Disqus - Latest Comments for terryfreedman

Re: 5 Steps to Online Safety

terryfreedman — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 02:01:03 -0000

Good advice, Vicki. I like the relatively simple idea of taking a screenshot. However, I think a suitable topic for discussion, perhaps with oder students, is the legality and morality of taking a screenshot without the knowledge of the other person. Here in the UK, when you phone a company, you often get a message informing you that calls may be recorded for training purposes. Perhaps all school websites should carry a warning that emails and forum discussions may be recorded too?

Re: On boring VLEs

terryfreedman — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 12:26:56 -0000

I think that's a great analogy, Sarah, and a great quote: 'I admit it. VLEs are dull. But what goes on inside them doesn't need to be dull.'
http://bit.ly/3Qpvo

Re: Cool Cat Teacher Blog: I'm just helping: a look at electronic cheating by students

terryfreedman — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 19:09:09 -0000

At the risk of sounding completely out of whack with everyone else, I should like to suggest the following:
1. Cheating has always gone on, electronically or otherwise.
2. Sometimes cheating can be legitimate: I found when I was 14 that the ONLY way to avoid math detention every single week was to sit next to the brightest boy in the math class, and surreptitiously copy his answers. That leads me to the next point...
3. At some point, isn't it necessary to admit the possibility that cheating behavoiur is a legitimate response to poor teaching? Not in all cases, obviously, but in some?
4. In contrast to #3, it's hard to counteract a general culture and some parental upbringing that seems to reward cheating!
5. In my experience, kids live up or down to our expectations of them. I always assumed that the students in my class wouldn't cheat, and I reinforced this by making it clear that I would always know if they had -- you don't need electronic aids to recognise changes in writing style or plagiarism. Consequently, none ever cheated, as far as I know.
6. If a student finds a really good way to cheat, shouldn't they be be rewarded with a privileged position of working with the school to close cheatiing possibility loopholes? Like sensible companies do with computer hackers?
I admit that some of what I've written is slightly tongue-in-cheek, but I do think we all fret too much over this without thinking about it in a more creative way.

Re: Cool Cat Teacher Blog: Daily Spotlight on Education 09/15/2009

terryfreedman — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 10:45:55 -0000

Hi, Vicki, Terry Freedman here! Re: internet talk. I've booked to go on it, and so hope to report on it on my blog (www.ictineducation.org). Thx for mentioning it.

Re: Social Capital and EduBloggerCon

terryfreedman — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 18:39:02 -0000

I think the really important thing to bear in mind is that all of us at this time are pioneers. Next year will be even better, and then there will be other challenges!

Re: In Search of Motives More Pure

terryfreedman — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 17:44:41 -0000

There's nothing wrong with seeking fame, only for seeking it for the sake of self-aggrandisement. If you really believe in something and getting famous is the best way of spreading the message, what's wrong with that?

I think we have to distinguish between that sort of motivation, and that of wanting to be famous for being famous - the cult of celebrity.