Thursday, October 28, 2010
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Blog Post #10
An Open Letter To Educators
Morgan Bayda's blog post was about a video that Dan Brown created. He talked about how educational facilities need to step it up to if they want to keep up with the real world. He talked about how we need to empower students to change the world, not try to make them conform to it. I agree with this completely! EDM may not be my favorite class because of all the work, but I have learned more from this class than I have any other class at South. The world is changing all around us constantly! We can not teach our students to conform to something that is not stable or consistent. They have to be able to make their own choices and ideas. Major changes need to take place inside of America's schools in order to make empowered students. With one click, someone can search anything in the world or connect to anyone in the world. I want my students to be able to be creative, active learners. I want to learn from them on how to be a better teacher. I do NOT want them to walk in my classroom and almost fall asleep. I will use blogs, encourage PLN's and do class projects that let them be creative in their own ways. Children are our future, and if they continue to conform nothing will ever change, or improve.
Don't Let Them Take Pencils Home
Morgan Bayda's blog post was about a video that Dan Brown created. He talked about how educational facilities need to step it up to if they want to keep up with the real world. He talked about how we need to empower students to change the world, not try to make them conform to it. I agree with this completely! EDM may not be my favorite class because of all the work, but I have learned more from this class than I have any other class at South. The world is changing all around us constantly! We can not teach our students to conform to something that is not stable or consistent. They have to be able to make their own choices and ideas. Major changes need to take place inside of America's schools in order to make empowered students. With one click, someone can search anything in the world or connect to anyone in the world. I want my students to be able to be creative, active learners. I want to learn from them on how to be a better teacher. I do NOT want them to walk in my classroom and almost fall asleep. I will use blogs, encourage PLN's and do class projects that let them be creative in their own ways. Children are our future, and if they continue to conform nothing will ever change, or improve.
Don't Let Them Take Pencils Home
Mr. John Spencer was one of my C4T's earlier this semester, and I really enjoyed his posts. I became a follower then because I actually enjoyed reading his blog. This post was another great one! I LOVE that defended hangman. Children can learn to spell and even learn different words by playing hangman. When I was in elementary school, we got to play hangman at the end of the day, and we always looked forward to it! I also like that he did not argure about the issue, rather he created a solution. I think teachers depend too much on the students work at home. Yes, it is important but so is a kid getting to be a kid. Being creative with fun projects can help tie the two together. Mr. Spencer's blog posts are always very interesting!
Two Questions That Can Change Your Life
WOW! Super motivational video! I liked it a lot. It really makes you think, especially the question "Are you better today than yesterday?" That made me realize a lot. No matter what, you should always strive to be better than your best. What happens to you today, does not dictate your tomorrow enless you let it. My sentence is "I am a child of God who wants to educate children since they are OUR future."
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Additional Assignment #3
Changing Educational Paradigms
Sir Ken Robinson did a great job on this video! It was very interesting and well put together. The most important thing I think he mentioned in this video was that we medicate our children. Today parents spend more time at the doctor trying to figure out what is wrong with their child rather disciplining them. I work at a local daycare and when a child becomes disruptive, the parents ask "Do you think they need medicine?" I find this to be disturbing. He pointed out that 98% of students start out at a genius level but every five years that percentage decreases. Since every child has this capability, we need to figure out why they are losing it when the become "educated." I do not disagree with anything that Sir Ken Robinson said; in fact, I found myself agreeing with everything. My time has the University of South Alabama and at the College of Education has been much like a factory. None of my teachers have taken the time out to get to know me. Most of them do not even know my name without a roster. They teach us what they feel we need to know, and spit us out into the "real world" expecting us to know everything. As a future educator I will encourage the parents of my students to work with their children before trying to medicate them. If I was required to do a presentation like this one, I would want to be the artist! However, I can not draw so I would do the sound effects or try to at-least. This video is well worth watching, and I recommend it to everyone reading this blog!
Sir Ken Robinson did a great job on this video! It was very interesting and well put together. The most important thing I think he mentioned in this video was that we medicate our children. Today parents spend more time at the doctor trying to figure out what is wrong with their child rather disciplining them. I work at a local daycare and when a child becomes disruptive, the parents ask "Do you think they need medicine?" I find this to be disturbing. He pointed out that 98% of students start out at a genius level but every five years that percentage decreases. Since every child has this capability, we need to figure out why they are losing it when the become "educated." I do not disagree with anything that Sir Ken Robinson said; in fact, I found myself agreeing with everything. My time has the University of South Alabama and at the College of Education has been much like a factory. None of my teachers have taken the time out to get to know me. Most of them do not even know my name without a roster. They teach us what they feel we need to know, and spit us out into the "real world" expecting us to know everything. As a future educator I will encourage the parents of my students to work with their children before trying to medicate them. If I was required to do a presentation like this one, I would want to be the artist! However, I can not draw so I would do the sound effects or try to at-least. This video is well worth watching, and I recommend it to everyone reading this blog!
