Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Monday, June 27, 2011
Blog Post #9
What I've Learned This Year
In Mr. McClung's post What I've Learned This Year he gave some great advice for first year teachers. Any teacher who is about to have their own classroom for the first time is going to be excited/nervous. The advice he gives is easy to read and understand, and definitely attainable for all!
In the first part of his post he talks about "how to read a crowd." He mentions the importance of keeping your lessons "student centered." It is easy to get distracted by the people watching you that you can forget what you are there for... to teach students. I think this is important advice for any teacher to follow because the teachers that I learned the most from in school were the ones that actually made class about the students. As a teacher you have to feed off of how your students like to learn. To know this you have to be able to read the crowd.
As a control freak, and someone who lives their life through lists and plans, his section about being flexible really helped me. He writes about how no lesson is perfect and we just need to go with whatever happens, make the best of the situation, and move on. This is very good advice for someone like me. I know it is something I will probably struggle with my first year of teaching as well. I hope I can mentally prepare myself now, and learn to just let things happen.
Mr. McClung also talks about communication. I think that communication is the key to life, so naturally, the key to effective education as well. It is extremely important to have good communication with not only your students but also the people you work with. Everyone should grow and learn together, and the best way to do this is to proficiently communicate with everyone! Plus, everyone likes a positive learning environment.
Be reasonable! Do not get upset or discouraged if your students do not always meet your expectations, or they will get upset and discouraged. Teachers really do need to realize that our students are not perfect and we just have to support them and encourage them as best we can. If you give up, so will they.
And then there was technology... Mr. McClung talks about how essential technology is in schools today. He says that we should not be scared of it or give up on it, before we start to learn about it and how to use it. After taking four weeks of EDM310 I can honestly say he is right. Technology is essential in our society today and we do have to embrace it, and use it. We should not be scared of it, and we should do our best to incorporate it into our classrooms.
Mr. McClung also talks about listening to your students. I think this is so important because knowing your students and how they like to learn will make their learning experience so much better. When you listen to your students they will know that you care about them and respect them, and they will respect what you have to say in return.
The last thing he writes about is "never stop learning." I agree that this is really important for teachers to remember. There is constantly new information in the world and teachers should constantly be learning along with their students. He says that it is never to late to change your thinking, learning, or style. If you find something that works better, or makes more sense, why not switch up your way of thinking and learning. Your students can also help shape your teaching style if you take the time to listen to them and really know what they like.
Mr. McClung gives some great advice in his post, and I think all soon to be teachers should read what he has to say. It has made me feel a lot better about the whole situation, and has given me some different perspectives that I never thought of.
In Mr. McClung's post What I've Learned This Year he gave some great advice for first year teachers. Any teacher who is about to have their own classroom for the first time is going to be excited/nervous. The advice he gives is easy to read and understand, and definitely attainable for all!
In the first part of his post he talks about "how to read a crowd." He mentions the importance of keeping your lessons "student centered." It is easy to get distracted by the people watching you that you can forget what you are there for... to teach students. I think this is important advice for any teacher to follow because the teachers that I learned the most from in school were the ones that actually made class about the students. As a teacher you have to feed off of how your students like to learn. To know this you have to be able to read the crowd.
As a control freak, and someone who lives their life through lists and plans, his section about being flexible really helped me. He writes about how no lesson is perfect and we just need to go with whatever happens, make the best of the situation, and move on. This is very good advice for someone like me. I know it is something I will probably struggle with my first year of teaching as well. I hope I can mentally prepare myself now, and learn to just let things happen.
Mr. McClung also talks about communication. I think that communication is the key to life, so naturally, the key to effective education as well. It is extremely important to have good communication with not only your students but also the people you work with. Everyone should grow and learn together, and the best way to do this is to proficiently communicate with everyone! Plus, everyone likes a positive learning environment.
Be reasonable! Do not get upset or discouraged if your students do not always meet your expectations, or they will get upset and discouraged. Teachers really do need to realize that our students are not perfect and we just have to support them and encourage them as best we can. If you give up, so will they.
And then there was technology... Mr. McClung talks about how essential technology is in schools today. He says that we should not be scared of it or give up on it, before we start to learn about it and how to use it. After taking four weeks of EDM310 I can honestly say he is right. Technology is essential in our society today and we do have to embrace it, and use it. We should not be scared of it, and we should do our best to incorporate it into our classrooms.
Mr. McClung also talks about listening to your students. I think this is so important because knowing your students and how they like to learn will make their learning experience so much better. When you listen to your students they will know that you care about them and respect them, and they will respect what you have to say in return.
The last thing he writes about is "never stop learning." I agree that this is really important for teachers to remember. There is constantly new information in the world and teachers should constantly be learning along with their students. He says that it is never to late to change your thinking, learning, or style. If you find something that works better, or makes more sense, why not switch up your way of thinking and learning. Your students can also help shape your teaching style if you take the time to listen to them and really know what they like.
Mr. McClung gives some great advice in his post, and I think all soon to be teachers should read what he has to say. It has made me feel a lot better about the whole situation, and has given me some different perspectives that I never thought of.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Blog Post #8
This Is How We Dream
Richard Miller obviously put a lot of thought into these videos. He stresses that the way the world of technology is changing is incremental, not fundamental. All of the new and collaborative ways we have learned to use technology are an additional gain to our education system. The way people learn in the world is changing.
He talks about "sharing knowledge infinitely" which really made me think. There was a time when people had to buy a book, or rent a book from the library to find information they were seeking. With the way technology has changed, people have access to free information that does not just include text. You can find videos, pictures, audio, and text all in one for a collaborative learning experience. The best thing about it is that everyone can access this information at the same time for free. It does not go anywhere, you do not have to return it, and people can share their knowledge with everyone. Richard Miller makes the point that we can use this advance in technology to "push ideas into our culture." Everywhere you look there is technology being used so we can make use of this, and incorporate our ideas for people to think about.
Richard Miller says that as teachers we "must share ideas freely." What better way to do that then through technology. Students are using technology and will be more apt to understand what we are saying if we can share our ideas through technology. He makes the point that people compose work now "not by word processors, but digitally." He says that this is not fully understood, and I agree. The options for digital learning are endless, and people are constantly finding new uses for our technology. He can imagine a day when everything is done digitally, and thinks we should prepare for this. I agree, technology will only continue to grow and we must learn and grow with it as a culture.
Carly Pugh's Blog Post #12
Caryl's post was clearly well thought out. I can tell she put a lot of work into it. I think she comes very close to what Richard Miller was trying to say in his video. She truly makes her assignment a collaborative experience. She includes links in her post that go to videos, to help better explain what she is trying to say. She makes the point that you can use more than just videos to do this. I imagine she means that you can add podcasts, audio, and links to other web-sites to help further explain what you are trying to say. I think that her YouTube playlist idea was awesome. You can collaborate your personal teaching philosophy, instructions, ideas, helpful hints, and so on...with videos that you believe best reflect you and what you are trying to get across to others. This would be good for anyone to have, and you could continuously add to it while "sharing knowledge infinitely." She has created a digitally sound experience instead of just a word processed style of learning.
Learn to Change, Change to Learn
The classroom is a place where students learn, but this is not the only place that students learn. With the technology available and widely used today students can, and are, learning all of the time. Students learn a lot through their social networking: facebook, twitter, text messaging, and online in general. As teachers we should embrace this way of learning as well and not reject it. The video mentions that "every turned off device is potentially a turned off child." I really do agree with this. In schools children are directed to not use their cell phones, stay off facebook, and keep their heads in their books. Personally, my friends and I share information with each other everyday that we have learned through our social networking. Not only do we share this information, but we are excited about it. We find things that we are interested in and we can share it with mass amounts of people through the technology that we use. Why would teachers try to take away one of the most fundamental tools for student learning? You would think they would be ecstatic to know that we are pursuing different types of learning on our own.
