This is my sentence video.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Blog Assignment #5
Don't teach your kids this stuff. Please?
Scott Mcleod, an Associate Professor of Education Leadership at the University of Kentucky, authored the blog titled "Don't teach your kids this stuff. Please?". Mcleod is co-creator of the popular internet video "Did You Know?". Mcleod, along with Dr. Joan Hughes, created the first graduate program that prepares school leaders to be tech-savvy. Mcleod blogs on a regular basis about technology leadership issues. "Don't teach your kids this stuff. Please?" aims at adults that are hesitant to allow their children to have full access to the many tools of technology that are available these days.
I like this blog, because of its uniqueness. Mcleod does not use sentences, and there is a high degree of sarcasm. At certain points the sarcasm seemed to be over the top. I could be wrong, but I don't think any adult wouldn't be in favor of children learning how to read and write. The two have nothing to do with computers or technology. I wouldn't be surprised to find a few people that would say typing is not an important skill, but typing of course, is not writing. Aside from that small detail, I would side with Mr. Mcleod on this point.
There is nothing greater than experience. In my opinion, even bad experience outweighs a hefty level of knowledge. Children that become familiar with technology will, without a doubt, have a technological advantage over children that do not. Parents or other adults that worry about the negatives have a legitimate argument. However, bad things are going to happen. The majority of can be prevented but we don't live in the world of perfection. Once again, I could be wrong, but any child that has good parenting, won't allow themselves to become susceptible to a child predator. So, many of the negatives can be taken care of by parents by teaching the basics of right and wrong.
The iSchool Initiative
Travis Allen, a Georgia native, began the iSchool Initiative. The iSchool Initiative is an organization led by students that aims to change the methods of education. The initial proposal by Mr. Allen, is the use of the iTouch. With its capabilities, Allen sees the iTouch as being a proponent that can alleviate some of the problems that budget cuts create. According to Allen, the iTouch can replace books, pencils, and paper, which would be environmental friendly. Then, there are many different applications that can be accessed with the iTouch, that are geared towards ENHANCING education. Example, Chemical Touch is an application that shows the periodic table. Each element can be explained by touching that element on screen. As mentioned, before there are many others.
First, I have to commend Travis Allen for his recognition, concern, and initiative in regards to the problems facing the education system. This is a good idea, but is an idea that is not suitable for everyone. Pardon me, but I'm living in the real world, and here we can't just throw away books, pencils, and paper. The pencil is one of the most valuable and important tools ever made. Just like Mr. Allen, I believe we need to retool and rebuild our education system, but when rebuilding we can't leave out the things that are fundamental. I'm not trying to be mean, but this really seems to be a patchwork idea. Not really aiming at the real problems that we are facing. I really do believe iSchool Initiative can have a positive impact, if it is put into place as an aid. But Travis Allen must be saluted for his efforts. Thank you to Mr. Allen.
Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir
Eric Whitacre combined 185 people from twelve different countries to create a mass choir. They put on an amazing performance. It is a beautiful song, and each and every person sang so well. Usually when you videos like this, there will one person that delivers each word or line. Mr. Whitacre somehow put it together a great video everyone sang along the same cord, at the same rate, it was great. If I had a lot of free time on my hands, I would probably try to put something together in the same way.
Teaching In the 21st Century
This is a YouTube video produced by Kevin Roberts. The video is based on a question that is posed; What does it mean to teach in the 21st century? According to Roberts, it needs to transition from the role of informer to developer. A teacher in the 21st century will need to be a better developer of skills. I like the position that Roberts takes on education. The biggest thing that stuck out to me, was his questioning of responsibility, reliability, and integrity. Society as a whole, we're missing these key values. If we can find a way to incorporate those things into the curriculum, we would definitely have the train on the right track.
So, what if Mr. Roberts is right about the changes that may come to the teaching profession? Well, I think it will challenge teachers to be honest about their commitment or dedication to empowering students. The point is made in the video, information can be attained by anyone, at anytime, anywhere. That fact reduces teachers to "filters", according to Mr. Roberts. This video was by far, the most honest video I have watched, that pertains to EDM310.
