Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Farewell

Good bye fellow bloggers of the EDM 310 persuasion! I had a great time learning that a lot of people are a lot like me and have the same views. It gives me hope that the future will be filled with a lot less george bushes and more free spirit hippies! Yay. I will miss you Mr. Tashbin, you were great dude!

Final Post Ever!!!!!! for this class anyway

1. Making a list and checking it twice.
I learned a lot in this class despite my complaints on how it was set up, but hey you guys warned us that we were in fact Ginny pigs. So here is a list of the things I have learned.
a. Blogging-
which has been beneficial I think. I enjoy reading other peoples blogs!
b. Skype
c. Google Presentations-
This has by far been my most favorite tool I learned how to use in this class. It is easy and free and easy and free.
d. Timetoast timeline- I think this was actually really cool. I got to plot out all the concerts I have been to, and it was awesome
e. Audacity- I like this little program. It is really cool. I like to sing and stuff so I can play it back and see if I really suck or kind of suck.
f. Picasa- I like this one too. I actually use it as my main picture viewer. It is a nifty little thing.

2. Is there anything I wanted to learn, but did not in this class.?

Dr. Strange, I do not think you could have possibly covered anything else in this class. There is not one thing we were not introduced to in this class.

3. What do I want to forget about this class?

TWITTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and Delicious. The names alone are annoying, much less the site itself. I do not like twitter because it is the worst of all the social sites, which I hate by the way. You cannot even upload a lot of pictures, which is lame! I downloaded Delicious, and did not even use it. It is just there on my tool bar taking up space.

4. Did this class excite me?
I would not say that. I liked the things that I learned about, but for the most part it was a pain in the but to have new assignments all the time to keep up with. Maybe if we would have had a set schedule.

5. Was this class a challenge?
I think this class was not so much a challenge, just that it was time consuming. If you just simply sit down and do it, it is not hard. It just takes patience to figure things out.

6. Were you bored?
This was not a boring class, I was mostly annoyed.

7. How could you change this class?
I would like to make a few suggestions. First, the projects we do should be grouped together. For instance, the blog portion should last for like two weeks. I know we have to keep a running blog and talk about our assignments, but maybe you could have the little assignments to watch the videos in two or three weeks. The work load would feel lighter even though it wasn't. It is stressful to do all of your other projects along with keeping up with the blog.

8. Am I more technology literate now?
Yes, I think in the end this class helped me. Will I remember it two years from now? I have no idea. The technology will probably have changed vastly by then.

9. How will I improve?
I am hoping to continue blogging and talking with people across the world, I do not know where I will be in two years. I may be dead, who knows. Guess we will see. I take it day by day.





Monday, April 26, 2010

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Post 14 Week 15

PLE Blog

Her PLE is way cooler than mine. I think it is a great way to learn and keep up with all your stuff. If the entire education system were converted to this way of learning I may be more apt to be completely technological.

What is my sentence? I passed edm 310 hopefully. I think it is a cool way to think about your life, but honestly, if you can narrow your existance down to one sentence, maybe you need a hobby. I mean unless your sentence is something epic, like "I cured world hunger." How about we come up with a paragraph. Set our goals a little higher. And the whole Am I better than yesterday question, how about lets not live in the past. Maybe you won the lotery yesterday, and today you pissed it away on stupid things. I mean I don't want to go to bed upset because my today self sucks worse than my yesterday self. How about, I will rock harder tomorrow. Yeah I like that. In fact that is my sentence. I will rock harder tomorrow.

Friday, April 16, 2010

Post 13 Week 14

So, we are supposed to blog about something we have learned about edm310. We are supposed to talk about something that relates to edm310. Something that we like about edm310. I have been thinking about this for a while, and all I can come up with is blogging. I hated the idea at first. I do not have a my-face-space-book, and because it was mandatory for this class I now have a twitter, which I loathe. I do not want to know what anyone in existence is doing twenty four seven. I do not care to see their photos of their great party it up weekend, and I really do not care about making the top 8 friends on anyone's friends list. However, blogging is a little different. It allows people to just write what they feel. I think that most people have gotten caught up in how they appear to the world via internet. They create these profiles putting all their good qualities on display; making it easier to hide their flaws. Our flaws are a part of who they are, and they shouldn't be hidden. Blogging is like an online diary, for the world to see. It is like a song. A song is an expression of someone's feelings, well the good ones anyways. Blogging is like song writing for the not so musically inclined. I have not started a personal blog, and I am not sure why. Maybe I will when I can afford internet at my apartment.
This may have sounded like me rambling, and I apologize for that. I hope you can make since of it. I have no voice feed or interesting video to go along with it. I have two jobs, and 16 hours at school-so my time is short. Thanks for reading this even if it was assigned to you by Dr. Strange.

