Blog Post #10

Adventures in Pencil Integration

The cartoon in this post gives a good example of how many teachers are adamant about staying in the "traditional" teaching method using pencils, paper, and other items. I believe that Mr. Spencer is simply trying to show the pros and cons of using hand held objects for teaching tools versus the latest developments in technology. From what I can tell, it appears that Mr. Spencer seems to sway closer to the side of anti-technology. On one hand, I do understand how some may feel about old-world teaching strategies and materials. I do agree that are certain aspects of using traditional methods that help each child seem unique, such as their own handwriting. That is something that technology cannot remove from students. However, do we not sometimes have to let go of good things in life in order to get things that are even better? Although new forms of technology in classrooms may seem a bit overwhelming at first, they are easily learned if one looks at it as they would any other challenge - it just takes practice, patience, and dedication. Also, I do realize how expensive some of these items are, such as the iMac. While it costs a great deal of money, doesn't it save money and trees from being wasted in the long run? Aren't we ultimately saving money buying one item only once rather than buying countless packs of paper and pencils over the years? There is a good point to be made in this post arguing the pros of traditional teaching ideas. The fact is, though, that we as educators are here for one purpose, and that is to help children be ready to face the real world in adulthood and be successful in it. If we do not giving them the best tools out there to help them reach their fullest potential, then how can we say that we really want what's best for them? Just like many other times in life, we sometimes have to make sacrifices of mediocrity in order to step into the greater life that is waiting for us. When it comes to the world of education, letting go of old mindsets and embracing new tools in learning may be just the thing to help us move on to the next level.



Why Were Your Kids Playing Games?

This post, which was also created by Mr. John T. Spencer, is a great way of showing the dangers behind slamming creativity in the ground and shutting the door in its face before it even enters the halls of any school. The speaker in this scenario is depicted by the principal to be a foolish man who is letting the children have fun and play games instead of learning the curriculum. The fact is, however, that the teacher is actually demonstrating his care for his students in the best way possible. Instead of boring them to literal death with lectures and memorization methods, he is actually getting their minds engaged in the material that needs to be taught. Therefore, the children are not memorizing anything, but actually learning and retaining knowledge that will be much less likely to depart from them in the future. Although the principal has good intentions (maybe), he has unfortunately been sucked into the vortex of mindless lecturing that rarely ever creates an intimate experience for each student. It is teachers like the one in Mr. Spencer's post here that need to be found throughout more classrooms in this country. While there are many educators and administrators that have the same negative mindset of creativity in schools as this principal, the evidence that project-based learning and promotion of creativity can catapult students into their absolute fullest potential is there. We just need to start shining the light on it.



Remember Pencil Quests?

I found the post entitled "Remember Pencil Quests?" by Mr. Spencer to be a bit humorous. In this article, the students are excited to be able to try something "new and exciting". They are so ready to break out of routine that they are completely oblivious to the fact that they have no real freedom here. The idea of getting to look up random pages and answer unsolved questions about the text is very exciting, that is, until the truth that it is not a real game, they cannot pick any location, and the map is predetermined for them slowly creeps in. The students never fully comprehend this until a much later time. As Mr. Spencer reflects on playing this game as a student himself, he is somewhat embarrassed of the teaching methods that have been used throughout history. The sad point that he is trying to make is that people who created ridiculous games like this one are the ones who are putting forth effort to think outside the box. He also wonders what his students will think as they look back one day on his class and the games he presented to them. As I think about this article, I realize that many teachers are stuck in the traditional rut of learning. Still, there are a few that I believe have come a long way from the pencil quest days, and they have really set the bar for fun and engaging learning environments.



Don't Teach Your Kids This Stuff. Please?

Dr. Scott McLeod does an outstanding job at making fun of people who view creative and project-based learning negatively in this post. Throughout my years in grade school, and even some time in college, I have heard every cynical comment that one could make about technology in schools. Cell phones, iPads, and even laptops were prohibited in certain classes. Naturally, you can just imagine the shock that ran through my body when I discovered that there are classes that actually promote the use of such items. Although I consider myself to be a fairly intelligent individual, I had never even imagined that classrooms such as these existed because the tools that they used were looked down upon as an abomination for as long as I can remember. I think it is safe to say that most teachers view students who are consumed with technology and internet use as "failures", believing that they are unintelligent because they do not condone to the traditional teaching methods. In reality, it is the technological children who are the leaders; they are stepping out to learn and grown in ways that some of us have never even heard of. Dr. McLeod is simply pointing out to us that it is students that never strive to learn for themselves who never break through exceptional barriers in the world, and will ultimately remain stagnant because of the simple-mindedness that they have been forced to receive through our basic educational systems.

Project #11 Green Screen Movie

Project #14 SMARTBoard Presentation Part 1

Project #12 Green Eggs and Ham Trailer

Blog Post #9

Version 4 Post (2011-2012)

This blog post by Mr. McClung is a great example of how teachers are humans and easily make mistakes like everyone else. However, only a truly great teacher can recognize their own flaws, admit them, and plan on doing things differently in the future. Mr. McClung shows us in this post how the past school year was able to open his eyes and see things in a different light. In his blog post, Mr. McClung first describes how, for the first time, he became very concerned with his fellow educators thought of him, and whether or not they approved of his teaching methods. This is something that he never had an issue with because he always put the focus of his students having fun in learning above all other responsibilities. He realized that he had fallen victim to a sense of "peer pressure" and knew that it was time to remind himself of why he woke up and came to work everyday: to help children grow in a fun and constructive learning environment. Another problem that Mr. McClung saw in himself is that he finally noticed that he had become complacent with his use of the curriculum he was teaching. Instead of being creative and researching new ways to help keep each lesson fun and exciting so that the students would be engaged, he had become somewhat lazy and started recycling old lesson plans. When he remembered how much he resented school as a child and never enjoyed being a student, he knew that it was time to rekindle his fire for making learning fun and exciting. In the end of this post, Mr. McClung announced that he would be leaving the school at the end of that year to pursue an administrative position at another school. Although he was going to miss his students at his current school terribly, he was extremely excited to be taking on this position and to face new challenges.

Mr. Mclung's post stood out to me because I think that most educators are unable to see what they need to correct in themselves. It's easy to point out how students aren't putting forth their best effort, or how the school system won't invest in things that the classrooms need, but doesn't every great movement in a classroom begin with a great teacher? Just like a captain is the head of a ship, a teacher is the head of a classroom. If he or she is not being the leader in education (and, perhaps, in life) that these students deserve, how can he or she not expect to get results from his or her students that are anything short of terrible? This post has been helpful to me for my classroom in the future by pointing out mistakes that I might easily be tempted to make myself. Of course, it's easy to adapt to the mentality of needing your peers' and co-workers' approval on everything we do. Last time I checked, however, isn't it US who are ultimately rewarded with the joy our individuality and creativity bring our students? Yes, I thought so. Also, do we not see more positive results when we incorporate our schools and talents into our teaching skills? Last time I checked, students always become more engaged and eager to learn when a teacher tries their best to make lessons fun and exciting. These are two mistakes that are the snipers of creative and engaging learning, and I think they are more easily avoided when we turn our minds off of autopilot and fuel them back up with a key ingredient called passion. Unlike Mr. McClung, I do not presently have any desire to become an administrator (I do know that this could change at any time, though). However, I do admire his goals that he has set for himself, and I love that he is always looking forward to new challenges. This is the type of educator and person that I wish to be, and I hope that this same type of ambition will be contagious to my students. This blog post definitely gives some great advice to those hoping to become successful and effective teachers one day. It is something that I will definitely refer back to from time to time.

