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.
C4T#1 Summary Post
Ali Handscomb's blog is mainly concerned with leadership in the professional setting. The first post I commented on was a post called "Olympic Lesson," in which she gives a list of ten lessons that can be learned from olympic athletes. These inspirational tips are comprised of things like: Don't be afraid to fail, and we all have talent. I made sure to comment on how her tips could be useful for people in all walks of life. Like her, I watched almost all of the olympics, and I really enjoyed her take on the games.
Her most recent post deals with communication in the workplace, specifically communication that involves superiors and their employees. She talks about the importance of everyone being on the same page and knowing their role in the company, which can easily be applied to the classroom. It is essential that students know how important they are in the learning process of the entire class as a whole.
Her most recent post deals with communication in the workplace, specifically communication that involves superiors and their employees. She talks about the importance of everyone being on the same page and knowing their role in the company, which can easily be applied to the classroom. It is essential that students know how important they are in the learning process of the entire class as a whole.
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Blog Post 3
Peer Editing,Tutorial Peer Editing, and Writing Peer Review Top 10 Mistakes are three videos and slide show presentations that deal with helping people become better peer editors. Peer editing is something that almost everyone has attempted at least a few times throughout school with varying degrees of success. From personal experience, it seems that often people view peer reviewing as a way to quickly exit class quickly, but these videos and power points attempt to provide some tips to turn peer editing into a useful tool. Some of the tips are quite useful, but for the most part they are things that most people already know.
In my opinion peer editing can be extremely useful for certain small errors like typing errors and things of that nature, but it is limited when it comes to major errors like organization and content. As a future English teacher, I hope to employ some type of peer editing in my classroom, but I also don't want students to solely rely on each other to correct errors. I hope to help students individually at least part of the time to further their writing ability.
Technology in Special Education
Technology in Special Education is a phenomenal video that shows the ways in which some pretty basic technology can do wonders for special needs children. Last year I visited a school in Mobile designed to educate special needs children most of whom were non verbal and needed a great deal of assistance to accomplish most tasks. The people that worked there were some of the most patient and generous people I have ever met, but often they simply did not have the proper tools for helping these children out. Most of the "technology" at the school I visited was probably from the early nineties. A few simple computers could have done wonders for these kids, but most likely the funding simply wasn't available.
Obviously this video was a great representation of the positive effects that technology can have in the lives of special needs kids. If or when I have special needs kids in my class I would love to be able to implement some of this technology to help them better understand the material and also help them communicate better.
"Sound Amp r" is a simple app that could be very useful in a classroom setting for students with mild hearing difficulty. It would be perfect for someone who possibly didn't have a significant enough hearing problem to require a hearing aid but did need a little enhancement of the sounds of a lesson.
Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts
Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts is a video that features Vicki Davis, a Georgia high school teacher who implements a great deal of technology in her classroom. Her classroom seems like an environment where a great deal of interconnectivity takes place. Her students learn about a number of tools that will help them throughout their lives. Much of this is possible because of the setup of her classroom, which contains a ton of computers and Smartboards.
Most of the activities she seems to require of her students wouldn't have a place in an English classroom, but the blogging aspect of the class is definitely something I could implement into my classroom. Often young writers struggle with the notion of an audience and either write for themselves or to attempt to impress a teacher. Blogging is a great tool for helping students learn to write for a wider audience. I would love to add some type of blogging assignments to the writing curriculum in my classroom.
In my opinion peer editing can be extremely useful for certain small errors like typing errors and things of that nature, but it is limited when it comes to major errors like organization and content. As a future English teacher, I hope to employ some type of peer editing in my classroom, but I also don't want students to solely rely on each other to correct errors. I hope to help students individually at least part of the time to further their writing ability.
Technology in Special Education
Technology in Special Education is a phenomenal video that shows the ways in which some pretty basic technology can do wonders for special needs children. Last year I visited a school in Mobile designed to educate special needs children most of whom were non verbal and needed a great deal of assistance to accomplish most tasks. The people that worked there were some of the most patient and generous people I have ever met, but often they simply did not have the proper tools for helping these children out. Most of the "technology" at the school I visited was probably from the early nineties. A few simple computers could have done wonders for these kids, but most likely the funding simply wasn't available.
Obviously this video was a great representation of the positive effects that technology can have in the lives of special needs kids. If or when I have special needs kids in my class I would love to be able to implement some of this technology to help them better understand the material and also help them communicate better.
"Sound Amp r" is a simple app that could be very useful in a classroom setting for students with mild hearing difficulty. It would be perfect for someone who possibly didn't have a significant enough hearing problem to require a hearing aid but did need a little enhancement of the sounds of a lesson.
Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts
Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts is a video that features Vicki Davis, a Georgia high school teacher who implements a great deal of technology in her classroom. Her classroom seems like an environment where a great deal of interconnectivity takes place. Her students learn about a number of tools that will help them throughout their lives. Much of this is possible because of the setup of her classroom, which contains a ton of computers and Smartboards.
Most of the activities she seems to require of her students wouldn't have a place in an English classroom, but the blogging aspect of the class is definitely something I could implement into my classroom. Often young writers struggle with the notion of an audience and either write for themselves or to attempt to impress a teacher. Blogging is a great tool for helping students learn to write for a wider audience. I would love to add some type of blogging assignments to the writing curriculum in my classroom.
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Blog Post 2
Did You Know? 3.0 A John Strange Version is an update of a previous video. Many of those statistics are very shocking, and it puts America's place in the world in perspective. The first few statistics dealt with India and China and their burgeoning power in the world. The latter stats discuss how rapidly technology is changing.
The most obvious take away from this video deal with the latter statistics about rapidly changing technology. Imagining that we as educators will have to prepare students for jobs that don't exist is shocking. That is why it is important to help students become life long learners rather than fact memorizers. As the world changes, adaptability will be one of the most important aspects of finding and maintaining a job, and life long learners will be much more adaptive than fact memorizers.
