Thursday, May 29, 2014

Multimodal Presentation on Scrapbooking

May 29, 2014


I have developed a passion for scrapbooking the lives of my family over the past 14 years.  I enjoy taking pictures of each activity and event and documenting these in my scrapbooks.  I have developed great friendships through this hobby and spend countless hours creating keepsakes that I hope my daughters and extended family will treasure.  I take great pride in my creations and hope you will enjoy viewing many of my own scrapbook pages in this presentation.


Multimodal Presentation

June 4, 2014

Self-Assessment of Multimodal Text

Readability
                Is the typeface attractive and readable?
                Are there any statistics or other data that would be easier to read in a chart, graph, or table?
                Is high-contrast text, including boldface and all caps, brief enough to be legible? 

As far as the readability of my multimodal text project on scrapbooking, I believe the typeface I used was attractive and legible.  I used a variety of color to create feeling of calm and serenity because scrapbooking to me is a pleasant and relaxing hobby in which I can express my creativity and uniqueness.  In composing this multimodal text I did not think to utilize any graphs or statistics of data but could do so in researching how popular scrapbooking has become as a hobby in general. 

In reviewing other multimodal texts I realize I could have and probably should have included some statistics or history as well as the definition of scrapbooking.  I believe it would be a relevant and surprising statistic to find out many people find scrapbooking as “cheaper than therapy”.


Images and Other Graphics
       What do images and other graphics contribute? Do they illustrate a concept? highlight an important point? show something that is difficult to describe in words alone? If the images and other graphics are only decorative, consider removing them.
Many of my graphics and images are my own personal creations of scrapbook pages.  I found classmates that reviewed my project were interested to see the pages I had scrapbooked and the activities my family in which my family enjoys.  I think by seeing the pages as well as all the materials that are needed to preserve memories was adequate and essential in stressing the importance of archival quality. However, I know that in revising my multimodal text project I will attempt to expound on the archival quality symbol that was retrieved from Wikipedia.

Overall, I found that creating this multimodal text project, it was difficult for me to compose slides with five or less words.  I see the need to be concise and use the photos for focus but less than five words makes it difficult to title the slide and also explain the relevance of the photo.

       Are images and other graphics the right size—big enough to read or to see the important detail?
I believe my photos were the right size for detail to be seen clearly.

       Do images have an obvious focus? Will readers see the part that matters? If not, consider if you can crop the image.
My images did have an obvious focus and I know readers did see the part that mattered especially when viewing my own scrapbook pages.

       Are the charts, graphs, maps, or other graphics clear and informative? 

N/A

       If color is used, is it appropriate to the audience and purpose? Does color direct emphasis where it belongs? Are too many colors used?

I believe the use of color in my presentation had a purpose and was relevant to my project. I wanted to portray my scrapbook room as a peaceful and tranquil place for to unwind and create these memorable keepsakes for my children.
I did not use too many colors but the colors I did use other than titles were soft yet demonstrated the point well.

Content Learning
                How do all the formal elements, pictorial as well as textual and symbolic, contribute to your emotional response or intellectual understanding of the concept?

Yes, I do believe that all the elements I included in my multimodal text did contribute to the emotional response and intellectual understanding of the concept of scrapbooking.  Many comments that were made specifically indicated they did not know how involved this hobby was or the proper materials that should be used in constructing a scrapbook.  Also, by adding my own creations the viewers could relate more to me and my family’s activities as well as see the why I titled the project “For the LOVE of Scrapbooking”. 
__________________

Thursday, May 22, 2014

All About Me

May 20, 2014

All About Me

My name is Cara Pinti. I recently finished my MAT degree where I am certified to teach Mathematics in grades 5-Adult.  I graduated from FSU in May of 2013.

I was born and raised in Iowa where I went to college and later Palmer College of Chiropractic. Yes, I am a chiropractor who has chosen to teach.  I have always had the love for learning and teaching seemed to be a good fit for me now that I am a wife and mother of three daughters.

I live in Bridgeport, WV where I have been substitute teaching this past year. I am hoping to obtain a full-time teaching job in a middle school or high school when the opportunity arises. Teaching has become an incredibly rewarding job for me regardless of the demands of the educational system.

