Sunday, December 12, 2010
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Blog Post 7
Randy Pausch's Last Lecture
Dr. Pausch's last lecture was HIGHLY inspirational. In it, he discussed how he achieved his childhood goals. There was so much information that could be grasped from his lecture.
In the beginning, he talks about challenges. "Brick walls are there for a reason: they let us prove how badly we want things." This is definitely something that can apply to anyone. If, say, a college student runs into problems with financial aid, or their GPA, it would be a test for them to see if they were really into college as they thought. If the student really valued their position, they would do whatever it took to "climb over the wall" to keep it.
Dr. Pausch also discusses the idea of "head fake learning", and his example was football. If a parent sent their child out to learn football, they wouldn't actually want them to learn football. There are other aspects of the game that are much more important, such as teamwork, perseverance, etc. This type of learning is everywhere: at home, at school, in the office--everywhere.
Dr. Pausch's last lecture was HIGHLY inspirational. In it, he discussed how he achieved his childhood goals. There was so much information that could be grasped from his lecture.
In the beginning, he talks about challenges. "Brick walls are there for a reason: they let us prove how badly we want things." This is definitely something that can apply to anyone. If, say, a college student runs into problems with financial aid, or their GPA, it would be a test for them to see if they were really into college as they thought. If the student really valued their position, they would do whatever it took to "climb over the wall" to keep it.
Dr. Pausch also discusses the idea of "head fake learning", and his example was football. If a parent sent their child out to learn football, they wouldn't actually want them to learn football. There are other aspects of the game that are much more important, such as teamwork, perseverance, etc. This type of learning is everywhere: at home, at school, in the office--everywhere.
Monday, December 6, 2010
Comments for Kids Summary Post
Yasmine's Blog:This Has Got to Stop
Yasmine writes a very passionate post about the dangers of sugar substitutes. She has an understanding that some people have allergies to them, and that they can cause cancer. She wants to write a letter to the First Lady to express her concerns.
Jonathan's Blog: Elapsed Time
Jonathan is a student in Mrs. Naugle's 5th grade math class. In his post, he provides a definition of elapsed time, and an example.
Yasmine writes a very passionate post about the dangers of sugar substitutes. She has an understanding that some people have allergies to them, and that they can cause cancer. She wants to write a letter to the First Lady to express her concerns.
Jonathan's Blog: Elapsed Time
Jonathan is a student in Mrs. Naugle's 5th grade math class. In his post, he provides a definition of elapsed time, and an example.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Summary Post for C4T#4
The Thinking Stick-Jeff Utecht
A Challenge to Be a Green Traveler
In this post, Jeff Utecht shares a website for the carbon footprint-conscious traveler. The website calculates one's carbon footprint, and allows the person to donate to a green-friendly cause.
1 Period, 2 Weeks, 3 Teachers
At a recent staff meeting, Utecht introduced a new piece of technology known as Pecha-Kucha Presentaiton. The presentation consists of 20 slides, all timed at 20 seconds, making the total presentation 6:40. I found this to be interesting because it encourages a student to know all they can about whatever topic they're presenting.
A Challenge to Be a Green Traveler
In this post, Jeff Utecht shares a website for the carbon footprint-conscious traveler. The website calculates one's carbon footprint, and allows the person to donate to a green-friendly cause.
1 Period, 2 Weeks, 3 Teachers
At a recent staff meeting, Utecht introduced a new piece of technology known as Pecha-Kucha Presentaiton. The presentation consists of 20 slides, all timed at 20 seconds, making the total presentation 6:40. I found this to be interesting because it encourages a student to know all they can about whatever topic they're presenting.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Additional Assignment #5
Ah, The Importance of Metaphors
In an earlier post, I remarked about a blog post by John Spencer (Don't Let Them Take Pencils Home). I recently learned that I completely missed the point! The post was not about PENCILS-- it was about COMPUTERS (of course, we're in EDM).
In a recent post, Mr. Spencer outlines the importance of metaphors, explaining that as confusing as they are, they may eventually lead to clarity. I think this is an interesting approach to teaching. I may have to adopt this in my own classroom. Well, I'll be an English teacher, so metaphors will be present quite often.
In an earlier post, I remarked about a blog post by John Spencer (Don't Let Them Take Pencils Home). I recently learned that I completely missed the point! The post was not about PENCILS-- it was about COMPUTERS (of course, we're in EDM).
In a recent post, Mr. Spencer outlines the importance of metaphors, explaining that as confusing as they are, they may eventually lead to clarity. I think this is an interesting approach to teaching. I may have to adopt this in my own classroom. Well, I'll be an English teacher, so metaphors will be present quite often.
Blog Post #13
ALEX: Alabama Learning Exchange
This is a universally used website where teachers can come and share courses of study, lesson plans, podcasts, and other teaching tools. I took a look at some of the lesson plans and podcasts available and found them VERY useful. The ideas were so creative and relative to the students (I looked at lesson plans for 7th graders). This is definitely a site that would be useful to me.
This is a universally used website where teachers can come and share courses of study, lesson plans, podcasts, and other teaching tools. I took a look at some of the lesson plans and podcasts available and found them VERY useful. The ideas were so creative and relative to the students (I looked at lesson plans for 7th graders). This is definitely a site that would be useful to me.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Progress Report
My plan for my final project would probably stem from one of Dr. Strange's suggestions. I like the idea of explaining to parents why my teaching method is important to the education of their child. Unfortunately, I'm not quite cemented in a group as of now, but that issue will definitely be worked out in the coming week.
