Blog Post 15 - Final Reflection

Final Project 16

For this project, Brandon, Whitney and myself tackled Wikipedia, blogging, and podcasts in an educational setting. We went with advantages and disadvantages of each, as well as our own opinion.

Blog Post 14

Box of Tricks is the blog of Jose Picardo, who is the head of head of Modern Foreign Languages at Nottingham High School. Mr. Picardo's tips are use streaming video, because there is a wide variety of videos out there about any subject. Use music, because you can relate it to your students in any way, shape, or form. Use teleconferencing tools such as Skype; I think with Mr. Picardo's classes, because they are foreign languages, this would be a great idea! Especially if you could get them to speak with native language speakers. Create your own interactive exercises using websites; learn how to use your whiteboard (I'm guessing he meant SMART Board) more effectively. These go hand in hand in my opinion, because you can do so much with a SMART Board. Create your own podcasts using Garageband and Audacity. Along with that, create blogs and wikis to display your student's work. If you going to spend great deals of time on teaching how to use these tools, why not showcase them on a blog? We saw this first hand in all of our C4K assignments. Use social networks like Facebook. He says it is controversial, but nowadays groups are closed and it is a perfectly viable way to connect with students. Lastly, he says to use internet tools, because there are loads out there and it just takes time to find them and lastly, make the most of your students gadgets like phones and iPods.

What I really enjoyed about the video was that Mr. Picardo geared the tips in his video towards students. He knows that students like music and tells you to use it in your lessons. I like that he gears his lessons towards students, which should happen anyway. However, he is using things that students already have familiarity with. I would definitely use Facebook with my students and have podcasts that they can listen to on their iPods. All in all, I really enjoyed this video.

C4T #4 Summary

For this month's C4T, I was assigned the blog of Bill Genereux. I really like this blog and am grateful for the opportunity to read through some of the posts. The first post I commented on was titled Taking Risks While Teaching which was a really awesome post. Mr. Genereux was talking about how some of the oldest teachers will tell you things like, not to let the students see you smile before Christmas and don't ask a question you don't know the answer to. He quickly began to argue against the latter, saying that just because we don't know the answer to things, doesn't mean we shouldn't go outside of our comfort zone. Why can't you discover the answer as student and teacher? I instantly thought of the class motto for EDM 310, because that is what it reminded me. What do we do if we don't know the answer? We go and find out. I especially like Mr. Genereux has no fear when it comes to teaching. He is teaching a programming course with nothing but an interest in games and a rudimentary understanding of programming. I like that about him, because he is not afraid of the fact that he may not have all of the answers. Instead he said that there is the book and then an endless stream of sources online.

For my second C4T, I commented on the post titled Unemployable Generation. This post actually fascinated me, because it is being noted that people who have gone longer without being employed have a higher chance of not finding a job, than those who are moving from one job to another. Then Mr. Genereux talked about how some of the 20 year-old students he advises tell him that they have never held a job, full-time or part-time. I found this shocking, as did Mr. Genereux. Then I politely replied that I was in both categories. I had my first job at the age of eighteen, but I have also held this job all throughout college while having a full course load. This was my favorite part of the post: "I realize there is a difference between enrolling in a course and holding down a job, but character is character. You can’t turn it on for work and turn it off for school. It doesn’t work that way." I think this speaks volumes, because these students aren't getting the same valuable lessons until later in life, when they aren't likely to take it as seriously. No matter what, I think eventually these students will have the real world experience they need. However, in this day and age, they really cannot afford to lose out on it.

C4K 9, 10, 10 Summary Post

C4K #9
For the first November C4K, I was assigned the blog Mr. McClung's World and the post I commented on was about Ben Folds. Ben Folds is a songwriter and the lead singer of the group Ben Folds Five. Mr. McClung had a song posted called Philogosphy. The song lyrics have a really deep meaning behind, especially when he says "my philosophy keeps me walking when I'm falling down." I said that when you apply that to teaching, it's really hopeful. I really enjoyed this song and blog.

C4K #10
For the second C4K, I was assigned Mrs. Yollis' blog, which I really loved exploring and looking around. I commented on day 304 of the 365 Project she is doing for the blog. The post was about a game called Wari in Ghana. We know it in the United States as mancala. The object of the game is to get the most stones into your mancala. I loved this post, because I played it with my friends and brothers when we were younger. It was a good way to keep us entertained on rainy days and we weren't destructive while playing. I liked being able to see something that I recognized in a blog post.

C4K #11
For the final C4K of the semester I was assigned to Sesalina's blog. Sesalina is in Year 6 at Pt England in Auckland, NZ. I commented on her post about Mars. This was a very fun blog post to read as she described how we were looking for new place to live and so we journeyed to Mars. She accurately describes the journey, with the moving and shaking of the ship and even how Earth would look from Mars. I really loved how she said she would school, sleeping, and her friends. She sounds just like me!

Final report on PLN

Here is a look at my final PLN. It has expanded greatly since the first PLN summary we had to do. Now it contains more articles and videos that I have liked, as well as link to all the C4T blogs I had to comment on. The blue squares are all of my C4K assignments. It will be interesting to see where these blogs are a year from today. Even next year I will be expanding on my PLN and adding to it, maybe taking things away from it. As a teacher it would be good to always have resources that you can go to if you need ideas or questions answered. I really like the PLN I have established this semester.