In the video they talk about one continuously brought up point in EDM 310 that I love! We should not teach our students to memorize facts, and information. We should work with our students to help them learn how to find accurate information and be able to validate, synthesize, problem solve, collaborate, and communicate this information. I love this because I truly believe that these are the tools needed to enable students to become lifelong learners. Right now we have a "classroom system instead of a community system." Many people believe that learning should be done in the classroom. They must not realize that learning is done everywhere, and that if they supported this idea then everyone in a community could constantly, and actively learn together.
One of the last arguments I would like to talk about is NCLB. In this video they say that if there was no NCLB then this would enable students to become more creative. I agree with this because instead of learning only the information that will be on standardized tests, students could shape their learning around what they are interested in. Not only could they do this, but they could also incorporate different learning styles into their education. By doing this they would have a sense of freedom to learn more things the way they would like to learn them. They would enjoy learning a lot more and they might actually get excited about it.
The Chipper Series/EDM310 For Dummies
Both of these videos were really creative and I liked that students created them. The Chipper Series video was about doing your own work and getting it done on time. You will learn more from doing your work, and it is not beneficial if someone else does it for you. EDM310 For Dummies was really funny and so true! This class can be extremely overwhelming. It is a class filled with many assignments and a lot of useful opportunities. In the beginning of the semester I really thought "I cannot make it through this class!" Once you get used to how things work and really start exploring on your own you can really learn some interesting things, and learning becomes exciting and a lot easier. Both of these videos were really creative. I would like mine to be as well. I have not put much thought into what I want to do for my video. I would like to do a video on how to stay ahead in EDM310, but I am not sure how I would like to do this. I think it is really important to stay ahead in this class because you can so easily get behind. Once you are behind it would be almost impossible to catch up. I think this really needs to be stressed for future EDM310 students.
Richard Miller obviously put a lot of thought into these videos. He stresses that the way the world of technology is changing is incremental, not fundamental. All of the new and collaborative ways we have learned to use technology are an additional gain to our education system. The way people learn in the world is changing.
He talks about "sharing knowledge infinitely" which really made me think. There was a time when people had to buy a book, or rent a book from the library to find information they were seeking. With the way technology has changed, people have access to free information that does not just include text. You can find videos, pictures, audio, and text all in one for a collaborative learning experience. The best thing about it is that everyone can access this information at the same time for free. It does not go anywhere, you do not have to return it, and people can share their knowledge with everyone. Richard Miller makes the point that we can use this advance in technology to "push ideas into our culture." Everywhere you look there is technology being used so we can make use of this, and incorporate our ideas for people to think about.
Richard Miller says that as teachers we "must share ideas freely." What better way to do that then through technology. Students are using technology and will be more apt to understand what we are saying if we can share our ideas through technology. He makes the point that people compose work now "not by word processors, but digitally." He says that this is not fully understood, and I agree. The options for digital learning are endless, and people are constantly finding new uses for our technology. He can imagine a day when everything is done digitally, and thinks we should prepare for this. I agree, technology will only continue to grow and we must learn and grow with it as a culture.
Carly Pugh's Blog Post #12
Caryl's post was clearly well thought out. I can tell she put a lot of work into it. I think she comes very close to what Richard Miller was trying to say in his video. She truly makes her assignment a collaborative experience. She includes links in her post that go to videos, to help better explain what she is trying to say. She makes the point that you can use more than just videos to do this. I imagine she means that you can add podcasts, audio, and links to other web-sites to help further explain what you are trying to say. I think that her YouTube playlist idea was awesome. You can collaborate your personal teaching philosophy, instructions, ideas, helpful hints, and so on...with videos that you believe best reflect you and what you are trying to get across to others. This would be good for anyone to have, and you could continuously add to it while "sharing knowledge infinitely." She has created a digitally sound experience instead of just a word processed style of learning.
Learn to Change, Change to Learn
The classroom is a place where students learn, but this is not the only place that students learn. With the technology available and widely used today students can, and are, learning all of the time. Students learn a lot through their social networking: facebook, twitter, text messaging, and online in general. As teachers we should embrace this way of learning as well and not reject it. The video mentions that "every turned off device is potentially a turned off child." I really do agree with this. In schools children are directed to not use their cell phones, stay off facebook, and keep their heads in their books. Personally, my friends and I share information with each other everyday that we have learned through our social networking. Not only do we share this information, but we are excited about it. We find things that we are interested in and we can share it with mass amounts of people through the technology that we use. Why would teachers try to take away one of the most fundamental tools for student learning? You would think they would be ecstatic to know that we are pursuing different types of learning on our own.
In the video they talk about one continuously brought up point in EDM 310 that I love! We should not teach our students to memorize facts, and information. We should work with our students to help them learn how to find accurate information and be able to validate, synthesize, problem solve, collaborate, and communicate this information. I love this because I truly believe that these are the tools needed to enable students to become lifelong learners. Right now we have a "classroom system instead of a community system." Many people believe that learning should be done in the classroom. They must not realize that learning is done everywhere, and that if they supported this idea then everyone in a community could constantly, and actively learn together.
One of the last arguments I would like to talk about is NCLB. In this video they say that if there was no NCLB then this would enable students to become more creative. I agree with this because instead of learning only the information that will be on standardized tests, students could shape their learning around what they are interested in. Not only could they do this, but they could also incorporate different learning styles into their education. By doing this they would have a sense of freedom to learn more things the way they would like to learn them. They would enjoy learning a lot more and they might actually get excited about it.
The Chipper Series/EDM310 For Dummies
Both of these videos were really creative and I liked that students created them. The Chipper Series video was about doing your own work and getting it done on time. You will learn more from doing your work, and it is not beneficial if someone else does it for you. EDM310 For Dummies was really funny and so true! This class can be extremely overwhelming. It is a class filled with many assignments and a lot of useful opportunities. In the beginning of the semester I really thought "I cannot make it through this class!" Once you get used to how things work and really start exploring on your own you can really learn some interesting things, and learning becomes exciting and a lot easier. Both of these videos were really creative. I would like mine to be as well. I have not put much thought into what I want to do for my video. I would like to do a video on how to stay ahead in EDM310, but I am not sure how I would like to do this. I think it is really important to stay ahead in this class because you can so easily get behind. Once you are behind it would be almost impossible to catch up. I think this really needs to be stressed for future EDM310 students.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Project #10
Symbaloo
For my personal learning network I am using Symbaloo. It is very convenient and really helps me stay organized. I like that I have all of the main web-sites I go to everyday right there in front of me. It is easy to keep up with everything I am doing, and I do not have to constantly open new tabs. I really like the news highlights tab at the top of my PLN. It gives me access to all of the top news stories, and their summaries, just by scrolling my mouse over the pictures. This is so helpful and easy to use. I can see what is going on in the world and I do not even have to leave my PLN! The google search box in the middle of my page is also very helpful. If I need to go to a web-site that I do not commonly visit it is very simple. Once again, I do not have to leave my PLN or open a new tab to type something into google. It saves me a lot of time and frustration. I love how organized it keeps all of the things that I use. This enables me to visit all of my favorite sites from just one page. It's awesome!