What I've Learned This Year (2008-09)

Mr. McClung's post here reflects on his first year of teaching, which started the previous fall. He explains how it was a great learning experience that he definitely received many important lessons on. In the beginning, Mr. McClung tells readers that he quickly realized that teaching was not all about him. He explains how he was so focused on himself, the delivery of the content, and what his peers thought of him, that he forgot how crucial it was to maintain student comprehension in his classroom. Flexibility is an aspect that Mr. McClung became very familiar with this year, as well. He explains that the lesson that you plan out and the one you actually demonstrate are always different, and he doesn't beat himself up anymore if a lesson doesn't go exactly the way he plans. The best thing to do, according to Mr. McClung, is to keep moving on, even when a lesson plan doesn't turn out just how you pictured it would. He also writes how communication has proven to be the most effective way to keep things running smoothly with your students and fellow instructors alike. Although this does seem pretty obvious, most people do not fully comprehend how much good communication can maintain order and balance in any working environment. He says that the best way to handle any issue with someone is to go to them and talk about it. Mr. McClung explains that being reasonable with the goals you set for your students is vital to their success in the future. While it is important to set goals for them, it is also important to remember that they are still kids at the end of the day. They can barely remember to do simple things at times, so keeping goals within their reach will be beneficial in helping them to never feel that they are incompetent. One part of this post that ties in greatly with what Dr. Strange is trying to teach us about technology is to never be afraid of it. Mr. McClung writes that while most educators are terrified of it, thinking it is out to make them miserable, it is actually here to help us succeed in the fast-paced world we live in today. He says that we should never knock it until we've at least given it a try. One of my favorite parts of this post is the part about listening to the student. Mr. McClung gives the example of how one of his students praised him at the end of the school year in a survey, writing, "I know my teacher cares about me as a person when he listens to what I say." He tells us that we, as educators, need to be more concerned and knowledgeable about the students that we are teaching, and not just feed them information. Mr. McClung concludes his post by explaining that when we are teachers, we should never stop learning with our students. He explains that we practically beg our students to learn what we are teaching them, but never take the time to soak up what is around us ourselves. He claims that we owe it to our students to become learners along with them.

There was so much truth to be found in what Mr. McClung says in this post that I could not be in more agreement with him. Teachers do, in my opinion, spend entirely too much time worrying about the delivery of the message and impressing their peers that student comprehension of the material ultimately becomes unimportant. To me, being a teacher without caring if the students are receiving anything beneficial from his or her classroom is absolute insanity. Any good educator should always put the needs of the child much higher above the image that they are creating for their peers, although it is good to keep a sense of professionalism without the expense of the child's learning experience. When it comes to being flexible, I feel that I may have some issues in this area more so than others. By nature, I always try to be organized and neat in everything that I do, and always have some form of a plan in mind. I will admit that I have slightly freaked out a little in the past over various things not going at all according to plan, which is why I am thankful for this portion of the post. It serves as a great reminder that things will usually never go the way that I plan them once I am actually in the classroom teaching, but it doesn't mean that I have been a failure. I am still a human, and when I make mistakes, it doesn't have to be the end of the world. If the students have learned and had fun doing so, I have succeeded in some way. Communication is something that can make or break a situation in the long run, and I feel that it is a major element in any successful classroom, school, and any other working environment. Unfortunately, I recently have fallen victim to drama in the workplace myself (I just said I was human and make mistakes, remember?). Because of this, however, I now have a greater appreciation for effective communication, and I know how important it is to try to communicate with someone when there is an issue of any kind. Even if you are the person in the wrong, taking the first step in communicating with someone, and having the right attitude about it, can quickly resolve most issues. Keeping reasonable goals within reach of your students is also something that I feel teachers should keep in mind at all times. Being reasonable with setting goals for your students is very important in allowing them to try hard without as much of a fear of failure. It is easy to forget that students are children; they make messes, forget things, and do not always do things the right way. Let's remember that we were just like this when we were young, so meeting them on their level and setting goals for them that are actually attainable are important when keeping them from feeling that they are not prone to failure. The fear of technology that Mr. McClung discusses is something that is not unfamiliar to me. I always imagined myself as a teacher who would stick to tradition and would never become efficient in technology. Thankfully, however, I now see things in a much brighter light. I have learned so much from this class that will benefit me not only in the world of education, but in many other areas, as well. It has helped me so much in this class, and I cannot wait to help my students develop a love and appreciation for technology like I have found. It will definitely make succeeding in this microwave-fast world very easy. When it comes to listening to students, I love the example that he used of his student's survey answer at the end of the year. Students can tell which teachers truly care about them and which ones are only there to collect a paycheck. Listening and paying attention to the needs of individual students will not only help engage them in the curriculum, but will allow them to have a great leader in their life that they can trust. Some of these children have no one else like this. The conclusion to this post sums up what all instructors should always aim to do, and that is be learners along with their students. I think one major problem a lot of educators encounter is that they try to let their students do all the learning while they sit back and watch them. If we are supposed to lead by example, shouldn't we always demonstrate a willingness to learn so that the students will be encouraged to do the same? I believe we should. It also never hurts to always be in search of knowledge for our personal gain, as well. People are never to old to learn anything, and it can only benefit us in the long run. This post had a wide variety of good lessons to be learned not only for educators, but for people in general. I hope that at the end of my first school year as an educator, I can look back and see how I've grown as a person, as well.

Blog Post #8

This Is How We Dream Parts 1 and 2
After watching both Part 1 and 2 of This Is How We Dream, I feel that Dr. Miller gives great insight as to the road that the careers in English, reading, and writing are steadily traveling on. Although these videos were posted from 2009, I felt that they very much applied to our modern world today, and many of the ideas Dr. Miller shared did not sound very unfamiliar to me. Dr. Miller makes a statement in one of the videos that ideas are not meant for individuals, but to be shared. In my opinion, this could summarize the entire purpose behind both of these videos.

In Part 1, Dr. Miller emphasizes the importance of excellence in reading in writing. He points out that we are now living in what is possibly one of the greatest movements in communication and technology in history, and I could not agree more. I would never in my wildest dreams imagined that elementary school students would be blogging with people halfway across the world if someone had asked me three months ago. Now, however, I realize how far I was hidden in the dark about the growth and purposes in technology. When classes, business meetings, and other professional gatherings can be coordinated through web use, it is now more crucial than ever to become fully knowledgeable in the basics of reading and writing. If a person wants to be highly successful, however, it is almost necessary to become experts in these areas. There is one key element that unites us from all walks of life and all around the world, and that is effective communication. If we do not train ourselves to become skilled in communication using technology, our academic achievements, potential careers, and so much more could be in great danger.

In the aspect of sharing ideas, Dr. Miller shows how much can be accomplished by using network communication over the web. He demonstrates how he was able to write documents for newspaper articles and other projects by communicating with colleagues and students online. The project that told the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was fascinating to me. He showed audiences that it is possible to write articles and incorporate text, videos, and sound, and share it with others through blogging and other aspects of technology. He was also able to add music, and other great leaders in education and civil rights were able to add discussions to this piece of work. This reveals just how much life can be brought into projects with the help of the correct technological tools.

In every example that Dr. Miller gave, he showed how he and others were able to work together to not only get projects done, but cause them to be so much more moving in our hearts than if they were just written down in a printed book. This can relate back to Dr. Miller's opinion on sharing ideas. If not for video chatting, blogging, and other forms of communication, these new ways of learning, writing, and educating each other could not happen, and the world we discontinue to progress intellectually. Because Dr. Miller grew up surrounded by books, he has a tremendous amount of appreciation for writing and the change in this world that it can bring when done correctly. After watching these videos, I believe that Dr. Miller is simply trying to empower the fields of creative and effective writing and skillful technology use, and bridge the two worlds together. I now have a better idea for one of the fundamental values of my English class in the future.