Mr. Winkle Wakes
Mr. Winkle Wakes is a satirical video directed at the educational system's lack of progress in the last hundred years. Obviously it is an oversimplification, but some of the issues the video raises do ring true. Not much has changed in education over the years, but technology is not the complete solution to this problem. It is part of the solution, but there are numerous other factors.
Creating a classroom environment where students' ideas are appreciated and valued is a critical part of changing the educational system. It is extremely important to make use of what technology is available and to use this technology to foster a thirst for knowledge among students. Students need to be aware of how to use new technology for their educational benefit.
The Importance of creativity
The Importance of Creativity is a video of a speech by Sir Ken Robinson that details the ways in which traditional schooling suppresses creativity. Ken Robinson makes some excellent points in this video and raises some serious questions. He does much of this through humorous stories, but often humor is the best way to get a point across. Traditional schooling stifles creativity. This is an almost indisputable fact. College degrees are so common that something more is needed to succeed, and that can be where creativity comes in.
As a future English teacher, I feel like Sir Ken Robinson's ideas about creativity can be implemented in a multitude of ways. Obviously careful study of literature and attempts at creative writing can be linked in ways that foster creativity. There are numerous other ways in which students can be creative in an English classroom. Things like projects and videos are two ways to help get students become more creative.
A Day Made of Glass 2:Same Day is a mind blowing video. That is really the only appropriate description. It is incredible to think that some of this technology is currently available. These type of glass technologies could have a great impact on schools everywhere, but it will probably be years before the classroom shown in the video is available. That doesn't mean that incredible technology isn't available in classrooms now though. As always the most important part of implementing new technology in a classroom, is actually using it to benefit students. Too often teachers treat technology as a novelty rather than an actual tool.
I like to think of new technology through the eyes of a future English teacher. The type of technology in the video, such as the iPad type tablets could be used in an English classroom to really help books come alive. The options are limitless. Students could use tablets and the glass board to visualize books and any type of lesson. Even a simple grammar lesson could be improved by this type of technology.
The most obvious take away from this video deal with the latter statistics about rapidly changing technology. Imagining that we as educators will have to prepare students for jobs that don't exist is shocking. That is why it is important to help students become life long learners rather than fact memorizers. As the world changes, adaptability will be one of the most important aspects of finding and maintaining a job, and life long learners will be much more adaptive than fact memorizers.
Mr. Winkle Wakes
Mr. Winkle Wakes is a satirical video directed at the educational system's lack of progress in the last hundred years. Obviously it is an oversimplification, but some of the issues the video raises do ring true. Not much has changed in education over the years, but technology is not the complete solution to this problem. It is part of the solution, but there are numerous other factors.
Creating a classroom environment where students' ideas are appreciated and valued is a critical part of changing the educational system. It is extremely important to make use of what technology is available and to use this technology to foster a thirst for knowledge among students. Students need to be aware of how to use new technology for their educational benefit.
The Importance of creativity
The Importance of Creativity is a video of a speech by Sir Ken Robinson that details the ways in which traditional schooling suppresses creativity. Ken Robinson makes some excellent points in this video and raises some serious questions. He does much of this through humorous stories, but often humor is the best way to get a point across. Traditional schooling stifles creativity. This is an almost indisputable fact. College degrees are so common that something more is needed to succeed, and that can be where creativity comes in.
As a future English teacher, I feel like Sir Ken Robinson's ideas about creativity can be implemented in a multitude of ways. Obviously careful study of literature and attempts at creative writing can be linked in ways that foster creativity. There are numerous other ways in which students can be creative in an English classroom. Things like projects and videos are two ways to help get students become more creative.
A Day Made of Glass 2:Same Day is a mind blowing video. That is really the only appropriate description. It is incredible to think that some of this technology is currently available. These type of glass technologies could have a great impact on schools everywhere, but it will probably be years before the classroom shown in the video is available. That doesn't mean that incredible technology isn't available in classrooms now though. As always the most important part of implementing new technology in a classroom, is actually using it to benefit students. Too often teachers treat technology as a novelty rather than an actual tool.
I like to think of new technology through the eyes of a future English teacher. The type of technology in the video, such as the iPad type tablets could be used in an English classroom to really help books come alive. The options are limitless. Students could use tablets and the glass board to visualize books and any type of lesson. Even a simple grammar lesson could be improved by this type of technology.
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Blog Post 1
About Me
My name is Josh Adkison, and I am a Secondary Education English major. I am from Hurley Mississippi, which is a small town thirty miles west of Mobile. In the time that I spend doing things other than school work, I like to play basketball, read, watch sports, and cook. I have been at USA for three years now; I also spent a year at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. I am behind in my schooling because I had a brief period in which I wanted to be a nurse. That didn't last long, but it put me pretty far behind.
I am fully committed to becoming an English teacher. I have gone through many periods in my life where I would waver and remain unsure of what my future held, but I finally found something I am committed to. I also really want to coach basketball at some level whether it be middle school or high school. I have always been passionate about basketball, and I believe I could teach the sport to young people very well.
Time Management
Unfortunately, this is my second time taking EDM 310, and it will definitely be my last. Mr. Pausch's video has some very good pointers about time management, which could have helped me last time. I learned my lesson about the importance of deadlines the last time I took this class, and I also learned a great deal about navigating various programs. I have made it my goal to turn everything in on time and present quality work. I learned a great deal about Randy Pausch the last time I took the class; he was an inspirational person who gave a great deal of valuable information to people from all walks of life.
My name is Josh Adkison, and I am a Secondary Education English major. I am from Hurley Mississippi, which is a small town thirty miles west of Mobile. In the time that I spend doing things other than school work, I like to play basketball, read, watch sports, and cook. I have been at USA for three years now; I also spent a year at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. I am behind in my schooling because I had a brief period in which I wanted to be a nurse. That didn't last long, but it put me pretty far behind.