For my personal learning network I am using Symbaloo. It is very convenient and really helps me stay organized. I like that I have all of the main web-sites I go to everyday right there in front of me. It is easy to keep up with everything I am doing, and I do not have to constantly open new tabs. I really like the news highlights tab at the top of my PLN. It gives me access to all of the top news stories, and their summaries, just by scrolling my mouse over the pictures. This is so helpful and easy to use. I can see what is going on in the world and I do not even have to leave my PLN! The google search box in the middle of my page is also very helpful. If I need to go to a web-site that I do not commonly visit it is very simple. Once again, I do not have to leave my PLN or open a new tab to type something into google. It saves me a lot of time and frustration. I love how organized it keeps all of the things that I use. This enables me to visit all of my favorite sites from just one page. It's awesome!
Comments For Teachers #2
Teaching in the 21st Century
In this blog Dr. Strange writes about some of the fears students that are going to be future teachers have for the future of education. Students are scared of many things and technology is one of them. They do not want their students to have to depend on technology. Some of the students even said that they are afraid that technology might take over their jobs. They spoke about inappropriate information that can be found on the internet and how it could hinder a students learning experience.
Dr. Strange posted a video for them to watch called Teaching in the 21st Century. We have to be able to guide and engage our students through their technological learning experiences. We have to be able to teach our students skills not facts. These are the kinds of things that will help them in the future to keep learning even when we are not there to facilitate. He stresses that we must not teach the way we were taught (burp-back education method)but we should advance our teaching skills with the advancements of technology throughout the world. We should incorporate new ideas and methods of teaching that actually ENGAGE our students.
In my comment to Dr. Strange I admitted that I had some of the same fears as some of his past students. I also said that after watching the video I decided that this fear is a good thing. It will help motivate me to really learn new things and to keep up with the changing world that education has become. After watching the video I realized that I cannot be scared, instead I have to jump right into the change and embrace it. I realize that I will have to work extra hard to catch up and stay caught up, but it will be well worth it.
Serendipity
In Dr. Strange's post there was a video posted from one of the EDM 310 alumni. It was very interesting, and taught a lesson that was full of inspiration. Some people in Sweden decided to do a little creative research. They took boring stairs that were next to an escalator, and turned them into piano keys that made noise when you walked up them. They called this the "fun theory." They wanted to see if making these boring stairs "not so boring" would make people use them instead of the escalator. At the end of their study they found that 60% more people used the piano stairs that day, then they used the boring stairs on any other day of the year. This shows how far a little creativity can go to get people engaged in activities they never usually like to do.
In my comment to Dr. Strange I noted that the "fun theory" actually works! It was fantastic to watch these people get involved in something they do not normally do because it was fun. This can be related to education in so many ways. You have to make your classroom fun to appropriately engage your students. It has to be interesting, and as you can see, a little bit of simple creativity can go a really long way. People thrive on what they like to do, and what they think is fun. By sparking students interest with a little creativity you can get them involved in learning, and they might actually find that they like it. As a teacher it is our job to step out of the box and find new ways for our students to become engaged. If we get creative, so will our students.
In this blog Dr. Strange writes about some of the fears students that are going to be future teachers have for the future of education. Students are scared of many things and technology is one of them. They do not want their students to have to depend on technology. Some of the students even said that they are afraid that technology might take over their jobs. They spoke about inappropriate information that can be found on the internet and how it could hinder a students learning experience.
Dr. Strange posted a video for them to watch called Teaching in the 21st Century. We have to be able to guide and engage our students through their technological learning experiences. We have to be able to teach our students skills not facts. These are the kinds of things that will help them in the future to keep learning even when we are not there to facilitate. He stresses that we must not teach the way we were taught (burp-back education method)but we should advance our teaching skills with the advancements of technology throughout the world. We should incorporate new ideas and methods of teaching that actually ENGAGE our students.
In my comment to Dr. Strange I admitted that I had some of the same fears as some of his past students. I also said that after watching the video I decided that this fear is a good thing. It will help motivate me to really learn new things and to keep up with the changing world that education has become. After watching the video I realized that I cannot be scared, instead I have to jump right into the change and embrace it. I realize that I will have to work extra hard to catch up and stay caught up, but it will be well worth it.
Serendipity
In Dr. Strange's post there was a video posted from one of the EDM 310 alumni. It was very interesting, and taught a lesson that was full of inspiration. Some people in Sweden decided to do a little creative research. They took boring stairs that were next to an escalator, and turned them into piano keys that made noise when you walked up them. They called this the "fun theory." They wanted to see if making these boring stairs "not so boring" would make people use them instead of the escalator. At the end of their study they found that 60% more people used the piano stairs that day, then they used the boring stairs on any other day of the year. This shows how far a little creativity can go to get people engaged in activities they never usually like to do.
In my comment to Dr. Strange I noted that the "fun theory" actually works! It was fantastic to watch these people get involved in something they do not normally do because it was fun. This can be related to education in so many ways. You have to make your classroom fun to appropriately engage your students. It has to be interesting, and as you can see, a little bit of simple creativity can go a really long way. People thrive on what they like to do, and what they think is fun. By sparking students interest with a little creativity you can get them involved in learning, and they might actually find that they like it. As a teacher it is our job to step out of the box and find new ways for our students to become engaged. If we get creative, so will our students.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Blog Post #7
Randy Pausch's Last Lecture
This video was an hour long, but in that hour I learned so much about Randy Pausch. He is a very educated, determined, motivated, and overall just a good person. His personal value system is amazing. Randy does not only believe in making his life better, but he also strives to make the lives of other people better. Randy believes in karma, and so do I. He sticks to his morals and values and clearly it has worked great for him. He has been able to accomplish all of his dreams by working hard and never giving up!
Randy Pausch kept going back to a statement about a brick wall. I think this is what stood out to me the most about his lecture. He says that brick walls are not made to keep everyone out...they are made to keep out the people who do not want something bad enough. I think this is so true. Everything is attainable, but everything is not given to you. You have to work hard for what you want and never take no as an answer. Randy gave many examples of brick walls he has had to overcome, and with much persistence he has! This was just such valuable information, and very inspiring to see what hard work and dedication can bring to your life.
Another thing that Randy continued to bring up were "head fakes". He explained them as ways to teach students certain things without letting them know that is what you are trying to teach them. Having students learn in fun and entertaining ways, so that they actively participate, and having them learn things along the way they didn't even know they were learning. I think this is a very effective way to teach students. You have to be creative and think of ways that you can do this, but I think the reward in the end will be very satisfying. To be able to see your students having fun and enjoying the learning process would be awesome. For them to realize that they learned so much more than they thought, and without dreading it the whole time, is amazing.
One thing that also stood out to me was a piece of advice one of his mentors gave to him. Randy was so impressed with his students work he did not know what to say to his students. He called one of his mentors and they told him to not set a bar for his students. He told him he should go into the classroom and tell his students "this work was good... but you can do better," even though he was already blown away. By not setting a bar his students would never settle. They would not have a stopping point, and therefore, they would not STOP. They would continue to grow, learn, expand, and they would have no limits. I think this is so important because when you set limits, most people will only work as hard as it takes to meet that limit. If you want your students to go above and beyond they have to feel like there is an above and beyond. There are endless possibilities when there is no bar.
This video was very inspiring. It was well worth watching, and I think the lessons were priceless. His techniques were amazing and I think all teachers should aspire to be as motivated and dedicated to their work as Randy Pausch was.
This video was an hour long, but in that hour I learned so much about Randy Pausch. He is a very educated, determined, motivated, and overall just a good person. His personal value system is amazing. Randy does not only believe in making his life better, but he also strives to make the lives of other people better. Randy believes in karma, and so do I. He sticks to his morals and values and clearly it has worked great for him. He has been able to accomplish all of his dreams by working hard and never giving up!
