"bowling alone" hypothesis (Putnam, 2000), which suggests that media are displacing crucial civic and social institutions
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Where Everybody Knows Your (Screen) Name: Online Games as "Third Places" - 52 views
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This is, I think, why I'm more keen on today's social networks than I am on games -- games do not provide deep emotional support.
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According to Putnam, time spent with relatively passive and disengaging media has come at the expense of time spent on vital community-building activities.
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The evidence to date is mixed
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A core problem on both sides of the debate is an underlying assumption that all Internet use is more or less equivalent
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It would be more plausible and empirically rigorous, then, to consider how specific forms of Internet activity impact civic and social engagement as a result of their particular underlying social architectures
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combining conclusions from two different lines of MMO research conducted from two different perspectives—one from a media effects approach, the other from a sociocultural perspective on cognition and learning.
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By providing spaces for social interaction and relationships beyond the workplace and home, MMOs have the capacity to function as one form of a new "third place" for informal sociability much like the pubs, coffee shops, and other hangouts of old.
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loosely structured by open-ended narratives
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They are known for their peculiar combination of designed "escapist fantasy" and emergent "social realism"
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from two research projects: one an examination of the media effects of MMOs, the other an ethnographic study of cognition and culture in such contexts.
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the conclusions of both studies were remarkably aligned.
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the assumption that the most fruitful advances are sometimes made when congruent findings are discovered through disparate means
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demonstrate the "effects" of game play vs. no game play.
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first project was a traditional effects study
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second project, a qualitative study of cognition and learning in MMOs (
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ethnography
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sociocultural perspective
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as a way to tease out what happens in the virtual setting of the game and how the people involved consider their own activities, the activities of others, and the contexts in which those activities takes place
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a reasonable level of generalizability (random assignment to condition in the first study) and contextualization (ethnographic description of existing in-game social networks and practices in the second)
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but I wonder why he chose these games -- this is not specified. Only their success in US and abroad?
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brick-and-mortar "third places" in America where individuals can gather to socialize informally beyond the workplace and home
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the exaggerated self-consciousness of individuals.
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In what ways might MMOs function as new third places for informal sociability?
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virtual environments have the potential to function as new (albeit digitally mediated) third places similar to pubs, coffee shops, and other hangouts.
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in this section we analyze the structural form of MMOs that warrants this "third place" assertion.
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eight defining characteristics of third places
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there is no default obligation
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To oblige any one person to play requires that explicit agreements be entered into by parties
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the default assumption is that no one person is compelled to participate legally, financially, or otherwise.
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Unless one transforms the virtual world of the game into a workplace (e.g., by taking on gainful employment as a virtual currency "farmer" for example, Dibbell, 2006; Steinkuehler, 2006a) or enters into such agreement, no one person is obligated to log in
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and this is why, in my opinion, you will never see games in school. The game cannot be the Third Place because school is a Second Place.
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Yee's (2006) interviews also reveal that individuals who game with romantic partners or family find that such joint engagement in the "other world" of MMOs allows them to redefine the nature and boundaries of their offline relationships, often in more equitable terms than what may be possible in day-to-day offline life
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the relationships that play-partners have with one another offline are often "leveled" within the online world
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an individual's rank and status in the home, workplace, or society are of no importance
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appeal to people in part because they represent meritocracies otherwise unavailable in a world often filled with unfairness
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conversation plays an analogous role
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"In all such systems, linguistic interactions have been primary: users exchange messages that cement the social bonds between them, messages that reflect shared history and understandings (or misunderstandings) about the always evolving local norms for these interactions" (p. 22).
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third places must also be easy to access
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such that "one may go alone at almost any time of the day or evening with assurance that acquaintances will be there"
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accessible directly from one's home, making them even more accommodating to individual schedules and preferences
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barriers to initial access.
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"What attracts a regular visitor to a third place is supplied not by management but by the fellow customer,"
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"It is the regulars who give the place its character and who assure that on any given visit some of the gang will be there"
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affective sense
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As one informant satirically commented in an interview, "You go for the experience [points], you stay for the enlightening conversation.
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engendering a sense of reliable mentorship and community stability.
