Comments4Teachers Summary Post #4

Jenny She

Jenny She is a elementary/primary school teacher. She is currently a teacher at Pt England School in Auckland, New Zealand. She says she is very into social media, twitter being one of her favorites, and she is "obsessed with using technology to enhance the students' learning".

In the first post Jenny talked about the capabilities Google Plus could have in the classroom. Google Plus is a newer social networking site that is created by Google. She stated that the idea came from a relative having a "hang out" with some classmates through Google Plus. In this "hang out" there were eight in a live video chat. So her blog sort of poses the idea that she could possibly use this with her students and fellow teachers. 

In the second post that I read Jenny explained how she was introduced to Google Plus and her first experiences of it. Her Facebook friend Nicola first mentioned it to her and he also sent her an invite. Though she missed out on the invite, Jenny eventually signed on with Google Plus. She says although it took her awhile to get the hang of how Google Plus operates it is a very awesome site. This post was published two weeks before the first post.

In my comments to Jenny's two post I expressed that although I am not someone who is into social networking sites, Google Plus could definitely be useful in the classroom. I did some reading about the site and it seems that it takes the ideas of twitter, Facebook, and Skype then combines it all in one website. At the very least, I think it could be effective if used only among teachers.

Blog Assignment #14

Jose Picardo

Jose Picardo is the author of Box of Tricks, an educational blog. He also created a YouTube video, in which he gives ten suggestions on using technology in the classroom. In the video, his list of ten suggestions include streaming video, music, teleconferencing, interactive exercises, interactive whiteboard, podcasts, blogs and wikis, social networks, internet tools, and gadgets.Throughout the semester, in the EDM310 course, Dr. Strange had me to use many of these tech tools. I created a blog, which usually required me to view streaming videos from YouTube to ignite my thoughts on the idea of using technology in the classroom. I was assigned projects to create a podcast, participate in a skype interview, and learn the basics of the interactive whiteboard. I also created an account for Twitter as an assignment.

Picardo lists great ways that technology can be used to fuel the education process. Picardo mentions the use of music as his second tip, and music is without question a great way of teaching and learning. Yet, the only time I can say music was truly used to learn in my life was when I was learning my ABCs. In my opinion, music should be used in the middle and secondary schools. Here, educators can take advantage of pop music and rap to elevate the interest of today's student. It may take a very strong effort, maybe some risks would have to be taken, but I believe if the education system reached out to the music industry, it could result in some big names creating songs that would be effective. Interactive exercises could very well be seen as games. However, I would say the the education system should reach out to the gaming industry. The two can work together to create fact filled games and it would be very easy to include a wide range of subjects from languages to history, sciences, maths, and others. Much like the music, if the efforts are directed to the gaming models of the time it can be very effective. At some point and time every student has had an opportunity to play a game on a computer that was created for an educational purpose. I would think the most effective strategy would be to create games for the home consoles targeting the 10-19 year old audience. If the game is made to be more enjoyable than educating there could be a potential for financial profits. The most important factor is finding ways to captivate the students' minds outside of the classroom. Often the better students are the ones that enjoy reading for the entertainment value, and then they become intrigued when their readings include lessons that can be learned or important facts, so I see music and interactive exercises as having the potential to have the same effect.

Although I am not completely sold on the overhaul of technology in the classroom the potentials of it can clearly be seen. I definitely would not be against the idea of it but I would say that it should be thoroughly tested before the full commitment is made. The reasoning is I think the problems that the education system face are ones that will not cured by technology without correcting small details such as educator commitment, relevant curriculum, etc. When viewing Picardo's video the most important suggestion that he made was number eleven. Jose Picardo stated to use technology only when it helps to reach the objectives of the lesson.

Blog Assignment #13

My Teacher Is An App

This is an article about the rise of interest in online learning amongs K through 12 students. There has been a rise in the number of students that participate in online learning over the last three to four years. Some students participate in online learning full time while some may take only one course while still attending school in its traditional setting. It is estimated that at least 250,000 students are currently enrolled in cyberschools, online learning, nationwide. There is much debate over the effectiveness of the cyberschools because it is so new and different. Of course, to fully know and understand the strengths and weaknesses that cyberschools have take time and much attention to detail. Yet, there is some great concern that the students of cyberschools are not scoring on level with students of traditional schools. I'm sure there are kinks that can be worked out that could improve the scores or least make it appear that way but it would take time.

