Thursday, October 8, 2009

Was there really any separatoin?

Six Degrees.com

1. What was the target audience for this social networking site?

The site Six Degrees promoted itself as a tool to help people connect with and send messages to others.

2. How long was the site in existence?

Six Degrees was the first recognizable social network site created in 1997 and closed in 2000.

3. Why was it popular?

It was so popular because it allowed users to create profiles, list their friends and, beginning in 1998, surf the Friends lists. Six Degrees was the first to combine these features as other sites had not done that yet.

4. What was its demise?

People were uncomfortable with the idea that they would be meeting perfect strangers online. There were not enough applications to make it more than just an online address book allowing any user to view and send emails. The idea was just too foreign so the site dies from lack of massive adoption.

5. Is/was there another competitor in the same market that was more popular?

AsianAvenue, BlackPlanet, and MiGente allowed users to create personal, professional, and dating profiles—users could identify Friends on their personal profiles without seeking approval for those connections.

6. Would you ever consider creating an account and using it? Explain your reason using a personal experience as an example.

SNS’s in general appeal to me. I initially was opposed to the idea because I thought it would give strangers an opportunity to peek into my life uninvited. I chose answering questions about the Six Degrees site because I am like those early users of that site. I am leery of strangers. My first encounter with SNS’s was when my daughter created her own My Space page in 2006. The only thing I had heard about this site was that sexual predators found kids on the internet. I forbid her to get on the site. She did it anyway without our knowledge. What she knew that I didn’t was that it can be safe if you use it safely. I wish I knew then what I know now. I still am a little hesitant because recent media coverage talked about the blueprint it leaves. Although I would be a conservative and responsible user I still wonder......... I am seriously considering setting up a Facebook account but I will be cautious with who I let in and how I display information on my site. I will keep you posted on my progress and opinion, maybe it will change as it did with the My Space?
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Philosophy

Susan’s Teaching Philosophy

Times have changed and the face of education has evolved and is trying to keep up with the changing American culture. I began teaching 17 years ago and I have learned that you must monitor and adjust as a teacher. One thing remains the same however, and that is teaching students the ABC’s. I take it a step further and call my teaching philosophy the ABCD’s of success. Without the principles outlined in my philosophy I believe Madeline Hunter's Direct Instruction Model has little or no bearing. In a culture where the student plays a larger role in molding their own education experiences because more one parent homes and working parents are a reality.

My philosophy more indirectly follows Bloom's Taxonomy. A student is more prone to learning if they are first affected by the material and are actively engaged in the possible outcome. Teaching students they are in control of their own Attitude, Behavior, Character, and Discipline empowers them to make positive choices toward a bright future. I make it my daily mission to plant seeds of wisdom in these areas. Attitude is a measurement of what’s happening on the inside of the student. Students are actually graded on what attitude they bring to class. Attitude can drastically infect the environment of a game in physical education. Behavior is directly related to what the student displays on the outside. Will they cooperate, use proper language, act their age the list goes on. When addressing a student about behavior you always state clearly your expectations and give them a chance to make their own. Character education gives the teacher the chance to be a pseudo parent. What life principles are important to have success outside the classroom? Those same principles should be daily implemented and pointed out in the classroom. Lastly discipline, this is not punishment this is an act of compliance to personal expectations. Teaching and implementing goal setting in small ways each day in the classroom.

The key to all of this is ownership. How do you teach the standards and convince them its worth and value in their life? It can almost be as simple as making it the students idea. I’m not sure that this can work in all classroom settings. For physical education however, it truly is the key to success. Students who take control of their attitude, behavior, character and discipline within the structure of the classroom create an atmosphere for learning to take place. Students will begin to make the FITT Principle and understanding the components of physical fitness an essential part of their personal goals and implement them in and out of the classroom. Hence, build in them lifelong learning principles, fitness for life and to be passionate about what they choose to do and the world is their classroom. Passion, that’s a whole different story, perhaps on the next assignment I can elaborate.