Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Final Report on PLN
My PLN is primarily on using technology in early education classrooms. I created a Twitter and have been following several teachers. I used Symbaloo to create the PLN and have bookmarked several helpful sites. Twitter, EMD 310, my blog and different teachers blogs are some things I have bookmarked. Watching YouTube videos on technology in the classroom has been very eye-opening and useful for me.
These are some different blogs I have found and have been reading:
Summaries for C4T #4
C4T #4
At the Teacher’s Desk
The first C4T post I commented on was by Mr. Chamberlain.
He equates collaborative advancement in society with collaborative advances in education. He advocates a connected classroom that will benefit from interfacing with other classes and teachers over the long term.
I told him that I agree with his global idea of classroom connection. I asked him, do we depend on independent outreach or can we organize a larger entity to facilitate effective connected learning by “matchmaking”?
The second comment I made on this blog was to Mr. McClung.
Mr. McClung’s post was about staying positive. He talked about having a bad day, and taking it out on his students. He said that later that same day he saw another teacher that was having a bad day screaming at her class about something trivial. It hit him that he was doing that exact thing earlier in the day and he didn’t like that. He said that he wants his class to be something special and that he wants a better education for his class
I told him that I teach 4K and when it is a "bad" day it seems like the children act worse than they ever have. I said that I've learned that it's my impatience with them that makes me think that they are acting worse.
I said that especially at a young age, I feel that they can sense when I'm in a bad mood (even if I try my best to hide it) and that that affects them. I said that just like him, I want them to have a wonderful experience, so I've tried to change my attitude because my bad mood is NOT because of them, so it shouldn't be taken out on them.
Lastly I said that everyone has bad days, yells and makes mistakes. We just have to learn from what we have done wrong, and try our best not to do it again!
Saturday, December 4, 2010
C4K Summaries
C4K #8
This child posted a photo that was an element of photography. It was a picture of part of the USS Alabama.
I said that he/she did a great job. I also said that I loved all the details I could see in the picture like the dust on the window and the small cracks.
C4K #9
Ceaso said that he is learning about the planets in his class. He said that they learned how to make a kerpoof picture to help remember the order of the planets.
I told him that I loved the idea. I also said that making up little saying to help you remember important things can really help. I said that I’m in college and I still use mnemonic devices to help me study.
C4K #10
This post was done by Room 7. They created a movie for the Manaiakalani film festival.
I told them that they did a wonder job. I said that I loved it and that I had a smile on my face through the whole movie. I also told them they had very nice dance moves!
C4K #11
In Anna’s post, she is talking about a series of books called A Series of Unfortunate Events. She also said that she is really enjoying this book.
I told her that when I was younger I had never read, or heard of these books. I told her that from reading her blog post, it made me want to search the internet and find out more about these books.
Special C4K
Yasmine wrote a poem about winter /Christmas time.
I told her I loved the poem and that it flowed very well and was great. I said that she was a wonderful writer and that her poem makes me wish it snowed here.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Blog Post #13
Under professional development, it includes educator standards and the code of ethics that we all must adhere to. It has a helpful FAQ page in professional development and related professional learning units. It features a web resource section that has links to helpful sites for administrators, teachers and students.
I think this site will be very helpful for a new teacher, in particular the lesson plans, podcasts and some of the interactive links. I would like to see some more community based computing tools.
Additional Assignment #5
John Spencer has a bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University and a master’s from Northern Arizona University. He teaches 8th grade at a low SES school in Phoenix, Arizona.
You can summarize what John Spencer has said in some of his posts with, reaching the child = teaching the child. John has proven that using technology based tools is a good method to spur creativity and maximize opportunities for learning. His use of metaphor in math to describe a variable is very off the wall, but it makes perfect sense when you think about it. Children that take advantage of his class will not only receive an education, they will learn how to think.
You can summarize what John Spencer has said in some of his posts with, reaching the child = teaching the child. John has proven that using technology based tools is a good method to spur creativity and maximize opportunities for learning. His use of metaphor in math to describe a variable is very off the wall, but it makes perfect sense when you think about it. Children that take advantage of his class will not only receive an education, they will learn how to think.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Monday, November 15, 2010
Blog Assignment #12
Think about the topics in this video. What are some of the technologies mentioned?
Which of these technologies do you think would be most useful in teaching? How will you use them?
How could the technologies listed be used to enrich a literature class teaching Shakespeare?
What are some of the technologies mentioned? Some technologies that were mentioned are blogs, winkis, podcasts, online collaboration, webcams, E Portfolios, cell phones, iPods and more.
