Week 7-9:
I'm following a blog by Russ Goerend. It is a blog about other people's thoughts. The first one that I commented on was about firing all teachers. Dealing with education problems with wholesale changes is not effective. I replied with that the problems are primarily in the individual classrooms. The link to this blog is here.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Dr. Richard Miller's "Is This How We Dream"
See Video Here: Part 1, Part 2
Dr. Richard E. Miller of Rutgers University Department of English talks about moving away from solely print documents and books to multimedia literature. Miller talks about how he used online literature to create a document about Virginia Tech. The idea of using library research has been incrementally changed. Collaboration and web based documents give a wellspring of knowledge in just a few seconds. Web based documents give us the possibility of sharing knowledge with having to search and sometimes wait for a copy of a book at library. Documents can now be composed with images, visuals, and sounds.These documents composed with information on the web are readily circulated as seen in the example Martin Luther King Jr. document. NY Times uses an online document as a source to share information about the last presidential election. Miller describes this as an incremental change, not fundamental change in the way literature is changing.
Materials online are changing instantly. Documents with visual representations can be accessed by anyone. Educators are beginning to use iTunes U to share their academic lectures. Part of these ideas being shared is becoming our culture. Miller suggests that as educators, we should want to share ideas freely and use these materials to produce alternative ones. The only limits and restrictions that are placed on this is ones we put on ourselves. The only real difficulty would be in accessibility. The emerging changes in the classroom will be new ways to form compositions. Students will have to pay attention to auditory aspects of compositions. The beauty of how things are read and compelling ideas will be of importance.
There are now new forms of publications. The pushing of new ideas has become part of the culture. Composing with the web itself is the new trend. Blog sharing is a new way to share ideas. This is a new attempt to share our thoughts and feelings will trying to understand visual literacy. The future will be a blend of humanities and the sciences. The idea of the university is sharing of ideas that belong to know one, but are for everyone.
Networked Student
Learning through 'connectivism' can be done through tools of technology. This 21st century student" is in a class with no textbook. The student is taking control of his learning. He is building a Personal Learning Network. By researching credible sources and bookmarking sites on his topic of interest. He also is searching blogs, which usually reflect opinions rather than facts, but can comment on those that interest him. By managing the blogs that he comments on, he will be notified when they are updated. The 21st century student also uses his ipod to learn. Through audio and video podcasts on iTunes U, he can continue to learn. With iTunes U, he has access to the best professors in the world, like those at Berkley.
Asking others about a topic is good and in the video, it says people love sharing their knowledge and expertise. Utilizing the RSS Reader will also keep you updated on a topic. By posting finding in a blog, someone else can learn from your work. I really enjoyed this video. I liked the simple animations and concept. The idea of learning effectively through the PLN is a great concept to take away from this video. How to ask questions and use technology effectively is an important concept as a student of connectivism.
The idea of using technology to continue learning outside of the classroom is great. I'm not sure how well it will work with young students because I fear they won't want to take the initiative to learn. As a future English teacher, I really want to instill the longing for more knowledge, but the rest will be up to students. Providing the tools and skills of how to get this knowledge is just one step in the process of connectivism. As educators, I think it is really important to encourage students to seek out new knowledge for themselves, just as educators should as in the PLN.
Michael Wesch
"The Machine is (Changing)Us"
Media is affecting our life and changing our culture. The impact of television affects us 30 seconds at time. Planning ahead is critical especially in education. Teachers have "a front row seat" in the classroom and it is a discouraging atmosphere. Students are being lost in this mass. How do we reach these one-in-a-millions? By making the making the classroom more engaging, right? But how? The structure of classrooms isn't exactly friendly to conversation in the typical lecture setting especially if you are one of 200 students. The most engaging classroom that I've been in was a small class of 16, and we would move into a circle and talk about the topic of the day--including the teacher.
See Video Here: Part 1, Part 2
Dr. Richard E. Miller of Rutgers University Department of English talks about moving away from solely print documents and books to multimedia literature. Miller talks about how he used online literature to create a document about Virginia Tech. The idea of using library research has been incrementally changed. Collaboration and web based documents give a wellspring of knowledge in just a few seconds. Web based documents give us the possibility of sharing knowledge with having to search and sometimes wait for a copy of a book at library. Documents can now be composed with images, visuals, and sounds.These documents composed with information on the web are readily circulated as seen in the example Martin Luther King Jr. document. NY Times uses an online document as a source to share information about the last presidential election. Miller describes this as an incremental change, not fundamental change in the way literature is changing.
Materials online are changing instantly. Documents with visual representations can be accessed by anyone. Educators are beginning to use iTunes U to share their academic lectures. Part of these ideas being shared is becoming our culture. Miller suggests that as educators, we should want to share ideas freely and use these materials to produce alternative ones. The only limits and restrictions that are placed on this is ones we put on ourselves. The only real difficulty would be in accessibility. The emerging changes in the classroom will be new ways to form compositions. Students will have to pay attention to auditory aspects of compositions. The beauty of how things are read and compelling ideas will be of importance.
There are now new forms of publications. The pushing of new ideas has become part of the culture. Composing with the web itself is the new trend. Blog sharing is a new way to share ideas. This is a new attempt to share our thoughts and feelings will trying to understand visual literacy. The future will be a blend of humanities and the sciences. The idea of the university is sharing of ideas that belong to know one, but are for everyone.
Networked Student
Learning through 'connectivism' can be done through tools of technology. This 21st century student" is in a class with no textbook. The student is taking control of his learning. He is building a Personal Learning Network. By researching credible sources and bookmarking sites on his topic of interest. He also is searching blogs, which usually reflect opinions rather than facts, but can comment on those that interest him. By managing the blogs that he comments on, he will be notified when they are updated. The 21st century student also uses his ipod to learn. Through audio and video podcasts on iTunes U, he can continue to learn. With iTunes U, he has access to the best professors in the world, like those at Berkley.