Randy Pausch kept going back to a statement about a brick wall. I think this is what stood out to me the most about his lecture. He says that brick walls are not made to keep everyone out...they are made to keep out the people who do not want something bad enough. I think this is so true. Everything is attainable, but everything is not given to you. You have to work hard for what you want and never take no as an answer. Randy gave many examples of brick walls he has had to overcome, and with much persistence he has! This was just such valuable information, and very inspiring to see what hard work and dedication can bring to your life.
Another thing that Randy continued to bring up were "head fakes". He explained them as ways to teach students certain things without letting them know that is what you are trying to teach them. Having students learn in fun and entertaining ways, so that they actively participate, and having them learn things along the way they didn't even know they were learning. I think this is a very effective way to teach students. You have to be creative and think of ways that you can do this, but I think the reward in the end will be very satisfying. To be able to see your students having fun and enjoying the learning process would be awesome. For them to realize that they learned so much more than they thought, and without dreading it the whole time, is amazing.
One thing that also stood out to me was a piece of advice one of his mentors gave to him. Randy was so impressed with his students work he did not know what to say to his students. He called one of his mentors and they told him to not set a bar for his students. He told him he should go into the classroom and tell his students "this work was good... but you can do better," even though he was already blown away. By not setting a bar his students would never settle. They would not have a stopping point, and therefore, they would not STOP. They would continue to grow, learn, expand, and they would have no limits. I think this is so important because when you set limits, most people will only work as hard as it takes to meet that limit. If you want your students to go above and beyond they have to feel like there is an above and beyond. There are endless possibilities when there is no bar.
This video was very inspiring. It was well worth watching, and I think the lessons were priceless. His techniques were amazing and I think all teachers should aspire to be as motivated and dedicated to their work as Randy Pausch was.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Blog Post #6
The Networked Student
First of all, this was a very creative approach for a video. I was impressed on how sucked into the video I got even though there were not actual people in it. I thought that was very clever. This video showed all of the different technological ways that students can learn on there own. They can make professional, personal, and educational connections all the time. So, the question Wendy Drixler has asked is "why do we need teachers?" Her answer entails many reasons about why a student still needs a teacher. She says that the teacher is the one who helps their student build these connections and take advantage of learning opportunities, gives guidance to students when they get stuck, shows students how to communicate effectively and ask questions respectfully to their connections, how to differentiate between good information and propaganda, how to turn a web search into a scavenger hunt, and shows their students how to organize the information they find.
All of the reasons that Wendy gives are great. Building connections is so important for students so that they can continue learning on their own once they do not have a teacher. Being able to communicate effectively and ask questions respectfully is one of the most important things I think a teacher can teach their students. Without being able to do this they will not be able to build those important connections for their future. For students to continue learning accurate information it is the teachers responsibility to show them how to find "accurate" information. There is a lot of inaccurate information on the web and our students should know how to recognize the difference. Obviously, there are many reasons why students would still need their teacher even when technology is such a big part of the learning experience. I think this video did a great job showing this.
A 7th Grader's Personal Learning Environment
This 7th graders PLE was very much like my PLN. A lot of things on her PLE were organized and can be viewed by other people. This is similar to my PLN because I can be "Googled" and people can look at my work. Just like this 7th grader I can add videos, text, and pictures to my PLN. I can add links to my social networks, and links with my contact information. This 7th grader spoke about peer review and reflection. I think this sums up my PLN. All of my peers can see my work and comment on it. They can tell me their views on the topic and give me some insight I might not have thought of otherwise. I think having a PLN, just like her PLE, gives me a lot of room for reflection. I can look back at my work and see what I have done, and what I have thought about certain topics. I can also reflect on the comments I received to help shape, and sometimes change, my opinions on the same topics. Just like in the 7th graders PLE I can edit my work and add things constantly. This helps us continuously learn, and improve our own knowledge and our work. The 7th graders PLE is very similar to my PLN in many ways. Since this is the first time I have ever done anything like this, and she started in 7th grade, it looks like I have some catching up to do!
Smartboards
How Smart is a Smartboard is a blog that I found that comments on how effective smartboards can be. It talks about students being able to use the smartboard to choose their lunch for the day. They mark which lunch they want and a list goes to the appropriate person in the school. They can watch the morning announcements done by students at the school on the smartboard every morning. The teachers can have their lessons, calenders, web-site links, videos etc. all on the smartboard... and the markers never dry up! I can see how all of these things could really make a classroom run smoothly and get the students interacting.
Why Are We Still Wasting Money on Whiteboards is a different blog that talks about how big of an expense and waste interactive white boards are. Bill Ferriter talks about all of the different types of technology that he could buy with the money spent on interactive whiteboards. He makes the point that he could buy things that each student could use at their desk, and prescriptions to educational magazines. He could buy things that would benefit the students more. I agree that interactive white boards are expensive, but if they are used correctly (teachers are proficient at working them) then I think that they could be very beneficial in a classroom. I also think that with any technology used in the classroom the students need to learn how to use it also. If they don't it could cause some anxiety for them in future projects where they might need to use it.
First of all, this was a very creative approach for a video. I was impressed on how sucked into the video I got even though there were not actual people in it. I thought that was very clever. This video showed all of the different technological ways that students can learn on there own. They can make professional, personal, and educational connections all the time. So, the question Wendy Drixler has asked is "why do we need teachers?" Her answer entails many reasons about why a student still needs a teacher. She says that the teacher is the one who helps their student build these connections and take advantage of learning opportunities, gives guidance to students when they get stuck, shows students how to communicate effectively and ask questions respectfully to their connections, how to differentiate between good information and propaganda, how to turn a web search into a scavenger hunt, and shows their students how to organize the information they find.
All of the reasons that Wendy gives are great. Building connections is so important for students so that they can continue learning on their own once they do not have a teacher. Being able to communicate effectively and ask questions respectfully is one of the most important things I think a teacher can teach their students. Without being able to do this they will not be able to build those important connections for their future. For students to continue learning accurate information it is the teachers responsibility to show them how to find "accurate" information. There is a lot of inaccurate information on the web and our students should know how to recognize the difference. Obviously, there are many reasons why students would still need their teacher even when technology is such a big part of the learning experience. I think this video did a great job showing this.
A 7th Grader's Personal Learning Environment
This 7th graders PLE was very much like my PLN. A lot of things on her PLE were organized and can be viewed by other people. This is similar to my PLN because I can be "Googled" and people can look at my work. Just like this 7th grader I can add videos, text, and pictures to my PLN. I can add links to my social networks, and links with my contact information. This 7th grader spoke about peer review and reflection. I think this sums up my PLN. All of my peers can see my work and comment on it. They can tell me their views on the topic and give me some insight I might not have thought of otherwise. I think having a PLN, just like her PLE, gives me a lot of room for reflection. I can look back at my work and see what I have done, and what I have thought about certain topics. I can also reflect on the comments I received to help shape, and sometimes change, my opinions on the same topics. Just like in the 7th graders PLE I can edit my work and add things constantly. This helps us continuously learn, and improve our own knowledge and our work. The 7th graders PLE is very similar to my PLN in many ways. Since this is the first time I have ever done anything like this, and she started in 7th grade, it looks like I have some catching up to do!
Smartboards
How Smart is a Smartboard is a blog that I found that comments on how effective smartboards can be. It talks about students being able to use the smartboard to choose their lunch for the day. They mark which lunch they want and a list goes to the appropriate person in the school. They can watch the morning announcements done by students at the school on the smartboard every morning. The teachers can have their lessons, calenders, web-site links, videos etc. all on the smartboard... and the markers never dry up! I can see how all of these things could really make a classroom run smoothly and get the students interacting.
