Sunday, May 2, 2010
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Goodbye Class G and Edm 310 Students
Well, class it's been interesting. It seems it's been really fast paced and the time has gone by so quickly. Doesn't it seem we've just met? Now, it's time to move on.
I would like to say good luck to you all in your education and career goals. I wish we had had more time to meet and talk. Once again, good luck to you all.
I would like to say good luck to you all in your education and career goals. I wish we had had more time to meet and talk. Once again, good luck to you all.
Summary Final Post
As an answer to item 1, I would have to say there are many things I have learned in this class that I will take with me. Number one being Google Docs. I know this is something I will continue to use in my career and personal life. I will continue to use Twitter as part of my PLN and my professional blog. I really enjoy using Picassa and Audacity, though I know there is more I can learn about these programs. I have already been using iTunes before this class and will continue, but will now add iTunes U to the palette. I'm sure when I have my own class I will upload videos to youTube. I definitely plan on having a class blog. I plan on my students commenting on other class blogs. Yes, most of the tools learned in this class will be utilized in the future or will be continued.
For number 2. When asked if there was anything we wanted to learn but didn't, I personally can not think of anything. I was overwhelmed with what we already had to learn.
Number 3. I don't believe there is anything that I haven't learned that I don't plan on using at all in the future. Probably the only tool I can think of that I may not use much of is Wiki's unless my class creates their own backed by reliable resources.
For number 4. In some aspects, portions of the class excited me while other times I was overwhelmed. I really enjoyed the video's and presentation projects.
Number 5. Intellectually challenging? Yes, probably reading other teacher blogs and having to comment on them. You definitely have to think about how to comment and not just comment in a lame manner.
Number 6. We really didn't have time to be bored. If there was boredom, I would have to say it got boring to write in your blog every week. Some posts I found boring.
Number 7. Change the course? Hmmm...not sure how to answer that one. Maybe give a break on the weekly blogposts? Would love to see a few more demonstrations in class on some of the tougher programs to post. For example, on posting Google Earth tours and maybe editing programs for videos.
Number 8. Yes, I believe I am technologically literate from a medium to good extent. Not great but good. I feel I can learn any of the tools and programs with a little reading and hands on experimentation. I feel I have to just jump in and try it out. The more practice, the better you get.
Number 9. I guess I would have to look back on number 8. I will just have to continue reading and researching on the internet to stay up to date on new technology. Continue practicing and becoming more proficient in the tools that I have already learned. I think you also have to have an interest in it to continue your learning. I'm always looking for new ideas and new programs to try out.
For number 2. When asked if there was anything we wanted to learn but didn't, I personally can not think of anything. I was overwhelmed with what we already had to learn.
Number 3. I don't believe there is anything that I haven't learned that I don't plan on using at all in the future. Probably the only tool I can think of that I may not use much of is Wiki's unless my class creates their own backed by reliable resources.
For number 4. In some aspects, portions of the class excited me while other times I was overwhelmed. I really enjoyed the video's and presentation projects.
Number 5. Intellectually challenging? Yes, probably reading other teacher blogs and having to comment on them. You definitely have to think about how to comment and not just comment in a lame manner.
Number 6. We really didn't have time to be bored. If there was boredom, I would have to say it got boring to write in your blog every week. Some posts I found boring.
Number 7. Change the course? Hmmm...not sure how to answer that one. Maybe give a break on the weekly blogposts? Would love to see a few more demonstrations in class on some of the tougher programs to post. For example, on posting Google Earth tours and maybe editing programs for videos.
Number 8. Yes, I believe I am technologically literate from a medium to good extent. Not great but good. I feel I can learn any of the tools and programs with a little reading and hands on experimentation. I feel I have to just jump in and try it out. The more practice, the better you get.
Number 9. I guess I would have to look back on number 8. I will just have to continue reading and researching on the internet to stay up to date on new technology. Continue practicing and becoming more proficient in the tools that I have already learned. I think you also have to have an interest in it to continue your learning. I'm always looking for new ideas and new programs to try out.
Week 13 & 14 Comments for Teachers
I commented on the Intrepid Teacher website. He wrote about the new i pad and how one can read a book with cool apps. I commented on the fact that nothing was better than reading a good book and using your imagination and visualization for the storyline.
I also commented on his blog post about Kaia's blog. I let him know how wonderful it is that he has decided to share her life with the world.
I also commented on his blog post about Kaia's blog. I let him know how wonderful it is that he has decided to share her life with the world.
Google Earth
Here is the link to the download page of my Google Earth project. I kept getting an error for the tour gadget.
http://sites.google.com/site/sandranapp/edm310-files or click here .
http://sites.google.com/site/sandranapp/edm310-files or click here .
My PLN
As part of my PLN, I've created a professional blog and am following educators on Twitter. I especially like Classroom 2.0 and Dave and Cori, the Ed tech guy. Dave and Cori have some great tips pertaining to educational technology. I am continuing to update my Twitter account and adding people to follow. My PLN is a continuing work in progress. I plan on adding much more to it once my college class is over, as I will have more time to research.
I have learned about so many tools in EDM310. Delicious is a bookmarking tool that I would say is part of my PLN. I've bookmarked many educational sites that I would like to keep up with. Google Docs is a tool I will continue to utilize as I create documents pertaining to education, so I would say Google Docs is part of my PLN. I have yet to explore Symbaloo, but plan on checking this out as it looks to be a tool I would like to use for my PLN.
As a final post on my PLN, I would state that it is a continual work in progress. I plan on doing so much more with it to stay up to date with education and technology.
I have learned about so many tools in EDM310. Delicious is a bookmarking tool that I would say is part of my PLN. I've bookmarked many educational sites that I would like to keep up with. Google Docs is a tool I will continue to utilize as I create documents pertaining to education, so I would say Google Docs is part of my PLN. I have yet to explore Symbaloo, but plan on checking this out as it looks to be a tool I would like to use for my PLN.
As a final post on my PLN, I would state that it is a continual work in progress. I plan on doing so much more with it to stay up to date with education and technology.
Skype
I have used Skype to talk with a classmate for a podcast project. I have also talked with a family member in Tennessee and a friend in Arizona via Skype. I used Skype in the past for a video conference business call, although it was a bit choppy, lost connection and reconnected. I will probably continue to use Skype occasionally, but prefer to speak on my cellphone.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Interview Videocast
Below is my interview with Ms. Shelly Hicks of Hollinger's Island School. She discusses her thoughts on if a teacher should be technologically literate and what constitute a technology literate teacher.
Thank you, Shelly, for taking time out of your schedule for this interview.
Thank you, Shelly, for taking time out of your schedule for this interview.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
April 25, 2010
The video, Two Questions That Can Change Your Life by Daniel Pink was a pretty good motivational video that makes you definitely think about the two questions. What's my sentence? Was I better today than yesterday? What's my sentence? is a question I would have to really ponder over. I think it would have something to do with students achieving success through my teaching. I feel all students can achieve, for I have seen it in the classes that I have taught in the past. As far as the question, Was I better today than yesterday?, it's a great question to ask yourself everyday. Would I ask myself that question everyday? I would probably have to frame it on a wall in my room for awhile until I was accustomed to asking myself if I was better today than yesterday. It would give you something to think about on a daily basis, a reflection on what you've done yesterday verses today. It is something to think about. I think if everyone actually reflected on that question everyday there would possibly be better people in this world (better, in this instance could be defined in any way, for example: morals, values, productivity, teaching, learning, giving, etc.).