Asking others about a topic is good and in the video, it says people love sharing their knowledge and expertise. Utilizing the RSS Reader will also keep you updated on a topic. By posting finding in a blog, someone else can learn from your work. I really enjoyed this video. I liked the simple animations and concept. The idea of learning effectively through the PLN is a great concept to take away from this video. How to ask questions and use technology effectively is an important concept as a student of connectivism.
The idea of using technology to continue learning outside of the classroom is great. I'm not sure how well it will work with young students because I fear they won't want to take the initiative to learn. As a future English teacher, I really want to instill the longing for more knowledge, but the rest will be up to students. Providing the tools and skills of how to get this knowledge is just one step in the process of connectivism. As educators, I think it is really important to encourage students to seek out new knowledge for themselves, just as educators should as in the PLN.
Michael Wesch
"The Machine is (Changing)Us"
Media is affecting our life and changing our culture. The impact of television affects us 30 seconds at time. Planning ahead is critical especially in education. Teachers have "a front row seat" in the classroom and it is a discouraging atmosphere. Students are being lost in this mass. How do we reach these one-in-a-millions? By making the making the classroom more engaging, right? But how? The structure of classrooms isn't exactly friendly to conversation in the typical lecture setting especially if you are one of 200 students. The most engaging classroom that I've been in was a small class of 16, and we would move into a circle and talk about the topic of the day--including the teacher.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Podcasting, Technology Resources, & iTunes U, Comment 4 Kids Week 7
Comments for Kids Week 7:
This week for my Comments4Kids assignment, I was assigned to a young girl who recently moved from Samoa to New Zealand. Her name is Jordenne and she is 3rd grade. Her video on that she posted on her blog page was about her goal for the school year. Jordenne said, "She wants to learn how to post her story to the computer." I told her that I thought that this was a great goal, and that I'd come back and read her story later.
PLN update:
I'm actually just getting started with my PLN. I want to focus primarily on the subject of English--writing and literature. Here are some ideas and goals I have thus far:I want to find new ways to teach about classic literature, preferably at the high school level. I'm interested in helping students with new approaches to writing. I created a Twitter account today, so if anyone wants to follow me my name is springtylr . I started following Richard Byre and am right now using it as a home base until I can discover more on my own.
A Resource for Teachers:
Dr. Alice Christie's Site
Dr. Christie's site is a resource for teachers that would like to use technology in the classroom. The site is filled with resources that can help a teacher get started. The site also provides a list of articles on technology based topics such as text messaging and the average 13-year-old. It provides an extensive list of emerging uses of technology for the classroom, for example electronic portfolios. The site even has a guide for parents and teachers to help them understand the new lingo of Instant Messaging. She provides fundamental principles of the internet, including safety and defines internet terms.
This site is one to BOOKMARK! It is a well-spring of knowledge that can help any old-school teacher navigate through and make sense of the internet. I found this site beneficial to teachers because she has so many great ideas. I really like that she refers to teachers and students as "co-learners". She talks about not only podcast, electronic portfolios, and web design, but talks about emerging technologies like Second Life, Flickr, and Delicious. I see this site being very useful to secondary education teachers because using some of these technologies in the classroom could really engage students if used properly and enhance learning.
iTunesU Benefits as a Teacher and Student
iTunes U is part of the iTunes Store. It is a collection of free educational media available. This use of technology can be beneficial to students, teachers, and anyone else that wants to learn. Different campuses allow access exclusively to material on their own pages. This can be beneficial to the students in that they have readily available access to educational material. By using iTunesU teachers are allowing students to be active learner 24-7.
iTunes can also be beneficial to teachers too. Instructors at the college level especially, can post information to iTunes U. It becomes in a sense 'mobile learning' like the site says. iTunes U also allows a medium by which fellow instructors and professionals can collaborate. In the classroom, access to countless educational resources could enhance learning in a lecture. I think this can really change the way students learn in that they can move at their own pace. It would give students specific questions to ask regarding material they don't understand rather than expect them to unrealistically read entire chapters and books.
Duke at iTunes U
Not only just elementary school kids understand the benefits of recording podcast, but even Duke's University is using this educational tool. Duke University is participating in a podcast program, which contains free academic content in some cases at the global level. The site can be accessed at http://itunes.duke.edu/ Professors place content on this site in order for students to have easy access to material. There is a log in for students and a log in for the public. From lectures series to speeches, there are countless free podcasts at iTunes at Duke University. Check it out!
iTunes at Duke took me one click to access Duke on iTunes. I looked up English because that is what subject area I want to teach, but there are not many podcasts in the English Department, which was really disappointing. It seems like subject areas of law, history, business had more to offer listeners. As a resource for a future English teacher maybe iTunes U. at Duke University isn't the best resource. I'm at hoping for the sake of all English majors at Duke that maybe students have access to more than I do.
This week for my Comments4Kids assignment, I was assigned to a young girl who recently moved from Samoa to New Zealand. Her name is Jordenne and she is 3rd grade. Her video on that she posted on her blog page was about her goal for the school year. Jordenne said, "She wants to learn how to post her story to the computer." I told her that I thought that this was a great goal, and that I'd come back and read her story later.
PLN update:
I'm actually just getting started with my PLN. I want to focus primarily on the subject of English--writing and literature. Here are some ideas and goals I have thus far:I want to find new ways to teach about classic literature, preferably at the high school level. I'm interested in helping students with new approaches to writing. I created a Twitter account today, so if anyone wants to follow me my name is springtylr . I started following Richard Byre and am right now using it as a home base until I can discover more on my own.
