Like and Share to win FREE (insert item here)

A few days ago, I was cruising Facebook and saw where one of my friends had "liked" and "shared" a pictured from Disneyland, Inc. to win free Disneyland tickets. The FB page claimed to be THE Disneyland. Well, I am a bit of a Disney fanatic (come on, I own annual passes and we live in PHOENIX!) and I have "liked" the OFFICIAL Disneyland page, so I knew he had been had.

So I posted the following warning on my FB page:

"To all my friends & family: PLEASE be aware of the pages you are "liking" and the "share this to enter our free giveaway" pictures you are sharing. Groups use legitimate company names (Disney & Southwest Airlines are the largest victims, but Apple & Microsoft show up frequently, too.) These scam groups are NOT giving anything away. Their whole goal is to get as many likes on the page as possible, and then they SELL the FB page to another group. (Usually an undesirable group that you would NEVER want to be associated with or a group trying to steal personal info). One of the easiest ways to see if it legitimately is the company is to go to the profile. If it is Southwest Airlines and they only have a few hundred or thousand likes, that is your first clue it is not legit. Also, VERIFIED corporate pages have a little blue circle with a check-mark in it. When you hover over it, a pop-up that says "Verified" comes up.

Southwest Airlines does do legitimate giveaways, however, it is NEVER a like and share. When you go to their page, they have an actual entry form that you have to fill out. If you want to see their giveaways, go to the REAL SW ( linked at the beginning of this paragraph) airlines page and like their page and you will see their contests. Also, many SMALL companies do giveaways this way, hoping to increase their social media exposure. Just make sure they are a legitimate company before liking their page.

There are no stacks of unopened iPads or XBox 360s sitting around waiting to be given out. And Bill Gates is NOT giving away money to everyone who shares his post. However, Larry Fitzgerald does do that on occasion. Not money, but game tickets, swag, and a share of a lottery ticket when the pot gets big. To participate in his giveaways, make sure you like his FB page and follow him on Twitter.

The point is, BE CAREFUL! When you like a page, you are granting those groups access to certain information on your profile. Make sure that your are entering contest from LEGITIMATE companies, not scam artist. Why am I posting this? In the last week, I have seen no less than 20 of my friends/family members getting conned by these groups and it bothers me. I don't want any of you getting scammed or having personal information compromised."

Most of my friends ignored me, because they are just SURE that they cannot be fooled. But I decided to press on with my desire to educate the public, hence this post.

At the time I was writing this blog, I went looking for an example of one of the fraudulent companies, but having a heck of a time. They are pretty quick about selling off the page and changing the name because they know the REAL company will come after them.  So, while I don't have an example of a fraud right now, I do have a legitimate site.

Some things to help you in recognizing a fraud:

The first clue that this IS a valid page is the blue circle with the check mark in it. This means that Facebook has verified that this is the real company and the page is legit. This is usually only done on HUGE corporate pages. So there are other, official Disney pages (D23, Annual Passholders, Holidays, etc) that are really Disney pages, but that have not been verified.

The second clue is the number of likes. The page that scammed my friend had 100 likes. Disneyland only having 100 likes? Come on. But he wasn't paying attention to that. All he saw was free Disneyland tickets, so he went for it.

The third clue is the name. On the scam page, it said Disneyland, Inc. A few seconds on Google will show you that the official Disney name is The Walt Disney Company, and all US parks also fall under that company. They don't have their own corporations.

There are a lot of things that scammers do to convince you that their giveaway is real. They will SAY they are the official page, they will copy the logo that the official page has, they copy info from the real page, and even include a link to the real company website. But if you just take a few minutes to look the page over, you can quickly see the scams.

Be careful. This time of year, we are all looking for a bargain or a great freebie. Just make sure you are doing your research. And go with your gut. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

My first TpT item!

Woo hoo! I have posted my first item on Teachers Pay Teachers. Once I get the hang of this, I hope put a BUNCH of Dig Cit & Tech stuff up there. Some will be free and some have a cost. But this is my first go round!! Check it out.
Operating Systems on Teachers Pay Teachers

The Power of Digital Scavenger Hunts

As a kid, I had a love hate relationship with scavenger hunts. I loved the excitement, the adventure, the competition. I hated talking to people I didn't know. When I was a kids (and it WASN'T that long ago!) it was still safe to roam the neighboorhood knocking on doors and asking for paperclips, bananas, etc. But today? Kids rarely go outside and interact with the world. It is school, home, maybe do some homework, then TV and/or video games. You rarely see kids playing street hockey, or cops & robbers in a front yard. Lack of play is affecting the brain development of our kids. Here is just one article (with references) on the affects: http://www.parentingscience.com/benefits-of-play.html

My point? Maybe we, as teachers, can use an assignment to allow kids to use the technology they are so addicted to AND get out and play.