Blog Post #12 by Carly Pugh

Carly Pugh's Blog Post #12 is the perfect example of what Dr. Strange is trying to instill in our minds throughout the semester. In this blog, Carly was a tremendous help in giving examples of how using parts of technology, such as YouTube videos, can help students learn. It also is a great way for teachers to set goals for their students, get inspiration for assignments and other class materials, and remind teachers why they get out of bed and come to their classrooms every morning. I could see many similarities between the videos she posted and the ideas that Dr. Miller present to us. He is simply trying to show how technology and using web videos and communication can help shape us into leaders and work together to make differences in this world. Although she did not directly say this, everything that Carly stated in her blog post can be referred back to this principle. I thoroughly enjoyed her post, and will keep her ideas in mind for my future as an educator.



The Chipper Series

The story of Chipper's roller coaster of careers is the perfect example of how students misunderstand the true meaning of procrastination. I cannot lie, I have been this same type of student more times than I can count. I blamed not getting my work done on time and everyone and everything else instead of taking full responsibility for my lack of effort. I like this video because, to me, it shows how students do damage to themselves in the long run by not getting their work done. If Chipper had just completed her work on time, she never would have had to bear the frustration of working dead-end jobs that never brought her success. I think that too many students are focused on their excuses of why they can't do something rather than the ways that they could have. The sad truth is this: the real world doesn't care that you were tired, had your boyfriend over at your house until 11:00 pm, or that you haven't been able to check Facebook all day. The bottom line is, you have to do what you have to do, whether you like it or not. In Chipper's situation, she had to go through many troubles simply to realize that they could have been avoided had she just gotten her work done on time. Although this video was comical, there was much truth behind the lesson Chipper learned in the end. This is good motivation to not procrastinate, and I hope that all students see the importance of submitting their work on time so that they do not have to go through the same situations as Chipper.

EDM310 for Dummies

This video reminded me of myself when I first began this class in January. I was beyond frustrated and thought it was impossible for me to succeed in this class. Thankfully, I consulted people who have taken this class before me and was able to improve with their guidance. EDM310 for Dummies is an excellent way to get the basics of this class down pat for anyone who feels just like I did those first few weeks. Some people may have no one to explain things about this class that might be a little bit confusing, so this video definitely serves a great purpose. Although we are striving individually to become learners on our own, there is comfort in knowing there are those out there who have been stressed by the initial shock of how much EDM 310 requires of students just as I and others like myself have been. I will be sure to refer to this video more often, and I urge those who are struggling in this class to do the same thing.

As a person who grew up laughing hysterically at sketch comedy shows such as Saturday Night Live and Mad TV, I have a great sense of appreciation for skits and know how effective they can be in relaying a message while still making people laugh. I have always enjoyed helping with skits every chance that I have gotten, and I would have had a blast working on either one of these videos. If I had a choice, however, I would love to work in a video about the importance of being passionate about education and making it a priority. I think this would be a great way to show the difference between teachers who genuinely care about their students and try with all their strength to help them grow, and those teachers who are there to simply get a paycheck. I would demonstrate this because I had way too many teachers in school who treated students this way, and if not for my 12th grade English teacher, I may never have been inspired to be a passionate educator myself. By creating a video such as this, I feel that it would better help students to avoid becoming half-hearted instructors at all costs.



Learn to Change, Change to Learn

This video is a collection of thoughts that are very much in agreement with the way I feel about the future of technology. Every person who spoke was connected to modern technology and education systems, and together they shared an amazing vision of the way education is changing and is becoming centered around bringing out the fullest potential in every student. For those who are completely unaware of how schools everywhere are becoming more involved in project-based learning and in sync with the skills and creativity of children, this video is a great eye-opener. Someone in the video made the statement that our world now has children captivated through devices such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Skype, etc., but the classroom, which should have them engaged the most, is the least up-to-date when it comes to technology. This is a scary thought, considering that it is ulimately teachers who train the entire work force of our world. If we, as educators, do not show students how to be prepared for the jobs and careers of the future, then no one will.



Edmodo

After looking through some of the different aspects of WEB 2.0 Tools, I was highly impressed with the Edmodo site and chose to create an account as a teacher through it. I enjoyed the short video tutorial that demonstrated how teachers are able to create accounts and add groups, much like the ones on Facebook. This device can also be linked to students' and parents' cell phones, which is beyond helpful considering how much texting has become a vital part of our daily communication. Teachers are able to make posts that students and parents can receive through text messages. If there are assignments or projects coming up, teachers are able to create groups for each assignment and then add students to the groups. In this way, communication about individual assignments are much less vague, and students, teachers, and parents alike are better able to all be on the same page. Parents can also be able to know about events coming up for schools, and pictures of field trips, projects, and other school events can also be uploaded through this site. Similarly to Twitter, Edmodo allows teachers to follow subjects as they would individual accounts, and can be updated in the news of each subject and post to these pages. Because I plan on teaching English and language arts, the first subject I followed was, not surprisingly, language arts. I also followed other subjects that could potentially be helpful to me one day, such as social studies, creative arts, and computer technology. This social networking site appears to be so helpful that I am already thinking of ways to incorporate this into my classroom that I don't even have yet! I'm definitely looking forward to taking advantage of this site with my future students.



Animoto

It took a little more searching than I expected, but the tool that I believed help create the WEB 2.0 Tools introduction video is Animoto. This is an outstanding tool to create videos and enhance them with features such as videos, photos, music, different text styles, and so much more. When I looked up the pricing for this tool, I found several great options. Videos lasting up to thirty seconds are free, with limited video styles and music tracks. The next option that was provided was that for only five dollars each month, full-length videos can be created that can have thirty plus video styles, and all are downloadable. Lastly, for thirty nine dollars per month, students and teachers are able to create twenty minute, multi-song videos, which are unbranded HD, pro-exclusive video styles, and can retain two thousand licensed music tracks. With all of these superb features, this does not seem like a bad deal at all.



PhotoPeach

One video tool that I discovered while searching through this site is PhotoPeach. This tool, in a nutshell, is a way to create and manage slides and slideshows through the aspect of social networking. This network provides a way for educators to easily create and manage student accounts, organize projects with tags and publish them as public pages to share with parents and the community, and create unlimited photo albums and customize them. In a world as visual as ours, this type of education tool can be helpful in sharing ideas with students in ways that better appeal to them. If they have a clear vision of something, they are more motivated to accomplish the goal, in my opinion. With this device, teachers are also able to download shows, upload music, and customize the transition effects between photos. This is also a very secure feature because students are unable to alter or delete teacher accounts because they will not have access to them. This seems like a fun, free, and easy way to collaborate technology and media into the classroom.