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Post 12 Week 13

The Zax

I enjoyed this video. It was a cute, simple way to show us how being stubborn can get you nowhere. The north going zax never got north, and the south going zax never got south. We can see this in everyday life. If you let someone else get in your way, then you will be stuck where you at infinitely. I hope that I never become a zax. The zaxes seemed so consumed with their pride and not backing down that they lost sense of the reason they statred on their journey to begin with.

As for the second video:
I think it is very important to post your work for the world to see. Yes, their are some creeps out there, but you cannot live your life in fear and miss out on the good things. Take singer Kate Vogele for example. Her music was discovered on myspace, and she is a big star now. She has a permanent role on the CW's One Tree Hill, and has two hit records. I wish I could do that. Yay internet.

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Skype

I have never used skype before this class, but I wish I had known how to use it before hand. My boy friend lived in Los Angelas for a year and it would have been helpful to use. I recently skyped Matt, because he uses it with his mom when she is away on business trips. I really enjoyed using it.

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Post 11 week 12

Kaia's photo essay

I absolutely loved watching Kaia'a photo essay. She is understanding that one should appreciate things even if they are not what society deems as beautiful. I think it is a great thing that her father is teaching her how to use technology at such a young age, and trusting that it is for the best rather than to harm her. I also loved what Mr. C's class did for Kaia. It was very thoughtful of them, and I hope that it encourages her to continue with her technological journeys! I think that her dad rocks, and is a good father. I am now following them on twitter!

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Blog 10

An Open Letter To Educators

I liked this video a lot. I liked how he made the difference between school and education known. It is true that almost everything is available with internet, and a computer. School systems need to get with the program. That is one of the reason I want to become a teacher, to revolutionize the school system. However, I cannot do this alone, you guys in?

Comments for teachers Part 2

I was assigned to follow Larry Ferlazzo's blog!

My first comment:
Hello Mr. Ferlazzo. I am a student at the University of South Alabama, and have been assigned to follow your blog for the next few weeks. I have enjoyed hearing your ideas on how to have a good day at school. I think it is very important to know how to keep the day running smoothly, and I am glad you shared this with the world!

This is my second comment:
I love this post. I share a lot of your same thoughts. We live in an age now where it is so easy to be self-thought through things like itunes u, and other college databases. So, it is the teacher’s job now to direct the student’s in the right direction. The education system is being revolutionized, and Indiana needs to get with the program.

This is my third comment:
Thank you for the information. Music makes everything better, especially free music.

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Time Line Project 10

Time Toast Timeline- Click this link to view my time line!!

Google Forms

I did a survey on music. I sent it to everyone on the gmail master list. It consisted of five questions. Yay

Blog 9

Alex
Alex, or the Alabama Learning Exchange, is an extremely helpful site to teachers. Basically, the site is a place for teachers to share all the information they have found that is helpful to teachers. The teachers have their own personal workspace on the site where they can make lesson plans. The lesson plans can be viewed by other teachers at any time. The teacher can also upload links to websites in order to assist other teachers. There is also a spot for pod casts on the site. This website is very easy to navigate, and user friendly.

I think that this was an amazing idea, and is very beneficial to teachers, and administrators. Perhaps a teacher is stuck on how to teacher a certain thing. Instead of googling it and having to weed through all the bull that pops up, they can log on to this ligament site. It could also be good for administrators, because they can see what other schools in their state are doing. They can know what to expect, or get idea on how to improve the way things are being taught.