After reading this article I really have mixed feelings about the cyberschools. On one hand, the article does a good job of pointing out the pros for cyberschools, which give students an option of being safe from bullying, learning at that own pace,  and it's not as taxing on the education budget. Yet, it is kind of scary because I have the feeling that it won't turn out being an opportunity for all that want it or it may be forced on many who don't want it. Also, I really think while some of the current problems that we see in the education may be rid of or at least minimized, there will be new problems that will arise that we are currently unprepared for if cyberschools become the leading choice of the education process. So in other words it kind of appears to be a quick fix instead of a full repair.

Smart Board Instruction Part 2

Progress on Final Project

I will be doing my Final Project with group members Mary Bishop and Lindsay Dunham. We have not met in a couple of weeks, so we have not made a decision on which topic we will pick.

Blog Assignment #12

Google+

Watch this videos: What is Google+. Write a blog post explaining your thoughts on Google Plus and give an answer as to whether or not it would be useful in the classroom.

Google Plus is a newer version of social networking. It includes video chatting as well as the usual features of photos and messaging. I think it can be very useful for educators. It basically combines the methods of twitter and Skype and other social networking sites into one. Everyone usually likes things in one central location and I believe Google Plus does that.

Blog Assignment #11

Kathy Cassidy

Kathy Cassidy is a first grade teacher in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada. She is a big proponent of technology in the classroom. The students of her class use blogs, internet videos, Skype, and other tools. Ms. Cassidy, herself, uses twitter to connect with other educators. The technique I would be most probable to use is blogging. As a social science teacher, I think the blog is a way to allow all students to share their understanding of information or even get a better understanding from viewing a different perspective other than the teacher's. It's hard to imagine encountering any problems when making plans, which is what makes plans perfect. Yet, I would guess that it would be more likely to run into trouble with an administration that would not want teachers using class blogs. Ms. Cassidy mentioned that she has had administrators that were not in direct favor of her using technology, but they were not all out against it. So I would hope that would be the worst case scenario. In a situation such as that, I'm not sure what would be the best thing for the teacher to do other than abide by the wishes of the administration if that asked teachers not to use certain tech tools. I would definitely like to keep a job as long as I'm not asked to do anything wrong. So I would just say hope for the best under those circumstances. However, if I am allowed to use blogs, I think the student can give a more honest perspective about the history they study. I think it will allow better questions to be answered such as, what parts of history are more important to students, what parts of history are more relative to students, and many other questions of this nature. This will create the conversation for educators to evaluate the reasoning behind the eras and figures that are highlighted in the classroom. This will help to focus education on what actually makes a difference in the makeup of a student.

Comments4Kids Summary #2

C4K #6

I visited  Mr. C's Class Blog of Noel Elementary School. The blog featured artwork from his 7th graders, and the quality of the artwork is on a professional level. I was astonished after viewing some of the drawings I really think that some may have been done by professionals. I commended Mr. C on his students efforts and his as well for bringing this out of the students.

C4K #7

I visited Dawso's Blog. She is a student in New South Wales, Australia. Her blog topic was about her blog avatar. It was a girl at the beach with a soccer ball next to her. Dawso said that she chose that design because she really likes the beach because it is beautiful and natural, and she also enjoys swimming. The soccer ball represented her love for sports. She enjoys playing soccer, netball, hockey, basketball, and tee-ball.

C4K #8

I visited a post by Taimana of PT England School, which is in Auckland New Zealand. His post was about leprechauns. In the short clip that Taimana included he explained that every leprechaun have a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. The gold coins inside of the pot represents a year of the leprechaun's life, which I had not known, and the leprechauns always come out on St. Patrick's day to move their gold.

C4K #9

I visited Mr. McClung's 8th Grade World. The blog post was titled "The Scramble for Africa. They have been studying Imperialism and the interest of land and resources in Africa from foreign countries. The post featured four political cartoons. All of the cartoons were striking including the last one, which featured President Obama, with oil on his mind, heading towards a war torn Libya. He is carrying an assault rifle with 'intervention' written on it, and he is wearing a necklace with a peace medallion. Behind President Obama is a number of fighter jets. My comment explained why I liked the use of political cartoons to teach, which is that the truth will always be present in political cartoons.