Blog Post #12
Hmmmm... so I'm creating the assignment this time? Interesting. Well, an assignment I think we probably should have had was to create a video portraying our view on this class during different points of the year--maybe beginning, middle, and end. It may be a little much for the new student of EDM310, but it would be useful for the class's future students, just to let them know what they're getting into, from the student's perspective.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Blog Post 11
First Graders in Ms. Cassidy's Class: Little Kids... Big Potential
These students amazed me! I never realized how much of an effect a blog could have on a child. Other than learning basic computer skills, these kids are learning internet safety, tactfulness, and how to improve their writing. I think they know more than most adults know. The future looks bright with these children!
Kathy Cassidy Skype Conversation
What I loved most about this conversation is how Ms. Cassidy explained the benefits of blogging in her class: improvement in writing skills. I was most interested in this because I hope to become an English teacher. On paper, the students are hoping to gain feedback from their teacher, and maybe a few of their peers. With a blog, they are able to get feedback from THE WORLD. It also puts the thought in my mind that my students just may be more advanced in writing than I expect them to be, coming into my class.
I also liked her view on cheating and the Internet. A main concern regarding students and the Internet is that they my be tempted to copy ideas from others. However, a teacher can very well get creative with they way he/she wants the information presented. Blogging is definitely a tool I would consider using in my classroom.
These students amazed me! I never realized how much of an effect a blog could have on a child. Other than learning basic computer skills, these kids are learning internet safety, tactfulness, and how to improve their writing. I think they know more than most adults know. The future looks bright with these children!
Kathy Cassidy Skype Conversation
What I loved most about this conversation is how Ms. Cassidy explained the benefits of blogging in her class: improvement in writing skills. I was most interested in this because I hope to become an English teacher. On paper, the students are hoping to gain feedback from their teacher, and maybe a few of their peers. With a blog, they are able to get feedback from THE WORLD. It also puts the thought in my mind that my students just may be more advanced in writing than I expect them to be, coming into my class.
I also liked her view on cheating and the Internet. A main concern regarding students and the Internet is that they my be tempted to copy ideas from others. However, a teacher can very well get creative with they way he/she wants the information presented. Blogging is definitely a tool I would consider using in my classroom.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Additional Assignment #3
RSA Animate - Changing Education Paradigms
Honestly, I was slightly shocked with the information presented. It's as if educators don't realize how incredibly boring their lesson plan is, so they randomly suggest that their students are uninterested or have a learning disability. It's CRAZY. It's also crazy how Sir Robinson pointed out that schools are functioning on factory lines with the ringing bells and separate facilities. A change is definitely needed.
The video was presented quite well, actually. It was very neat and well organized. If I could play a part in one of these projects, I would love to be a narrator.
Honestly, I was slightly shocked with the information presented. It's as if educators don't realize how incredibly boring their lesson plan is, so they randomly suggest that their students are uninterested or have a learning disability. It's CRAZY. It's also crazy how Sir Robinson pointed out that schools are functioning on factory lines with the ringing bells and separate facilities. A change is definitely needed.
The video was presented quite well, actually. It was very neat and well organized. If I could play a part in one of these projects, I would love to be a narrator.
Blog Post 10
An Open Letter to Educators
Morgan Bayda blogs about a video she came across, featuring a guy by the name of Dan Brown who dropped out of college because his "schooling was interfering with [his] learning".
Dan details much of the issues a college student goes through: sitting among dozens to hundreds of students in a huge lecture hall, all of whom are virtual strangers to the one professor, up at the head of the class, rambling off facts that the students frantically scribble down in hopes of remembering them for the test they'll be on. I've had at least one class like that, and yes, it is quite the hassle.
As Morgan states, this way of learning is not relevant to the forward moving world we're in now. Learning is easier and better (and FREE) via the internet. If we wanted to know something 20 years ago, chances are, we'd have no choice but to pay a pretty penny for it, and sit through all the gruel that Dan described. Nowadays, it's all at our fingertips at no cost to us. If the education systems would like to keep its students, then like Dan said, it's going to have to do more than adopt a few new tools. It needs a total upgrade.
Don't Let Them Take Pencils Home
I believe this post encourages creativity in students that would have otherwise been hindered. Letting students take pencils home lets them know that they can also teach themselves, and in a way, teach others.
Two Questions That Can Change Your Life
I love how motivational this is! Everyone has their own question/sentence that reflects their goals. My sentence (which I've been thinking about a lot this week) is "I want my mom to say 'My daughter is a teacher.' rather than 'My daughter wanted to be a teacher, but...'" The question, though, is "Am I better today than I was yesterday?"
Morgan Bayda blogs about a video she came across, featuring a guy by the name of Dan Brown who dropped out of college because his "schooling was interfering with [his] learning".
Dan details much of the issues a college student goes through: sitting among dozens to hundreds of students in a huge lecture hall, all of whom are virtual strangers to the one professor, up at the head of the class, rambling off facts that the students frantically scribble down in hopes of remembering them for the test they'll be on. I've had at least one class like that, and yes, it is quite the hassle.
As Morgan states, this way of learning is not relevant to the forward moving world we're in now. Learning is easier and better (and FREE) via the internet. If we wanted to know something 20 years ago, chances are, we'd have no choice but to pay a pretty penny for it, and sit through all the gruel that Dan described. Nowadays, it's all at our fingertips at no cost to us. If the education systems would like to keep its students, then like Dan said, it's going to have to do more than adopt a few new tools. It needs a total upgrade.
Don't Let Them Take Pencils Home
I believe this post encourages creativity in students that would have otherwise been hindered. Letting students take pencils home lets them know that they can also teach themselves, and in a way, teach others.
Two Questions That Can Change Your Life
I love how motivational this is! Everyone has their own question/sentence that reflects their goals. My sentence (which I've been thinking about a lot this week) is "I want my mom to say 'My daughter is a teacher.' rather than 'My daughter wanted to be a teacher, but...'" The question, though, is "Am I better today than I was yesterday?"
