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= = = = =__Stires Physic____s__= Welcome to Stires Physics. If you have found this page by accident or have followed the link from [|Stires Physics Blog] please feel free to look around and contribute. We will be expanding our wiki pages as a class and will build upon the new knowledge we gain in and out of the classroom. The following pages are designed to make you think, contribute, and grow not only as learners but also as individuals when investigating these core physics concepts.
 * [|Stires Physics Podcast RSS Feed]**
 * [|Stires Physics Blog]**
 * [|Different Types of Notation - Jing Video Link]**

This wiki space, blog, podcast, and the Jing instructional videos that you will find linked to on this website are designed to support, enhance, and enrich education in and out of the classroom. All of the digital media used in conjunction with one another are considered interactive medias, (web 2.0 technologies). These web 2.0 technologies will be used to support instruction that will be touched on in the classroom and expand upon concepts so that you will gain a deeper understanding of the core physics concepts that guide our everyday lives. Last year I taught five High School Regents Physics classes in a school that used little to no advanced web 2.0 technologies. Unfortunately, the school I taught at viewed technology as an add-on to the classroom experience and not an integral part of instruction that can enhance and enrich education at a fundamental level. With these web 2.0 technologies (the wiki space, blog, podcast, and Jing videos), I plan to address these inadequacies in the classroom for the future school years to come. Students will be required to participate on online discussion boards, create their own podcasts and instructional Jing videos, and present on the information they have collaboratively researched together online.

This transformation of my teaching strategies was not an easy accomplishment. As a current graduate student at Fordham’s Graduate School of Education; I was given the fortunate chance to take a graduate course on 21st Century Literacies for 21st Century Learners. When I first entered the course; I was of the opinion that technology in the classroom wasn’t necessary for education and could be used to supplement or add-on to instruction. Now, (after having completed the course), I have found that web 2.0 technologies are necessary for meaningful and adequate educational experiences for students and teachers to explore content in the 21st century. Since students use these web 2.0 technologies on a daily basis; it makes sense to use these forms of communication constructively in the classroom to enhance education, promote collaboration, and stimulate discussion about content. 21st century literacies are the ways students use language to decipher and communicate on these web 2.0 technologies. To be literate in the 21st century, students must be able to effectively utilize these technologies, decipher what others are saying on these technologies, and communicate their ideas clearly through the use of these technologies. The shorthand we use on instant messenger, the abbreviated language we use when texting on our mobile devices, and the informal communication we use in chat rooms are all forms of 21st century literacies that must be embraced in the classroom setting so that students can create meaning out of the content we are exploring through these technologies and in the classroom setting. If students are given a chance to use these technologies and these forms of language while exploring content; they will be able to gain a firmer grasp of the content and will be able to expand their education beyond the classroom walls.

As I sit back and reflect on my own experiences with 21st century literacies and technologies; I can’t help but reflect on how it felt to at first struggle with using these 21st century technologies and find a way to successfully utilize them in the classroom. As a learner, I found it initially difficult to utilize these technologies because I have not grown up with them like my students have. I struggled with their uses and in finding ways to implement them in the classroom, but found that after being introduced to these technologies I could enhance education in and out of the classroom for not only my students, but also for myself. Students are the ones who are the digital natives and teachers can learn as much from them when it comes to using these technologies as they can learn from us when it comes to content. This graduate course on 21st century literacies and technologies has opened my eyes and has made me see that web 2.0 technologies like the social networks Twitter, Myspace, and Facebook can be used to help students understand the content, communicate their ideas, seek for help on topics, and collaborate in a meaningful way that will cause students to be more engaged. By using these technologies and allowing students to express themselves through these technologies with a language they feel more comfortable using; this will allow for students to explore, become more engaged, and will create a safe and secure environment that encourages students to express their thoughts, ideas, and understanding of the material in a meaningful way. This graduate course has impacted not only my teaching strategies and style; it has altered my view of how a classroom fundamentally is. I feel this class has made me more open to and able to utilize the current technologies and any future technologies that are available for enhancing education. Using these technologies in the classroom and allowing students to express their thoughts, ideas, and knowledge through the use of these 21st century literacies has made me realize that even though I may know the content; my students will be the experts when it comes to using these technologies. Therefore, I have found that education in the classroom must be a collaborative process between teacher and students, students and peers, and between teachers and colleagues.

Stires Physics will tackle the major concepts in physics ranging from the Big Bang to how your microwave cooks your food. Before we can even begin to wrap our heads around these major ideas; we must first make sure we have a strong knowledgebase to work off of. Above you will find links to the [|Stires Physics Blog], [|Stires Physics Podcast RSS Feed], and other useful sites I have come across. I have found that since we are in an age that uses technology on a regular basis; it would be best to use the technologies around us to educate, enlighten, collaborate, and communicate to you ideas about physics. Please visit the blog and this wiki space and contribute. I would like this to be a learning process for all and for everyone’s' ideas to be heard.

As part of this course, you will be required to create original Jing videos, podcasts, and contribute to online discussions. Make sure you continually check this page for updates on digital projects and upcoming assignments that you will be required to complete online. To subscribe to the podcast entitled Stires Physics, follow the link to the [|Stires Physics Podcast RSS Feed]located at the top of the page. However, you might find it easier just to go onto iTunes and subscribe for it there. The podcast and websites are free so please contribute, collaborate, and invite your friends along on this ride as we explore physics through this digital medium. Please also note that there will be links to instructional videos that will be posted at the top of this page so make sure you keep visiting! A separate page entitled “Links to various websites” located on the left-hand side of this page also has additional websites that I have found to be useful. Please add to this list as our journey continues. Remember, this is for you, for me, and for the sake of understanding the world around us.

Assignment 1: What is Physics? Assignment 2: Who is Newton? Assignment 3: What is the Big Bang? How did it happen and how do we know? Assignment 4: Momentum Lab Video Project!