C4T #2

C4T Post #1 We all seem to have trouble with getting things done or remembering things at the time that we need to. This issue was the basis for the article "I Do It When I Think About It (so here's how to think about it at the right time)". In this latest post under Get Organized, Dr. Frank Buck gives readers some very practical but helpful insight as to why we may struggle with this problem. Research shows that much of our forgetfulness and loss of memory develops because of stress. Because we are so busy, it is very difficult to remember things at the exact times that we need to. According to Dr. Buck, this is where technology comes to the rescue. In this post, he recommends using smartphones and other devices to set digital reminders for the things that we need to do/get done, and setting them for the correct deadlines. He explains that he carries a notebook or some type of device with him everywhere he goes. By doing this, he can write down and set reminders for every aspect of his to-do list that comes to his mind and not just let it pass away.
I completely agreed with Dr. Buck in my comment on his post. I openly admitted that I struggled to get things done on times a lot because my mind is always going different directions. By using a smart phone or some type of technology to help me make a more organized agenda and set correct reminders, I can not only get all of my tasks done when I need to, but can take a tremendous amount of stress off of myself, as well.
C4T Post #2
The post that I was assigned to read this week was entitled "Thoughts for 'Music In Our Schools Month'" by Dr. Frank Buck. Dr. Buck opens this post with a quote by John F. Kennedy about hope for the arts in the future. In the quote, Kennedy states, "I look forward to an America which will reward achievement in the arts as we reward achievement in business or statecraft." Dr. Buck uses this quote to give an example of how crucial it is to encourage students to excel in art as they do in math or science. In this post, Dr. Buck makes a very interesting argument. He says that now more than ever before, schools are being encouraged to graduate students who are better than just memorizing data. This month is "Music In Our Schools Month", and Dr. Buck explains that music is something that is crucial element in helping children grow up well-rounded, and does not need to be overlooked. To give an example of positive feedback from encouraging student and art development, he posts a video at the end of the post of students in an elementary school choir in Staten Island. These students perform "The Star-Spangled Banner", and they weren't anything short of amazing.
I let Dr. Buck know who I was, and let him know that I felt the same way about music and art promotion in school systems today. I wrote that, like sports and intellectual clubs, the arts help students learn very crucial values in life, such as dedication, working as a team, and practicing. I also wrote that it brought a sense of joy in the students, as well. I told Dr. Buck how much I enjoyed watching the video of the elementary school choir, and how wonderfully the children stayed on the correct keys and harmonized. I ended with praising the girl who performed solo parts within the song, and let him know how amazing she was in my opinion. In summary, I let him know that music, to me, was something that I, like him, felt needed to be encouraged and promoted now more than ever.

Project #9 PLN

My Personal Learning Network (PLN) has been very interesting to learn about. So far, I have deleted a few of the bookmarks that were already on my board, such as BBC.com, MACY'S, and a Horoscope bookmark because I knew I would never use them. I rearranged everything from bottom to top in the order of which ones were most helpful in learning and for future references as a teacher. I added several note-taking and blog bookmarks. I also searched and found a few bookmarks and websites that would be very beneficial to me when looking for materials on literature and language arts. I have not quite gotten my whole profile set up the way that I want it yet, but I am constantly getting new ideas on how I want it set up. It is definitely a useful resource in multiple ways, and I am excited about using it in the future, both as a student and as an educator myself.

Blog Post #7

Randy Pausch's Last Lecture
Randy Pausch, one of the most intelligent and phenomenal professors of our time, gave many profound statements during his last lecture at Carnegie-Mellon. In the beginning of his speech when he is telling of his current medical condition, he says, "We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand." In my opinion, this was the setup for the basis of his entire lecture. Many of us have dreams and goals as children, but why do we let so many things stop us from achieving them? Even in a dark time, Randy Pausch explains several key factors that can be played out to help people make even their wildest dreams come true. While all of the elements in his speech were important, I felt that the ones which were most critical to his main focus were being in zero gravity, playing in the NFL, being Captain Kirk, and being a Disney Imagineer.
When he speaks of being in zero gravity, Pausch says that it is very important to have a specific dream. This is very important to me because every goal or accomplishment that I have achieved in my own life have been due to being specific in setting my goals. Randy Pausch explains that he did not actually dream of becoming an astronaut, but when some of his students were able to fly in the "Vomit Comet", he was thrilled because he had always wanted to experience floating with no gravity. Naturally, he was devastated when he found out that faculty members were not allowed to fly with the students. Because he was also a web journalist, however, he was able to go with his students, representing a journalist from their hometown. After making negotiations, he was able to go with the students and reach Childhood Goal #1. In this example, he ends by saying how important it is to always bring something to the table. This is something that I feel more students and teachers alike need to learn how to better comprehend. In a world where everyone wants to get something for nothing, it is getting harder to find people who will work on their part to meet someone else halfway. Pausch's story of the zero gravity rocket serves as a great reminder that by holding up our end of the deal, we will receive some type of achievement reached.
Unlike becoming an astronaut, Randy Pausch did dream of playing in the National Football League. Although he did not become a professional football player, he tells us that he probably got more from having that dream and not reaching it than he did from reaching any of his other goals. When he was a boy, his first football coach, Coach Graham, taught him and his team the importance of learning fundamentals. He says that Coach Graham explained that you have to get the fundamentals down before you can do the fancy stuff. This is something that I hope to instill in my students one day, and I feel is very important for their success, regardless of what they do in life. While becoming intelligent, having good grades, and intellectual excellence is wonderful, if students do not learn the basics of my classroom, they will never be able to retain anything else. Another crucial point that Pausch made in this portion of the lecture is about constructive criticism, or "tough love". He tells how Coach Graham was very hard on him during practices. One day in particular he made a comment about it, and someone replied to him explaining that it was because he had not given up on him yet. This stood out to me because I can see how this plays out in classrooms and other scenarios everyday. I tend to be a kind and gentle person by nature, and I used to have a hard time giving constructive criticism to others in fear of hurting their feelings. This video lecture, however, caused me to change my mind. Pausch learned that day at practice that even though his coach was always hard on him, it was only because he cared about him enough to push him to do better. I feel that by giving positive, constructive criticism to my students when needed will let them know that I care and have not given up on them.
Randy Pausch quickly realized that being Captain Kirk would obviously never happen. As a boy, Pausch looked up to Captain Kirk on the television show Star Trek because, not only was he the captain of the ship, but he also had the most interesting equipment and "toys". Years later, the actor who played the role of Captain Kirk, William Shatner, traveled to the virtual reality center at the university where Pausch was employed to see the setup of the inside of Captain Kirk's ship. Pausch explains that, "It's cool to meet your boyhood idol, but it's even cooler when he comes to meet you." I found much value in this statement because I feel that it sends out much encouragement to those children who have idolized certain individuals. Although what they do may be very dangerous, exciting, and/or important, if students are able to live up to their fullest potential, they will be doing something even greater. By working hard and using his skills to the best of his ability, Randy Pausch was able to meet his childhood idol and impress him with his success. Instead of students being impressed by those we raise on a pedestal, I feel that we as teachers should raise up students to the point where their idols are one day impressed by them.
Becoming a Disney Imagineer was one of the hardest challenges Randy Pausch ever had to face. After going on a family trip to Disneyland when he was younger, Pausch knew in his heart that he wanted to help build and design rides and different aspects of technology that he saw there. However, he had more than a few setbacks. When he first sent applications to Disney in hopes of becoming an Imagineer, he was graciously denied acceptance. However, with perseverance, humility, patience, and a large amount of skill and intelligence, he was able to eventually work on a virtual reality project with the Disney Imagineers that turned out to be a huge success. By instilling these practices inside students' minds and helping them find their skills and talents and sharpening them, we are able to qualify them to be the perfect assets to the occupations of their dreams. While working on this project with Disney, Pausch was allowed to work with a man named Jon Snoddy, who was manager of the project. One major concept that Snoddy taught Jon was that everyone has at least a small amount of goodness in them; if we wait long enough, they will show us this good side. Upon hearing this in the video, I now believe that this is something every teacher needs to lectured on. Today's world makes it more than convenient to give up on people when they do not conform to our needs, wants, and mindsets. If teachers hold on to this negative way of thinking, however, who is left to believe in students? I feel that all children, no matter what type of situations they are in or what their personalities are like, have potential and goodness in them. If I keep pushing and believing in these students when everyone else gives up, I feel that I will eventually see positive results and see each child's life changed for the better.
While these are not all of the concepts taught by Randy Pausch in his last lecture video, these are the ones that stood out in my mind when thinking of my future role as an educator. We live in a world now that is very fast-paced, demanding, and can be harsh and confusing when a person is not prepared for it. We may not realize it, but the future of society is ultimately in the hands of teachers. Some instructors have not done their best in educating and encouraging students in the last few years; however, this can change. Randy Pausch was definitely someone who all educators can look up to, but his principles were not designed to end at the end of his last video or after his death. He taught us these things to not only help become better educators, but I believe to also open our minds and hearts, and look more carefully at humanity and how to really help improve students' lives and our own lives, as well.

