This song is dealing with opposites on all scales for some reason. "The later they come the higher they climb." That's rather contradictory because normally the ones who are late are the ones who are lazy, not the ones who work the hardest.
The time is right yet it is wrong, and the night is brief yet it is long. One could say that both cannot be right, but it is logical that for some the night is brief (people who sleep through it) versus some that say the night is long (people who stay up all night.) The time can be both right and wrong, understandably, as some questions can be asked at the right time while others can be asked at the wrong time.
The song keeps repeating "Can you tell them apart?" I'm not sure what we're supposed to tell apart, perhaps the two different people, or perhaps the fact that things like time and night can be separated into two different meanings (or more) depending on who is interpreting it, much like everything in life. Time is up!
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Media Technology and Teaching
When I first read the topic for our first homework assignment, I must admit I asked myself, "What exactly is 'Media Technology'?" Upon a trusty Google search of the term, I came across what claimed to be a "Pictorial History of Media Technology." It listed a number of inventions in chronological order, from the Edison Cylinder to DVD players. Based off of this, I came to the conclusion that media technology means ways in which people have discovered how to store, transmit, and relay information through means other than person-to-person speech.
For those of you who don't know, this is an Edison Cylinder: It was basically the very first telephone recorder, invented by Thomas Edison in 1877.
Now the homework assigned asks us if we feel media technology should play a role in teaching, at any level. Personally, I believe that media technology can benefit the overall classroom experience greatly, so long as it is properly used depending on the grade level. If the students are children in Elementary School, then they should not be allowed free access to something such as the internet from their home. If they are all learning how to, let's say, use a search engine such as Google in a classroom workshop, then I believe there is nothing wrong with it. However, the teacher should not be giving these kids assignments that require the use of the internet from their home. The internet is a wonderful thing, but many people have sullied its reputation with awful websites filled with all sorts of things children should not be seeing.
Needless to say, as the children age, they should be allowed more and more leeway in terms of internet restrictions. By the time they are in high school a teacher should not be afraid to give them assignments that require online research. The child should be mature enough at that point to be able to use the internet properly, and should be aware of what is out there in the world wide web. They have a conscience; it is up to them how they choose to use something as wonderful as the internet.
The assignment also asked that, as a student, have I personally seen any effective or ineffective ways media technology has been used in a classroom setting. Since I am on the topic of the internet, I might as well continue it. Just last semester I had a class where the professor would show us Youtube videos in order to give visual back-up to arguments she was making. To me, that was a very effective because it gave her story that extra "oomph" which real sealed the deal. As for ineffective uses of the internet in class...this has nothing to do with the professors, but I've seen several students bring laptops to class instead of notebooks and simply check their Facebook or Myspace, or use a messaging software instead of actually taking notes with their Word Processor. I understand that classes are boring at times, and even I am guilty of sneaking in texts while the professor rambled on, but wasting your entire hour and fifteen minutes (or more) on the internet without learning a single thing is just completely ineffective in my opinion. Why bother show up to class at all?
Anyway, that is my personal take on the situation. Media technology can be very beneficial if put in the right hands. If not, then well...we end up with people like this.
For those of you who don't know, this is an Edison Cylinder: It was basically the very first telephone recorder, invented by Thomas Edison in 1877.
Now the homework assigned asks us if we feel media technology should play a role in teaching, at any level. Personally, I believe that media technology can benefit the overall classroom experience greatly, so long as it is properly used depending on the grade level. If the students are children in Elementary School, then they should not be allowed free access to something such as the internet from their home. If they are all learning how to, let's say, use a search engine such as Google in a classroom workshop, then I believe there is nothing wrong with it. However, the teacher should not be giving these kids assignments that require the use of the internet from their home. The internet is a wonderful thing, but many people have sullied its reputation with awful websites filled with all sorts of things children should not be seeing.
Needless to say, as the children age, they should be allowed more and more leeway in terms of internet restrictions. By the time they are in high school a teacher should not be afraid to give them assignments that require online research. The child should be mature enough at that point to be able to use the internet properly, and should be aware of what is out there in the world wide web. They have a conscience; it is up to them how they choose to use something as wonderful as the internet.
The assignment also asked that, as a student, have I personally seen any effective or ineffective ways media technology has been used in a classroom setting. Since I am on the topic of the internet, I might as well continue it. Just last semester I had a class where the professor would show us Youtube videos in order to give visual back-up to arguments she was making. To me, that was a very effective because it gave her story that extra "oomph" which real sealed the deal. As for ineffective uses of the internet in class...this has nothing to do with the professors, but I've seen several students bring laptops to class instead of notebooks and simply check their Facebook or Myspace, or use a messaging software instead of actually taking notes with their Word Processor. I understand that classes are boring at times, and even I am guilty of sneaking in texts while the professor rambled on, but wasting your entire hour and fifteen minutes (or more) on the internet without learning a single thing is just completely ineffective in my opinion. Why bother show up to class at all?
Anyway, that is my personal take on the situation. Media technology can be very beneficial if put in the right hands. If not, then well...we end up with people like this.
The beginning
My name is Mark Henry Giordano. I am currently a student a California State University, Northridge, and a senior in English: Subject Matter. This blog was created for the purposes of my English 495 English seminar class, and will be used solely for the purposes of that class unless I choose otherwise some time in the future.
Thanks to all who take the time to actual read these posts, and I look forward to this class and what my peers have to say about our topics!
Thanks to all who take the time to actual read these posts, and I look forward to this class and what my peers have to say about our topics!
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