A Resource for Teachers:
Dr. Alice Christie's Site
Dr. Christie's site is a resource for teachers that would like to use technology in the classroom. The site is filled with resources that can help a teacher get started. The site also provides a list of articles on technology based topics such as text messaging and the average 13-year-old. It provides an extensive list of emerging uses of technology for the classroom, for example electronic portfolios. The site even has a guide for parents and teachers to help them understand the new lingo of Instant Messaging. She provides fundamental principles of the internet, including safety and defines internet terms.
This site is one to BOOKMARK! It is a well-spring of knowledge that can help any old-school teacher navigate through and make sense of the internet. I found this site beneficial to teachers because she has so many great ideas. I really like that she refers to teachers and students as "co-learners". She talks about not only podcast, electronic portfolios, and web design, but talks about emerging technologies like Second Life, Flickr, and Delicious. I see this site being very useful to secondary education teachers because using some of these technologies in the classroom could really engage students if used properly and enhance learning.
iTunesU Benefits as a Teacher and Student
iTunes U is part of the iTunes Store. It is a collection of free educational media available. This use of technology can be beneficial to students, teachers, and anyone else that wants to learn. Different campuses allow access exclusively to material on their own pages. This can be beneficial to the students in that they have readily available access to educational material. By using iTunesU teachers are allowing students to be active learner 24-7.
iTunes can also be beneficial to teachers too. Instructors at the college level especially, can post information to iTunes U. It becomes in a sense 'mobile learning' like the site says. iTunes U also allows a medium by which fellow instructors and professionals can collaborate. In the classroom, access to countless educational resources could enhance learning in a lecture. I think this can really change the way students learn in that they can move at their own pace. It would give students specific questions to ask regarding material they don't understand rather than expect them to unrealistically read entire chapters and books.
Duke at iTunes U
Not only just elementary school kids understand the benefits of recording podcast, but even Duke's University is using this educational tool. Duke University is participating in a podcast program, which contains free academic content in some cases at the global level. The site can be accessed at http://itunes.duke.edu/ Professors place content on this site in order for students to have easy access to material. There is a log in for students and a log in for the public. From lectures series to speeches, there are countless free podcasts at iTunes at Duke University. Check it out!
iTunes at Duke took me one click to access Duke on iTunes. I looked up English because that is what subject area I want to teach, but there are not many podcasts in the English Department, which was really disappointing. It seems like subject areas of law, history, business had more to offer listeners. As a resource for a future English teacher maybe iTunes U. at Duke University isn't the best resource. I'm at hoping for the sake of all English majors at Duke that maybe students have access to more than I do.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Wikipedia's Credibility and First-Year Teaching Advice
Who's editing Wikipedia?
Read article here!
This article on Wikipedia is interesting because it shows the dark side to the online encyclopedia. Virgil Griffith, a graduate student, created a searchable database that ties anonymous changes to Wikipedia entries to organizations and locations the edits originated. This database also keeps up with all of the changes made to each document. Companies as big as Walmart to politicians are revealed to have edited their entries. I think it is important to consider this site as a general source of information, but not always the most unbiased, credited resource possible. As with any source, it is important to look at the facts and consider where the information originates. Wikipedia seems to be more of the "drive-thru" resource for information online.
First Year Teaching Advice
Read Mr. McClung's Blog Entry
Mr. McClung wrote this blog entry to give teachers, especially those with little experience, suggestions about teaching. He spoke on centering lessons around the audience--our students. Making lessons student-centered, rather than teacher-centered is the most successful way to teach. McClung also wrote about having reasonable expectations and having someone to confide in. He also had a list of "don't s" as well. His first don't was not to be afraid of using technology. Another one of his suggestions was not loosing touch with the fact that we're dealing with children.
What I took away from Mr. McClung's entry was that one, it is important to be flexible. I expect to make a lot of mistakes my first year, but in order to learn from them, having an open mind is important. I also learned that listening to you're students is important too because that is how we know what we are doing is or isn't working. The focus of the classroom needs to be on the students' learning, not the teacher's delivery of the lesson. The teacher should NEVER STOP LEARNING. It doesn't matter what area of teaching, whether it be technology, a subject-area, or lesson plan modification, teachers should change and learn new ways to reach their students.
Read article here!
This article on Wikipedia is interesting because it shows the dark side to the online encyclopedia. Virgil Griffith, a graduate student, created a searchable database that ties anonymous changes to Wikipedia entries to organizations and locations the edits originated. This database also keeps up with all of the changes made to each document. Companies as big as Walmart to politicians are revealed to have edited their entries. I think it is important to consider this site as a general source of information, but not always the most unbiased, credited resource possible. As with any source, it is important to look at the facts and consider where the information originates. Wikipedia seems to be more of the "drive-thru" resource for information online.
First Year Teaching Advice
Read Mr. McClung's Blog Entry
Mr. McClung wrote this blog entry to give teachers, especially those with little experience, suggestions about teaching. He spoke on centering lessons around the audience--our students. Making lessons student-centered, rather than teacher-centered is the most successful way to teach. McClung also wrote about having reasonable expectations and having someone to confide in. He also had a list of "don't s" as well. His first don't was not to be afraid of using technology. Another one of his suggestions was not loosing touch with the fact that we're dealing with children.
What I took away from Mr. McClung's entry was that one, it is important to be flexible. I expect to make a lot of mistakes my first year, but in order to learn from them, having an open mind is important. I also learned that listening to you're students is important too because that is how we know what we are doing is or isn't working. The focus of the classroom needs to be on the students' learning, not the teacher's delivery of the lesson. The teacher should NEVER STOP LEARNING. It doesn't matter what area of teaching, whether it be technology, a subject-area, or lesson plan modification, teachers should change and learn new ways to reach their students.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Week 4 & 5 "Comments4Kids" Assignment
Week 4: Student Blog Page
I commented on a 5th student's blog page in the Avoca School District. Jacqueline's blog page was full of things that she was doing in the classroom. Her posts were her reflections on these learning experiences. Her latest post was about working with Photoshop to create a cartoon. I wrote that she impressed me that she was able to work with the program at such a young age. It seems like she really enjoyed the assignment too.
