Dear Charlie,
I read the letter you wrote when you got back from your grandma's house. It's ok that you feel sad about Aunt Helen's death. It wasn't your fault. Your Aunt loved you, think about the good times you have had with your Aunt. Be glad that you had that much time with her. There isn't anything you can do about her death. Everyone goes through the death of a loved one eventually. My grandpa died in my first year of high school, I used those good memories to get used to the fact that he died. Just keep holding on Charlie, your Aunt wouldn't want you to waste your life for her sake.
-Edward Swanson
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Role Play Reflection
Role name: Edward Swanson________ Real Name_Erik Anderson__________ Period_4______
Summarize your role’s beliefs or stance on the issue(s). Do not simply regurgitate and/or copy/paste your answer from your bio.
My role character’s beliefs were to have the internet unrestricted, except for inappropriate things, but have the the student’s access watched so they wouldn’t misuse the privilege.
Explain your use of language (the word choices and verbal style) you used to convey these beliefs or stances?
I used good spelling and knowledge of technology to tell how to test my idea.
What strategies did you use while trying to convince the other characters (Formulating counter arguments, building alliances)?
I used facts that I researched on the internet, such as the information I found on the network specialist’s salary. I used that information and my own knowledge to try convincing people to consider my idea and think of implementing it.
What evidence or reasons did you use to support your positions? In what ways were your evidence and reasons effective in convincing others to adopt your positions? How do you know?
I used facts about how much certain things cost like the cost of flashdrives and the salary of a network specialist. I also used the fact that the internet can be a powerful resource for learning because of the fact that it holds so much information.
When you received a reply that challenged or disagreed with your position, how did you typically respond to these challenges or disagreements?
I usually said something like them having a good point but this is why my idea is better or this is why you need to think your idea out more.
Do you think that your arguments had any influence on your audiences’ beliefs on this issue? If so, in what ways?
I know that I influenced some ideas because I as able to give them an idea they didn’t think of. I even got compliments saying that my idea was a great idea. I don’t think I convinced anyone to unblock the internet because almost everyone wanted the internet unblocked anyways, there were few people that needed convincing.
Based on your decisions regarding power in your Bubbl.us map, explain the criteria you used to decide who had power. How did people use their power or gain more power?
I separated people into 2 classes, directly related Jefferson and not directly related to Jefferson. The people who were related to Jefferson generally had more power in the school. After that first separation, I separated them into Administration, Students, and other. It seemed in the roleplay that the people with power didn’t really care for it or were threatening to use it, and the people that didn’t have as much power wanted to change things.
You completed your self-assessment on your own work in the role-play. How does the criteria on the rubric help you understand what makes an effective argument?
Keeping a constant persona can help keep a person taking you seriously, talking educated can also help credibility, and it also showed that using facts an help people believe your idea and make it a reality.
You are writing a paper from your own personal perspective on issues with the current school policies on Internet use/access where you suggest possible solutions that will eventually be used to create some joint proposals to the school. How did this role-play prepare you to write this paper? In what ways did the knowledge that you would actually be writing to change school policies influence your involvement in this role-play?
Truthfully I don’t think that this roleplay did help me write my paper. I also don’t think anything effected my involvement in the roleplay.
Describe your overall positive and negative feelings about engaging in this role-play and give reasons for those feelings.
I think this roleplay was interesting but I don’t think it was engaging or that it helped me write things. I do hope that what I wrote did change what people think and hopefully make internet access better.
Rate your feelings about this role-play
not engaged 2 highly engaged
not comfortable in my role 5 very comfortable in my role
not familiar with the issue 6 very familiar with the issue
not personally concerned with the issue 4 highly concerned about this issue
My role had little power 4 My role had a lot of power
My role was isolated 4 My role felt connected
The role-play didn’t help me learn to argue 4 The role-play really helped me learn to argue better
I have had little previous experience debate experience 2 I have had a lot in debate
The role-play didn’t help prepare me for the paper 1 The role-play really helped prepare me for the paper
Knowing that I would be advising the school had no influence on my engagement 1 Knowing that I would be advising the school had a strong influence on my engagement
Summarize your role’s beliefs or stance on the issue(s). Do not simply regurgitate and/or copy/paste your answer from your bio.
