Sunday, December 9, 2012
Project 13
Collaboration has been a very important part of EDM 310. We have had several group projects in which collaboration through different technologies was absolutely essential. The best example of this for me occurred on the final project, which was project 16. My partner, Kayla Walker, and I collaborated through email, text, and Google to come to conclusions on what our project would entail and how we would accomplish the goals. Through these technologies we were able to brainstorm ideas for our "Made at The USA" video and turn in a product that we felt worked pretty well. I plan to use many tools such as Google Docs and Skype in future projects where meetings aren't possible due to scheduling conflicts.
Final PLN
Sunday, December 2, 2012
C4K November
I commented on some very interesting blog posts in November, including one that this picture fits perfectly. The first post I commented on was from Alberta, and it was a video composed by Luke and Colton. The video contained some very interesting pictures of the Rocky Mountains. I commented that I had been to the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, but I haven't seen anything like what is in the pictures.
The second post I commented on was from a student named Alyssa in Mr. Seliksar's class. The student I was assigned to post on hadn't made any posts, so I just found another student who had no comments. Her post was about the first few chapters of "James and the Giant Peach." I commented on how well her summary flowed and how she incorporated all of the important details.
The last post I commented on was from Jacob, and he wrote a story that re-imagined Napoleon's battle in Russia with lightsabers. Needless to say, it was a very interesting post. Even though his story was short, it was well written, and obviously it was very creative.
C4T 4
My fourth C4T teacher was Bill Generoux. He is a college professor who blogs about the intersect of technology and the arts. His blog is one of the blogs I found most relevant to this class that I have read this semester, and I will definitely continue to read it on occasion in the future.
The first post I commented on was a post titled "Voice of Authority in Teaching." His main point in this post was to communicate the ways in which he tries to get students to become their own decision maker. He allows his classes to take shape organically and views himself as a guide in learning rather than an authoritarian of the classroom. One of his main goals in his classroom is to help students become independent learners that make their own decisions in their lives. I commented on how I appreciated this teaching method and hope to incorporate some semblance of it into my future classroom.
The second post that I commented on was a simple post about the nature of computers and the age-old adage: "garbage in garbage out." He illustrated this point by using a student's Youtube video as an example. The student had failed to use the correct search engine optimization therefore hurting the video's chance at views. I commented on this posts point of "garbage in garbage out," and I also appreciated the post for helping me with my future Youtube submissions.
The first post I commented on was a post titled "Voice of Authority in Teaching." His main point in this post was to communicate the ways in which he tries to get students to become their own decision maker. He allows his classes to take shape organically and views himself as a guide in learning rather than an authoritarian of the classroom. One of his main goals in his classroom is to help students become independent learners that make their own decisions in their lives. I commented on how I appreciated this teaching method and hope to incorporate some semblance of it into my future classroom.
The second post that I commented on was a simple post about the nature of computers and the age-old adage: "garbage in garbage out." He illustrated this point by using a student's Youtube video as an example. The student had failed to use the correct search engine optimization therefore hurting the video's chance at views. I commented on this posts point of "garbage in garbage out," and I also appreciated the post for helping me with my future Youtube submissions.
Blog Post 13
Back to the Future is a presentation by an elementary school teacher named Brian Crosby that explains the methods of teaching and learning that occur in his classroom. His classroom is essentially a perfect example of a class that uses all the principle ideas of EDM 310. His fourth graders all have a laptop that they use in class to blog, research and perform almost all of their actual "classwork." His class seems to be one giant "head fake" after another. One particular project had his students participate in creating a balloon that would rise high into the atmosphere. The balloon had cameras on it, so students could view the flight through the layers of the atmosphere. When the balloon rose out beyond sightline, the students were able to track the path of the balloon through google maps. This entire project was obviously a fun way for students to learn about the layers of the atmosphere and the properties of gases, but Mr. Crosby took the learning experience a step further by having the students blog a narrative from the balloon's perspective. This is the activity that interests me because it is so reliant on language and writing skills. Mr. Crosby was able to take a fun activity and turn it into a real learning experience that helps students develop their writing skills as well.