C4K Summary for February

C4K #1
For my first C4K post assignment, I was able to read the latest post of La'Quaisa, a tenth grade American Literature student at Baldwin County High School. The latest post that La'Quaisa had published about the story of Tom Walker. In this post, she told readers that Tom Walker was a greedy man. He kept everything from his wife and always lied to her. He was soon doomed, however, when the Devil himself took Tom away on the back of a black horse. They ran away to an old fortress and disappeared into the lightning. She also had a picture depicting the scene in which Tom was kidnapped.
I was not completely sure how to comment on a post of a younger student, so I chose my words carefully and without correction. In my comment, I simply told La'Quaisa that she stayed on topic well and gave a clear, direct summary of the story of Tom Walker. I also wrote how I thought the picture of Tom Walker greatly captured the essence of everything she had written in her summary, and I look forward to seeing more of her posts in the future.
C4K #2
The C4K post that I was able to read this week was from James, a fourth-grader at an elementary school in Prichard, Alabama. This specific blog post was about why James should be president of the United States. In his post, he writes about how he would work with Congress to make laws that will ensure our country's safety, make sure all people are treated fairly, and help bring peace throughout the world. He admits that he realizes this career would be tough, but insists that he is ready and begs his readers to please vote for him.
In my comment, I praised James for being a great writer. I told him that he seemed very enthusiastic about being president and making changes in the world around him. I wrote to never give up on his dreams and to always do the best he could, and he could very well be president in the future. I ended my comment by telling James that I looked forward to reading more of his posts.
C4K #3
This week, the student blog that I was assigned to read was that of Melaia. According to her post, Melaia is a five year student in Room 14 at Pt. England School in Auckland, NZ. Her teacher is Miss Ouano, and she says that she really enjoys her class. So far, this is the latest post that Melaia has published.
My comment on Melaia's post was pretty short and simple. I told her my name and that I was a student in EDM 310 at the University of South Alabama in Mobile, Alabama in the United States. I let her know that I was happy to meet her, and always looked forward to meeting new people. I also told her that I enjoyed learning about people like her from other parts of the world, and that I hoped to get to read more of her posts in the future.
C4K #4
The C4K post that I was assigned this week was that of a tenth-grade American Literature student at Baldwin County High School named Matthew. In this blog post, which is entitled "Hegemony", Matthew tells the story of how a friend once asked him if he was better than their other friend at basketball. Matthew told him that he wasn't, and his friend got angry at him because, as Matthew says, he was "trying to prove a point".
I commented on Matthew's blog and told him who I was, and that I had enjoyed reading his post. I let him know that his story was a great example of the importance of being honest. Although his friend got mad at his answer, Matthew proved to be a true friend by not lying to him. I told him that all real friends will appreciate honesty in the long run, and that I was looking forward to reading more of his posts.

Project #8 Podcast

Project #10 - Finding the Right Tool

Benefits of using Iclicker
After researching different types of technology that I have not yet learned about in this class, my attention was diverted toward a tool called the iclicker. The video was very informative on giving a basic overview of what this tool can do. There were many qualities about this device which stood out to me. The iclicker, which comes in the form of a remote control, seems to be a very user-friendly tool even for those who are not technology experts. In this video, teachers were able to use this in classrooms ranging from elementary age kids to college students. Each student was able to use his/her own iclicker to answer questions, search the web, etc. on a board in the front of the class. It is easy to install, and would cut out the use of paper and writing utensils in the same way that our EDM 310 class is set up. One of the main reasons I'm fond of this idea, however, is because it not only allows students to complete assignments through technology, but also lets them work at their own pace and be better engaged in class discussions. Also, it is set up using poll-based graphs when showing grading results. If a student were to answer a question incorrectly on a quiz or test, it will not publish the student's name for the whole class to see, but will show the range of answers the students gave in graph-like forms. In my opinion, this is helpful in allowing students to see what needs to be corrected without embarrassing them in front of their classmates. I plan on teaching English and language arts to middle or high school students in the future, and it seems to be a fun and simple way to introduce them to technology usage if they are completely unfamiliar with it. It is definitely something I will look into a little more.

Blog Post #6

The Networked Student
The post by Wendy Drexler was quite interesting to learn about. As we've been learning so far, technology is a very evident part of the world around us now, whether we like it or not. At this point, the realization that technology is vital for the future of education is very clear to me. After watching this video, I do feel that the "networked student" could be the ideal role for students in the years to come.
I think it is very important for students to learn how to research information and try things for themselves; basically, they need to be able to teach themselves and retain information on their own. Thanks to technology, this ability is far from impossible. In fact, there are more than enough search engines, devices, and blogging websites available for students with a plethora of questions. The idea of having a Personal Learning Network (PLN)is very helpful, in my opinion. In the past, it is safe to say that individualism has been restricted in students, if not discouraged completely. By using PLN, students will be able to express their personalities, creativity, and help them learn in a way that will help them be able to use the concepts that they have learned. Being able to communicate with others through blogging with students and other professors also helps them stay connected with great sources of information and with others who share similar ideas.
To me, the best aspect of The Networked student is that although students are learning to use technology effectively and become familiar with the web, they are still able to taught from educators. While the purpose of this way of learning is to allow students to learn on their own, they will still be guided from well-fitted teachers who are experts in these fields. This could very well be the next movement that forever changes the education system as we know it. Behind every great movement in history, there was a great leader. The Civil Rights Movement had Martin Luther King, Jr. Those in India suffering under British power had Ghandi, and the Israelites leaving bondage in Egypt had Moses. This may seem like an odd mix of movements, but they all have one thing in common: they probably would not have endured had they not had an exceptional leader guiding their steps. I believe that it is the same way with this type of learning system. No matter how many tools and resources children are exposed to, they will never know how to use it to the best of their abilities if they are not instructed how.

A 7th Grader's Personal Learning Environment (or PLN)
The video was a great example of a basic PLE. I am very unfamiliar with many new concepts of technology-based learning, so I felt that it was a great instruction video for a first-time PLE user. I can see many similarities between it and my own PLN on my EDM 310 class blog profile. Although my blog page is set up very differently than her PLE, the main idea in both is very much the same. It is my own online space to finish assignments and learn with others. I loved the idea that a game helped her learn a concept in her science class, and that she is able to use Skype and other online materials to communicate with teachers around the world and ask questions if she needs to. Through blogging, I am able to do the same thing if I ever felt the need to. I think that both my PLN and her PLE are enhancing our abilities to use the majority of aspects of technology that is helpful in learning and better preparing us for the technology-driven world around us.

