Our next unit on our IT class is the "Unplugged" (OME)
For five days, we are to not use ANY electronics/technology...even HAIR STRAIGHTENERS!~~
We must keep a daily journal about our unit....and if we cheat, we must do a report on an article that Mrs.Wilson gave us.
The exceptions are: use laptops or a certain electronics for school use only, e.g calculator. And home phones are allowed.....
We'll see how things go :P
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Trip to Reality
A week ago, the tenth grade class went to the ger district to help a family help build a fence. This project was called " Exposure vs Enclosure"
The majority of citizens living in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia are living in the ger district, a ghetto district where citizens live in a ger, which is a four walled hut like house, publicly known as the "yurt".
When we got to the district, we had a small tour, exploring, and hearing stories about what the Flourishing the Future had done for people, adn how fast the ger district got bigger within a few years.
After the tour we visited the family whom we were helping. From prevous visit of the grade 9's, we saw that they've dug a small hole, and also started a hole for a toilet. We finished digging the holes, it was a lot of fun and a lot of hard work. It felt good to know that I've done a good deed, and even the soreness that came afterwards felt awesome. :)
The majority of citizens living in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia are living in the ger district, a ghetto district where citizens live in a ger, which is a four walled hut like house, publicly known as the "yurt".
Our project's goal was to learn how to make a fence, in order to help build a fence. But rather than just learning about building a fence, our class learned about an average person's, and an average human's rights and life (aka Maslow's Hierarchy). In the beginning, we were studying it in class, picturing it in our minds, but later on we saw it in real life from our trip to the ger district, about how a persons' life lacks privacy, safety, fuel, belonging, and self esteem.
At 12:30 pm, set off to the ger district, missing the rest of the lessons that were held until 3:10, plus the after school activities. Along with our class, came Mrs.Wilson, and Mrs.Griffith, supervising us. Throughout the ride, we passed ger-district-related places, such as the "Tsaiz zah", the biggest wood market, where people from the ger district collect pieces of wood to burn at night, or sell. Our planner/guide, Mrs. Griffith was telling us different stories related to our project. She runs a NGO called "Flourishing the Future", which provides 38 families with food. She also runs a non profit/free school for children who live nearby. When we got to the district, we had a small tour, exploring, and hearing stories about what the Flourishing the Future had done for people, adn how fast the ger district got bigger within a few years.
After the tour we visited the family whom we were helping. From prevous visit of the grade 9's, we saw that they've dug a small hole, and also started a hole for a toilet. We finished digging the holes, it was a lot of fun and a lot of hard work. It felt good to know that I've done a good deed, and even the soreness that came afterwards felt awesome. :)
Friday, April 24, 2009
Wikiality Group Project
A. Investigate
Wiki, a collaborative website whose content can be edited by anyone who has access to it.//--> People from all around the world posts an article on a wiki website (free encyclopedias such as Wikipedia). Students and even teachers, and everyone else use this free information because you can very easily find your desired information. But the limitation lies within the article: it is very unreliable, even though the admin and other users correct mistakes, because of the fact that anyone can edit.
Our task is to learn as much as possible about Wikipedia. Numbers of amounts of students including us, use this site as a “reliable” source. We are to find errors in wiki articles, and see for our selves that it’s rather unreliable. Unreliable because, as mentioned above, any person disregarding to race, sanity and intelligence have access to it can edit it. Most of us, as high-schoolers know the consequences from using these types of sites, but middle and primary school students usually do not know about it. We are to learn about Wikipedia, how it works; to understand that it really is not worthy to get a bad grade.
Wikipedia gets its info from everyone who has access to editing it (basically anyone), which means that anyone can change it too. Mostly the admin decides what goes to the site and what not, but people edit them. Even though there’s supervising, it is still risky, because there are still hundreds of thousands of articles that needs to be checked, and we don’t know if the information is true or false. In my opinion, from the experience of using Wikipedia for 4 years now, most of the information that I’ve searched about seemed true and right, but I would never know unless I go around wasting my time checking. Wikipedia can be reliable, but not as much as real encyclopedias. To know if a particular article is accurate, I’d search the same thing on other approved encyclopedias, and compare it the wiki article. Or, I might check the article’s last revised date, its references and citations.
To check if Wikipedia is accurate:
Ø Compare
· Search a desired article
· Get another encyclopedia (approved, web based or book)
· Find the same information.
· Compare it to the article, and check if the wiki article is true and right.
Ø Search a topic I know by heart.
· Compare the article to the information I know. (Topics such as I.S.U)
(This blog and this criterion is not finished)
Crierion B
The International School of Ulaanbaatar in Ulan Bator, Mongolia, is a private, coeducational day school, which offers an educational program from preschool through grade 12 for students of all nationalities. Permission to run the School was granted by the Mongolian Ministry of Education in May 1992.