I am fully committed to becoming an English teacher. I have gone through many periods in my life where I would waver and remain unsure of what my future held, but I finally found something I am committed to. I also really want to coach basketball at some level whether it be middle school or high school. I have always been passionate about basketball, and I believe I could teach the sport to young people very well.
Time Management
Unfortunately, this is my second time taking EDM 310, and it will definitely be my last. Mr. Pausch's video has some very good pointers about time management, which could have helped me last time. I learned my lesson about the importance of deadlines the last time I took this class, and I also learned a great deal about navigating various programs. I have made it my goal to turn everything in on time and present quality work. I learned a great deal about Randy Pausch the last time I took the class; he was an inspirational person who gave a great deal of valuable information to people from all walks of life.
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Blog Post 14
InJose Picardo's Top Ten Tips for Using Technology in the Classroom he explains ten ideas for getting students interested using methods that some traditional teachers might find counterproductive. Skype and social network sites are two of the more unusual approaches to teaching, but both can be used in very important ways. He also suggests the use of Smartboards, music, and blogs. One important statement he makes regarding the use of technology in the classroom is that it should always serve as a vessel for furthering the lesson rather than simply an unnecessary addition. Using technology just for technology's sake is counterproductive.
There were several of his ideas that I would like to incorporate into my classroom. For one, the use of Facebook could be beneficial to both myself and students who miss days of class or need further help on assignments. In my opinion, it would be a great idea to create a Facebook page for each class and use the page to explain assignments and help students who were absent. Many of his other techniques would be useful as well; that is the one I feel could be most successful though. I also enjoyed his glossary of tools for teachers. I saved the link for that because a brief exploration of the material there showed me all kinds of useful ideas.
There were several of his ideas that I would like to incorporate into my classroom. For one, the use of Facebook could be beneficial to both myself and students who miss days of class or need further help on assignments. In my opinion, it would be a great idea to create a Facebook page for each class and use the page to explain assignments and help students who were absent. Many of his other techniques would be useful as well; that is the one I feel could be most successful though. I also enjoyed his glossary of tools for teachers. I saved the link for that because a brief exploration of the material there showed me all kinds of useful ideas.
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Blog Post 13
Online Education: My Teacher Is an App is an article from the Wall Street Journal by Stephanie Banchero and Stephanie Simon that discusses online schooling and its effects on modern education. Banchero and Simon objectively relayed a great deal of information on the methods these new online schools are using and the effectiveness of their curriculum. One type of school they discussed was an entirely online school that is available in many states to students from kindergarten to senior year of high school. This type of schooling generally seemed to adversely affect students' performances in most subjects. Obviously this could be contributed to a multitude of factors. For example, many students simply are not self motivated, and this type of education places an enormous amount of pressure on students to motivate themselves and push themselves to learn the new material. Many times students are far less successful if there is no constant driving force, such as an actual teacher, propelling them to stay actively engaged in learning and pushing them to achieve goals. Another type of school that was discussed was a hybrid school that mixes a traditional learning environment with online coursework. This type of school seemed to be discussed in a more positive light, and it definitely seemed to be the preferred method between the two.
Honestly, some of the methods of education discussed in this article scared me. With the monetary problems that numerous school districts are facing, it is not out of the realm of possibility that in the future the number of teachers needed could be greatly diminished. This would be doing a great disservice to most of the school age children in America. The schools that were attended solely online yielded poor results for the majority of kids involved, and this reason alone should cause apprehension amongst leaders in the educational field. I do believe that online learning is an integral part of education, however, and the idea of hybrid elementary and high schools is a promising one. As long as students' educational needs are still being met through personal contact with a teacher on an everyday basis, then hybrid classes should be implemented throughout the country.
Honestly, some of the methods of education discussed in this article scared me. With the monetary problems that numerous school districts are facing, it is not out of the realm of possibility that in the future the number of teachers needed could be greatly diminished. This would be doing a great disservice to most of the school age children in America. The schools that were attended solely online yielded poor results for the majority of kids involved, and this reason alone should cause apprehension amongst leaders in the educational field. I do believe that online learning is an integral part of education, however, and the idea of hybrid elementary and high schools is a promising one. As long as students' educational needs are still being met through personal contact with a teacher on an everyday basis, then hybrid classes should be implemented throughout the country.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Blog Post 11
Little Kids.... Big Potential is a video created by Kathy Cassidy to highlight some of the interesting work her students are doing in her classroom. She has incorporated many aspects of learning that much older students would find advanced and difficult. By introducing students to blogging and Skyping at such a young age, Kathy Cassidy has given those children fortunate enough to be in her classroom an advantage throughout their lives.
I really was impressed with this video. Typically we think of much of this work as difficult, but these kids were able to do a great deal of the things we do in EDM 310. One of my main complaints with a number of the ideas we've discussed so far this semester is that so much time would be required to teach the technology in the methods of learning. If this technology is learned in elementary school as one of the foundations, along with math, science and reading, then a world of possibilities will be opened to students. This type of learning at a young age would cause a domino effect of learning throughout life.
The Skype interview with Kathy Cassidy shed light on how exactly she developed her method of teaching first grade children technology. It shows just how special of a teacher it takes to pursue something outside of the normal curriculum and implement it into a classroom. She explained that most of the initiative was her idea; too many times teachers can fall into a lull and teach the same methods over and over for years. It is important to not become complacent and Ms. Cassidy certainly hasn't.
After learning about all these different technological applications in the classroom, I understand that it is important to incorporate at least some technology into the curriculum. In a perfect world students would learn these types of things at a very young age, but obviously this is not a perfect world. As a future middle or high school English teacher, I realize that most if not all of my students will be unfamiliar with some of this technology;however, if the core learning requirements can be incorporated into technological methods, then it is important to use these methods to promote more learning.