I am currently not enrolled in a specific program but wish to explore the different options for another certification. Since technology has become such an integral part of the teaching/learning process I chose this class to help precipitate and facilitate my learning. I hope to develop a better perspective about the resources that are available to teachers.

Classes I have taken in the Masters Program:

EDUC 6300
EDUC 6301
EDUC 6302
EDUC 6303
EDUC 6195
EDUC 6304
EDUC 6490
EDUC 6320
EDUC 6295
EDUC 6495
READ 6315

Literacy Video

I thought this to be rather appropriate since I am a math teacher.  In fact I have had many students who struggle to recognize the literacy associated with mathematics.  Math has language of its own.

  
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Digital Media Effects on Conventional Reading and Writing Practices

May 20, 2014



"Essentially, the huge opportunities and options for creating text (email, tweets, blogs) cause us to write (or type) more than we ordinarily would.  The result is that we are less careful with our words.
“We type far more than we used to and are producing massive amounts of text compared to what we used to write,” Baron says. “And because of the amount of writing we are doing, we tend to devalue what we write. How much do we edit or care about what we post online to god knows whom? How much are we making sure to represent ourselves carefully?”" (Karp 2010)

I found this article by Karp very non-biased in reference to digital media and language.  I know there is so much to be said about this technology age and how students are less apt to engage in reading and fluent writing with all the devices that are available to them.  I agree that this is a valid concern but I there is something to be said about the value we place on creating text.  I know the emphasis should be on how we want this language to represent each of us.  As educators we should stress the relevance and importance of technology but stress the importance of choosing wisely the language and wording we do.

"The question of how to value different kinds of reading is complicated because people read for many reasons. There is the level required of daily life — to follow the instructions in a manual or to analyze a mortgage contract. Then there is a more sophisticated level that opens the doors to elite education and professions. And, of course, people read for entertainment, as well as for intellectual or emotional rewards." (Rich 2008)

This comment really hit home for me when I evaluate the pros and cons of technology.  I realize there are many reasons people read and there is the need for complex language and understanding.  Much of what we read requires basic cognition and comprehension.  On a more complex level we need to read for understanding and application.  Otherwise reading can be for entertainment and enjoyment.

After reading this article I could completely understand the frustration of this mother.  Being a mother of three pre-teen and teenage girls I find it very difficult to motivate them to read for educational purpose but even more for leisure.  Our rapidly growing need for online activity in this digital age is sweeping the country.  Children would rather use Youtube or the social media networking sites to be "connected" rather than call or write a friend.  I find it interesting how "lost" the young people of this decade feel without Internet.  

I know I have become more tech "savvy" in the recent years because you have to stay up to date with technology.  Yes, I own an iPhone, and iPad and even a MacBook and I would feel "lost" without them.  I do see the need for technology and I have found it to be my friend. I do feel more comfortable with my devices because I know the digital age of learning is upon us.

The short video provided an interesting twist to my theories of how texting has affected our language.  I have considered the enormous amount of texting that is done to be a detriment to our society and I have even made comments about how young people's spelling and grammar have declined.  I did see this speaker's perspective on TEDTalks as an encouragement to me.  The comment he made referring to "fingered speech" was a better way to address this type of communication.  I do see the need to advance with technology but I have mixed feelings on a positive outcome.  I guess I would consider myself more of a Traditionalist but growing closer to a Web Evangelist. Hopefully after this class I will have a better perspective on the benefits of technology for teaching in this new media age.


References
 Karp, J. (2010, January 26). Does Digital Media Make Us Bad Writers? | Spotlight on Digital Media and Learning. Does Digital Media Make Us Bad Writers?. Retrieved May 20, 2014, from http://spotlight.macfound.org/featured-stories/entry/does-digital-media-make-us-bad-writers 

 Rich, M. (2008, July 26). Literacy Debate: Online, R U Really Reading?. The New York Times. Retrieved May 20, 2014, from http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/27/books/27reading.html

(20142013). TEDTalks : Films Media Group.
teach what you love