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Oldenburg argues that third places are characteristically homely, their d�cor defying tidiness and pretension whenever possible. MMOs do not fit this criterion in any literal sense
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In neither of our investigations did the degree of formality exhibited by players within the game bear any relation to the degree of visual ornamentation of the players' immediate vicinity.
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Thus, while the visual form of MMO environments does not fit Oldenburg's (1999) criterion of "low profile," the social function of those environments does.
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Oldenburg (1999) argues that seriousness is anathema to a vibrant third place; instead, frivolity, verbal word play, and wit are essential.
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The playful nature of MMOs is perhaps most apparent in what happens when individuals do bring gravity to the game.
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the home-like quality of third places in rooting people
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Participation becomes a regular part of daily life for players and, among regular gamemates such as guild members, exceptional absences (i.e., prolonged or unforeseen ones) are queried within the game or outside i
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create an atmosphere of mutual caring that, while avoiding entangling obligations per se, creates a sense of rootedness to the extent that regularities exist, irregularities are duly noted, and, when concerning the welfare of any one regular, checked into
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Are virtual communities really communities, or is physical proximity necessary?
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Anderson (1991), who suggests that geographic proximity itself is neither a necessary nor sufficient condition for the emergence and preservation of "community."
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Social capital (Coleman, 1988) works analogously to financial capital; it can be acquired and spent, but for social and personal gains rather than financial
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operates cyclically within social networks because of their associated norms of reciprocity
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bridging social capital is inclusive.
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This form of social capital is marked by tentative relationships, yet what they lack in depth, they make up for in breadth.
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On the one hand, bridging social capital provides little in the way of emotional support; on the other hand, such relationships can broaden social horizons or worldviews, providing access to information and new resources.
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bonding social capital is exclusive.
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social superglue.
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it can also result in insularity.
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shows that bridging and bonding social capital are tied to different social contexts, given the network of relationships they enable.
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Virtual worlds appear to function best as bridging mechanisms rather than as bonding ones, although they do not entirely preclude social ties of the latter type.
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One could argue that, if the benchmark for bonding social capital is the ability to acquire emotional, practical, or substantive support, then MMOs are not well set up for the task:
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While deep affective relationships among players are possible, they are less likely to generate the same range of bonding benefits as real-world relationships because of players' geographic dispersion and the nature of third places themselves.
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Despite differences in theoretical grounding and methodologies, our conclusions were remarkably similar across complementary macro- and micro-levels.
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It is worth noting, however, that as gamers become more involved in long-term social networks such as guilds and their activities become more "hardcore" (e.g., marked by participation in large-scale collaborative problem-solving endeavors such as "raids" into difficult territories or castle sieges), the function of MMOs as "third places" begins to wane.
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It may be, then, that the structure and function of MMOs as third places is one part of the "life cycle" for some gamers in a given title.
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In such cases, MMOs appear to enable a different kind of sociability, one ostensibly recognizable as a "community" nonetheless.
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However, our research findings indicate that this conclusion is uninformed. To argue that MMO game play is isolated and passive media consumption in place of informal social engagement is to ignore the nature of what participants actually do behind the computer screen
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Perhaps it is not that contemporary media use has led to a decline in civic and social engagement, but rather that a decline in civic and social engagement has led to retribalization through contemporary media (McLuhan, 1964).
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Such a view, however, ignores important nuances of what "community" means by pronouncing a given social group/place as either wholly "good" or "bad" without first specifying which functions the online community ought to fulfill.
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Moreover, despite the semantics of the term, "weak" ties have been shown to be vital in communities, relationships, and opportunities.
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is to what extent such environments shift the existing balance between bridging and bonding
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In light of Putnam's evidence of the decline of crucial civic and social institutions, it may well be that the classification "lacking bridging social capital" best characterizes the everyday American citizen. T
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Without bridging relationships, individuals remain sheltered from alternative viewpoints and cultures and largely ignorant of opportunities and information beyond their own closely bound social network.
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it seems ironic that, now of all times, we would ignore one possible solution to our increasingly vexed relationship with diversity.