Listening to a teacher like Brian Cosby is inspirational, but in a strange way it can also be intimidating. He has created an incredibly successful classroom that actually makes a significant difference in kids' lives. An incredible amount of work and thought goes into creating these assignments, and I hope that one day I can create some similar activities. The great thing about seeing all the videos throughout EDM 310 is that I can take little pieces from many of them and use them in my future classroom.
A Vision of Students Today is a video created at Kansas State University that shows the situations that many modern college students face. From high amounts of debt, to ridiculously high costs of textbooks, modern college students do face some difficult situations. Many of these problems are familiar to me, while some seem almost too outlandish to be true (500 emails a semester?!). The issues also deal with things outside of monetary problems and things of that nature. They also deal with the way many classes are still set up. The video takes issue with the fact a great number of college classes are still taught at the chalkboard. While it may be true that many modern classes could be enhanced by some technology being input into them, the college classes that rely on technology are often a complete waste of time. EDM 310 has been the only online class that was different from the norm. The online work in most classes is often busy work where no learning takes place. This is not to say that technology is bad for classes, but the way it is often used in the college classroom is unsuccessful.
I've had many great college classes where the chalkboard and lecture was the main focus of the classroom, and almost all of the technology based classes I've had (EDM 310 notwithstanding) have been a waste of time. I believe this is because many teachers rely on the technology to do their work for them instead of using it to enhance the learning experience. Technology is a great thing for education on all levels, but at its core it is simply a tool. A tool can only do so much in the hands of a teacher who is unwilling to use it to its full capabilities.
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Blog Post 12
Assignment: Watch the video Teaching Writing in a Digital Age and write a blog post detailing your thoughts on the future of writing mentioned in the video and how you could incorporate some of these methods into your future classroom.
Teaching Writing in a Digital Age is a video that was made as an appeal to a school board who was skeptical about the use of technology in the writing classroom. Many of the points the video makes can be applied to any discipline and not specifically writing, but I still thought the video brought up some good points. One of the main ideas of the video is a redefining of the word literacy. In EDM 310 we have spoken many times about technological literacy and its importance in the field of education, but this video views technological literacy as an extension of what we think of as actual literacy. The video places this shift of the definition of literacy in the near future, which may in fact be the case. This shift reminded me of a video we watched for blog post 10 called "This is How We Dream" in which a fundamental change in writing is described. These two shifts, the new definition of literacy and the new way to write, go hand in hand.
My favorite point of the entire video was made by Dr. James Paul Gee, a professor at Arizona State University, who makes the argument that the American education system seems to perform best when its back is against the wall. He gives two scenarios in which this has occurred. The first was the launch of Sputnik, which prompted a jumpstart in American education, and the second was in the 1980's when Japan seemed to be on the verge of controlling the technological sector. The first example is obvious and is absolutely correct; the second example is arguable, but he does have an interesting point. With the current state of the American education system, it seems highly likely that we are in a period where our "backs are against the wall." Our education system has become complacent, but I remain hopeful that a phenomenon, much like the one Dr. Gee describes, has begun to take hold. With more and more teachers and school districts embracing technology and collaboration in schools, we may be on the precipice of a jumpstart to the American education system.
Teaching Writing in a Digital Age is a video that was made as an appeal to a school board who was skeptical about the use of technology in the writing classroom. Many of the points the video makes can be applied to any discipline and not specifically writing, but I still thought the video brought up some good points. One of the main ideas of the video is a redefining of the word literacy. In EDM 310 we have spoken many times about technological literacy and its importance in the field of education, but this video views technological literacy as an extension of what we think of as actual literacy. The video places this shift of the definition of literacy in the near future, which may in fact be the case. This shift reminded me of a video we watched for blog post 10 called "This is How We Dream" in which a fundamental change in writing is described. These two shifts, the new definition of literacy and the new way to write, go hand in hand.