I really was impressed with this video. Typically we think of much of this work as difficult, but these kids were able to do a great deal of the things we do in EDM 310. One of my main complaints with a number of the ideas we've discussed so far this semester is that so much time would be required to teach the technology in the methods of learning. If this technology is learned in elementary school as one of the foundations, along with math, science and reading, then a world of possibilities will be opened to students. This type of learning at a young age would cause a domino effect of learning throughout life.
The Skype interview with Kathy Cassidy shed light on how exactly she developed her method of teaching first grade children technology. It shows just how special of a teacher it takes to pursue something outside of the normal curriculum and implement it into a classroom. She explained that most of the initiative was her idea; too many times teachers can fall into a lull and teach the same methods over and over for years. It is important to not become complacent and Ms. Cassidy certainly hasn't.
After learning about all these different technological applications in the classroom, I understand that it is important to incorporate at least some technology into the curriculum. In a perfect world students would learn these types of things at a very young age, but obviously this is not a perfect world. As a future middle or high school English teacher, I realize that most if not all of my students will be unfamiliar with some of this technology;however, if the core learning requirements can be incorporated into technological methods, then it is important to use these methods to promote more learning.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Blog Post 9
Mr. McClung's blog post do an excellent job of answering some important questions future teachers may have. His first post gives many useful tips for first year teachers. One great point he made was to listen to students and try to take interest in their lives. Many teachers do seem to lose sight of this and generally focus far more on their lesson than each student's reaction to it. Another great point he made was to be flexible. Sometimes lessons need to be altered to better make a point; a great teacher can react to students needs and find creative ways to meet them.
I thought this was a great blog post. I would prefer to read more of these types of posts because they give realistic expectations for young teachers, and they also provide useful tips on how to react to problems that arise in the classroom. Hearing these types of things from a first year teacher was very beneficial
Mr. McClung's third blog post was much different than his first one. It is very obvious that he has undergone a great deal of growth as an educator over the past few years. He focused much less on his mistakes than his successes in this post. His most important piece of advice was to not be afraid to stand out of the crowd as a teacher. Many teachers strive to be accepted by their peers nearly as much as students do, and it is impossible for students to learn that it is okay to make their own path if teachers are afraid to do so.
These posts are some of the best material we have read in EDM 310. I enjoy seeing the pitfalls of being a young educator and how to overcome them. I hope to follow Mr. McClung's advice and never become complacent as a teacher. I always want to push myself and do what I think is right much like Mr. McClung.
I thought this was a great blog post. I would prefer to read more of these types of posts because they give realistic expectations for young teachers, and they also provide useful tips on how to react to problems that arise in the classroom. Hearing these types of things from a first year teacher was very beneficial
Mr. McClung's third blog post was much different than his first one. It is very obvious that he has undergone a great deal of growth as an educator over the past few years. He focused much less on his mistakes than his successes in this post. His most important piece of advice was to not be afraid to stand out of the crowd as a teacher. Many teachers strive to be accepted by their peers nearly as much as students do, and it is impossible for students to learn that it is okay to make their own path if teachers are afraid to do so.
These posts are some of the best material we have read in EDM 310. I enjoy seeing the pitfalls of being a young educator and how to overcome them. I hope to follow Mr. McClung's advice and never become complacent as a teacher. I always want to push myself and do what I think is right much like Mr. McClung.
Monday, October 17, 2011
Blog Post 8
In This Is How We Dream,Parts 1 and 2, Dr. Richard Miller discuses a multitude of ways in which the nature of writing and language is rapidly changing. One of his main points is that soon students will not even be using word processors of computers because projects will require a more varied approach to multimedia. He believes that projects will soon contain a combination of words, pictures, and sounds, to create "beautiful compositions". He sees this as a fundamental change to traditional methods of learning and creation.
Another major point of Dr. Miller's lecture is the notion that these new methods will propel knowledge and opinions into the world much faster than traditional methods. At one point, he mentions that a few years ago he would have had to wait two years to get an article published; now he can send the article on to the web, and in a matter of minutes, receive feedback from all over the world.
I thought Dr. Miller had some valuable ideas in this lecture. I like the idea he had about us living in the most important step for human communication in the history of the world. It is interesting to think that we can be some of the first educators in the process of that fundamental change in human communication.
Carly Pugh's assignment was an extremely creative idea concerning the use of multimedia. She put a great deal of time and effort into this assignment, and her passion for the material really came through. She certainly captures the spirit of Dr. Miller's ideas dealing with multimedia writing.
As a future English teacher, I found her ideas very enlightening and refreshing. The possibilities with the methods she describes are endless. I love the idea of being able to gather different things that interest us and combining them into a useful tool. The thing that separates her idea from many of the other assignments is the fact that it is relevant to every person that does that.
Chipper and EDM for Dummies are two entertaining student made videos that offer some useful ideas. The video of Chipper showed some of the consequences that can happen when people procrastinate and don't put the necessary effort in their work. Obviously it was done in a factious way, but that helped to bring the point across better. I also thought the analogy of flight school was a successful one. It helped to show that teaching is just like any other profession because it takes practice and training.
I thought both videos showed some interesting ways that student's can get involved. I don't consider myself much of an actor, but seeing other students get involved in this way is pretty neat.
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.
Another major point of Dr. Miller's lecture is the notion that these new methods will propel knowledge and opinions into the world much faster than traditional methods. At one point, he mentions that a few years ago he would have had to wait two years to get an article published; now he can send the article on to the web, and in a matter of minutes, receive feedback from all over the world.
I thought Dr. Miller had some valuable ideas in this lecture. I like the idea he had about us living in the most important step for human communication in the history of the world. It is interesting to think that we can be some of the first educators in the process of that fundamental change in human communication.
Carly Pugh's assignment was an extremely creative idea concerning the use of multimedia. She put a great deal of time and effort into this assignment, and her passion for the material really came through. She certainly captures the spirit of Dr. Miller's ideas dealing with multimedia writing.