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Blog Post 9
What I've Learned This Year
Mr. McClung's post about what he has learned since becoming a teacher encompasses everything that a teacher or a future teacher should keep in mind among their students. An upcoming teacher is usually concerned with how they present information so much so that they forget to check for understanding or interest. An educator can get caught up in having a certain way for everything, and they forget to be flexible and considerate of their students. Once a person becomes an educator, they forget that they THEMSELVES still have learning to do, in order to make the learning environment a better place.
Mr. McClung's post about what he has learned since becoming a teacher encompasses everything that a teacher or a future teacher should keep in mind among their students. An upcoming teacher is usually concerned with how they present information so much so that they forget to check for understanding or interest. An educator can get caught up in having a certain way for everything, and they forget to be flexible and considerate of their students. Once a person becomes an educator, they forget that they THEMSELVES still have learning to do, in order to make the learning environment a better place.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Blog Post 6
The Networked Student: Wendy Drexler
This short video, directed by Wendy Drexler, an EdTech PhD at the University of Florida, discusses the idea of connectivism and the 21st century student. Connectivism, as defined in the video, is a theory that learning occurs as a part if socializing through the use of technology.
The video outlines many possible resources a 21st century student has. There are places on such as Google Scholar where a student can find reliable scholarly sources for their needs. Students have access to podcasts from teachers around the world on any topic. And students also have ways to share the gathered information with their peers.
So after all of this information was presented, I began to think that teachers are pretty useless nowadays. Why would a student need a teacher today? The video answered this question quite clearly. These days, a teacher is less of a teacher and more of a GUIDE. No one is born knowing how to approach all of these resources. The teacher can pass along their experience and knowledge to their students in regards to how to build networks and ask for help in gathering information. So perhaps the teacher isn't so useless after all.
A 7th Grader's PLE
For a 7th grader (by my "ancient" standards), this was quite impressive. She uses Symbaloo, and everything was very well organized. I like how she was able to access everything so quickly.
Honestly, I was ashamed at how I accessed my information. I simply relied on bookmarks and webpage history. Symbaloo seems like it would work miracles in my college life.
The Machine is Changing Us: Michael Wesch
Honestly, there was a lot of information in this video. It's hard to sum it all up. In the beginning, Wesch discussed a change in culture. People were being less interested in incoming information. "Whatever" and "Meh" became trending responses. In my college experience, I have seen this numerous times, especially in the case where a student is taking a class that may not directly pertain to their major. "Why should I care about this? This has nothing to do with me."As a teacher, I am sure that I will encounter the students with the "Whatever/Meh" attitude. In fact, even I might have that attitude: "Why am I teaching this? This has nothing to do with me."
Later on in the video, he discusses something that I found rather interesting, and also something I can relate to--YouTube. YouTube bloggers (especially for the first time), gain a true sense of awareness from the way they look to the way they appear and behave towards others. youTube also gives people the opportunity the "freedom to experience humanity without fear or anxiety". in other words, one would be able to see how others feel and behave without social awkwardness getting in the way. This idea is beyond evident in some of the comments one would see on YouTube, and other social networks. A certain sense of courage and confidence is developed when one is not face-to-face with another human being.
This short video, directed by Wendy Drexler, an EdTech PhD at the University of Florida, discusses the idea of connectivism and the 21st century student. Connectivism, as defined in the video, is a theory that learning occurs as a part if socializing through the use of technology.
The video outlines many possible resources a 21st century student has. There are places on such as Google Scholar where a student can find reliable scholarly sources for their needs. Students have access to podcasts from teachers around the world on any topic. And students also have ways to share the gathered information with their peers.
So after all of this information was presented, I began to think that teachers are pretty useless nowadays. Why would a student need a teacher today? The video answered this question quite clearly. These days, a teacher is less of a teacher and more of a GUIDE. No one is born knowing how to approach all of these resources. The teacher can pass along their experience and knowledge to their students in regards to how to build networks and ask for help in gathering information. So perhaps the teacher isn't so useless after all.
A 7th Grader's PLE
For a 7th grader (by my "ancient" standards), this was quite impressive. She uses Symbaloo, and everything was very well organized. I like how she was able to access everything so quickly.
Honestly, I was ashamed at how I accessed my information. I simply relied on bookmarks and webpage history. Symbaloo seems like it would work miracles in my college life.
The Machine is Changing Us: Michael Wesch
Honestly, there was a lot of information in this video. It's hard to sum it all up. In the beginning, Wesch discussed a change in culture. People were being less interested in incoming information. "Whatever" and "Meh" became trending responses. In my college experience, I have seen this numerous times, especially in the case where a student is taking a class that may not directly pertain to their major. "Why should I care about this? This has nothing to do with me."As a teacher, I am sure that I will encounter the students with the "Whatever/Meh" attitude. In fact, even I might have that attitude: "Why am I teaching this? This has nothing to do with me."
Later on in the video, he discusses something that I found rather interesting, and also something I can relate to--YouTube. YouTube bloggers (especially for the first time), gain a true sense of awareness from the way they look to the way they appear and behave towards others. youTube also gives people the opportunity the "freedom to experience humanity without fear or anxiety". in other words, one would be able to see how others feel and behave without social awkwardness getting in the way. This idea is beyond evident in some of the comments one would see on YouTube, and other social networks. A certain sense of courage and confidence is developed when one is not face-to-face with another human being.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Additional Assignment #2
How Kids Teach Themselves
First of all, this was an amazing video. I adore how both the time period to learn and the lack of adult assistance motivated these kids to accomplish the goals set--and with such accuracy! All of the children showed that they can teach themselves, either individually, or with peers.
There ARE conditions in which students--any student--would be motivated to learn. As stated in the video, and in several comments on the video, a student must have an interest for the subject. This poses an obvious issue because ALL students will never be interested in EVERYTHING they need to learn. Therefore, it would be the job of a teacher (or anyone else) to motivate.