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Homework overload gets an 'F' from experts - Back to School - TODAY.com - 41 views
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Homework only boosts student scores in the final three years of high school, says Walker, and only these older high school students should be doing a couple of hours of homework a night. Younger students only benefit from small assignments, if they’re getting help at home.
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findings consistently show that homework has very limited value in the elementary grades
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"Unfortunately, new research shows the amount of time kids clock in out of school may not pay off. Kids who do more homework actually perform worse on standardized tests, according to research"
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shared by Peter Beens on 27 Jun 12
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Office 365 for education - a game changer for teaching and learning - Education Insight... - 92 views
blogs.msdn.com/...chools-worldwide-for-free.aspx
Office 365 for Education Microsoft education web2.0
shared by Peter Beens on 27 Jun 12
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The cloud and online learning are key trends and opportunities to transform education today. And with today's launch and availability of Office 365 for education, schools now have a holistic collaboration platform that will change the game. As schools face ever-tightening budgets and the pressure to innovate, Microsoft is offering enterprise quality technology for free that will modernize teaching practices and help prepare students for the jobs of tomorrow.
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How about some real 'home' work? « gtceblog - 76 views
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There's been a lot of debate about the value of homework in recent years, (especially since some schools thought it was a good idea to give it to five and six year olds!). I heard of a secondary school recently who were helping to "train parents to help with exam revision".
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High school stops fighting, learns to love students and tech - CNN.com - 42 views
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Marvellous Me - 37 views
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Superb Apple and Android apps designed to improve home/school communication to inform parents about what their children are doing in school. Teachers can input simple lesson topics, or detailed lesson information for parents. Teachers can also assign badges for individual pupils.
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Teachers Homepage - National Geographic Education - 1 views
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Since its founding in 1888 "for the increase and diffusion of geographic knowledge," the National Geographic Society has worked to educate audiences about our planet. National Geographic Education is responsible for creating and disseminating educational programs for schools, out-of-school settings, and the home.
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shared by Roland Gesthuizen on 26 Aug 13
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The Transformational Potential of Flipped Classrooms : Education Next - 3 views
educationnext.org/otential-of-flipped-classrooms
flipclass learning blog education edtech selfdiscipline motivation
shared by Roland Gesthuizen on 26 Aug 13
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"the flipped classroom is a form of blended learning in which students learn online at least part of the time while attending a brick-and-mortar school. Either at home or during a homework period at school, students view lessons and lectures online. Time in the classroom, previously reserved for teacher instruction, is spent on what we used to call homework, with teacher assistance as needed. How can this improve student learning? "
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6 Ways to Use Cell Phones to Strengthen the Home-School Connection - 56 views
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I especially am interested in the sending group texts to parents. Our school doesn't have an auto-dialer yet for emergencies or group events, and this would be one way to get the information out quickly. For teachers, what a great way to notify parents of urgent matters or upcoming events or needs. -
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Education Week Teacher: Teaching Secrets: Communicating With Parents - 1 views
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Teaching Secrets: Communicating With Parents By Gail Tillery Premium article access courtesy of TeacherMagazine.org. You will face many challenging tasks as a new teacher. Dealing with parents is probably among the most intimidating, especially if you are young and in your first career. While communicating with parents can be tricky, a little preparation will help you to treat parents as partners and to be calmer when problems arise. Here's the first rule to live by: Your students' parents are not your enemies. Ultimately, they want the same thing you want, which is the best for their children. By maintaining respectful and productive communication, you can work together to help students succeed. Second, whenever problems arise, remember that parents are probably just as nervous about contacting you as you are about returning the contact-and maybe more so. I'll confess: Even after 26 years of teaching, I still get a little frisson of fear in my belly when I see an e-mail or hear a voicemail from a parent. But I have seen time and again that parents are often more nervous than the teacher is-especially if their child doesn't want them to contact the teacher. Indeed, some parents may even fear that if they raise concerns, their child will face some kind of retaliation. Remember that parents' tones or words may reflect such fears. In your response, try to establish that everyone involved wants to help the child. Here are some practical tips for communicating effectively with parents: Contact every parent at the beginning of the year. Do some "recon." Telephone calls are best for this initial contact, since they are more personal than e-mail. Ask the parent to tell you about his or her child's strengths, weaknesses, likes, dislikes, etc. Make sure to ask, "What is the best thing I can do to help your child succeed?" Remember to take notes! Once you've gathered the information you need, set a boundary with parents by saying, "Well, Ms. Smith, I have 25 more parent
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FILMCLUB - 72 views
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The home page of Film Club, an organisation which helps schools setup after school film clubs. http://ictmagic.wikispaces.com/Video%2C+animation%2C+film+%26+Webcams
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shared by Nigel Coutts on 06 May 18
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Building Home-School Connections for Continuous Learning - The Learner's Way - 11 views
thelearnersway.net/...ctions-for-continuous-learning
building connections learning education collaboration teaching
shared by Nigel Coutts on 06 May 18
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When schools communicate, and share strategies they are using to develop mindsets, dispositions and competencies with parents and when parents adopt these strategies and elements of a metalanguage for learning and thinking, our students are better able to integrate the desirable attributes.