Scott Mcleod, an Associate Professor of Education Leadership at the University of Kentucky, authored the blog titled "Don't teach your kids this stuff. Please?". Mcleod is co-creator of the popular internet video "Did You Know?". Mcleod, along with Dr. Joan Hughes, created the first graduate program that prepares school leaders to be tech-savvy. Mcleod blogs on a regular basis about technology leadership issues. "Don't teach your kids this stuff. Please?" aims at adults that are hesitant to allow their children to have full access to the many tools of technology that are available these days.
I like this blog, because of its uniqueness. Mcleod does not use sentences, and there is a high degree of sarcasm. At certain points the sarcasm seemed to be over the top. I could be wrong, but I don't think any adult wouldn't be in favor of children learning how to read and write. The two have nothing to do with computers or technology. I wouldn't be surprised to find a few people that would say typing is not an important skill, but typing of course, is not writing. Aside from that small detail, I would side with Mr. Mcleod on this point.
There is nothing greater than experience. In my opinion, even bad experience outweighs a hefty level of knowledge. Children that become familiar with technology will, without a doubt, have a technological advantage over children that do not. Parents or other adults that worry about the negatives have a legitimate argument. However, bad things are going to happen. The majority of can be prevented but we don't live in the world of perfection. Once again, I could be wrong, but any child that has good parenting, won't allow themselves to become susceptible to a child predator. So, many of the negatives can be taken care of by parents by teaching the basics of right and wrong.
The iSchool Initiative
Travis Allen, a Georgia native, began the iSchool Initiative. The iSchool Initiative is an organization led by students that aims to change the methods of education. The initial proposal by Mr. Allen, is the use of the iTouch. With its capabilities, Allen sees the iTouch as being a proponent that can alleviate some of the problems that budget cuts create. According to Allen, the iTouch can replace books, pencils, and paper, which would be environmental friendly. Then, there are many different applications that can be accessed with the iTouch, that are geared towards ENHANCING education. Example, Chemical Touch is an application that shows the periodic table. Each element can be explained by touching that element on screen. As mentioned, before there are many others.
First, I have to commend Travis Allen for his recognition, concern, and initiative in regards to the problems facing the education system. This is a good idea, but is an idea that is not suitable for everyone. Pardon me, but I'm living in the real world, and here we can't just throw away books, pencils, and paper. The pencil is one of the most valuable and important tools ever made. Just like Mr. Allen, I believe we need to retool and rebuild our education system, but when rebuilding we can't leave out the things that are fundamental. I'm not trying to be mean, but this really seems to be a patchwork idea. Not really aiming at the real problems that we are facing. I really do believe iSchool Initiative can have a positive impact, if it is put into place as an aid. But Travis Allen must be saluted for his efforts. Thank you to Mr. Allen.
Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir
Eric Whitacre combined 185 people from twelve different countries to create a mass choir. They put on an amazing performance. It is a beautiful song, and each and every person sang so well. Usually when you videos like this, there will one person that delivers each word or line. Mr. Whitacre somehow put it together a great video everyone sang along the same cord, at the same rate, it was great. If I had a lot of free time on my hands, I would probably try to put something together in the same way.
Teaching In the 21st Century
This is a YouTube video produced by Kevin Roberts. The video is based on a question that is posed; What does it mean to teach in the 21st century? According to Roberts, it needs to transition from the role of informer to developer. A teacher in the 21st century will need to be a better developer of skills. I like the position that Roberts takes on education. The biggest thing that stuck out to me, was his questioning of responsibility, reliability, and integrity. Society as a whole, we're missing these key values. If we can find a way to incorporate those things into the curriculum, we would definitely have the train on the right track.