My favorite point of the entire video was made by Dr. James Paul Gee, a professor at Arizona State University, who makes the argument that the American education system seems to perform best when its back is against the wall. He gives two scenarios in which this has occurred. The first was the launch of Sputnik, which prompted a jumpstart in American education, and the second was in the 1980's when Japan seemed to be on the verge of controlling the technological sector. The first example is obvious and is absolutely correct; the second example is arguable, but he does have an interesting point. With the current state of the American education system, it seems highly likely that we are in a period where our "backs are against the wall." Our education system has become complacent, but I remain hopeful that a phenomenon, much like the one Dr. Gee describes, has begun to take hold. With more and more teachers and school districts embracing technology and collaboration in schools, we may be on the precipice of a jumpstart to the American education system.
Sunday, November 11, 2012
C4K October
I commented on a wide variety of age ranges and subjects in October. The first blog I commented on was an AP Government blog post written by a student named Annelise. Her post talked about politics, but it was written in an objective way. The post was extremely well done. Its main subject was America's current two party system and how the founding fathers would be "rolling over in their grave" if they could see our current political state. I agreed with the ideas in the post and commented on how I was impressed by the ideas and the sophistication in the post.
The second post I commented on was a very short post written by a student trying to learn English. The post was a game that described a celebrity and the commenters were supposed to guess. I had no idea who the celebrity was, but I encouraged the writer to keep up the good work.
The final post I commented on was a characterization of the character Johnny from the book "The Outsiders," by a student named Alex. I enjoyed the post a great deal because "The Outsiders" was one of my favorite books when I was growing up. I commented about that fact, and talked some about the different characters of the book.
The second post I commented on was a very short post written by a student trying to learn English. The post was a game that described a celebrity and the commenters were supposed to guess. I had no idea who the celebrity was, but I encouraged the writer to keep up the good work.
The final post I commented on was a characterization of the character Johnny from the book "The Outsiders," by a student named Alex. I enjoyed the post a great deal because "The Outsiders" was one of my favorite books when I was growing up. I commented about that fact, and talked some about the different characters of the book.
C4T 3
For C4T #3, I posted on Becky Goerend's blog. She is a fifth grade teacher from Iowa who posts about different subjects regarding education, while also discussing things that take place outside of the classroom and relating them back to education. The first post of hers that I commented on talked about her spring garden. She was discussing the new items in her garden taking the place of the old. It was during the spring time, so there was a sense of "out with the old in with the new." She then offered a question to her readers that basically said "what do you want to get rid of, and what do you want to add to your life?" I commented on how I hope to change my study habits for the better. I hope to get rid of some of my old bad habits and become a better student.
The second post I commented on dealt with writing. She was talking about how students need examples as a way to improve their writing but not just one example of a good and bad essay. They need multiple examples in order to learn what good writing is. I commented that reading novels and stories is another way to understand quality writing. Regardless of where the examples come from, students definitely need a lot of them to improve their writing.
The second post I commented on dealt with writing. She was talking about how students need examples as a way to improve their writing but not just one example of a good and bad essay. They need multiple examples in order to learn what good writing is. I commented that reading novels and stories is another way to understand quality writing. Regardless of where the examples come from, students definitely need a lot of them to improve their writing.
Blog Post 11
Little Kids....Big Potential is a video posted by a first grade teacher from Saskatchewan named Kathy Cassidy that shows her students engaging with technology in many different ways. Her first grade students use blogs, Wikis, videos and even Nintendo DS in many different ways to help them learn their assignments and also learn skills that will help them in the future. The students in the video seem engaged and excited about learning in these ways. Ms. Cassidy also participated in a Skype interview with Dr. Strange and some students from EDM 310. In this interview she mentions some very interesting points about her first graders and technology. One thing that really stood out to me was when she mentioned that to a first grader technology is neither good nor bad it just is. Technology has no negative connotations to her students because it is simply another new learning experience. Most people would find it hard to believe that first grade students would be capable of using such "complicated" technology in a classroom, but these people come to this conclusion with their preconceived notions about what is difficult or challenging. Technology is almost like learning a new language for older people who have never dealt with it before, but to a first grader, it is simply learning a language. Everything is new to them. That is the main reason why I think Ms. Cassidy's work is so inspiring and important. She is able to help young kids understand the ways in which technology can be used for good, and also teach them how to avoid the pitfalls that are possible if it is used incorrectly.