The scramble for africa

View more presentations from Joe McClung

Blog Assignment #10

Do you Teach or Do you Educate?

How do I intend to educate rather than just teach? Well, I believe that I can effectively educate beginning with honest teaching. This done by giving students fair and honest praise or criticism. This includes honest praise and criticism of the education system. I don't think any educator should view themselves as practicing honest teaching if he or she passively acknowledges success or passively ignores failures in the schools. The next key to educating is being compassionate. Every educator should care about their purpose and those within their realm of influence. A teacher should share their emotions and conversations, not only with a student that he or she likes but as well with those that may be reserved or the school bully. Everyone, no matter what age, gender, or race wants to be in the company of someone who cares for them. Essentially we are forcing kids into the school system, so the least that should be done for them is that there are adults who care for them in schools. It is very simple or natural, children hang on to their parents words when there is the strong belief that the parent cares for them and is interested in the child. That mindset is not reserved only for the parent-child relationship. I see it in marital relationships as well, even politicians attempt to play on it by preaching that they have the masses' best interest in mind.

Those are the tools I think one can use to educate. When we feel someone is dishonest we may question their teachings and whether or not they actually care about us as a person. I have never thought anyone who cared for me should lie to me, in any form for any reason. Interestingly enough, my assigned blog post for this week's comment for teachers sort of touched on this idea. This poem was included:

“I have come to a frightening conclusion.

I am the decisive element in the classroom.

It is my personal approach that creates the climate.

It is my daily mood that makes the weather.

As a teacher I possess tremendous power to make a child’s life miserable or joyous.

I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration.

I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal.

In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis

                        will be escalated or deescalated, and a child humanized or dehumanized.”                
This simply reads that educators should care about the students they come in contact with. If they do, educating those students will be that much easier.


Tom Johnson

"Don't Let Them Take Pencils Home" is a blog that refers to technological devices as pencils. There are two contrasting characters, Gertrude and a teacher that I will call Mr. Johnson. Gertrude warns Mr. Johnson that allowing the students to take the devices home will lower their standardized test scores. Mr. Johnson refutes her argument through his explanation of the advantages when using technology.
So if technology will be used as a tool in the learning process, it should be realized that students will become more skilled and productive with that tool the greater the opportunity is to access the tool becomes. Allowing the students to take the devices home, where they spend the most of their time, would allow them to become more comfortable with using tech devices.

Smart Board Instruction Part 1

Blog Assignment #9

Joe McClung

Joe McClung has blog posts summing up what he felt are the more important things he has learned in his first three years of teaching. In his first blog, "What I've Learned This Year (2008-09)", Mr. McClung points out qualities and skills that are not only valuable to teachers, but to any person of any profession. Learning how to read a crowd, to be flexible, to communicate, to be reasonable, to not be afraid of technology, to listen to students, and to continue to learn are the key points of this blog. These are skills that we would want anyone to have, rather it be our president or our garbageman. Know how to read and react to those that you serve, be willing to accept that things will not always go as planned, be capable and willing to engage others, be fair and forgiving, don't be unwilling to incorporate technology into the work process, listen to those you serve, and continue to get at better at your profession is what Mr. McClung is ultimately saying. I would like to think that teachers re-evaluate themselves after each year, and check their success in each of these areas. In my mind, if all teachers posed each point as a question to themselves after every school year, and answered yes, the problems we are facing would fade very fast.
Mr. McClung's third blog post, What I Learned This Year (2010-2011), his topic points were know your boss, don't expect others to be as excited about change as you are, don't be afraid to be an outsider, don't touch the keyboard, and don't get comfortable. Some of those are self-explanatory. When he writes about knowing your boss, he is referring to the students. I can't argue with his description, but I have a different perspective of students. They are essentially customers. They teacher, and the institution of education, is being asked and paid to serve them with knowledge, theory, skills, and many other services. With this perspective you can maintain the individual aspect of the students. They are never your governing body, unless you choose for them to be. Don't be afraid to be an outsider. Here Mr. McClung is speaking to situations where one or a few teachers may have a different teaching style, or approach, or level of affection for the students. He states that it is important for educators to remain true to themselves no matter what opinions your peers and co-workers may have of you. To not touch the keyboard, in his blog, is to not do the work for the students. I am glad he pointed this out. I have met students like this and I had classmates that were just the same. These students are not incapable, but they would rather have someone else to or let someone else do the work for them to avoid struggling or putting forth the effort. So hopefully I can store this advice for my future students.