Blog Post 13 - Option 2

To be completely honest, the article My Teacher Is An App scared me a little bit. I rather doubt that was the writer's intention, but reading about the online schooling did manage to freak me out a little bit. The article discussed, in great detail, the positives and negatives of online schooling. While in some cases, standardized test scores were well below the average and the drop-out rate was higher than with traditional schooling. On the other hand, it was a great tool for students who progress faster and do not have the means of attending a school that can suit them without holding them back. The best case was with the mother who had a kindergartner that could already would and would be challenged in his classroom, because he'd be helping the other children to read. She opted for online schooling and the child is excelling now. Then you have the case of the child at the beginning, who got bored easily and opted to wait until he felt like doing his homework to work on it. Just like with every scenario, there is an upside and downside; the challenge is finding a happy medium.

I can see the benefits of online schooling, really I can. It's cheaper, saves resources, and parents are more in tune with what their child is learning. All of these things were discussed in the iSchool Initiative video we watched for Blog Post 5. It really is a fantastic idea, however, I do not support the idea of fully online learning. Maybe it is just me, but being on a computer all day actually hurts my head and eventually, I get bored. Also, you have to take into account that some kids will wait until the last possible second to get things done. In my opinion, no real learning is going on with them just breezing through the assignments and what they need to read/listen to. Also, it would also take a great amount of discipline to be able to sit in front of a computer and only think about school work or that lecture you didn't bother to listen to the day before, but really need to do so. I think for online learning to be completely successful, it needs to be both in the classroom and online. That's what we are essentially learning now, isn't it? Call me old-fashioned, but I like the feel of the classroom setting and everything that comes with it. However, I do know that change is inevitable and eventually, the education system will be altered. This not only will happen, but it has to if we want our children to be successful. While I may not like online classes for myself as a student, (because I know how easy they are to forget about) sometimes it is better for people to learn that way. Just because we do not like something, doesn't mean we should deny other people from learning in a way they are comfortable with.

Project 15 - SMARTBoard Instruction Part 2

Blog Post 12

As we are nearing the final weeks of this class, we have all had our fair share of problems with various things. Maybe your problem was with figuring out your blog with the various posting, the editing HTML, or even with the ALT and TITLE modifiers. Maybe you fought with your Timetoast the first time you were asked to create one. Or maybe your problem was with anything Google related. Not all of us can be tech-savvy, but as we are nearing the end, we have solved all of our various problems, whether it was asking an assistant or e-mailing Dr. Strange, we got to the answer.

But don't you wish there had been a quick tutorial? Maybe a short 30-second video for when you completely blanked on how to do an ALT or TITLE modifier or even a little video on how to work the various screen capture programs. I know this class is about finding the answer and not having someone show you everything. However, we all have a brain lapse. A momentary panic when you go "AHHH! I don't know what I'm doing!" So, I think the blog post that should've been this semester would be to take an aspect of the class you struggled with and create a video, showcasing your mastery of this aspect.

Different things you can use are:
1. Adding pictures to your blog
2. ALT and TITLE modifiers
3. Anything Google related
4. Timetoast
5. Screen capture
6. C4K, C4T
7. Wordle
8. Anything else you want

I think this should be a blog post because the video could be used to show a first timer how to get through something that might be a little tricky at first. It could also show that the person has mastered something they struggled with all semester. For me, it would be the ALT and TITLE modifiers, because they were always giving me trouble.

Mrs. Yollis' Classroom blog

I really love Mrs. Yollis' blog as it differs drastically from other blogs that we've looked at and commented on, both student and educator alike. One of the things I looked at was finding out just who Mrs. Yollis was and I love that she said she was a lifelong learner. This is what we have been told from the beginning, that we must be willing to be learners our entire life. It's also amazing that so many people are in tune to her blog. This idea of technology in the classroom is spreading, as it very well should. This blog is used on a daily basis and connects students, parents, and visitors alike. She posts videos for days like Veteran's Day, making her third graders very in tune to the outside world. I applaud Mrs. Yollis and her blog; it makes me want to do it myself.

Final Project 16 Progress Report

The Green team has a few main ideas to work with

1. Talk to teachers we know about opinion of tech in classroom
a. Smartboards
b. Twitter
c. Blogs
d. Internet in general
e. Podcasts
2. How to survive EDM 310 (LAST)
3. Compare and contrast the pros and cons of tech in classrooms with the opinion of the intentions of the company that designed the product
a. Smartboards
b. Podcasts
c. Educational websites/ Wikipedia/ Youtube/ forums
d. Blogs
e. Timetoast
4. Doodling in classrooms
5. Mainstream movies in classroom that might not be completely accurate should they be shown in classrooms

Number three is the most probable project for us. No matter which topic we choose we each plan on choosing one topic and doing research so in the final project we can each present our findings.

The Green Team consists of Brandon Hasting, Whitney Watson, and myself.

Blog Post 11

Little Kids...Big Potential and Skype Interview with Ms. Cassidy
For starters, when I first watched the video about the first graders, I actually had to stop and go back to make sure I had read everything correctly. The video is aptly titled, because they are little kids with big potential! If first graders can learn this technology, then people should not be afraid to give it a try, because anyone can learn; they just have to be willing to do it. With that being said, the biggest impediment with trying this in a class with such young students is facing resistance from the parents as well as safety concerns. Ms. Cassidy answered this very well, because it is just a matter of making sure they know where they can and cannot go. It's also a trust concern, trusting them to listen to your advice and understand.