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Friday, October 22, 2010
Blog Post #9
What I Have Learned This Year
Mr. McClung made some really good points! As a future educator, I found them very helpful. Knowing ahead of time that the lesson you plan is not the same as the lesson you teach is helpful because you don't set yourself up for dissapointment. The lesson you teach may be better than one you plan. Also, being reasonable is another that hit me hard. Accepting that not every student will make a 100 on every test is not something teachers really think about in the beginning. When he amde the point about not being afraid of technology, it made me think about all the teachers who received smartboards this year but had never seen one before. Experiencing new things is somethng teachers deal with on a daily basis. Another one was listening to your students. I encounter this now because I work at a daycare, and sometimes the only person who listens to them is their teacher. I also agree with him on the point teachers should never stop learning. This ties in a little with not being afraid of technology. Being a teacher does not mean you are constantly teaching, you are also learning from your students and co-workers. I really enjoyed this post, and I believe he did a great job putting it together.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Blog Post #8
This is how we dream: Part 1 & 2
This video was a lot to take in. I did not understand all of it at first. Part 2 was my favorite of the two because it seemed a bit more simple than the first. The way the video was put together was good. My only problem with it was when it showed certain computer screens, I could not see anything but the pictures. I just wish it was a bit more clear.
He said that computer and composition were ways to push ideas into our culture, why wouldn't we be a the front edge of that? I agree, why wouldn't we? We should be. We should try everything possible to push ideas into our different cultures. By pushing ideas, we could learn more about different cultures which is desperately needed in America.
I am not ready for multimedia writing if it is the same as he is showing. I am okay with technology now, but I'm not great. This is something my students will be doing by the time I graduate; therefore, I NEED to learn. This class has taught me more about technology in 3 months than I ever learned throughout my life. Writing in Multimedia is something I will be looking further into before I graduate.
The Chipper Series and EDM310 for Dummies
All the present/future talk in the beginning of the Chipper Series confused me a little bit. I am pretty sure the Chipper Series is about not turning things in late because throughout the whole video they discuss being late. I feel the video was proper for this time of year since, according to our class blog, many people are beginning to slack.
EDM310 for Dummies just about sums up how I felt when I started this class. I was scared I would turn things in late, but not anymore. I have gotten used to the class and the scheduling of when I do my work. I have not turned in anything late, and do NOT plan to either! One suggestion I will make about the video is in from the comment section. THE BOOK WOULD SALE! I would have bought it at the beginning of class without a doubt.
Dumb Smartboards?
I personally like the smartboard! During my field experience I was placed in the first grade inclusion class. Since special needs children do better with visuals, the smartboard was a GRAND idea. They can see everything and anyone with bad eye sight could see as well because it is much larger screen. People say that money is big issue, and I agree, but why not spend money on something that will help the children of today be better adults for tomorrow. The money of our community should go to help schools and students. I have included a link to a blog that argues why smartboards are helpful inside the classroom. I hope you can see the that positive out weighs the negative.
This video was a lot to take in. I did not understand all of it at first. Part 2 was my favorite of the two because it seemed a bit more simple than the first. The way the video was put together was good. My only problem with it was when it showed certain computer screens, I could not see anything but the pictures. I just wish it was a bit more clear.
He said that computer and composition were ways to push ideas into our culture, why wouldn't we be a the front edge of that? I agree, why wouldn't we? We should be. We should try everything possible to push ideas into our different cultures. By pushing ideas, we could learn more about different cultures which is desperately needed in America.
I am not ready for multimedia writing if it is the same as he is showing. I am okay with technology now, but I'm not great. This is something my students will be doing by the time I graduate; therefore, I NEED to learn. This class has taught me more about technology in 3 months than I ever learned throughout my life. Writing in Multimedia is something I will be looking further into before I graduate.
The Chipper Series and EDM310 for Dummies
All the present/future talk in the beginning of the Chipper Series confused me a little bit. I am pretty sure the Chipper Series is about not turning things in late because throughout the whole video they discuss being late. I feel the video was proper for this time of year since, according to our class blog, many people are beginning to slack.EDM310 for Dummies just about sums up how I felt when I started this class. I was scared I would turn things in late, but not anymore. I have gotten used to the class and the scheduling of when I do my work. I have not turned in anything late, and do NOT plan to either! One suggestion I will make about the video is in from the comment section. THE BOOK WOULD SALE! I would have bought it at the beginning of class without a doubt.
