China where dogs are raised for meat), similar to a stunt once pulled by notorious prankster Joey Skaggs."
This is according to snopes.com

Call, IM, or meet in person? [Double Entry Journal #9]

 Quote: "After two decades of psycho-social research on the impact of computer mediated communications (CMC) and social network sites on relationships, a summary reveals that internet use does not necessarily lead to negative, anti-social behavior.

On the contrary, cyber or online social networking may increase a person's social ease, the breadth and depth of off-line relationships, and their overall "social capital" – the resources accumulated through the relationships with people."

Response: This has been quite a debate for some time. I agree that online communication can be both negative and positive. On one hand, people feel they will have the courage to say something online that they might not in person (this can be good or bad.) Negatively, some people have separate friends, interests, and complete lives online. Some people have friends that, even though they see everyday, they only talk to online and never in person. But overall, I fell online communication does not  lead to anti-social behavior. I think quite the opposite. I believe online communication increases a person's social behavior. It lets users communicate in other ways than the telephone and in-person. It makes talking to someone more convenient, also it opens the possibility of talking to more than one person at once (either together in chat rooms, or separately.) And lets not forget about crossing national lines. Online communication makes this much easier. I think online communication increases social interaction...it's still you talking. So why would that not be considered social interaction?    

Related resource:

Sources:

Owens, L. (n.d.). Internet & Anti-Social Behavior Theory Unfounded: Facebook, MySpace, Online: Research Refutes Cyber Socializing Fears | Suite101.com. Psychology | Suite101.com. Retrieved October 20, 2011, from http://laura-owens.suite101.com/internet--anti-social-behavior-theory-unfounded-a111897

Royalty Free Stock Photo: Online communication. (n.d.). Stock Photography: Download Free Stock Photos & Royalty Free Images. Retrieved October 20, 2011, from http://www.dreamstime.com/online-communication-image3114415

Favorite Holiday

 What is your favorite Holiday?

Web 2.0 Tools

The Web 2.0 tool I chose is Dipity.com. According to Go2Web20.net Dipity.com is a site where you "Create and embed timelines and other visualizations using data from RSS and other APIs." I would use this tool in my history classroom; I think this is a great tool. I could use this for many things. One idea: If we are learning about a specific time period, an event (such as a war), or a historical figure, this is a great and fun way for students to make a timeline of the item we are studying. This could double as a project and a study tool. This is a new way to make a timeline and I think students will remember it better doing it this way rather than with paper and pencil. They can add pictures to their timelines as well. I would consider the possibility of the website or the computers not working and students not having a computer at home. If the first is the case, I would save it for later or have them do a traditional timeline. If lack of a computer is a problem, I would make sure we have class time to complete this.

My Voki

Voki lesson plan for social studies:

Magazine Cover

You want me to make a powerpoint...What's that? [Double Entry Journal #7]

Quote: "U.S. students may learn something about evaluating sources in research paper assignments and learn to recognize propaganda in social studies, but that's often the extent of their media literacy instruction. Even though students are spending more and more time on the Internet and teachers increasingly expect their students to do assignments online, digital media literacy skills are vastly underrepresented in the curriculum for all but the most advanced students (as, indeed, are offline critical-thinking and reading-comprehension skills)."

Response: I have never thought about this statement but now that I read it I believe it. In all my schooling this is the first technology-based course I have ever taken. In elementary we have computer class but that's just playing games, but other than typing in middle school, that's it. But yet ever since they were invited we had to make powerpoints, graphs using excel, and papers using word. But we were never taught how to use those things; I can't remember how I learned to use them but I know it wasn't in school. With technology advancing so much everyday we need to be teaching students how to use those programs and many more.

Related resource:

Sources:

David, J. (2009, March). Teaching Media Literacy. Educational Leadership, 66, 84-86.

Youth Relationships Featuring the Fourth R-Research and Consulting - Critical Media Literacy. (n.d.). Youth Relationships Featuring the Fourth R. Retrieved October 9, 2011, from http://youthrelationships.org/research_consulting/media_literacy.html

Arnold magazine covers

1.   In this picture Arnold's muscles are the main focus; he's flexing and not much else. He looks very tough and strong. His face looks like he's saying he will beat up anybody who looks at him wrong and his body language says he has the power to do so and the scar on his face is saying it wouldn't be the first time.

2.   This magazine cover would not make me want to pick it up and read it. I wouldn't feel like this applies to me. This picture makes me feel like it's all going to be macho-guy workouts and protein shakes. I would recognize him as a movie actor (at the time.)

3.   Seeing this now reminds me of when Arnold was nothing but an action movie star from another country. The first thought that came to me was "The Terminator" and "I'll be back." I believe the magazine is playing on this popularity and opinion of Arnold. The magazine wants you to think that if you do what they say, you will be as big and strong as Arnold.

4.   The aspect of Arnold's life expressed here is that of fitness. The magazine is focusing on his muscles and athletic ability and not much else. The magazine wants you to pick it up because it's someone we already know to be really fit and want to be as strong as him.

1.   Here Arnold looks very responsible and reliable. He is in a suit and tie and looking very respectable and professional. His body language and face looks like he's saying you can count on him.

2.   This picture makes me feel like Arnold is a poltician. At this time he was running for Governor of California and looks the part. He looks as if he has left the old days behind him and he's ready to run a state.

3.   The magazine is covering up his mucsles, the very thing that made him famous. They don't want you to see Arnold as the Terminator but as a governor. He is also smiling in this picture, seeming very approachable.

4.   The aspect of Arnold's life depicted in this magazine cover is his professionality. The magazine wants you to see Arnold in a suit and a smile and not judge him by his fame for acting, but as a future governor.


   These two magazine covers couldn't be any more different. I assumed the muscle & fitness one was years before the other, not just one month. As I stated above, Arnold's body language in each picture is conveying very different thoughts and ideas. Muscle & Fitness wants you to see his strongness and think that if you do what thr magazine says, you can be as big and strong as Arnold. Esquire doesn't want you to see the terminator in their magazine cover but a politican running for governor.