A Seventh Grader's PLE
All I can say is, wow! What a well organized PLE. This student has it all worked out. She can take pride in creating the work that she has published online. Like she said it's not like reading and looking at the pictures in a science book. She has created her own learning environment. I am very much impressed, especially the fact that she is only in 7th grade.
I don't think there is much comparison in my PLE to hers. Mine is not quite as organized as hers. I noticed she uses something called Symbalo. I would like to learn more about this. It looks like a very good organizational tool to use.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Podcasts Interview
Click here for our podcasts interview with Ms. Dawn Deputy at Hollinger's Island. She discusses how the teachers use their Smartboards in the classroom.
Click here for the link to EDM 310's Technology Talk page with other podcasts listings.
Click here for the link to EDM 310's Technology Talk page with other podcasts listings.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
April 18, 2010 Week 14
April 18, 2010
If All Teachers Had Classroom Blogs
What if it were mandatory for all teachers to create and keep up their own blog for their classroom? In this blog would be weekly news, student work, teacher news, homework information, pictures and video. It could be a one stop place for parents and students to find just about anything they wanted to know about their classroom. Students could view and share their work and projects with their parents, students and other people around the world. Student writings are shared or even collaborated with other students virtually anywhere.
Just think about it for a bit. If it's mandatory, then all teachers will have to learn to use the internet and new tools for the internet. Think of the networking and learning that would take place, not just with the students but the teachers, too. What would it be like? Can you just imagine? What do you think if all teachers had to create and maintain a classroom blog? I wonder what the perfect classroom blog would be like? Please comment.
Comments4kids Week 13 and 14
Week 13 I commented on a student named Silas at Pt England School Rm 14. He made a Hyperstudio presentation called My Waka Adventure Animation. I commented on what a good job he did and how exciting it was to learn a new program.
For Week 14, I was assigned to comment on the teachers entry at Mrs. Cassidy's Classroom Blog. I commented on a Christmas video she had made of the students singing a Christmas song with instruments. I commented on how wonderful it was to have a video for parents to look back on of their child. I was surprised that not more comments were made by parents to this video. I also stated how nice it would have been to have something like this when my child was younger.
If All Teachers Had Classroom Blogs
What if it were mandatory for all teachers to create and keep up their own blog for their classroom? In this blog would be weekly news, student work, teacher news, homework information, pictures and video. It could be a one stop place for parents and students to find just about anything they wanted to know about their classroom. Students could view and share their work and projects with their parents, students and other people around the world. Student writings are shared or even collaborated with other students virtually anywhere.
Just think about it for a bit. If it's mandatory, then all teachers will have to learn to use the internet and new tools for the internet. Think of the networking and learning that would take place, not just with the students but the teachers, too. What would it be like? Can you just imagine? What do you think if all teachers had to create and maintain a classroom blog? I wonder what the perfect classroom blog would be like? Please comment.
Comments4kids Week 13 and 14
Week 13 I commented on a student named Silas at Pt England School Rm 14. He made a Hyperstudio presentation called My Waka Adventure Animation. I commented on what a good job he did and how exciting it was to learn a new program.
For Week 14, I was assigned to comment on the teachers entry at Mrs. Cassidy's Classroom Blog. I commented on a Christmas video she had made of the students singing a Christmas song with instruments. I commented on how wonderful it was to have a video for parents to look back on of their child. I was surprised that not more comments were made by parents to this video. I also stated how nice it would have been to have something like this when my child was younger.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
April 11, 2010
My Presentation - An Introduction to Google Docs 
I chose to prepare a Google presentation introducing Google Docs. It is a basic introduction to Google Docs specifically geared toward teachers, although just about any audience could benefit from it. I specify how to get started with Google Docs and I demonstrate some of its features. I tried to be as specific as possible in my directions, as it is for the beginner.
Here is the link to An Introduction to Google Docs.
Why is it Important to Post Student Work on Blogs?
The motivation alone is enough reason to post student work on blogs, not to mention inspiring. They take more pride in their work when they know friends, family and the world can view their work. It can also inspire them to become more creative in projects that would be published on the internet. The comments students receive can also motivate future projects.
Just look at the video of the students at PS22 singing Landslide. My gosh! It got them invited to perform at a Fleetwood Mac concert! Teachers have commented on my blog on how appreciative they are that we are commenting on their student blogs. They've also commented on how excited students are on publishing work online for authentic audiences. The proof is there. Just look at the comments from students work published online. If more teachers would realize what's happening they would more than likely climb on board for their own classroom blogs.
I chose to prepare a Google presentation introducing Google Docs. It is a basic introduction to Google Docs specifically geared toward teachers, although just about any audience could benefit from it. I specify how to get started with Google Docs and I demonstrate some of its features. I tried to be as specific as possible in my directions, as it is for the beginner.
Here is the link to An Introduction to Google Docs.
Why is it Important to Post Student Work on Blogs?
The motivation alone is enough reason to post student work on blogs, not to mention inspiring. They take more pride in their work when they know friends, family and the world can view their work. It can also inspire them to become more creative in projects that would be published on the internet. The comments students receive can also motivate future projects.
Just look at the video of the students at PS22 singing Landslide. My gosh! It got them invited to perform at a Fleetwood Mac concert! Teachers have commented on my blog on how appreciative they are that we are commenting on their student blogs. They've also commented on how excited students are on publishing work online for authentic audiences. The proof is there. Just look at the comments from students work published online. If more teachers would realize what's happening they would more than likely climb on board for their own classroom blogs.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
April 4, 2010 Week 12
Week 12 
Kaia's Blog
I viewed and read the Intrepid Teacher's blog, Kaia's blog and Mr. Chamberlain's class blog. It was interesting to see the wonderful comments left on the voice thread by Mr. Chamberlain's students. It was an excellent presentation for Kaia and others to view. I cannot imagine how this will follow her throughout her life. There could be many classes all over the world following her blog. I can only think of her writing skills as she grows up and continues the blog. What better way to sharpen her writing skills but with real life experiences. I'm sure her father will continue with her blog as a documentation of her young life growing up. Hopefully Kaia will take over with the writing when she is old enough.
Mr. Chamberlain's class in Missouri followed Kaia's blog, created and maintained by her father in Qatar. Many students commented on Kaia's blog. Seeing as Kaia could not read yet, Kaia's dad Skyped Mr. Chamberlain's class and asked that his class send a voice thread or video for Kaia to view. Mr. Chamberlain's class responded with a voice thread of comments and pictures Kaia took. Kaia's father has his own blog, Singing Hearts Intrepid Teacher, where he writes his thoughts and feelings of having his daughter's pictures and life online.
It will be interesting to see if Kaia's father continues with her blog and whether Kaia will pick up writing on the blog as she gets older.
Comments4Kids Week 12
I was assigned to comment on Pt England School's Team 1 Rock Stars blog. It is a group of 5 year old students' artwork and writing. I was assigned to the March blog, number 38 down. It was a drawing of the student viewing a giraffe at the zoo with a brief description. I commented to him and the teacher that I agreed with the teacher's comment on Angelo's description of the giraffe. He described it as ..."a beautiful, elegant walker". I was very much impressed by this student's wording for such a young age.