So, what if Mr. Roberts is right about the changes that may come to the teaching profession? Well, I think it will challenge teachers to be honest about their commitment or dedication to empowering students. The point is made in the video, information can be attained by anyone, at anytime, anywhere. That fact reduces teachers to "filters", according to Mr. Roberts. This video was by far, the most honest video I have watched, that pertains to EDM310.
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Blog Assignment #4
Education Podcast Network
The Education Podcast Network is a website where teachers can find programs that can bring them new or different ideas about education and teaching. Most of the podcasts are submitted by people from the education field, but there are also a good amount of podcasts done by students. To add more depth to the EPN, the podcasts cover a wide range of topics, from opinions of the 2008 presidential election to how Christianity made its way to England. Also, there are podcasts done for Spanish speaking people.
I really like the EPN, there are a lot of interesting topics to choose from. One drawback is that there are fair amount of the podcasts that are not working properly or may have been removed from the site. This can be of great use for teachers, and for any other person who want to gain insight on many different topics.
The Benefits of Podcasting in the Classroom
This is a video by Joe Dale about how to use podcast in the classroom and the benefits that will come of it. Teachers can record class lectures and upload them as podcasts to the internet. Students may then use the podcast outside of class in the event they need better understanding of the lecture or if a student misses a class, they can access the podcast to get the information from that day's lecture. Teachers can also incorporate podcasts from an outside source into their lectures or lesson plans. A teacher may find a podcast that supports his or her lecture and give the students the opportunity to use it if need be.
One point that I would disagree with from the video is that podcasts allow for students to be more creative. I believe it is important for teachers, and all educators as well, to understand that they ultimately decide the degree of creativity a student is allowed to explore. When a lesson is planned, the requirements and specifications that must be met for student to achieve a passing grade will determine the amount of creativity that a student can display. It scares me that some educators see the tools that they use as the better factors of good education instead of the educators themselves.
100 Ways to Use Your iPod to Learn and Study Better
100 Ways to Use Your iPod to Learn and Study Better is an article by Valene, which lists one hundred different programs that can accessed through iTunes and many other internet websites. The lists includes many podcasts, study guides, tutorials, and applications that can be of great use. I think it can be very useful for anyone who would like to use the list. The Podcasts and More section features limks to websites to download and install podcasts amazing things, such as sound-journeys and English teaching podcasts.
The Education Podcast Network is a website where teachers can find programs that can bring them new or different ideas about education and teaching. Most of the podcasts are submitted by people from the education field, but there are also a good amount of podcasts done by students. To add more depth to the EPN, the podcasts cover a wide range of topics, from opinions of the 2008 presidential election to how Christianity made its way to England. Also, there are podcasts done for Spanish speaking people.
I really like the EPN, there are a lot of interesting topics to choose from. One drawback is that there are fair amount of the podcasts that are not working properly or may have been removed from the site. This can be of great use for teachers, and for any other person who want to gain insight on many different topics.
The Benefits of Podcasting in the Classroom
This is a video by Joe Dale about how to use podcast in the classroom and the benefits that will come of it. Teachers can record class lectures and upload them as podcasts to the internet. Students may then use the podcast outside of class in the event they need better understanding of the lecture or if a student misses a class, they can access the podcast to get the information from that day's lecture. Teachers can also incorporate podcasts from an outside source into their lectures or lesson plans. A teacher may find a podcast that supports his or her lecture and give the students the opportunity to use it if need be.
One point that I would disagree with from the video is that podcasts allow for students to be more creative. I believe it is important for teachers, and all educators as well, to understand that they ultimately decide the degree of creativity a student is allowed to explore. When a lesson is planned, the requirements and specifications that must be met for student to achieve a passing grade will determine the amount of creativity that a student can display. It scares me that some educators see the tools that they use as the better factors of good education instead of the educators themselves.