As a future English teacher, I found her ideas very enlightening and refreshing. The possibilities with the methods she describes are endless. I love the idea of being able to gather different things that interest us and combining them into a useful tool. The thing that separates her idea from many of the other assignments is the fact that it is relevant to every person that does that.
Chipper and EDM for Dummies are two entertaining student made videos that offer some useful ideas. The video of Chipper showed some of the consequences that can happen when people procrastinate and don't put the necessary effort in their work. Obviously it was done in a factious way, but that helped to bring the point across better. I also thought the analogy of flight school was a successful one. It helped to show that teaching is just like any other profession because it takes practice and training.
I thought both videos showed some interesting ways that student's can get involved. I don't consider myself much of an actor, but seeing other students get involved in this way is pretty neat.
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.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Blog Post 7
Randy Pausch's last lecture is an emotional speech that covers a variety of topics and is full of useful advice for people in almost any profession. Dr. Pausch describes, in great detail, his childhood dreams and the various ways he achieved each one of them. Even in a failed dream, such as his NFL aspirations, he found a way to become inspired by simply playing football, and he carried that inspiration throughout his life. He consistently listened to advice from people he proclaimed as smarter than him and used that advice to become the successful person that he was. Another major theme of his lecture was to enjoy life to the fullest; even mere months away from his death, Dr. Randy Pausch showed a much more positive demeanor than most healthy people do. It was an extremely inspirational lecture.
Some of Dr. Pausch's best advice can be specifically applied to the teaching profession. Probably the most thought provoking advice he had for teachers was the idea of "head fakes". A head fake is when a teacher essentially "tricks" students into learning by hiding the learning inside a fun activity. Nearly every teacher at least attempts to do this but not to the degree that Dr. Pausch was discussing. Almost his entire curriculum was devoted to fun activities that also educate. Obviously the subject matter that he taught lent itself well to this methodology, but every subject could use some "head faking" to create interest from students.
Dr. Randy Pausch also had some great ideas for the use of technology in the classroom. His class was centered around technology and virtual reality; that is far more advanced than most people will ever teach, but there are several principles that can be taken from the lecture. He approached his class with a few broad goals and allowed them freedom in attacking them. This could be a useful application in a normal classroom. Giving students long-term goals and allowing them freedom with technology to accomplish these goals could be helpful in promoting interest in any subject. These type of activities along with a traditional curriculum could help a wide range of students.
I thought this was by far the most useful video we have watched so far in EDM 310. Dr. Randy Pausch covered a vast array of topics that are applicable to numerous situations in life. Instead of radical and specific ideas, like many of the videos have been, this was an inspiration to anyone who watched it. Many of the ideas can be applied to the education field as well as any other field.
Some of Dr. Pausch's best advice can be specifically applied to the teaching profession. Probably the most thought provoking advice he had for teachers was the idea of "head fakes". A head fake is when a teacher essentially "tricks" students into learning by hiding the learning inside a fun activity. Nearly every teacher at least attempts to do this but not to the degree that Dr. Pausch was discussing. Almost his entire curriculum was devoted to fun activities that also educate. Obviously the subject matter that he taught lent itself well to this methodology, but every subject could use some "head faking" to create interest from students.
Dr. Randy Pausch also had some great ideas for the use of technology in the classroom. His class was centered around technology and virtual reality; that is far more advanced than most people will ever teach, but there are several principles that can be taken from the lecture. He approached his class with a few broad goals and allowed them freedom in attacking them. This could be a useful application in a normal classroom. Giving students long-term goals and allowing them freedom with technology to accomplish these goals could be helpful in promoting interest in any subject. These type of activities along with a traditional curriculum could help a wide range of students.
I thought this was by far the most useful video we have watched so far in EDM 310. Dr. Randy Pausch covered a vast array of topics that are applicable to numerous situations in life. Instead of radical and specific ideas, like many of the videos have been, this was an inspiration to anyone who watched it. Many of the ideas can be applied to the education field as well as any other field.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Blog Post 6
The Networked Student is a video that depicts a student's work in a high school Psychology class that adheres to the principles of connectivism. The video discusses in great length the approach that this particular class uses to give students a new way to learn. This particular student was very successful in the class, and he was able to develop a personal learning network that included a Dutch filmmaker and some top professors across the country. He was able to develop methods of learning to help him in this particular class and the future.
This video made some interesting points, which attempt to convince the audience that books and lecturing are essentially obsolete in today's rapidly changing world. I agree that a great deal of learning today is done independently, and some of the techniques in this class could aid in that. Lecturing directly out of the book does not seem to be the best way to inform students in our fast paced society, but I don't believe that relying on technology exclusively is ideal either. It requires a mix of the two to keep students engaged and to accomplish a goal of teaching skills as well as actual knowledge to young people.
There were a couple of problems that I found with the video that should cause some hesitation with relying solely on this method of teaching. First of all, the video only explains the success of one single student with this method. I have a hard time believing that keeping ninety high school students motivated is as easy as handing them a computer and gently guiding them. Many students may not respond nearly as well to these methods as the one in the video. I also believe books and actual, physical manifestations of work are an important part of learning especially in English classes, which I will be teaching.
The Teach Web Blog shares some concerns with the connectivism approach discussed in The Networked Student. Several obstacles that are mentioned are also concerns that I had with the idea. One of the main concerns that I didn't really consider was the amount of time it would take to teach all the skills necessary for the connectivism approach. All that information has to be taught and mastered before any of the class subject can be taught, and this could cause the entire class to be put behind by days of even weeks.
Welcome to My PLE is a video describing another seventh grader's learning experience with the connectivism approach. She details the ways in which she developed a personal page with all of her materials for the science class she was taking. She also talks a great deal about how the class works and some of the interesting things she was able to accomplish because of the class setup.