Kaia's Blog
I viewed and read the Intrepid Teacher's blog, Kaia's blog and Mr. Chamberlain's class blog. It was interesting to see the wonderful comments left on the voice thread by Mr. Chamberlain's students. It was an excellent presentation for Kaia and others to view. I cannot imagine how this will follow her throughout her life. There could be many classes all over the world following her blog. I can only think of her writing skills as she grows up and continues the blog. What better way to sharpen her writing skills but with real life experiences. I'm sure her father will continue with her blog as a documentation of her young life growing up. Hopefully Kaia will take over with the writing when she is old enough.
Mr. Chamberlain's class in Missouri followed Kaia's blog, created and maintained by her father in Qatar. Many students commented on Kaia's blog. Seeing as Kaia could not read yet, Kaia's dad Skyped Mr. Chamberlain's class and asked that his class send a voice thread or video for Kaia to view. Mr. Chamberlain's class responded with a voice thread of comments and pictures Kaia took. Kaia's father has his own blog, Singing Hearts Intrepid Teacher, where he writes his thoughts and feelings of having his daughter's pictures and life online.
It will be interesting to see if Kaia's father continues with her blog and whether Kaia will pick up writing on the blog as she gets older.
Comments4Kids Week 12
I was assigned to comment on Pt England School's Team 1 Rock Stars blog. It is a group of 5 year old students' artwork and writing. I was assigned to the March blog, number 38 down. It was a drawing of the student viewing a giraffe at the zoo with a brief description. I commented to him and the teacher that I agreed with the teacher's comment on Angelo's description of the giraffe. He described it as ..."a beautiful, elegant walker". I was very much impressed by this student's wording for such a young age.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
March 28, 2010 Week 10
On Morgan Bayda's Blog and Dan Brown's Video
It is amazing to me that college classes sound the same as they were in the 80's when I went to USA for my teaching degree. After reading Morgan Bayda's blog on "An Open Letter to Educators", it occurred to me not much has changed. I am only taking one class at USA after being out of college for several years, so I can't compare other college classes and experiences of today. I can only compare college classes from the late 80's and very early 90's. Interestingly, most classes sound very similar to the classes I had back then. I am very surprised to hear it's pretty much the same. It certainly brought back memories as I listened to Dan Brown's video where he spoke of "frantically scribbling facts" from lectures and then memorizing the facts to later be tested on. Sounds archaic, seeing as I was doing the same exact thing so many, many years ago.
As I commented on Morgan's blog, there is a difference from back then to now. The professors of today use Powerpoint to accompany their lectures. My professors used a chalkboard (or whiteboard in some classes) with the lectures in the late 80's and early 90's. If that's any indication of how technology is moving in education, then, we have a very long way to go in public and higher education. Isn't that sad?
You may hear my comment on Morgan's blog below.
Comments4Teachers Week 10, 11, 12
Comments4Teachers
I commented on Eric Langhorst's site Speaking of History. He had a wonderful video on the different programs on the internet. For example he demonstrated Wordle which gave me better insight on how it works and how easy it is. I commented on the video presentation he made and how helpful it was. I also commented that Dr. Strange should consider using his video in his EDM310 class as an introduction to some of these programs. I found it very useful.
I commented on Eric Langhorst's site Speaking of History. He had a wonderful video on the different programs on the internet. For example he demonstrated Wordle which gave me better insight on how it works and how easy it is. I commented on the video presentation he made and how helpful it was. I also commented that Dr. Strange should consider using his video in his EDM310 class as an introduction to some of these programs. I found it very useful.
Comments4Kids Week 10
I commented on a student named Carly on Mrs. Kolbert's Class Blog. Carly's blog was a report on the country of Djibouti. I found it interesting. I let her know I had never heard of the country. I looked it up online to view a map of it's location and found more information on it. The information I found was on the CIA fact page. I passed this link on to Carly in my comment.
I only wish I knew what grade and where the school is located. I searched around on the blog and couldn't find any information. Maybe I just didn't look in the correct place. Would like to know what grade level this blog is on.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
March 12, 2010
ALEX - Alabama Learning Exchange
ALEX is a wonderful resource for teachers, parents and students to find lesson plans and web links for all grade levels. All of the resources found on their website follow the Alabama Courses of Study. The main links on the homepage are simple to use and are broken down to Courses of Study, web links, lesson plans, search, personal workspace, professional learning, podcasts treasury and help.
Once you click on an icon on the homepage, it takes you to another page that allows you to break it down more. For instance, under web links you may click teacher, student or administrator weblinks, then it breaks it down further into subject areas. It's extremely simple to use. The courses of study are broken down into subjects then by grade level. From there one could click a link for a list of lesson plans for a particular course of study. There is a good lists of podcasts under the podcasts treasury link, but I can see their library needs to be built to have more selection, which I'm sure will happen over time. You can also search for lesson plans by subject, grade, author, title or school in the lesson plans link. The professional development area has links set up to send you to Alabama Department of Education websites to search further for professional development opportunities. The personal workspace is set to where you can login and submit your own lesson plans.
I have utilized Alex in the past in my own teaching career, especially for the Alabama Courses of Study and lesson plans. It's been a few years since I've used this site seeing as I haven't taught in a couple of years. I know it is a fantastic resource and plan on using it in the future. Now that they have added a podcasts link I will be searching in that area too. ALEX is definitely a site to bookmark for educators.
ACCESS
ACCESS is a site made especially for high school students. Students are able to take additional classes online. The classes range from remediation classes that are self paced to prepare for the graduation exam to advanced college board approved classes for advanced placement. ACCESS also offers your basic high school subjects, all taught online either web based or by video conferencing.
ACCESS looks to be an excellent online program for high school students to utilize. High school has come a long way. The student only has to have the will to further their learning. Learning is ACESSible to the student. High school students should, at the least, be required to research the site for what is offered so that they become familiar with it and know the options they have for their schooling.
Comments4Kids
I commented on Ms. Voigt's Kindergarten class. I've enjoyed reading their posts of their day to day classroom activities. I commented on their unit of transportation that they were learning about and I let them know that I, too have taught kindergarten and reading their posts reminds me of my own kindergarten classes I've taught.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Internet Tools in EDM310 Survey
My Survey on Internet Tools in EDM310
Please click here to take the survey if you are in or have been in EDM310 and have not taken my survey. Thanks!
Click here for a summary of the results on my survey on internet tools in EDM310. Use your Gmail account to view.
My survey was specifically for EDM310 students. I was curious to know what tools were used before EDM310 and if students would continue to use these tools after EDM310. I had 29 responses as of this writing. My first question was which search engine was used the most. Just as I had expected the majority answered Google (83%). Sixty-nine percent (69%) answered no to using Gmail before EDM310, which surprised me, as I've been using Gmail for several years. Only 14% used Google Docs before EDM310. Of the 14% that used Google Docs, 33% created documents in Google Docs and 67% have created and uploaded documents in Google Docs. When searching for clipart and images 54% searched through Google and 36% used Google and Microsoft clip art, while 11% used some other search engine for images. YouTube is used rarely (52%), while 14% use it everyday and 28% use YouTube about once a week. The majority of YouTube videos viewed were music (59%) and comedy (55%), while 21% did not view YouTube videos (other than required EDM310 videos). Ten percent or less viewed documentaries, educational or other type videos. Only 14% have used Picassa before EDM310 and 41% say they will continue to use Picassa after EDM310. Lastly, 76% said they have definitely learned about new tools and programs in EDM310 that will be useful to them in the future.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Comments4Kids Week 8
I commented on Mrs. Voigt and Mrs. Farrington's Kindergarten class in North Carolina. I especially enjoyed viewing and reading this blog as I have taught Kindergarten myself for many years. Their blog basically summarizes each school day with writings, pictures and video. That was refreshing to see. What a fantastic way for parents to view what happens in their child's life at school and a great review for the student, too.
