Thing 6: Fair Use & Copyright

A few years back I wrote a cartoon complete with pictures of the characters, sets and all. I was urged by a famous artist to be sure to get a copyright to secure creative control over my work. I followed that advice and felt a sense of protection from the networks I might send it to for review that they could not use my work in anyway without my permission. I know I still have some rights but I'm sure it's under the "public domain" umbrella now and could be used by anyone most anyway they would like. That's, a funny thing- not funny "ha, ha" but funny like "hmm".... Depending on how you look at it, fair use is great for the person who gets the privilege but maybe not so much so for the person who created it.

However, these newly found truths open up a window of opportunities for fair use that I had never considered before. That is, fair use is not only for the use of famous works. I can throw in a little knowledge from everyday people's blogs, students' work and even home videos without feeling like I stole something. I'd never try to take credit for someone's work but it feels good to know that it's acceptable to borrow if I want to and probably will, for the sake of reaching every student and driving a point home....SPCG

Thing 5: Photo Mashups

I must admit I spent too much time trying to find what I thought might be the "perfect mashup" to post but I'm glad I did. I could actually use this poster as an invitation to writing that ask students where their dreams would take them if they had no limits? Follow up that question with more about the setting of their dream, what it sounds like, smells like, how long it would take them to get there and what their challenges might be? I could use this mashup personally as a metaphor for the peace of things accomplished as well as the excitement of things to come.

This activity reminded me to use Habit 1 even in relation to taking pictures. Beginning with the end in mind would have helped me be more focused on the task. Since I did not start with that approach, it was challenging to find a photo because I had no idea how I wanted or could use it in my teaching/learning environment. That just goes to show that even if something comes easily for you (remember, that's seeing the big picture for me) it may not always be your first course of action. Great way to learn this lesson- click with purpose, sometimes....SPCG

Thing 4: Photo Sharing

Photo sharing would be a lot of fun to use as a teaching tool. I could have students upload a single photo then have them describe it using whatever grammar topic we happen to be working on in class. I could also have students use photos that are for the public use to identify modern cities that used to be the dwelling places of ancient civilizations. The possibilities are endless, add life and personalize otherwise one dimensional lessons. Say hi Willow! Take care.... SPCG

23 Things: Thing 3

The easiest habit for me is to Habit 1-Begin with the end in mind. I'm full of big ideas and can always see the big picture. What can I say, I'm a dreamer-it's how I'm wired! The hardest habit for me is Habit 5-Create your own learning toolbox. I am very project oriented in the sense that when it's done, it's done. Oftentimes I try not to transfer strategies or techniques used to teach one topic to another. Simply because even if it's new to the students, I get bored doing the same old thing over and over again. I guess what I have to work on is seeing how to make that old thing new and fresh again (which I do quite well in the real world). I do embrace the value in evaluating and reevaluating the effectiveness of a strategy to see how it can be improved or even tossed if it bombs. All that said, I do need to work on my toolbox. Problem is, I may forget or not have time to look in it! LOL

Take care and talk to you soon....SPCG

23 Things: The first Thing

What I hope to learn? I want to grow though this process and stretch my thinking about the use and abilities of the web in education and life in general. I think that about says it all. Take care and talk to you soon...SPCG