Blog Post #5

If I Built A School
Krissy Venosdale's post http://venspired.com/?p=3748 which talked about what she would do if she were able to create her own school. Mrs. Venosdale is an educator who has been teaching for ten years and is now working particularly in gifted education. Like Dr. Strange, she seems to promote exploration of technology use and hands-on learning that is project-based and "outside the box". In this blog post, she explains how she, if given the opportunity, would create a school that would be a place of wonder for students of all ages. Colorful walls, a cafeteria with the appearance of a cozy coffee shop, and a treehouse adorned with lights in the library would all be fun aspects to intrigue the minds of the children enrolled there. Field trips would be taken throughout the school year, and kids would work on their school work at home simply because they wanted to. There were no true regulations in this "dream" school, but every student was motivated with a passion for learning.
If I were given the opportunity to design my own school, I have to admit that I would strive to make mine very similar to Mrs. Venosdale's. My goal would be to make learning fun, and to open up every child's mind to the world of wonder and enchantment that a useful education could give them. I definitely would want many colors throughout the school, and every student could help design the classrooms each year in ways that show off their creative abilities that most often remain hidden. One aspect of learning I would modify would be to incorporate games inside the learning process. When children are playing games, they are not only using their minds to the best of their abilities, but having fun and developing strategies to help them achieve goals. I would also allow iPad, desktop, laptop, and various technology usage so that every child could use them efficiently in the real world by the time they had graduated. The more fun and excitement that can encourage learning and grow effective workers in the future, the better the school would turn out to be in the end.
http://b.vimeocdn.com/ts/241/227/241227661_640.jpg
Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir
If one were to think that technology use has no real effect or purpose in this world, he or she has never witnessed anything quite like that of the video on the page http://techliterateteacher.blogspot.com/2010/05/eric-whitakers-virtual-choir-lux.html. While watching this video and listening to the song of the choir, I couldn't help but sit in awe of how an entire chorus had been constructed and even performed by a group of people who had never even met in person. This just shows how relevant technology usage can be to our society. Not only can it be used to unify those who are on opposite ends of the globe from each other, but to work together to accomplish goals to help and bring joy to everyone else in the world, as well. I thoroughly enjoyed watching this video, and would love to see technology used more to enhance the fields of music and other areas.
http://paiskidd.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/virtual_choir.png
Teaching in the 21st Century
The video http://www.edm310.com/Teaching21stCenturymed.m4v brings up very alarming facts about student learning to the unknowing educator. I will admit that I had major trouble trying to watch this video on multiple devices. From what I could tell, however, there was one main point to be made here: in this century, teachers are no longer the main sources of information. Before enrolling in this class, I was completely naive to how much technology has truly become vital to our every day lives. Now, I am fully aware of how much access students, no matter how young or old, have to endless sources of knowledge with just the tap of a screen or the click of a button. This can greatly affect my future in education because if I do not keep my mind updated and efficient in current technology usage, how will I ever be able to educate the generation of tomorrow? By being knowledgeable in a wide range of technology, I not only secure my own career, but help others secure the occupations of the future, as well.
http://files.campus.edublogs.org/blogs.burrell.k12.pa.us/dist/c/2/files/2011/11/CouryTuckEverlastingOct2011-yengdb-224x300.jpg
The Flipped Classroom
The "Flipped Classroom", in a sense, is the ideal balance that I believe all great teachers try their hardest to achieve. In http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aGuLuipTwg, Katie Gimbar recognized the fact that the majority of her class time was spent presenting material rather than actual student application of principles. The videos in http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLB632EC24182B4D40 gives explanations to multiple questions educators could have in the attempt to flip their own classrooms. Dr. Lodge McCammon presents a very similar approach in http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PcSafUTNd8. He, like Gimbar, agrees that students who are able to watch video lectures before coming into the classroom will be better able to engage in their assignments and activities while actually meeting. Ms. Munafo also uses Dr. McCammon's concepts in her classes, and describes some of her techniques in http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KWqw_7Ib1o. One aspect of teaching that they all seem to agree on is that more class time needs to be spent on letting students ask questions, engage in the lessons, and give their feedback instead of the instructor monotonously lecturing while the students are bored to tears. I could use this approach greatly in my classroom. Although I plan on teaching English in the future and not any form of math (I despise math), lecture videos could most definitely be useful to my class time. If students are able to absorb the lessons and information by watching at home or on school computers or iPads, I will have more time to hear their responses. I believe I will be better able to meet the needs of individual students in this way, and for them to be able to grasp a better understanding of the curriculum at their own paces, without feeling left behind.
http://edudemic.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/flipped-classroom1.jpg

My Sentence Movie

C4T Assignment #1

C4T #1
The blog post that I had the privilege of being able to read was under the "Ideas and Thoughts" blog by Dr. Dean Shareski. In this post, he described how every year he creates a specific theme for himself which "carries him through". He has used elements such as music, photos, and videos to help build upon these themes. This past year, he created a video from pictures that he had taken every day for the entire year. Each city that he had visited was shown in pictures, lasting one minute for each city. In only twelve minutes, he gave his followers a glimpse of the joys that come from traveling abroad, ranging from the snowy cities of Canada to the sunny beaches of Florida and beyond.
My comment on Dr. Shareski's blog post gave him much praise for his video project. I enjoyed seeing a wide of variety of cities, landscapes, and cultures, along with the heartwarming moments he had captured of his own friends and family. In a nutshell, I wrote that it was, in my opinion, an excellent way to show the essence of each place in his travels, and to capture each moment for all of time. There was also a note from Dr. Shareski in the middle of the video that said if someone commented on which picture was his or her favorite using the keyword "coffee", he or she would win a Starbucks gift card. Naturally, I did what any college student who is addicted to caffeine would do and commented back about it. I wrote that the sea view at sunset of Mobile, Alabama was my favorite. I included in the comment that I favored it the most because I was from Mobile, and it reminded me of the beauty, pride, and faith I will always have in my hometown.
C4T #2
This week, I was able to get the chance to read the latest blog from Dean Shareski again. His most recent post actually put the spotlight on another educator, Jared Heidinger. Jared, who is a science teacher in Lethbridge Alberta, shared with Dean what had proven to be a joyful and effective way to get his students excited about learning their vocabulary homework every week. While playfully tossing his model helicopter around his classroom one day, and thanks to inspiration from his young daughter one morning, Heidinger brewed up the idea of creating the "Homework Chopper". Every Friday, a different friend of Heidinger will post a video of themselves, wherever they may be. They introduce themselves, what their job, career, or hobby may be, and will read the students the vocabulary words in the form of a news report. I got the chance to watch seven videos of Heidinger's friends, ranging from Dean Shareski himself, to the creator of the Disney Channel show "Phineas and Ferb", to professional hockey and basketball players.
I commented on Dean Shareski's blog stating that I felt like this was an excellent idea. As a future educator in the English and language arts field, I told him that vocabulary words would more than likely be a crucial component of my curriculum. Shareski also shared in his blog that because high school educators are most often so limited on their teaching methods due to tradition, resources, etc., he saw Heidinger's method as a great way to promote joy from his students. I strongly agree with Shareski about this. I feel that secondary teachers have, to an extent, left all of the creativity to be found in schools up to the elementary teachers. Just because high school students are older and more mature does not mean that they do not deserve fun and creative ways to be infused with their classrooms. I also shared with Shareski that I would like to take this idea, and hopefully be able to incorporate it into my classes one day. Even if it is not a major use of technology in schools, it is still a way to open the students' minds to people, places, and career choices that they may have never known before.