100 Ways to Use Your iPod to Learn and Study Better
100 Ways to Use Your iPod to Learn and Study Better is an article by Valene, which lists one hundred different programs that can accessed through iTunes and many other internet websites. The lists includes many podcasts, study guides, tutorials, and applications that can be of great use. I think it can be very useful for anyone who would like to use the list. The Podcasts and More section features limks to websites to download and install podcasts amazing things, such as sound-journeys and English teaching podcasts.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Blog Assignment #3
It's Not About the Technology
Kelly Hines wrote a thought provoking blog on technology use in education. Her view is that the use of technology in schools does not determine the success rate of our education system. I am in full agreement with Mrs. Hines on this point. She also makes the point that there is change needed in the way teachers approach the profession. Mrs. Hines goes on to state that teachers can be successful without the use of technology. One reason being that the presence of technology in schools is irrelevant if there isn't any good teaching. To add to those points, Hines states that teachers must be willing and able to learn. Teachers also must recognize that just because they "teach", that does not mean all students have learned.
As I stated earlier I also believe that technology, alone, will not make our education system better. The list of problems is very, very long. I am glad that we are having the discussion about what can be done to better education in America but, technology is not a resolution to this problem. I would not recommend removing the advanced technology that has been injected into the classrooms. However, I believe we must all try to understand what the best roles are for modern technology in education. After reading Mrs. Hines' blog, I read about ten comments to the blog. It amazed me that nearly everyone that commented agreed with her assessment. That tells me that the majority of our population may know that the idea of technology being the key to better education is not true. My point is simple, let's not overrate what technology can do. Technology can do what you or I tell it to do.
Is It Okay to Be A Technologically Illiterate Teacher?
Karl Fisch wrote a blog in 2007 on the importance for teachers to know how to use technology. He believes, for the most part, that teachers should be technologically literate. He does not define technological literacy. Without that his definition it is hard to be critical of his opinion, but at the same time, I do not agree with his perspective. My difference in opinion mainly stems from his comparison of technological literacy to not being able to read or write.
My thought on that idea is this, only in the worst situation would an illiterate person be asked or allowed to teach. On top of that, at what rate would they honestly be judged by? I don't think anyone would expect an illiterate person would be able to teach 5-7 year old children how to read and count within a ten month period. How would that person administer tests or plan daily tasks? Seems sort of impossible to me. On the flip side, the majority of teachers are not teaching tech-based courses. You don't need knowledge of how to surf the web to teach who sailed where in 1492. You would not need to know how to use Excel to teach an accounting major how to book keep. The technology that we have in today's world is not needed to teach what is deemed as necessary curriculum in today's world. Now, if we get past the point of American History and World History being important, and move over to stage of World Wide Web History being important, then I would definitely say that teachers must be tech-savvy. However, I think Mr. Fisch has jumped the gun. The bigger issue for him and others of his mindset, is that there is no concrete level to tech-literacy. I think he should figure that out, before he encourages school inspectors who are "technologically illiterate" to find alternative lines of work.
Gary Hayes Social Media Count
Gary Hayes created a counter for the volume of usage of web-based applications. It counts the number of Twitter accounts created, images uploaded to Flickr, and many other things of the sort from the time you access the website. What does this mean for the teaching profession? I do not know. I don't think it poses any type of new challenges for teachers. I do understand that it can be helpful, but I am missing information that would give me the knowledge of how it literally helps teachers. I don't think it changes the value of the profession. If it does, I fail to understand why. There is a lot that I don't know and understand about social media.
A Vision of Students Today
Mark Wesch produced a video that gives current students' perspective on their education. It is a very interesting video. Students from Kansas State University surveyed themselves and the results were written in different places in the classroom. If I were a teacher today this video would probably leave me sad and confused. I would be sad because these poor students, in many cases, are forced to waste time and money. I would be confused as to how did the higher education system get to this point. Has something gone wrong, or is it a norm that today's students are not adjusting to?
I don't have the answer to that question. When thinking about it, the answer is very attainable. There is enough data and material to figure it out. The question is important because it blankets many other questions that we have about our education system. For instance, are we turning to technology to right the wrongs of today's education or will modern technology help students adjust and feel more comfortable with the requirements and challenges of their education? What do you think?