Week 5: "I have a dream...what is yours?" post
Students wrote poetry that reflected ideas and the form of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I have a dream" speech. Several students were featured on the post and I commented on one student's work. The 5th grader's work about her dreams. My favorite line she used was: "Global warming history,Tomorrow a brand new day,Everybody delighted,In every single way!"-Anna S. I made sure I let her know that she was a good poet and I enjoyed reading her work. I also wrote that I thought that this assignment seemed to be very enriching. These children, because the students were using their imaginations to think about how they could make the world a better place by poetry writing.
I commented on a 5th student's blog page in the Avoca School District. Jacqueline's blog page was full of things that she was doing in the classroom. Her posts were her reflections on these learning experiences. Her latest post was about working with Photoshop to create a cartoon. I wrote that she impressed me that she was able to work with the program at such a young age. It seems like she really enjoyed the assignment too.
Week 5: "I have a dream...what is yours?" post
Students wrote poetry that reflected ideas and the form of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I have a dream" speech. Several students were featured on the post and I commented on one student's work. The 5th grader's work about her dreams. My favorite line she used was: "Global warming history,Tomorrow a brand new day,Everybody delighted,In every single way!"-Anna S. I made sure I let her know that she was a good poet and I enjoyed reading her work. I also wrote that I thought that this assignment seemed to be very enriching. These children, because the students were using their imaginations to think about how they could make the world a better place by poetry writing.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Podcast as a New Study Tool
The Educational Podcast Network
In order to further my learning and discovery of the use of podcast in the classroom I visited the Educational Podcast Network website. The site brings together different ways the podcast are used in the classroom through different educators and their insights. There are even subject-specific podcast ranging from the three R's to the Arts, including dance(which is undoubtedly my favorite). Staying focused on how podcast can be used in the English classroom, I listened to a few podcast in some areas of my interest. One was a lecture on sonnets. The narrator talked about the form of sonnets and how they originated.
I can see using podcast in this form very beneficial to students who learn a slower pace than the rest of the class. This could be beneficial to students who are English Language Learners, students who have special needs, or even a student who just struggles in a particular subject area(mine is math--I still have nightmares about Algebra). Being a student who has sit through countless lectures, I realize sometimes I can sit through an entire class and not retain much information. With access to a podcast, being able to hear information again could help students refresh themselves on a topic while at home studying. I also could see how this could turn into an excuse to be absent from class(mainly at the collegiate level), but I think with careful moderation, these "lecture-on-the-go" could benefit a lot of students. Sometimes taking notes in a lecture-setting doesn't always help you remember all the key facts or information needed for a test or to write a paper on. Any thoughts on using podcast lectures as study tools?
In order to further my learning and discovery of the use of podcast in the classroom I visited the Educational Podcast Network website. The site brings together different ways the podcast are used in the classroom through different educators and their insights. There are even subject-specific podcast ranging from the three R's to the Arts, including dance(which is undoubtedly my favorite). Staying focused on how podcast can be used in the English classroom, I listened to a few podcast in some areas of my interest. One was a lecture on sonnets. The narrator talked about the form of sonnets and how they originated.
I can see using podcast in this form very beneficial to students who learn a slower pace than the rest of the class. This could be beneficial to students who are English Language Learners, students who have special needs, or even a student who just struggles in a particular subject area(mine is math--I still have nightmares about Algebra). Being a student who has sit through countless lectures, I realize sometimes I can sit through an entire class and not retain much information. With access to a podcast, being able to hear information again could help students refresh themselves on a topic while at home studying. I also could see how this could turn into an excuse to be absent from class(mainly at the collegiate level), but I think with careful moderation, these "lecture-on-the-go" could benefit a lot of students. Sometimes taking notes in a lecture-setting doesn't always help you remember all the key facts or information needed for a test or to write a paper on. Any thoughts on using podcast lectures as study tools?
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Media Literacy Video
Watch here!
In this video Kathy Cassidy is showing her audience what her first grade class can do. Her class is focused on learning about media literacy. The students, at the age of six and seven are doing things I didn't understand until much later on in my elementary school education. The fact that a seven year old can pick up a book and distinguish between fiction and non-fiction shows that they are capable of learning much more than what is traditional taught. Later in the video, another young girl located her class's blog online by herself. Introducing these young students to technology at an early age is extremely important.
I think a lot of the time, especially in education, people are scared to think outside the box. They don't want to try new things, but sometimes change is good. By expanding her curriculum, Cassidy utilizes the technology she has in her classroom and her students are reaping the benefits. I can only imagine what these children will be capable of one day. Technology is constantly changing and this is only one instance of how useful of a tool it can be for learning. Even in first grade, students can benefit from technology.
Little Kids..Big Potential
It's is simply amazing that in first graders are BLOGGING! Up until two weeks ago, I had not even had a blog page. I think the fact that the students are getting the freedom to use computers motivates them to actively write in their blogs. They also enjoy that others get to see what they are writing about as well. From a teacher stand-point the students are not only learning how to type, but sound out words on their own. Blogging improves writing, even in first grade.
Although these videos impress me, I can't help but question if I'm ready for this tidal wave of students that will be media literate. I struggle to make a powerpoint presentations on my own, how will I be ready for them? At least I have the blogging somewhat mastered. I also, like any other college student, I understand Facebook and iTunes. I guess this is a start. In the back of the classroom in one of the videos I saw the sign reading Class of 2025 so I guess I have some time to learn. In the meantime, I think I'll go listen to a podcast and Facebook stalk!
Can your baby do this?(Mine can't either, but I'm not a parent, nor do I own an iPhone.)