Although I will be teaching in either a middle school or high school, I still enjoyed seeing the work Ms. Cassidy is doing. I hope that more teachers take the initiative as she has and begin teaching technology to students at a younger age. For one thing, it makes it much easier to implement more tools later on in the education process, and it allows secondary education teachers like myself to focus on the content of student work in blogs and other areas of technology rather than being forced to teach them how to actually blog. I hope to incorporate some type of blogging into my classroom along with other types of technology. I would at least like for students to have a weekly post of some type because I believe that having an audience is an important part of the writing process. It also allows students to receive feedback from people other than their own teachers, which is important. As a future English teacher, I think a great deal about ways to improve student writing, and I think blogging is an excellent tool to do this.
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Blog Post 10
This comic is a play on the Mac vs. PC commercials that were on television several years ago where the PC was the older "nerdy" guy and the Mac was the young hip guy. Both Bic and Ticonderoga are types of pencils, so the comic makes a humorous connection between the two. The comic works in the context of the blog, which is a satirical take on the use of technology in schools. The blog is written by an educator named John Spencer. It supposedly takes place in a time where pencils were first introduced to schools, and the teacher meets opposition from higher ups in the school. It is basically stating that change is always met with opposition.
Why Were You Playing Games? is another post on this same blog. This post is a short fictitious scenario where a teacher is derided by his superior for "playing games" rather than working on "rote memorization." The teacher apparently had his students drawing (gasp!) and interacting with materials in a number of different ways. While the post (and the entire blog) is a humorous and satirical take on the current state of education, the problems the teacher faces are wholly based in reality. Often teachers are chided for attempting new ideas that may go against the grain. Much like the Mr. Winkle Wakes video, the blog suggests (rightfully so) that education hasn't advanced very much since 1895.
A helpful post on the basic idea of the blog can be found in the Why We Fall Behind post. This post is an allegorical tale of the issues current teachers face when trying to use new technology in the classroom. The scenario sounds very similar to what takes place in classrooms today, albeit with more handlebar mustaches.
Scott McLeod is one of the nations leading experts on K-12 technology education. He also co created the Did You Know? series of videos, which we watched earlier in EDM 310. His Don't Teach Your Kids This Stuff Please blog post makes some excellent points about the resistance against technology in education. Basically his argument boils down to: No matter what "damaging" things kids may possibly come across when using technology in education, for them to not learn to use these tools would be doing them a MUCH greater disservice. Yes it is possible for technology to be used for the wrong reasons or as a distraction, but eliminating its use altogether would leave students a great deal behind their peers.
Sunday, October 28, 2012
My PLN Progress Report
Blog Post 9
Mr. Joe McClung
What I learned this year: 09-10. is a post by a teacher named Joe McClung from Arkansas. He does a summary post every school year detailing the lessons he learned from the previous school year. I chose to write about his second post (from his second year teaching) because I thought that by the second year some of the luster may have worn off. I figure that almost almost all first year teachers see their experience through rose colored lenses, idealizing the experience in some way. Mr. McClung's second year of teaching illustrates this point in a way because during this year, he seems to have had numerous difficulties with administration issues. While never explaining what these are, he does offer some extremely beneficial advice on dealing with these types of issues. He says that if he would have allowed these issues to affect the way he taught his class, then the students would be the only people hurt. The people causing those problems for him would never have been affected, but the students wouldn't have received the quality education they deserve. I thought this may have been the best advice in the whole post. I think it is extremely important to treat the classroom as a type of separate environment where teachers can't allow their personal or professional problems to affect their work.