My role character’s beliefs were to have the internet unrestricted, except for inappropriate things, but have the the student’s access watched so they wouldn’t misuse the privilege.
Explain your use of language (the word choices and verbal style) you used to convey these beliefs or stances?
I used good spelling and knowledge of technology to tell how to test my idea.
What strategies did you use while trying to convince the other characters (Formulating counter arguments, building alliances)?
I used facts that I researched on the internet, such as the information I found on the network specialist’s salary. I used that information and my own knowledge to try convincing people to consider my idea and think of implementing it.
What evidence or reasons did you use to support your positions? In what ways were your evidence and reasons effective in convincing others to adopt your positions? How do you know?
I used facts about how much certain things cost like the cost of flashdrives and the salary of a network specialist. I also used the fact that the internet can be a powerful resource for learning because of the fact that it holds so much information.
When you received a reply that challenged or disagreed with your position, how did you typically respond to these challenges or disagreements?
I usually said something like them having a good point but this is why my idea is better or this is why you need to think your idea out more.
Do you think that your arguments had any influence on your audiences’ beliefs on this issue? If so, in what ways?
I know that I influenced some ideas because I as able to give them an idea they didn’t think of. I even got compliments saying that my idea was a great idea. I don’t think I convinced anyone to unblock the internet because almost everyone wanted the internet unblocked anyways, there were few people that needed convincing.
Based on your decisions regarding power in your Bubbl.us map, explain the criteria you used to decide who had power. How did people use their power or gain more power?
I separated people into 2 classes, directly related Jefferson and not directly related to Jefferson. The people who were related to Jefferson generally had more power in the school. After that first separation, I separated them into Administration, Students, and other. It seemed in the roleplay that the people with power didn’t really care for it or were threatening to use it, and the people that didn’t have as much power wanted to change things.
You completed your self-assessment on your own work in the role-play. How does the criteria on the rubric help you understand what makes an effective argument?
Keeping a constant persona can help keep a person taking you seriously, talking educated can also help credibility, and it also showed that using facts an help people believe your idea and make it a reality.
You are writing a paper from your own personal perspective on issues with the current school policies on Internet use/access where you suggest possible solutions that will eventually be used to create some joint proposals to the school. How did this role-play prepare you to write this paper? In what ways did the knowledge that you would actually be writing to change school policies influence your involvement in this role-play?
Truthfully I don’t think that this roleplay did help me write my paper. I also don’t think anything effected my involvement in the roleplay.
Describe your overall positive and negative feelings about engaging in this role-play and give reasons for those feelings.
I think this roleplay was interesting but I don’t think it was engaging or that it helped me write things. I do hope that what I wrote did change what people think and hopefully make internet access better.
Rate your feelings about this role-play
not engaged 2 highly engaged
not comfortable in my role 5 very comfortable in my role
not familiar with the issue 6 very familiar with the issue
not personally concerned with the issue 4 highly concerned about this issue
My role had little power 4 My role had a lot of power
My role was isolated 4 My role felt connected
The role-play didn’t help me learn to argue 4 The role-play really helped me learn to argue better
I have had little previous experience debate experience 2 I have had a lot in debate
The role-play didn’t help prepare me for the paper 1 The role-play really helped prepare me for the paper
Knowing that I would be advising the school had no influence on my engagement 1 Knowing that I would be advising the school had a strong influence on my engagement
Monday, October 13, 2008
Self Evaluation
1. Creation of a role
I might have to disagree a little with that, Mandhatri. I don't have a problem with administrators and teachers being able to access student grades, but I don't think they should be able to have special access to my daughter's Facebook and other students' nonschool related webpages. I think if they can have access to websites like Facebook and Myspace, they should just have the same access as most people, by looking at whatever the owner of that page allows you to see. If an administrator does see something offensive or inappropriate that could relate to school activities, then I think that they could be given temporary special access to find out more about that content.