Summary of Comments4Teachers
Comments For Teachers
Aaron Eyler - Synthesizing Education
I commented on Aaron Eyler's blog, Synthesizing Education. Mr.
Eyler is a high school History teacher with a masters in Educational Administration and Leadership.
I found Mr. Eyler's writing to be up front and honest on his feelings of the educational system and technology as a whole. It is refreshing to read his blog, as he doesn't hold back on his thoughts. He may apologize at times but he speaks his true feelings.
I first commented on his blog titled, "Implications of the Transition from a Backpack Culture to a Laptop Culture" where he wrote on advocating more field experiences rather than virtual trips replacing actual field trips. I agreed, although, I felt virtual trips would raise curiosity for the actual trip.
My second comment was on "School as a Facilitator to Success". Mr. Eyler wrote of placing more emphasis on students being entrepreneurs and "tinkering with business ideas of future professions" while still in school. I commented on, also, guiding students on making a budget, saving money and using real life skills so as to comprehend the usefulness of what they are learning.
"The Need It Now Generation" was my third comment on Mr. Eyler's blog. He wrote of kids being in the "need it now" society and how they are utilizing the tools available to them. He wrote we shouldn't blame the kids as adults created the tools they use such as Facebook, Twitter, email and other social networking sites. He stated that we should "find ways to utilize the tools effectively in education rather than try to resist." I totally agree with him. It is time educators climb on board and accept the inevitable. Technology is here to stay.
Aaron Eyler - Synthesizing Education
I commented on Aaron Eyler's blog, Synthesizing Education. Mr.
Eyler is a high school History teacher with a masters in Educational Administration and Leadership.I found Mr. Eyler's writing to be up front and honest on his feelings of the educational system and technology as a whole. It is refreshing to read his blog, as he doesn't hold back on his thoughts. He may apologize at times but he speaks his true feelings.
I first commented on his blog titled, "Implications of the Transition from a Backpack Culture to a Laptop Culture" where he wrote on advocating more field experiences rather than virtual trips replacing actual field trips. I agreed, although, I felt virtual trips would raise curiosity for the actual trip.
My second comment was on "School as a Facilitator to Success". Mr. Eyler wrote of placing more emphasis on students being entrepreneurs and "tinkering with business ideas of future professions" while still in school. I commented on, also, guiding students on making a budget, saving money and using real life skills so as to comprehend the usefulness of what they are learning.
"The Need It Now Generation" was my third comment on Mr. Eyler's blog. He wrote of kids being in the "need it now" society and how they are utilizing the tools available to them. He wrote we shouldn't blame the kids as adults created the tools they use such as Facebook, Twitter, email and other social networking sites. He stated that we should "find ways to utilize the tools effectively in education rather than try to resist." I totally agree with him. It is time educators climb on board and accept the inevitable. Technology is here to stay.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
March 7, 2010
Randy Pausch Lecture: Achieving Your Childhood Dreams
What an inspirational video! Randy Pausch had a wonderful outlook on life. It sounds as if he fulfilled his childhood dreams and lived a happy life even in his sickness. His teaching methods seem to reflect his outlook on life.
It’s evident he made learning fun. He demonstrated a virtual game made by students. It was actually pretty cute and amusing. A bunny asked the player to make him a world to live in, for which the player did. Then the player shut the program down with control/alt/delete. The rabbit’s world was virtually blown away while at the same time the rabbit is moaning. These students obviously learned by doing and had fun learning. Another example is a project he calls Alice where students are learning programming and don’t even realize it as they are making movies and games. His comment to this project was, “Millions of kids having fun while learning something hard”. He advised to allow students to be creative and compared this to his own childhood when his parents allowed him to paint pictures on his bedroom wall. I have to agree with his philosophy. I, too, was allowed to paint pictures on my bedroom wall as a young teenager.
He expects more from his students. He spoke of a two week assignment he assigned. The students performed very well. Instead of just giving all A’s he told the students how they could do better, even though they did a very good job. His point was to expect more from your students and they will give more.
He stated that the best gift an educator can give is to teach someone to be self reflective. He also stated we need to learn from our students, share information, show gratitude, help others and find the best in everybody. He gave an example of a student that he personally vouched for when the dean “had it in for him”. The student now is heading the Alice project. He made the point that loyalty was a two way street.
Basically, I saw his methodology on teaching as, make it fun and believe in your students. Learning should be fun and students will be willing to give more in return.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
February 28, 2010
The Machine is Changing Us
Michael Wesch's video demonstrates the changing media, more specifically YouTube, and the effects it has on the population. The videos he discussed shows how we are making connections more than we ever have through this medium. He discussed how people can reach out to so many other people to express themselves in a variety of ways. Additionally, he discussed how people become more self reflective on YouTube and how this medium is changing how people express themselves. It reminds me of being a pre-teen and recording little skits on a tape recorder for fun, but they were only shared with friends. Now with YouTube kids share their videos and skits with the world.
We've come a long way from the tape recorder to the vast array of multimedia tools we can use to express ourselves today. I'm sure YouTube, or some form of it, will soon become commonplace in the typical classroom as a learning and teaching tool.
This is How We Dream
Dr. Miller's video spoke of the future of writing with the use various forms of multimedia and the internet. No longer do we have to wait for books to be published. Writings and multimedia can be published almost instantaneously through the internet. More people have access to information in a shorter amount of time. Publishers have more views of their works through the internet than they could in the more traditional means of bound books and print.
Richard Miller spoke of how documents go through incremental change. Where documents may be headline news on the web or news in an email, later, these older documents can still be found on the web as a web based document. Whereas, traditional books, papers, etc. may be out of print and hard to find, the out of date documents and news on the internet can still be found. It basically undergoes incremental change. The internet now makes researching materials much easier and convenient than the traditional library search.
He also spoke of how we, as educators need to be willing to share ideas freely and collaborate with other educators. What better way to do this than by the use of the internet where educators can meet and collaborate with a multitude of educators from around the world, thereby, gathering, sharing and implementing new ideas that would, likely be virtually impossible without the use of the internet. The internet and it's seamlessly endless possibilities in education are here to stay. Teachers need to grasp this concept and accept it as a part of our future and learn all they can on using the internet as a teaching and learning tool. Finally, if the future of writing consists of more digital composing, then it is in the best interests of teachers to jump on board and utilize as much of the technology they have and learn right along with the students.
The Networked Student
I found this video very enlightening. It allowed me to see visually how all of these networking projects are connected. I see now why it's called connectivism. This would be a wonderful video to present to all teachers and students as an introduction to teaching students these networking skills.
It was interesting to see the student actually created a virtual textbook of information that he found most useful in his learning through his bookmarking account and RSS feeder. Unlike a traditional textbook he was able to include only information that was pertinent to what he needed in his learning endeavor. To sum up his opinions and what he has learned he could create a video or voice thread. For the high school student this would have to make learning new information motivating, interesting and fun.