One thing I really like is, obviously, the blogging. I can see the pros in using a blog so students can complete assignments or even projects. It would also be a great way to make sure homework is actually being done at home. However, there is the possibility that some students may not have access to a computer or internet connection. I believe that once a parent is on board and can see the benefits, they will do anything in their power to help their child succeed. I also really liked the wikispaces idea she had, with getting group collaboration from around the globe. Technology doesn't have to foster singular education, but rather teamwork and group participation.

C4K 5, 6, 7, 8 Summary Post

C4K #5
For this C4K, I was assigned the Little Voices, Little Scholars blog of Mrs. Jenny She. The post I commented on was that of a little boy named Angelo, who was talking about the All Blacks Rugby team. I told him that I had no idea what rugby was, but his video had made me want to find out about it. I also congratulated him on how descriptive his sentences were. I really like being able to see what other kids in classrooms around the world are doing and this was really interesting.

C4K #6
The second C4K was the blog of a Year 3 class at Pt England School in Auckland, New Zealand. I commented on a post about Khaia making two animations, which considering I cannot make animations, I found really cool. She even included sound effects as well as her explaining the animations. I said that her animations went along perfectly with everything and even though the videos were short, there was a lot said.

C4K #7
For this C4K I was assigned the blog of Noel and I cannot remember what class he belongs to as I have lost that link. Not only that, but my comment seems to have disappeared from or not been accepted by his blog. Anyway, I read his short story about a toy that walks at night. While there were some grammar issues, the story was very descriptive and I really did enjoy reading it. While doing so, I could actually picture my younger cousins being overdramatic and telling this story to someone in the family.

C4K #8
For the final October C4K I was assigned the blog of a year 6 class at Pt England School. The post I commented on was by a girl explaining the rules of a game she had been taught called Maui and Matau. While I didn't understand the meaning of the words, she did a great job of explaining it to someone who really had no idea what she was talking about. It even seemed like it would be fun for younger children to play and I told her this.

Blog Post 10

Do You Teach or Do You Educate?
How do I intend to educate and not teach? For starters, I will give my students tools and guide them in ways to properly use them. For example, how to effectively use the Internet to further their education, as opposed to using it for Facebook, video games, and music. It seems like it would be really easy to slam a worksheet down in front of the student and tell them “go.” Anyone can stand in front of a classroom and read a from lecture notes. Instead of just lecturing, I would make it a conversation with my students and actually foster discussing ideas and show them how to properly disagree instead of saying “you are wrong and I am right.”
More than anything, I wouldn’t have them bound by everyday ways of learning. Books, pencils, and paper have worked up until now, but take it further and expand. Show them what awaits them if they just look for it. Yes, I would educate my students in History, but I would also expect them to show me something as well. There is a quote that reads “If you aren’t learning something every day, you are going backwards.” It isn’t just about a teacher educating her/his students, but rather the students showing the educator that they can learn and educate as well.

Don’t Let Them Take Pencils Home
This post intrigued me, as well as infuriated me at the same time. It was nothing on Mr. Johnson’s part, but rather how he hit the nail directly on the head. The reason students cannot take “pencils” home? Because they lower test scores. Ah yes, because everything must revolve around those test scores. It’s rather sad that education has come to that. However, I digress. Mr. Johnson presented a very interesting few on taking home pencils, which I am guessing he is substituting for computers in this post. One of the biggest things I have a problem with, is the generalization that the only thing students in low-income schools can benefit from are standardized tests. In my Education in a Diverse Society class last semester, we learned that viewpoints like this cheat low-income students out of a proper education. If you want to implement technology in all classrooms across the spectrum, then they cannot be left out. I like how Mr. Johnson approached that. He is, in a way, not only teaching the students but their parents as well. Not only that, but he does not restrict them to certain things and hold them accountable. Instead, he trusts them to work on the projects he provides. These students are learning, but in a different sense and for the first time they are open to the same learning other students receive.

Blog Post 9

What I’ve Learned This Year (2008-2009)
I really loved what Mr. McClung had to say in the first What I Learned post. I chose it specifically because it was his first year of teaching and wanted to see how he made it through. Mr. McClung said that we must be flexible and even without being a teacher I have already learned that lesson time and time again. It is one people must use even in their daily lives, because nothing ever goes to according to plan. There is always that one bump that can set off a chain of events a mile long. I loved how he said that we must listen to our students, because their education isn’t about us, it is about them. You need to understand them in order to properly teach them and know they will learn. Lastly, I had to laugh at his comment that we should be afraid of technology like it’s “a bad horror film and computer are trying to take over the world.” He’s right, because that is about how afraid teachers are of technology, when they should really just embrace it.

What I’ve Learned This Year (2010-2011)
“Don’t expect other to be as excited about change as you are.” This is a powerful statement and this was my favorite section. Mr. McClung basically said not to the teachers who were once full of fire and have now joined the darkside get you down. Even if you are the only one excited about trying out a new approach, do not worry. There are those teachers who will say that something will not work, even with evidence pointed right in their faces. Just because they believe the idea to be a foolish one, hang onto your own excitement and passion for things. This also led into his discussion about being an outsider. Basically Mr. McClung said that instead of trying to impress your colleagues and fit in with them, be an outsider and be with your students. You are there to teach them, so why should you care about not fitting in with the rest of the teachers? Lastly, I loved what Mr. McClung said about touching the keyboard. The job I currently hold, I help train new employees and that is the one I am told to never do, is touch the keyboard. Instead of jumping to their rescue, let them problem solve and get to the solution themselves. In the end, students gain more and will remember how they got to that solution.