Why Are We Still Wasting Money on Whiteboards is a different blog that talks about how big of an expense and waste interactive white boards are. Bill Ferriter talks about all of the different types of technology that he could buy with the money spent on interactive whiteboards. He makes the point that he could buy things that each student could use at their desk, and prescriptions to educational magazines. He could buy things that would benefit the students more. I agree that interactive white boards are expensive, but if they are used correctly (teachers are proficient at working them) then I think that they could be very beneficial in a classroom. I also think that with any technology used in the classroom the students need to learn how to use it also. If they don't it could cause some anxiety for them in future projects where they might need to use it.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Blog Post #5
The Benefits of Podcasting in the Classroom
This did a great job demonstrating the abilities of a podcast in schools. There were many times in high school that it would have been very useful to have a podcast. I hated missing school because when I came back I had so much work and information to catch up on. It was very stressful and a podcast would have been great!
I also played sports in high school. After school I did not have a lot of time for extra help in my classes. Sometimes I did not understand something fully and I could have used a podcast in this instance as well. I could have used it to go over the information again at my own pace, and as many times as I want. This would have been helpful and it would have saved me from a lot of anxiety.
Another thing I thought was interesting was his use of the podcast. I liked how he got the other teachers to help him read. I'm sure this made the story a lot more entertaining for the students. I would have much rather listened to a story like that in class then just my teacher reading it to me. Looking at this gave me some very good ideas for my future careers.
100 Ways to Use Your iPod to Learn and Study Better
I had no idea you could do all of this on your iPod! There were things from learning languages, to audio lectures, to spark notes, to various quizzes, to even teacher lesson plans. It amazes me how many downloads they have to offer. The best part...you can use them wherever you are! I think this would be a great tool for a teacher to have. We can learn things ourselves from it, but we can also take things from it to use in our classroom. They have really neat study guides and quizzes for almost any subject.
One of the downloads is called GoogleGet. I think this would be really useful to both students and teachers. You can get the top news stories all the time. Your students would be informed of current events all of the time, not just while they are sitting in front of the T.V. I think this could be a very effective tool to utilize in the classroom.
Langwitches
This was very inspiring. I could tell these students enjoyed making this podcast. They were trying their best to speak clearly, and really tell the story. They did a great job. I think that this would be great to do with students to get them to work together. It is a group effort and they would learn great teamwork. Working together on a fun activity like this will bring the students closer together, and really help them stay engaged in the activity. I really liked listening to this podcast, I was very impressed!
This did a great job demonstrating the abilities of a podcast in schools. There were many times in high school that it would have been very useful to have a podcast. I hated missing school because when I came back I had so much work and information to catch up on. It was very stressful and a podcast would have been great!
I also played sports in high school. After school I did not have a lot of time for extra help in my classes. Sometimes I did not understand something fully and I could have used a podcast in this instance as well. I could have used it to go over the information again at my own pace, and as many times as I want. This would have been helpful and it would have saved me from a lot of anxiety.
Another thing I thought was interesting was his use of the podcast. I liked how he got the other teachers to help him read. I'm sure this made the story a lot more entertaining for the students. I would have much rather listened to a story like that in class then just my teacher reading it to me. Looking at this gave me some very good ideas for my future careers.
100 Ways to Use Your iPod to Learn and Study Better
I had no idea you could do all of this on your iPod! There were things from learning languages, to audio lectures, to spark notes, to various quizzes, to even teacher lesson plans. It amazes me how many downloads they have to offer. The best part...you can use them wherever you are! I think this would be a great tool for a teacher to have. We can learn things ourselves from it, but we can also take things from it to use in our classroom. They have really neat study guides and quizzes for almost any subject.
One of the downloads is called GoogleGet. I think this would be really useful to both students and teachers. You can get the top news stories all the time. Your students would be informed of current events all of the time, not just while they are sitting in front of the T.V. I think this could be a very effective tool to utilize in the classroom.
Langwitches
This was very inspiring. I could tell these students enjoyed making this podcast. They were trying their best to speak clearly, and really tell the story. They did a great job. I think that this would be great to do with students to get them to work together. It is a group effort and they would learn great teamwork. Working together on a fun activity like this will bring the students closer together, and really help them stay engaged in the activity. I really liked listening to this podcast, I was very impressed!
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Friday, June 10, 2011
Blog Post #4
Don't Teach Your Kids This Stuff. Please?
Scott McLeod is an Associate Professor in the Education Administration Program at Iowa State University. He is known as one of the nation's leading academic experts on K-12 school technology leadership issues. In his blog post "Don't Teach Your Kids This Stuff. Please?" he amusingly makes some very good points. I really liked that he wrote about the dangers of technology. It is true, technology can take people down some pretty dangerous routes. This usually happens to people who have not been taught how to use technology effectively. As future teachers we should do just that... teach our students how to use it effectively.
We can warn our children/students about the dangers of technology, and do the best we can to protect them from it. Keeping them from it is a different story. Technology is growing at outrageous speeds, and our children will need to know how to use it in the future. If we do not start teaching them now they will be that much more behind. There are ways to teach our children/students how to use technology in a safe and smart manner. As teachers, we should be aware of how to do this and we should DO IT! We should not use danger as an excuse for not properly preparing these children for their future.
The iSchool Initiative
Travis made a wonderful video. He portrayed his point very well! I think he has some very interesting ideas that could be very beneficial to the school system. The part about saving money and saving our "precious resources" was definitely a plus. I don't think anyone would disagree with that. Being able to stay organized, find information, explore the world maps and the universe with just a touch of your finger is a cool concept. I think if people could learn to use this system effectively it could work.
I do have one problem with the iSchool program. It might be just a personal problem, but I do not like the idea of NO school books, and NO pencils and paper. Although I think technology is an important thing to incorporate into the schools, I do not think that it should be the only way students know how to learn. There is nothing wrong with a little book-reading, and hand-written assignments. Maybe I am a little old school, but I do appreciate these things. I think all students should be able to navigate their way through an actual book, not just the internet. With that being said, I do think that a lot of Travis' ideas are interesting and worth looking into. It was a good video!
You Can't Be My Teacher
Wow! This was a very inspirational video. To see how important technology is to this little boy was amazing me to me. He is so young and probably knows more about technology, and the internet than most adults. Most of all, he is INTERESTED. He is asking questions and he WANTS to be involved. He WANTS to learn more from the internet. This shows how much technology can get students involved in their learning.
He asks in the video "Are you going to make me sit at a desk?" This really made me think. When I was his age I did not have a choice. There were not enough technological advances to even have the option of learning any other way. He does not want to sit at a desk! This little boy recognizes the importance of technology in the classroom. He realizes that you can not be an effective teacher without being technologically literate. He said in the video "It's your job!" He is absolutely right. As teachers it is our job to keep learning and expanding our views so that we can effectively teach our students.
Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir
I did not even know something like this was possible! That was truly amazing. Putting 185 people who have never met together like that on the internet and creating this could not have been an easy task. This just proves how much you can do with technology and how much it is advancing.
Being able to do things like this can be very beneficial. At the same time, I have to question one thing. Part of the experience of participating in things like choir is the social aspect. I would just like to know if this detracts from that any. It might not be the case in this video, but sometimes people hide behind technology to avoid face-to-face social interaction with other people. Knowing how to act in social situations is an important part of learning, and I do not think that people should exclude this from their lives just because they can.
