Blog 20a - post schematic sturcure for webessay

I want to use an outline essay with nodes. The nodes will be on top of the webpage and when you click on a node it will take you the description.

Home page: I want to make this a colorful screen with pictures and different fonts.

Node 1: This will have the word "Hyper Attention", and when user clicks on this word it gives you the meaning and inform on the article it came from. Maybe I will include the wikipedia edit on hyper attention.

Node 2: This will have the word "Deep Attention" click on it and you will get the meaning and I want to put some pictures if front page will allow.

Node 3: A picture of a class room using deep attention with some information

Node 4: Some benefits of deep attention.


A lot of educators and parents have not heard of Hyper attention and this was evident when it was not listed on wikipedia, but multitasking was on their. This is true because Hayles coined that name Hyper attention. So the information and the defination will help educate the user.

Blog 20 - post draft for reflective essay

My reflective essay will be on:

Redemediation
Wikipedia
E Lit
Flashmob
Prousage
Hyper Attention
History of Technology

I want to write about the influence of technology on my life but I can't think of the words to use as a focus. I am also trying to see how each reading have or have not impacted my life.

So maybe, I will focus on the generational gap between my generation and the media generation. But I was looking at my notes and maybe I will focus on technology impact on pring world and why.

I like each reading and each was completely new experience to me. The one that I did not know the name for but or did not know I was a participant is PROUSAGE. I like that I am or can be a prouser. That related to the wikipedia article which my posting or my edit is still up.

I have my seven readings and now I must connect them.

Blog 19 - free blog or patterns for attending

Like what I stated in the previous blog, I am a deep attention person who is trying to be more hyper attention. So I am trying to look beyond they typical learning and heard some classmates talk about cleaning. Yes, maybe in this area I am more hyper attention because when I clean the house I put music on but I thought or did that to motivate my children to clean the house. The music helps them move. I do dance when I clean so in that aspect I guess I am hyper attention.

Blog 18a -write about patterns for attending

I was mixed up with the blogs so I will use alphabets and write out the topic. I will do the syllabus's blogs then the blog assignment on your web page.

My pattern for attention as you have already guest is deep attention. I think that I use deep attention more so than hyper attention because that is the way I was trained in school. I did not have all this media or digital exposure during my school years and that makes a hugh difference. I look at both me and my children and they do deep attention only when they want to solve a problem. I also think that their brain moves faster than mine. I am not saying that one way is smarter than the other, but I believe that it depends on a person's exposure to digital things and the way they teach them in school.


When I went to school it was only the teacher and book and library, but now the computers or technology is in the school system which in my opinion is great. With the technology you can learn more than just one way of doing something. I have more exposure to technology now so much so that I brought myself a laptop. My children use it more than me but I do use it sometimes. I like this new medium in which the people can be deep or hyper attention. I am trying to be more hyper attention but when I am it slows down my work process.


This exercise was good it helped to explain the difference and help me understand the technologic gap with my children and me.

Blog 18

1)
Well I use my cell and get on the internet and use my navigator system on my cell. I like the tv alot and find that if someone is talking to me I shut down. Especially when I watch "the young and the restless". I zone out and I don't like to be interrupted. Now my cell is different when it's just sitting on my bed or I am not using it, I like to take it and check my email or do local searches on the navigation system.

When I was 5, or 10 or even 15 computers were not a available as it is now. So my media is not so much the internet as my 15, and 13 year old. They were exp0sed to a computer at a very early age and I was not so they are more familiar with the technology than me.

2)
I can spend all day with the tv and love it. Sometimes I will read a book, but that is when I go out or drive my children around and want to give them some independence. I will drop them off and sit in my car and read a book. So I guess that my prefered media is tv and reading a book not off the computer. I just brought a laptop and for right now I only use it to see the soap opera I missed earilier.

3)
I use pencil and paper to do math. I learned to divide/multiply and calculate in my head so I rarely us a calculator. I remember going to school in Trinidad for 1 year and we had to do long division and get it correct the first time or the teacher/a nun would hit us on our hand with a ruler. Now I have learned to do my paper first on the computer, but I learned that this years. Before I would do it on paper then transfer it on the computer. But now I feel I have progressed and I put it on the computer first. I study using the material the prof gave me which is normally my notes, which I rewrite or the book from the class and I ask myself question from the book. For research I go to the library because I dont rely on the information from wikipedia.

4)
I drive with the radio on and only when I don't know where I am going do I use technology. Twice a week my family eats out but most of the meals I cook at home. I wish their was a robot to clean( but I do listen to music and solve no problems when I clean), do lanudry, and cook so I would not have to but for now the robot is me. I would gladly use a technology that can fix your car for free because now it is to expensive. I just went to the shop and brakes, fuel-injection, and oil change cost me $654.00 and that is too expensive.

5)like I said in point 1, if I have a day off or I got a chance to relax I would watch tv. When I watch tv I use deep attention.


Analyzing your patterns for attention:
a)
I am a 3 which is a person who uses deep attention when I do daily activities. I dont like to much noise or distraction. When I do my homework I wait until everyone in my house is asleep and I do my work because the noise gets on my nerves.

b)
Samething I am a deep attention person. I don't like a lot of stimuli around me when I am working.


6)Questions to think about.
a)
In none of the categories would I use Hyper attention. Even when my children argue and bring the problem to me I have to listen to them one at a time. And even who I pick first is a problem so we do "eneey-meeny-myni-moe" to choose who goes first.
b)
I feel that I do deep attention because I learned to do it that way.
c)
My pattern of attention is deep attention.

Blog 17 - Final Draft hypertext

When I sub-teach I realize the children are doing too many things at once. I normally sub in the preschool room and watch how the learn or interact with one another. This is the age that, as a teacher, you introduce school and learning to the preschoolers. Before that they were home with mom or dad and some did or did not have structure. Some know their alphabets and some don't. Some know Their numbers and some don't. It is the job of both parent and teacher to get them on level (whatever that is defined by the school system the preschoolers are in) and prepare them for their next grade. Prek takes them out of the home atmosphere and get them familiar with the classroom. I watch when they play which is a form of learning. It teaches the preschooler to share, communicate, and be independ from parents. During play they spend time in one area at a time. Such as reading center, building center, color or art center, and the grocery store. These center focus on specific learning abilities, for example; the reading center deals with reading and listen to the person read the book and following along. The building center is where the blocks are and it teaches the child to be creative, build whatever you want. These centers have a specific purpose so with this being said "Preschoolers should learn focusing on Deep attention".
Most school systems normally, in schools toddlers and or preschoolers learn a subject for 30 to 45 minutes. For instance they may spend that time learning colors, or numbers and sometimes both but that is not multitasking. When they learn colors or numbers they are related and it is not two completely different things. And they do learn different subjects at different time of the day. They also learn to share during play time and even that is separated. There is the reading center, the block center, art center, and a few other centers depending on the school. But these centers is where the toddler learns to share, communication, negotiate, planning ( to spend a different amount of time in a particular center), and most important independence(learning to solve a problem on their own with out parents).
So with these important life skills as an educator I want them to master these skills and once they have mastered these skills they can build on their foundation.