Blog Post 8

This Is How We Dream Parts 1 and 2
Dr. Miller brought up some very interesting points in these videos and one can definitely tell that he is adamant about gearing our education system towards a technology front. This is important, because if we don’t do this, then what is the point of this class? It’s kind of amazing to sit back and watch how we are all so incredibly connected. Someone in California can listen to a lecture done by a professor in New York, so long as they have an internet connection. However, Dr. Miller does know that this will take time, because all students do not have access to internet or event their own computer.
I agree with what Dr. Miller said, because learning like this should take place. We should want this for our children and students, so they will know the highest potential they can achieve. Why would we teach our kids to only reach for second best, when we can teach them to reach for the world? Even if some publications only make it to being $0.59, at least they can reach one person. They can make a difference to one person or student.
Lastly, I believe that once I am finished with my class at South, I will be ready to teach in this new and developing education system. Sure it will be hard, but there is nothing easy about education and you do not go into it believing it will be. You go in knowing it will be hard, but my future students will be able to do this. They will be able to learn like this and will have every available piece of technology that I can give them or give them access to.

Carly Pugh’s Blog Post 12
I think this is a terrific idea, not just from the perspective of an English teacher either. History teachers could have so much fun with something like this. It would be one way to really make the lesson come alive and just like Carly wants her students to love Mr. Darcy and Tom Sawyer as much as she does, I would want mine to appreciate the things old Presidents and even everyday people have done for our country. This really would be a fantastic idea and I am inspired to make my own playlist following her guidelines. I believe that Carly came very close to what Dr. Miller laid out. She clearly understands how to take technology and use it to her full advantage. Also, this is something that would be widely available for other teachers and even students to use.

Chipper Series and EDM310 for Dummies
With the Chipper Series, it was very creative and I had to laugh at ‘Chipper’ and her ideas, especially the one about redefining procrastination. She goes through all of these crazy ideas and finally comes to the realization that school is for learning, not receiving an easy education and sent out into the world. Clearly we are being told we shouldn’t procrastinate, because being late with assignments is being late, end of discussion. We can procrastinate all we want, but in the end we need to on time with everything. We are not in this class to be taught, because it is up to us to learn. We are being pointed in the right direction and we go from there.
I really loved the EDM310 for Dummies video. As my roommate can tell you, sometimes I feel just like those students in the video. This class can drive you mad, but in the end all of the hard work you put into it, the countless hours fighting with things, and going through links because you forgot what C4K blogs you commented on are all worth it in the end. I would personally love to show people that the work pays off. That you come out on the other side with a grade and tons of knowledge to show what you have done and achieved is all worth it.

Learn to Change, Change to Learn
“Education was ranked number fifty-five, below coal mining.” Okay, if those opening lines didn’t get to anyone, then clearly you are in the wrong field, because that is scary. These are obviously very bright educators, because all of them are saying that classrooms today need to change. I especially liked the comment by one of the ladies who said “If I could redesign a classroom of today, it would not be just brick and mortar.” I think that is amazing, because you have people who want to see that change and want it to happened, well it needs to happen. One of the gentlemen said it perfectly “They have a vast amount of knowledge, but do they know how to use it?” Or something along those lines, the point is still made. Students nowadays are growing up in a technology-geared world and we need to use that to our advantage.

Blog Post 6

The Networked Student
Wendy Drexler has a terrific idea with the Connectivism movie. She is showing how connected you can become just by searching the web. You can literally create your own learning environment and that is what it is so fascinating. Instead of spending hours on the Internet doing something that will not benefit you; you can be studying and learning, not just from your professors, but from other people around the globe. The information is out there, it’s just a matter of finding it.
Ideas like this put the learning in the hands of the students. Not only does it make them responsible, but it also shows them that with the right amount of guiding, what they can find. They could even take it one step further and begin learning things on their own. Before you know, they are spending hours learning. It’s just a matter of a nudge in the right direction. With the right amount of guidance from their teachers, the twenty-first student can be recreated everywhere, within middle schools, high schools, and most definitely in universities.

A 7th Grader’s Personal Learning Environment (PLN)
This seventh grader’s PLN is rather impressive and she made a very good point. With everything being online, there is a lot of temptation to just go and do something else like Facebook or Twitter. I think that can also show how responsible an individual is, because the temptation is there, but the person is choosing to ignore it, instead going for something educational. The seventh grader just goes to show how successful technology in the classroom can be. I’m curious as to what the note-taking thing she was using it. It looks rather interesting and like another way to create a PLN or expand on yours. My PLN is coming along, rather slowly, but it is getting there as I am adding things more and more.

Blog Post 5

Don’t Teach Your Kids This Stuff, Please?
According to his about me page, Dr. Scott McLeod is an Associate Professor of Educational Leadership at the University of Kentucky. He also founded CASTLE or the Center for the Advanced Study of Technology Leadership in Education. Dr. McLeod is also a co-creator of the series Did You Know? which we had the opportunity of watching for one of our first blog posts. Dr. McLeod is a strong proponent of technology in the classroom, as evidenced with his post Don’t Teach Your Kids This Stuff, Please?
This post was a very interesting read and by reading the comments, I am shocked to see that some people just did not grasp his sarcasm. Why would we be told to read something that goes against everything that we are learning? Or did they even read his About Me? Dr. McLeod did have a very valid point, because some people do believe that nothing good can from the internet. However, it is not just for illegally downloading music, playing video games, and “hooking up with predators.” The Internet, when used correctly, can be a place where great learning takes place. You can connect with people in other countries. How many people really think when they wake up in the morning they could talk to someone in Australia? I think when put in the right hands, the Internet can be an excellent tool for use in the classroom. We can prepare our students for things greater than themselves.