Kelly Hines wrote a thought provoking blog on technology use in education. Her view is that the use of technology in schools does not determine the success rate of our education system. I am in full agreement with Mrs. Hines on this point. She also makes the point that there is change needed in the way teachers approach the profession. Mrs. Hines goes on to state that teachers can be successful without the use of technology. One reason being that the presence of technology in schools is irrelevant if there isn't any good teaching. To add to those points, Hines states that teachers must be willing and able to learn. Teachers also must recognize that just because they "teach", that does not mean all students have learned.
As I stated earlier I also believe that technology, alone, will not make our education system better. The list of problems is very, very long. I am glad that we are having the discussion about what can be done to better education in America but, technology is not a resolution to this problem. I would not recommend removing the advanced technology that has been injected into the classrooms. However, I believe we must all try to understand what the best roles are for modern technology in education. After reading Mrs. Hines' blog, I read about ten comments to the blog. It amazed me that nearly everyone that commented agreed with her assessment. That tells me that the majority of our population may know that the idea of technology being the key to better education is not true. My point is simple, let's not overrate what technology can do. Technology can do what you or I tell it to do.
Is It Okay to Be A Technologically Illiterate Teacher?
Karl Fisch wrote a blog in 2007 on the importance for teachers to know how to use technology. He believes, for the most part, that teachers should be technologically literate. He does not define technological literacy. Without that his definition it is hard to be critical of his opinion, but at the same time, I do not agree with his perspective. My difference in opinion mainly stems from his comparison of technological literacy to not being able to read or write.
My thought on that idea is this, only in the worst situation would an illiterate person be asked or allowed to teach. On top of that, at what rate would they honestly be judged by? I don't think anyone would expect an illiterate person would be able to teach 5-7 year old children how to read and count within a ten month period. How would that person administer tests or plan daily tasks? Seems sort of impossible to me. On the flip side, the majority of teachers are not teaching tech-based courses. You don't need knowledge of how to surf the web to teach who sailed where in 1492. You would not need to know how to use Excel to teach an accounting major how to book keep. The technology that we have in today's world is not needed to teach what is deemed as necessary curriculum in today's world. Now, if we get past the point of American History and World History being important, and move over to stage of World Wide Web History being important, then I would definitely say that teachers must be tech-savvy. However, I think Mr. Fisch has jumped the gun. The bigger issue for him and others of his mindset, is that there is no concrete level to tech-literacy. I think he should figure that out, before he encourages school inspectors who are "technologically illiterate" to find alternative lines of work.
Gary Hayes Social Media Count
Gary Hayes created a counter for the volume of usage of web-based applications. It counts the number of Twitter accounts created, images uploaded to Flickr, and many other things of the sort from the time you access the website. What does this mean for the teaching profession? I do not know. I don't think it poses any type of new challenges for teachers. I do understand that it can be helpful, but I am missing information that would give me the knowledge of how it literally helps teachers. I don't think it changes the value of the profession. If it does, I fail to understand why. There is a lot that I don't know and understand about social media.
A Vision of Students Today
Mark Wesch produced a video that gives current students' perspective on their education. It is a very interesting video. Students from Kansas State University surveyed themselves and the results were written in different places in the classroom. If I were a teacher today this video would probably leave me sad and confused. I would be sad because these poor students, in many cases, are forced to waste time and money. I would be confused as to how did the higher education system get to this point. Has something gone wrong, or is it a norm that today's students are not adjusting to?
I don't have the answer to that question. When thinking about it, the answer is very attainable. There is enough data and material to figure it out. The question is important because it blankets many other questions that we have about our education system. For instance, are we turning to technology to right the wrongs of today's education or will modern technology help students adjust and feel more comfortable with the requirements and challenges of their education? What do you think?