He offered numerous examples of other good advice throughout the post as well. He says that it is important to "check your ego at the door", which basically means don't be afraid of looking ridiculous occasionally if it helps students learn. Teachers shouldn't be concerned with looking cool or maintaining an image of perfect solemnity. This doesn't mean they should act unprofessional, but it is perfectly fine for a teacher to become extremely enthusiastic when teaching. This should be encouraged because it definitely helps maintain student attention.
Another great piece of advice he offered was what he called "the path least travelled." Basically he describes how teachers generally have a plan for where they want to lead conversation and the topics discussed in class. While some structure in discussions is a good thing, too much can lead to limits on student capabilities. Sometimes students have to be allowed to explore different areas of discussion and learn to think for themselves.
Mr. McClung's most recent post is shorter than his others and almost seems to contain less enthusiasm than some of his previous posts. This post details the pitfalls that can come with worrying about what peers think. We all have a need to be liked by our peers and colleagues, but this post talks about not letting that need affect one's teaching negatively. The most important part of being a teacher is always the quality of the teaching. This seems intuitive, but some teachers seem to have forgotten this.
The last part of this post talks about "challenging yourself." This is an important step in the battle against stagnation. Mr. McClung talks about how he became reliant on old lesson plans and methods of teaching, so when he was offered the chance to tackle a new subject, he took it. This is a very good disposition to have and one that can be quite difficult to obtain. Often we become stagnant in our work because it's the easy way out, and this is a dangerous mindset. Continually challenging myself in my work is something I hope to improve upon as I finish my studies and become a teacher.
These posts are excellent resources for any future educator. I hope to continually revisit them once I become a teacher and learn from someone else's experience to improve my own teaching ability.
Sunday, October 21, 2012
C4T 2
For C4T number 2, I commented on Angela Maiers's blog. Angela Maiers is an educator who firmly believes in the implementation of technology and specifically social networking tools into the curriculum. She runs a consulting firm that assists schools and teachers who want to also implement this into their classes. The first post of hers that I commented on was an open letter to school leaders. In this letter she hopes that they will take initiative and fight complacency in schools. She wants them to make the move to incorporate technologies into the classroom. She also speaks to those who have begun to make the move telling them that she is thrilled with their decision and implores them to use these tools to help students think on deeper levels.
The second post I commented on was a post written by a 6th grade teacher in Georgia named Debbie Stephens. In this post she basically talks about how she views her students as geniuses and hopes for them to view themselves that way. She talks about how she pushes them to create ideas and apply them to make her classroom a better place. She seems like a teacher who is passionate about her work and one that can truly make a difference.
The second post I commented on was a post written by a 6th grade teacher in Georgia named Debbie Stephens. In this post she basically talks about how she views her students as geniuses and hopes for them to view themselves that way. She talks about how she pushes them to create ideas and apply them to make her classroom a better place. She seems like a teacher who is passionate about her work and one that can truly make a difference.
Blog Post 8
This Is How We Dream
This Is How We Dream is a multimedia presentation by Dr. Richard Miller that describes a fundamental change in the way writing takes place. He begins by describing a few incremental changes in writing that have occurred relatively recently. One of the main incremental changes Dr. Miller describes is the migration of texts from concrete objects to online. He specifically discusses academic writing and the ways it has transformed from a library experience to an online library experience. He cites his last paper as a time where he worked online exclusively and was able to find an unlimited amount of information in seconds. Despite this radical transformation in the information is gathered, he still views this as an incremental change in the way people write.
The fundamental change that Dr. Richard Miller discussed was the combination of writing and multimedia materials to create a new type of writing. This type of writing is benefitted by collaboration with peers to create projects rather than simply words on a page. They may contain voiceovers or some type of video or slideshow presentation.