The iSchool Initiative
This video was very interesting to watch. Travis Allen shows that even the youngest person can make a difference, just by believing in themselves. It is clear that he loves the idea of technology in the classroom. He said that having something like the iSchool Initiative in schools could cut costs from about $600 to just $150 per student. I think given our current economic situation this is something that should be considered and why isn’t it already happening? The hardest part is getting those teachers onboard, who still believe in writing on the dry erase board and using transparencies, overhead projectors, and other things in their classroom will get a student to learn. Nothing against these methods, but clearly Education isn’t keeping pace with the technology advances and students are suffering.
However, from what I could gather in the video, every student would have their own iPad or something akin to it. I think, especially with some younger students, this leaves the iPads open to any and all destruction. Also, I think this would take time. As mentioned above, Educators and Administrators are stuck in their ways. Then there are parents who would have to get on board, because some students do still have parents like the ones Dr. McLeod talks about in his blog post. These are simple fixes and it really only takes a change of attitude. The iSchool Initiative is a brilliant idea and I’d love to see it at work for myself.

Eric Whitacre’s Virtual Choir
This was amazing! There are literally no other words for the creativity behind what he did. Watching this, you really want to just sit there and say that it’s impossible and cannot be done. How can 185 people who have never met all sing the same song and be put together by this guy? The answer: YouTube. This just goes to show any non-believers that the Internet can do amazing things, hands down, no questions asked.

Teaching in the 21st Century
One of the things that stuck out to me while watching this video is Roberts emphasis on engagement. Your goal as a teacher is not to entertain the students with “new toys” as he put it, but rather to engage them, because this is how they are being engaged nowadays. This is how they see things, with technology in their hands as opposed to pencil and paper. I believe that Roberts sees teaching changing in the same way that Travis Allen. Both of them understand that in order for students to continue be successful, something has got to give. Roberts pointed out that yes, students have access to everything they want to know on the web. They know how to find what they are looking for with a few keystrokes and the enter button. However, what they do not know is how to apply what they have learned, how to take this knowledge and build on it. This is something that teachers who are technologically literate know how to do and pass onto their students. I believe that Roberts made a very good point with this video, that teaching is changing and this is how we keep up.

C4T #3 Summary

For C4T #3 I was assigned the blog at . The person who runs the blog teaches Year 3 in Hamilton, New Zealand. He also runs a class blog and is a supporter of a PLE and the idea of technology in the classroom. Looking through some of his posts, its great to see how people outside of colleges love the idea of technology to further their student's education. Both of the comments I posted are still awaiting approval, so I'm not entirely sure he has seen them yet.

The first post I commented on was originally posted on April 27th, 2011 as the earliest one I could find was on camp for the school he teaches at. This post talked about QR codes as an app you can find on smart phones. Basically, you can turn the image of a somebody's mouth into a QR code that can be read using a smart phone. When you scan the code, you hear what they have recorded. He even included a video on how to do this. I thought this idea was really intriguing, especially viewing it from a History perspective. It could really make the subject come alive for students. While it would be quite difficult to do this on a large scale of a classroom, because you'd have to make sure there was access to a QR scanner, the idea is still a great. I would love to try something like this in a classroom I teach in and who knows, by the time I graduate it may be completely feasible.

The second post I commented on, I actually went a little further back to find and I chose it because the idea is so fascinating to me! Now this post was over a year old, but when I went digging, I found that it was still completely relevant to today. In the post, he talked about how the Internet as a whole had been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize last year. I found another article that said it had been nominated again for this year. First, I thought this was a little ridiculous. The internet, really? The thing I use to get on Facebook and keep track of classes? However, it really has done a lot for us. Not only does it connect people in ways they never thought possible. Why shouldn't the Internet win? Not only that, but the blogger made a good point. This is not only for the Internet, but for the people as whole, because people have made the Internet what it is.

Project 13 - SMARTBoard Instructional

Project 12 - Book trailer

Project 9b - Instructional TimeToast

This TimeToast is on the biggest battles of the Civil War. The links for pictures are included in the TimeToast itself and all of the information was found here.

C4T #2 Summary

For the second C4T, I was assigned to read the blog of Tina Barseghian. The first post I read was titled An Attempt at Describing the Schools of Tomorrow and in this post Mrs. Barseghian talks about the New York Times' Schools for Tomorrow summit. Previously I had been assigned to read the blog of a teacher who had been invtied to be a panelist, after pointing out the lack of educator representation. In her post, Mrs. Barseghian summarizes what a few of the panelists talked about. They basically said that curriculum needs to be designed with technology in mind, so it is not a distraction and how every child she have internet access at school, if not at home. However, she did point out that there was a severe lack of student input and even fewer educators on the panel. I pointed out that things go back to the teachers and the school system as a whole, not just individually. I also agreed that every child should have internet access in the classroom, because they deserve the right to benefit from technology and the things it can show them.