Access
Access, connecting classrooms, educators, and students statewide, gives everyone involved and amazing opportunity. This is a very new idea to the education system. This is how it works. Students sign up for the class, and go to a classroom in their school just like always. The only difference is they have an e Teacher. Which is a teacher who would skype in or something like that. This program was set up to allow students to be able to take classes that may not be offered at the school. The school is supposed to provide computers, internet, and all the things involved with the class. This program is also a way for teachers to have a better job oportunity. Lets say a teacher lives in Mobile, but is qualitfied to teach a course that is only offered in schools in montgomery. Yay eteahcer! now the teacher does not have to move, just know how to work a computer.

I think this is a great way to give everyone a better chance in acheiving what they would like to do. We always here stories of what could have been if they only had the tools they needed. The innercity kid who could not get his life together because the school systems were not up to par. This is where programs like acces should focus on. Access gives those kids a chance, and teachers a chance to.

Monday, March 8, 2010

Post 8 :

Randy Pausch Last Lecture: Achieving Your Childhood Dreams

This guy is amazing. I have never heard of him before this assignment, but I am glad that I was told to watch this for out blogs. When I heard that it was over an hour long video, I will not lie, I loathed the idea. Now that I watched it, my mind has been changed. Not every day do you find a person so full of life as Randy Pausch. He is such an inspiration. I mean wow, how can someone who is about to lose their own life, be so helpful to make everyone else's life as amzing as possible. It makes you really do a little self reflecting, and make some changes in your life.

He first starts by explaining how he achieved his childhood dreams, which only takes up the first twenty minutes of the video. He talks about how he did each one. Randy did everything he could to do everything on his list. He found loop holes, and never took no for an answer in anything he did. Isn't that what everyone's goal is? To live like he has. To put everything you are into your life, and to never stop. To fill up your memories with smiles, and struggle followed by triumph.

The rest of his lecture is how he helped others achieve their childhood dreams. He dedicated the remainder of his life to helping his students be the best they could possibly be. This guy is so selfless its crazy. On top of that he is entertaining. I only wish he could have been my teacher. I love how he lets his students be so creative, and maybe that is because what he teaches allows creativity. I think that every subject should allow creativity, but that is another post isn't it?

"You obviously don't know where the bar should be, and your only going to do them a disservice by putting it anywhere." I just had to acknowledge this quote, I love it. Who is to tell people when they have reached their limit? Nobody that is who. You can be whatever you want to be! OH and I so want the giant green care bear, does anyone know where to get one. That is one of my childhood dreams, to own that bear, can you find the Randy Pausch in you and help me out?

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Personal Learning Network

PLN Update!

I began following Karl Fisch's Blogg as part of my assignment for comments for teachers. I found I actually like his ideas.

I am also following Karl Fisch, Dr. Strange, and Mr. Tashbin on Twitter.

I also looked up Michael Wesch. I am following a particular blog by him this is the link:http://mignet.blogspot.com/

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Week 7 blogs

This is How We Dream

I enjoyed Mr. Miller's view point on how to bring the humanities and science together. Many people argue that the humanities do not matter. They say that it is a lost art, and that it does not help the progress of the human race as does science. I like how he ties in the two together so that they both become important. If the lovers of art could find a way to use technology in their art, then it would be easy to convince others that are does matter. Then, it would be part of science. It is an amazing idea to bring the two studies together.

I am totally ready to this. Writing via multimedia gives the writer limitless possibilities. Not only can the author write, they can also add visuals to give the reader and inside view of the authors mind. Boy would that make deciphering poetry so much easier! I know I would love to speak with many of my favorite authors and know what they were thinking at the time.

I believe that my future students will probably be ready to write multimedia. I mean, they are using computers more now than ever in public schools. Almost everything is done electronically. My students will probably more ready than I will to make this change. I will more than likely learn a lot from them, and I am willing to do that.

The Networking Student

This video was very interesting. It shows how much students, or people in general for that matter, can do on their own. All they need is access to the Internet and a background in how to use it. They probably don't even need a background due to all the how-to videos and sites that are available. There is endless possibility to what a person can do, and become with the help of the Internet. We can communicate with people around the world, we can access lectures at colleges, we can buy things, we can pay bills.

A student can find almost any information about a subject, and teach his or herself in doing so. So the question is then asked, why do we even need teacher, and schools if the Internet is the universal teacher? The video said that the teacher can help you sort through all the loads of information on the Internet, and serve as a support system. Which are all true, but I think the answer goes even further than that.