I thought the video highlighted some good things about this approach to learning, but I also still have some questions. It was obvious that this particular girl became engaged and motivated, and she took what she learned and used it to gain more knowledge. This domino effect of learning is probably the most beneficial part of teaching certain subjects this way. The main question I would have is how typical these types of results are. I also saw some similarities in what she was doing in her science class and what we are trying to accomplish in EDM 310. Her personal learning network helped her to expand her knowledge beyond the scope of the class, and hopefully ours will do the same.
This video made some interesting points, which attempt to convince the audience that books and lecturing are essentially obsolete in today's rapidly changing world. I agree that a great deal of learning today is done independently, and some of the techniques in this class could aid in that. Lecturing directly out of the book does not seem to be the best way to inform students in our fast paced society, but I don't believe that relying on technology exclusively is ideal either. It requires a mix of the two to keep students engaged and to accomplish a goal of teaching skills as well as actual knowledge to young people.
There were a couple of problems that I found with the video that should cause some hesitation with relying solely on this method of teaching. First of all, the video only explains the success of one single student with this method. I have a hard time believing that keeping ninety high school students motivated is as easy as handing them a computer and gently guiding them. Many students may not respond nearly as well to these methods as the one in the video. I also believe books and actual, physical manifestations of work are an important part of learning especially in English classes, which I will be teaching.
The Teach Web Blog shares some concerns with the connectivism approach discussed in The Networked Student. Several obstacles that are mentioned are also concerns that I had with the idea. One of the main concerns that I didn't really consider was the amount of time it would take to teach all the skills necessary for the connectivism approach. All that information has to be taught and mastered before any of the class subject can be taught, and this could cause the entire class to be put behind by days of even weeks.
Welcome to My PLE is a video describing another seventh grader's learning experience with the connectivism approach. She details the ways in which she developed a personal page with all of her materials for the science class she was taking. She also talks a great deal about how the class works and some of the interesting things she was able to accomplish because of the class setup.
I thought the video highlighted some good things about this approach to learning, but I also still have some questions. It was obvious that this particular girl became engaged and motivated, and she took what she learned and used it to gain more knowledge. This domino effect of learning is probably the most beneficial part of teaching certain subjects this way. The main question I would have is how typical these types of results are. I also saw some similarities in what she was doing in her science class and what we are trying to accomplish in EDM 310. Her personal learning network helped her to expand her knowledge beyond the scope of the class, and hopefully ours will do the same.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Blog Post 5
In Don't teach your kids this stuff. Please? Scott Mcleod uses a satirical rant detailing the reasons why parents and teachers should "avoid" teaching young people how to use various technologies. He uses this rant as a way of illuminating the fact that learning these useful tools early on will give kids an advantage in the future. Scott Mcleod is a renowned professor on technology education at the University of Kentucky, and he is also the co-creator of the Did You Know? video series.
Dr. Mcleod makes some very good points in this blog post, specifically that learning how to use different technologies at a young age could become an advantage in the near future. It is important for kids to be exposed to a variety of technologies throughout their school years, but the fact is, most of the learning in this area will most likely take place away from school. As a future English teacher, I believe my responsibility is to prepare kids for college and future career work. If possible I would like to incorporate a few of Dr. Mcleod's ideas into my curriculum, but I still believe that these ideas come second to teaching the fundamentals of the English language.
The iSchool Initiative is a video created by Travis Allen, a high school senior at the time, and describes a way in which he believes the educational system can be completely revolutionized. He says that schools should completely abandon the use of all paper and textbooks and rely solely on the use of iTouches. He details the reduced cost that would occur if this were to happen by saying that the school system could save six-hundred dollars per student.
I have no clue if these figures are close to correct, but it does seem like a school system strapped for money may eventually resort to something similar to this. While I do believe it could possibly be an effective cost saving option, I do not think it should be considered as anything but a last resort. I applaud Travis Allen's creativity in creating this movement, but it just seems that students would miss out on many important aspects of learning. I do not believe that books are going to go out of fashion any time in the near future, and paper is still going to be used for many things in the near and distant future.
The performance of Lux Aurumque by a virtual choir of 185 people and conducted by Eric Whitacre was an extremely impressive video. The amount of time and effort put into an undertaking like this had to have been incredible. This is a case of the internet and technology being used for something that almost everyone can appreciate.
I've seen a couple of videos similar to this before, where someone compiles a video from many different sources and people who have never met. Lux Aurumque is not the type of music I would normally listen to, but in this setting it's far more enjoyable than any orchestra or choir performing it could be. It is a situation where you can not only appreciate the talent of the individuals but also of the person who compiled and pieced together all the videos. There is another video I found on YouTube where someone put together a compilation of thirty-six different YouTube artists and made a cover of Radiohead's Paranoid Android. That is one of my favorite videos on YouTube, and it is a unique use of technology.
Teaching In The 21st Century is a slideshow presentation created by Kevin Roberts that presents a great deal of information and ideas about teaching in the modern age. He shows numerous ways in which teachers can include technology in the classroom such as blogs, presentations, and research projects. He also makes a good point about how computers in the classroom are a temptation but don't cause problems themselves.
I liked several of the ideas presented here especially some of the homework research type projects. These could lead to some really interesting discussions in the classroom. Another point that I thought was a good idea, was to start by adding one technology based item to the curriculum. I think it is important to not inundate high school students with too much, especially in classes that require a great deal of writing and reading.
Dr. Mcleod makes some very good points in this blog post, specifically that learning how to use different technologies at a young age could become an advantage in the near future. It is important for kids to be exposed to a variety of technologies throughout their school years, but the fact is, most of the learning in this area will most likely take place away from school. As a future English teacher, I believe my responsibility is to prepare kids for college and future career work. If possible I would like to incorporate a few of Dr. Mcleod's ideas into my curriculum, but I still believe that these ideas come second to teaching the fundamentals of the English language.