The second post I read was What's Your Major? Working Toward the Uninvented Job. I was reminded of one of the first videos we watched for this class. In Did You Know? They pointed out that the top jobs now did not even exist in 2007. That is basically what this post talks about, how things are changing and suddenly, the most important degrees are business, computer science, biomedicine, and biological sciences. Grade-school children now will wind up in career fields that aren't even a flicker of imagination at the present time. This is amazing and I can't wait to be preparing these students. However, it should not be done at the expense of our liberal arts programs. What fun is school going to be if all students do all day is Math and Science? No History, no music, no electives in general. Liberal arts classes are just as important and it's rather sad to see that, while we are advancing, these subjects are being left in the dust.

Project10 - PLN Progress

I have created my PLN using Symbaloo. I really like this website, because of it's ease of use. Most of the websites I have saved are quick links to things like the instruction manual, the syllabus, the Google docs, as well as links to the Class Blog and my own blog. I've saved links to YouTube videos that I have liked. I also found Symbaloo a good way to save the links to all of the C4K blogs and the C4T blogs I have commented on. Lastly, I'm using it as a quick way to get to Timetoast, Twitter, Glogster, and YouTube.

Project 11 - Short Movie

C4K 1, 2, 3, 4 Summary Post

C4K #1
For the first C4K assignment, I was assigned Erick in Mrs. Huebner's class. For the assignment, the class was told to do a biopoem. Erick enjoys swimming, helping others, wants to be strong and smart, and is afraid of the dark. I told Erick that it was okay to be afraid of the dark, because it can sometimes be a scary place. I also told him that he is very bright and couldn't wait to read more about him.

C4K #2
For the second week of C4K, I was assigned to Abbie's blog from Mrs. Kilgo's class. For their assignment, they were to research a desert animal and blog about it with anything they had learned. Abbie's animal was a zebra and I actually learned something from it. This is what I told her, that her blog had actually managed to show me what I did not know about the animal.

C4K #3
For this week, I was assigned to watch the video put together by Danielle, Elise, and Cade on Satchel Paige. I thought these children did a fantastic job! You couldn't even tell that it was the first time they had filmed the interview. They spoke clearly and the student operating the camera did a great job, because some people just don't know how to operate things like that, myself included. I really can't wait to see more projects like this from the St. Elmo's Explorers or Coastal Technology Project. It seems really fascinating.

C4K #4
Countries I would like to visit and why - John
For the latest C4K, I was assigned John and his post made me smile. He wants to visit the United States, because his father's family lives here. He wants to go to Las Vegas when he is older so he can play in the casinos. He also wants to play for the New York Yankees. Lastly, he wants to go to Samoa so he can visit his grandfather. I thought, for the most part, this post was really touching and you can see what is most important for him. He loves his family and that's great. I've really enjoyed reading these blogs the past four weeks, because children are so inventive and show just how far-reaching technology can be.

Project 8

Project 9 - TimeToast

My Sentence Video

Blog Post 4

Eagle’s Nest Radio and Class Blog:

It’s hard to believe that these are only third graders. You also have to think, that if these kids are capable of learning this, then other people can learn as well. I think Podcasts like this are beyond brilliant, because you can make this information accessible to other students, not just the ones in your class. You are also making students learn and firing them up about the subject. Not only that, but in a way, the students are becoming the teacher. Sometimes it is easier to understand a topic when it is coming from the mouth of a peer and not your teacher. While listening to these Podcasts I noticed that sometimes the music can be a little too loud and distract from what is being said.

The Benefits of Podcasting in the Classroom:

This video was really interesting to watch and it kind of makes me wonder why things like that haven’t been done before. For some classes it might be a little more difficult, for example math classes where students need to see things being done in front of them in order to fully grasp it. However, with English and History classes, these seem like excellent ways to get students excited about the subject itself. If they are interacting and researching topics for the Podcast, they will be learning without even realizing that they are doing so. I think that is the biggest benefit, is that it makes learning fun.

Judy Scharf Podcast Collection:

This was a really interesting website to explore and read everything Mrs. Scharf had to share. It’s clear that she is very adamant about using this technology in the classroom and I think everyone should be. I read through her list of suggested Podcast topics and I had to laugh. They were clearly geared towards the age group she teaches. She didn’t ask them to do something boring and mundane like other teachers would. Instead, she gave them an entire list of things to choose from and I think that is important. Podcasts don’t have to be boring; they can be fun and entertaining and that is the purpose of them.

Blog Post 3

Peer editing can be a very effective tool, if utilized correctly and that was the point for these videos and slideshow. When reading blog posts or even papers for other classes, there should always be a positive. Focusing just on the negative, but not bothering to tell the person they phrased something exceptionally well, is not going to accomplish much in the long run. You have to compliment, but also show them how they may best make changes to their work. Whether it be with grammar, spelling, etc.

Personally, I would send an email, as opposed to commenting on the blog. Just in case the person takes it personally, they don't have to worry about others seeing the comment. I would also do this in the classroom. Unless an entire class had messed up, there is no point in singling out one individual.

The article It's Not about the Technology by Kelly Hines was an incredibly eye-opening read. She covered several good points that I think "technology in the classroom" advocates overlook time and time again. Firstly, that all teachers must be learners and I feel this is beyond an excellent point. You cannot teach a student how to use technology, or anything for that matter, if you do not first learn how to use it yourself. Not only that but a teacher has to be willing to learn. If they do not want to to learn the technology or different methods, then you very well cannot shove it down a person's throat. That is how the misuse of technology happens. People also tend to forget that the new generations of teachers are coming in with different views than someone from the previous year. Everyone needs to be up to date. Secondly, Mrs. Hines said that learning and teaching are not the same thing. This statement is very true. You can teach at a student time and time again, but if they do not know how to learn, then they won't retain the information. As my EDF professor used to say "It's not about what to do, but how to think." She'd always tell us to think smarter. Navigate around the problems and come to a solution; a full, concise, and well thought-out idea.