The school is governed by a multi-national board, including representatives of parents and embassies. In 2008 there were around 60 staff members. Most of the School's income derives from tuition, with some additional funding by the US Government. (link:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_School_of_Ulaanbaatar)
My line: "Which offers all three programs of International Bacclaurate Program: PYP, MYP, and DP"
The accurate resource:
1) "History." International School of Ulaanbaatar. 2009. International School of Ulaanbaatar. 7 May 2009 http://www.isumongolia.edu.mn/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1&Itemid=3.
Design Specification:
1) I will include accurate information about the IB diploma program.
2) I will include what the IB diploma offers
3) I will include the three IB programs, what are they, how they work, what are its'benefits...etc
To make my correction really accurate, I would take notes from the ISU handbook for students of 2011, because it broadly introduces to the DP programme.
I would ask from the receptionist for an official handbook of ISU, to research on the MYP, PYP programme.
The IB programme itself is defined on the official school page, so I would use that as my source, also the official IB world school web site http://www.ibo.org/
After checking all my information are true and accurate, I would know that I've done a fine job.
Criterion C
Steps taken to edit and change the ISU article in Wikipedia:
Log in to Wikipedia, using the ISU username and password.
Choose the part/paragraph you want to change,
Below the article is a small link that says "edit", click that,
Edit the paragrah/make changes you want.
After you finish editing, click one of the the buttons called "Save changes"; " Show preview"; or "Show changes"
After you are completely satisfied with the changes you've made,click "Save changes."
Log-Out.
Finito!
I had no problem editing the article. It's very easy.
Criterion E Evaluation
Our aim for this Wikiality project was to learn as much possible about Wikipedia, and why it is not a reliable source for students. We've learnt that it is very easy to edit articles on Wikipedia, so anyone can edit it. Also, we were to find Wikipedia's limitations.
On our Criterion A, we searched for an article that contained an error, so that we could try fixing it ourselves. Finding an article was extremely difficult, I couldnt find any errors, so I spent all my given hours for searching, but in the end, right on the last minute, I decided to edit the same article my partner did, about our school, the International School of Ulaanbaatar. Before editing, we came up with a method to check if there are inaccuracies. Mine was to compare a real encyclopedia article to a Wikipeida, but I never got to use the method.
On criterion B, we posted our plan: what we were going to edti, which paragraph, and what will our own editing will look like. Also, we included our design specification. Mine was:
Design Specification:
1) I will include accurate information about the IB diploma program.
2) I will include what the IB diploma offers
3) I will include the three IB programs, what are they, how they work, what are its'benefits...etc
I cited the web cites I was going to get my information, It was pretty easy to follow through.
The real editing part was very easy. I just had to sign a contract, and use the user name and password the school provided to edit. But before I could do it, my partner had already changed the article. So on my Criterion C, i just had to list all the steps taken to edit an article, and whether or not if I had any difficulties. I didnt, From Criterion C, I really understood how easy it is for someone to edit an artcle, disregarding to that person's sanity and intelligence. So, just then I understod that wikipedia is very unreliable, although it may not seem like it.
From this project, I've learnt thta Wikipedia is very useful, but also unrelable, I'd still use it as a source sometimes, but I'll make sure that there arent any serious inaccuracies, and I'll double check it.
My partner's editing was very accurate, and it was well written also, that it passed her accuracy test. Her article was not changed, so it proves thta it's accurate.
Wiki, a collaborative website whose content can be edited by anyone who has access to it.//--> People from all around the world posts an article on a wiki website (free encyclopedias such as Wikipedia). Students and even teachers, and everyone else use this free information because you can very easily find your desired information. But the limitation lies within the article: it is very unreliable, even though the admin and other users correct mistakes, because of the fact that anyone can edit.
Our task is to learn as much as possible about Wikipedia. Numbers of amounts of students including us, use this site as a “reliable” source. We are to find errors in wiki articles, and see for our selves that it’s rather unreliable. Unreliable because, as mentioned above, any person disregarding to race, sanity and intelligence have access to it can edit it. Most of us, as high-schoolers know the consequences from using these types of sites, but middle and primary school students usually do not know about it. We are to learn about Wikipedia, how it works; to understand that it really is not worthy to get a bad grade.
Wikipedia gets its info from everyone who has access to editing it (basically anyone), which means that anyone can change it too. Mostly the admin decides what goes to the site and what not, but people edit them. Even though there’s supervising, it is still risky, because there are still hundreds of thousands of articles that needs to be checked, and we don’t know if the information is true or false. In my opinion, from the experience of using Wikipedia for 4 years now, most of the information that I’ve searched about seemed true and right, but I would never know unless I go around wasting my time checking. Wikipedia can be reliable, but not as much as real encyclopedias. To know if a particular article is accurate, I’d search the same thing on other approved encyclopedias, and compare it the wiki article. Or, I might check the article’s last revised date, its references and citations.