Which of these technologies do you think would be most useful in your teaching? How will you use these? I will be teaching the early elementary grades so I think blogs and online collaboration will be useful. iPods will be great for story time or learning games (letters, shapes, colors). Skype and video will be great for exploring volcanoes and animals in the jungle! Then we can post everything we learn on the class blog.
How could the technologies listed be used to enrich a literature class teaching Shakespeare?
For a high school class, we assign students to research and report on the clothing and costumes of the era. Have them construct a multimedia presentation on the Globe theatre. Have them Skype with a Shakespeare scholar.
Ask them to collaborate and rewrite a portion of a Shakespeare play into modern language and then video the scene and post on the blog!
I also found this video. Watch it for "extra credit". ;)
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Google Form Results - Project #6
My questionnaire requested demographic information on the class sample to determine race, age, educational background, etc. to determine any correlation between background and pursuing a degree in education. Additional questions were on future post grad work and use of technology in the classroom.
As shown in the graphs below, the sample demonstrates ”normal” demographic characteristics for an undergraduate class. The single interesting finding was that having family members involved in some form of education seems to have a significant impact on the student’s choice of major. Thirteen of nineteen responses showed links to either immediate or extended family members involved in education.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Final Project Progress Report
Cassie Steele and myself will be doing this project together. We have talked about different things that we could do, and decided to do a movie on our experiences in EDM310. We are going to talk about the different tools we used in this class. We will also talk a lot about our opinions of this course and some other ideas that we have.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Blog Assignment # 11
Children are able to manipulate the technology (animation, symbols and reading) at a younger age than they are able to type coherent responses, so Skype or video may be better feedback or evaluation tools. One great use of the technology is the exposure and interaction that the class can have with distant places and cultures.
Ms. Cassidy was very complementary of her technology resource officer. We are learning a wide range of basic building blocks in EDM 310, but a reliable technology resource person in our school will certainly be helpful.
Saturday, November 6, 2010
C4T #3 Summary Post
The blog I commented on was called, “About a Teacher”.
The first post I commented on was called, “Aren’t We Done with Waiting?” Greta talks about having the initiative to be a concerned and involved professional and use our skills to collaboratively help children. She is advocating a grassroots movement of networked education professionals committed to parent/student/teacher communication to effect positive change in all of our educational processes. As John Donne said: “No man is an Island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the Continent, a part of the main; if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friends or of thine own were; any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankind; And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; It tolls for thee.” In other words, we’re all in this together. Let’s do what we can.
I commented to Greta and told her that a lot of what she talked about is the approach I want to take when I teach. I said that positive effects from the bottom up cannot help but contribute to some amount of change.
Greta’s second post I commented on was about loving your children in your class before you even know them. Greta had the “bad” child in one of her classes. The child all of the teachers warn you about. This little boy Thomas had serious behavior problems. Greta found out that he had been a victim of sexual abuse. She showed him that she cared about him, spent time with him and did little things that eventually helped the way he acted and changed his attitude. She loved him before she even knew him, and she really ended up helping him.
I commented to her and told her that that was wonderful, that she was a great impact in his life. I said that being about to learn about, love and help my students I will have one day is something I’m so excited about.
The first post I commented on was called, “Aren’t We Done with Waiting?” Greta talks about having the initiative to be a concerned and involved professional and use our skills to collaboratively help children. She is advocating a grassroots movement of networked education professionals committed to parent/student/teacher communication to effect positive change in all of our educational processes. As John Donne said: “No man is an Island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the Continent, a part of the main; if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friends or of thine own were; any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankind; And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; It tolls for thee.” In other words, we’re all in this together. Let’s do what we can.
I commented to Greta and told her that a lot of what she talked about is the approach I want to take when I teach. I said that positive effects from the bottom up cannot help but contribute to some amount of change.
Greta’s second post I commented on was about loving your children in your class before you even know them. Greta had the “bad” child in one of her classes. The child all of the teachers warn you about. This little boy Thomas had serious behavior problems. Greta found out that he had been a victim of sexual abuse. She showed him that she cared about him, spent time with him and did little things that eventually helped the way he acted and changed his attitude. She loved him before she even knew him, and she really ended up helping him.
I commented to her and told her that that was wonderful, that she was a great impact in his life. I said that being about to learn about, love and help my students I will have one day is something I’m so excited about.
C4K Summary Post
C4K #3
This post was by Room 116. It was about the Christchurch earthquake. The child who wrote this said that it happened very early in the morning. They said that there was a lot of damage, but no one was hurt.
I said that it must have been really scary waking up to an earthquake. I said that I couldn’t imagine being in one and asked if earthquakes happen often there.
C4K #4
This post was by Lily. It was about a fete given by her school that she helped out with. She described everything that went on very well and used great detail.