2. Statement of position
4
Well I agree with Mandhatri and BL33K3R, there are some students that do give a bad reputation for a much larger body of students. I don't think the majority of students should suffer because of the poor decisions of some individuals. Macon how would you propose to decide what is "non-educational"? I can understand sites like porn sites should be blocked but what about sites that talk about gun control or terrorism? Should sites like that be blocked because they might be inappropriate? One person or a small group shouldn't be able to decide, "I don't like this, let's block it." A better idea is to maybe have like parents, staff and other people in the city "vote" on sites to block them or not. Block all sites that have at least 60% of the votes for blocking the site. This could be an easy compromise for the people who want to block the internet and who want it open for educational purposes. Of course there are disadvantages because even some educational sites could be blocked because of votes and some non-educational sites might be unblocked. It would be cheaper than my previous idea though. Reply what you think of that idea. I almost forgot, thank you both for quoting me, Mandhatri and BL33K3R.
3. Support for position
4
Well first of all Mandhatri, it's a lot cheaper than you think compared to what is likely being paid to the person/group just to block sites. There are about 1,750 students currently at Jefferson right now, correct? Each of those students could be given a flashdrive that cost about $5 to make, so about $8,750 for Jefferson, those flashdrives would be reusable. The Network Specialist for Bloomington school probably gets paid around $60,000 a year. That's less than 15% of of his/her salary each year, and the district doesn't have to buy the flashdrives again. Yes, the software would probably cost a lot of money but in the long run it would cost less than hiring someone to go make blocks that can be broken through. I also want to just put a few more details on my previous post, if flagged it isn't instant loss of your flashdrive. It would be investigated by simple emailing the teacher about that student's projects and if the flag was work related then the flag would be dropped. Of course this idea would be tested multiple times before it is widely used and this is just an idea that could be used many years from now.
4. Recognition of counter-arguments
4
Well first of all Mandhatri, it's a lot cheaper than you think compared to what is likely being paid to the person/group just to block sites. There are about 1,750 students currently at Jefferson right now, correct? Each of those students could be given a flashdrive that cost about $5 to make, so about $8,750 for Jefferson, those flashdrives would be reusable. The Network Specialist for Bloomington school probably gets paid around $60,000 a year. That's less than 15% of of his/her salary each year, and the district doesn't have to buy the flashdrives again. Yes, the software would probably cost a lot of money but in the long run it would cost less than hiring someone to go make blocks that can be broken through. I also want to just put a few more details on my previous post, if flagged it isn't instant loss of your flashdrive. It would be investigated by simple emailing the teacher about that student's projects and if the flag was work related then the flag would be dropped. Of course this idea would be tested multiple times before it is widely used and this is just an idea that could be used many years from now.
5. Seeks audience identification
2
Well I agree with Mandhatri and BL33K3R, there are some students that do give a bad reputation for a much larger body of students. I don't think the majority of students should suffer because of the poor decisions of some individuals. Macon how would you propose to decide what is "non-educational"? I can understand sites like porn sites should be blocked but what about sites that talk about gun control or terrorism? Should sites like that be blocked because they might be inappropriate? One person or a small group shouldn't be able to decide, "I don't like this, let's block it." A better idea is to maybe have like parents, staff and other people in the city "vote" on sites to block them or not. Block all sites that have at least 60% of the votes for blocking the site. This could be an easy compromise for the people who want to block the internet and who want it open for educational purposes. Of course there are disadvantages because even some educational sites could be blocked because of votes and some non-educational sites might be unblocked. It would be cheaper than my previous idea though. Reply what you think of that idea. I almost forgot, thank you both for quoting me, Mandhatri and BL33K3R.