As an educator I must communicate to the parents of my toddlers or preschoolers that multitasking is not something they should introduce to their child at this particular age. Deep attention is what is benefitial now and the best learning stragedy.

Deep Attention as Katherine Hayles describes is the cognitive style tradtionally asssociated with the humanities, is characterized by concentrating on a single object for long peroids, ignoring ourside stimui while so engaged, preferring a single information stream, and having a high tolerance for long focus times.

As a parent and teacher I prefer the preschooler learns by deep attention vs hyper attention/multitasking.

According to Hayles article "Hyper and Deep Attention:The Generational Divide in Cognitive Modes" by Katherine Hayles. This article tells or explains multitasking or in some circles Hyper Attention is a genertation mindset. Multitasking or Hyper Attention is when a person performs more than just one task at a time. For example, if you are on the computer and are listing to your favorite itunes, than that is considered multiasking. Hayles talks about hyper attention as something new and is more evident in the generation that has been exposed to the computer. Hayles compares the mindsets and the person who is more likely to do multitasking. For instance, a person of my age (thirtyish) would not likely be considered a hyper attention person because our exposure was to do or be committed to one task at a time, which is called Deep attention. Deep attention is for example when a person focus on one task at a time like reading a book.


Hayles gives a good description of hyper and deep attention and the generational divide between hyper attention people and deep attention people. The mindset or the picutre of the mindset helps the reader identify which group they belong to.

Another article"you say multitasking like it's a good thing" by Charles J. Abate. This article tells us that multitasking was "coined in the computer engineering industry. In that context, it denotes the ability of microprocessor(the brain of a computer) to process seceral tasks simultaneously. Ironically, even the paradigmatic use of this term is demonstrably false. Microprocessors, as well as their current programmable cousins, cannot literally perform several tasks simultaneously. They are inherently linear in their operation and can perform only one task at a time" (pg 38). "When I use the term "multitasking I refer to an attempt by individuals to engage in several tasks in rapid linear succession (rather than simultaneously)."I agree with both articles, first you have to understand the word multitasking/hyper attention to see if it is benefical to young learners.
And the Hayles article helps us clarify hyper attention/deep attention as well as telling us the mindset. Now the article by Abate compares the human mind to a computer and tells us the falsehood of multitasking and the harm it will cause our young learners.
It is better to learn one thing at a time and when you a now learning information like the toddlers and preschoolers it is better to focus on the one task at a time. Yes we have made great advances in technology but that still does not or should not replace deep attention or deep learning. Maybe later on in school, like middle schooolers years you can introduce multitasking to that generation but all our children need a solid foundation and multitasking doesnot provide that. As Abate states it is a falsehood.

Hyper/Deep Attention Presentation

Hyper attention as Katherine Hayles describes it is "Characterized by switching focus rapidly among different tasks, preferring multiple information streams, seeking a high level of stimulation, and having a low tolerence for bordedom."(pg 187) Multitasking is the same as hyper attention more than one stimuli.

http://www.miniclip.com/games/en/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyper_attention
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_multitasking


Deep Atention also as Hayles describes is the cognitive style traditionally associated with the humanities, is characterized by concentrating on a single object for long periods(say, a novel by Dickens?, ignoring ouside stimuli while so engaged, preferring a single information stream, and having a high tolerance for long focus times." (pg 187)

Charles J. Abate

The Article "You say multiasking like it's a good thing" says multitasking is a myth. Term "multitasking" came from computer engineering industry.

--Microrprocessors cannot literally perform several tasks simutaneously. They are inherently linear in their operation and can perform only one task at a time.(pg38)

--So when we use "multitasking" it's an attempt by individuals to engage in several tasks in rapid linear succession (rather than simutaneously) where at least one of the tasks is a conceptual learning activity.

--Learning as defined by Webster is to gain knowledge, understand or skill by study or experience; memorize.

--For instance, when I am driving with the music blasting and I realize I am lost I turn down the volume to focus on finding my way. This article states that real learning can only happen one process at a time.

Blog 16 - Messy Hyper Draft

Should toddlers or preschoolers multitask?

To answer this question you must look or examine what is multitasking? According to Hayles article "Hyper and Deep Attention:The Generational Divide in Cognitive Modes" by Katherine Hayles. This article tells or explains multitasking or in some circles Hyper Attention is a genertation mindset. Multitasking or Hyper Attention is when a person performs more than just one task at a time. For example, if you are on the computer and are listing to your favorite itunes, than that is considered multiasking. Hayles talks about hyper attention as something new and is more evident in the generation that has been exposed to the computer. Hayles compares the mindsets and the person who is more likely to do multitasking. For instance, a person of my age (thirtyish) would not likely be considered a hyper attention person because our exposure was to do or be committed to one task at a time, which is called Deep attention. Deep attention is for example when a person focus on one task at a time like reading a book.

Hayles gives a good description of hyper and deep attention and the generational divide between hyper attention people and deep attention people. The mindset or the picutre of the mindset helps the reader identify which group they belong to.

Another article"you say multitasking like it's a good thing" by Charles J. Abate. This article tells us that multitasking was "coined in the computer engineering industry. In that context, it denotes the ability of microprocessor(the brain of a computer) to process seceral tasks simultaneously. Ironically, even the paradigmatic use of this term is demonstrably false. Microprocessors, as well as their current programmable cousins, cannot literally perform several tasks simultaneously. They are inherently linear in their operation and can perform only one task at a time" (pg 38). "When I use the term "multitasking I refer to an attempt by individuals to engage in several tasks in rapid linear succession (rather than simultaneously)."