Think about this. A doctor is consider higher ranking than a teacher, but without the teacher there would be no doctor. So, if there we no teachers, those educational videos would not be posted to the web. Without teachers, there would be no iTunes U. Without teachers there would be no students. Only people wandering around aimlessly trying to figure out what to do next.


Toward a new future of Whatever

I absolutely love this guy! He references Nirvana, how can you not love that. Yes I am bias toward Michael Wesch. He makes great points about people striving to be an individual. Everybody wants to be different. I always considered it a fad, kind of like the hippie phase, or the grunge phase, or the lace and big hair look like Madonna phase. Every generation has their own "thing", their own anthem, their own way of life. But technology is not just taking over this generation. It is taking over the world, and all generations. Wesch shows the 92 year old guy singing about youtube, my gran mother gets upset if I don't text her.

I also think that it has been the human race's long goal to understand the self, and all its variations. You see it in the Romantic poets, you see it in books across the years, you see it in movies, in music, and now we see it on youtube, and the Internet. This never ending struggle to understand the self. Now the Internet has opened up this way to be yourself completely and post it to the Internet. It is amazing! One step for man, One giant leap for mankind!! haha




Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Comments for teachers Part 1

I was assigned to follow Carl Fisch's class blog http://thefischbowl.blogspot.com/

My first comment:
I am following this blog as an assignment for my EDM 310 class at the University of South Alabama. I just wanted to say that I think it is amazing how much the teacher did with these two books. It is definitely important to understand what was going on in history during the time a book is written. It helps the reader better understands the circumstances in which a work was written. I also love the fact that the students had a chance to interact with the author. That is awesome!

My second comment:
I have not personally used Google Apps for Education, but in my EDM310 class use gmail and google documents. I find it to be very useful. Dr. Strange can share things with us all the time, and the students can also share things easily . I enjoy using my blog spot, and I am thinking of starting my own personal blog, and not just the one I use for my class. As far as your comment about K-12 work for the most part not being worth keeping, I disagree. Mary Shelly wrote Frankenstien when she was 19. Imagine what she was doing before then.

My third comment:
"what can we do that we haven't already done?" Something tells me that people fifty years ago thought the same thing. When we went to the moon it was mind blowing for the people of that time. When we launched the first satellite, that was mind blowing. When dial up internet was accessible at the home, when the computer was available for the home the list goes on and on. I think to say we are at our limit as far as progress goes is a cop out. A way to say "oh well, good enough."

Comments for kids

Comments for kids: post one week 4
I was assigned to look at a class blog called meresideblog's Blog. It was very interesting. I had to play a game, and it was very difficult to beat it.

Post 2: week 5
I was assigned to look at a student's blog. Her name was Kameron V. I could tell she was young because of her grammar. It was fun to look at.

Post 3: Week 6
I was assigned to look at a student's blog named Tyreese. Unfortunately it would not work properly.

Post 4 week 7
I was assigned to look at a second grade blog from Tanzania. One of the teachers was able to skype into class, while she was on maternity leave. Yay technology!

Post 5 Week 8
I was assigned to look at Arturo's first blog. He said that he thinks that technology effects families. He thinks that people can get addicted to electronics and neglect their family.

Post 6 Week 9
I was assigned to Anita's sixth blog. She was the director of a one minute film about a girl losing her pencil case. It was cute.

Post 7 Week 10
I watched a video about pop idol on jessica's blog. It was very creative, and the music was great!

Post 8 Week 12
I had to look at Isaac's picture of him waiting in line at the play ground. It was epic.

Post 9 Week 13
I read Evan's blog about flying a kit. He wasw very descriptive.

Post 10 Week 14
I watched Maru's video on how to play sensible games to keep everyone safe. I liked it. It rocked. YAY.

About Me

Monday, February 22, 2010

Week 6 blogs

Dr. Alice Christie
I really liked the section of Dr. Alice's site on GPS and Geocaching. I know a lot of people who own a gps, and use it all the time. I just recently discovered what Geocaching was, but I would definitely like to try it our soon. It sounds absolutely amazing. So the question is how can these things be used for education? I mean a gps is to get you places, and geocaching is just for fun right? Wrong!