Ok, more back story, last week, I participated in GISHWHES (Greatest International Scavenger Hunt the World Has Ever Seen). Google it. It's put on by Misha Collins of Supernatural fame. It is crazy. It's insane. And I have not had that much fun in a LONG time! It required creativity, problem solving, communication, stepping out of one's comfort zone, and a lot of abnosomeness. (Google it!) The whole purpose? To try and get people to STOP worrying about what others think. To dance in the rain. To try something new. To challenge yourself. To talk to people you have never meet. To send e-mails to CEOs and congressman requesting monkey hat pictures and Beyonce videos. We had one girl on our team who is terribly shy. She took on one of the tasks, had panic attacks over the requirement to talk to people she did not know. But she did it. Her reflection after the event was that she learned things about herself she never knew. She feels stronger and more confident.

I believe education has become too "safe". We don't challenge students to take risks anymore. Everyone gets a trophy, there is no failure. And if you ask a student to do something they don't like, expect a call from a parent. The results? We have an entire generation that think getting a job is "too hard".

So, let's step out of that safety net just a little and challenge the kids in a fun way. Digital scavenger hunts allow students to record their finds/creations/completing of a task, and submit it digitally. They don't have to require students to talk to strangers. But they can challenge them to talk to congressman, potential future employers, people who have lived history.

For example, a history class could require students to send an email to their congressman about an issue that concerns them, record a veteran talking about his/her experiences in WWII, visit a local national/state park or landmark and record the visit with video/photos, visit an American history museum, etc.

Science: record examples of (fill in the scientific term) that you see everyday. Visit the local science museum, collect photos of plants/insects/birds you see in your neighborhood.

There are so many potential ways to wake our students up to the world around them while letting them play a game. And don't forget to encourage their creativity. Have them dress up as their favorite historical person or literary character. Re-create a historical event out of the toys you have in your house. Do a simple kitchen science experiment and video the process, all dressed as Einstein. The potential is unlimited.

My point? We have got to wake our students up to the world around them. They can not just explore the world through Google Earth or view nature by watching Shark Week. We need to engage them in life. Reawaken curiosity and a desire to explore. And I believe digital scavenger hunts are one way to accomplish this.

Shameless Self Promotion...

If you are looking for technology related videos, I do have a channel on TeacherTube. Check it out!

http://www.teachertube.com/view_classroom.php?user=Miss_Kim

And if you are looking for a specific how-to video...let me know...I may add it to my to-do list!

Quick and Easy Technology Integration

With the new school year right around the corner (my students come back Monday!), lesson plans are flying out of printers and teachers are frantically looking for ways to integrate technology. Here are a couple of quick and easy ideas to help you start off your year with technology integration.

QR Codes & Google Forms
Have you ever seen one of these?

They are everywhere. This is a QR code. Very simple, it is a "picture" of a web address that a special app on your phone called a QR reader can read. It will take you directly to a website. In this case, it takes you to a Google Form that I have created.

Google Forms are a great way to gather information, do an anonymous survey, or have people RSCP tp events. These are only a couple of examples of what you can do with a Google Form. In fact, I have evne created a Google Form for our school that allows teachers to submit their lesson plans by answering a few simple questions.

So why not start of the first day of school getting to know your students with a getting to know you survey? Post signs around the room with the QR code (you can also post a link for students who do not have QR readers) to a survey in Google? Or create a scavenger hunt. Students have to find 10 items. Post twice as many posters around the room with QR codes that link to unrelated items. Students can partner up so no one is excluded.

To create a QR code, I use the site www.goqr.me .

Poll Everywhere

http://www.polleverywhere.com/

You create a poll, either multiple choice or open ended, and have students use a cell phone or computer to send in their reponse. Poll updates real time and can be displayed on anything connected to a computer.

Padlet (formerly WallWishers)

http://padlet.com/

This is a virtual bulletin board. You can pose a question and have students share their responses. Great way to check for understanding or encourage participation from students who do not like to speak out in class.

Poll Everywhere & Padlet take very little prep time (10 minutes or less) and are easy to use at any time. The QR codes & Google Forms take a little more prep time (30-60 minutes), but are very effective technology integration tools and can be used over and over. All three can be used to check for understanding, promote classroom discussions, and in general, make the class room more interactive.

