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 may be out of print and hard to find, the out of date documents and news on the internet can still be found.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.

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.

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.

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.

The View

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!

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 Thoughts 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.

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, as 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.

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.

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.