It's hard to say how to motivate any particular student. However, the video suggests an interesting way to do so. By using "The Grandmother Method" (which entails someone standing behind the student and admiring their work),students are encouraged to show what they know, and possibly learn more, when prompted.
Personally, I am motivated to learn through encouragement as well. If someone believes in my abilities AND if I'm certain that I will need information later on in life, then I am motivated. On certain odd occasions, I am also motivated if I get to learn something that few to none of my peers know (I like having an advantage).
In the process of teaching oneself, computers and internet access are key. In fact, I have a perfect example of this. Today, my roommate and I were discussing a piece I saw on the History Channel. She became intrigued so much by it. I was a little foggy on some of the details, so she instantly looked up sites discussing the issue. I did the same and we compared our results. Without our present access to computers and the internet, we would have had to rely on my foggy details.
Questions and problems that arise can be important when teaching oneself. They are motivators as well. If a person really wanted to know the answer to an initial question, or had a desire to solve an initial problem, they would conquer anything that came in their path, while simultaneously gaining more knowledge.
Can anyone who is not motivated to learn, learn? Hmmmm... I was always a believer that those who were unmotivated to learn would remain ignorant for the rest of their life. But then I would have to use myself as an example. Math never motivated me. I never saw anything remotely attractive about math. I hated it, it hated me. We had that understanding. But somehow, I was able to retain some information from it, so it's not like I learned absolutely nothing. So in this case, I would say someone unmotivated COULD learn, but they wouldn't learn much.
A teacher does not necessarily sit on the back burner in the case of self-educating. A teacher could be there for a person as a guide. The teacher can show a student what reliable sources are and how to go about gathering other information.
There is one aspect of the video that I would like to discuss. In the beginning, there was a statement about good teachers and bad places: good teachers refuse to go to these bad places in the world, where obviously they are needed the most. I happen to think that this is very selfish on the teacher's part. The teacher could very well push their efforts into turning a bad area into a more desirable one, and yet they choose not to.
All in all, this was a great video. It was yet another eye opener for me in the world of technology.
First of all, this was an amazing video. I adore how both the time period to learn and the lack of adult assistance motivated these kids to accomplish the goals set--and with such accuracy! All of the children showed that they can teach themselves, either individually, or with peers.
There ARE conditions in which students--any student--would be motivated to learn. As stated in the video, and in several comments on the video, a student must have an interest for the subject. This poses an obvious issue because ALL students will never be interested in EVERYTHING they need to learn. Therefore, it would be the job of a teacher (or anyone else) to motivate.
It's hard to say how to motivate any particular student. However, the video suggests an interesting way to do so. By using "The Grandmother Method" (which entails someone standing behind the student and admiring their work),students are encouraged to show what they know, and possibly learn more, when prompted.
Personally, I am motivated to learn through encouragement as well. If someone believes in my abilities AND if I'm certain that I will need information later on in life, then I am motivated. On certain odd occasions, I am also motivated if I get to learn something that few to none of my peers know (I like having an advantage).
In the process of teaching oneself, computers and internet access are key. In fact, I have a perfect example of this. Today, my roommate and I were discussing a piece I saw on the History Channel. She became intrigued so much by it. I was a little foggy on some of the details, so she instantly looked up sites discussing the issue. I did the same and we compared our results. Without our present access to computers and the internet, we would have had to rely on my foggy details.
Questions and problems that arise can be important when teaching oneself. They are motivators as well. If a person really wanted to know the answer to an initial question, or had a desire to solve an initial problem, they would conquer anything that came in their path, while simultaneously gaining more knowledge.
Can anyone who is not motivated to learn, learn? Hmmmm... I was always a believer that those who were unmotivated to learn would remain ignorant for the rest of their life. But then I would have to use myself as an example. Math never motivated me. I never saw anything remotely attractive about math. I hated it, it hated me. We had that understanding. But somehow, I was able to retain some information from it, so it's not like I learned absolutely nothing. So in this case, I would say someone unmotivated COULD learn, but they wouldn't learn much.
A teacher does not necessarily sit on the back burner in the case of self-educating. A teacher could be there for a person as a guide. The teacher can show a student what reliable sources are and how to go about gathering other information.
There is one aspect of the video that I would like to discuss. In the beginning, there was a statement about good teachers and bad places: good teachers refuse to go to these bad places in the world, where obviously they are needed the most. I happen to think that this is very selfish on the teacher's part. The teacher could very well push their efforts into turning a bad area into a more desirable one, and yet they choose not to.
All in all, this was a great video. It was yet another eye opener for me in the world of technology.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Blog Post 5
Langwitches Blog
After reading this blog, and listening to the podcast on it, I was rather impressed. The students were very well spoken, they ejected their voices very well, and the story was cute and well put together.
In my own podcast (which will also be audio), I have to remember that the listeners cannot see my face, so any emphasis would have to be through the inflection in my voice, to be sure to engage listeners.
The Benefits of Podcasting in the Classroom
This video brought up some pretty good reasons why podcasting in the classroom is so useful. It can be especially useful for children who are out sick who don't want to miss anything in class (in fact, I liked this reason the most. It was something I really could have used when I was in secondary school). Other reasons podcasting in the classroom is important is that it allows creativity among the students. Not only that, but it allows for communication among students and among parents.
Hopefully my podcast will allow for more communication among my peers.
Eagles’ Nest Radio & Class Blog
I enjoyed listening to these student's podcasts. They were very informative, and the set up was like that of a radio show. I thought that was very clever.
In my own podcast, I would have to remember to give as much information as possible, for my listeners may know little to nothing about my topic.
After reading this blog, and listening to the podcast on it, I was rather impressed. The students were very well spoken, they ejected their voices very well, and the story was cute and well put together.
In my own podcast (which will also be audio), I have to remember that the listeners cannot see my face, so any emphasis would have to be through the inflection in my voice, to be sure to engage listeners.