Most definitely the networked student needs a teacher. Just as the video stated, the teacher needs to be there to guide and teach him how to build a network, to model how to use these networks, and how to decipher good information from propaganda. With the completion of this course, EDM310, I feel I will be prepared to be a teacher of a networked student. I can see where networking can also be used at the elementary level, probably beginning with blogs, wikis and podcasts. Once the student moves up to middle and high school, he could then have a smooth transition into more networking activities.
Michael Wesch's video demonstrates the changing media, more specifically YouTube, and the effects it has on the population. The videos he discussed shows how we are making connections more than we ever have through this medium. He discussed how people can reach out to so many other people to express themselves in a variety of ways. Additionally, he discussed how people become more self reflective on YouTube and how this medium is changing how people express themselves. It reminds me of being a pre-teen and recording little skits on a tape recorder for fun, but they were only shared with friends. Now with YouTube kids share their videos and skits with the world.
We've come a long way from the tape recorder to the vast array of multimedia tools we can use to express ourselves today. I'm sure YouTube, or some form of it, will soon become commonplace in the typical classroom as a learning and teaching tool.
This is How We Dream
Dr. Miller's video spoke of the future of writing with the use various forms of multimedia and the internet. No longer do we have to wait for books to be published. Writings and multimedia can be published almost instantaneously through the internet. More people have access to information in a shorter amount of time. Publishers have more views of their works through the internet than they could in the more traditional means of bound books and print.
Richard Miller spoke of how documents go through incremental change. Where documents may be headline news on the web or news in an email, later, these older documents can still be found on the web as a web based document. Whereas, traditional books, papers, etc. may be out of print and hard to find, the out of date documents and news on the internet can still be found. It basically undergoes incremental change. The internet now makes researching materials much easier and convenient than the traditional library search.
He also spoke of how we, as educators need to be willing to share ideas freely and collaborate with other educators. What better way to do this than by the use of the internet where educators can meet and collaborate with a multitude of educators from around the world, thereby, gathering, sharing and implementing new ideas that would, likely be virtually impossible without the use of the internet. The internet and it's seamlessly endless possibilities in education are here to stay. Teachers need to grasp this concept and accept it as a part of our future and learn all they can on using the internet as a teaching and learning tool. Finally, if the future of writing consists of more digital composing, then it is in the best interests of teachers to jump on board and utilize as much of the technology they have and learn right along with the students.
The Networked Student
I found this video very enlightening. It allowed me to see visually how all of these networking projects are connected. I see now why it's called connectivism. This would be a wonderful video to present to all teachers and students as an introduction to teaching students these networking skills.
It was interesting to see the student actually created a virtual textbook of information that he found most useful in his learning through his bookmarking account and RSS feeder. Unlike a traditional textbook he was able to include only information that was pertinent to what he needed in his learning endeavor. To sum up his opinions and what he has learned he could create a video or voice thread. For the high school student this would have to make learning new information motivating, interesting and fun.
Most definitely the networked student needs a teacher. Just as the video stated, the teacher needs to be there to guide and teach him how to build a network, to model how to use these networks, and how to decipher good information from propaganda. With the completion of this course, EDM310, I feel I will be prepared to be a teacher of a networked student. I can see where networking can also be used at the elementary level, probably beginning with blogs, wikis and podcasts. Once the student moves up to middle and high school, he could then have a smooth transition into more networking activities.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Week 7
Comments4Kids Week 7
I was assigned to comment on Mr. Lamshed's class blog on Fresh Fruit Friday. Mr. Lamshed shared a video and wrote how his class is trying to change bad eating habits by having fresh fruit Friday where students bring different fruit and share with the class. He wants to give other students the opportunity to try new fruits that they may never have tried otherwise. I commented on how I thought this was a good idea and hopefully it will change bad eating habits to good ones.
My PLN
I started my PLN by signing up for Twitter. I am still learning how to use Twitter, as this is all new to me. I have, so far, signed to follow classroom 2.0, Liveclass20, Free Technology for Teachers. I see where twitter can be a wonderful tool in my PLN in that I can follow sights and keep up to date on what's happening. I am still in the process of searching for new educational sites to follow and becoming more accustomed to Twitter.
I was assigned to comment on Mr. Lamshed's class blog on Fresh Fruit Friday. Mr. Lamshed shared a video and wrote how his class is trying to change bad eating habits by having fresh fruit Friday where students bring different fruit and share with the class. He wants to give other students the opportunity to try new fruits that they may never have tried otherwise. I commented on how I thought this was a good idea and hopefully it will change bad eating habits to good ones.
My PLN
I started my PLN by signing up for Twitter. I am still learning how to use Twitter, as this is all new to me. I have, so far, signed to follow classroom 2.0, Liveclass20, Free Technology for Teachers. I see where twitter can be a wonderful tool in my PLN in that I can follow sights and keep up to date on what's happening. I am still in the process of searching for new educational sites to follow and becoming more accustomed to Twitter.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
February 21, 2010
Comments 4Kids Week 6
I commented on a student named Frank at http://pesburne.blogspot.com/ . He had a cute drawing of bubbles going up into a tree with a short description of the picture. I was impressed by the students' drawings and wondered what program they used to draw them. I commented on his colorful picture, description of his drawing and the wonderful job he did.
Educational Technology on Dr. Christie's Site
After exploring Dr. Christie's site, I found the section under Educational Technology to be the most useful for me as a classroom teacher, though there is so much information on her site it was difficult to decide. I plan on bookmarking her page for future reference. She has so many useful resources, it makes for an excellent site to refer back to often.
As I hope to teach Kindergarten again, I decided the section on Digital Media and Photography would be a great starting point. Dr. Christie gave some excellent ideas that would be appropriate for a K class, for example, pictures of real world geometry shapes, signs in the community to make an "I can read" book and pictures of students dressed as their future career. There was also a wealth of information and lesson plans on video projects. The iMovie tips and tutorials will be extremely helpful for me as I explore video making projects. I found some excellent links with lesson plans and examples that I plan on using such as the Springfield Public Schools. This site has a list of lessons with grade level, subject and type of media used. Dr. Christie's site is a fantastic starting point for any teacher using digital media in the classroom or for almost any technology in education.
iTunes U
I found that university professors and students can access itunes u for lectures, lessons, and other videos. It is a way for teachers, students and alumni to stay connected with their university. Students can access lessons or lectures anywhere as long as they have the internet and a computer. This is an excellent resource for students to review lectures and reinforce what they have learned.
Teachers, as alumni, could use it to stay up to date on emerging technologies and what's changing in the field of education and share this information with other teachers. Professors can share and collaborate on videos and lectures they find or create. The ease of having the ability to access learning on the go makes it convenient at any time for students and teachers. It would have been great to have had something like this in my earlier years of college when I would carry my voice recorder to class to listen to the lecture again as a review.
iPods in Instruction
In researching instructional uses for iPods I found one sight that uses Interactive writing prompts with the use of music for older students. These look like very good writing lessons to keep students interested through popular music. Another site I found named, 100 Ways to Use Your iPod to Learn and Study Better has links to study guides, podcasts, tutorials, applications, classroom help and iPod learning support, just to name a few. This site has some wonderful resources for any grade level. I didn't realize there were so many sites available for iPods in education, for that matter, I didn't realize iPods were becoming so popular in education. I look forward to learning more and, hopefully, I will have access to iPods in my own teaching career.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
February 14, 2010
Comments4Kids
I read Bitten! by Bradley and Mason from a 5th grade class in England. As I commented on their blog, I found their story very descriptive. They vividly described a spider bite and the feelings the character was having. It left you wanting to know what happened next. The students used some excellent describing words. I would love to see them continue on with their story.