The iSchool Initiative is a video created by Travis Allen, a high school senior at the time, and describes a way in which he believes the educational system can be completely revolutionized. He says that schools should completely abandon the use of all paper and textbooks and rely solely on the use of iTouches. He details the reduced cost that would occur if this were to happen by saying that the school system could save six-hundred dollars per student.
I have no clue if these figures are close to correct, but it does seem like a school system strapped for money may eventually resort to something similar to this. While I do believe it could possibly be an effective cost saving option, I do not think it should be considered as anything but a last resort. I applaud Travis Allen's creativity in creating this movement, but it just seems that students would miss out on many important aspects of learning. I do not believe that books are going to go out of fashion any time in the near future, and paper is still going to be used for many things in the near and distant future.
The performance of Lux Aurumque by a virtual choir of 185 people and conducted by Eric Whitacre was an extremely impressive video. The amount of time and effort put into an undertaking like this had to have been incredible. This is a case of the internet and technology being used for something that almost everyone can appreciate.
I've seen a couple of videos similar to this before, where someone compiles a video from many different sources and people who have never met. Lux Aurumque is not the type of music I would normally listen to, but in this setting it's far more enjoyable than any orchestra or choir performing it could be. It is a situation where you can not only appreciate the talent of the individuals but also of the person who compiled and pieced together all the videos. There is another video I found on YouTube where someone put together a compilation of thirty-six different YouTube artists and made a cover of Radiohead's Paranoid Android. That is one of my favorite videos on YouTube, and it is a unique use of technology.
Teaching In The 21st Century is a slideshow presentation created by Kevin Roberts that presents a great deal of information and ideas about teaching in the modern age. He shows numerous ways in which teachers can include technology in the classroom such as blogs, presentations, and research projects. He also makes a good point about how computers in the classroom are a temptation but don't cause problems themselves.
I liked several of the ideas presented here especially some of the homework research type projects. These could lead to some really interesting discussions in the classroom. Another point that I thought was a good idea, was to start by adding one technology based item to the curriculum. I think it is important to not inundate high school students with too much, especially in classes that require a great deal of writing and reading.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Blog Post 4
In Integrating ICT into the MFL Classroom, teacher Henry Dell discusses many ways that integrating podcasts into the classroom can benefit students as well as teachers. The video shows a situation where a student is out sick but is able to access the days lecture by downloading the podcast and listening to it on their iPod. It also shows several students recording their own podcasts, which they seem to thoroughly enjoy.
I thought this video showed an interesting way to help students gain interest in subjects they normally may find boring. Some of the the techniques are pretty useful; however, several of them seem like they would only apply to elementary education. Personally I don't really see a way that I could incorporate many podcasts into a high school writing class. There are definitely ways to utilize videos, but not podcasts in particular.
The Langwitches Blog tells about a first grade classroom where the teacher incorporated podcasts into the curriculum and how much it benefited her students learning. She talks about how excited the students got when they were trying to perfect their podcasts. The blog also tells several other situations where teachers have used podcasts and to what degree they were successful.
Some of these ideas were really useful especially the section in which a group of students retold "The Tell-Tale Heart" in a podcast. I'm not sure I would ever use this assignment exactly, but it definitely demonstrated how much more exciting a story can be when students engage in it this way. The way the students incorporated sound effects is also something I could use in my podcast assignment.
The Curriki Blog introduces podcasts and describes what exactly they are; there are also a couple of useful links on how to create them using Audacity. The blog also gives detailed instructions of how to manage the students time when introducing them to podcasts for the first time.
I thought that a lesson plan very similar to this could be very useful for a teacher that wanted to use podcasts in the classroom. The most useful aspect of this blog; though, are the different links that thoroughly explain exactly how to create and upload podcasts to Itunes.
I thought this video showed an interesting way to help students gain interest in subjects they normally may find boring. Some of the the techniques are pretty useful; however, several of them seem like they would only apply to elementary education. Personally I don't really see a way that I could incorporate many podcasts into a high school writing class. There are definitely ways to utilize videos, but not podcasts in particular.
The Langwitches Blog tells about a first grade classroom where the teacher incorporated podcasts into the curriculum and how much it benefited her students learning. She talks about how excited the students got when they were trying to perfect their podcasts. The blog also tells several other situations where teachers have used podcasts and to what degree they were successful.
Some of these ideas were really useful especially the section in which a group of students retold "The Tell-Tale Heart" in a podcast. I'm not sure I would ever use this assignment exactly, but it definitely demonstrated how much more exciting a story can be when students engage in it this way. The way the students incorporated sound effects is also something I could use in my podcast assignment.
The Curriki Blog introduces podcasts and describes what exactly they are; there are also a couple of useful links on how to create them using Audacity. The blog also gives detailed instructions of how to manage the students time when introducing them to podcasts for the first time.
I thought that a lesson plan very similar to this could be very useful for a teacher that wanted to use podcasts in the classroom. The most useful aspect of this blog; though, are the different links that thoroughly explain exactly how to create and upload podcasts to Itunes.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Blog Post 3
In It's Not about the Technology, Kelly Hines discusses the problem with the assumption that brand new technology automatically produces better teachers. She makes several great points about spending a great deal of money on technology for schools can be a waste because they turn into "game systems and word processors," in the wrong hands. She also makes a point to say that many great learning opportunities are available for students that require little or no technology.
I thought Ms. Hine's article made some excellent points. I wholeheartedly agree with the fact that technology is not a necessity for good teaching and learning to take place. In an earlier post I made a statement that a lack of funding for technology was the root of the problem; however, I have changed my opinion about that now. I believe now that it is the misuse of technology that causes a waste of the funds that are available.
The Fischbowl has some very strong opinions on the current state of teacher qualifications. Karl Fisch equates technological illiteracy in the 21st century to actual illiteracy in the beginning of the 20th century. He also discusses how many teachers are proud to be technologically illiterate despite a rapidly changing educational landscape.