2
I might have to disagree a little with that, Mandhatri. I don't have a problem with administrators and teachers being able to access student grades, but I don't think they should be able to have special access to my daughter's Facebook and other students' nonschool related webpages. I think if they can have access to websites like Facebook and Myspace, they should just have the same access as most people, by looking at whatever the owner of that page allows you to see. If an administrator does see something offensive or inappropriate that could relate to school activities, then I think that they could be given temporary special access to find out more about that content.
2. Statement of position
4
Well I agree with Mandhatri and BL33K3R, there are some students that do give a bad reputation for a much larger body of students. I don't think the majority of students should suffer because of the poor decisions of some individuals. Macon how would you propose to decide what is "non-educational"? I can understand sites like porn sites should be blocked but what about sites that talk about gun control or terrorism? Should sites like that be blocked because they might be inappropriate? One person or a small group shouldn't be able to decide, "I don't like this, let's block it." A better idea is to maybe have like parents, staff and other people in the city "vote" on sites to block them or not. Block all sites that have at least 60% of the votes for blocking the site. This could be an easy compromise for the people who want to block the internet and who want it open for educational purposes. Of course there are disadvantages because even some educational sites could be blocked because of votes and some non-educational sites might be unblocked. It would be cheaper than my previous idea though. Reply what you think of that idea. I almost forgot, thank you both for quoting me, Mandhatri and BL33K3R.
3. Support for position
4
Well first of all Mandhatri, it's a lot cheaper than you think compared to what is likely being paid to the person/group just to block sites. There are about 1,750 students currently at Jefferson right now, correct? Each of those students could be given a flashdrive that cost about $5 to make, so about $8,750 for Jefferson, those flashdrives would be reusable. The Network Specialist for Bloomington school probably gets paid around $60,000 a year. That's less than 15% of of his/her salary each year, and the district doesn't have to buy the flashdrives again. Yes, the software would probably cost a lot of money but in the long run it would cost less than hiring someone to go make blocks that can be broken through. I also want to just put a few more details on my previous post, if flagged it isn't instant loss of your flashdrive. It would be investigated by simple emailing the teacher about that student's projects and if the flag was work related then the flag would be dropped. Of course this idea would be tested multiple times before it is widely used and this is just an idea that could be used many years from now.
4. Recognition of counter-arguments
4
Well first of all Mandhatri, it's a lot cheaper than you think compared to what is likely being paid to the person/group just to block sites. There are about 1,750 students currently at Jefferson right now, correct? Each of those students could be given a flashdrive that cost about $5 to make, so about $8,750 for Jefferson, those flashdrives would be reusable. The Network Specialist for Bloomington school probably gets paid around $60,000 a year. That's less than 15% of of his/her salary each year, and the district doesn't have to buy the flashdrives again. Yes, the software would probably cost a lot of money but in the long run it would cost less than hiring someone to go make blocks that can be broken through. I also want to just put a few more details on my previous post, if flagged it isn't instant loss of your flashdrive. It would be investigated by simple emailing the teacher about that student's projects and if the flag was work related then the flag would be dropped. Of course this idea would be tested multiple times before it is widely used and this is just an idea that could be used many years from now.
5. Seeks audience identification
2
Well I agree with Mandhatri and BL33K3R, there are some students that do give a bad reputation for a much larger body of students. I don't think the majority of students should suffer because of the poor decisions of some individuals. Macon how would you propose to decide what is "non-educational"? I can understand sites like porn sites should be blocked but what about sites that talk about gun control or terrorism? Should sites like that be blocked because they might be inappropriate? One person or a small group shouldn't be able to decide, "I don't like this, let's block it." A better idea is to maybe have like parents, staff and other people in the city "vote" on sites to block them or not. Block all sites that have at least 60% of the votes for blocking the site. This could be an easy compromise for the people who want to block the internet and who want it open for educational purposes. Of course there are disadvantages because even some educational sites could be blocked because of votes and some non-educational sites might be unblocked. It would be cheaper than my previous idea though. Reply what you think of that idea. I almost forgot, thank you both for quoting me, Mandhatri and BL33K3R.
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