ETEC540: Text Techologies

“Where words fail, music speaks.” Hans Christian Andersen
The above quote summarizes my reasoning for choosing this photo. For many people, music is a relatable form of text, poetry set to a tune. Many of my students are able to extract deep themes and symbolism rooted in the lyrics of their favourite songs far easier than they are when it is presented to them in traditional text or essay form.

My name is Emma Sarbit and I am an elementary school teacher from Lake Country B.C. (just north of Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley). I am just returning from maternity leave and will be taking my 7th and 8th classes in the MET program this term. I am looking forward to taking this course as I am interested in how technology can be used to stimulate and reinvigorate student interest in literacy.

I look forward to working with all of you this term!

pic: from flickr

This is going to sound totally cliche but I chose this image because when I saw this picture it promoted me to think of the original reasons I entered the ‘texting/technology’ mobility world; so that I could connect with friends and family… those people that I love and want to stay in touch with. Although many changes have occurred to get us to the point we’re at today, I can still recall many pivotal points in my life that surround both text – symbols and the written word, and technology – from a commodore 64 to now.

My name is Eileen Monks and I am an intermediate (mostly grade 4/5) teacher in the Comox Valley, on Vancouver Island. This is my 6th/7th MET course and I am very much looking forward to it. As text and written language is still a stumbling for many of my students, I am hoping to gain a better understanding in this area, and additional ways to support my learners.

I look forward to learning and working with all of you.
Cheers,
Eileen

Hi Everyone,

Why I like This Picture:

I like this picture because it asks us to consider the very important question of “why” when we decide to use vehicles of text and technology (yes, the automobile was considered new and innovative technology when it was introduced!). Clarity of “why” is important in anything we do in society. Simon Sinek, a trained ethnographer, believes that philosophy and motivation should start with “why”. When we have clarity of why it helps us understand what motivates us. The audio forum we listened to this week also speaks to the importance of knowing who we are and what our values are. I believe that this self reflective ethical stance will ensure that we use text and technology in ways that matter to us and the environments that we surround ourselves in.

Personal:

I am a happy husband married to an incredible woman named Jennette. We have two beautiful daughters; Ivy is 4 years old & Annabel is just over a year. As a family, we enjoy spending time together playing, reading, and participating in various outdoor activities. I am a professional musician/guitar player who has performed in various pop and jazz groups in western Canada and Europe. As I musician, I strive for personal connections through ensembles I play in with both the musicians on stage and the audience I interact with.

Professional:

I am a music specialist and educator in the West Vancouver School District. I started in our district as an itinerant teacher 9 years ago and during that time Iv’e taught music at 2 high schools and 4 elementary schools teaching students general music and concert band. I feel very privileged to teach in SD #45 as I have always been very well supported by every administrator and staff I have worked with. Recently our district has engaged in a district wide technology initiative/action plan and at my current school (Hollyburn Elementary) I co-facilitate tech integration with iPads and various other devices.

Looking forward to collaborating with all of you!!

Best
Steve

“…if only writing would be used for the production of certain kinds of texts and not others…” (Postman, 1992, p. 6)

When I discovered the image above, I was reminded of Neil Postman’s comment that Thamus was not concerned with what people will write, but that they will write (Postman, 1992, p. 6). Freedom of speech, digital citizenship, privacy, and copyright never crossed Thamus’ mind. Yet, these are important concepts that have been changed and are still changing in light of new technologies. Pandora’s box has been opened. While I believe that some limits need to be placed, perhaps as they have done in Nova Scotia, there are other instances where it is foolish to try to impose limits, as when the Argyll and Bute Council tried to ban 9-year-old Martha Payne’s blog about school lunches. As a teacher, I am thrust to the forefront of these issues and, on behalf of my students, must become a skilled navigator of the ever-changing landscape in the ways technology is changing communication.

My name is Dan Tinaburri and I currently teach grade 5 in Calgary. I am passionate about writing and reading and the impact that current technologies are having on them. I am excited to be a part of ETEC 540. This is my fourth MET course.

References

Postman, N. (1992). Technopoly: The surrender of culture to technology. New York, NY: Knopf.

Some people might first look at this image and think what does this have to do about text technologies? I chose this image because something I learned is that Totem poles were developed as a traditional way of telling the stories of Aboriginal families and clans, and of keeping records of important historical events. There were originally only six West Coast First Nations that carved totem poles before the arrival of the European explorers were the Haida, the Nuxalt, the Kwakwaka’wakw, the Tlingit, the Tsimshian, and the Coast Salish people. The commercialized items and for-profit artists carving totems are a non-Aboriginal copying of a vital First Nations communication tradition that dates back thousands of years.

Now for my introduction,

My Name is Keith Greenhalf and this is my 6^th MET course. I recently taught for 4 years in a remote, Tsimshian First Nation community called Kitkatla as the Special Education Teacher. In March of this year my Wife and I had a beautiful baby girl Grace. With the birth of our daughter we decided that this summer we would be moving back to our hometown of Windsor Ontario. We just moved back in July and it has been a lot of work moving a baby and our lives across the country. We are finally getting settled in to our house and I am looking forward to start this course.  I have many experiences and connections to First Nations people across Canada. I just got the text for this course and it actually looks like it will be an interesting read.

I look forward to connecting with some classmates as the course progresses.

Keith