There are many more AWESOME tools out there for integration, and I will get around to discussing them eventually. These three are just the quickest and easiest, and most importantly, FREE!

The most important thing to rememer with technolgy integration is that it has to work for YOU and your students. If you hate it, don't use. Technology integration should be fun and exciting, not something you dread more than a staff meetings.

Digital Native ≠ Digitally Literate: Why the "non-natives" need to actively teach about technology use.

"Why do we even need technology classes? These kids are born using technology."
"I can't teach them anything new, they know more than me!"
"Asking me to teach a class about technology is like asking asking Mother Theresa to teach a class on selfishness!"

Kids today are introduced to technology nearly from the moment they are born, and it will be part of their lives until the day they die. Hand any kid a smart phone, tablet, or computer, and they can do more with it in five minutes than most adult can in years. Remember when we were kids? Who did our parents get to program the VCR, the microwave clock, or the clock on the car radio? Remember, we are/were more technologically savvy than our parents, yet they were able to teach us something. Like don't put a PB&J sandwich in the VCR and no metal in the microwave. Or if you were my sister, when you cook the frozen pancakes, 1:30 means 1 minute & 30 seconds, NOT 13 minutes (they catch on fire).

But just because a student can use the technology in front of them does not mean that they are using it effectively or ethically. It is our job as parents and teachers to ensure that our students get the best possible use out of technology while keeping themselves and others safe.

1. Teach them respect for copyright

Most of us teach our students and children that it is wrong to steal. Taking something from another person or business is wrong and we know that. But how many people do you know that don't think twice about downloading movies or music without paying for it? If you are not downloading it from a properly authorized site where the copyright owner has approved a free download or you are paying for the download, it is theft. And the RIAA is getting VERY aggressive in pursuing those who do download illegally.

Providers to begin warning illegal downloaders.
RIAA-Online Piracy

Additionally, teach them how to properly quote and cite their sources. Everyday, I see students just cutting and pasting information from websites into reports and posts. Their is no rephrasing or quoting, and definitely no citation. We are raising a generation that has no respect for the intellectual property of others.

2. Teach them that the things said online or in a text still hurt.

Have you ever watched a pack of dogs, or any other animal, go after one of their group? A ring leader will start it, and when the others see that the one being attacked is not fighting back or that it is weaker, they all jump in? Human beings are no different, and it is not just the kids. 

For some reason, we seem to have this idea that the things we say and do online are not in the real world. Think about it. Have you ever sent an email, a text, or posted something on social media that you would have NEVER said to a person's face? We have all done it. I am usually a very nice and tolerant person in person...but sometimes my online personality takes over and I make the Wicked Witch of the West look like a pussycat. I have had to set a rule fr myself that I have to write anything scathing and walk away for an hour. If it still seems like a good idea, I leave it for another day. The third time, after edits, if it still needs to be sent THEN I send it.

It is never okay to pick on someone. That does not mean you always have to agree. But saying and doing things that are meant to hurt others is just wrong. We need to teach this to our children and model it in our behavior. We are all guilty of teaching the kids we influence to be mean and judgmental, and we don't even realize how many times a day we do it. Just think when little ears are around, especially those tween/teen ears.

Want to know if you might be guilty of some bullying? Check out this quiz:

Stop CyberBullying - Are you a CyberBully?

3. Not everything on the internet is true!

Just like you cannot always trust the news to be truthful, many websites have misinformation and some are just flat out lies. Teach your students and children (and parents!) to check their sources. If they cannot find multiple, reliable sources verifying the information, it is probably not true. Here are some great examples:

DHMO Imnformation
Pacific Northwest Tree Octupus

4. Make sure your sources are not biased.

Why is the person or organization posting the information posting it? Doing research about if red meat is bad for you on the PETA website is probably not a good idea, nor should you be looking at the beef producers website. At least not exclusively. Teach your students and children to think for themselves, question WHY someone would post this information, and to read several view points before coming to their own conclusion. 

5. Once it's posted online or sent through a text or email, it is out of your control.

I do a unit on sexting in my high school Digital Citizenship class. Every quarter, at least one student runs out of the room in tears when I talk about this. Why? They do not realize the potential ramifications of their actions and when they are made aware of them, it is upsetting. Sending messages/pictures through text, email, or on a website can have long lasting effects and even legal ramifications. 