The Benefits of Podcasting in the Classroom
This video brought up some pretty good reasons why podcasting in the classroom is so useful. It can be especially useful for children who are out sick who don't want to miss anything in class (in fact, I liked this reason the most. It was something I really could have used when I was in secondary school). Other reasons podcasting in the classroom is important is that it allows creativity among the students. Not only that, but it allows for communication among students and among parents.
Hopefully my podcast will allow for more communication among my peers.
Eagles’ Nest Radio & Class Blog
I enjoyed listening to these student's podcasts. They were very informative, and the set up was like that of a radio show. I thought that was very clever.
In my own podcast, I would have to remember to give as much information as possible, for my listeners may know little to nothing about my topic.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Blog Post 4
Don't Teach Your Kids This Stuff. Please?
Scott McLeod, J.D, Ph.D, and co-creator of the Did You Know (Shift Happens) video, wrote an AMAZING blog featuring the dangers of technology. In a very satirical way, Dr. McLeod encourages parents and educators not to expose their children to technology in order to avoid cyber-bullying, sexting, porn, and collaboration (which some call "cheating"). At the end of all of this, he says:
"don't do any of it, please
really
'cause I'm doing all of it with my kids
can't wait to see who has a leg up in a decade or two
can you?"
Aside from me LOVING the tone of this post, I think it is a great way of saying, "Yes, there are some bad aspects of technology, but how about we focus on the good?" There is much more good to technology than the bad that people tend to focus on.
The iSchool Initiative (Mobile Learning)
Travis's idea to learn via Apple's iTouch rather than in budget-cut, overcrowded classrooms, seemed like an interesting idea at first, since education is already headed in that direction. However upon reading the comments, I found the following statement:
"HashamFazli
11 months ago
there is so many flaws in this, what if the teachers ipod crashes, there goes alot of work, what if someone steals one.... what if they want to do homework, u cant take it from school since its school property. basic skills need to be learnt at school, this will make the next generation of students rely on poking a metal object instead of learning how to write and read from books. and from marketing this will ruin alot of business's, values on paper, school supplies and ipods will drop. causing a lot of people to go broke and less tax for the government"
I agree with the statement. A lot can go wrong with this initiative. Schools would be responsible for this expensive equipment. And technology isn't always the most reliable tool, as it can crash and delete important information. However if more thought was put into this, the iSchool Initiative would be a good idea.
Lost Generation
This was an amazing video!
The beginning featured a bunch of negative statements that I mostly disagreed with, yet saw the possibility of occurring in my generation. Workaholics only concerned with making money, who don't care about the importance of family, or care about the environment, were some of the negatives in the video.
"And all of this will come true unless we choose to reverse it."
When the video plays in reverse, all the negatives become positives. I believe this presentation gives viewers a more promising look at the future. "There is hope."
Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir
This was another mind blowing video! One man, Eric Whitacre, conducted a VIRTUAL CHOIR with dozens of people representing 12 countries. These people have never met. Simply through webcam did they put this video together.
I am utterly AMAZED at the skill, patience, just EVERYTHING it took for this video to be possible. It clearly isn't the same as being in the same room. I expected some delay, or some equipment to malfunction. But this was a beautifully made, beautifully performed project.
Scott McLeod, J.D, Ph.D, and co-creator of the Did You Know (Shift Happens) video, wrote an AMAZING blog featuring the dangers of technology. In a very satirical way, Dr. McLeod encourages parents and educators not to expose their children to technology in order to avoid cyber-bullying, sexting, porn, and collaboration (which some call "cheating"). At the end of all of this, he says:
"don't do any of it, please
really
'cause I'm doing all of it with my kids
can't wait to see who has a leg up in a decade or two
can you?"
Aside from me LOVING the tone of this post, I think it is a great way of saying, "Yes, there are some bad aspects of technology, but how about we focus on the good?" There is much more good to technology than the bad that people tend to focus on.
The iSchool Initiative (Mobile Learning)
Travis's idea to learn via Apple's iTouch rather than in budget-cut, overcrowded classrooms, seemed like an interesting idea at first, since education is already headed in that direction. However upon reading the comments, I found the following statement:
"HashamFazli
11 months ago
there is so many flaws in this, what if the teachers ipod crashes, there goes alot of work, what if someone steals one.... what if they want to do homework, u cant take it from school since its school property. basic skills need to be learnt at school, this will make the next generation of students rely on poking a metal object instead of learning how to write and read from books. and from marketing this will ruin alot of business's, values on paper, school supplies and ipods will drop. causing a lot of people to go broke and less tax for the government"
I agree with the statement. A lot can go wrong with this initiative. Schools would be responsible for this expensive equipment. And technology isn't always the most reliable tool, as it can crash and delete important information. However if more thought was put into this, the iSchool Initiative would be a good idea.
Lost Generation
This was an amazing video!
The beginning featured a bunch of negative statements that I mostly disagreed with, yet saw the possibility of occurring in my generation. Workaholics only concerned with making money, who don't care about the importance of family, or care about the environment, were some of the negatives in the video.
"And all of this will come true unless we choose to reverse it."
When the video plays in reverse, all the negatives become positives. I believe this presentation gives viewers a more promising look at the future. "There is hope."
Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir
This was another mind blowing video! One man, Eric Whitacre, conducted a VIRTUAL CHOIR with dozens of people representing 12 countries. These people have never met. Simply through webcam did they put this video together.
I am utterly AMAZED at the skill, patience, just EVERYTHING it took for this video to be possible. It clearly isn't the same as being in the same room. I expected some delay, or some equipment to malfunction. But this was a beautifully made, beautifully performed project.
