Sunday, March 31, 2013

Blog Post #10

I'm a Papermate. I'm a Ticonderoga Cartoon by John Spencer


I'm a Papermate. I am a Ticonderoga.

Mr. John Spencer created a very interesting cartoon entitled I'm a Papermate. I am a Ticonderoga. This cartoon can be seen above as well as in Mr. Spencers blog, Adventures in Pencil Integration . Mr. Spencer made this cartoon in a play off of the Dell versus Mac comercial. Mr. Spencer is comparing a papermate pencil to a Dell and a Ticonderoga brand pencil to a Mac. He is saying that although a Dell computer is less expensive it breaks easily and often, making it cost more. The comparison to the more expensive pencil is the Mac, which is more expensive but requires a lot less repairs and does not break as easily. The hipster reference is relavent because Mr. Spencer is making an emphasis that even a group of people that are known to buy cheaper things, spend the money on a Mac. I think that Mr. Spencer is trying to point out how much better Mac computers are than Dell computers. I have to say that as a mac user I would say I am partial to this cartoon and completely agree with Mr. Spencer's viewpoint. It took me a little while to understand the cartoon in its entirety, but once I did I really like the concept. Mr. Spencer was very clever with this cartoon concept.

Mr. Spencer's blog is named, Adventures in Pencil Integration. When one first reads the title of his blog they might think he writes all about his work with pencil and paper or what he draws. What Mr. Spencer is actually referring to is quite different. Mr. Spencer refers to is technology. Mr. Spencer actually blogs about how integrating games and technology into the classroom is a smart way to encourage student learning. The second post of Mr. Spencer's that I read was 10 Points on Pencils. Mr. Spencer is trying to open others eyes, including his supervisors to the fact that students learn best from integrating real life and practical games into learning ;as well as, allowing them to use technology. In the second post I read, Mr. Spencer said he realized there were currently no rules for multimedia usage but why create them if you didn't have rules for using the chalkboard. Mr. Spencer points out that technology is students way of communicating and social interactions these days. Mr. Spencer makes a number of valid points about using technology. The last one is the one that stands out the most. It is allowing students to learn in a creative and personalized way. You are also moving in from summative evaluations to formative evaluations. Creating a learning environment that students enjoy will create a successful and fulfilling classroom. Mr. Spencer I quite correct in pointing out that many of the things we fault technology with are actually normal or useful. For instance blaming technology on the fact that students are always on it and never worrying about others really does not make much sense when you are talking about middle schoolers who are self centered with or without it. Why have we gone to blaming technology for so many of the problems in today's society?

Dangerously Irrelevant

Dr. Scott McLeod is widely recognized as one of the nation’s leading academic experts on K-12 school technology leadership issues. Dr. McLeod currently is serving as the Director of Innovation for Prairie Lakes Area Education Agency 8 in Iowa. Dr. Scott McLeod is also the Founding Director of the UCEA Center for the Advanced Study of Technology Leadership in Education (CASTLE), the nation’s only academic center dedicated to the technology needs of school administrators. CASTLE now has a graduate level program to educator professors on the most effective way to use technology in the education world. Mr. McLeod's blog, Dangerously Irrelevant, is all about technology leadership issues.

I read Mr. McLeod's blog post, Don't Teach Your Kids this Stuff Please. In order to fully understand this blog post you must realize that Mr. McLeod was using a sarcastic undertone in this post. In this post Mr. McLeod is really encouraging technological use in the educational realm. When he says to go ahead and ban these from use in your schools or from your children from using them but my students will be ahead of your. This is very true. The technological world is advancing beyond our comprehension. The students that have used the programs and equipment that are being widely used in the business world will be more marketable for both college and jobs. These will be the students that have a higher success rate. I believe that so many of us are afraid of technology, blame it for so many bad things, place restrictions on its usage, or shy aware from it is really all because we do not have the knowledge to properly use it. It isn't that we don't have the actual resources, we need the knowledge to have a better understanding of its capabilities. Technology is ever changing but it is our job as educators to equip our students to have the knowledge and capabilities to have a better understanding of technology. Why shy aware from such a wonderful tool when we should really take the effort to gain the knowledge to better use these resources?





3 comments:

  1. Not just Dells, but OPCs in general.

    Papermate is a metaphor for a PV. Ticonderoga is a metaphor for a Mac.

    You correctly identified the message (metaphor) of Mr. Spencer's post in which the principal wants him to practice "drill and memorize" activities instead of projects or other learning approaches. All to pass the tests.

    You correctly identified Dr. McLeod's satire and his message: you can try to keep your kids away from technology which is fine with me. Mine will use it and speed past your kids in skills, abilities and rewards.

    Well done.



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  2. Hey Lindsey! It was great to read your view on the drawing. I didn't understand the metaphor very well so reading yours definitely caught me up. Your blog seems really up to par, great job girl! Keep it up and I'll keep learning from you.

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  3. Hey Lindsey! My assigned classmate didn't do blog #10. Oops..

    I remember the Dell vs Mac commercials. They were funny. You done a great job on this post, but there were a couple small errors. Good read. Thanks.

    Can't wait to get started on our projects by the way!

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