A professional blog about technology teaching tools, technology literacy and technology integration in Adult Basic Education, adult ESL, and GED preparation.
I found this little gem of a website this morning and am thoroughly enjoying it!
PicLits.com creates a mechanism for generating writing through providing striking images and drag-and-drop words to layer on them (you can also go freestyle and type in your own text if you prefer).
Here's the PicLit I made:
One small annoyance: their "blog this" feature isn't working so I had to make a screenshot of the image in order to share it here. But tech glitches aside, this could be a really engaging activity for ESL and ABE students. How many of us have heard our students say that they don't know what to write about or have no ideas? A powerful picture speaks volumes. Using PicLits, those stalled writers may find some inspiration!
This activity could also be done as a whole class on a SmartBoard if you are lucky enough to have one in your classroom.
If you're online regularly enough to be reading this blog, you probably already know that there's some nasty stuff lurking on the Internet: viruses, worms, Trojans, and other malware. Even if you don't know precisely what all these things are and how they work, you probably figure that you've got your bases covered with a good anti-virus program. You know not to open unusual email attachments or get caught by too good to be true advertising (Click here to win a FREE iPAD!!!!). But there's one security threat that you may not know about... and what you don't know can hurt you. It's one of the hardest to prevent, hardest to detect, most widespread, and downright nasty pieces of work out there: a botnet.
Never heard of it? A lot of people haven't. And sadly, a lot of those people are probably infected. So what is a botnet?
As defined by Google dictionary, a botnet is "a network of private computers infected with malicious software and controlled as a group without the owners' knowledge." (The term botnet itself is shorthand for "robot network.") If your computer is infected with botnet software, part of its memory and processing power are taken over (enslaved!) by a "bot master" who controls thousands or even millions of slave computers, known collectively as a botnet or zombie army. The botnet is used to carry out cyber crime like sending vast amounts of spam email, attacking and bringing down legitimate websites, and capturing bank and credit card details.
Here's the worst of it: because the bot master has an interest in keeping your machine running and keeping its enslavement a secret, there is often little outward sign to you when your computer becomes infected. The signals are there, but they aren't the major crashes and data losses that signal a virus infection. You'll see your computer running slowly, you may be warned about suspicious activity, or occasionally your browser will lock up when you're online. But generally you'll keep on working, oblivious, while the botnet does its dirty work in the background.
And the worst news of all? Anti-virus software alone usually can't protect you from botnet infection. So how can you protect yourself?
1) Your computer needs a comprehensive security solution that includes anti-virus and anti-malwareprograms, and most importantly, a personal firewall. (Not sure if you have a firewall? Need to get one? CNET's download.com has several good options.)
2) Make sure Windows is up-to-date.
3) Make sure your browser is up-to-date.
4) Many botnets (including the largest ever detected, spanning millions of computers across 172 countries) are spread via portable devices like USB flash drives, so be careful where you put that thing! Plugging your flash drive (or digital camera, smart phone, etc.) into a computer whose defenses you are unsure of is the cyber equivalent of unprotected sex or sharing dirty needles. Sure, that computer might be clean, but there's no way to tell by just looking. If you must use your flash drive on public computers or the computers of less-than-savvy web users, set your security software to scan your flash drive whenever you insert it in your home machine.
For another, somewhat humorous but enlightening take on botnets, watch this video from Symantec. (Yes, they are selling you their product, but, hey, it's a good product and their videos are top-notch.)
In my Technology Mentoring work, I have the great pleasure to work with ABE/ESL teachers around the state who are committed to making technology a part of their classrooms. One of my current projects is working with Jan Olsen Stone's beginning ESL class at the MORE school in St. Paul. Her class has been working on basic computer literacy (learning how to turn on the laptop computers, learning basic vocabulary like "double click" and "press Ctrl-Alt-Del," and using Google to search for websites and photos). This week I worked with Jan to plan the next big step for the students - taking their own photos using digital cameras.