Blog Post 3
A Vision of Students Today
What I got out of this video was that students today are not as interested in facts on a chalkboard or in a book as they used to be. Their attention is focus more on technology. Several students in the video expressed that most of their time in the day is dedicated to technology (Facebook, talking on their cell phones, watching TV, etc). Obviously this was not the case, say, 50 years ago. Students today feel that they could learn much easier if the information they needed to know was presented through technology.
In my own experiences, technology comes in the classroom every now and then. Very recently have I been introduced to SmartBorads and PowerPoints. In fact, this EDM class is where I've encountered the most technology. The good news is that I'm learning about more technology, and kids in elementary and middle school are doing so as well, so our futures will be bright.
It's Not About the Technology
In this blog post, Kelly Hines explains that, as a teacher, having access to the latest technology does not automatically make someone a good teacher. There are things an educator has to keep in mind in order to affect students positively:
1.) Teachers must be learners: Teachers have to know, and the have to be engaged in WANTING to know. This could happen through their own methods or from learning from seasoned teachers. Teachers could also learn through their own students, who of course are not all the same when they enter a classroom, and will not be the same when they leave.
2.) Learning and teaching are not the same things: Ms. Hines provides us with an excellent analogy in this case: "If an object does not move, no matter how much force has been applied, no work has been done. Therefore, if a student has not learned, not matter how much effort has been exerted, no teaching has been done." Just because a teacher stands in front of a class and rambles off a bunch of facts does not mean the students will retain it. It is up to the teacher to find a way for a student to remember the information. If technology will be used, a teacher must know how to use it correctly.
3.) Technology is useless without good teaching: As I stated before, just because a teacher has access to all the latest technology does not mean they are a good teacher. Knowledge of the technology means nothing if a teacher can't do great things with it.
4.) Be a 21st century teacher without the technology: Being a teacher in this day and age does not mean you HAVE to rely on technology. Most subjects can be taught in the traditional manner.
Is It Okay to Be a Technologically Illiterate Teacher?
Karl Fisch makes it perfectly clear that it is NOT okay to be technologically illiterate as a teacher. A teacher should not produce technologically illiterate students, because the type of world we live in today does not allow such lack of knowledge and skill. He states that in the earlier part of the 20th century, one could have gotten away with not knowing much about technology. These days, more and more careers depend on having some background knowledge in technology. Fisch even goes so far as to say being technologically illiterate is pretty much the same as being unable to comprehend math, or even read.
I have never thought of technology as being on the same skill level as math and reading, so in this case, I agree with Mr. Fisch. One should not be proud of saying "I don't really get computers" because in these times, one wouldn't have a choice but to LEARN to "get" them.
Gary's Social Media Count
Every second, people are doing something related to technology. Even I, as I am typing this post, am checking my Twitter, my Facebook, and my text messages. This may not seem like a big deal. However, Gary Hayes has put things into perspective about how many people are doing the same thing as me. THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS of people every second are doing something related to technology.
A few years ago (maybe 2000 or 2001), the numbers probably were in the hundreds (since I'm sure there were plenty of people afraid to take that plunge into the technological world). By the time I become a teacher, I'm sure the numbers will be in the millions. This most definitely means that I would be responsible for staying up to date with technological advances, and making sure my future students know how to use technology to their advantage.
What I got out of this video was that students today are not as interested in facts on a chalkboard or in a book as they used to be. Their attention is focus more on technology. Several students in the video expressed that most of their time in the day is dedicated to technology (Facebook, talking on their cell phones, watching TV, etc). Obviously this was not the case, say, 50 years ago. Students today feel that they could learn much easier if the information they needed to know was presented through technology.
In my own experiences, technology comes in the classroom every now and then. Very recently have I been introduced to SmartBorads and PowerPoints. In fact, this EDM class is where I've encountered the most technology. The good news is that I'm learning about more technology, and kids in elementary and middle school are doing so as well, so our futures will be bright.
It's Not About the Technology
In this blog post, Kelly Hines explains that, as a teacher, having access to the latest technology does not automatically make someone a good teacher. There are things an educator has to keep in mind in order to affect students positively:
1.) Teachers must be learners: Teachers have to know, and the have to be engaged in WANTING to know. This could happen through their own methods or from learning from seasoned teachers. Teachers could also learn through their own students, who of course are not all the same when they enter a classroom, and will not be the same when they leave.
2.) Learning and teaching are not the same things: Ms. Hines provides us with an excellent analogy in this case: "If an object does not move, no matter how much force has been applied, no work has been done. Therefore, if a student has not learned, not matter how much effort has been exerted, no teaching has been done." Just because a teacher stands in front of a class and rambles off a bunch of facts does not mean the students will retain it. It is up to the teacher to find a way for a student to remember the information. If technology will be used, a teacher must know how to use it correctly.
3.) Technology is useless without good teaching: As I stated before, just because a teacher has access to all the latest technology does not mean they are a good teacher. Knowledge of the technology means nothing if a teacher can't do great things with it.
4.) Be a 21st century teacher without the technology: Being a teacher in this day and age does not mean you HAVE to rely on technology. Most subjects can be taught in the traditional manner.
Is It Okay to Be a Technologically Illiterate Teacher?
Karl Fisch makes it perfectly clear that it is NOT okay to be technologically illiterate as a teacher. A teacher should not produce technologically illiterate students, because the type of world we live in today does not allow such lack of knowledge and skill. He states that in the earlier part of the 20th century, one could have gotten away with not knowing much about technology. These days, more and more careers depend on having some background knowledge in technology. Fisch even goes so far as to say being technologically illiterate is pretty much the same as being unable to comprehend math, or even read.
I have never thought of technology as being on the same skill level as math and reading, so in this case, I agree with Mr. Fisch. One should not be proud of saying "I don't really get computers" because in these times, one wouldn't have a choice but to LEARN to "get" them.