Are you kidding me? This young toddler can barely say 'iPhone', but understands how to use one. The fact that a baby can use and operate and iPhone really says a lot about the design of the phone and the potential of young children. They really do absorb information like a dry sponge. The last cellphone(not an iPhone) and toddler combination I saw involved a full cup of water and resulted in some unhappy parents. (That was poor planning on mom and dad's part though.)
What in the world am I going to do if this child walks through my classroom door? This video is a wake up call. Children can learn at any age. It is up to teachers, parents, and guardians to feed them with as much knowledge they can. I'm pretty sure the only thing reflecting any intelligence that I did at this age was me pulling all of the wipes out of the box on my own. Wow, that's not embarrassing at all.
Watch here!
In this video Kathy Cassidy is showing her audience what her first grade class can do. Her class is focused on learning about media literacy. The students, at the age of six and seven are doing things I didn't understand until much later on in my elementary school education. The fact that a seven year old can pick up a book and distinguish between fiction and non-fiction shows that they are capable of learning much more than what is traditional taught. Later in the video, another young girl located her class's blog online by herself. Introducing these young students to technology at an early age is extremely important.
I think a lot of the time, especially in education, people are scared to think outside the box. They don't want to try new things, but sometimes change is good. By expanding her curriculum, Cassidy utilizes the technology she has in her classroom and her students are reaping the benefits. I can only imagine what these children will be capable of one day. Technology is constantly changing and this is only one instance of how useful of a tool it can be for learning. Even in first grade, students can benefit from technology.
Little Kids..Big Potential
It's is simply amazing that in first graders are BLOGGING! Up until two weeks ago, I had not even had a blog page. I think the fact that the students are getting the freedom to use computers motivates them to actively write in their blogs. They also enjoy that others get to see what they are writing about as well. From a teacher stand-point the students are not only learning how to type, but sound out words on their own. Blogging improves writing, even in first grade.
Although these videos impress me, I can't help but question if I'm ready for this tidal wave of students that will be media literate. I struggle to make a powerpoint presentations on my own, how will I be ready for them? At least I have the blogging somewhat mastered. I also, like any other college student, I understand Facebook and iTunes. I guess this is a start. In the back of the classroom in one of the videos I saw the sign reading Class of 2025 so I guess I have some time to learn. In the meantime, I think I'll go listen to a podcast and Facebook stalk!
Can your baby do this?(Mine can't either, but I'm not a parent, nor do I own an iPhone.)
Are you kidding me? This young toddler can barely say 'iPhone', but understands how to use one. The fact that a baby can use and operate and iPhone really says a lot about the design of the phone and the potential of young children. They really do absorb information like a dry sponge. The last cellphone(not an iPhone) and toddler combination I saw involved a full cup of water and resulted in some unhappy parents. (That was poor planning on mom and dad's part though.)
What in the world am I going to do if this child walks through my classroom door? This video is a wake up call. Children can learn at any age. It is up to teachers, parents, and guardians to feed them with as much knowledge they can. I'm pretty sure the only thing reflecting any intelligence that I did at this age was me pulling all of the wipes out of the box on my own. Wow, that's not embarrassing at all.
Understanding Podcasts
Teaching with Smartboard by Sladkey and Miller
Find it on iTunes or
for more information, CLICK HERE
In this podcast, it begins with a theme of the holidays. This podcast included holiday music and graphics. The episode I watched,episode 67, is the annual holiday edition. In order to make a podcast, you must think about audio recordings, visuals, and what information is being presented and how. It is also important to let people know where they can find more information about a subject too. Both men created an entertaining way how to educate people about Smartboards. They included written instructions, pictures, and auditory instructions.
KidCast:Learning and Teaching with Podcast
Find it on iTunes:
"Active Listening to Improve Your Show" by Dan Schmit
Episode 57
The narrator opens with music and an introduction to his podcast. This podcast was only audio. Schmit also gives a website to visit as another resource for a competition he is involved with. He explained that a podcast is like a show and have different episodes. Some of these can done by students. There are several types of educational podcast. One type is an inquiry podcast that answers a question through investigation. Another is a point of view editorial podcast. This type of podcast is persuasive to the audience and can be about political issues.
EdTechTalk
Cammy Bean interviews Robert Squires
For more information about this podcast Click Here
What I noticed about this podcast right away is the fact that all of the participants were from different states. One lady was from Florida, while the other was from Montana. This really showed me the possibilities there are with podcast creation. This podcast involved a lot of discussion as far as how it was formatted. This podcast also did not involve visuals. The creators planned ahead, had questions reader for the interviewee, and knew what they were going to talk about beforehand. This tells me that a lot of planning goes into the creation of a podcast.
This Week in Photography
126: Race in Photography- Don't Blink!
Find this podcast on iTunes
This podcast opened with the sounds of a camera going off. This immediately drew me into the topic. The topic at hand was whether or not face detection is racist. The facial recognitions may think that Asians are blinking and that dark skinned tones weren't picked up. Interestingly enough, the company, Sony, is an Asian company. The problem with this new technology that was being discussed is that it wasn't tested well enough before being released to the public. I also noticed that is was the first podcast that had a sponsor.
Find it on iTunes or
for more information, CLICK HERE
In this podcast, it begins with a theme of the holidays. This podcast included holiday music and graphics. The episode I watched,episode 67, is the annual holiday edition. In order to make a podcast, you must think about audio recordings, visuals, and what information is being presented and how. It is also important to let people know where they can find more information about a subject too. Both men created an entertaining way how to educate people about Smartboards. They included written instructions, pictures, and auditory instructions.
KidCast:Learning and Teaching with Podcast
Find it on iTunes:
"Active Listening to Improve Your Show" by Dan Schmit
Episode 57
The narrator opens with music and an introduction to his podcast. This podcast was only audio. Schmit also gives a website to visit as another resource for a competition he is involved with. He explained that a podcast is like a show and have different episodes. Some of these can done by students. There are several types of educational podcast. One type is an inquiry podcast that answers a question through investigation. Another is a point of view editorial podcast. This type of podcast is persuasive to the audience and can be about political issues.