I agree with both articles, first you have to understand the word multitasking/hyper attention to see if it is benefical to young learners. And the Hayles article helps us clarify hyper attention/deep attention as well as telling us the mindset. Now the article by Abate compares the human mind to a computer and tells us the falsehood of multitasking and the harm it will cause our young learners.

It is better to learn one thing at a time and when you a now learning information like the toddlers and preschoolers it is better to focus on the one task at a time. Yes we have made great advances in technology but that still does not or should not replace deep attention or deep learning. Maybe later on in school, like middle schooolers years you can introduce multitasking to that generation but all our children need a solid foundation and multitasking doesnot provide that. As Abate states it is a falsehood.

As an educator I must communicate to the parents of my toddlers or preschoolers that multitasking is not something they should introduce to their child at this particular age. Deep attention is what is benefitial now and the best learning stragedy.

Normally, in schools toddlers and or preschoolers learn a subject for 30 to 45 minutes. For instance they may spend that time learning colors, or numbers and sometimes both but that is not multitasking. When they learn colors or numbers they are related and it is not two completely different things. And they do learn different subjects at different time of the day. They also learn to share during play time and even that is separated. There is the reading center, the block center, art center, and a few other centers depending on the school. But these centers is where the toddler learns to share, communication, negotiate, planning ( to spend a different amount of time in a particular center), and most important independence(learning to solve a problem on their own with out parents). So with these important life skills as an educator I want them to master these skills and once they have mastered these skills they can build on their foundation.

So with the support of my articles and the importance of foundation building, toddlers/preschoolers should not multitask.

Blog 14a Hypertexting

I think this is what I am suppose to write about for this blog. I will use the outline format for my hypertext project.

Blog 15 Wiki update

OK so now I am having fun with my wiki post. The last time I wrote or edited the wiki page they took me down immediately. I wrote using the name missysmith300. So over the weekend I want to post something that would sound reliable. I tried getting back on missysmith300 but I forgot my password. So I created a new name missysmith181 and I edited the Human Multitasking page and I used my article http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_multitasking. My Edit starts with "The term miltitasking". And the post has not been taken down. I feel real good. I checked it when I woke up this morning and still it is up their. I choose this page because I don't believe humans can do multitasking and the article I attained supports my feeling.

When I first edited a page it was bad. I did not sound like I knew what I was talking about and I did not list an reference point. But this last time I looked at what was writing above where I would write and I followed the same tone (because that was my opinion also). But I think that if I did not use or reference the article they would have taken me down. The article showed authenticity and a reliable source. I guess this topic is fun at least as long as my edit stays up I enjoyed using wiki.

Blog 14

Revised Research Plan

1)Statement of Purpose:
Should Toddlers Multitask?
In doing my research some parents see multitasking as a benefit for their toddlers, but also their are some research that feel our" brains are linear and incapable of perform two seprate tasks simutaneously"(from article "You say multitasking like it's a good thing" by Charles J. Abate).

Then you have an article by Katherine Hayles "Hyper and Deep Attention: The Generational Divide in Cognitive Modes" and this article talks about Hyper and Deep Attention and the mindsets that support each function.

I will also supply websites that support or does not support each point whether multitasking, hyper/deep attention.

2)Detailed statement of your resesrch question:
I want to research Should toodlers multitask and if they do is it modeling or ture multitasking. And with the influence of the digital element in our lives, why are we talking more about multitasking/hyper attention versus deep attention?

3)List of information I gathered:

"Hyper and Deep Attention: The Generational Divide in Cognitive model", article by Katherine Hayles.

"You say multitasking like it's a good thing" by Charles J. Abate.

www.healthinschools.org/News-Room/EJournals/volu

www.kidscreen.com/articles/magazine/20070401/tasking.html

www.parentdish.com/2009/03/18/multitasking-is-not-alll-bad/



4)A preliminary list of surces:
That was the previous list.


5)A plan for gathering your information:
Most of the website think multitasking is a benefit. I will use the two articles and reference them more than the websites because the articles are from my mindset which is a toddler should focus on one thing at a time.


I hope this question is a strong one (Should Toddlers Multitask?)

Blog 13

My users for my website will be teachers, and parents.


Using the grids on pg 83
-I want to give a defination of Multitasking, Hyper Attention, Deep Attention, Tell the difference between ADHD.

Then with the TEACHERS (the group I am using as example) do
-benefits of multitasking and how effect learning
-disadvantages of multitasking and learning process


They can access information by reading outline. And I will use the outlined/ spoked that is on page 73-74 in "designing Websites".

I am still working out the process. If anyone have helpful information, I would welcome it.

Blog 12

So like I was saying about Hyper Attention/ Deep Attention/ Multitasking in blog 11, that it is so new most people don't even see it as a real thing. There is a lot of information on wikipedia about ADHD but that is Hyper Activity which has lead to the difficulty of a person to not focus. With Hyper Attention is like multitasking which is focusing on many things at once. Deep Attention is focusing on one thing at once. The question is not focusing (ADHD) but on how you focus and which way of focusing is best. And how you focus has to do with your mindset( more information when we do our presentation).


So with all this being said my wikipedia article was taken down before I left class and everyday after. I put it on and they take it down. I use articles and they take it down. And I think they take it down because the think it is ADHD.

So I will keep trying but I know they will just take it down.

Blog 11

After reading the first 3 chapters in the book, I went and looked at some educational sites. Then I went and looked at some school sites both were for readers and I am looking for a user friendly site. I am still looking but I have not found a site that I would like to include on my blog.



Audience
My audience will be for both parents and educators. These two groups would benefit with my research on Hyper Attention/ Deep Attention / Multitasking in preschoolers. With these two groups I need to have a balance of reading and using on my site. I don't want to bore them because they will loose interest. And I don't want my site to be just completely "user" then I would loose the importance of the material.


Purpose
The purpose of this site is to inform and educate anyone especially educators and parents on the effects ,if any, of Hyper Attention/ Deep Attention/ Multitasking have on our preschoolers. I will include what those three words mean, the mindsite behind each word, and the benefit or disadvantages.


Focus
Will be the preschooler and which of the three connects to a stronger learner and which of these is a distraction. Most parents don't even know Hyper Attention exist ( and that will be discussed furthet in blog 12). Everyone knows about multitasking but for older children and adults. So it would be interesting (for me at least) to research this HyperAttention/Deep Attention/ Multitasking in preschoolers.