I feel like the trick to being a good teacher, is finding ways to entertain your students and teach them at the same time. Geocaching would be a great way to do that, and integrate technology into the mix as well. Which apparently is the problem presented with today's teachers(integrating technology into their lesson plans). A teacher could set up a Geocaching trip to practice problem solving skills. They must find this "prize", which could be extra points or a study guide, and do so by using what they've given! Yay technology.

iTunes University

iTunes University is an extremely useful tool to both students and to teachers. It is amazing how much information you can get from iTunes U. I am going to go out on limb, and say it is probably one of the best invention on the Internet ever! It is like google, but for college students. Kind of like facebook was just for college students, before everyone else got invited! You can instructional video's and lectures on almost anything you could image. It is almost like going to college for free, except you do not get credit. Because we all know you must spend thousands of dollars a semester to be considered smart by the United States Government, but that is for a whole different blog.

iTunes U could be just as a helpful tool to teachers as it is to students. If a teacher is having trouble on how to teach something, they could look it up on iTunes U and take notes from other teacher! We all know that teachers are really life long learners! Not only could it help teachers learn, the teachers could use iTunes U as an assignment. Teachers could assign students to listen to podcasts or lectures or instructional videos!






Friday, February 12, 2010

Week 5 blogs

Wikipedia or wackapedia?

Wikipedia. It is topic that has been debated since it was invinted. We all know that anyone can change wikipedia, even people who did not do so well on their IQ test. We also know that "people", whoever they are, keep a close eye on Wikipedia, and try their best to monitor what is posted to the site. All students have been told not to use it as a source in their English papers. So, the question arises, is Wikipedia a reliable source. I think not. I beleive it is a great jumping off point in your research. Wikipedia is best at giving one an overview of a topic; therefore, it would be a good place to get farmiliar with the subject one is researching.

So now Virgil Griffith has invented this Wikipedia scanner to allow everyone to see who has made what changes to Wikipedia. I think that it was a clever idea. It shows people that you cannot believe everything you read or see. Everything that is printed or posted is done with some type of bias. However, I do not think that we should look down on these companies for trying to preserve their image over Wikipedia. It is their right to do so. If they were trying to change something more concrete, it would be different. Wikipedia is almost like another form of press. It would be like looking down on them for changing their own website or facebook.

Mr. McClung

I loved this blog. It seems that Mr.Mclung understands the true meaning of what a teacher should be. A teacher is someone who cares about his or her students future, and tries to supply them with the tools to be successful in that future, whatever it may be. For some kids, that teacher may be the only person in his or her life that does care about their future. Not only do you have to car, you also have to understand that things are not going to always be perfect. As a teacher, you must take that in stride.

Mr. McClung admitted that he was not the teacher he needed to be at the begining. He says that he was too controlling, and tried to do things that were centered areound him, not his students. It would be easy to make that mistake. After all, it is your career, not the students. But the truth is, it is your career to be all about the student. Thanks Me.McClung for pointing out all these important points.



Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Week 4

The Benefits of Podcasting in the Classroom

Before this class, I had never really dealt with podcasts. The only time I had ever come into contact with them is when I was playing in itunes or heard it on my favorite television show One Tree Hill(my favorite character had a podcast). I knew that it was basically just someones voice recorded so people could listen to it. I did not know what the purpose of a podcast was, or that it was even used educationally.

This video, The Benefits of Podcasting in the Classroom, really cleared my confusion on the subject. It answered many questions I had, such as does a podcast have video. The answer is yes; it is refereed to as a vodcast. The video also showed the different ways a podcast can be used. I love the way the teacher used it by reading aloud the students reading, and having different voices for each character. That would have totally caught my attention in school rather than reading it straight from the text. He also pointed out that student, if they were to miss class, would have access to all the material taught in class.

Learning How To Podcast.

I have read over many of the how to's on podcasting, but I think it is going to take me actually doing it to understand it in its entirety. So that means I am in the right class, right? I am excited that this course is going to make it easier to these things. I understand, and have downloaded the things I needed for the audio files. I have even began to play around with the microphone, but I am still a little worried about doing an actual podcast. I want to be able to make my podcast stimulating, and innovative.