Project #5 Presentation

Special Blog Post Assignment #1

Compare Populations of India, China, and the United States
When I first watched both versions of the video "Did You Know?" for Blog Assignment #2, I unfortunately misinterpreted the data. I originally thought that it meant that India had more honor students than the United States had students altogether. However, after doing the comparative searches through WolframAlpha, I now have a somewhat different opinion. According to the data in the searches, India is home to 1.21 billion people, China has 1.35 billion, and the United States has a population of 309 million people. One thing that I did find quite interesting is that, when looking at the graph of demographics, India, not China, had the highest population growth rate of 1.44% per year, whereas China, who has the largest population of all three nations, had a growth rate of 0.63% per year, and the United States' rate was 0.969%. The United States surpassed the other two countries in having the highest life expectancy of 78.1 years of age. China's average life expectancy trailed closely behind in second place with 73.5 years, and India was the lowest, with 69.9 years. When looking at the population history of these countries, China has showed the highest increase of population growth; India is second, and the United States was last. Not surprisingly, China has the highest number in recent population history (showing from 1970 to 2010) and India came in second, with both countries reaching nearly 1 billion people in total. The United States fell in last place, having almost 400,000,000 people in total population by 2010. Though many sharp comparisons were made between all three countries in the "Did You Know?" videos, it does not necessarily mean that the United States is in any way inferior to the other countries listed. After looking at the data found through WolframAlpha, I now see that the populations of these countries play a crucial role in the statistics found in the videos I watched last week, and I realize the mistakes in my comparisons from those videos.
Other Comparative Searches
By using WolframAlpha, I was able to conduct two more searches of my own choosing. The first search I chose to do was entitled "Compare number of honor students in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the United States. Because these two countries have been fresh on the minds of most Americans in the last few years, I was interested to see where our own students fall in ranking with them. The population comparisons alone were quite surprising to me. The United States had the highest population of these three, with 67.62 million, while Afghanistan had 6.757 million, and Iraq had 6.453 million. Although the United States still surpassed these two by far, their populations were still much higher than what I would have imagined. This comparative search was a little different than the ones comparing the United States with India and China. According to the information in the graph of student history from 1982 to 2004, the United States takes the lead with slightly over 50 million students, with only a small increase in numbers throughout those years. Iraq was very similar, with over 5 million students by 2004. Afghanistan, however, showed the largest increase, ranging from about 0.6 million to nearly 5 million by the end of that time frame. The United States continued to be the leader in these comparisons, being number one in the highest number of students in primary school (24.39 million), secondary school (24.19 million), and college (18.25 million). Afghanistan had the second largest number in primary school (5.279 million) against Iraq (4.864 million); Afghanistan also showed to have more students in secondary school (2.044 million) than Iraq (2.038 million). Iraq, however, had the higher number of students in college compared to Afghanistan, with 424,908 people compared to 95,185 people. Lastly, the United States had the highest number of combined primary and secondary school teachers, with 3.553 million. Iraq came in second with 435,253 people, and Afghanistan finished in last with 143,129 people.
The second search that I made through WolframAlpha was "Compare populations of Egypt, Libya, and the United States". I chose this because after conducting searches on comparing the United States' populations with that of Asian and other Middle Eastern countries, I was curious to see how our country compares to those that we have been and may continue to deal with more in the near future. From what I found, the overall population of the United States was 309 million (which I found odd due to the fact that this number was different when compared with the populations of Iraq and Afghanistan). Like the last search, I was also surprised by the populations of these countries; Egypt had 84.5 million and Libya had 6.55 million. From 1970 to 2010, the United States showed the largest increase in population, reaching a little over 300 million. Egypt showed an increase to almost 100 million, and Libya showed almost no increase at all, reaching barely 1 million by 2010. The information that was shocking, however, was that Libya showed the higher rate of population growth of all three countries, with 2.03% per year. Even more surprising than that was the fact that Egypt, who had a growth rate of 1.83% per year, beat the United States, whose growth rate was only 0.969% per year. The average life expectancy of the United States was the highest with 78.1 years; however, the other two were not far behind. Libya's life expectancy was 77.3 years, and Egypt's was 72.1 years.
Before today, I had never even heard of WolframAlpha. Now, however, I can be sure to use it quite often in the future. After three various searches, it proved to not only give me the comparisons that I needed, but it also went above and beyond giving me extra information that was also useful. This seems to be an excellent search engine and will most definitely help with my classroom in the future. For example, I plan to be an English/language arts teacher within the next few years. If I were to give my class an assignment of comparing authors, poets, writers, or even different works or pieces of writings, I believe that WolframAlpha would be a great tool for them in getting all of the information that they needed. They can also find statistics that could help them obtain extra information they may need for future assignments and other classes, as well. After using WolframAlpha, I will be sure to also use this for future and current assignments throughout my years in college.
Gary Hayes Social Media Count
The information gathered from Gary Hayes' "Social Media Count" website, in my opinion, were absolutely mind-blowing. If there are people in this world who still think that technology usage has nothing to do with them, they are sadly and gravely mistaken. By looking at all these statistics as a whole, it can easily be concluded internet usage is not only dominating our extracurricular time, but our career fields, as well. Even activities such as watching television shows and reading books can now be done by using apps on a Smartphone, personal computer, or Apple products. The convenience and quickness of using the web can help people all around the world, and from all walks of life, to communicate, get tasks done, work in their career fields, and experience places and cultures in ways that they never thought possible. One look at all of the statistics found on Gary Hayes' page will turn even the person with complete doubt in and fear of technology usage in everyday life into a believer.
Because I, myself, will one day be an educator, it is my job to ultimately prepare students for the outside world. After seeing the information under the "Social Media Count" website, the idea that the same ideas and principles of technology usage now will be the same by the time I am teaching classrooms is completely invalid. As anyone can see from the timers that continually run on the page, technology usage in a wide variety is growing at a rapid pace each minute; what is contemporary now will be way past its due date by the time I am teaching students. In the next five years, if school systems do not make aspects such as Twitter, Skype, blogging, and iPad usage an everyday part of a child's learning experience, they will be doomed to keep up in businesses, social gatherings, etc. Whether most people like it or not, technology and media affect almost every part of our lives now. The generation that is coming will be so much more advanced and able to take technology to the next level, but only if we educators train them to do so. If technology has been able to allow us to watch videos in the most remote parts of the world, or speak to someone face to face through an app that is found in cell phones, think of the endless possibilities it can bring us in the next few years! The facts do not lie. The world is changing- and quickly. We are already behind the rest of the world in schools as we know it. If I refuse to empower my students to be technologically literate, I am not only holding them back from their full potential; I am dooming the generation who will one day be my caretakers, as well.

Blog Assignment #4

Learning How 2 Learn
There were many articles, slides, etc. that I found quite interesting in this assignment, and one of them happens to be "Learning How 2 Learn" by Silvia Tolisano. This mainly states how it isn't the inability to read that will soon label people as "illiterate" but the inability to think and be learners on their own. The slides demonstrate how people need the willingness to reflect, amplify, and to have a sense of self-motivation. It supports iPad usage and digital reading among children, and refers to the idea that using pen, paper, and hand-writing is on its way to becoming an aspect of the past. Instead of focusing so much on technology, it simply shows how ultimately, we are helping people learn, but in a way that will help them stay updated on the resources used by the world.
Although my opinion of technology was slightly negative when I first entered this class, articles and blogs, such as this one, are helping me slowly open my mind to new concepts of teaching. I support the ideas found here because we do live in a world that is continually evolving and becoming more dependent on technology for the completion of everyday tasks. Technology is not meant to harm or confuse us, but to help us accomplish goals faster and more diligently than ever before. If we do not help students adapt to the usage of new tools such as iPads, ebooks, and things of that nature, then we are not only hindering them from being technologically literate, but from being able to perform actions that are becoming more familiar to our daily lives. Change is something that we cannot stop, but we can embrace it and let it help us stay relevant to people and cultures everywhere.
Podcasting With First Grade
Mrs. Tolisano's post "Podcasting with First Grade" demonstrated how podcasting can be very beneficial in elementary schools with reading, listening, and story-telling. After recording the voices of the students and letting some of them even act as the characters, she was then able to repeat the story to other students, breaking the rules of traditional classroom reading. She also incorporated other fun aspects into the story, such as letting the students interview each other when pretending to be characters. The use of Garageband also contributed to the learning process here by allowing some students to record their voices directly, while other students were able to read or get other work done. Music and sound effects were also able to be added because of this technique.
If I were planning on teaching elementary school one day, podcasting would be a key ingredient in the recipe for a fully functional classroom. Not only does this idea help the students focus and interact more with the story they were reading, but it also sharpens each child's creative side and allows them to share his or her skills with the class. Because we also want students to remain motivated at all times, I found this to be a great way to do so. Because podcasts can be heard across the country or around the world, it is an excellent chance for children to gain audiences that have fallen in love with their skills, and ultimately proving the effectiveness of their skills. Although I will be teaching somewhere between sixth and twelfth grade in the future, the concept of using podcasts to engage students in the activities and help them with interacting and communicating skills will always remain in the back of my mind, ready to be used at any time.
Learning in the Modern Classroom
"Learning in the Modern Classroom" teaches readers a lot about how technology can be used, broken down, and expanded for various uses for individual assignments in schools. Not only that, but one can also see how easy it is to have fun with technology use here! This post demonstrates how taking something as simple as a book of poetry can cause a ripple effect of uses for technology. After many Skype meetings between the writer of the poems, Mike Fisher, and the students who were each assigned one of his poems to work with, audiences can easily see how social networking such as Skype and Twitter can help students evolve in more ways than one. Not only were students able to quickly learn skills such as using Google Doc and Chat and evolving as writers with each tweet they sent, the teacher was also able to monitor basic communication techniques with the help of Skype, such as vocabulary, body language, and their abilities to keep up with a conversation.
If someone were to ask me three weeks ago if I thought Twitter usage in elementary classes was a good idea, there's a chance that I would have had them committed. I never would have even fathomed that something like Twitter would help expand the mind of students and enhance their abilities to learn and succeed in life if it were not for reading articles such as these. I now see that something as mundane as Twitter can be useful in helping children communicate with others far away, expose them to new ideas, and bring out the creative side to each child that, unfortunately, so many teachers have tried to suppress in past years. The twenty-first century is now the modern century; therefore, we must adapt to modern times. If we don't train children to be able to effectively use media and technology to to help them grow academically, we aren't keeping them from being technologically literate, but are keeping them from being the learners and contributors to the world that they were meant to be. The main concept of these posts that I plan to incorporate into my own podcasts is that of interaction. Though it is sometimes misunderstood as something that can hold us back from having good communication skills, I believe technology usage, such as podcasts, are ultimately designed for one purpose: to help us learn and communicate ideas with others in a way that has been virtually enhanced, and to be able to better understand the ideas presented to me than if I were to only read them in a book. My main goal in sending my first podcast (and every podcast, for that matter) is to send out clear, effective messages, and to have great responses. Hopefully, I will learn much more material about podcasting to help me along the way.