I hope to incorporate this fundamental change in writing into my classroom especially since I will be teaching English. I tend to agree with Dr. Miller's assertion that the entire act of writing is changing. I believe that collaboration on projects is an extremely important thing for young people to get used to because that will be much of what their professional and collegiate careers entail. They will also need to be able to use the internet for properly conducted research and learn the right and wrong ways to use it.
Carly Pugh's Blog Post 12
Carly Pugh's Blog Post 12 is an excellent example of Dr. Richard Miller's assertion that a fundamental change has occurred in writing. These are the types of projects he must have had in mind when he thought about the future of writing. Her post is basically an idea for a project that requires the future teachers of EDM 310 to create a Youtube playlist that details what kind of teacher they aspire to be. Her post contained numerous links to virtually every piece of information she was describing. This has the benefit of leading the viewer on a path that not only teaches about her post but also helps them learn about different topics. With so much information available to be linked into a post, there is the possibility for unbelievable amounts of knowledge to be passed in one small blog post.
The Chipper Series and EDM 310 for Dummies
The Chipper Series and EDM 310 for Dummies are two videos about EDM 310 created by students that do capture some of the issues that students face in this class. The Chipper Series was a story about a girl who always procrastinated and turned her work in late leading her to some interesting places in life. I'm pretty sure everyone in this class has procrastinated to some degree, and I have found that any little bit of work I can do ahead of time helps immensely. The EDM 310 for Dummies video is about some of the frustration that occurs while attempting to complete all the work. It was a funny example of some of the frustrating times all students in this class have had.
Learn to Change, Change to Learn was an interesting video that contained the opinions of a group of forward-thinking educators. They each shared their ideas on what was important in the future of education. Many of their ideas are a summation of what we have been learning and watching so far in EDM 310. The consensus was that education must be radically changed to meet the needs of a changing global job market. Each of the educators stressed the importance of allowing technology in the classroom.
I think this group of people made some valid points. For many job sectors in the future, simple right and wrong answers do not exist and continuing to test young people in this way is counterproductive. I also agree that a greater emphasis should be placed on creative expression in class work because much of what takes place now in a work environment requires out of the box type ideas.
Comic
Poll
Sunday, October 14, 2012
C4K Summary Post 1
The first student blog I commented on was from New Zealand if I remember correctly. He was a 2nd grade student, and his post was about whales. I commented that I had recently been to Alaska, and while I was there, I went whale watching. He had talked about the size of the whales, so I made sure to tell him that the ones I saw were every bit as big as he said they were
The final student blog I commented on in September was a class blog where the teacher posted for the students. The students gave the ideas for the posts, but the teacher actually posted them. The assignment that the teacher posted on was basically a simple lesson on statistics where students voted on their favorite places to eat. I commented on the fact that most of the students preferred sit down meals, which was quite surprising for elementary school kids. I also mentioned that I enjoyed the questions the students posed.
The final student blog I commented on in September was a class blog where the teacher posted for the students. The students gave the ideas for the posts, but the teacher actually posted them. The assignment that the teacher posted on was basically a simple lesson on statistics where students voted on their favorite places to eat. I commented on the fact that most of the students preferred sit down meals, which was quite surprising for elementary school kids. I also mentioned that I enjoyed the questions the students posed.
Blog Post 7
The Networked Student is a video directed by Wendy Drexler that attempts to explain the future of education and the future roles of educators. The video is really well done using simple drawings to illustrate the point. The Networked Student argues that as the 21st century progresses, students will become in charge of their own education more. Students will research topics and collaborate with experts and fellow learners from around the world to learn about an assignment. The students will be forced to problem solve on the fly and participate in a network of learners in order to complete assignments. After the bulk of the research and collaboration has been completed, the students will then create some type of project that details exactly what they learned. Parts of this assignment are up to the students, which could create more interest on their part.
The teacher will also play a much different role in this type of classroom according to the video. Teachers will be facilitators more than lecturers. They guide students on a learning path rather than specifically teach facts about something. When students run into a problem on their journey, the teacher is there to assist them and suggest some way to attack the problem. The teacher manages the progress of the class by staying constantly involved with student work rather than controlling the pace of the class through lecture.