Can Wikipedia be a Trusted Source of Information?
I have asked myself this question many times. I didn't know a lot about Wikipedia until recently and still don't. I recall first accessing Wikipedia and realizing anyone could go in and edit information. I immediately questioned its reliability. Who's to say the information is correct if anyone can go in and change information? Just my opinion, but I think one needs to read between the lines. I would definitely not allow Wikipedia to be the only source of information. Research other online encyclopedias. If you're using Wikipedia for general information or just for fun then, fine. No need to look up other sources unless you're curious or you question the reliability. If you want to be sure, you're best to look for other sources. I would not rely on Wikipedia as the only source.
Will Wikipedia ever change its policy? I think so, in time. If not, this editing of information will get out of hand, if it hasn't already. I believe if they do not change, people will catch on and realize information is not what it seems. They will quit using Wikipedia as a reliable source and go elsewhere. As educators, we should teach our students not to rely on one encyclopedia site and research many sites. Let them know the sites like Wikipedia can be edited by anyone and the reliability could be questioned.
Mr. McClung's What I've Learned This Year
Mr. McClung shares his experiences as a first year teacher in Missouri. He wrote of initially being worried more about how his supervisors assessed him rather than concentrating on student needs. I think many first year teachers can relate to this, as I have. He wrote of planning the perfect lesson and "beating himself up over lessons and activities that did not go well". He learned to let it go and try to work with it to better the situation. I, too, can recall planning the "perfect" lesson and it would turn out to be a total flop. In some situations I would just stop the lesson and either modify it or go back and do the normal routine lesson.
Mr. McClung also wrote of teacher expectations and how sometimes we set too high of expectations only to be let down and possibly scolding the student. He wrote of building rapport with your fellow teachers, not being afraid of technology, listening to your students and as educators, never stop learning. What an excellent way to reflect on your first year of teaching by writing your experiences in a blog. Mr. McClung has wrote more honestly than most. It was refreshing to read and reflect back on my own first few years of teaching experience. I can recall many of the same feelings Mr. McClung has written about.
I read Bitten! by Bradley and Mason from a 5th grade class in England. As I commented on their blog, I found their story very descriptive. They vividly described a spider bite and the feelings the character was having. It left you wanting to know what happened next. The students used some excellent describing words. I would love to see them continue on with their story.
Can Wikipedia be a Trusted Source of Information?
I have asked myself this question many times. I didn't know a lot about Wikipedia until recently and still don't. I recall first accessing Wikipedia and realizing anyone could go in and edit information. I immediately questioned its reliability. Who's to say the information is correct if anyone can go in and change information? Just my opinion, but I think one needs to read between the lines. I would definitely not allow Wikipedia to be the only source of information. Research other online encyclopedias. If you're using Wikipedia for general information or just for fun then, fine. No need to look up other sources unless you're curious or you question the reliability. If you want to be sure, you're best to look for other sources. I would not rely on Wikipedia as the only source.
Will Wikipedia ever change its policy? I think so, in time. If not, this editing of information will get out of hand, if it hasn't already. I believe if they do not change, people will catch on and realize information is not what it seems. They will quit using Wikipedia as a reliable source and go elsewhere. As educators, we should teach our students not to rely on one encyclopedia site and research many sites. Let them know the sites like Wikipedia can be edited by anyone and the reliability could be questioned.
Mr. McClung's What I've Learned This Year
Mr. McClung shares his experiences as a first year teacher in Missouri. He wrote of initially being worried more about how his supervisors assessed him rather than concentrating on student needs. I think many first year teachers can relate to this, as I have. He wrote of planning the perfect lesson and "beating himself up over lessons and activities that did not go well". He learned to let it go and try to work with it to better the situation. I, too, can recall planning the "perfect" lesson and it would turn out to be a total flop. In some situations I would just stop the lesson and either modify it or go back and do the normal routine lesson.
Mr. McClung also wrote of teacher expectations and how sometimes we set too high of expectations only to be let down and possibly scolding the student. He wrote of building rapport with your fellow teachers, not being afraid of technology, listening to your students and as educators, never stop learning. What an excellent way to reflect on your first year of teaching by writing your experiences in a blog. Mr. McClung has wrote more honestly than most. It was refreshing to read and reflect back on my own first few years of teaching experience. I can recall many of the same feelings Mr. McClung has written about.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Saturday, February 6, 2010
February 7, 2010
Review of Podcasts Resources
How inspiring to view the variety of sites pertaining to podcasts. The first site I explored was the Langwitches Blog. There were some excellent ideas to use in the classroom. The teachers explained what they expected, the directions they gave to students and how they edited many of the podcasts projects. There were many tips and ideas that I found to be useful for my own podcasts. I'd like to learn more on how they found their sound effects. As I explore these sites, I'm sure I'll find more information on sound effects.
I found a wealth of information on the "100 Ways to Use Your iPod to Learn and Study Better" site. I will especially refer back to tutorial #28, as it lists programs for editing, programs for beginners and quite a bit of tips for beginning podcasters. The Curriki site is an excellent site for teachers to view a guideline on project podcasts for their students. It includes a classroom timeline of learning activities pertaining to Podcasts, not to mention, benefits, tips, topic suggestions, creating, submitting, grading and rubrics for podcasts. Any teacher who is attempting their first classroom podcasts would well benefit in viewing this site. I found the The Education Podcast Network site to be interesting. It broke down podcasts into elementary, middle and high schools. It also listed specific topics with a variety of links to other sites podcasts. You could basically use this site to search schools and subjects without going all over the web.
Overall, the sites I found the most useful, informative and interesting were the Curriki site and the Langwitches blog. I will definitely go back to these sites as a new podcaster to get information and ideas to use with my own students.
Comments4Kids
First, I was astonished at the amount and quality of the blogs of the students. I was impressed by Ilya's blog review of the book The Demonata: The Demon Thief. He reviewed the book in way that actually made you want more. He made the story interesting. He gave just enough information to leave you asking, "Ok, what now? What happened in the end? Did he save his brother?" The goal was accomplished in that he left you wanting to read the book to find out what happened in the end.
Blogging....what a great tool to allow the world to see the wonderful writing of students in school!
Saturday, January 30, 2010
January 31, 2010
Media Literacy in First Grade
Wow! I was so impressed by both of these videos. Ms. Cassidy is doing an amazing job with her students. As I commented on their site, I would love
to be able to emulate what she is doing with her students.
The students seemed to be well trained in their technology skills. They knew where to click with no help from the teacher. They were writing in their own blogs! It was astonishing to see them actually using wikis. I really liked the process Ms. Cassidy uses for students to access learning games and sites through there own website. Students simply had to click the skill they were to work on and go directly to that site. I always had to save them in my favorites and click on them for the student, for I had no class website.
I can just hope that when I begin teaching again my students will have access to that many computers and not just for a half hour a day. Maybe the public school system will soon grasp the importance of technology in education and put it in the forefront as a vital tool for learning.
My T
houghts on Podcasts
After listening to an array of podcasts, I've come to believe that podcasting is an excellent tool to use in education. The possibilities could be endless for learning and teaching. Teachers can find all sorts of ideas for the classroom. One thought came to mind, remember all those cassette tapes to record fluency reading? Well, no more. Just use a podcast and then it can be shared online for the parent to hear their child's progress. How about a weekly newsletter for the classroom recorded by the students and the teacher and shared online on the classroom website? The possibilities for podcasts in education are unlimited.