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Summary Post C4T #1
Kim Cofino is a Learning and Technology coach at the Yokohama International School in Japan. Her most recent blog, titled "The Great Design Challenge: Introducing the MYP Design Cycle", was about how she would, for the first time, introduce the design cycle to students in a more fun way. With help from one of her colleagues, she decided on challenging the students to create a house of cards. The students would have to document their process of how they got their house built, and after everyone has finished they would begin discussion about which house had the best design or who followed design specifications the best. Through the talk about designs, she would introduce the design cycle to the class, which is a 6th grade class. She also spoke about how anxious she was to see the results of the design challenge. Her colleague, Damien, a 7th grade teacher, challenged his class to design "Wanted" posters. She seems to be a very passionate teacher.
In my response to her blog, I introduced myself, and gave her my student status. I also mentioned the the class to her. I really liked the design cycle, so I gave my thoughts on it, and I told her I would share it others.
Mrs. Cofino has yet to write a blog since "The Great Design Challenge". Her blog prior to it was titled "Tech Tidbits: Increasing Teachers' Digital Efficiency". At the Yokohama International School in Japan, all students from grades 6-12 got Macbooks, a total of 400 students. Mrs. Cofino designed orientations, for students and teachers, to help them become more efficient when using technology. She created a list of fifteen essential skills, which includes things such as creating Google Docs and different ways to use the Google calendar. In the end, the teachers really liked the sessions so much they began to teach one another the different skills.
From reading her posts, I really picked up on a couple of her quality traits. She has excellent organizational skills and a true passion for teaching. I did mention this in my response. I did not speak much to the orientation sessions, because what I took from the blog is the fact that Mrs. Cofino is very, very skillful, without the use of technology. I believe she would be great at teaching anything that she has a good feel for and I used my response to get that message across.
In my response to her blog, I introduced myself, and gave her my student status. I also mentioned the the class to her. I really liked the design cycle, so I gave my thoughts on it, and I told her I would share it others.
Mrs. Cofino has yet to write a blog since "The Great Design Challenge". Her blog prior to it was titled "Tech Tidbits: Increasing Teachers' Digital Efficiency". At the Yokohama International School in Japan, all students from grades 6-12 got Macbooks, a total of 400 students. Mrs. Cofino designed orientations, for students and teachers, to help them become more efficient when using technology. She created a list of fifteen essential skills, which includes things such as creating Google Docs and different ways to use the Google calendar. In the end, the teachers really liked the sessions so much they began to teach one another the different skills.
From reading her posts, I really picked up on a couple of her quality traits. She has excellent organizational skills and a true passion for teaching. I did mention this in my response. I did not speak much to the orientation sessions, because what I took from the blog is the fact that Mrs. Cofino is very, very skillful, without the use of technology. I believe she would be great at teaching anything that she has a good feel for and I used my response to get that message across.
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Blog Assignment # 2
Did You Know? 3.0
Karl Fisch and Scott McLeod put together video of predicted future changes and how it relates to Americans. Most of the information from the video centered around technological advances and human advances. Some of the predicted numbers are shocking and some of it kind of unbelievable. One piece of information that I was unaware of was that India was more populated than America, and it is great that they have so many intelligent people. Overall, I liked the video because I really hope to see most of the products we use to become better and more efficient.
What I like the most about the video is the question posted at the end; So what does it all mean? I have no clue. I am someone that believes more and more technological advances may not be a good thing. I hope nothing bad comes of it but, I wouldn't ask society to rely solely on some of the new trends. Basically, I say that because some people I know don't have the fundamentals, which are the fundamentals of life. It is a good thing that Mr. Fisch and Mr. McLeod are thinking about what it all means.
Mr. Winkle Wakes
Mr. Winkle Wakes is a cartoon character of a video. He wakes suddenly after sleeping for one-hundred years. He goes walking through the town and notices all of the differences. The hospitals have great machines doing medical work and, he visits an office with many computers and printers being used. It is all very strange to him. His final stop is at a school. At the school there isn't much change, only one computer is in the classroom and it covered in dust.