Thirdly, she says that technology is useless without good teaching and this could not be more true. "When we put innovative tools in the hands of innovative teachers, amazing things can happen," Mrs. Hines said and I don't think anyone could have phrased it better. If we give our teachers the proper training, then they can do amazing things. Just think about what this means. As opposed to having disproportionately high drop-out rates, then we can eliminate that. Students leave school because they just don't care anymore, but if teachers are able to reach them on a level they understand, then they will care. This is what the definition good teaching it. Lastly she says you must be a 21st teacher without the technology and this is yet another solid point she makes. If you can reach a student without the SMARTboard or the powerpoints or the computers, and still prepare them for a future where they are constantly surrounded by technology, then you will have succeeded as an educator.

Is it OK to be technologically illiterate? by Karl Fisch raised some questions for me. He said that teachers who are not technologically literate can be equated to teachers thirty years ago that could not read or write. I would say that it is a bit extreme, but not at all a false statement. If you don't go to the extremes how do you plan to make a statement and push for the change that is clearly well needed? Because no, it is not okay to not be technologically illiterate. He made a good point by saying teachers have a lot on their plates, but that students don't care about that. Education doesn't care about it either. In order to, relating back to Mrs. Hines article, be a good educator, then you need to be willing to learn.

Another excellent point made by the article he quotes is that we need to stop being so nice. We can no longer tiptoe around the subject of technology in the classroom as if it was some taboo subject, because it isn't. I like how Terry Smith says that doing jeopardizes the chances of success for our youngsters and he is right. If we constantly tell people, not just teachers, that it is okay to be illiterate with technology, then progress will not happen. The students will not learn and it will be a perpetuating cycle of knowledge lost and students not getting the fair chance they deserve.

Gary's Social Media Count pretty much made my jaw drop. This was an interesting counter to watch for even just a few seconds. Not to mention a little scary as well. We are so dependent upon technology for communication, not just with people that we know, but worldwide as a whole. Technology is constantly changing and adding and falling out-of-date, that it would probably give someone a headache trying to pay attention to it for more than a few minutes. Trying to grasp those numbers is near impossible.

For myself, as a future educator, this means that I have to back up what I've been saying and will continue to believe. I cannot allow myself to not become technologically literate once in a school setting, simply because the other educators around my are not. Even after this class is over, I have to be willing to learn and grasp everything that I can, so that my students will benefit. The students I will teach, will grow up in a society that is more dependent on technology than my own generation was. That is something else we need to take in account. Five years from now, what will the advances be? What will all of us be facing and are we prepared for it?

The video "A Vision of Students today" was definitely an eye-opener. Despite the fact that it was done in 2007, there are several of those things that can be applied today. Sitting in a class, I'll see a good number of people on Facebook or something not related to class. I've also been one of those students that buys the hundred dollar textbooks and never opens them. Also, most of the people I know are dependent on student loans and will be thousands of dollars in debt when we finally graduate. Teachers can no longer do their teaching on a chalkboard, by erasing and adding and lecturing.

While these are not bad ways to teach, they are also extremely old school. We can rely on the old school ways, but we need to work in technology and we need to find ways to equip our classrooms with interactive ways to learn. Students nowadays are used to having something in their hands at all times, whether it be a cell phone, a keyboard, a gaming controller, or whatever. They are interactive with their surroundings, so why not making learning that way? Instead of them spending hours in front of a video game, put those hours to productive use. The biggest message this video has is: Now is the time to change. Now is the time to act and get ahead of the game. We have all of this technology at our disposable, things some people can only dream of. Instead of taking it for granted, we need to use it and use it well.

Project 5

C4T #1 Summary

C4T #1 - 9/4/11
I was assigned to comment on Brian Crosby's Learning is Messy blog. His most recent post was about him being invited to be on the panel for the New York Times sponsored "Schools for Tomorrow - Bringing Technology Into The Classroom Conference." He was pointing out that educators aren't on the discussion panel and are generally only invited to be members of the audience and ask questions. This makes no sense to me. Why wouldn't then want teachers on the panel? They would be the most beneficial to any discussion on technology in the classroom. In my comment, I pointed this out and unfortunately, received no response. However, my eyes were opened, as I didn't even realize that, in a way, education was being cheated in another way.

C4T #1, post 2 - 9/10/11
There was no recent post when I went back this week. So, I chose to comment on the previous one, entitled "Getting to Know You". This post was well worth the read. Basically, Mr. Crosby was talking about how he gets students in assigned seats for the first quarter. Basically, the first day he lets them pick whatever table they wish to sit at. Most of them wind up being boy tables and girl tables. This year, he wanted a mixture so there were rules to follow for the second day of seating. Each table needed a boy and a girl, also you couldn't sit with people you had already sat with. As the days went on, there would be more students standing around, unsure of themselves.

Mr. Crosby's post was all about inclusion and the fear children have of not being included. He had the students talk about why they feared not being apart of something or why they were scared to sit at tables with people they did not know. This all boiled down to a fear of not being accepted by those students who did not know them. I thought this was an awesome assignment and thought it amazing that Mr. Crosby embraced these feelings the kids have. It's not something that should just be looked over, because negative consequences can come from it.