Blog 10

My web/hyper text assignment will be on Hyper Attention in the pre-schoolers K-3 grade level(multitasking/ Deep attention). Unlike Celia who is researching Generation M. I choose preschoolers because that is the area of teaching I will be going into. I want to investigate the pros and cons of hyper attention/ deep attention in that age group.

I learned in child psychology that by the time we reach the age of 6 all the brain cells we will ever have for our entire life are formed. And all the characteristic we have at 6, is the same characteristic we have now,as adults. I also know if you want to teach a child a new language you should do it before 5 years old, because it is much easier to learn during the first 5 years. So much growth in the brain goes on during birth to 6 years old. We may loose some brain cells throughout our lives by the over use of drug or with any type of brain surgery. But we will never produce any new brain cells. Did you ever see the "No Drugs" commerical where there is an egg in a pot cooking on the stove and the commentator says "this is your brains on drugs". Well that is true. Once we loose those brain cells, we can never create new ones.

During an Oprah show, a little girl who was deprived of any social interactions or stimulus of any kind for an expented period of time. So because of the lack of stimuli she lost brain cells and they will never be replaced.

I want to see the effects (if any) on our preschoolers with hyper attention/ multitasking/deep attention during those formative years. Also Alison gave me an article on "You say multitasking like it's a good thing" by Charles J. Abate. This article came from the NEATODAY magazine, which is a teaching magazine. Charles Abate is a professor of electrical and computer engineering techonolgy at Onondaga Community College, in Syracuse, New York, where he has taught for the past 25 years. I will be using this article in my research, as well as other articles, links and anything interesting that I can find. Thanks Alison.


Some questions I will try to answer:

Is hyper attention/multitasking/deep attention a plus or minus for children k-3?

How does this effect their learning abilities in school or home?

Is their anything parents or schools can do to help or hinder hyper attention/ multitasking/
deep attention?

Is this a good or bad stimuli for this age group?

What amount of stimuli is good for preschoolers?

Do preschoolers model their parents technological behavior?

At what age do parents introduce computers to a child?


This topic is really interesting to me being I am both mother and soon to be educator, and I want to see how this effects or children specially preschoolers.

Blog 9

"The Key Characteristics of Produsage"


This article was interesting. It showed the "Traditional" ways companies dealt with the production. This was not a benefit to the consumer (me). I had no active role in the production of the product. The traditional way kept me, the consumer out. For example on page 10, it showed the consumers of Ford Motor Company, "you can have any color you like, as long as it's black." This was how they use to treat (us) the consumer, big companies treated us as though we were brainless ATM machines that will just buy what they produce. But moving from the industrial to an informational economy, the consumers have more of an active role. Now we have a networked information economy which is the decentralization of individual action. This means I can participate in the production, and my imput was now needed and required. My voice counted and that was always a good thing. von Hippel (pg 14) called it "hive minds" that were communities or networks of individuals or organizations that redezvous around an information commons, and open to all equal terms. Now with the internet and the WWW, I the consumer can go to a site (that site gets a hit, and the hit shows how many people needed that information, also shows the popularity of a site) and show my interest in the information on that site. So by my actions I have participated and became active in that site being up and running. Still on page 14 "for consumers turned users, the media are no longer "something that is done to them", as Shirky had descrived to the tratitional model; they become much more actively involved in shaping their won media and network usage".



Connections to;

1)Flashmob - the connection to this article and the flashmob was that as an individual my opinion counts or my participation counts. With the flashmob concept by using text messages to get a group of people in a particular place at a particular time was an extension of produsage. The flashmob they want me to phyiscally show up and dance, sing , kiss or whatever. So as an individual I am participating but in a more physical way.

2)Wikipedia - has the connection to this article again as an individual, but an individual with some facts on the topic at hand. Wikipedia is like the "hive mind." Yes, I can participate but I must be ready to prove my opinions. I can't just put something on wikipedia without being challenged on that information. Yes, I can participate but it must be responsible.

3)Remediation - produsage is a good example of remediation which is a tradition that was changed by technology. Because of technology I don't have to pick the color of a car by what I see infront of me. Now I can request the color I want and if the car company wants my sale they must produce the color I want. The traditional production had consumers as inactive just brainless checkbooks, but now with the network information economy the consumers were now active. You can see this with the colors of some cars you driving on the streets. The rust color car was not the average or standard car color. But now you see that color, because some consumers requested that color, and the car companies (not wanting to loose a sale) created that color to please that consumer. Instead of the company picking the colors for consumer, the consumer can request the color they want.


4)Internet Mindset - produsage connects with the article by Lankshear and Knobel. Produsage would connect with mindset 2, which shows the world as "decentered". That means (if I were thinking in Mindset 2) that my opionion counts and that I can/will effect change because I am part of a collective of others that feel rust would be a nice color for a car.

Blob 8

I went on wikipedia and started looking on Education sites. There are so many and I have not pinpointed what exactly I would do on education. I am back and forth on wikipedia and my blog. I created my account and just played around in wikipedia. I looked at recent changes on wikipedia and their were a few. I just assume that the information was always correct. And some how a bunch of scientist were updating the system. Wow now I am one of those scientist.


So I wanted to look at my topic which is hyper activity and I copy and paste some websties.

http://www.continuouspartialattention.com/
http://clearinghouse.missouriwestern.edu/manuscripts/520.asp



I think this should be very interesting project.

Blog 7

The presentation in class was great. I learned a lot about "smart mobs". I guess in the world of print I think the voting process can be classified as a smart mob(past and present). I remember post Obama, when you would wake up early or maybe on your lunch hour and go vote. And the voting was all done in one day, between certain time. But with the Obama campaign, they used the smart mob effectively. I signed up on my cell phone by sending a text to a number and they would send me out specific time and places where Obama would be. And on election day or before election day they would text you what the times were to vote and if we had any problems to contact them by text. The text would also tell you to go early because they were expecting long lines. This was for New Jersey so I guess they did this process all over America. And at the end of the day, they would send out a text message thanking you for voting.


So I would use this as a remediation of how we use to vote. I am sure that next election both sides would use this technique because it is very effective.


For the future I see more of the digital influence than print. Most newspapers say their sales have fallen downward. Most people get their information from internet or cell phone. And I see more local elections using the "smart mob" to get people out to vote.