 

Blog Assignment 8

Richard Miller

Richard Miller's video "This Is How We Dream" presents the idea that writing has changed and the ways we can capitalize from the change. I see the substance of his video as being the notion that we can and should prepare for the phaseout of the physical makeup of books and other tools that we use to share written messages. We now have the luxury and capabilities to share our ideas globally, without any delay. Mr. Miller points out the value of these things in this video.

I applaud Mr. Miller for creating the conversation, and sharing his views and ideas. His dream is that our institution of education will one have these capabilities and students will more efficient because of it. I agree with him in the sense that the value of the student increases if they can share their writings instantly with the rest of the world. Without any doubt, I believe future students will be able to write with multimedia if they are taught to. Digital composition seems to be interesting, but I am one who would rather get the finished product than be the one who creates it. This really seems to fit people who are truly authors or professionals writers, such as Mr. Miller. The work that he did in response to the Virginia Tech shooting was incredible. He used information that has been recorded to the world wide web to validate and strengthen  his article, and that is cool.

The most noticeable change that I have seen in writing, has to be the fact that we are more tolerant of bad writing. It is a result from tolerating bad grammar. What I see are text messages worded 'on kno', which should be written as 'I don't know'. This is part of a comment to Mr. Miller's video; "I say will be because I believe with the way are world is changing that many unbelievable things will soon become believable." This is not meant to make anyone feel bad, but misspelling 'our' as 'are' is unbelievable. I make writing mistakes too, but the problem is that it is too prevalent when using modern technology tools to write. The kids' blogs that I read for assignment are full of writing mistakes. My frustration is building with each kids' blog that I read with these simple mistakes. It makes me wonder.... where have our standards gone?

Carly Pugh's Blog Post #12

Carly Pugh did a great job with this blog post. She writes about her idea for an assignment she thought Dr. Strange should have given. The assignment would be to create a YouTube playlist, explain how the videos relate to your teaching philosophy and what you have learned in EDM 310, and how could you use them when teaching. She provides an example, includes links of many of the videos, and she does a great job of explaining why she chose this assignment. I would definitely describe this post as a multi-media composition because she includes a video, many links to other videos, and a picture.

EDM 310 is Different

The Chipper Series is a collection of short clips featuring Chipper and Dr. Strange. Within these clips we witness Chipper as the prototype of an unsuccessful student. She makes excuses for not completing assignments, blames the instructor for her troubles in the class,  and eventually drops out of school. Chipper finally returns to school as a more promising and dedicated person only after experiencing the harsh reality of a slacker without credentials. She could not hold onto a job mainly due to her slacker attitude. No one should want to be like Chipper. So it is important that everyone is dedicated to their current situation.

EDM for Dummies is a video featuring two students of the class displaying their frustration with the class and Dr. Strange. After getting a copy of the tutorial, EDM 310 for Dummies, the students are more satisfied with the class and have really grown to enjoy the different assignments and people they come across through those assignments there is also a first hand account given by Poppy Bednorz.

I don't have any great ideas for a video that should be done. There are many entertaining and enlightening videos that cover so much for EDM 310. It is difficult to think of something that would not be an issue or topic that has videos already.

Learn to Change, Change to Learn

This is a video that features many people sharing their thoughts on the education system in its current state and what can be done to enhance it. There are some ideas that I agree with and there are some that I disagree with. The great thing about this video is that none of the ideas are beside the point nor are they weak. This a positive equation of the conversation, investigating solutions to the problem.

Hopefully, we can find the cause of the problem. What caused our education system to break, and how long has it been broken? Did we even have a great model to begin with, or were we fooling ourselves from the start? To a degree the answer to those questions may not be needed. We have technology. Once we fully integrate it into our schools, and maximize its potential, the day will be saved.