I told her that it sounded amazing and that I loved reading about it. I told her that when I was in grade school, we had something very similar to it, but it was called Field Day.
C4K #5
This post was by Ben B. He talked about his name. He said he liked it because he could make his name short or long. He said no one he knows has his name. Most people thought his name was Benjamin, but that it wasn’t.
I told him that is was awesome that he liked his name. I also told him that I’m curious what Ben is short for, because I also thought it was short for Benjamin.
C4K #6
This post was by Adam. His post was about his biome project. He said that he had to study a biome and make multimedia and a presentation out of it. He talked about different animals in the tundra. Some animals he talked about were polar bears, seals, killer whales and wolves.
I told him that 5 weeks was a long time to spend on a project. I said that it was very informative and that the pictures looked great.
C4K #7
This post was by Unisaur. This child took a picture of the ceiling in the USS Alabama. This picture was taken because it went along with the elements of photography.
I said great job and that I loved the photo. I said that if I tried to take a picture like that, it wouldn’t have turned out the way I would have wanted it to. I also said that I thought Wave was a great name for the photo.
This post was by Room 116. It was about the Christchurch earthquake. The child who wrote this said that it happened very early in the morning. They said that there was a lot of damage, but no one was hurt.
I said that it must have been really scary waking up to an earthquake. I said that I couldn’t imagine being in one and asked if earthquakes happen often there.
C4K #4
This post was by Lily. It was about a fete given by her school that she helped out with. She described everything that went on very well and used great detail.
I told her that it sounded amazing and that I loved reading about it. I told her that when I was in grade school, we had something very similar to it, but it was called Field Day.
C4K #5
This post was by Ben B. He talked about his name. He said he liked it because he could make his name short or long. He said no one he knows has his name. Most people thought his name was Benjamin, but that it wasn’t.
I told him that is was awesome that he liked his name. I also told him that I’m curious what Ben is short for, because I also thought it was short for Benjamin.
C4K #6
This post was by Adam. His post was about his biome project. He said that he had to study a biome and make multimedia and a presentation out of it. He talked about different animals in the tundra. Some animals he talked about were polar bears, seals, killer whales and wolves.
I told him that 5 weeks was a long time to spend on a project. I said that it was very informative and that the pictures looked great.
C4K #7
This post was by Unisaur. This child took a picture of the ceiling in the USS Alabama. This picture was taken because it went along with the elements of photography.
I said great job and that I loved the photo. I said that if I tried to take a picture like that, it wouldn’t have turned out the way I would have wanted it to. I also said that I thought Wave was a great name for the photo.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Additonal Assignment #3
What do you think is the most important thing Sir Ken Robinson says in this presentation?
I think the most important thing Sir Ken Robinson says in this presentation is the current “industrial model” of education is not working.
Is there anything you disagree with in this presentation?
While it may be time to change the “industrial” model, these methods have enabled the most literate society in history. In doing this, we have probably placed a lot of square pegs in round holes.
How congruent are Sir Ken Robinson's positions with those which you are being taught in the College of Education. In other words, where is there agreement? Where is there disagreement?
Most education classes are structured to continue the current methods and infrastructure of the traditional classroom. We see some progress with classes such as EDM310 and PLNs.
What can you do to address the issues Sir Robinson raises?
I can work with students to promote motivation and not medication.
What do you think of the presentation?
I thought the presentation was distracting. Though, it was interesting, I think it would have been easier for me to focus if it was a straight lecture or powerpoint.
If you had to do a presentation with others like this, what role on your team would you like most to play?
Narrator.
I think the most important thing Sir Ken Robinson says in this presentation is the current “industrial model” of education is not working.
Is there anything you disagree with in this presentation?
While it may be time to change the “industrial” model, these methods have enabled the most literate society in history. In doing this, we have probably placed a lot of square pegs in round holes.
How congruent are Sir Ken Robinson's positions with those which you are being taught in the College of Education. In other words, where is there agreement? Where is there disagreement?
Most education classes are structured to continue the current methods and infrastructure of the traditional classroom. We see some progress with classes such as EDM310 and PLNs.
What can you do to address the issues Sir Robinson raises?
I can work with students to promote motivation and not medication.
What do you think of the presentation?
I thought the presentation was distracting. Though, it was interesting, I think it would have been easier for me to focus if it was a straight lecture or powerpoint.
If you had to do a presentation with others like this, what role on your team would you like most to play?
Narrator.
Blog Assignment #10
Post by Morgan Bayda
No matter the venue or the size of the class, my experience is that good teachers can make the difference. If you have a poor teacher in a small class that uses technology and a good teacher that can hold your attention in a large lecture hall, you will still end up with the opposite of the described problem.
