Dude, Where's your Blog?

Well, the summer grading period is almost over. . .and we still have a lot of work to do on our project (when I say "we", I mean YOU!!!!)

What to do:

1. Get your blog up-to-date
-Is your blog posted on the class blog? If not, give your blog address to me!
-Did you do your first post?
-Are your links added? (at least 5, with two being technohope & learning games 4 Change
-Is your blog appropriate for school/class display? (no use of last name, appropriate content for class. . .while skater blogs r kewl, they are not something that should be used for a class blog on technology)

2. Work on game review and social issue research
-Use GoogleDocs to write detailed answers to the questions
-Answer all parts of the questions in as much detail as possible (assume your audience has no idea about the video game or the social issue).
-Ensure you have THREE quality resources on your social issue.
-Once you believe you have finished, get teacher approval before posting on your blog.
-If you are waiting for approval, you can gather some pictures of your game and the social issue you are researching.

You may say, "I was absent that day or at camp?" Well, you need to coordinate with you teacher on how to get caught-up on where you should be. . .you are responsible to find out what you missed!!

This week's question: Do you plan on going to college? If so, what do you plan to study? If not, what do you plan to do after high school?

Ready to Geek Out?

First of all, I want to thank everyone for continuing to give me a good effort in technology class. However, as someone who expects the best from his students, I know that you are ALL capable of better. I try to create space for you to be yourself and be creative within the framework of school. . .but with great freedom comes great responsibility. Unfortunately, not everyone does well with freedom (at least as a high school student in a classroom). There hasn’t been a task that I have assigned that you couldn’t complete. It just seems that people tend to get off track very easily. Please work on putting your best self forward in this class.
I am hoping that everyone can work independently or in your small groups to accomplish your tasks. I am going to be very specific in what I expect to be completed by next week:

YOUR BLOG
1. Publish your blog. If you were not in class, follow the posted instructions.

2. Ensure that your title has the word ‘HOPE’ or ‘Monarch’ in some form. I encouraged creativity, but this is a school project, so I expect that the names are relevant to the class. . .not Skateboarding, Big Toes, etc. . .Learn to be creative within the boundaries of what is apprpriate for school. If you need to change your blog title, please do so.

3. Your blog should contain a links list with the class blog, Learning Games for Change, and then at least 3 of your own favorite sites. The links list should have a name that reflects the contents. If you were absent yesterday, please ask a peer to help you.

4. Remember to avoid using your last name on your blog and, if you are under 18, you will need to have parent permission to use your photograph.

First Blog Post
1. In the title of your first post. . .call it: About Me

2. Tell me:
a. Where you grew up
b. What you like to do when you are not a student
c. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?

3. Remember: Be appropriate and respectful.

Learning Game/Social Issue Research
Please refer back to the “Word Art” post on the class blog for instructions as to what you need to do for the game review/research into the social issue.
I posted the groups and games on the blog. . .if you need to refresher on the game, please take a few minutes to play. The real issue for me is that you understand the social issue. . .
Use GoogleDocs, or simply Microsoft Word to answer the questions. The answers should have plenty of detail. Write as if the reader has no idea about the project assignment. Ensure you have the links to your three resources.

If you have time, you can post your answers as your second blog post.
The title of the second post should be the name of your game: Example: Ayiti
Give the reader a little background on your game, then you can enter into the review. Ensure you answer all of the questions with lots of detail. . .and don't forget to cite and explain your 3 web resources (I will follow-up with this in class on Monday!)

Paliki's Class

Group	Game	Issue
Daniel Mendez, Israel, Henry	Free Rice
Alec, Daniel Klisser, DeAndre	McDonald's Game
Chuy Hernandez	Stop Disaster
Cruz	Stop Whaling
Daniel Estrada, Lebari	Stop Disaster
Jakqel, Jonathan K	Ayiti
Shantel, Maritza, Nicole	Karma Tycoon
Inocente	Stop Disasters
Miguel y Abraham	Stop Whaling
Andrea & Ana	Ayiti
Adelina y Jonathan	McDonald's

Spanias' Class

Group Member(s)	Game	Issue
Aaron	Nuclear Peace Doves	nuclear disarmament
Karen, Carolina	Whack TB	tuburculosis
Joseph	Third World Farming
Zei	Free Rice	Poverty
Juan, Roberto, Ricado	Amazing Food Detective	Diet, etc
Cassie, Karina	Darfur is Dying	genocide
Crystal, Ignacio	Ayiti	Poverty in Haiti
Desean & Lee	Darfur is Dying
Adriana & Marleya, Ivonne	McDonalds
Carlos & Andrew, Danah	Stop Disaster
Seth, Brandon & Daniel	Stop Disaster
Alma	Stop Nuclear Weapons
Martha, Cassandra D.	McDonald's

So U Think U can Blog?

Today, we will be creating blogs that we will use to communicate with each other and to post some of our work. . .I am embedding the instructions here. . .to see them full-screen, click on the re-size button in the upper right-hand corner of the file.

Publishing A Blog HOPE - Upload a Document to Scribd

Read this document on Scribd: Publishing A Blog HOPE

This week's question: Do you like to read and/or study in silence or do you like noise (radio, tv, iPod, etc.)? Explain.

Word Art?

Check out my new Wordle creation in the right-hand column(click on it to make it bigger)!! This is a "Wordle" that I created using a new product that I found from my network of Del.icio.us friends! It takes words from websites, stories, etc., that can be copied and pasted and lets you create a cool word art. I used the tags from my del.icio.us account to create it. Imagine using words from poetry or a story or even an email or letter you have written to do something like this. . .

As most of you should know by now, I am off this week; however, I would still like for you to continue to investigate your game and the reason it is listed as a learning game for change.
With your group, you can collaborate on Google Docs to answer the following questions:

Game:
1. Was it hard or easy to learn? Did you have to read the instructions? If no, did you have success in the game? If yes, did the instructions help you succeed? What were you supposed to accomplish in the game?
2. How are the graphics of your game? What do you like about them and/or what should be improved?
3. What was the game supposed to teach you?
4. Would you recommend the game to your peers? Why or why not. . .you should be able to explain clearly and your peers should be able to determine whether or not they would like the game.

Social Issue behind Game:
1. What was your social issue? How did you discover it (was it obvious or did you have to search)?
2. Find three resources that explain the issue or give information on the issue (use del.icio.us to tag the sites). If you do not have a del.icio.us account or are having trouble using it, copy and paste the address into your Google Doc
3. Explain to your peers why they should care about your social issue. . .do your best to describe the issue and give specific reasons you and your peers should care.
4. Is there anything you can do now to help? If not, could you suggest something. . .

We will be creating your own blogs next week and you will post your review of the game and research on the social issue behind it.

This week's Question: What is your current favorite website or place you like to go when you have free time on the Internet? Why?