Blog 6- Final Draft

Suzanne Armstrong Literacy/Technology Narrative 2/19/09 Final Draft

My digital walls are breaking down. No matter where I turn I see something digital. In the grocery store when I buy food and most of the cashiers got fired and there is one left and her/his line is extremely long. Thank goodness I brought one of my children with me to help check out on the new automated system. Going to the bank to get some money or make a transaction, but I have to be there before 3pm if I want to talk to a human instead of my ATM machine. And of course, on the phone of any business, which is nerve racking. Sometimes I just keep hitting zero over and over again, but now the company realizes this and say “sorry you have hit an incorrect number”. I guess the joke is on me now. It may sound as if I dislike the technology that we are in but I don’t sometimes I just want to talk to a human. Sometimes I just want to hear a voice, see a smiling face, and shake a hand. I don’t think that is too much to ask. I like no I love my cell phone. I love that I can go on the internet anytime and check my email. I like that I can go on my children’s school web page and pull up their grades daily without having to talk to a teacher, but if I want to talk to a teacher I can leave an email. I like that freedom and flexibility that the digital world brings. As a writer it is much more difficult. Surprisingly, this is my first writing assignment that I did not print first. I did, however, do my outline in print, but I am taking a huge jump by typing the body before writing it. I was not always this adventurous with my digital life, it has and is a challenge but I am willing to work at it, hence the Cyberspace class.


Suzanne Armstrong Literacy/Technology Narrative 2/19/09 Final Draft

This digital change is necessary now because of the classes I am taken and the overwhelming need to go DIGITAL. It is part of my world now and I must adapt.
I remember my first experience with writing for me was at age 12. Yes, I learned to write in elementary school, but I mean the freedom of writing for myself and it was a wonderful feeling. The ability to take a pen to paper, write down what ever you are feeling or what is on your mind is a freeing experience. Yes, typing is good, but writing to me seems more personal. To me writing is more intimae than typing. It was challenging time in my life when my writing became my lifesaver. Writing saved my life when my parents were going through a Divorce. My writing represented peace, comfort and constant during a time in my life where there was no peace, no comfort, and now consistency. Writing consoled me during my parents divorce by just being there. No matter what time of day as long as I had a pen and paper, I had a friend.
But even before my parents divorce I still don’t remember them reading to me or teaching me to write. That job fell to my aunt ( my mother’s baby sister) and she gladly accepted that role. I do remember my Aunt Jem playing school with my sister and me. She was a tough teacher and would not let us go to sleep until we read from a book she chooses. My parent left her in complete control with us and she was drunk with power. But she did teach us to read and do math. Aunt Jem was 12 or 13 years old at the time she was our teacher. I remember having all the Dr Seuss’s books.


Suzanne Armstrong Literacy/Technology Narrative 2/19/09 Final Draft

The one book I read and loved was Charlotte’s Web. I loved the spider and the different names she would create for Wilbur so the farmer would not kill him. “Amazing” and “Wonderful” are just a few of the names I remembered.
After my elementary school years, reading just became a job. I read for projects, tests, school but not for fun. My Aunt Jem’s school was during the summer because during the school year she had her own school work to do and my sister and I loved that. I called my aunt when I had to do this and we just laughed. She lives in Florida now and is an Executive at Chase Bank. She told me she was happy to be an aunt and wanted her nieces to know most of the work when we attended school. I know she did it out of love but back then it seems like torture. But on the phone I THANKED her for loving us so much as to teach us the basic foundation for my life of literacy (reading, writing, and math). In my aunt’s case teaching was not a “Thankless Job”.
Everything we did was non-digital. There was no digital when I was in school. There was only print. When I moved from Brooklyn to Piscataway, I wrote letters to my friends or family. Sometimes at night I would call, but calling was very expensive. You see there was local, regional, and long distance calling and the rates were high. So my father said “if you have to talk to anybody from Brooklyn just write”, and stamps were just 25cents. I remember our first month in Piscataway and we (my sisters and I) missed our friends so much that we ran up a 900.00 phone bill. My father yelled so much that he lost his voice. I can tell you that never happened again, and the mailman became our friend.

Suzanne Armstrong Literacy/Technology Narrative 2/19/09 Final Draft

When my friends got together we talked about boys. And who was cute, who was dating who, who was pregnant, and about fashion. I could only see my friends when my father went to his mother’s house in Brooklyn. That was once every 2 months. But sometimes my Dad said “you guys need to spend time with your family and tell your friends you will see them next visit”. When we were with my family it was a lot of old people talking about the olden days ( I guess now my kids would say the same when me and my family gets together). Both with my friends and family we just sat and talk and eat and just have a good time with one another. We enjoyed each others company, but if we were at my Aunt Pat house there is no tv in her living room. Juts this Christmas we/the family were complaining that she should put in a tv, but she says “you come to visit (talk to her) not watch tv.”
This non-digital experience made me a better communicator. I knew when to listen and when to talk. I would see gestures and learn social cues. I feel some of these qualities are list in the digital world.
My first digital experience was a job after high school and I was a receptionist. I am laughing just thinking about that job. I was maybe 19 years old, I am not sure, anyway I worked for Kelly Agency and they sent me to Dean Witter or Morgan Stanley, which is a Brokerage firm. This office was in Somerset, New Jersey. So they put me on the front desk and my job was to answer the phone with the thousands of buttons.


Suzanne Armstrong Literacy/Technology Narrative 2/19/09 Final Draft

Yes a thousand buttons, and I was suppose to say “GOOD MORNING DEAN WITTER, HOW MAY I HELP YOU”? But I would say “GOOD MORNING DEAN WITNER, HOW MAY I HELP YOU”? It got so bad that on one phone call the person calling had to tell me the correct pronunciation of the company I was answering the phone for. You could imagine, Dean Witter told me not to come back. That was so funny I just could not get that name out the right way. And I did not even get a chance to do any data entry. I was so busy with the phone calls I did not do any work on the computer. At Kelly Agency you had to train for the positions you wanted, and I was a good data entry person. So that was my first experience with the computer. It should have been at Dean Witter, but it was at Kelly Agency. I love telling that story because no one expects you to train for the phones.
My digital familiarity came from my jobs I held. Most people did not have a computer at home and at the job you were being trained on the computer. I remember working at AT&T and the monitor was so big and the screen small and green. There were only one or two people on the computer and it ran so slow. All you could do was enter information in this object that looked like a tv. Even with my digital introduction, I still kept my print life and digital life separate.
With my cell phone now how I interact with my friends and family is completely different. I just text with the ones younger than me and use the phone with the ones older than myself but when I text I forget and write or spell the whole word out.