Gary's Social Media Count
Every second, people are doing something related to technology. Even I, as I am typing this post, am checking my Twitter, my Facebook, and my text messages. This may not seem like a big deal. However, Gary Hayes has put things into perspective about how many people are doing the same thing as me. THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS of people every second are doing something related to technology.
A few years ago (maybe 2000 or 2001), the numbers probably were in the hundreds (since I'm sure there were plenty of people afraid to take that plunge into the technological world). By the time I become a teacher, I'm sure the numbers will be in the millions. This most definitely means that I would be responsible for staying up to date with technological advances, and making sure my future students know how to use technology to their advantage.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Additional Assignment #1
GoogleSquared and WolframAlpha
I knew absolutely nothing about either one of these search engines before this assignment. But with each one of them, like any other search engine, one would have to assume that they are delivering accurate and reliable information. GoogleSquared will have the courtesy to let you know that some information is not reliable. It will provide the source of the information, then tell you if it has "Low Confidence" about what was given. I found that to be helpful.
Did You Know?
As far as my comments on this video in a previous blog post, the facts were thrown at me pretty rapidly. GoogleSquared and WolframAlpha helped to put it all into perspective for me. For example, the video says that "25% of India's population with the highest IQ's is GREATER than the total population of the United States". This information alone is pretty amazing (and a little embarrassing). However, when you learn that India's total population is about 1,177,070,000, and that the total population of the United States is about 308,944,000, the information makes more sense.
I knew absolutely nothing about either one of these search engines before this assignment. But with each one of them, like any other search engine, one would have to assume that they are delivering accurate and reliable information. GoogleSquared will have the courtesy to let you know that some information is not reliable. It will provide the source of the information, then tell you if it has "Low Confidence" about what was given. I found that to be helpful.
Did You Know?
 |
| The Pitciarn Islands (WolframAlpha.com) |
Monday, September 13, 2010
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Summary Post for C4T#1
Kelly Hines's Blog: Keeping Kids First
Locals and Tourists
In this post, Ms. Hines analyzes technology as a beach, and the users of technology as either "locals" or "tourists".
The locals of a beach would be the people who have been there most of his/her life and know where all the cool/romantic/dangerous places are. They are also the people who love and respect the territory: they don't abuse it and they keep it clean. Similarly, the "locals" of technology would be the people who know the ins, outs, ups, downs, do's and don'ts of it all.
The tourists of the beach, on the other hand, either disrespect the territory, or are fearful of it. Similarly, the "tourists" of technology either don't know how to use it properly, or, as Ms. Hines described, are afraid to "take the plunge"--they see technology as an intimidating shark to avoid at all costs.
In my comment to this post, I described myself as an "in-betweeny" of technology. i explained that I am familiar with it, as I have been exposed to it most of my life. However, I have yet to "take the plunge" into the bigger, deeper ocean.
How Full Is Your Bucket?
After reading the book, How Full Is Your Bucket? by Tom Rath and Donald O. Clifton, PhD, Ms. Hines highlighted a few things from the book that teachers could do to fill up a child's "bucket", or praise them and lift their self esteem, rather than taking away from a child by constantly telling them what they did wrong.
In my comment, I explained that I could identify with having "Empty Bucket Syndrome", from having a teacher who never saw the positive in me. I also feel that a teacher should do whatever they can to make a child feel special, whether it goes from telling them, on the spot, what a good job they've done, or surprising them with a small, yet meaningful gift.
Locals and Tourists
In this post, Ms. Hines analyzes technology as a beach, and the users of technology as either "locals" or "tourists".
The locals of a beach would be the people who have been there most of his/her life and know where all the cool/romantic/dangerous places are. They are also the people who love and respect the territory: they don't abuse it and they keep it clean. Similarly, the "locals" of technology would be the people who know the ins, outs, ups, downs, do's and don'ts of it all.
The tourists of the beach, on the other hand, either disrespect the territory, or are fearful of it. Similarly, the "tourists" of technology either don't know how to use it properly, or, as Ms. Hines described, are afraid to "take the plunge"--they see technology as an intimidating shark to avoid at all costs.
In my comment to this post, I described myself as an "in-betweeny" of technology. i explained that I am familiar with it, as I have been exposed to it most of my life. However, I have yet to "take the plunge" into the bigger, deeper ocean.
How Full Is Your Bucket?
After reading the book, How Full Is Your Bucket? by Tom Rath and Donald O. Clifton, PhD, Ms. Hines highlighted a few things from the book that teachers could do to fill up a child's "bucket", or praise them and lift their self esteem, rather than taking away from a child by constantly telling them what they did wrong.
In my comment, I explained that I could identify with having "Empty Bucket Syndrome", from having a teacher who never saw the positive in me. I also feel that a teacher should do whatever they can to make a child feel special, whether it goes from telling them, on the spot, what a good job they've done, or surprising them with a small, yet meaningful gift.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Blog Post 2
Did You Know?
Considering the video was created in 2008, I'm sure it's pretty outdated by now. Even still, there was some pretty interesting information presented.
People are learning more things at a faster rate than at any point in human history. I found it interesting that students starting a four year degree will learn things that will be outdated by their third year of school. Technology is becoming more and more apart of our lives, and we have adjusted to this change accordingly. There is no way we could go back to living the way we did in, say, the 50's. Pretty soon, we will have even more technology that will do more than any human ever could
Mr. Winkle Wakes
Mr. Winkle reacted to the new world as I'd imagine anyone from 100 years ago would. The world has certainly changed as far as communication and health care goes.
Mr. Winkle found relief from the new age in a classroom, where nothing has changed. This means that the students literally did nothing but take notes from the teacher's lecture, and they were not learning the skills they needed for the ever-changing world of technology. In today's world, the lack of these skills will leave these students struggling for survival.