I also did not know that there were awards for things like podcasting. The tutorial even indicated that one could make a career with podcasting. I find that interesting. While technology may be shutting out jobs, and replacing people with robots, is is still creating new ones. Ahh the circle of life.... or technology.

EPN Education Podcast Network

I really enjoyed this website. Whoever designed this website is awesome because it is so easy to use! I went directly to the Secondary Education link, and tested out a few of them. It is easier to listen to things being taught by people my own age. Maybe it is because I can relate to them, and it does not sound like I am being taught. It is just easier to listen to people my age, if that makes any sense at all. I am sure this works the same for people in every age group. Generally, people like to talk with people their own age. So perhaps that translates into teacher/student situations as well. 10 minute blitz is my favorite podcast on this website.

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Week 3 blog

Media Literacy ; Ms. Cassidy

This video impressed me. What impressed me was not the age of the students, it was the fact that a school is actually giving students the tools to use technology. Lets face it. Technology is in place to make things easier. The internet allows us to literally have the "world" at our fingertips. Technology is not easy to use, once you learn it. As you can see in this video first graders are doing it with ease. This video is impressive because the school is teaching the children how to use technology. Maybe the schools are finally changing!

Little Kids; Big potential

I certainly hope that my EDM 310 class teaches me enough to keep up with these kids. I am thankfully a secondary education major, so hopefully I will have a bit more time to master technology. I think it is great that the kids get to use thier Nintendo DS. It captures thier attention, and they are having fun, and learning! Who knew all of those things were possible at once! I am totally jealous kids.

Here's whats coming! ( one year old uses iphone)

Again, I feel like the child's age is not what is impressive. Most of us grew up without computers in our home, and that is why it is difficult for grown ups to adapt to this new way of life. If the technology was available, we would have known how to use it. By the time this child is 20, there will be some other kind of technology, and that iphone he knows so well will be obsolete. Perhaps the fact that he has a technological background will help him adapt easily to newer technology. We as a society however, did not grow up playing with cell phones. My parents did not even own cell phones until I got one. My childhood was spent on a sit-n-spin, not playing with an iphone. I think that is why people find it difficult to accept technology as a way of life, because that is what it is. We just aren't used to it, but I have a feeling poeple are warming up. I mean do you know anyone who can function without their cell phone?



Thursday, January 21, 2010

Week 2

Michael Wesch: A Vision of Students Today

This video hits the nail on the head when it comes to the college experience. Everything that each of those signs read pin points exactly how I feel. The world tricks you. They tell you what a wonderful experience college is, and how you will have the time of your life. If these are the best years of my life, then kill me now. I go to school for fifteen hours so I can keep financial aid, and scholarships. I have to have a full time job to pay for the books, and living expenses.The only sign I did not relate to is the seven hours of sleep. HAHAH. I cannot tell you the last time I got seven hours of sleep. Most of my nights are spent in the glow of my laptop with blood shot eyes praying that I can b.s. my way to an A because I did not have time to read the material due to work. Why do we kill ourselves this way? I never have to time to read half the things that I am assigned.

The concept of this video is great. I like how they did it in a classroom, and it is coming from the students themselves. It is easy to relate to the students, because they are in my position. If it were men in suits holding up signs, it would not be as effective.

"It's Not About the Technology" by Kelly Hines

I agree with Kelly Hines. As I have expressed earlier, I think that technology is helpful, but it can also be an enabler and a distraction. Also, I have expressed my concern with the way the education system is today. it is outdated and ineffective. Many people do say that technology is the way to update and better the education system. I agree with that answer to an extent.

I believe that technology will improve the class-room environment, but I agree with Kelly Hines as well. The teachers are one of the largest factors on a child's experience in the classroom. A teacher can make or break a class for a student. The teacher who is helpful, and goes the extra mile to try and make education fun and easier, is the teacher who will get a better response from his or her students. As a student, I find myself wanting to work harder for those types of teachers. They seem invested in you; therefore, you do not want to let them down.

Karl Fish: Is it Okay to Be A Technologically Illiterate Teacher


Mr. Fisch is extremely passionate about this particular topic. You can see that technologically illiterate teachers truly upset him, and that his is concerned with the well-being of students. He not only wants his student's to prosper, but he also wants the teachers to do so as well. The first part of this post is a response to A Vision of Students. This video shows how technology illiterate teachers effects the students, Mr. Fisch however addresses the teachers view.