Blog Post 2

The video Did You Know? 3.0 by Karl Fisch and Scott McLeod was intriguing to say the least. It definitely captured my attention from the first frame. What shocked me the most about it, was what they said about India. They have more honors kids than the United States as a whole has kids. With the bit about the most in-demand jobs in 2010 not even existing six years ago, one really has to step back and look at that from an educational perspective. Most of the children you wind up teaching, will go into fields that don't even exist, just like the video said. I don't think this should scare people away from teaching, but should make them more excited about it.

Another thing that shocked me what they said about internet usage in general. We, as a society, have been extremely dependent on it. Not that this is a bad thing, because things that could not reach other societies, can now get there in the blink of an eye. When used wisely, technology is actually a brilliant tool that everyone can benefit from. I believe that was one of the multiple points pulled from this video. We shouldn't be afraid of using technology, but embrace it.

Mr. Winkle Wakes was a little odd to me at first, but I really did end up enjoying it. Basically the video follows this man named Mr. Winkles and how he awakes and finds himself in a technologically advanced society. He goes to an office building and a hospital where technology is being used to its full potential and he resists such a change. Mr. Winkles finally finds himself in a school, where nothing has changed and he enjoys it. The teacher still lectures and the only computer was in the back of the classroom and covered in dust.

This video shows a very interesting take on education, because for so long teachers and people in general were against using technology in the classroom. Even when I was in high school, most teachers only had basic computer skills and were stuck when something broke. The video showed that, no matter how resistant, we have to be willing to change and adapt. If you don't adapt, then you will be left behind.

I positively loved this video by Ken Robinson! This quote really struck me during the video: "If you're not prepared to be wrong, you'll never come up with anything original." Sir Robinson makes quite a few good points about the education system nowadays. Mostly how the hierarchy does not favor the arts in schools. People are pushed into things like business and "useful" careers. They say that you can never be a musician or an artist, so why bother? Basically, they undermine being creative and essentially try to squish it out of people. If you nurture the creativity of a child, they will flourish in all aspects.

The interesting story Sir Robinson tells about the dancer and what he says is true. Sir Robinson states that nowadays she would've been handed drugs and probably never would've realized her full potential. That's how society operates now and its scary. If we rid our children of creativity, then they will wind up as uninspired masses. I applaud this video, as well as Sir Robinson, and people really need to take a closer look at what they are doing.

Cecilia Gault's article and video interview with Sir Ken Robinson was really interesting. She is incredibly young, but her writing suggests that she is clearly very knowledgeable about the world we currently live in. She sees the value in creativity, mostly because she goes to a performing arts school. These schools shouldn't be the only ones embracing creativity; it should be nationwide. I'm sure in a few years, she will continue to hold onto this knowledge and expand on it, as opposed to just falling along the wayside. It'd be interesting to see where she is, education wise, in a few years.

Vicki Davis is a brilliant teacher by far. This video shows just how welcome change can be in a classroom. Or how successful one can be if they are just willing to change. Instead of just lecturing and teaching with pen and paper, she uses computers and teamwork. Not only is her classroom learning in different ways, but they are connecting with people from around the world. They are in Georgia and have connected with people in Qatar. Vicki Davis also says that she is learning from her students as well, it is not just her teaching them.

In today's world, Vicki Davis is showing how successful technology can be within the classroom and how you can connect your students to the outside world, which is so much bigger than we believe it to be. Like I pointed out with the first video, technology is a tool that should be utilized to its fullest potential, especially within the classroom. You can build teamwork and cooperation with the students and give them skills that are becoming more and more valued in the workforce nowadays.

Project #2

Blog Assignment #1

Original title, right?

I was born in Houston, Texas and lived there until I was sixteen years old. In the January following Hurricane Katrina, my dad was transferred to Pascagoula, Mississippi. Not wanting to pull me out of school and throw us into a situation that the state of Mississippi was currently facing, when we really did not need to be there, my mother and I stayed behind with my brothers to finish out the school year. In June, my mother and I packed up and moved. Some two years and an unimportant number of months later, the entire family was living there.

Being that we moved after my sophomore year in high school, I was bitter and hated being in Mississippi. When it came time to apply for colleges, I picked those that would get me as far away as possible. One was a school in Indiana and another was Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas. I also applied at USA and was accepted, but my heart was set on Huntsville. After a rather long and hectic semester spent over six-hundred miles away from my family, I transferred to South. I am now a Junior and very happy with my decision as I have met tons of amazing people and figured out that education was the major for me.

As to the why I went into education. That is a multi-faceted response. I really enjoy sharing my passion for History with other people. Most people think that History is an incredibly boring and dull subject, but I would love the opportunity to show people that it is fascinating. There is so much you can learn about human nature through History and one can see how the past has shaped our current world, no matter how good or bad. I also really love the idea of being a person who can make a difference with a student, no matter how big or small.

My interests are rather limited as being a full-time student seems to suck away any sort of free time you have. I like the simple things: reading, catching up on those lost hours of sleep completing assignments at the last minute, writing, hanging out with friends, and meeting new people. Up until recently I worked at a grocery store that was also a life sucker.

The video by Dr. Pausch made a lot of sense while I was watching it. He said that in order to manage your time effectively, you need to make a list. However, it's not just about making lists and crossing things off. You need to ask yourself why you need to get this done and what the end result will be. Also, you need to start small with baby steps. You can't just throw yourself straight into the mix, but rather take a step back and look around at what needs to be done. Also, start with the worst objective on the list and work from there. It's always a relief when you realize that you've gotten the hardest part out of the way.