The first 90 minutes of the class was spent on learning vocabulary for the camera (lens, shutter button, focus, etc.) and how to use the cameras. Students learned to make simple sentences like "The camera has a lens," and "Press the button to take a picture." (A lesson which was periodically interrupted by tornado sirens. Yikes! Luckily, no tornadoes. Whew!) The second hour was spent on a field trip to the local Sears department store. Each of the four small groups of students had one camera (all provided by teachers & class volunteers). The students' task: take pictures of each other with items in the store they would like to know the names of. You can see some of the results above and the full sets can be seen on the Jan's Class1 Flickr page.
After class, the teacher, class volunteer, and I downloaded all the pictures the students had taken and uploaded them to the Flickr site. Now that the pictures are accessible, Jan has a wealth of content to mine for language lessons. Here are some ideas we have for what she and the students will do with the photos:
use the photos to teach new vocabulary (the original purpose!) and grammar such as prepositions
categorize items in the photos (clothing department - women's - shirts)
students can copy and paste photos from the Flickr site into Word documents and write sentences to describe them.
Jan plans to continue to use digital photo projects throughout her summer school session. Other photography assignment ideas for her students include:
taking pictures of things that are a certain color
taking pictures of things that surprised them or were new to them when they came to the U.S.
taking pictures of places in the community (walking around the neighborhood)
taking pictures of signs in the community (also a walking project)
Working with this class really reminded me that cameras provide a unique and powerful tool for prompting engagement with one's surroundings. In our students' hands, they can give us such rich content for language learning. I hope you'll think about trying something like this with your students too!
Well, there you have it: Internet access is officially a human right. It's an interesting position for the U.N. to take. In our cushy American setting, that might seem a little silly. Internet access is a human right? Really? When most people just use it for entertainment? But there has been quite a lot of controversy at the international level over whether individuals can claim that their rights have been violated when their governments cut off their Internet access in order to, for example, prevent them from organizing protests against said government. Seen in that context, this decision makes a lot more sense. It also makes me wonder if there have ever been similar discussions about other technologies. If Internet access is a right (based on the idea that people have a right to freedom of expression and opinion) is access to other information/communication technology, like cell phones, also a right? Would forcing cell phone providers to take their carrier signals down (like Egypt did during their recent revolution) also qualify as a violation of the populace's human rights? Very interesting stuff.
The world is changing, and fast! It's difficult for governments and educational institutions to keep pace. Policies that govern technology use that were developed even 5 years ago often seem anachronistic. In many ABE programs, we struggle just to get access to basic online resources like Gmail and streaming video. 5 or 10 years ago, these things may have been seen as an "extra" or something that schools shouldn't be providing because they were too entertainment-focused. Now they are basic necessities for online learning and for full participation in adult life. We need more flexible policies that allow instructors and learners to access the full range of opportunities provided by the Internet. It's a human right. Just ask the U.N.
What is a web browser? A web browser is a computer program (or smartphone application) that connects to the Internet and displays websites and related web content like videos. There are five prominent web browsers you should consider (listed here alphabetically by manufacturer): Apple Safari, Google Chrome, Microsoft Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, and Opera (by the company of the same name).
How do I know which browser (and version of it) I’m using? First, look for the icon in the upper left corner. The icons for the various browsers are:
Why does it matter if my browser is kept up-to-date with the newest version? In a word: security. Most updates that software developers release for browsers fix a known security risk. To help prevent vicious malware and viruses from infecting your computer, you should keep your browser up-to-date. (When a major new version is released, you will also see improvements in speed and features, of course.) What to do? On the browser’s Help menu, look for an option to check for updates.
Which browser is right for me? Google Chrome: Chrome claims to be the fastest-loading web browser available. It has integrated Adobe Flash player and innovative programming that predicts which links you will click on a site and pre-loads the content for those links before you click, which results in reduced wait times when you actually click the link. Chrome has a simple interface and is great for general web browsing, especially sites that are media-heavy. It may have some compatibility problems with older-generation websites, especially the back end of web-based tools. However, it's the most compatible with other Google products like Google Docs. Get it: free download from www.google.com/chrome.