My first observation with the podcasts I listened to were the various types of introductions. Many began with a musical intro which I found appealing, although some musical introductions were drawn out too long. Ah, that's where I realize the itunes slider comes in handy and it's more convenient to the listener to download the podcasts first. Other podcasts got right to the point with no music. They listed their objectives and proceeded in their discussion. Many had guests or two hosts discussing subjects. In some instances I found this to be annoying in that the hosts or guests were too long winded in meaningless chitter chatter. At least, unlike a traditional radio show, the listener has the ability to bypass the chitter chatter or music and get to the substance of the discussion.
I was under the impression by the title of Kidcasts that all of the podcasts were created by students for students. After listening, I found it has many ideas for teachers. Educators discuss a variety of subjects and uses for podcasting with student examples of podcasts. Had I not explored the Kidcasts audio clips I would have assumed it was just for kids. As a beginning podcaster I would use Kidcasts as a starting point to learn and get ideas.
Overall, most podcasts sounded well prepared, interesting, and informative other than an occasional technical mishap. I found some podcasts were a little too lengthy in their discussion to keep your attention and, I would say, for the teacher who has very little free time. The time they have is valuable and they can appreciate short and to the point. The vast array of choices in podcasts were mind boggling, yet, intriguing enough to keep you searching and listening.
Wow! I was so impressed by both of these videos. Ms. Cassidy is doing an amazing job with her students. As I commented on their site, I would love
to be able to emulate what she is doing with her students.The students seemed to be well trained in their technology skills. They knew where to click with no help from the teacher. They were writing in their own blogs! It was astonishing to see them actually using wikis. I really liked the process Ms. Cassidy uses for students to access learning games and sites through there own website. Students simply had to click the skill they were to work on and go directly to that site. I always had to save them in my favorites and click on them for the student, for I had no class website.
I can just hope that when I begin teaching again my students will have access to that many computers and not just for a half hour a day. Maybe the public school system will soon grasp the importance of technology in education and put it in the forefront as a vital tool for learning.
My T
houghts on PodcastsAfter listening to an array of podcasts, I've come to believe that podcasting is an excellent tool to use in education. The possibilities could be endless for learning and teaching. Teachers can find all sorts of ideas for the classroom. One thought came to mind, remember all those cassette tapes to record fluency reading? Well, no more. Just use a podcast and then it can be shared online for the parent to hear their child's progress. How about a weekly newsletter for the classroom recorded by the students and the teacher and shared online on the classroom website? The possibilities for podcasts in education are unlimited.
My first observation with the podcasts I listened to were the various types of introductions. Many began with a musical intro which I found appealing, although some musical introductions were drawn out too long. Ah, that's where I realize the itunes slider comes in handy and it's more convenient to the listener to download the podcasts first. Other podcasts got right to the point with no music. They listed their objectives and proceeded in their discussion. Many had guests or two hosts discussing subjects. In some instances I found this to be annoying in that the hosts or guests were too long winded in meaningless chitter chatter. At least, unlike a traditional radio show, the listener has the ability to bypass the chitter chatter or music and get to the substance of the discussion.
I was under the impression by the title of Kidcasts that all of the podcasts were created by students for students. After listening, I found it has many ideas for teachers. Educators discuss a variety of subjects and uses for podcasting with student examples of podcasts. Had I not explored the Kidcasts audio clips I would have assumed it was just for kids. As a beginning podcaster I would use Kidcasts as a starting point to learn and get ideas.
Overall, most podcasts sounded well prepared, interesting, and informative other than an occasional technical mishap. I found some podcasts were a little too lengthy in their discussion to keep your attention and, I would say, for the teacher who has very little free time. The time they have is valuable and they can appreciate short and to the point. The vast array of choices in podcasts were mind boggling, yet, intriguing enough to keep you searching and listening.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
January 24, 2010
It's Not About the Technology
Ms. Hines made some excellent points on technology and education. I totally agree with Ms. Hines that teachers need to be learners and self-motivated to stay up to date on current trends. Self-motivation is the key word. Teachers can not stay in their comfort zone and continue with the same teaching methods. They need to continue learning, practice what they've learned, and find ways to reach all students with different learning styles.
I do believe technology can be used to facilitate learning, but not just to facilitate learning. I also agree we need to involve students in critical thinking, problem solving skills and finding ways for them to be creative. Technology is just one tool for students to learn these skills.
I believe all teachers should be learners. If a teacher is not a learner, how can they be an effective teacher? I interpret a teacher as learner in many aspects. Sure, as a teacher one needs to learn their students and learning styles. Yes, learn how to customize their learning experiences and learn how to be innovative. Teachers need to continue learning, staying up to date with technology and use the technology to do, as Ms. Hines says, "amazing things", not just to facilitate learning.
A Vision of Students Today
Interesting video! I would think many of today's students can relate to that video. Seeing as I'm an older returning student, I can only relate to some of the statements. For instance, in my early years of college, I definitely recall the large classrooms in an auditorium where the professor did not know your name. I would say that now, I read more web pages than I do books. As far as being a multi-tasker, well, I think we all have to be in today's fast paced society.
The video portrayed it's message in an appealing manner. The choice of music complimented the video perfectly. I think the video got the point across, granted that you choose whether to take your education seriously. Sure, the educational system could be better. We may not agree with all that we see in the video, however, it seems to be an accurate portrayal of students today
and the educational system.
Fisch: Is It Okay to Be A Technologically Illiterate Teacher?
I could not agree more with Carl Fisch! I think he is right on the mark about teachers needing to be technologically literate. As Mr. Fisch stated, technology is a part of life. It is a large part of how we communicate today.
Teachers need to make the effort to stay up to date on technology. It's also important that teachers practice and apply what they learn and look for ways to be innovative in their teaching with the use of technology. It's obvious, a
s Mr. Fisch says, "teachers need to demonstrate continual learning" or we will be doing a disservice to our students. I think he made an excellent point when he compared a teacher 30 years ago that did not know how to read or write to a teacher today who is not technologically literate.
Gary Hayes Social Media Count
Gary Hayes Social Media Count makes me realize how fast the world is moving. As an educator, this definitely wakes me up to what's happening. I need to constantly stay educated on new technology. Not just learn whats happening with the technology, actually explore ways to incorporate and utilize technology into student's learning. Teacher training and learning will need to be ongoing. I'll need to be self-motivated to continue and expand on what I've learned. If I don't stay up to date with technology, my students are going to leave me behind, while I scratch my head and wonder what's happening.
Just as a post script, I think Gary Hayes Social Media Count would be great to project on a Smart Board in a classroom for students to see and as a reminder to teachers as to how fast technology is moving.
Ms. Hines made some excellent points on technology and education. I totally agree with Ms. Hines that teachers need to be learners and self-motivated to stay up to date on current trends. Self-motivation is the key word. Teachers can not stay in their comfort zone and continue with the same teaching methods. They need to continue learning, practice what they've learned, and find ways to reach all students with different learning styles.
I do believe technology can be used to facilitate learning, but not just to facilitate learning. I also agree we need to involve students in critical thinking, problem solving skills and finding ways for them to be creative. Technology is just one tool for students to learn these skills.