EdTechTalk
Cammy Bean interviews Robert Squires
For more information about this podcast Click Here
What I noticed about this podcast right away is the fact that all of the participants were from different states. One lady was from Florida, while the other was from Montana. This really showed me the possibilities there are with podcast creation. This podcast involved a lot of discussion as far as how it was formatted. This podcast also did not involve visuals. The creators planned ahead, had questions reader for the interviewee, and knew what they were going to talk about beforehand. This tells me that a lot of planning goes into the creation of a podcast.
This Week in Photography
126: Race in Photography- Don't Blink!
Find this podcast on iTunes
This podcast opened with the sounds of a camera going off. This immediately drew me into the topic. The topic at hand was whether or not face detection is racist. The facial recognitions may think that Asians are blinking and that dark skinned tones weren't picked up. Interestingly enough, the company, Sony, is an Asian company. The problem with this new technology that was being discussed is that it wasn't tested well enough before being released to the public. I also noticed that is was the first podcast that had a sponsor.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Teachers and Technology
Michael Wesch : A Vision of Students Today Video
My Response to this Video:
This video captures how life as a college student can sometimes feel. I work a part-time job on top of taking 15 hours of classes, and am a part of AOII sorority on campus. Though the sorority is extra, it makes my time here at South seem more enjoyable. My classes this semester call for a lot of outside work, like reading about 250 pages per week, or weekly work like this blog(not that I'm complaining). At times, I do feel overwhelmed. After being in college for four years, I've become really good at time management, multitasking(I'm doing laundry as I write up this blog), and invested in a good coffee pot!
If I could change or add anything into the video, I would most likely add more about how students are coping with this stress. Behaviors like smoking, binge drinking, and casual sex seem to be negative ways college students deal with their stress.
Also a lot of the phrases were hard to read and at times I had to pause the video in order to understand what was being said. What I took away most from this video is that most students today are in the same situation I am. Student loans, the cost of living, and our future jobs are what we worry about most. The fact that I have had the privilege of attending college, have a laptop of my own, and have a vehicle to get me all the places I need to go really makes me think about how fortunate I am.
It's Not About the Technology
"...if a student has not learned, not matter how much effort has been exerted, no teaching has been done."-Kelly Hines
Read it here!
One of the most important points in this blog is the teachers should be teaching with learning in mind. This learning should be coming from both the student and the teacher.So many times as a student I have sat through entire classes not retaining anything. As a future teacher, I think it is extremely important to focus on students learning. If students aren't learning with one approach, then it is the teacher's job to change his or her approach. Also the teacher shouldn't just be teaching, the teacher should be learning along with their students. In order to be an effective teacher, one must always be wanting to learn new creative ways to reach their students.
To me it is crucial that in order to be a teacher, you must see what works and what doesn't work. Observing how students react to what is being thrown at them is important. Throughout my high school career, my teachers assumed that giving worksheets would automatically make us retain information. I would like to do more creative things in the high school classroom in the future because sometimes I think so many students are tuned out to learned. Looking back, in order to move forward is really what I took away from this blog. I hope to try and add something new every time I teach a lesson. I hope this subtle changes will reach more students and help them retain more information than I did.
Karl Fisch's Blog
Read it Here!
The post within Fisch's post is quite thought provoking. Should teachers really be accountable for being technologically illiterate? I think there is a distinct line between wanting to learn about technology, and just being unwilling to learn. I have heard too often the phrase, "I'm just not good with technology." Ignorance is impairing those who never try. Why not moving forward? Most students that enter classrooms seem to know a significant amount of technology, but who taught them? The topic at hand isn't about not knowing about technology, it is about individuals who are unwilling to learn because technology is outside their comfort zones.
Part of being a teacher, especially in today's world, should be about moving forward. Teachers, like Kelly Kines stated in her blog (link is in above section), should constantly be learning. Maybe the way our education system works is too comfortable for the average teacher. Is it time to shake up education? Maybe there should be more of a push to move forward and try new things in the classroom. Outside the four walls of the classroom, technology is moving forward, maybe its time for teachers to look out the open the window.
Gary's Social Media Count:
Visit full website here
Can you believe some of these numbers? Technology is moving forward and expanding at astounding rates! This makes me think of how much time I spend on the computer. Sometimes there are hours at a time that I am on Facebook, or YouTube, and/or other sites. Not to mention, I probably am text messaging my boyfriend at the same time(this goes back to my first section--I am quite the expert at multitasking, what can I say? It's a gift).
So what does this mean for teachers? It means that we must move forward(I've said it about 20 times already)! Technology is changing the world around us not only economically, but socially. The numbers above us prove that people are living in the technology age. The students that I went to school with will not be exposed to same things that my students will be exposed to. As teachers we must be part of this technological world too.
My Response to this Video:
This video captures how life as a college student can sometimes feel. I work a part-time job on top of taking 15 hours of classes, and am a part of AOII sorority on campus. Though the sorority is extra, it makes my time here at South seem more enjoyable. My classes this semester call for a lot of outside work, like reading about 250 pages per week, or weekly work like this blog(not that I'm complaining). At times, I do feel overwhelmed. After being in college for four years, I've become really good at time management, multitasking(I'm doing laundry as I write up this blog), and invested in a good coffee pot!
If I could change or add anything into the video, I would most likely add more about how students are coping with this stress. Behaviors like smoking, binge drinking, and casual sex seem to be negative ways college students deal with their stress.
Also a lot of the phrases were hard to read and at times I had to pause the video in order to understand what was being said. What I took away most from this video is that most students today are in the same situation I am. Student loans, the cost of living, and our future jobs are what we worry about most. The fact that I have had the privilege of attending college, have a laptop of my own, and have a vehicle to get me all the places I need to go really makes me think about how fortunate I am.