Teaching In The 21st Century
I like that this video says that teachers are now "filters". It is true that students can learn anything at anytime. I think it is very important for teachers to realize that we have to show these children how to use this information. Also, just as important, to be able to find accurate and reliable information. We have to show them how to incorporate the knowledge they find with problem solving skills, and critical thinking.
The video asks the question "should our curriculum be focused on facts and content, or skills?" Personally, I do not think that we have to choose. I think that proficient teachers can develop a learning style that focuses on both. It is hard to be skillful at something without knowing facts behind it. It is our job to guide them towards these facts, that they may or may not find through the use of technology, and help them make use of them with problem solving and critical thinking skills. When they are taught how to find reliable information from technology and use it in proficient ways, their learning will be endless.
Scott McLeod is an Associate Professor in the Education Administration Program at Iowa State University. He is known as one of the nation's leading academic experts on K-12 school technology leadership issues. In his blog post "Don't Teach Your Kids This Stuff. Please?" he amusingly makes some very good points. I really liked that he wrote about the dangers of technology. It is true, technology can take people down some pretty dangerous routes. This usually happens to people who have not been taught how to use technology effectively. As future teachers we should do just that... teach our students how to use it effectively.
We can warn our children/students about the dangers of technology, and do the best we can to protect them from it. Keeping them from it is a different story. Technology is growing at outrageous speeds, and our children will need to know how to use it in the future. If we do not start teaching them now they will be that much more behind. There are ways to teach our children/students how to use technology in a safe and smart manner. As teachers, we should be aware of how to do this and we should DO IT! We should not use danger as an excuse for not properly preparing these children for their future.
The iSchool Initiative
Travis made a wonderful video. He portrayed his point very well! I think he has some very interesting ideas that could be very beneficial to the school system. The part about saving money and saving our "precious resources" was definitely a plus. I don't think anyone would disagree with that. Being able to stay organized, find information, explore the world maps and the universe with just a touch of your finger is a cool concept. I think if people could learn to use this system effectively it could work.
I do have one problem with the iSchool program. It might be just a personal problem, but I do not like the idea of NO school books, and NO pencils and paper. Although I think technology is an important thing to incorporate into the schools, I do not think that it should be the only way students know how to learn. There is nothing wrong with a little book-reading, and hand-written assignments. Maybe I am a little old school, but I do appreciate these things. I think all students should be able to navigate their way through an actual book, not just the internet. With that being said, I do think that a lot of Travis' ideas are interesting and worth looking into. It was a good video!
You Can't Be My Teacher
Wow! This was a very inspirational video. To see how important technology is to this little boy was amazing me to me. He is so young and probably knows more about technology, and the internet than most adults. Most of all, he is INTERESTED. He is asking questions and he WANTS to be involved. He WANTS to learn more from the internet. This shows how much technology can get students involved in their learning.
He asks in the video "Are you going to make me sit at a desk?" This really made me think. When I was his age I did not have a choice. There were not enough technological advances to even have the option of learning any other way. He does not want to sit at a desk! This little boy recognizes the importance of technology in the classroom. He realizes that you can not be an effective teacher without being technologically literate. He said in the video "It's your job!" He is absolutely right. As teachers it is our job to keep learning and expanding our views so that we can effectively teach our students.
Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir
I did not even know something like this was possible! That was truly amazing. Putting 185 people who have never met together like that on the internet and creating this could not have been an easy task. This just proves how much you can do with technology and how much it is advancing.
Being able to do things like this can be very beneficial. At the same time, I have to question one thing. Part of the experience of participating in things like choir is the social aspect. I would just like to know if this detracts from that any. It might not be the case in this video, but sometimes people hide behind technology to avoid face-to-face social interaction with other people. Knowing how to act in social situations is an important part of learning, and I do not think that people should exclude this from their lives just because they can.
Teaching In The 21st Century
I like that this video says that teachers are now "filters". It is true that students can learn anything at anytime. I think it is very important for teachers to realize that we have to show these children how to use this information. Also, just as important, to be able to find accurate and reliable information. We have to show them how to incorporate the knowledge they find with problem solving skills, and critical thinking.
The video asks the question "should our curriculum be focused on facts and content, or skills?" Personally, I do not think that we have to choose. I think that proficient teachers can develop a learning style that focuses on both. It is hard to be skillful at something without knowing facts behind it. It is our job to guide them towards these facts, that they may or may not find through the use of technology, and help them make use of them with problem solving and critical thinking skills. When they are taught how to find reliable information from technology and use it in proficient ways, their learning will be endless.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Comments For Teachers #1
Why Are We Still Wasting Money On Whiteboards?
In this blog Bill Ferriter talks about all of the different technological resources we could buy with the money schools spend on interactive whiteboards. He makes some very interesting suggestions that I think are worth thinking about. He said that for the price of six interactive whiteboard we could buy 75 netbook computers, 87 iTouches, 360 Livescribe pens, or 36 years of VoiceThread subscriptions. These are all materials that would be more personalized to the student.
In my comment to him I agreed that these different resources could help students become more involved in their schoolwork. I also agreed that interactive whiteboards can be a waste of money. If teachers are not proficient in their use of the interactive whiteboards than they will not be as effective in teaching with them. In my comment, I left some examples of teachers I have had that did not use their interactive whiteboards to their full potential. It was frustrating to me, and the rest of the class. I do agree that interactive whiteboards can be useful in expanding the creativity of children, but teachers need to be taught how to use them first!
Need MORE Proof that Testing is Destroying Education?
Mr. Ferriter makes some crucial points in this blog. He talks about the challenges teachers have come to face because of testing in schools. We are faced with some pretty big decisions. Do we teach children "the test" or do we teach them the things that will matter to them most in their future? It seems like a simple question, until your job depends on it! Teachers are being let go for their students test scores. This puts a lot of pressure on both the teachers and students to learn only certain information.
When I commented on this blog a lot of things were running through my mind. Bill Ferriter touches on the fact that students are not learning crucial elements of education such as "crafting persuasive arguments, engaging in collaborative dialogue, and making critical judgments based on information". This really bothered me because I think these are all important skills for students to learn. These are things that people can, and will, use the rest of their lives. We use these skills in everyday situations and I feel that they are too important to leave out of the curriculum.
In this blog Bill Ferriter talks about all of the different technological resources we could buy with the money schools spend on interactive whiteboards. He makes some very interesting suggestions that I think are worth thinking about. He said that for the price of six interactive whiteboard we could buy 75 netbook computers, 87 iTouches, 360 Livescribe pens, or 36 years of VoiceThread subscriptions. These are all materials that would be more personalized to the student.
In my comment to him I agreed that these different resources could help students become more involved in their schoolwork. I also agreed that interactive whiteboards can be a waste of money. If teachers are not proficient in their use of the interactive whiteboards than they will not be as effective in teaching with them. In my comment, I left some examples of teachers I have had that did not use their interactive whiteboards to their full potential. It was frustrating to me, and the rest of the class. I do agree that interactive whiteboards can be useful in expanding the creativity of children, but teachers need to be taught how to use them first!
Need MORE Proof that Testing is Destroying Education?
Mr. Ferriter makes some crucial points in this blog. He talks about the challenges teachers have come to face because of testing in schools. We are faced with some pretty big decisions. Do we teach children "the test" or do we teach them the things that will matter to them most in their future? It seems like a simple question, until your job depends on it! Teachers are being let go for their students test scores. This puts a lot of pressure on both the teachers and students to learn only certain information.