I see this as a double edge sword. It is great that we have computers and breathing machines to help us get things done with such ease. It is hard to imagine being in a hospital without the tools and other things that doctors use today. Surgeries have greatly improved. The business world is much more efficient today because of technology. Deals can be done between a party of people that are in three separate locations. So the greatest changes over the past one-hundreds have been productive.
The classroom was said to have pretty much remained the same as Mr. Winkle remembered it being. I think that is good thing in my opinion of practicing fundamental principles and techniques, success will always follow. I'm not against technological advancement in the classrooms but, I believe it should be reserved for certain purposes and subject areas.
Sir Ken Robinson: The Importance of Creativity
Sir Ken Robinson spoke at the 2006 TED convention. TED stands for technology, entertainment, and design. The basis of his speech or lecture was the education system's view on creativity from children. In his words, "we are educated out of creativity." By that he meant that the public education system in America and around the world does not accept, congratulate, or reward creativity outside of the framework set to educate. Mr. Robinson sees this as mistake that we can't afford to go on making.
I would be first to back Mr. Robinson as many times as possible. A friend of mine, that I attended elementary school with, told me that he felt his creativity was shunned during his years of primary school. Now at the age of 27, he has recently started his very own delivery service and some people are thinking he will fail drastically because they don't or won't envision the purposes and capabilities that he has of the service. As for Mr. Robinson's point, it illustrates my hardcore belief that the education system isn't seen as highly successful because the agenda is outdated. The fundamentals are being overlooked to create minds and bodies that will be reactive instead of proactive. The EDM310 professor, John Strange, called it burp-back education. If more Ken Robinsons step into the mix there may be a creative change.
Cecelia Gault Interviews Sir Ken Robinson
Cecelia Gault is a student from Finland. She conducts an interview with Sir Ken Robinson about his views on some important topics in education today. Cecelia is a student at a performing arts school, who believes that creativity is very important. Cecelia gave Robinson three great questions; "How can education change to meet the needs of the 21st century?", "What are the three myths of creativity?", and "How would he define intelligence?".
Robinson gave Cecelia some great answers to her questions. More importantly, I believe that he gave her honest answers. I believe that the future students of America will get good educations if the future educators are honest. Honest answers to a student's question, honest effort given to their jobs and honest goals must be set. This does not pertain only to teachers, the administrators of the education system must practice this behavior with more purpose than any other.
Vicki Davis
I commend Vicki Davis for the job she has done. She is an IT director and teacher at a small town school in Georgia. What she does is use technology to teach her students. She uses many different methods but it is all based through 21st century technology. She has her classes and students connected to others all around the world. This is what I commend her for the most. The students, at a young age, interact with other students of a different nation who have different cultural beliefs and views. I think it is important that they not allow the opportunity to pass without getting a better knowledge and understanding of those different beliefs and views. It may be the answer to many of the world's problems.
What I like about Ms. Davis' class is that it allows students to use a variety of tools to learn. When the technology is added into curriculum I think it really shoots the students' interest through the roof. Probably, the biggest factor to their interest level is that the students are allowed to use the technology in ways they are already familiar with and already enjoy. With that thought, I disagree with her assessment that some students cannot learn as well without the use of technology. It is easier for students, or anyone, to learn when they use their own interests. So, hopefully we all agree that it is great that Ms. Davis has incorporated the use of modern technology in the classroom. However, it is not what is used to teach, instead it is what a student is allowed to use that can increase the learning ability.
Karl Fisch and Scott McLeod put together video of predicted future changes and how it relates to Americans. Most of the information from the video centered around technological advances and human advances. Some of the predicted numbers are shocking and some of it kind of unbelievable. One piece of information that I was unaware of was that India was more populated than America, and it is great that they have so many intelligent people. Overall, I liked the video because I really hope to see most of the products we use to become better and more efficient.
What I like the most about the video is the question posted at the end; So what does it all mean? I have no clue. I am someone that believes more and more technological advances may not be a good thing. I hope nothing bad comes of it but, I wouldn't ask society to rely solely on some of the new trends. Basically, I say that because some people I know don't have the fundamentals, which are the fundamentals of life. It is a good thing that Mr. Fisch and Mr. McLeod are thinking about what it all means.