It's Not About the Technology
"...if a student has not learned, not matter how much effort has been exerted, no teaching has been done."-Kelly Hines
Read it here!
One of the most important points in this blog is the teachers should be teaching with learning in mind. This learning should be coming from both the student and the teacher.So many times as a student I have sat through entire classes not retaining anything. As a future teacher, I think it is extremely important to focus on students learning. If students aren't learning with one approach, then it is the teacher's job to change his or her approach. Also the teacher shouldn't just be teaching, the teacher should be learning along with their students. In order to be an effective teacher, one must always be wanting to learn new creative ways to reach their students.
To me it is crucial that in order to be a teacher, you must see what works and what doesn't work. Observing how students react to what is being thrown at them is important. Throughout my high school career, my teachers assumed that giving worksheets would automatically make us retain information. I would like to do more creative things in the high school classroom in the future because sometimes I think so many students are tuned out to learned. Looking back, in order to move forward is really what I took away from this blog. I hope to try and add something new every time I teach a lesson. I hope this subtle changes will reach more students and help them retain more information than I did.
Karl Fisch's Blog
Read it Here!
The post within Fisch's post is quite thought provoking. Should teachers really be accountable for being technologically illiterate? I think there is a distinct line between wanting to learn about technology, and just being unwilling to learn. I have heard too often the phrase, "I'm just not good with technology." Ignorance is impairing those who never try. Why not moving forward? Most students that enter classrooms seem to know a significant amount of technology, but who taught them? The topic at hand isn't about not knowing about technology, it is about individuals who are unwilling to learn because technology is outside their comfort zones.
Part of being a teacher, especially in today's world, should be about moving forward. Teachers, like Kelly Kines stated in her blog (link is in above section), should constantly be learning. Maybe the way our education system works is too comfortable for the average teacher. Is it time to shake up education? Maybe there should be more of a push to move forward and try new things in the classroom. Outside the four walls of the classroom, technology is moving forward, maybe its time for teachers to look out the open the window.
Gary's Social Media Count:
Visit full website here
Can you believe some of these numbers? Technology is moving forward and expanding at astounding rates! This makes me think of how much time I spend on the computer. Sometimes there are hours at a time that I am on Facebook, or YouTube, and/or other sites. Not to mention, I probably am text messaging my boyfriend at the same time(this goes back to my first section--I am quite the expert at multitasking, what can I say? It's a gift).
So what does this mean for teachers? It means that we must move forward(I've said it about 20 times already)! Technology is changing the world around us not only economically, but socially. The numbers above us prove that people are living in the technology age. The students that I went to school with will not be exposed to same things that my students will be exposed to. As teachers we must be part of this technological world too.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Technology is CHANGING the classroom
"Did You Know? 3.0"
After watching the "Did You Know? 3.0" video, I was completely blown away at how fast technology is coming out and thriving. It's amazing that people that are starting college in 2009, like my little brother, will be exposed to completely different information than I have been exposed to. This really adds to how old I feel(I'm only 21, I guess I better get used to the feeling). The fact that computers are becoming so crucial to society and how we live, makes me wonder how much things will have changed in 5 to 10 years. My little brother's college, Ringling College of Art and Design actually provides every incoming freshmen with a Mac book. The fact that his college has moved forward with technology that much makes me think back to how far we've come.
Thinking back ten years ago in 2000, my family had only one desktop computer that was occasionally used for school reports and work documents. It was mainly was just a form of entertainment for the household--many solitaire games and Oregon Trail(I probably still can't make it to Oregon, but you can't deny that the game was addicting). Now ten years later, every single member of my family has a laptop computer and a cellphone with text messaging. My family still has a desktop computer in our office, but because we also have updated from dial-up internet to a Wi-Fi connection, we all prefer our own laptops over the desktop. Not only have our computers and cellphones become more advanced, but video games too. I remember seeing old pictures(the paper kind that you had to get developed for all the kids out there) trying to play Duck Hunt on the old Nintendo system before I could even form a sentence. Today, my family owns a Wii, and several games (none of which you have to blow into to get them to turn on).
Mr. Winkle Wakes
The Mr. Winkle Wakes video raises questions like how and why technology should be used in the classroom. Teachers are supposed to be preparing us for the future, but how are they doing that by lecturing and not incorporating technology into the classes they teach? Many teachers complain about not having the funding, but there are many instances where teachers aren't using the tools that are provided for them. In the video, the classroom did have a computer in it, but it wasn't being used. This says a lot about our education system. We don't want to change our methods because they have worked in the past.
In the defense of my teachers, I have be exposed to many useful technology skills. I began learning how to use a computer at an early age, and was learning how to make a PowerPoint presentation by the time I was in 5th grade. It wasn't until high school that I really saw the benefit of technology as my chemistry/physics teacher was using a tablet that was connected to her computer. This contraption was projected through her overhead screen to show us how to work physics problems. I didn't understand the convenience of this until I enrolled in physics college course at South--my teacher's tools consisted of a few white boards and different colored dry erase markers. Time was wasted in class because my professor had to constantly erase old work in order to continue on with the new problem.
Ken Robinson Video Response
I agree with Ken Robinson. I believe that creativity is the classroom is killed through education. Children are taught at an early age that being right is the only way to succeed. By doing this mistakes are not only stigmatized, but children are being inhibited from coming up with anything original. Robinson uses the phrase, "educating people out of their capabilities". He continues to say that children are born artists because they aren't scared to be wrong. They take a risks, which allow originality.