Suzanne Armstrong Literacy/Technology Narrative 2/19/09 Final Draft

Texting is ok but I like talking on the phone. I mostly text with my children and my sisters, but with my Aunts, Grandmother, Father I use the phone. My younger sister is still trying to get me on my space. I told her just this weekend did you hear that they shut down 99,000 child predators on my space. And her comment was “you are not a child”. I said, “I know I am not a child, but I don’t like opening myself to the world”. She says she uses it for her business (Real Estate), but I am not comfortable with that yet.
I read on the computer for school. Sometimes if I am going out I print and read the material when I am out. Most of my digital experience is from school. My personal life just has the cell and some email. When winter break or spring bread or summer time comes around I don’t get on the computer at all. I only use it for school. My kids are trying to convince me to get a laptop, but that is big step for me.
I still like reading and writing in print. I like holding the book and not feeling confined to one set place ( but a laptop would fix that). I love putting pen to paper. I like seeing the page curl upwards after I write on the complete page. And sometimes when I write a lot my hand hurts. Like I said earlier this is my first paper that I am writing on the computer first and not print first. I did not my outline on paper. Its ok for example, I don’t have to erase or draw a line through a word, sentence, or paragraph. But my wrists hurt from typing so much.
Most of my experience is print. The little digital experience I had is from school. I had to buy an ebook for my history class and I think that was a ripe off. It was here at Kean and the book was only good for one semester and it was $120.

Suzanne Armstrong Literacy/Technology Narrative 2/19/09 Final Draft

That was highway robbery. If I were to by a text it would be good for as long as I have the book. But the bad thing about buying a school book is that you pay $100 for it at the beginning of semester and when you want to sell it back at the same book store it is not worth $25, and then you see it on the shelf the following semester, used for $60. It’s all a scam.
I am still learning the technology of the time. Now if I had to write a paper I would probably do my draft on the computer first, so that has changed. Work and school yes, that has changed, but socially no I am not ready yet.
Reflection
Looking over what I wrote about digital or print, and I see may pattern as willing to learn. There is an improvement in digital when it comes to space saving and a more effective writing pattern. But as for reading I like holding the book in my hand. As a writer I see and will use the computer as a positive tool, but as for reading I think I will stick with my books in hand.
My parents divorce is an experience that enhanced my relationship to writing. I think I will still keep my journal as paper but assignments I will use digital. I still see the reluctance to change when it comes to personal things. Like my journal and personal writings. I still have a protective nature when it comes to my deep writing or writing for myself.


Suzanne Armstrong Literacy/Technology Narrative 2/19/09 Final Draft

I love to write. It is so freeing to me. It allows me to say, be, or do what ever I feel with no consequences. May be one day I will let others read it but for not is by me and for me only.
My personal writings will be done on print for now and I don’t see myself changing but I will keep an open mind.
But I still see the lack of intimacy I have with the digital world. I use it because I have to and not because I want to. Hopefully, in the years to come that will change.

Blog 5

Maybe I will write about the difficulities in educating to the Hyper Attention generation. It is becoming increasingly hard to teach to students who loose attention so quickly. When I sub- teach in the 1st to 4th grade classes the students are always looking for something to keep them entertained but this is the classes you set the foundation of reading, writing, and math especially in the first grade. We do want the children to be computer literate but what about reading and writing literate. The things you attain in the class room are the things a computer can not give you or teach you. The basic penmanship, encoding, decoding, phonics and show the connection of all skills to make you a stronger student. And as a teacher you want the children to be interested in the subject. I do not want to compete with a computer.

Just yesterday my kids said "mom you should go out more" I said "after all the things I do during the week (chauffeuring you and your sister to different events, going to school myself, cooking, cleaning, doing homework, keeping my marriage interesting, do you really think I want to add something else on my plate? So on the weekends I just want to stay home and get some me time." they said "that's boring" and I said " why do you guys feel the need to be entertained all the time and why does that mean boredom"? I said "I just like to soaking in the tub for an hour and hear my thoughts. I just like being alone". My kids equate being alone as being bored and that is far from the truth. This is just one example of the younger generation believing that there must always be a stimulus. Another example, is that I have to keep reminding them that dinner time is family conversation time. We can't eat together every day but a least 3 times a week and a must on Sunday. But even though they know this, I still see a psp or cell phone in handwhen coming to the dinner table, and I have to say turn it off. I want them to know the importance of talking and listening and learning physical gestures when people talk and looking at someone when they speak. I value that just having a good conversatation, and I feel that is being lost with this digital generation. I adjust also, I play video games with them (Grand theft auto is to busy for me, but I do like the football and basketball but I love pacman). So I share in the transition. I just don't ask them to change, I try to change also.

This is one of many problems I see with Hyper Attention always having stimulus. Deep attention also has its disadvantages (as the article states). With deep attention it is hard to be flexible and in this time you must be flexible.

Both Hyper and Deep attention has its advantages and disadvantages.

I dont know what I will post on Wikipedia, when I look at the website its a dictionary and encyclopedia all wrapped up in one. I would include some ways to lessen the generational gap between digital and print in the house like JUST TURING OFF THE COMPUTER. I am still thinking about what else I want to put on their. It would have to connect to hyper and deep attention.

Blog 4

Suzanne Armstrong Literacy/Technology Narrative 2/9/09 Draft 1

My digital walls are breaking down. No matter where I turn I see something digital. In the grocery store when I buy food and most of the cashiers got fired and there is one left and her/his line is extremely long. Thank goodness I brought one of my children with me. Going to the bank to get some money or make a transaction, but I have to be there before 3pm if I want to talk to a human instead of my ATM machine. And of course, on the phone of any business, which is nerve racking. Sometimes I just keep hitting zero over and over again, but now the company realizes this and say “sorry you have hit an incorrect number”. I guess the joke is on me now. It may sound as if I dislike the technology that we are in but I don’t sometimes I just want to talk to a human. I like ,no, I love my cell phone. I love that I can go on the internet anytime and check my email. I like that I can go on my children’s school web page and pull up their grades daily without having to talk to a teacher, but if I want to talk to a teacher I can leave an email. I like that freedom and flexibility that the digital world brings. As a writer it is much more difficult. Surprisingly, this is my first writing assignment that I did not print first. I did however do my outline in print, but I am taking a huge jump. I was not always this adventurous with my digital life, it has and is a challenge but I am willing to work at it, hence the Cyberspace class.