I think that a teacher should be technologically literate, but they do not have to be a computer genius. I agree with Fisch in that being technologically illiterate will be t
he equivalent to illiterate in the future. All all of my classes are hybrid (online and in class), and two of my teachers still aren't sure how to use it. However, I do not think that being technologically literate is just a problem with teachers. I think it is a problem throughout the entire population. So your job as a sanitation worker may not require you to know a computer, but what about when your children need help with homework? Or paying bills online? Or ordering tickets for a concert?

Gary Hayes Social Media Count

This media count puts things into perspective. It shows how much people really use the Internet. The Google search count is outstanding. I am guessing that Myspace is considered obsolete in the Internet world since he does not count how many people use Myspace. The Internet has become a part of daily life. I can remember being a kid using AOL 3.0 on dial up, and hearing you've got mail only once a week. Now I use high speed Internet every day.
This is very relevant to my future job as an educator.

As a teacher you have to understand your students, so you will know the best way to teach them. If most of your students are affiliated with face book, it would probably be beneficial for you to have one so it is easy for them to contact you when they need help. If their lives are highly intertwined with the Internet, then you should probably give them assignments that coincide with that. This way they are doing work, and doing with something they enjoy!

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Week 1

Did You Know 3.0 by Karl Fisch:
This video scares me. I feel like technology is helping, and making everyday tasks much easier. I also think that it is enabling people. If we cannot recall simple things, like who played Thelma in Thelma and Louis, we simple google it instead of thinking about it. I also have think that computers and social networking are consuming people's lives. Most people I know are constantly on face book and my space instead of communicating with the actual people around them. This video only confirms that eventually computers will take over the world in theory by 2049.

I did not understand how all of the statistics tied into how computers are going to be so advanced. I do not see why the fact that China is going to be the largest English speaking country had anything to do with technology. I also did not understand why it mattered that x amount of babies were being born in the duration of that video.

Mr. Winkle Wakes by Matthew Needleman
This video shows how not be technologically advanced can hurt you. The above paragraph is my negative view on technology, but I also can see where the rapid advancing of technology is good. School has been left out of the "technology" world for the most part. Do not get me wrong, a good book is amazing, but computer skills are a necessity for later in life. Most schools do not concentrate on computer skills. Schools have been the same for years. The material is not stimulating in any sense.

Children need more than just pen and paper to keep their attention. Working with things like the Promethean boards is an example of using technology to help stimulate a child's mind. Allowing students to be "hands on" is also a way to get them to pay attention. Schools need to be updated.

Sir Ken Robinson: The Importance of Creativity
I like this video. Robinson keeps it going with his jokes, but he also gets his point across. He is very easy to listen to. It does not even seem as if he is giving a speech. It is almost like you are in a conversation with him. I like this video. He also has a great point.

Schools do push out creativity. They concentrate on things like math and English. The arts are the first thing in a schools budget to get cut. This is not fair. What if a child loves acting, and wants to be on broadway. Most of the time their dreams are shot down. Children are told to get their head out of the clouds when they say things like I want to be a singer, or dancer, or actor.
Who is to decide the purpose of education. I understand that it may not be the schools job to foster creativity, but it is the schools job to stifle it as well? I believe education is somewhere in between. I think it is the school's job to assist children in determining what they would like to pursue in their adult career. It is also their job to equip the children with the tools to achieve what they decide upon doing. Many schools are not assisting children with those tools if they are interested in the arts as a career choice.

I have always thought the education system was complete crap. It is bias toward the left brain. What about the right brain kids? I do believe the movie Accepted pretty much summarizes my view on the education and what it should be. Everyone should watch it, and reflect.

Vicki Davis: Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts
I loved this video. I think that Vicki is doing something amazing with her classroom. I wish I could have played with Avatars in my high school, or travel to the Middle East. She is allowing the students to go outside of the regular text book. She is opening their eyes and showing her students that there is a world outside of their small town in Virginia.

I think that that in itself is amazing. So many people are blind to the fact that there are so many people in the world, and they are all different. People have different beliefs, and customs. The one thing we all have in common in the internet. So why not learn about other people through it! You rock Vicki Davis.