Apple Safari: disputes the claim that Chrome is the fastest browser available. Regardless of who’s right, it’s a strong competitor in the same market. Like most Apple products, it has a clean, intuitive interface and is noted for its stability and for being less vulnerable to Internet security threats. As the built-in browser on Mac computers, it’s obviously a Mac-user favorite, but is also available for Windows PCs. Get it: free download from www.apple.com/safari.
Mozilla Firefox: the only completely open-source and non-profit browser available, Firefox is a strong, steady workhorse. It’s not as fast as some of its competitors (although the newest version improved speed significantly), but for people who need to do a lot of online heavy lifting (teaching online courses and managing websites in content management systems, for example), Firefox is a friend you want to get to know. It’s also a solid all-around browser – which is why it has overtaken Internet Explorer as the most commonly used browser in the world. You should definitely consider it if you like the idea of breaking away from the products of the “Big Three” software corporations. Get it: free download from www.mozilla.com.
Microsoft Internet Explorer: this is the standard Windows browser, an old familiar program for PC-users. Most PC-users will find its controls easy to use (even if they aren’t objectively the most intuitive) by virtue of having used its predecessors for years. Explorer has lots of useful features and available add-ons, and the newest versions (IE8 & IE9) have improved on safety concerns. However, Explorer also has some compatibility issues with older-generation websites, especially the “back-end” where Firefox and Opera are more reliable. Get it: You probably already have Internet Explorer 8. If your computer runs Windows 7, and you want to upgrade to IE9, go to http://windows.microsoft.com and look for the IE9 promotional button.
Opera: the browser you’ve probably never heard of (but should have). From Norway! Also disputes the claim that Chrome is the fastest browser, and according to some, actually has the proof to back it up. Because it has a smaller presence on the web, it’s less vulnerable to Internet security risks. It has a sleek, intuitive interface and, like Chrome, seamlessly installs updates to Adobe Flash Player. Opera also claims to have more built-in features than any other browser available. So don’t be scared off by the unfamiliar – Opera might just be the perfect browser for you. Get it: free download from www.opera.com/download.
Want to read more about the browser wars? Check out these stories from LifeHacker and NPR News.
Is it:
a) an exciting development for libraries and Kindle users alike or
b) about time Amazon got with the program - the Nook and all other e-book readers have been doing this for years?
That seems to be the debate on Mashable and elsewhere.
Personally, I think it's both. The only people I know who have e-book readers all have Kindles. For them, it will be a great opportunity to access more free reading material - especially my mother, who lives in a rural area with very limited (physical) library access. On the other hand, this is something the competition (most notably, Barnes & Noble with the Nook) have been doing well for quite some time. Amazon is pretty much the last one to the party when it comes to e-book library lending, yet they get headlines? (And isn't it ironic that they announce this big story shortly before having the planet's biggest cloud server failure, sending websites around the world -including the MLC website - plunging into darkness for 2 days?)
Each year I get dozens of referals to educational websites from co-workers, colleagues, magazines and newsletters. Time constraints and site usefulness often result in a visit or two, and then the site is forgotten. However, one site that I seem to return to time and time again is www.visuwords.com.
I often use the site as both dictionary and thesuarus and believe it would a great site to use with a SMARTBoard. Visuwords is also very easy to use:
Enter words into the search box to look them up or double-click a node to expand the tree.
Click and drag the background to pan around and use the mouse wheel to zoom.
Hover over nodes to see the definition and click and drag individual nodes to move them around to help clarify connections.
Developed by university students, Visuwords uses Princeton’s WordNet open source database and is free for everyone.
This blog has been brought to you by the letters M, L, and C... oh wait! I mean, the Minnesota Literacy Council! (I love Sesame Street references, don't you?)
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