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Debunking a bullying factoid | NetFamilyNews.org - 3 views
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“160,000 students stay home from school each day due to bullying.”
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Debunking the VERY often-touted statistic that "160,000 students stay home from school each day due to bullying"
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shared by Bill Genereux on 21 Jul 10
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Children's school performance tied to family 'type' - 20 views
www.sciencedaily.com/...100720162317.htm
learning teaching family parents home psychology research relationships
shared by Bill Genereux on 21 Jul 10
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#VicPLN Action - 26 views
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On June 21 2012, the Government released a discussion paper which states its vision for the improvement of the teaching profession. The 'New Directions for School Leadership and the Teaching Profession,' aims to stimulate and inform discussion on the future of the teaching profession and school leadership. As a collective of grass roots teachers, who are not currently being asked to participate in educational debates and discussion, we see this as an opportunity to enable teachers' voice. Teachers: A great, yet untapped, source for policy makers.
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shared by Steve Ransom on 21 Jun 12
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Video of school bus monitor being bullied sparks investigation - NY Daily News - 2 views
www.nydailynews.com/...nvestigation-article-1.1099607
bullying Rochester school bus schoolbus video socialmedia kindness
shared by Steve Ransom on 21 Jun 12
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Supporters for Klein quickly rallied around the 23-year school district veteran, raising more than $99,000 early Thursday in a campaign on Indiegogo.com. “She doesn’t earn nearly enough ($15,506) to deal with some of the trash she is surrounded by. Lets give her something she will never forget, a vacation of a lifetime!” the campaign urges. A Facebook support page called “Kindness for Karen” had more than 2,000 "likes" late Wednesday. “I wanted to make sure that she doesn’t lose faith,” the page’s founder, Kendra Fee, told the Daily News. “There are way more people who have her in their hearts and want to support her, and there’s a lot more kindness in the world,” said Fee, of Rochester, who doesn’t know Klein.
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Shows the benevolence of adults and powerful use of social media to raise funds to bless this woman!
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Bullying is NOT a DIGITAL problem; it's a HUMAN one. When will we collectively see this and act toward raising good citizens, not just good test takers???
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Copy - 78 views
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More and more people are throwing away their USB memory sticks (but probably just losing them down the back of the sofa) in favour of cloud storage. This is a wonderful storage site, download and multi-platform app which is very similar to Dropbox. A synced folder sits on you devices and can be updated and accessed from any device. You can generating a url to share folders or files with other people. It works just fine on a computer with Dropbox already installed and the free account gives you 15GB of storage. That's enough storage where 'tidy' filing schools might begin to migrate their school network storage to the cloud for free - and that's exciting. Additional storage is available for a price. http://ictmagic.wikispaces.com/ICT+%26+Web+Tools
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Voyager Learning - 26 views
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As the nation's most comprehensive provider of research-based intervention and online learning solutions, Voyager Learning is dedicated to the success of every student. We partner with PreK-12 school districts to help them implement our wide range of educational offerings, including curriculum products, personalized professional development, and school improvement/turnaround services.