I have mixed feelings about this type of classroom. I love the fact that the teacher does not constantly lecture facts to students leaving them bored and despondent, but the video may take things slightly too far. The video seems to imply that this type of assignment would be the only assignments in the class, and teachers would never actually teach anything about their area of study. They would simply facilitate and help students research more on the internet. The video may not mean for this to be the case at all, and if this was done a few times throughout a course, then I think it is an excellent way to approach the future of education. I still believe, however, that it is important for students to learn some basic tools and facts from teachers that are difficult to understand when simply researched on the internet. That is why I think something like the "flipped" classroom will probably resemble the future of education more than this.
A 7th Grader's Personal Learning Environment is a video of a 7th grade girl explaining her class structure. Her class is exactly like the "Networked Student" of the previous video. In her class, they do almost all of their work online and present it in the form of various digital projects. Her class resembles EDM 310 a great deal. Her class is a 7th grade science class where the students are learning about different types of animals. Much like EDM 310, her science class is a perfect example of the type of class that is conducive to a "networked" type classroom.
The journey through EDM 310 is constantly opening up new tools that we can use in our future as educators. Our PLN's will constantly grow until we have a great foundation for our own classroom.
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Blog Post 6
Randy Pausch's Last Lecture
Randy Pausch's last lecture is an extremely valuable and important lecture with an incredible amount of useful information and tips. He gave this lecture at Carnegie Mellon University before a number of people who were important to him. I've seen this video once before, and I learned even more from it the second time. He gives tons of good advice to people from any walk of life. Although some of the speech contains information about people who most of us have never heard of, he intersperses this information with incredible advice.
The brick wall analogy is one image that really stood out to me on this viewing of the lecture. Randy Pausch says brick walls in life are there to separate those who really want something from those who don't. This may seem like a typical statement about perseverance, but it really stood out to me. This analogy shows how important dreams are because without them a brick wall in life will be a spot to stop and settle. A dream is necessary to help us press on through the walls or obstacles in life and achieve something we really want.
The point he made that stuck with me last time and continues to stick with me in this viewing is that of the "head fake." A "head fake" is basically when a teacher tricks a student into learning something by disguising it in a fun activity. This can obviously be applied to any field of education and requires someone with belief in the good they can do to pull it off. I hope to incorporate fun into my classroom in any way I can because that is what I remember from my years in high school. I don't remember the teachers who taught information in a mundane fashion, and I don't remember what they taught. I remember the videos I made and the groups I worked in more than any information out of a book. A classroom can always use more "head fakes."
Randy Pausch was an inspirational man. The passion that he delivered this speech with really illuminated his zest for life. Even in his difficult battle with cancer, he maintained the demeanor of someone in a much better situation. Out of all the advice this speech gave that might be the most significant.
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Blog Post 5
iSchool Initiative is a video created by a high school student named Travis Allen that is designed to solve "America's education problem." His idea basically involves replacing most of the current books and paper model of education with Apple products like iPads and iPods. While there is definitely some validity to his argument that this movement will most likely improve America's educational system, it is a little naive to believe that his idea is a solution to America's education problem. For one thing, there are a multitude of problems that involve far more than funding and style of teaching; however, he does make some excellent points about where classrooms are most likely heading. iSchool Initiative is a unique idea that will most likely come to complete fruition in the next decade.
Eric Whitacre's virtual choir is an incredible video that shows some of what is capable through Youtube. There are a number of videos like this one out there that show how collaboration can take another step through using the internet.
Teaching in the 21st Century gives some revolutionary ideas about the way teaching is evolving now that so much information is always at everyone's fingertips. This opens up new ideas about what it means to be a teacher and what needs to be taught. Some of the old ideas about memorization of numerous objects only to be later forgotten are slowly going out the window (hopefully). Teaching actual usable skills has become more important now than ever.