When I commented on this blog a lot of things were running through my mind. Bill Ferriter touches on the fact that students are not learning crucial elements of education such as "crafting persuasive arguments, engaging in collaborative dialogue, and making critical judgments based on information". This really bothered me because I think these are all important skills for students to learn. These are things that people can, and will, use the rest of their lives. We use these skills in everyday situations and I feel that they are too important to leave out of the curriculum.
Blog Post #3
Michael Wesch: A Vision of Students Today
This video does not necessarily capture my experience since I have been at college. Some things are similar, but I think it relates more to some of my friends then to me personally. I can count on one hand the times I have had to have class in an auditorium. Most of my classes have about 25-30 students in them. My major is Health Education and I am lucky enough to have most of my professors more than once. Most of them know my name, and I feel like I do have a personal connection with them. However, I have a lot of friends with different majors and they would tell you the opposite. Most of them have classes in auditorium's a lot and their professors do not know who they are. It is frustrating to them and I can see why. I can say that I do see a lot of students using their laptops for things other than class. This is a common occurrence as well as playing with their smart phones.
When the student held up the sign about books and how much they cost I could absolutely relate. They cost so much money and a lot of the time I open them once or twice. A lot of people I know have this problem and I would love for it to change. If the course does not need a book, and the test information comes from the slides then why do professors tell us to buy the book? It really is a waste of money. Most teachers post their slides online anyway. Not very many of my teachers use a chalkboard or a standard white board. Most of them use a smart board or their power point slides. From my experience, more teachers and schools have made the switch to more technologically efficient devices in their classrooms.
"It's Not About the Technology"
I think that Kelly Hines makes some very valid points in her writing. I believe that there is more to a better education than just the switch to more technological devices. We as teachers need to have a specific goal in mind when it comes to transforming and bettering the classroom experience. Without this goal the expenses on our new resources will be a waste. They will also be a waste if we do not know how to effectively use the technology we are incorporating. I agree with Kelly Hines when she says that teachers should be learners. We should constantly be learning the new trends as well as information available in our society. By doing this we can productively teach our children in a way they will understand and enjoy.
As teachers we need to be consistently open-minded. We need to learn from our students and embrace the new culture and generation. In doing so we will have endless possibilities to learn, as will our students. When incorporating new technologies into our classroom we should use them to their fullest capacities, even if this means taking the extra time to learn how to do this. In the long run, I think this will impact the students learning in a positive manner.
Is It Okay To Be A Technologically Illiterate Teacher?
I think Karl Fisch makes a very interesting point in this blog. I have seen many of my friends already get turned down for a job because they are technologically illiterate. When technology is such a big part of the world that we live in, and is only growing, how can we think that it is acceptable to not grow with it? I really liked the point he made about communication. The fastest and most convenient form of communication is technology. As teachers, are we not trying to communicate different ideas to our students? We are, and we should be doing it in a way that they can relate.
Like Karl says, technology is only improving and expanding. I cannot even imagine what kind of technology will be in our world in 2020! If we cannot keep up with these new technologies it will be very difficult to find a job. Why would a school hire a teacher that cannot use the most effective ways of communication with their students? To the generation after us, these technologies will be almost common knowledge to them. We need to make them the same way for us. By doing this, communicating with our students and the ways we teach them will not suffer.
Gary Hayes Social Media Count
Gary Hayes Social Media Count made my head hurt! I could not even read half of the statistics because they were changing so frequently. Watching the numbers in his media count shoot up in just a matter of seconds should prove something to us as future educators. We need to get, and stay with the times! This means investing our own time in learning how to use these technological devices and services, and how to use them well! These numbers show us just how popular technology is and how often it is used. These numbers are not going to reduce as we further in our careers, most likely they will rise.
I think it seems overwhelming to a lot of people, including myself, because of how quickly new technologies are found. It should! This should also push us to stay on top of the game, and motivate us to improve our knowledge of the our changing world. The world does not stop developing and improving its ways, and neither should we.
This video does not necessarily capture my experience since I have been at college. Some things are similar, but I think it relates more to some of my friends then to me personally. I can count on one hand the times I have had to have class in an auditorium. Most of my classes have about 25-30 students in them. My major is Health Education and I am lucky enough to have most of my professors more than once. Most of them know my name, and I feel like I do have a personal connection with them. However, I have a lot of friends with different majors and they would tell you the opposite. Most of them have classes in auditorium's a lot and their professors do not know who they are. It is frustrating to them and I can see why. I can say that I do see a lot of students using their laptops for things other than class. This is a common occurrence as well as playing with their smart phones.
When the student held up the sign about books and how much they cost I could absolutely relate. They cost so much money and a lot of the time I open them once or twice. A lot of people I know have this problem and I would love for it to change. If the course does not need a book, and the test information comes from the slides then why do professors tell us to buy the book? It really is a waste of money. Most teachers post their slides online anyway. Not very many of my teachers use a chalkboard or a standard white board. Most of them use a smart board or their power point slides. From my experience, more teachers and schools have made the switch to more technologically efficient devices in their classrooms.
"It's Not About the Technology"
I think that Kelly Hines makes some very valid points in her writing. I believe that there is more to a better education than just the switch to more technological devices. We as teachers need to have a specific goal in mind when it comes to transforming and bettering the classroom experience. Without this goal the expenses on our new resources will be a waste. They will also be a waste if we do not know how to effectively use the technology we are incorporating. I agree with Kelly Hines when she says that teachers should be learners. We should constantly be learning the new trends as well as information available in our society. By doing this we can productively teach our children in a way they will understand and enjoy.
As teachers we need to be consistently open-minded. We need to learn from our students and embrace the new culture and generation. In doing so we will have endless possibilities to learn, as will our students. When incorporating new technologies into our classroom we should use them to their fullest capacities, even if this means taking the extra time to learn how to do this. In the long run, I think this will impact the students learning in a positive manner.
Is It Okay To Be A Technologically Illiterate Teacher?
I think Karl Fisch makes a very interesting point in this blog. I have seen many of my friends already get turned down for a job because they are technologically illiterate. When technology is such a big part of the world that we live in, and is only growing, how can we think that it is acceptable to not grow with it? I really liked the point he made about communication. The fastest and most convenient form of communication is technology. As teachers, are we not trying to communicate different ideas to our students? We are, and we should be doing it in a way that they can relate.
Like Karl says, technology is only improving and expanding. I cannot even imagine what kind of technology will be in our world in 2020! If we cannot keep up with these new technologies it will be very difficult to find a job. Why would a school hire a teacher that cannot use the most effective ways of communication with their students? To the generation after us, these technologies will be almost common knowledge to them. We need to make them the same way for us. By doing this, communicating with our students and the ways we teach them will not suffer.
Gary Hayes Social Media Count
Gary Hayes Social Media Count made my head hurt! I could not even read half of the statistics because they were changing so frequently. Watching the numbers in his media count shoot up in just a matter of seconds should prove something to us as future educators. We need to get, and stay with the times! This means investing our own time in learning how to use these technological devices and services, and how to use them well! These numbers show us just how popular technology is and how often it is used. These numbers are not going to reduce as we further in our careers, most likely they will rise.
I think it seems overwhelming to a lot of people, including myself, because of how quickly new technologies are found. It should! This should also push us to stay on top of the game, and motivate us to improve our knowledge of the our changing world. The world does not stop developing and improving its ways, and neither should we.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Blog Post #2
Did You Know?
This video really makes you think. New technology is being invented all the time! The part of the video that talks about students learning about technology that is not even invented yet blows my mind. I think this puts a lot of pressure on students to keep up with all of the technologies, but with it expanding like it is I think it is almost impossible. Technology is also expensive. When the newest version of something comes out every other month, and you are trying to learn how to use it, the expenses can add up.