Suzanne Armstrong Literacy/Technology Narrative 2/9/09 Draft 1

I remember my first experience with writing for me was at age 12. Yes, I learned to write in elementary school, but I mean the freedom of writing for myself. It was a challenging time in my life. My writing was my lifesaver. It’s funny what you can remember as a child. I don’t remember my parents reading to me when I was little. I do remember my Aunt Jem playing school with my sister and me. She was a tough teacher and would not let us go to sleep until we read from a book of her choice. My parent left her in complete control with us and she was drunk with power. But she did teach us to read and do math. Aunt Jem was 12 or 13 years old at the time she was our teacher. I remember having all the Dr Seuss’s books. The one book I read and loved was Charlotte’s Web. I loved the spider and the different names she would create for Wilbur so the farmer would not kill him. “Amazing” and “Wonderful” are just a few of the names I remembered. After that reading just became a job, I read for projects, tests, school but not for fun. My Aunt Jem’s school was during the summer because during the school year she had her own school work to do and my sister and I loved that. I called my aunt when I had to do this and we just laughed and talked about her school. She lives in Florida now and is an Executive at Chase Bank. She told me she was happy to be an aunt and wanted her nieces to know most of the work before we attended school. I know she did it out of love but back then it seemed like torture.



Suzanne Armstrong Literacy/Technology Narrative 2/9/09 Draft 1
My first digital experience was a job after high school and I was a receptionist. I am laughing just thinking about that job. I was maybe 19 years old, I am not sure, anyway I worked for Kelly Agency and they sent me to Dean Witter or Morgan Stanley, which is a Brokerage firm. This office was in Somerset, New Jersey. So they put me on the front desk and my job was to answer the phone with the thousands of buttons. Yes a thousand buttons, and I was suppose to say “GOOD MORNING DEAN WITTER, HOW MAY I HELP YOU”? But I would say “GOOD MORNING DEAN WITNER, HOW MAY I HELP YOU”? It got so bad that on one phone call the person calling had to tell me the correct pronunciation of the company I was answering the phone for. You could imagine, Dean Witter told me not to come back. That was so funny I just could not get that name out the right way. And I did not even get a chance to do any data entry. I was so busy with the phone calls I did not do any work on the computer. At Kelly Agency you had to train for the positions you wanted, and I was a good data entry person. So that was my first experience with the computer. It should have been at Dean Witter, but it was at Kelly Agency. I love telling that story because no one expects you to train for the phones.
My digital familiarity came from the jobs I held. Most people did not have a computer at home and at the job you were being paid while training on the computer. I remember working at AT&T and the monitor was so big and the screen small and green. There was only one or two people on the computer and it ran so slow. All you could do was enter information in this object that looked like a tv.

Suzanne Armstrong Literacy/Technology Narrative 2/9/09 Draft 1

Everything we did was non-digital. There was no digital when I was in school. There was only print. When I moved from Brooklyn to Piscataway, I wrote letters to my friends and family. Sometimes at night I would call, but calling was very expensive. You see there was local, regional, and long distance calling and the rates were high. So my father said “if you have to talk to anybody from Brooklyn just write”, and stamps were just 25cents. I remember our first month in Piscataway and we (my sisters and I) missed our friends so much that we ran up a $900 phone bill. My father yelled so much that he lost his voice. I can tell you that never happened again, and the mailman became our friend.
When my friends got together we talked about boys. Who was cute, who was dating who, who was pregnant, and about fashion. I could only see my friends when my father went to his mother’s house in Brooklyn. That was once every 2 months. But sometimes my Dad said “you guys need to spend time with your family and tell your friends you will see them next visit”. When we were with my family it was a lot of old people talking about the olden days ( I guess now my kids would say the same when me and my family get together). With both my friends and family we just sat and talk and eat and just have a good time with one another. We enjoyed each others company, but if we were at my Aunt Pat house there is no tv in her living room. Just this Christmas we/the family were complaining that she should put in a tv, but she says “you came to visit (talk to her) not watch tv.”

Suzanne Armstrong Literacy/Technology Narrative 2/9/09 Draft 1
Now with my cell phone the interaction with my friends and family is completely different. I just text with the ones younger than me and use the phone with the ones older than myself but when I text I forget and write or spell the whole word out. Texting is ok but I like talking on the phone. I mostly text with my children and my sisters, but with my Aunts, Grandmother, Father I use the phone. My younger sister is still trying to get me on my space. I told her just this weekend did you hear that they shut down 99,000 child predators on my space. And her comment was “you are not a child”. I said, “I know I am not a child, but I don’t like opening myself to the world”. She says she uses it for her business (Real Estate), but I am not comfortable with that yet even for her.
I read on the computer for school. Sometimes if I am going out I print and read the material when I am out. Most of my digital experience is for school. My personal life just has the cell and some email. When winter break or spring break or summer time comes around I don’t get on the computer at all. I only use it for school. My kids are trying to convince me to get a laptop, but that is big step for me.
I still like reading and writing in print. I like holding the book and not feeling confined to one set place ( but a laptop would fix that). I love putting pen to paper. I like seeing the page curl upwards after I write on the complete page. And sometimes when I write a lot my hand hurts. Like I said earlier this is my first paper that I am writing on the computer first and not print first. I did my outline on paper. Its ok for example, I don’t have to erase or draw a line through a word, sentence, or paragraph. But my wrists hurts from typing so much.

Suzanne Armstrong Literacy/Technology Narrative 2/9/09 Draft 1

Most of my experience is print. The little digital experience I had is from school. For example,I had to buy an ebook for my history class and I think that was a rip off. It was here at Kean and the book was only good for one semester and it was $120. That was highway robbery. If I were to by a text it would be good for as long as I have the book. But the bad thing about buying a school book is that you pay $100 for it at the beginning of semester and when you want to sell it back at the same book store it is not worth $25, then you see it on the shelf the following semester, used for $60. It’s all a scam.
I am still learning the technology of the time. Now if I had to write a paper I would probably do my draft on the computer first, so that has changed. Work and school yes, that has changed, but socially no I am not ready yet.