Many people assume that if you delete a text, it is gone and that you can trust the person you sent it to. Or that if you delete a picture off of Facebook/MySpace/Flickr/Instagram/etc., it is gone. The truth is, once it is in the digital world, it can hang around forever and you will no longer have control of it.

When you send a text message, you no longer control what happens to it. The person receiving it can save it, delete it, forward it. And if they forward it, what happens then? This is a great video that I use with my student to get the point across:

Your Photo Fate

In addition to the fact that you cannot control it, there are additional concerns. Many providers store the contents of text messages that can be subpoenaed by the courts. Depending on your provider and the state you live in, for those under 18, parents and guardians may be able to get copies of that content without a court order. And let's not even start talking about the potential legal consequences for those sexting under age 18. Just make sure you are making your children and students aware that the things they do in the digital world are NOT private.

Then there is the online world. Just because you remove a photo from the internet does not mean it is gone. Other people may have copied or downloaded it or thumbnails have been created for web browsers. You never know what has happened to your picture once you post it. And other people can download and spread it in the time it takes you to put it up and remove it. Just think before you post. As Phineas and Ferb say "Fame is fleeting, but the internet is forever!"


6. Use technology responsibly and respectfully.

It is not always polite or even permitted to use cell phones or tablets. Teach your students and children that there is a time and place for everything. School (unless directed otherwise by the classroom teacher) and work are no place for the cell phones to be out. The world will not end if they do not immediately respond to a text or Facebook post from a friend/boyfriend/girlfriend. And if those people cannot accept that they have to put school or work first, it enters a whole other realm of potential cyber relationship abuse (I'll cover that another time!). The movie theater is not the place to be texting. It disturbs the people around you. Talking so loud that everyone in the restaurant or bus can hear you is not okay. Walking down the street texting is also not wise. I actually had a student mugged and another one jumped and beat up this year while walking and texting. They were so wrapped up in their phones that they were unaware what was going on in the world around them. 

And it's not just the kids. I have to watch myself. I get so wrapped up in what is on Facebook or cracked.com, I ignore my husband while we are riding in the car. And it's not just those of us 40 something and younger, either. My dad is always complaining that whenever he and my mother go somewhere, she is more focused on the phone than him. The fact is, it's rude. You're telling the people in your life (who you are supposed to love) that your friends' and acquaintances' cat pictures are more important than spending time with them. Sometimes you have to put the tech down and interact with the world around you. 


But the most important thing you can teach them about technology and life is

7. Don't take it all so seriously.

Oops. You screwed up. You put your  BFF on Facebook blast and they aren't talking to you. Your BF/GF sent that "private" picture to all their friends. Someone has been sending you mean text messages. Sometimes things we don't like happen in this life and it sucks. But is it really worth getting angry, upset, or suicidal over?

Teach your students and children (heck, even yourself) to love yourself and like who you are. Help them learn to be someone who is comfortable with themselves, that is concerned about other people, but not so wrapped up in what other people think that teasing will make them consider suicide. Teen suicide is on the rise and online bullying/harassment is being blamed. Who knows if having the "don't take it all so seriously" conversation would help all of the kids who have committed suicide due to bullying, but if even one is stopped, it helps. Help your kids accept that we all make mistakes, there are consequences, but it's not bad enough to kill yourself over. Given time, it will get better.

Yes, our kids know more about technology than we do. But just assuming that they will learn what they need to at school or believing that they "know" how to behave online can have devastating consequences. So talk to your children and your students. Teach them how to be responsible digital citizens and help them learn how to accept their mistakes and learn from them. Digital natives or not, the youth that we influence in our lives need to be taught and shown what is expected of them with this incredibly powerful tool. And if you ever think your cell phone is not that powerful, realize most of use are carrying in our POCKETS more computing power than what was used to put a man on the moon!

Technology Integration; Not just another BUZZ word.

Today's teachers are overwhelmed with new buzz words. It seems like every other week, someone comes out with the latest and greatest thing in classroom management, teaching techniques, or testing. Teachers are being told "read this book", "implement this strategy", "stop teaching to the test", "the test is all that matters!". No wonder it seems like more and more teachers are leaving the profession.

One buzz word that has been making the rounds for several years is "Technology Integration". Lesson plan templates have a place for it. It is showing up on teacher evaluations. Even teacher's colleges are adding entire departments devoted to teaching technology integration and you can get a Master's Degree in it! Yet, many of my teacher friends and most of my colleagues are clueless about where to begin. The constant bombardment of websites and devices leaves them so confused that they just give up.