I think the world depends so much on technology that we let it take over our lives. The part of the video about the computer being smarter than the human brain scares me. At the rate we are going, and the improvements we make to technology all the time, soon the world will not need teachers. A piece of technology can teach us everything we know. In 2011 we have online classes that students can take. They still require a teacher at the other end, but think about in 5 years... Don't you think that this will not be the case? Eventually we could possibly not even need a teacher on the other end.
I absolutely think that people should know, and be aware of different technologies in the world and this video shows that. I also think that everyone should be careful with how much technology is being used, and everyone should try to keep their lives balanced with technology and the "old school" way of doing things. Technology can take over people's lives positively and negatively, and I think that a little bit goes a long way.
Mr. Winkle Wakes
I think this video makes some very good points. Mr. Winkle wakes up after 100 years and is confused by all of the technology. He is afraid of what he doesn't know. I think that is a very good point. A lot of people are scared of what they don't know and they run from it. It is 2011 and technology is part of our lives. We cannot run from it or act like it does not exist, we have to embrace it. Technology has become a part of everything that we do, and to be successful in life you need some type of knowledge about how to use it.
Once Mr. Winkles finds the school he is happy. It is the only thing he found that has not changed in the past 100 years. He felt comfortable and decided he wanted to stay. I think this part of the video is making the point that the whole world is changing, the school system needs to as well. If the world is flourishing by use of technology then we need to know how to use it. What better way to learn how to use technology then at school? When the world is advancing through the use of technology how are students supposed to keep up just listening, reading, and writing? This video shows that if we do not want to wake up one day feeling lost like Mr. Winkles, then we better start learning how to use our resources... and we better start learning it in school!
Sir Ken Robinson: The Importance of Creativity
This video was interesting and very amusing. I liked what Sir Ken Robinson said about "children growing out of creativity." His theory that everyone is born creative and they have to use their creativity to keep it is very interesting. Not everyone learns the same way, and some people need things like technology to help them ignite their creativity. When these students can be creative they will enjoy learning a lot more.
I also agree with his statement about people and making mistakes. To many adults are afraid to make mistakes and this stops them from being creative. People are so afraid of failure that they cannot bring themselves to try something new. No one is exceptional at everything, but most people are exceptional at a few things. As teachers we need to find those few things in our students and help them grow and learn through them.
Cecelia Gault Interviews Ken Robinson
In this interview Sir Ken Robinson talks about the difficulty in defining the word intelligence. He makes the point that even people who have studied intelligence their whole lives cannot even agree on a definition of the word. With that being said, I think that we should never underestimate our students. Everyone is intelligent in their own way. It is our job to support our students in what they want to do, and teach them things that will help get them there.
He believes that we can teach people to be more creative. I agree with this, and I think that technology can aid teachers in doing so. Technology can open students up to new ideas, and show them how to expand their creativity. It can give them a fresh look at themselves and the world around them.
Vicki Davis: Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts
Vicki Davis teaches in a rural Georgia town. While I was watching the video, what stood out to me the most was these students talking to students in other countries. I think we need to have an appreciation for other cultures education, and ours as well. This is a great way to see how other people learn, and a way for us to get new ideas about how to learn.
I loved that her students did things on their own. The fact that she did not have to sit at the front of the classroom and lecture to them the whole time had to be refreshing for everyone. They not only learned things by themselves, but they also taught her some things that she didn't know. Being able to figure things out by themselves will help them in so many ways. When they do not need a teacher sitting at the front of the room telling them what they need to know they will be able to teach themselves about things for the rest of their lives. They can constantly learn new things in a productive manner.
This video really makes you think. New technology is being invented all the time! The part of the video that talks about students learning about technology that is not even invented yet blows my mind. I think this puts a lot of pressure on students to keep up with all of the technologies, but with it expanding like it is I think it is almost impossible. Technology is also expensive. When the newest version of something comes out every other month, and you are trying to learn how to use it, the expenses can add up.
I think the world depends so much on technology that we let it take over our lives. The part of the video about the computer being smarter than the human brain scares me. At the rate we are going, and the improvements we make to technology all the time, soon the world will not need teachers. A piece of technology can teach us everything we know. In 2011 we have online classes that students can take. They still require a teacher at the other end, but think about in 5 years... Don't you think that this will not be the case? Eventually we could possibly not even need a teacher on the other end.
I absolutely think that people should know, and be aware of different technologies in the world and this video shows that. I also think that everyone should be careful with how much technology is being used, and everyone should try to keep their lives balanced with technology and the "old school" way of doing things. Technology can take over people's lives positively and negatively, and I think that a little bit goes a long way.
Mr. Winkle Wakes
I think this video makes some very good points. Mr. Winkle wakes up after 100 years and is confused by all of the technology. He is afraid of what he doesn't know. I think that is a very good point. A lot of people are scared of what they don't know and they run from it. It is 2011 and technology is part of our lives. We cannot run from it or act like it does not exist, we have to embrace it. Technology has become a part of everything that we do, and to be successful in life you need some type of knowledge about how to use it.
Once Mr. Winkles finds the school he is happy. It is the only thing he found that has not changed in the past 100 years. He felt comfortable and decided he wanted to stay. I think this part of the video is making the point that the whole world is changing, the school system needs to as well. If the world is flourishing by use of technology then we need to know how to use it. What better way to learn how to use technology then at school? When the world is advancing through the use of technology how are students supposed to keep up just listening, reading, and writing? This video shows that if we do not want to wake up one day feeling lost like Mr. Winkles, then we better start learning how to use our resources... and we better start learning it in school!
Sir Ken Robinson: The Importance of Creativity
This video was interesting and very amusing. I liked what Sir Ken Robinson said about "children growing out of creativity." His theory that everyone is born creative and they have to use their creativity to keep it is very interesting. Not everyone learns the same way, and some people need things like technology to help them ignite their creativity. When these students can be creative they will enjoy learning a lot more.
I also agree with his statement about people and making mistakes. To many adults are afraid to make mistakes and this stops them from being creative. People are so afraid of failure that they cannot bring themselves to try something new. No one is exceptional at everything, but most people are exceptional at a few things. As teachers we need to find those few things in our students and help them grow and learn through them.
Cecelia Gault Interviews Ken Robinson
In this interview Sir Ken Robinson talks about the difficulty in defining the word intelligence. He makes the point that even people who have studied intelligence their whole lives cannot even agree on a definition of the word. With that being said, I think that we should never underestimate our students. Everyone is intelligent in their own way. It is our job to support our students in what they want to do, and teach them things that will help get them there.
He believes that we can teach people to be more creative. I agree with this, and I think that technology can aid teachers in doing so. Technology can open students up to new ideas, and show them how to expand their creativity. It can give them a fresh look at themselves and the world around them.
Vicki Davis: Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts
Vicki Davis teaches in a rural Georgia town. While I was watching the video, what stood out to me the most was these students talking to students in other countries. I think we need to have an appreciation for other cultures education, and ours as well. This is a great way to see how other people learn, and a way for us to get new ideas about how to learn.
I loved that her students did things on their own. The fact that she did not have to sit at the front of the classroom and lecture to them the whole time had to be refreshing for everyone. They not only learned things by themselves, but they also taught her some things that she didn't know. Being able to figure things out by themselves will help them in so many ways. When they do not need a teacher sitting at the front of the room telling them what they need to know they will be able to teach themselves about things for the rest of their lives. They can constantly learn new things in a productive manner.
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