Ironically, Robinson points out, that in every school system, the same subjects are emphasized and the same areas are ignored. Math, science, history, and language are all top priorities in schools worldwide. The Arts, on the other hand seem to be at the bottom of the academic hierarchy. The fact that kids are pointed in the direction of professions that they have no interest in, is depressing. Most children dream of being musicians, dancers, and various other creative outlets, but are inhibited from doing so because they are told they'd never get a job in that type of field. Because of this, many really talented individuals went to college, or even worse didn't go to college, and are now working at some empty job. Robinson encourages us to radically change the way we see intelligence, especially in the classroom.
Harnessing Your Students' Digital Smarts
Vicki Davis engages her students through incorporating technology in the classroom as well as using different methods of teaching to reach her students. Her tools include podcast, blogs, digital storytelling, virtual worlds, and other digital tools. Davis pays attention to her students' interests and what engages them in the classroom. She uses new terms and tools to encourage learning and discovery through the use of the internet. Students are also encouraged to share new information with each other, and students actually teach lessons from time to time. With this freedom of creativity, these students are being exposed to a lot more information than a traditional classroom is.
I think that it is important to understand that tradition teaching methods cannot reach every child. Most students retain information better if they are doing hands on work. Students are also being able to use their creative outlets in a class like this as they are allowed to explore their interest. With the use of the internet, students can learn more about the real world and can expand their knowledge outside of the four walls of the classroom. Also, if students understand their work is being shared with the world, they will take more pride in their work because it isn't just being read by a single teacher. Incorporating technology in the classroom is also beneficial to students in the future because they can take the knowledge that they learn and apply it in directly to their lives because technology is becoming such a crucial part of society.
After watching the "Did You Know? 3.0" video, I was completely blown away at how fast technology is coming out and thriving. It's amazing that people that are starting college in 2009, like my little brother, will be exposed to completely different information than I have been exposed to. This really adds to how old I feel(I'm only 21, I guess I better get used to the feeling). The fact that computers are becoming so crucial to society and how we live, makes me wonder how much things will have changed in 5 to 10 years. My little brother's college, Ringling College of Art and Design actually provides every incoming freshmen with a Mac book. The fact that his college has moved forward with technology that much makes me think back to how far we've come.
Thinking back ten years ago in 2000, my family had only one desktop computer that was occasionally used for school reports and work documents. It was mainly was just a form of entertainment for the household--many solitaire games and Oregon Trail(I probably still can't make it to Oregon, but you can't deny that the game was addicting). Now ten years later, every single member of my family has a laptop computer and a cellphone with text messaging. My family still has a desktop computer in our office, but because we also have updated from dial-up internet to a Wi-Fi connection, we all prefer our own laptops over the desktop. Not only have our computers and cellphones become more advanced, but video games too. I remember seeing old pictures(the paper kind that you had to get developed for all the kids out there) trying to play Duck Hunt on the old Nintendo system before I could even form a sentence. Today, my family owns a Wii, and several games (none of which you have to blow into to get them to turn on).
Mr. Winkle Wakes
The Mr. Winkle Wakes video raises questions like how and why technology should be used in the classroom. Teachers are supposed to be preparing us for the future, but how are they doing that by lecturing and not incorporating technology into the classes they teach? Many teachers complain about not having the funding, but there are many instances where teachers aren't using the tools that are provided for them. In the video, the classroom did have a computer in it, but it wasn't being used. This says a lot about our education system. We don't want to change our methods because they have worked in the past.
In the defense of my teachers, I have be exposed to many useful technology skills. I began learning how to use a computer at an early age, and was learning how to make a PowerPoint presentation by the time I was in 5th grade. It wasn't until high school that I really saw the benefit of technology as my chemistry/physics teacher was using a tablet that was connected to her computer. This contraption was projected through her overhead screen to show us how to work physics problems. I didn't understand the convenience of this until I enrolled in physics college course at South--my teacher's tools consisted of a few white boards and different colored dry erase markers. Time was wasted in class because my professor had to constantly erase old work in order to continue on with the new problem.
Ken Robinson Video Response
I agree with Ken Robinson. I believe that creativity is the classroom is killed through education. Children are taught at an early age that being right is the only way to succeed. By doing this mistakes are not only stigmatized, but children are being inhibited from coming up with anything original. Robinson uses the phrase, "educating people out of their capabilities". He continues to say that children are born artists because they aren't scared to be wrong. They take a risks, which allow originality.
Ironically, Robinson points out, that in every school system, the same subjects are emphasized and the same areas are ignored. Math, science, history, and language are all top priorities in schools worldwide. The Arts, on the other hand seem to be at the bottom of the academic hierarchy. The fact that kids are pointed in the direction of professions that they have no interest in, is depressing. Most children dream of being musicians, dancers, and various other creative outlets, but are inhibited from doing so because they are told they'd never get a job in that type of field. Because of this, many really talented individuals went to college, or even worse didn't go to college, and are now working at some empty job. Robinson encourages us to radically change the way we see intelligence, especially in the classroom.
Harnessing Your Students' Digital Smarts
Vicki Davis engages her students through incorporating technology in the classroom as well as using different methods of teaching to reach her students. Her tools include podcast, blogs, digital storytelling, virtual worlds, and other digital tools. Davis pays attention to her students' interests and what engages them in the classroom. She uses new terms and tools to encourage learning and discovery through the use of the internet. Students are also encouraged to share new information with each other, and students actually teach lessons from time to time. With this freedom of creativity, these students are being exposed to a lot more information than a traditional classroom is.
I think that it is important to understand that tradition teaching methods cannot reach every child. Most students retain information better if they are doing hands on work. Students are also being able to use their creative outlets in a class like this as they are allowed to explore their interest. With the use of the internet, students can learn more about the real world and can expand their knowledge outside of the four walls of the classroom. Also, if students understand their work is being shared with the world, they will take more pride in their work because it isn't just being read by a single teacher. Incorporating technology in the classroom is also beneficial to students in the future because they can take the knowledge that they learn and apply it in directly to their lives because technology is becoming such a crucial part of society.
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