I have noticed the CC at different times, but I couldn't for the life of me tell you where. Maybe I'm flashing back to typing class and cc: carbon copy. I don't know. Sadly, I don't think cc will affect students' work at all. Not because they don't know about it, but because they don't cite their sources any way. Thus the cut and paste essay (my personal favorite). This is not for lack of trying on teachers' parts; we spend inordinate amounts of time showing them format & examples and practicing. When all is said and done, though, if it's not important to a kid, they ain't going to remember and God forbid they should look it up. The result is a mish mash of styles based on what little they can remember from years of education. I can't completely blame them; I'm the same way. Do you know how many times I've had a car's engine explained to me or the ins and outs of computer basics (bytes, ram, firewalls, etc)? I've made three different attempts to learn Spanish (my boyfriend is even hispanic who speaks fluent Spanish) and I still can't say much more than chanclas. The truth is, I just don't care enough to keep the info in my brain (except the Spanish . . . that's just lack of practice and insecurity). And, I was just as lazy when I was in high school. I guesstimated every time. Probably not something I should confess, but it's true.
Thus far I haven't used any images, films or sound I found on the internet in class because I haven't known how (well, I do, but I'm lazy, remember?) and my TAKS scores have been too high to have technology given to me (Blakester, Rhonda, and Salinger are in the same boat). Recently, the English department did receive ceiling mounted projectors, but we were not given the remotes because we haven't had training. When will this occur? Your guess is as good as mine. Ironically, I did receive an Elmo projector (You know. The thing you can use to project books & papers onto the wall). I haven't been able to use it, though, because I haven't had the required projector (or the remote for the projector). This very expensive piece of technology is still sitting in its box, in the original packaging, unopened, and being used as a printer stand.
I suppose, technically, my teaching materials are owned by the school district. After all, our contracts do state that MISD has the rights to all intellectual and physical property created while under contract with the district. The oodles of ancilleraries given to us by text book companies may be owned by the state (since the text books are). Frankly, they can have it all because I don't use it anyway. Every year, I reinvent the wheel and create my own documents. Probably dumb, but that's the way it goes. If I chose to place any of these incredible docs on the internet, to the district's chagrin, CC would allow other educators to use my stuff for FREE. For that reason, I'm surprised we're even allowed to get on the internet.
Thus far I haven't used any images, films or sound I found on the internet in class because I haven't known how (well, I do, but I'm lazy, remember?) and my TAKS scores have been too high to have technology given to me (Blakester, Rhonda, and Salinger are in the same boat). Recently, the English department did receive ceiling mounted projectors, but we were not given the remotes because we haven't had training. When will this occur? Your guess is as good as mine. Ironically, I did receive an Elmo projector (You know. The thing you can use to project books & papers onto the wall). I haven't been able to use it, though, because I haven't had the required projector (or the remote for the projector). This very expensive piece of technology is still sitting in its box, in the original packaging, unopened, and being used as a printer stand.
I suppose, technically, my teaching materials are owned by the school district. After all, our contracts do state that MISD has the rights to all intellectual and physical property created while under contract with the district. The oodles of ancilleraries given to us by text book companies may be owned by the state (since the text books are). Frankly, they can have it all because I don't use it anyway. Every year, I reinvent the wheel and create my own documents. Probably dumb, but that's the way it goes. If I chose to place any of these incredible docs on the internet, to the district's chagrin, CC would allow other educators to use my stuff for FREE. For that reason, I'm surprised we're even allowed to get on the internet.
Still cracking up about this one! If we have waited how many years now for the projectors, I suppose we'll have to wait about that much longer for the remotes. I turned mine on with a stick this morning (the whack stick), and my desktop showed up. That was exciting. But I sure would love to slap my Elmo on there somehow.
ReplyDeleteShould we hold our breath? The 'carbon copy' reference cracked me up too.
All I can think of is how dangerous it is to let the students you describe (and that we all teach) have control over what, how, and when to use and cite this kind of information. The only group I trust less is teachers; are we the blind leading the blind here?
ReplyDeleteAt least you have a projector. I still have the stubby pole sticking out of my ceiling. I guess it doesn't matter because either way (a projector with no remote or a stubby pole), it's useless.
ReplyDeleteI, too, reinvent the wheel every year. Of course, there are some things that I keep, but mostly, it seems like the district's requirements/goals/gripes/etc. and our students are constantly in a state of flux, so I have to constantly figure out ways to reach and/or satisfy both.