Comments4Kids Summary #1

  During this semester I have posted comments to blogs of four young students. These students are all in elementary or middle school.
  My first post was to Ngametua. She is a 7th grade student at PT England School in Auckland, New Zealand. Her favorite subject is math. In her blog she wrote about the global community and the importance of learning about other nations.
   My second post was to CJ, an elementary student in Mr. Stephen Wolfe's class. CJ enjoys cheerleading and gymnastics. Her post that I responded to listed all of the plants that she knew. In my response I complimented her for what she knew and encouraged her to learn of more plants.
   My third post was to Niaviana. She is a student at St. Elmo Elementary in St. Elmo, Alabama. Her class did a video to point out qualities of each student. In the video each student stated what they felt made them similar to others and what about them was different than others. Niaviana said she is similar because she is helpful and felt that she is different because she is shy. I offered comfort to her shyness, and I praised her for being helpful.
  My last post was to Caz. Her blog was about the avatar she created for her blog. She designed it to look exactly like herself. I complimented her on the avatar and the blog post that she wrote. It was wordy and had a good flow.

Blog Assignment #6

The Networked Student

  "The Networked Student" is a video about a high school student enrolled in a hybrid class. He is referred to as the networked student because he does not use a textbook and his teacher rarely gives lectures. His learning is mostly done through connections with others who share their knowledge and ideas about the topic he is studying. He uses articles, blogs, and podcasts found on the internet to build his own base of knowledge on the topic. He uses the information he gathers to create a virtual textbook that he or any other person with internet access can use as a reference. His teacher teaches him how to build his network for learning, along with offering guidance on how to communicate properly, how to properly vet his sources, and how to differentiate between good and bad information. The teacher also helps the student to organize the gathered information.
  If I were a teacher today, I think I would be able to say I'm prepared to be the teacher of a networked student. Preparation starts in the mind, and those that don't believe they are ready truly are not. I would want to be more relevant than teacher described in the video. It reminded me of Kevin Robert's comment that teachers are becoming "filters" in the learning process. I wouldn't want to see myself as a "filter", and I wouldn't want anyone else to see me as such. As a teacher I would like to be the main source of information for my students. I wouldn't mind using any tools that I could find available to assist my teaching, but as is the level of respect and appreciation for teachers is dwindling down, and I think lessening the role adds to the depreciation.
  When thinking thinking of the concept of the networked student, it is easy to see the benefits a teacher can reap from it. It would definitely free up some time, which leaves more time for the teacher to prepare. It also creates more opportunities for a teacher to collaborate with another teacher, and this should relieve some of the pressures of teaching. From the students perspective, it is obviously a benefit, as long there are solid teachers in these types of classes. However, I think there has to be extremely great management of these students. If I'm correct, students struggle to complete work and research outside of the classroom at a far greater rate than when in the classroom. I just wonder what the numbers would look like if students have three or more classes a semester in which they are asked to be a networked student. One thing that young people don't manage well is time. So as these new ideas involving technology are being proposed, there are many other valuable skills that should be injected into the curriculum as well.

Tech Fancy Teachers

This is my sentence video.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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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.  





  
   
  

  




  

Blog Assignment #1

   I am Jason Andrew Jackson. I am 27 years old, born January 8th. I am from Moss Point, Mississippi. I graduated from Moss Point High in 2002. After attending college from 2003 to 2005, I began to work full time. From 2005 through the summer of 2010 I worked at various places. At a certain point I realized what I really wanted my profession to be, so I returned to school part time in January of 2010. I attained an Associates of Arts degree after the fall of 2010 from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. I am now in my second semester at South Alabama.
   I like to do a lot of thinking. I like to believe that have a lot of answers to a lot of problems... one day I may become a philosopher or theorist. However, my main source of enjoyment is football. It has been my biggest passion my entire life. There are also many other things that enjoy from breathing to talking, I really enjoy living. I have a couple of brothers and a few sisters. I am the second youngest sibling in my family.


Randy Pausch

    I never knew of Randy Pausch before watching his video. One tip that I picked up from watching the video was to make plans in levels... daily, weekly, and monthly. I can understand how that may be more effective than just having a plan day by day week to week. By streamlining a plan with daily, weekly, and monthly goals it would seem to be easier to manage the detailed aspects of your plan. Also, this may help someone to better understand the time frame of their goals.  



  

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