Web Safety

Is there such a thing? Or is it more people trying to make money by selling you software that will "protect" you and your computers safety?

I think no matter how hard you try to be safe on the internet, it has a lot to do with the luck of the draw. Who gets emails which are viruses? random people? yes.

However I do think that to many people believe everything they see on the internet and have way to much confidence and trust in it. We need to teach safety by encouraging critical thinking. We cannot by soley buy safety, we must teach and model it as well.

Things we must watch for:
sites that ask for way to much information
emails that ask for money
asking for passwords

3 top safety concerns for our students:

1. social networking: Pedifiles, cyber bullying, confidentiality, privacy etc

2. Being vulnerable to scams: beleiving everything they see. Emails that
promise youth solutions to all their problems.

3. Students become different people on line and feel like they are invinsible.

There are MANY other concerns but we were asked to list the top 3 which WE feel are crucial.

My contribution to Wikki

“ We believe all behaviour is purposeful and that purpose is always an attempt to satisfy the five basic needs. If all of these needs are being met children will be happy. If one or more of these needs are not being met then we need to figure out which one it is.”
(Teachers workbook #1 pg. 10)


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Restitution

Home Sweet Home

Well, here I am, back in Canada. Back at school. Back in the snow. You are probably thinking "she must be so bummed out about that" or "ooooo that sucks!" But oddly enough, I am very happy to be home. Thailand was an incredible experience from the people to the landscape and heat. Yet I am releived that I don't have to peel my clothes off of sticky me, that Im not having to wear a bathing suit day in and day out, that I don't feel like I am suffocating from the humidity or try to stomach the smells and foods that don't exactly agree with my taste buds.

For the first week, all the things listed above was AWESOME! but after 2 weeks Im starting to miss my own bed, missing the crisp winter weather and missing my puppy and life. So hello Karen, welcome back to Canada because we are glad to have you here!

Our flight home was a little eventful. Bangkok airport, 5:30am - our flight is an hour late. No problem at all, right? Well that means we are an hour late getting into Hong Kong, meaning that we will be missing our connection to vancouver. NOT cool. There is only one flight to vancouver everyday so this meant that we had to stay in Hong Kong for the night. Now this would not have been seen as a problem other than the fact that my family and I wanted home BADDD! We were starting to get pretty sick of each other and sick of travelling. So ok, nothing we can do about it, we will go on a tour of hong kong and have some fun.

After boarding Thai Air, desitination Hong Kong....Flight attendants found my family and let us know that when the plane was getting ready unload people in hong kong, we we have a personal escorot through the isles so we could be first off the plane. The company was determined to get us on our next connection so we didn't miss it. Sure enough we were off the plane first and were greated by an airport exscort who ran us through customs and security real fast, they stopped lines and pushed us through. We were at the other end of the airport within 5 mins and we hopped onto our flight, Air Canada, who had been waiting for us! We could not believe it....WE MADE IT...WE WOULD BE HOME IN OUR OWN BEDS TONIGHT! I was blown away by how organized and deicated the companies were to their customers!! The only down side to this was the fact that our luggage did not make the plane. But I am very ok with that. we will get it sooner or later. all I wanted was to get home!

I am home. I am happy. and I am thankful for where I live.

I would also like to point out that I Am having to type as fast as I can to make sure I get as much as I can typed because my Internet connection Is very sketchy so grammar and spelling won't exactly be at it's finest!

Hello From Paradise!

Well I have already lost track of the days. Here time matters little. You just go until your tired and wake up when your ready. It took us 23 hours worth of flying to get to bangkok. Flying isn't always my strength, especailly when it comes to Jazz airplanes. Those tin cans need to be taken out of the sky. So clostrophobic, bouncy, and everyone is wedged side by side. I must also say, horrible service and ld grumpy workers.

We found out what real service was when we boarded "Thai air." Flight attendants were dressed in traditional Thai dresses and smocks. The ladies hair was perfect, their makeup was both elaborate and proffesional. The men dressed in perfectly fitted suits. Attendants had perfect posture and poise. Our flight was only 2 hours. On any canadian flight, a 2 hour flight meant that you got in, sat down, shut up, and wait for the plane to leave. On Thai Air the service was incredible. As soon as they saw your glass empty, they would come fill it. In the 2 hour period, we had at least three drinks and a full sized meal. The meal was not in a plastic container with plastic utensils, it was full out platter with glass and ceramic. Our chairs leaned back to almost a total incline, and the seats were not only comfortable, but very spacey. The plane had two levels, this plane was seriously massive!
At the word of the captain talking about decending, we noticed that the attendants had done a wordorbe change. They were now wearing beautiful purple and pink, perfectly tailored skirt suits with the air wings pin. This was service at its best. Maybe we as canadians, (and definately USA) need to realize how lazy and frumpy we really are in our work ethic, our styles and our customer and consumer service.