Suzanne Armstrong Literacy/Technology Narrative 2/9/09 Draft 1
Reflection
Looking over what I wrote about digital or print, and I see may pattern as willing to learn. There is an improvement in digital when it comes to space saving and a more effective writing pattern. But as for reading I like holding the book in my hand. As a writer I see and will use the computer as a positive tool, but as for reading I think I will stick with my books in hand.
My parents divorce is an experience that enhanced my relationship to writing. I think I will still keep my journal as paper but school or work assignments I will use digital. I still see the reluctance to change when it comes to personal things. Like my journal and personal writings. I still have a protective nature when it comes to my deep writing or writing for myself.
I love to write. It is so freeing to me. It allows me to say, be, or do what ever I feel with no consequences. May be one day I will let others read it but for not is by me and for me only.
My personal writings will be done on print for now and I don’t see myself changing but I will keep an open mind.

Blog 3

The Sampling "the New" in New Literacies article was a good read. I liked how the article started with the basics of Literacies. I mean to show us what the basic meaning is thought to be (pg 2) "If we see literacy as "simply reading and writing" -whether in the sense of encoding and decoding print, as a tool, a set of skills, or a technology, or as some kind of psychological process - we cannot make sense of our literacy experience. "Reading (or writing) is always reading something in particular with understanding". The understanding is what I look for in a student because that shows me they get it. They can take that basic information and build on it, or strech it and they can do that because they understand it. They took that reading, writing and the understanding and it evolved. Just like the internet which was first used by our government for military purpose and because others understood it, it evolved. Today the internet is so many different things for example, who would of thought 10 years ago that kids would rather text than talk on the phone. That you can make a date with someone you never met. Talk with some one clear across the world. I am inspired with this article.


I also liked the part on Discourse (pg 3). It shows the importance of social influence, which is the primary discourse "is how we learn to do and be (including speaking and expressing) within our family (or face to face intimate) group during our early life. And than the secondary discourse, which is "(and we each have many of these, although they differ from person to person) are those we are recruited to through participation in outside groups and instituations, such as schools, clubs, workplaces, churches, political organizations, and so on". As an Education major we are taught to examine and direct the shaping of these clusters in the class room to better educate the children. For example, as a teacher I might place a honor roll student with a student who is having problems in my class or I would have my students work in groups to pull their resourses and work as a team after my lecture. This shows the importance of the social element in influence a positive learning experience in the class room.


Another interesting part of this article is the Mindset table (pg 11). I would find myself in the mindset 1 table. Because when I was in school we steered to individual learning. There were no group learning experience in my past. It was completely individual work. This experience was good and bad. The bad was that you trusted no one and you learned to depend on only yourself in school. Maybe this is why I can't see myself on myspace or facebook. Because I don't trust meeting someone that I can't physically see. Who knows I am still working on that. The good is that I learn to be self-reliant. Now the mindset 2 is my kids. They are either on the computer or cell texting or im their friends or playing video games with some one in a different country. In school they learn to work together and share ideals. It's more of a team atmosphere at home, play, or in school. I like it but I try to teach them to learn to spend time with themselves. It is good to know and love yourself. I teach them to be balanced. I like that they meet different teens, but it is also important to know and love yourself first. They are also teaching me to be more digital and so when I want to send them a message I text it or email it, but sometimes I leave a voice message.


I also notices the Web1.0/Web 2.0 (pg 16). I think its up to Web 5.0 now? I remember using netscape to get information. I also remember friends putting up webpages, and now we blog. The mind is a wonderful thing and as an educator the possibilities are endless and I like that and that is why I enjoyed reading this article.

Blog 2

I read over the reading list and so far I have the best of 3. First is the "Hayles, Hyper and Deep Attention". I like this one because I am a mother and my 15 year old and 13 year old does everything so fast. They grew up with a computer in the house, because I got a computer before they started school. And they know so much, the way they process information is scary. My kids both can process information quickly. It is like their brains run like the computer. And they both talk very fast. When ever I have a conversation with them I have to ask them to repeat what they say several times. So by reading this article it may help me better understand how the computer influence the way their minds process information. I on the other hand was not raised with a computer and I think every thing over completely. Maybe that is the wrong word my mind processes information, not like a computer. I don't know, but it is very interesting to see the differences in the way we process information. They (my kids) are always telling me to speak faster. It seems like they loose attention quickly. And that leads me into Deep Attention.


I can't say they don't have Deep Attention because they are advanced students. So that has to show deep attention. And they can pay attention to so many things at once. I was raised to do one thing at a time and it would be done well, but is that saying still true? It is really a generation gap. The information they know now is what I was learning in 11 or 12th grade. I don't mean the education information but the LIFE information. The amount of information that is available to our children is a hard pill to swallow. But I try to keep the communication open. So these are just a few reasons I am interested in the previous topic but options are still open.

Wickipedia is a good reading also. I remember having those big encyclopedias in my home growing up. It is so much easier to go on wikipedia than storing and looking through those books.

Another reading I was looking at was the Electronic Literature, but that seems a little confusing to me. I think it is books or a summary of books to read. It was colorful but I don't know. It is a shaky top 3.


I have a few interesting readings to choose from and no mattter which one I choose I have to add the change from when I grew up and used only print to now where most things are digital. I have to add I just love my cell phone. It frees up a lot of space in my bag.

Blog 1

So I have successfully created my second blog on my gmail account. I did not know I could do that but I clicked on every button and read and created my new account. I also emailed it to our Prof. Then I went to the "Is the Internet a US invention?" and filled in a few of my experiences with computers and internet. I have a limited amount of experiences but I am willing to learn.

Since this was my only google.doc I guess it was ok. I mean once I got access to use the or put the information on the timeline it was fun. What I really enjoyed is putting my experiences on the timeline. I know it is a lot of information we had to read but that part was not so much fun. It is always fun when you talk or share your own experiences.

Reading my classmates entry was interesting also. It kind of gave or showed a piece of their personality.

Of course, some difficulties with using the google. docs was that only 5 classmates can go and add information at a time. I like working at night so I guess that was good for me because when I went on I was able to add some of my information.

On the entries I would have liked to see the person's name that made the entry instead of going to the other page to see the names. As I said before I liked the adding of each person's personal experience with the computer or internet.