Blog Assignment #3

C4C #2
For my second C4C comment, I ended with two comments instead of one. Without following the directions in order, I commented on a classmate's blog post without reading the instructions for this blog post assignment first. Therefore, in my second comment, I reinstated the praise for her blog and the overall summary of what she had written. I also commented that she should watch a little more closely for minor grammatical errors, such as confusing simple words with each other and not using punctuation when needed. I also included in my comment the fact that it was very easy to make simple mistakes such as these, and that I, too, have fallen victim to the trickery of rules in language arts. I ended my comment with telling her that her post as a whole looked great. I chose to critique her post publicly through a comment instead of via email because we are all here to learn and help each other along the way. If someone else who was struggling in writing were to look at my comment, there's a chance that the advice I had given would apply to them, too. If I had only written my response to her through email, no one else would be able to see it and apply those ideas to his/her paper, as well. I did not write anything negative in my comment, and that was one of the most important rules to keep in mind. If I am staying positive in my editing, what is there to remain private, right?
Peer Editing
After watching the videos and slideshows about peer editing, I am much more aware of the fact that there is very much a right and wrong way to edit and critique someone else's writing. Although I try to be a kind-hearted person and hate to "call out" people when they are incorrect, I realize that this can be a weakness for me when I become an educator. It will be my job to show others their mistakes, and give them the constructive criticism they need to grow both academically and as a person. After learning more about correct peer editing, I was most impressed with the three steps that are involved, which are compliments, suggestions, and corrections.
The first step in successful peer editing that involves giving compliments to others is something that I can do with great ease. One of the main focuses of peer editing is to stay positive, and I feel that complimenting on a piece of work is the best way to send an edit off to a great start. I also found the rule of suggestion very helpful for future grading. Of course, no one wants to be told when he or she has done something incorrectly. However, I feel that suggesting how a person could do something differently rather than simply telling him or her that they are wrong about something will help them better open up to criticism. In my opinion, I think they will be more likely to listen and use the advice they have been given this way, also. Correcting people when they have made mistakes is not one of my strong points by any means, but I do realize that it is something that I will have to become better at if I'm going to educate people as my career. Just because I am correcting someone does not mean that I am being negative towards his or her work. On the contrary, I am simply showing them mistakes to guide them in the right direction of what to do differently in the future. The ideas of using compliments, suggestions, and corrections in peer editing makes much more sense to me now, and I will definitely use them efficiently in my future classrooms and when editing works of my classmates.
The Mountbatten
I was amazed after watching this video. Normally, when we think of technology use in the classroom, we mostly think about how smart boards, computers, iPads, etc. are beneficial to students in general education. Not until I saw this did I realize how much of an impact something like the Mountbatten can have on a student who is physically impaired. I was very impressed with it being able to print in braille and audibly repeat the letter that was being typed, along with the fact that it is able to transfer files to and from computers. I will definitely keep this device in mind when I become a teacher. If there are students in my classroom who are visually impaired and would be better able to keep up with the class if they had devices such as these, I will do everything in my power to have them and help each student learn, grow, and interact with the world around them by using these.
Assistive Technologies
After watching the videos about how technology is helping students who are blind and deaf, I am fascinated with everything that has been developed as aids for them. The Mountbatten, as stated earlier, as a remarkable tool for blind students who are learning to type and use computers within their classrooms. I was also fascinated with the electronic grid shown in the video "Teaching Math to the Blind" and how it was able to teach basic math skills. If it were not invented, perhaps no blind students would ever be able to grasp the concept of arranging and solving math problems in columns and rows. One of the most crucial pieces of technology I found throughout all of these videos, however, was the iPad. With it's touch-to-speak abilities, along with the help of Siri, students will be able to not only know which apps they are working with, but every intricate detail of each of them, such as book title, chapter, page number, etc.
These videos alerted some interesting thoughts into my mind. If there are schools for blind and deaf children that do not have enhancement technology such as this, how will the students be able to function normally and keep up with the rest of the world? As I saw in "Mr. Winkle Wakes", technology use is spreading rapidly everywhere except for in the classrooms. If students in general education will be hindered by this, how much more will it harm the future of those who are already physically disabled? When I become a teacher, my job will be to not only help students become knowledgeable in the subject I am teaching, but to also prepare them for life in the outside world. Because technology use is constantly changing and expanding, I believe that we, as educators, need to push that same type of expansion within schools. If I have blind or deaf students, or students with disabilities of any kind, I will strive to help them become well acquainted with technology, and to use those skills they have attained in my classroom to allow them to live successful lives as much as possible.
Vicki Davis: Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts
As a future educator, I am always inspired by teachers who are empowering their students to learn in ways that they will always be able to relate to and use in the world around them. As I watched the video about Vicki Davis, I realized that she is a perfect example of such an educator. From what I saw, Mrs. Davis throws out traditional rules of teaching and learning, and challenges her students to learn and absorb the information on their own. Even though they are in a rural community in Georgia, she is training her students to be able to communicate, interact, and work successfully with people from all over the world, and to use their skills to enhance their own futures, as well.
Throughout this video, I could not help but be reminded of Dr. Strange here in EDM 310. Like Vicki Davis, Dr. Strange puts us to the ultimate test every week of whether or not we are able to think on our own and be able to adapt to the ever-changing world. It may not be easy, but it is something that I know I, as a student, will be able to appreciate in the long run. This video has also helped me visualize how I would like my own classroom to be. My goal is to help students realize that they are fully capable of thinking, learning, and adding their own input into society. Hopefully, I will one day see some of the same results that instructors like Dr. Strange and Vicki Davis have had the privilege of seeing.