I believe all teachers should be learners. If a teacher is not a learner, how can they be an effective teacher? I interpret a teacher as learner in many aspects. Sure, as a teacher one needs to learn their students and learning styles. Yes, learn how to customize their learning experiences and learn how to be innovative. Teachers need to continue learning, staying up to date with technology and use the technology to do, as Ms. Hines says, "amazing things", not just to facilitate learning.
A Vision of Students Today
Interesting video! I would think many of today's students can relate to that video. Seeing as I'm an older returning student, I can only relate to some of the statements. For instance, in my early years of college, I definitely recall the large classrooms in an auditorium where the professor did not know your name. I would say that now, I read more web pages than I do books. As far as being a multi-tasker, well, I think we all have to be in today's fast paced society.
The video portrayed it's message in an appealing manner. The choice of music complimented the video perfectly. I think the video got the point across, granted that you choose whether to take your education seriously. Sure, the educational system could be better. We may not agree with all that we see in the video, however, it seems to be an accurate portrayal of students today
and the educational system.
Fisch: Is It Okay to Be A Technologically Illiterate Teacher?
I could not agree more with Carl Fisch! I think he is right on the mark about teachers needing to be technologically literate. As Mr. Fisch stated, technology is a part of life. It is a large part of how we communicate today.
Teachers need to make the effort to stay up to date on technology. It's also important that teachers practice and apply what they learn and look for ways to be innovative in their teaching with the use of technology. It's obvious, a
s Mr. Fisch says, "teachers need to demonstrate continual learning" or we will be doing a disservice to our students. I think he made an excellent point when he compared a teacher 30 years ago that did not know how to read or write to a teacher today who is not technologically literate.Gary Hayes Social Media Count
Gary Hayes Social Media Count makes me realize how fast the world is moving. As an educator, this definitely wakes me up to what's happening. I need to constantly stay educated on new technology. Not just learn whats happening with the technology, actually explore ways to incorporate and utilize technology into student's learning. Teacher training and learning will need to be ongoing. I'll need to be self-motivated to continue and expand on what I've learned. If I don't stay up to date with technology, my students are going to leave me behind, while I scratch my head and wonder what's happening.
Just as a post script, I think Gary Hayes Social Media Count would be great to project on a Smart Board in a classroom for students to see and as a reminder to teachers as to how fast technology is moving.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Blog Posts for January 17, 2010
Mr. Winkle Wakes
Mathew Needleman used a creative way to get the message across on technology in education in his YouTube video "Mr. Winkle Wakes". It is an amusing video and to the point. The video definitely rings true to some extent as it portrays how far behind in computer technology our educational system is.
We all know computer technology has come a long way, but as the video portrays, it is not at the forefront of public education. I believe teachers need to learn how to better utilize the technology they do have and teach students to become independent learners so they may apply technology as a tool to assist their learning. Until public education catches up with the rest of the world, schools and teachers need to make the most of the technology they have in creative ways so that our classrooms do not look like the classroom Mr. Winkle was in.
Mathew Needleman used a creative way to get the message across on technology in education in his YouTube video "Mr. Winkle Wakes". It is an amusing video and to the point. The video definitely rings true to some extent as it portrays how far behind in computer technology our educational system is.
We all know computer technology has come a long way, but as the video portrays, it is not at the forefront of public education. I believe teachers need to learn how to better utilize the technology they do have and teach students to become independent learners so they may apply technology as a tool to assist their learning. Until public education catches up with the rest of the world, schools and teachers need to make the most of the technology they have in creative ways so that our classrooms do not look like the classroom Mr. Winkle was in.
Did You Know?
The You Tube video “Did You Know” by Karl Fisch had some very interesting information, though it had me asking more questions after viewing it several times. I would’ve liked to have seen more facts. For instance, why does Bermuda have the largest penetration of broadband internet? Not sure I quite understand their point. Is it that they are just now catching on to broadband internet in comparison to other countries? They are a smaller country. Are they comparing it to population? I just don’t understand where there statistics are coming from. Why will China soon become the number one English speaking country in the world? Is it because they want to speak English or are they forced to? I was amazed to learn the amount of honors students in India verses the US. India has more honors kids than America has kids! Although in comparison, I wonder what is the percentage of honors students the US has as to total students. I wonder what those top ten in demand jobs are for 2010 that did not exist in 2004. I question if we are really preparing students for jobs that don’t exist yet. How are we preparing them if we don’t even know what they are yet?
A good bit of the information does make sense though. For example, the video stated there are 31 billion searches on Google a month and where did they go before Google. Well, there were other search engines before Google and now Google is the number one search engine. Of course, more people today have access to internet, especially in rural communities that didn’t have it a few years back. You could also look at the prices of electronics, computers and internet devices. As prices came down, these devices became more affordable to the public. We have more population than we did when radio and TV came out, so it makes sense that it wouldn’t take as long to reach 50 million people as other earlier electronic devices.
Overall, I found this video interesting though not enough details. It left me asking more questions about the information it gave. I want to know more details. I guess I will need to access the internet and search Google if I want more details.
Sir Ken Robinson: The Importance of Creativity
Sir Ken Robinson's humorous approach to his talk on the importance of creativity was entertaining yet accurate. I especially enjoyed when he spoke of the young boys playing the part of the three kings in a nativity play. The third child playing one of the three kings said, "Frank sent this". As Ken Robinson stated, it portrays the chances young children will take and they aren't frightened of being wrong.
Sir Ken Robinson stated, "... that we don't grow into creativity, we grow out of it. Or rather, we get educated out of it." It brought to mind my own experiences as a teacher of Kindergarten students. As the students were beginning readers and writers, I would encourage them to sound out and write using inventive or phonetic spelling. In the early stages of their writing I would display their work. I was proud of them for writing sentences using their sight words and phonetic spelling. It showed their progression and encouraged them to continue writing without restrictions of correct spelling patterns. After all, they were in the early stages of writing and I did not want to stifle them from sounding out and writing on their own. Years later we were told not to display unedited work. I had no problem with this as they progressed. Although, in their early stages of writing I felt I was stifling their creative writing. Another words, you would praise them for spelling phonetically and writing good sentences. On the other hand, you'd tell them you can't display it until you rewrite it with correct spelling. It just seemed to me to discourage them from writing creatively and phonetically for fear of being wrong. Of course, that's just my thoughts on it. I could be wrong (I do have this fear of being wrong). In conclusion, I can understand what he meant when he said, "we get educated out of creativity".
Vicki Davis: Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts
Vicki Davis has an excellent teaching philosophy. The fact that she believes all students can learn is shown in her video. The students are actively participating, learning, brainstorming, sharing ideas and teaching. She stated that she teaches based on their strengths and interests, keeping the curriculum in mind and also encourages them to be independent learners. It's quite evident when you view the video of her students in action.
I was amazed to learn of the activities the students were involved in. Students were leading or teaching the class and creating their own Teraform, a term I had never heard of until I watched this video. A wonderful way to network with other students all over the globe is the use of the The Digiteen Network where they learn about digital citizenship, research, write and share their writings by blogging and wikis. I found the most interesting activity to be the Flat Classroom Project where students can learn and keep up to date on information technology trends. They collaborate, research and experience many of the trends they learn about. With technology moving as fast as it does, this activity is an excellent way for students to keep up with the new trends. It would be great to see more classrooms incorporating this format of teaching.
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