I had several problems with this article and basically found it to be a little ridiculous. First of all, I do not know a single person who is proud to be truly technologically illiterate. Almost every person who is in school now to become an educator knows the basics of most technology, and those who don't, are generally willing to learn. The most outlandish statement Mr. Fisch made was when he talked about the similarities of the two illiteracies. I would love to see the facts that tell how exactly people were able to be successful in the middle of the 20th century without being able to read or write. I understand that technological illiteracy could cause some problems in the future, but comparing these two is ludicrous.
The Social Media Count is a very interesting site that shows an estimation of an up to the minute count of many different social networking sites. It shows the number of Tweets, Facebook posts, and many other other networking tools, that have occurred since logging on to the site.
I thought this was a pretty fascinating site that really puts the magnitude of social networking into perspective. The number of posts on all of these sights every second is mind-boggling; however, I don't really see much of a correlation between the numbers on the sight and teaching methods. It is an interesting tool, but most future teachers are already on Facebook and other social networking sites.
A Vision of Students today is a video that was created by a class from Kansas State that discusses many of the same things we talked about in the class survey from the beginning of class. It shows how students in todays classrooms face many challenges that are completely different from even the generation before us.
Our generation is bombarded with a great deal of information and technology that is relatively new, but the profession we have chosen is not that different than it has been in the past. There may be far more technology and methods for delivering information to students, but a good teacher is a good teacher. Caring about young people's education and truly striving to help students learn is far more important than any method of dispensing information.
I thought Ms. Hine's article made some excellent points. I wholeheartedly agree with the fact that technology is not a necessity for good teaching and learning to take place. In an earlier post I made a statement that a lack of funding for technology was the root of the problem; however, I have changed my opinion about that now. I believe now that it is the misuse of technology that causes a waste of the funds that are available.
The Fischbowl has some very strong opinions on the current state of teacher qualifications. Karl Fisch equates technological illiteracy in the 21st century to actual illiteracy in the beginning of the 20th century. He also discusses how many teachers are proud to be technologically illiterate despite a rapidly changing educational landscape.
I had several problems with this article and basically found it to be a little ridiculous. First of all, I do not know a single person who is proud to be truly technologically illiterate. Almost every person who is in school now to become an educator knows the basics of most technology, and those who don't, are generally willing to learn. The most outlandish statement Mr. Fisch made was when he talked about the similarities of the two illiteracies. I would love to see the facts that tell how exactly people were able to be successful in the middle of the 20th century without being able to read or write. I understand that technological illiteracy could cause some problems in the future, but comparing these two is ludicrous.
The Social Media Count is a very interesting site that shows an estimation of an up to the minute count of many different social networking sites. It shows the number of Tweets, Facebook posts, and many other other networking tools, that have occurred since logging on to the site.
I thought this was a pretty fascinating site that really puts the magnitude of social networking into perspective. The number of posts on all of these sights every second is mind-boggling; however, I don't really see much of a correlation between the numbers on the sight and teaching methods. It is an interesting tool, but most future teachers are already on Facebook and other social networking sites.
A Vision of Students today is a video that was created by a class from Kansas State that discusses many of the same things we talked about in the class survey from the beginning of class. It shows how students in todays classrooms face many challenges that are completely different from even the generation before us.
Our generation is bombarded with a great deal of information and technology that is relatively new, but the profession we have chosen is not that different than it has been in the past. There may be far more technology and methods for delivering information to students, but a good teacher is a good teacher. Caring about young people's education and truly striving to help students learn is far more important than any method of dispensing information.
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Vicki Davis: Harness Your Student's Digital Smarts
On Harness Your Student's Digital Smarts, Vicki Davis tells the ways in which she is attempting to broaden students learning through the use of a great of technology. She explains how much the students learn independently when given these sorts of assignments, and how they sometimes end up teaching her. Because of all this work, her students were even able to attend a technology conference Qatar.
While I agree with some of the points in the video, it seems to me that in using exclusively technology in the classroom Vicky Davis is closing as many doors as she's opening. Some students simply learn better through the use of books and paper. I, for one, have always performed much better in classes that revolve around more traditional methods, and it is not because I am computer illiterate. It may not be the popular opinion today, but I prefer books to Ipads and records to mp3's. I enjoy having a physical copy of whatever I work on and not one that has been typed or manipulated by any technology. There is never anything physical that can be held and admired anymore, and I think that is a travesty.
While I agree with some of the points in the video, it seems to me that in using exclusively technology in the classroom Vicky Davis is closing as many doors as she's opening. Some students simply learn better through the use of books and paper. I, for one, have always performed much better in classes that revolve around more traditional methods, and it is not because I am computer illiterate. It may not be the popular opinion today, but I prefer books to Ipads and records to mp3's. I enjoy having a physical copy of whatever I work on and not one that has been typed or manipulated by any technology. There is never anything physical that can be held and admired anymore, and I think that is a travesty.
Cecilia Gault's Interview
Cecilia Gault's interview with Sir Thomas Robinson covered several interesting topics that all related to creativity and learning. They discussed the three myths of creativity and how they hinder education. The three myths revolved around the thought that it's possible to be completely uncreative. Robinson believes that creativity can be learned and cultured in every single person. He also discussed the true definition of intelligence by saying that there really is not one, and it is a very fluid concept.
I believe the two of them talk about some very interesting things, and the fact that these types of questions come from a young student such as Cecilia is promising. She attends a performing arts school that places a much greater emphasis on creativity than averages schools; this could be a great example that shows how fostering a creative learning environment is conducive to a child's curiosity about the meaning of knowledge and learning.
I believe the two of them talk about some very interesting things, and the fact that these types of questions come from a young student such as Cecilia is promising. She attends a performing arts school that places a much greater emphasis on creativity than averages schools; this could be a great example that shows how fostering a creative learning environment is conducive to a child's curiosity about the meaning of knowledge and learning.
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