Blog Post 3: Evaluating Educational Blogs

Blogging and School Administrators - NEEDS WORK!
The main reason that this blog doesn't work is that it is not visually appealing. The layout is extremely plain and the bright orange is more distracting than alluring. Also the light grey font doesn't make the entrees look very interesting. There are no pictures anywhere on this blog, except for a visitors map at the very bottom. It is hard to tell what this blog is even about because the entrees have nothing to do with school administrators. The entrees are a mix of news reports, identifying new technologies and personal posts, which is confusing for me as a reader. It is also fairly obvious that the creator copied and pasted some sections into the blog because the formatting is different. In order to make this blog better I would suggest that the person start over and clearly identify the purpose of this blog. It would also be good to add some pictures and consider the viewers and what they would find appealing. The text of the blog should also be the same color and font, with highlight on only certain words or phrases, not paragraphs.

Betty's Timely Teacher Talk - Works 
This blog is nice and clean with clear titles to each entree. You can easily navigate this blog and see previous or popular entrees that have been posted. Each entree has a different story about something Betty has encountered or a topic she is particularly passionate about. She is very opinionated, but she never speaks negatively about anyone else or incorporates names within her stories. They are all good entires that provide useful information. Another good source of information on Betty's blog are the multiple Navigation and Educational blog links that are down the left column. The layout is pleasant to view and the color scheme complements the class room photo on the header. It is easy to read this blog because the text is consistently the same color, font and size per section. A nice addition to each post are the links leading to other helpful websites. This blog is very helpful in its simplicity. 

Accessibility Word Cloud

1.) Is it important for all people to have access to the Internet? Why or why not?
Yes, because everyone should have a fair chance at accessing the resources. If not it creates a bigger gap between gaps. If people came to America and weren’t up to date with the technology we use, they’d be at a big disadvantage. But there also is the issue of illiteracy, if they cannot read, how can they use it. But, how can they use it if they don’t even have the opportunity to use it. There are many factors, prices, accessibility, priorities… 

2.) Will eliminating the digital divide create new global, national, and/or local social problems?
Yes, we need to lessen the separation between the US and other counties that is created by the digital divide. It would greatly affect the US, and it could empower people. If people have full access to the Internet they have more access to learning and finding resources. As for the people that don’t want to use it, despite access, we need to do a better job marketing it to them. It is a source of information and should not be feared or seen as an inconvenience.

3.) What might these new problems be?
It would create social problems. If the digital divide was eliminated, it could upset people who are opposed to Internet. If they are against the idea of the Internet and the entire town becomes Internet dependent, they could be upset. But, once the older generation passes, all other generations are raised familiar with access or at least knowledge of the Internet in the United States. Another problem is that it is a distraction. If a family is focusing on just getting enough money to stay alive, the distraction of the Internet could take away from working, thus hurting the family. One disadvantage of technology is that many people misuse it or abuse it and this can cause disruption to their learning and their lives.

Blog Post 2: E-sponsibility Follow-Up

1.) Is it fair to scrutinize teachers' private lives (either online or offline)?

As a teacher you obtain the job of being a role model for your students as well as your peers, but I believe that it is not fair to scrutinize teachers for their private lives. Everyone is entitled to a break from their day job in order to kick back, relax and enjoy their interests in life. However as a teacher you must uphold a certain professional appearance. It is your job as a teacher to find a balance between being a role model and what you do in your personal life. By this I mean that it is unacceptable for a teacher to create a romantic or deeply personal relationship with a student via email or outside of the class room. The same rules for interacting with students in school should still apply to teachers outside of school. For the teachers that are posting inappropriate things or acting out in public, then it is fare to scrutinize and punish them. They should be more concerned about their public appearance because they are a role models for our children and known throughout society.

2.) Should teachers maintain a presence on social networking sites? Why or why not? As a teacher, what steps can you take to protect yourself from criticism and/or sanctions when using social media sites?

I think that teachers should be able to maintain a presence on social networking sites because it can be another helpful method for students and parents to contact teachers. If a teacher is worried about sharing too much personal information they should be allowed to have a separate Facebook or blog. They can make a private blog for family and friends, then an open one for anyone to see. This is so that they have the ability to keep their work and personal lives separate. As a teacher it is all about thinking before you act. Just think, 'would this be acceptable to post for everyone to publicly see, or should I keep this private and to myself?' and 'how would this post, picture, comment, video, etc. affect my job?' If you are concerned with posting something, then don't post it! Teachers need to be more aware of their actions when they are in public and they must then act appropriately.