To check if Wikipedia is accurate:
Ø Compare
· Search a desired article
· Get another encyclopedia (approved, web based or book)
· Find the same information.
· Compare it to the article, and check if the wiki article is true and right.
Ø Search a topic I know by heart.
· Compare the article to the information I know. (Topics such as I.S.U)
(This blog and this criterion is not finished)
Crierion B
The International School of Ulaanbaatar in Ulan Bator, Mongolia, is a private, coeducational day school, which offers an educational program from preschool through grade 12 for students of all nationalities. Permission to run the School was granted by the Mongolian Ministry of Education in May 1992.
The school is governed by a multi-national board, including representatives of parents and embassies. In 2008 there were around 60 staff members. Most of the School's income derives from tuition, with some additional funding by the US Government. (link:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_School_of_Ulaanbaatar)
My line: "Which offers all three programs of International Bacclaurate Program: PYP, MYP, and DP"
The accurate resource:
1) "History." International School of Ulaanbaatar. 2009. International School of Ulaanbaatar. 7 May 2009 http://www.isumongolia.edu.mn/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1&Itemid=3.
Design Specification:
1) I will include accurate information about the IB diploma program.
2) I will include what the IB diploma offers
3) I will include the three IB programs, what are they, how they work, what are its'benefits...etc
To make my correction really accurate, I would take notes from the ISU handbook for students of 2011, because it broadly introduces to the DP programme.
I would ask from the receptionist for an official handbook of ISU, to research on the MYP, PYP programme.
The IB programme itself is defined on the official school page, so I would use that as my source, also the official IB world school web site http://www.ibo.org/
After checking all my information are true and accurate, I would know that I've done a fine job.
Criterion C
Steps taken to edit and change the ISU article in Wikipedia:
Log in to Wikipedia, using the ISU username and password.
Choose the part/paragraph you want to change,
Below the article is a small link that says "edit", click that,
Edit the paragrah/make changes you want.
After you finish editing, click one of the the buttons called "Save changes"; " Show preview"; or "Show changes"
After you are completely satisfied with the changes you've made,click "Save changes."
Log-Out.
Finito!
I had no problem editing the article. It's very easy.
Criterion E Evaluation
Our aim for this Wikiality project was to learn as much possible about Wikipedia, and why it is not a reliable source for students. We've learnt that it is very easy to edit articles on Wikipedia, so anyone can edit it. Also, we were to find Wikipedia's limitations.
On our Criterion A, we searched for an article that contained an error, so that we could try fixing it ourselves. Finding an article was extremely difficult, I couldnt find any errors, so I spent all my given hours for searching, but in the end, right on the last minute, I decided to edit the same article my partner did, about our school, the International School of Ulaanbaatar. Before editing, we came up with a method to check if there are inaccuracies. Mine was to compare a real encyclopedia article to a Wikipeida, but I never got to use the method.
On criterion B, we posted our plan: what we were going to edti, which paragraph, and what will our own editing will look like. Also, we included our design specification. Mine was:
Design Specification:
1) I will include accurate information about the IB diploma program.
2) I will include what the IB diploma offers
3) I will include the three IB programs, what are they, how they work, what are its'benefits...etc
I cited the web cites I was going to get my information, It was pretty easy to follow through.
The real editing part was very easy. I just had to sign a contract, and use the user name and password the school provided to edit. But before I could do it, my partner had already changed the article. So on my Criterion C, i just had to list all the steps taken to edit an article, and whether or not if I had any difficulties. I didnt, From Criterion C, I really understood how easy it is for someone to edit an artcle, disregarding to that person's sanity and intelligence. So, just then I understod that wikipedia is very unreliable, although it may not seem like it.
From this project, I've learnt thta Wikipedia is very useful, but also unrelable, I'd still use it as a source sometimes, but I'll make sure that there arent any serious inaccuracies, and I'll double check it.
My partner's editing was very accurate, and it was well written also, that it passed her accuracy test. Her article was not changed, so it proves thta it's accurate.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Through the static of web...Notes from IT
In the past intenet was used for:
- reading
- checking websites
2.0 web (wiki,blogs)
- write
- collaborate
- publish
The word blog came from Web log-became blog
Web 2.0-Read and write web
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
"Art" My work
Art is one of my favorite subjects. I've always loved art, and I hope I always will. This year, in Grade 10, I am focusing on my painting skills. This year, I've worked on a canvas for the first time with acrylics, I've tried drawing self portraits, and I've tries painting with oil paint on canvas. I am learning a lot of skills, and I'm enjoying it very much. Although some who are good at art ( lol) might say that my work is not so good, and I have to admit that I also am not fully satisfied with my creativeness, I am still learning, and will learn more as I'm hoping to take IB art next year.
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