Dumb Smartboards?
I personally like the smartboard! During my field experience I was placed in the first grade inclusion class. Since special needs children do better with visuals, the smartboard was a GRAND idea. They can see everything and anyone with bad eye sight could see as well because it is much larger screen. People say that money is big issue, and I agree, but why not spend money on something that will help the children of today be better adults for tomorrow. The money of our community should go to help schools and students. I have included a link to a blog that argues why smartboards are helpful inside the classroom. I hope you can see the that positive out weighs the negative.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Additional Assignment #2
How Kids Teach Themselves
I believe if learners are motivated that they can teach themselves. I also do not think age matters. If a child is old enough to read then I think they can learn anything they want to as long as they are motivated and wanting to learn. In order for someone to teach themselves, I think, they need to be interested in the subject. Most people are not going to be motivated to do something unless it is something they are interested in. They also need to the resources, if someone wants to learn the computer then they need a computer. The internet has made this possible. Almost anywhere in the world, the internet is available. Children and adults can Google anything they want, which means they can learn anything they want. The internet also allows anyone to receive resources from anywhere in the world. The problem with this is that some places do not get access to the internet. Do these cultures just not learn? I believe they do, but in a different way. They use their own resources and learn to improve their own culture. I teach myself all the time with this class. Labs are available but I do not go to them all the time. I feel you learn more when you teach yourself because what I have been shown to do, I have sometimes forgotten; However, what I have shown myself to do, I still remember because I had to work to learn it. This video makes me wonder if teachers are still really needed. With technology rising they way it is, it provides new ways to teach ourselves, but who teaches us to use the new technology? It's a cycle that will probably go on forever.
I believe if learners are motivated that they can teach themselves. I also do not think age matters. If a child is old enough to read then I think they can learn anything they want to as long as they are motivated and wanting to learn. In order for someone to teach themselves, I think, they need to be interested in the subject. Most people are not going to be motivated to do something unless it is something they are interested in. They also need to the resources, if someone wants to learn the computer then they need a computer. The internet has made this possible. Almost anywhere in the world, the internet is available. Children and adults can Google anything they want, which means they can learn anything they want. The internet also allows anyone to receive resources from anywhere in the world. The problem with this is that some places do not get access to the internet. Do these cultures just not learn? I believe they do, but in a different way. They use their own resources and learn to improve their own culture. I teach myself all the time with this class. Labs are available but I do not go to them all the time. I feel you learn more when you teach yourself because what I have been shown to do, I have sometimes forgotten; However, what I have shown myself to do, I still remember because I had to work to learn it. This video makes me wonder if teachers are still really needed. With technology rising they way it is, it provides new ways to teach ourselves, but who teaches us to use the new technology? It's a cycle that will probably go on forever.
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Blog Post #7
Randy Pausch's last lecture was amazing! He is a phenomenal speaker. As soon as he started speaking he told the audience about his ten tumors and that he only had months to live. WOW! He made me realize just how valuable life is. He wasn't sad, or gloomy; in fact, he even stated that he didn't not want pity or for people to think he should be sad. During his lecture he got right to the point, and kept my attention the entire time. The first point he talks about is his childhood dreams. He talks about dreams he accomplished, and also the ones he did not. Some were big, some were not quite as big. Either way, he admitted his failures and successes. Something he points out right away is that "brick walls are not there to keep us out, but to give us a chance to show us how bad we want something." I loved this! It can be used in every aspect of life, and I plan on applying it to mine.
Being a professor helped him enable his childhood dreams. He even had a student who had a dream to work on a Star Wars film, and eventually was able to work on three of them. Another thing he talks about is the course he created called Building Virtual Worlds. Fifty students from all around the university were chosen to create groups of four. Each group did a different project, and this became a major hit! During the presentation of the projects parents, students, and faculty came to see watch. Every one around the university wanted to be involved in this course. The students would get thrilled by reactions of the audience and by the tone of his voice, I could tell he enjoyed it as well.
Randy Pausch teamed up with Don Martin to create the Dream Fulfillment Factory. He stated that the success of this was probably because he and Don were so different, but in my opinion it just goes back to the saying "Great minds think alike." These men made the Entertainment Technology Center great! Carnegie Mellon University was a place for students to go in order to fulfill their dreams. We need more universities like this; actually we need more professors like this as well!