Enough about that already. We are now staying at the Milky Bay Resort on the island of Koh Pha-Ngan. We travelled for another 11 hours via Bus and Ferry. The Bus was a bright pink double decker, these things are HILARIOUS! for dinner they served us pulled pork and balogna sandwhiches for dinner...I passed to say the least! The ferry was spotless and the amount of tourists on board blew my mind! After 3 hours on the sea we finally arrived at our destination. For anyone who have heard of the "FULL MOON PARTY" this is where it happens!! Unfortunately though we already missed it. Our resort is incredible. The service is uncomparible to anything I have ever experienced. The food is not only equisitte, but also worth every penny.

There is really so much I could say so I will stop with the intimaite detaials and cut to theh chase. Today I am laying on the white sandy beaches with are 10 feet from cottage that Lisa and I are staying in. Tomorrow we plan to go on a day tour through the island which will include elephant trecking, asian temples, swimming in water falls, getting a massage on the beach after having supper at sunset, and then heading to do some night shopping along the cost. The next day we are heading to the side of the island where the full moon party happens to witness the incredble shopping and nightly fire shows.

I hope this entry has allowed you to warm up alittle from the saskatchewan winter and imagine yourself on the beach.
Talk to you in a couple days.

And Thomas...Your exactly right, it is the best hemisphere!! lol

Its growing on me

This is my chubby sasuage dog Peanut! He's very sad in this picture because he sees me packing my suitcase!! He mooped around all day because he was so sad. He's a rag doll when he's sad! Im going to miss him! I knew you'd enjoy that!!

Well, I must admit.....this blogging thing is actually pretty fun! Im enjoying it so far and I think blogging and I might get along just fine. Maybe even use it after the class is long gone.

Well I couldn't sleep last night, up every hour watching the clock....getting wayyyy to excited! My sister was supposed to pick me up right now but we are on a short delay. so I sit here. And wait. And try to find something to do. So I do this. Well that was fun wasn't it!

My next post will be from somewhere else in the world!!

youtube as an educational tool

Everyone check out my youtube links! Rachell became a youtube star as more and more people started discovering her videos. I think video blogging and reflection would be an awesome way for students to get their opinions out there in a positive way.
Have fun!

The unfortunate group task for wonderful Jay Wilson By Janice Reigert and Karen Mealing

Knowledge: to post assignments and discriptions, to post class resources and to create a place where students can respond to postings related to course content.

Comprehension: students are more likely to become engaged with technology and can access course materials outside of school. Students are able to get to know the teacher and other students more personaly.

Applications: You can post your own resources to support your opinions and values while contininously searching others blogs to find common answers. Blogs can be a safe place for teachers to address classroom issues and help each other find answers.

Analysis: Yes because information is continuously updated. You can contact the author of the blog, asking questions and leaving comments. It is also a place where stundets are able to voice there opinion and engage in meaningful conversations, debates and forums.

Synthesis: You become more of a facilitator rather than director or formal teacher. You guide students towards answers and allow opinions to be heard, creating a much more student centered learning experience.

Evaluation: It may be hard to track students posts, and involvement in the online community. Information can be irrevelant, inaccurate and bias. It can also become a social tool rather than an educational outlet. It can also become a sesspool of cyberbullying.

Adventours

Well ladies and gentlemen I am officially the happiest person on earth.
At 2:20pm today I will close my school books for the next 2 weeks! I am off to Thailand saturday morning. I wil endure a painful 14 hour flight with crying babies and smelly people. But oh how it will be worth it. In three days I will be laying on a beach with a coconut cup full of rum punch.

To get to this point, I have had a crazy crazy week. I have had to complete and hand in every assignment that was due within the next three weeks. It has been hell, but today I realized that everything was worth it.

I fly out of regina sat at 8:30, and will be flying into Bancock, the same day at 10:30pm. We will be starting our tour for the first couple days in bangcock and desending down the south east coast line. Our we will tour tour tour!! zip lining, markets, monkeys, elephants, and sun sand sun sand sunnnn sannnddddd!

I hope to have internet access along my tours so that I can be bloggin and laying on the beach.

Sianora <-------Hmmmm....is this how it's spelt?

holy man

Here is my first post. How exciting.