Learning ICT skills in school

Image by Getty Images via DaylifeOne of the changes when you started school this autumn was that you had to aquire a laptop and bring it to school every day. This laptop is to be used for educational purposes in all your subjects, and to help you build skills that you will need in your working life. below you can read what the government says about ICT skills, and why it is a big part of our new curriculum in the Knowledge Promotion.

clipped from www.regjeringen.no Under the Knowledge Promotion, schools are to prioritize the cultivation of basic skills in all subjects. This is an important foundation for all other learning. These basic skills are as follows: the ability to express oneself orally the ability to read the ability to do arithmetic the ability to express oneself in writing the ability to make use of information and communication technology These basic skills have been incorporated into the subject syllabuses for all subjects. All teachers are therefore responsible for enabling pupils to develop basic skills through their work in various subjects.

However, there are both benefits and drawbacks when one has a computer available most of the time. What in your opinion are the advantages and disadvantages to using computers everyday in school.

Cyberbullying

In the USA they are now cosidering how to prevent cyberbullying. The fact that people can create "fake" online identities often makes it easier to bully someone because your true identity remains anonymous. Feel free to browse through the case below, and give your opinion as to what you think should happen to Lori Drew. It is also worth checking out the discussion forum on this topic to read what others are saying about this case.

Cyberbullying among teenagers

I don't think cyberbullying is a very common problem, but it has happened to alot of people. I think this is very tragic and I feel sorry for the children who are exposed to cyberbullying. One of the reasons are that when you get bullyed on the internet, you can't always find the person who is doing this. And especially children, because I think they have a hard time to talk to people about this and they go around and carry on this alone. Many of these children can eventually commit suicide. I think bullying on the web is much more easier instead of doing it face to face with the victim, because then they can say anything they want and not get caught, if you know what I mean. It's very hard to catch these peoples, because they can pretend to be someone else. 

To prevent this kind of bullying we can try to get to the source. Maybe if the children told their parents if they were being bullyed and the parents could contact someone to try to find the person who is doing this. I think there is a few people that can hack into the victims computer and find out were this is coming from. This can be used if the parents suspect that their children are being bullyed. Maybe that can stop the cyberbullying. 

By Inger Vilde. Next to write the blogg is Therese. 

Teenagers and the internet

Image by ecstaticist via FlickrThe internet can be useful in many ways, but one of the challenges we face today is what to do about "cyberbullying"

A survey from 2006 shows that:

• 42 percent of kids have been bullied while online. One in four have had it happen more than once
• 35 percent of kids have been threatened online. Nearly one in five had had it happen more than once.
• 21 percent of kids have received mean or threatening e-mails or other messages.
• 58 percent of kids admit someone has said mean or hurtful things to them online. More than four out of ten say it has happened more than once.

The fact that the internet often allows people anonymity often frees them from normative and social constraints on their behavior. Furthermore, cyber-bullies might be bolder when using electronic means to carry out their bullying because it takes less energy and courage to express hurtful comments on the internet than face to face with a person.

PBS frontline tell the story of Ryan, a 13 year old boy who killed himself because of cyberbullying.

Is cyberbullying a common problem, and if so, what can we do to prevent it?

Rock`n`Roll
What is Rock`n`Roll? If you look it up in a dictionary you would find “Rock and roll is played with one or two electric guitar (one lead, one rhythm), a string bass or (after the mid-1950s) an electric bass guitar, and a drum kit”. For me is Rock and Roll a form of music, that either can be good or bad. For example do I think Rolling Stones play good Rock and Roll. Or at least some of their songs like “Gimme Shelter” and “Paint it Black”. It’s quite difficult to think of a world without Rock and Roll, since then the youth-revolution never would have started, when the kids in the 50s went against all the norms off the society and their parents way to think about things. Maybe the music would have turned in a whole other direction and people might like screaming-music, like death-metall. This is my meaning about Rock and Roll.
By Paul

Next to write blogg is inger vilde saua.

iCue

Exellent resource for learning English

Norwegian artists using english lyrics

English is a beautiful spoken language, in my opinion. The pronouncement of the words are more fitted to music than the Norwegian language. There are few songs with Norwegian-spoken lyrics in it that I can listen to and like. I don't know why, but that's how it is with me.
Another reason why Norwegian artists chooses to sing their songs in English may be that if they sing in our language, other people speaking other languages won't be able to understand. English is a language that people understands in most countries, and if you are an artist who wants to be big in the international network, you'd have a better chance if you sing in a language that people can understand. That way they know what you're singing about, and can relate to your lyrics.

The language of Rock n' Roll

Image via Wikipedia Much of the music we listen to today comes from British or American artists. Of course all these artists perform in English. However, it is interesting to observe that we do have a few popular Norwegian artists, such as Madrugada, Lene Marlin, Kurt Nilsen, and Espen Lind, who also perform in English. Why do you think they do it?

I think textmessaging is a great thing, its easy to use and you kan use it almost every were. I belive that textmessaging improves the language skills. And I think it’s because you use it so much, most of us every day, at allmost all time. On your mobile phone & your computere sending SMS, mesages on MSN and even in some games.

When you send a textmesage you often use foreshortenings to make it go faster to write. Some people are getting so used to them that they uses them instead of normal words, in Norway also. for eksample: when something is funny you say LOL or ROFLMAO instead of just saying it was funny. Words from the textmesage language is pushing word from your normal language away, and replacing them.

Next to write a blogg will be Paul.