During the last part of his video he stated that parents and mentors are a huge part in making dreams come true. This is something I believe as well, I am very thankful to have parents that help me achieve my dreams. Randy Pausch was an amazing professor, and I can only hope to be such a great teacher as he was. Watching this video was definitely worth it and it did not seem like it was over an hour long. I would hope that every person who is looking to be a teacher watched this video.
C4T Summary Post
The teacher I was assigned to this time was great! His name was Tom Johnson, and he named his blog "Tom Johnson's adventures in pencil Integration." The first blog I commented on was about show and tell in his class. His class had to go home, sketch an item, and write a few paragraphs about it. The next day they would do "Show-and-Tell" in front of their classmates to describe the item. Mr. Johnson started off with his which help lead into the rest of the class. Some of the comments stated that it wasn't right to make the shy kids get in front of the class. I disagreed, because after reading the post it showed that the assignment really helped the class get to know each other. Plus, everyone should know how to get in front of peers and speak.
The next blog I commented on was my favorite. It was titled "How will people see Us?" The class took a few pictures and the students kept serious poses. The students began to ask questions pertaining to the future. One question was "Will people think we did not joke, or laugh, or have fun since we aren't smiling in our pictures? Will people think kids were always serious?" I had never thought about this before. Maybe the way people took pictures in past generations was just a sad moment or day, but really they had a lifetime of happiness. Maybe we take pictures the way we want people to believe we lived. Smile to make people think we are happy, frown to let someone know it had been a bad day, or a serious pose to let people think we were more intellectual. Either way, the camera leaves a small legacy on our lives.
The next blog I commented on was my favorite. It was titled "How will people see Us?" The class took a few pictures and the students kept serious poses. The students began to ask questions pertaining to the future. One question was "Will people think we did not joke, or laugh, or have fun since we aren't smiling in our pictures? Will people think kids were always serious?" I had never thought about this before. Maybe the way people took pictures in past generations was just a sad moment or day, but really they had a lifetime of happiness. Maybe we take pictures the way we want people to believe we lived. Smile to make people think we are happy, frown to let someone know it had been a bad day, or a serious pose to let people think we were more intellectual. Either way, the camera leaves a small legacy on our lives.
Progress Report for my PLN
Monday, October 4, 2010
Friday, October 1, 2010
Blog Post #6
As a future teacher, if I do not keep up with technology I will not be able to teach my students everything they need to know. I have to be ahead and able to teach the students more about technology than they can teach me. Although I will be an elementary teacher, my students will still be using technology. I have a 13 year old brother and he is almost more technological advanced than me.
To answer the question "Am I ready to teach a networked student?" No I am not. I do believe this class is helping me to prepare to teach them, but I will have to further my education after this class. I am going to try my best to take workshops about computers and technology so that I can be up-to-date on technology as much as possible.
2) A 7th graders Personal Learning Environment is a very interesting video. I think her PLE was pretty neat! I even may start to get familiar with Symbaloo. I guess my PLE would be my checklist and instruction manual for this class. Like hers, it also gives me freedom to do things as I wish and be creative. It also holds me accountable to be a responsible student, and I practically choose my own grade. By choosing my own grade I mean that turning work in on time and sufficiently is completely up to me. If I choose not to do my work and turn it in late, a teacher does not hassle me they just simply give me a bad grade. It is all up to me.
3) Michael Welsch's "The Machine is Changing Us" proves he is a wonderful teacher. I am glad that I watched this video although it was rather long. In my opinion, some of his comments contradict each other, but I can also see why they do. Technology is something that has a gray area. Some people think the advance in technology is a bad thing, but some people also think it is a wonderful thing! I do not think we will ever be sure of every pro and con about technology but I do think that technology will continue to advance. His points about the internet were so true! YouTube is something everyone started using without realy understanding the purpose. This comment keeps running in my mind and I think it is something to think about: A camera allows you talk to anyone without knowing who you are talking to or where that person is at.
C4K Summary #1
The next post from Alberto I commented on was his "Learning Manifesto" post. In this post he set goals for himself as a student. I thought this was a great way to get students thinking process geared for success. Since Alberto stated he enjoyed computers then I'm sure doing his goals on a blog was easy for him. My favorite goal he mentioned was to his homework as soon as it was given to him. I stressed in my comment that by doing this the homework would go by faster because the knowledge would still be fresh on his brain. I could use some of his goals as a student in college so I also suggested he keep these goals throughout his life as a student.
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