The Importance of Creativity
Ken Robinson brings up several interesting points in his talk. Two quotes I like are "Creativity is as important as literacy" and "If you're not prepared to be wrong, you'll never come up with anything original." I especially like the last quote because it has been shown throughout history that some mistakes have become the world's greatest inventions.
Robinson also mentioned that students are being educated out of creativity. This fact is evident in the "hierarchy of education": the arts- the only way students can truly express themselves- are not even a priority in schools. To me, students are underdeveloped this way. They aren't learning anything outside of facts. They just become knowledge-spewing robots.
Harness Your Student's Digital Smarts
Honestly, this video is a mirror image of how Dr. Strange teaches his class. Much like the teacher in the video, he doesn't teach his students anything. In fact, she's learning along with her students. She's teaching her students how to learn, which is pretty much the way it goes in the real world.
Considering the video was created in 2008, I'm sure it's pretty outdated by now. Even still, there was some pretty interesting information presented.
People are learning more things at a faster rate than at any point in human history. I found it interesting that students starting a four year degree will learn things that will be outdated by their third year of school. Technology is becoming more and more apart of our lives, and we have adjusted to this change accordingly. There is no way we could go back to living the way we did in, say, the 50's. Pretty soon, we will have even more technology that will do more than any human ever could
Mr. Winkle Wakes
Mr. Winkle reacted to the new world as I'd imagine anyone from 100 years ago would. The world has certainly changed as far as communication and health care goes.
Mr. Winkle found relief from the new age in a classroom, where nothing has changed. This means that the students literally did nothing but take notes from the teacher's lecture, and they were not learning the skills they needed for the ever-changing world of technology. In today's world, the lack of these skills will leave these students struggling for survival.
The Importance of Creativity
Ken Robinson brings up several interesting points in his talk. Two quotes I like are "Creativity is as important as literacy" and "If you're not prepared to be wrong, you'll never come up with anything original." I especially like the last quote because it has been shown throughout history that some mistakes have become the world's greatest inventions.
Robinson also mentioned that students are being educated out of creativity. This fact is evident in the "hierarchy of education": the arts- the only way students can truly express themselves- are not even a priority in schools. To me, students are underdeveloped this way. They aren't learning anything outside of facts. They just become knowledge-spewing robots.
Harness Your Student's Digital Smarts
Honestly, this video is a mirror image of how Dr. Strange teaches his class. Much like the teacher in the video, he doesn't teach his students anything. In fact, she's learning along with her students. She's teaching her students how to learn, which is pretty much the way it goes in the real world.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Blog Post 1
My name is Khaela (pronounced KAYLA, if you ever care to say it out loud). I'm originally from the beautiful city of Long Beach, California, but came to Mobile, Alabama, kicking and screaming, in the summer of 2005. I attended Murphy High School and came out in 2009. Not too long before my arrival to the University of South Alabama did I decide on what I wanted to major in: English. My initial reason for wanting to attend USA was rather juvenile--"All my friends are going!" I had a more vaild reason once I learned how great the Education program was. I've been interested in Education since I was either 3 or 4, either when my mom taught me how to read, or after my first few days of preschool. Either way, I've always had this need to teach and help people.
Special interests? I don't have any worth mentioning, at least none I can use in my career (I doubt anyone would pay me for sleeping).
Personal information? Let's see what I'm willing to share: I have a mommy (and yes, I call her Mommy. No daddy, though. He died in 2006). I am the 3rd of four children--older sister, Shon; older brother, Nick; and younger brother, Chris. I have 3 nieces: Xyisha, Ariyana, and Abigale. I have a boyfriend who attends Auburn University (though my thoughts and opinions on football are not affected by this). We've been together 5 months and I've loved every minute of them.
As for my passions, I have a recent passion for college. For me, college is the ultimate test for me to prove myself to my family. I would love to show them I can make something of myself (not that they had any doubt or anything). I heard something from a teacher of mine that kind of resonated with me. She said "You're not in college for yourself. You are here for everyone who ever invested anything in you." That quote is something that I hope will keep me driven.
Now I feel I should explain my picture. You see that blue spot in between my teeth? Yes, that is gum. I LOVE gum. But not like everyone else loves gum. I can honestly say I go through a 15-stick pack of gum in a matter of 3 days (trust me, I've gotten better). If you happen to see me on a day without gum, something is wrong. I realize that as I journey on to becoming an educator, one that has to speak in front of others, gum will become less and less apart of my life. Hopefully I can cope.
Anyway, I've taken up enough of your time. This is pretty much all there is to me.
Special interests? I don't have any worth mentioning, at least none I can use in my career (I doubt anyone would pay me for sleeping).
Personal information? Let's see what I'm willing to share: I have a mommy (and yes, I call her Mommy. No daddy, though. He died in 2006). I am the 3rd of four children--older sister, Shon; older brother, Nick; and younger brother, Chris. I have 3 nieces: Xyisha, Ariyana, and Abigale. I have a boyfriend who attends Auburn University (though my thoughts and opinions on football are not affected by this). We've been together 5 months and I've loved every minute of them.
As for my passions, I have a recent passion for college. For me, college is the ultimate test for me to prove myself to my family. I would love to show them I can make something of myself (not that they had any doubt or anything). I heard something from a teacher of mine that kind of resonated with me. She said "You're not in college for yourself. You are here for everyone who ever invested anything in you." That quote is something that I hope will keep me driven.
Now I feel I should explain my picture. You see that blue spot in between my teeth? Yes, that is gum. I LOVE gum. But not like everyone else loves gum. I can honestly say I go through a 15-stick pack of gum in a matter of 3 days (trust me, I've gotten better). If you happen to see me on a day without gum, something is wrong. I realize that as I journey on to becoming an educator, one that has to speak in front of others, gum will become less and less apart of my life. Hopefully I can cope.
Anyway, I've taken up enough of your time. This is pretty much all there is to me.
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