Week 3 Wimba Fair Use

Mediathatmatters. (2007). Eyes on the Fair Use of the Prize. [video]. Retrieved June 21, 2009, fromwww.youtube.com/watch?v=0r0pM1hJGU8

The crazy world of Fair Use has lead many to test the waters of so called "borrowing" with the intent to credit the author. At least for now ideas are free from copy right. Teachers are masters of borrowing and using other ideas for inspiration, not to copy or default the owner but to spark students thinking. Copyright lasting for life plus 70 years seems a little extreme, and what about works whose copyright has expired. The cost of re-licensing works are astronomical. Consider the YouTube video above...are other historical event doomed to this same fate of never to be aired again? How can these works be revived? Works are often recreated to bring them to a modern day audience for our pleasure, but when is this supreme power of ownership causing our creative juices to verge extinction. Producers should find a way to fuse consumer participation by establishing their own competitions that allow consumer creativity to shine, of course with perks for the consumer and the producer. This type of collaboration could fuel a new generation of artists, filmmakers, and media consumers. Once a balance is established many media moguls will follow suit to drive competition. Who knows maybe a little competition will change the boundaries.

Week 3 Reading The Art of Possibilities

Dave77459. (artist). (2009). One of the 100 Possibilities is for bokey. [photo]. Retreived June 23, 2009, from

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dave77459/ / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

The Art of Possibilities is strikingly similar to this other study I am doing where it is all about identifying the false assumption that we have that tend to hold us back. I really had to ponder the thought of "getting back in the boat" as necessary to be able to steer. My perception of a boat is different because of a previous study "If you want to walk on water, you have to get out of the boat". So I see getting out as a good thing as long as your eyes remain focused and you don't look down. It's the looking down and falling in that cause of to loose of sense of direction and purpose. Although I've seen the dots puzzle before, I struggled to remember how to complete it. I knew that I had to go outside of the bounds of the dots, but for the life of me I couldn't remember how. This experience struck a chord with me as to the number of times I've limited myself to the confines of my preconceived notions. I thought about my current status and the underlying assumptions that seem to limit my situation. So, now I see that I must create what I haven't thought of yet to provide alternate choices. Wow, I never thought of "How are you?" in such a way that I could answer "perfect". What a transformation of lives could take place if only our perspectives were widened. A "Universe of Possibility" simply just allows us to live without being defined or driven by our internal need to survive. "Giving an A" brings the greatest form of freedom, the freedom to express ones self without fear of failure. It's a license to reach beyond the norm and strive to demonstrate one's own brilliance. I've seen this is practice, yet ultimately seeing several succumb to playing second fiddle. "Leading from Any Chair" often is a daunting task for some people as many tend to not see what difference they make. For me this were the most striking statement of the book appears, "Who am I being that they are not shining?" What a profound thought if only trainers/educator took this approach. I also love the possibility of change coming through pouring all you've got into what you love. "Rule Number 6" how true of today's society to be so tightly wound that applying this rule would unlock such potential. Also so typical that our calculating self often lets someone stand in the way of reaching complete satisfaction. Luckily the central self handles life as it comes and goes with the f low.

Week 2 Podcasts & iTunes

Transhis. (artist). (2009). Radio (Podcast) Days - 59/365. [photo]. Retrieved June 20, 2009, from

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tranchis/ / CC BY-SA 2.0

I was quite overwhelmed with selection of audio and video podcasts available for free through iTunes. From Discovery channel to PBS the selection is vast with no stone left unturned. How Stuff Works is one of my favorite website references and now I can subscribe to their blog to answer those innocent questions that everyone wants to know like...Why is the sky blue? I was able to find many podcasts relating to stories that we currently read in the classroom. I found one podcast about the very astronaut that we read about--Franklin Chaz Diaz. The podcast on the Gold Rush is another tool to help students understand the significance of this event. Episodes of Myth Busters for $1.99 was thrilling because I can choose only the episodes that I need rather than purchase the whole season.

Week 2 Reading Convergence Culture

Lion, W. (artist). (2009). Playing with information. [photo]. Retrieved June 21, 2009, from http://www.flickr.com/photos/will-lion/3601144842/

I find the whole power struggle between producer and consumer to be a little bit ironic especially because of the mass merchandise that is produced to promote products/movies. Convergence Culture points out this irony as consumers are allow to wear shirts, hang poster, and play video games promoting and/or based on things like movies, yet frowns on that same consumer posting any images related to their product on their webpages, etc. Does the mega giant forget that this is free advertising for them that could open up the doors to attract new fans who will ultimately pad their pocket. I do recognize some danger in allowing consumers to produce their own versions of a movie which could devalue or draw attention away from the original production. However, the creative freedom and expression of individuals leads to quite entertaining cinema and often leads to opportunities that stem from their altered creations. If any one person or entity had complete control of media, what would happen to our freedoms?

Waiting on permission to use photo...Permission Granted! Thanks Will

Week 2 Podcasts and DC

Wagner, K. (artist). (2008). Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. [photo]. Retrieved June 21, 2009 from

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kurtwagner/ / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Many places we visited in DC provided podcast tours; unfortunately, we where not allowed to listen to the MP3 during our tour in the capital. The freedom to explore and absorb the quirky facts about the capital was squashed by a tour guide speaking softly to a group of over sixty. It was quite disappointing that our group was excluded from this experience. The majority of the museums we visited were heavily text loaded which doesn't thrill our techie generation. The use of podcasts is this setting would revolutionize the knowledge students absorb during their visit. Luckily there were opportunities to watch a short video or experience a flight simulator.

Week 2 Wimba Creative Commons

TilarX. (artist). (2007). Creative Commons Swag Contest 2007_2. [photo]. Retrieved June 20, 2009, from

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tylerstefanich/ / CC BY 2.0

The information on Creative Commons has by far been one of the most valuable pieces of information in the program thus far. This knowledge will not only help me but allow me to teach my students the proper was to determine whether a piece of media can be used. I never knew that you could check Flickr photos for CC this will make my life much easier. Creating and sharing my own media using CC will help other educators see the important of fair use.

More to come...