The ideas in the video are pretty basic but extremely important. I would like to apply some of the core ideas to my classroom when I become a teacher. I want to not only teach students the rules of grammar and how to write but also how to access GOOD information about these subjects whenever they have questions later in life. I also hope to teach students how to use online resources and databases for many of their needs as they advance to college.
The Flipped Classroom videos are a great example of teachers thinking outside of the box. There are definitely a few inherent problems with the flipped classroom, but I love the ingenuity of the idea. A system like this could create much more time for teachers to spend helping students apply information and keep them engaged throughout the entire duration of the class. It also would allow for more freedom for students who are ahead of their peers.
The obvious problem with this idea is keeping students motivated when away from the classroom. I think it is a possibility that a substantial percentage of students simply wouldn't watch the videos leaving teachers in and odd position. At least when teachers are in front of a class speaking, they can attempt to keep the attention of the class and call out a student who is daydreaming or sleeping. With the flipped classroom, a teacher would have much less control over engaging students. I still love the idea however, and would like to see some portion of it implemented into wherever I end up teaching.
Eric Whitacre's virtual choir is an incredible video that shows some of what is capable through Youtube. There are a number of videos like this one out there that show how collaboration can take another step through using the internet.
Teaching in the 21st Century gives some revolutionary ideas about the way teaching is evolving now that so much information is always at everyone's fingertips. This opens up new ideas about what it means to be a teacher and what needs to be taught. Some of the old ideas about memorization of numerous objects only to be later forgotten are slowly going out the window (hopefully). Teaching actual usable skills has become more important now than ever.
The ideas in the video are pretty basic but extremely important. I would like to apply some of the core ideas to my classroom when I become a teacher. I want to not only teach students the rules of grammar and how to write but also how to access GOOD information about these subjects whenever they have questions later in life. I also hope to teach students how to use online resources and databases for many of their needs as they advance to college.
The Flipped Classroom videos are a great example of teachers thinking outside of the box. There are definitely a few inherent problems with the flipped classroom, but I love the ingenuity of the idea. A system like this could create much more time for teachers to spend helping students apply information and keep them engaged throughout the entire duration of the class. It also would allow for more freedom for students who are ahead of their peers.
The obvious problem with this idea is keeping students motivated when away from the classroom. I think it is a possibility that a substantial percentage of students simply wouldn't watch the videos leaving teachers in and odd position. At least when teachers are in front of a class speaking, they can attempt to keep the attention of the class and call out a student who is daydreaming or sleeping. With the flipped classroom, a teacher would have much less control over engaging students. I still love the idea however, and would like to see some portion of it implemented into wherever I end up teaching.
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Blog Post 4
Integrating ICT into the MFL Classroom is a video that discusses the ways in which podcasts in the classroom can open new windows for students and teachers. The most obvious benefit is keeping students up to date on classes that they miss. This is something I would really like to incorporate into my classroom either through podcasts or blogging or some combination of both. I think some types of these dramatic readings could definitely help build up excitement for reading among students. Getting students engaged in books can be a difficult task, and having them read aloud and listen to recorded podcasts could really be a good way to create excitement for literature.
The Curriki Blog is an extremely useful tool for podcasting. It is basically a reference page for everything someone interested in creating a podcast would need. The blog is very detailed in providing information on creating the podcast and also uploading it to iTunes. This is a blog I will be revisiting as the day for our group's podcast approaches.
The Langwitches Blog is a blog that details a number of different approaches to using technology in the classroom. They have specific podcast assignments that are great for younger students.
The Curriki Blog is an extremely useful tool for podcasting. It is basically a reference page for everything someone interested in creating a podcast would need. The blog is very detailed in providing information on creating the podcast and also uploading it to iTunes. This is a blog I will be revisiting as the day for our group's podcast approaches.
The Langwitches Blog is a blog that details a number of different approaches to using technology in the classroom. They have specific podcast assignments that are great for younger students.
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