Mr. Winkle Wakes
Mr. Winkle Wakes is a cartoon character of a video. He wakes suddenly after sleeping for one-hundred years. He goes walking through the town and notices all of the differences. The hospitals have great machines doing medical work and, he visits an office with many computers and printers being used. It is all very strange to him. His final stop is at a school. At the school there isn't much change, only one computer is in the classroom and it covered in dust.
I see this as a double edge sword. It is great that we have computers and breathing machines to help us get things done with such ease. It is hard to imagine being in a hospital without the tools and other things that doctors use today. Surgeries have greatly improved. The business world is much more efficient today because of technology. Deals can be done between a party of people that are in three separate locations. So the greatest changes over the past one-hundreds have been productive.
The classroom was said to have pretty much remained the same as Mr. Winkle remembered it being. I think that is good thing in my opinion of practicing fundamental principles and techniques, success will always follow. I'm not against technological advancement in the classrooms but, I believe it should be reserved for certain purposes and subject areas.
Sir Ken Robinson: The Importance of Creativity
Sir Ken Robinson spoke at the 2006 TED convention. TED stands for technology, entertainment, and design. The basis of his speech or lecture was the education system's view on creativity from children. In his words, "we are educated out of creativity." By that he meant that the public education system in America and around the world does not accept, congratulate, or reward creativity outside of the framework set to educate. Mr. Robinson sees this as mistake that we can't afford to go on making.
I would be first to back Mr. Robinson as many times as possible. A friend of mine, that I attended elementary school with, told me that he felt his creativity was shunned during his years of primary school. Now at the age of 27, he has recently started his very own delivery service and some people are thinking he will fail drastically because they don't or won't envision the purposes and capabilities that he has of the service. As for Mr. Robinson's point, it illustrates my hardcore belief that the education system isn't seen as highly successful because the agenda is outdated. The fundamentals are being overlooked to create minds and bodies that will be reactive instead of proactive. The EDM310 professor, John Strange, called it burp-back education. If more Ken Robinsons step into the mix there may be a creative change.
Cecelia Gault Interviews Sir Ken Robinson
Cecelia Gault is a student from Finland. She conducts an interview with Sir Ken Robinson about his views on some important topics in education today. Cecelia is a student at a performing arts school, who believes that creativity is very important. Cecelia gave Robinson three great questions; "How can education change to meet the needs of the 21st century?", "What are the three myths of creativity?", and "How would he define intelligence?".
Robinson gave Cecelia some great answers to her questions. More importantly, I believe that he gave her honest answers. I believe that the future students of America will get good educations if the future educators are honest. Honest answers to a student's question, honest effort given to their jobs and honest goals must be set. This does not pertain only to teachers, the administrators of the education system must practice this behavior with more purpose than any other.
Vicki Davis
I commend Vicki Davis for the job she has done. She is an IT director and teacher at a small town school in Georgia. What she does is use technology to teach her students. She uses many different methods but it is all based through 21st century technology. She has her classes and students connected to others all around the world. This is what I commend her for the most. The students, at a young age, interact with other students of a different nation who have different cultural beliefs and views. I think it is important that they not allow the opportunity to pass without getting a better knowledge and understanding of those different beliefs and views. It may be the answer to many of the world's problems.
What I like about Ms. Davis' class is that it allows students to use a variety of tools to learn. When the technology is added into curriculum I think it really shoots the students' interest through the roof. Probably, the biggest factor to their interest level is that the students are allowed to use the technology in ways they are already familiar with and already enjoy. With that thought, I disagree with her assessment that some students cannot learn as well without the use of technology. It is easier for students, or anyone, to learn when they use their own interests. So, hopefully we all agree that it is great that Ms. Davis has incorporated the use of modern technology in the classroom. However, it is not what is used to teach, instead it is what a student is allowed to use that can increase the learning ability.
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