Technology integration does NOT require being a computer expert. It does not require that you use EVERY device, website, or classroom management system available. Heck, you do not even have to fully integrate any of the technologies that you choose to use. Technology integration is about baby steps. It is about EFFECTIVELY using the tools available to educate and involve your students. Do you read a textbook from cover to cover, using every exercise and test that they provide? No, you pick and choose what fits with your teaching style, the curriculum, and what will work with YOUR students. If you try to use a text book that you are uncomfortable with, it shows. The same is true of technology. 

So, here are a couple of T.I.B.S. (Technology Integration Baby Steps) to help you start integrating technology into your classroom. 

1. Do NOT compare what you are doing to anyone else. Just stop. Now. Everyone has different areas of expertise and different comfort levels. Your comfort level with technology is not indicative of your teaching skills. Nor is the type or amount of technology integration you embrace. Comparing your level of integration with other teachers will just frustrate you. So don't do it.

2. Pick ONE. That's right. Just pick ONE item of technology to start integrating. 
Are you good with cell phones? Are you fighting a battle to keep them out of your classroom? Then why not use them as an assessment tool? Use websites like Poll Everywhere to have students respond to multiple choice or open ended questions. They text their responses, and you can display the results on a TV or projector attached to a computer. 
Have an interactive white board? Learn how to use it. Or if you are not comfortable with creating interactive content, allow your students to use it. Technology integration is not just about you using tech, it is about getting it in the hands of our students. There are hundreds of great websites with fun games that require critical thinking and problem solving. No matter what subject you teach, problem solving and critical thinking are ALWAYS appropriate. So pick a game and project it on your interactive white board, then let your students work in teams to solve the puzzles. Bingo. Integration. One of the simplest and funnest sites I have seen and that works for ALL levels is Fantastic Contraption . 
Love social media? Then try one of the social media-like classroom management systems such as  Edmodo to communicate with your students and allow collaboration. 
Love YouTube? Why not check out Khan Academy, Teacher Tube, or School Tube to find videos that relate to your curriculum? Yep, videos are technology integration.  Or even better yet, have your students make their own videos teaching a concept to share with others. Depending on your school's policies, it may just be to other classes on your campus or you could share with the world on School Tube. What a fun way to show learning at the top level of Bloom's Taxonomy!
There are THOUSANDS of different ways to integrate technology. Do NOT try doing them all at once. Just pick ONE that you are comfortable with. 

3. Own It! Whatever you choose, make it yours. Become an expert at it. Share it with your friends and colleagues. 

4. Add new technology when YOU are ready. The more you use technology, the more comfortable you will become. But don't rush yourself. Move at your own pace and add new things when you are ready. 

5. Make sure your technology integration is meaningful. Adding technology to your classroom just for the sake of using technology is bad pedagogy. You should enjoy it, your students should enjoy it, AND it should teach your students something. 

6. It doesn't have to be flashy. The best technology does not have to be the newest or shiniest. If you are a tech newbie, stick to proven and simple technology for your first integration experience. 

7. Just because administration is pushing it, doesn't make it good. Guess what? They aren't in your classroom and it may have been years since they have been in any classroom. You know what works. If a piece of tech seems irrelevant to your situation, it probably is. Look it over, see if it fits. If it does, great, but don't force it. 

8. Learn from your students. I learn something from my students everyday. That is part of the enjoyment of being a teacher. Our students are "digital natives". They were raised with electronic babysitters and distractions. So, you don't know how to use those iPads your school just spent a fortune on? Your students do, or they will quickly figure it out. Let them show you how to use the new toys. You learn and they build skills that will benefit them in life. Worried they will mess something up? Don't be. Most of today's technology has been created to be user friendly and it is much harder to delete everything that you think. I AM a computer nerd, but I frequently find new "toys" that I have no idea how to use. I know what it CAN do, so I give the students an assignment and hand them the tools. When they ask how, I tell them that it is their job to figure it out. (*cough*PBL*cough*)

9.Have FUN! If you are not enjoying using technology, it will be obvious. Find something you like using and enjoy using it with your students.

Technology integration should not be a headache. It should make teaching easier and FUN for you. If you are struggling to integrate something into your lesson plans, then you are using the wrong technology for you. We all accept that each student learns in a unique way; the concept of multiple intelligences. Well, there are multiple tech intelligences, too. Find YOUR tech intelligence and use that to guide your technology integration.