Technology and online facts are not a panacea. If one does not learn the basics of grammar and sentence structure, getting online to teach yourself English 101 prior to writing a report for your administrator is probably not a good idea.
Good, motivational instructors that teach in relevant ways are the key now just as they have been for the past 1000 years. The problem is that we need more of them. Technology is a tool that we will use to keep ourselves and our courses relevant and hopefully, make us one of the memorable teachers for our students.
Two questions that can change your life
What’s your sentence?
Was I better today than I was yesterday?
The two questions above serve to focus us on a goal. The first is to establish a goal-worthy core value or philosophy and the second question is to provide a constant measure of our progress in living up to that goal. Right now, after a hectic day with a class of four-year-olds, I believe thinking about ”my sentence” will help me react in a more positive way.
My sentence:
No matter the venue or the size of the class, my experience is that good teachers can make the difference. If you have a poor teacher in a small class that uses technology and a good teacher that can hold your attention in a large lecture hall, you will still end up with the opposite of the described problem.
Technology and online facts are not a panacea. If one does not learn the basics of grammar and sentence structure, getting online to teach yourself English 101 prior to writing a report for your administrator is probably not a good idea.
Good, motivational instructors that teach in relevant ways are the key now just as they have been for the past 1000 years. The problem is that we need more of them. Technology is a tool that we will use to keep ourselves and our courses relevant and hopefully, make us one of the memorable teachers for our students.
What’s your sentence?
Was I better today than I was yesterday?
The two questions above serve to focus us on a goal. The first is to establish a goal-worthy core value or philosophy and the second question is to provide a constant measure of our progress in living up to that goal. Right now, after a hectic day with a class of four-year-olds, I believe thinking about ”my sentence” will help me react in a more positive way.
My sentence:
I will be a positive influence and role model to the children I teach through personal attention and interaction.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Blog assignment # 9
I would summarize Mr. McClung’s post with four values: listen, be flexible, be positive and never stop learning.
In these are valuable skills to use in everyday life as well as in the classroom. Everyone wants to be heard. Often, you can disagree with someone and still work together as long as you acknowledge that their viewpoint has value.
Children, especially young children, have limited ways to express themselves. We must be aware and listen to this feedback. Whether as an individual student or a class body, if we pay attention to the feedback, we can modify the message to connect more.
No one likes working with a sourpuss. Not even other sourpusses! When we emphasize the positive (what we CAN do, what we DO have control over) we can affect other people’s outcomes in a positive way.
Never stop learning is the final point Mr. McClung makes. I try to remember that everyone you meet can teach you something and many times those “somethings” are valuable. A good administrator can teach you leadership. A student’s viewpoint can be insightful. With our technological resources we have no excuses for handicapping our students or ourselves by not using them to further our own education.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Blog Assignment #8
This Is How We Dream:
Dr. Richard Miller is a visionary when it comes to the application of broadband media and publishing. This is a huge paradigm shift for today’s adults, but I think our future students will have a much easier time with it. Familiarization with the multimedia through the web and available on cell phones and iPods will allow the future students to quickly adapt to multimedia publishing. This has been evident in several of the videos we have watched as part of our class assignments EDM310.
This course is providing a good introduction to many of the tools and technology that are required to publish in this realm but I will need a lot more practice to be comfortable with the multimedia. As the technology matures, new tools and software are being developed to make this type of publishing easier and more seamless. One of the biggest challenges will be ensuring that the content is original thought and not just a mesh of other people’s work.
One concern about students is the still limited access to broadband internet in rural areas. Access is usually provided at school and in libraries but the students that will need the most attention will often be the ones with the most limited resources and access.
EDM310’s videos
The primary message in the Chipper Series was to get your work done and be professional because that is the expectation. As an adult, that is what you are going to have to do.
In the EDM310 for Dummies, these girls thought of a way to help students get through EDM310 with an “A” .
After watching these two videos, an idea I thought of was a video on specifics of a PLN. It would be more of a “how to” video with specific guidance.
Critiques on Smartboards
Both Mr. Staton and Mr. Ferriter seem to agree that it is not necessarily the technology of the Smartboards that they have issues with, but how they are used (or not used) in the classroom. Mr. Staton believes that there are more cost effective ways of obtaining the same technology without the expense of a Smartboard.
Mr. Ferriter believes that the Smartboard can actually hamper effective learning by maintaining the “teacher-centric” model. Both agree that the purchase of Smartboards can be an easy way for school administrators to show technological advancement, whether or not the boards are used effectively.
A contrasting view is cited below.
http://doug-johnson.squarespace.com/blue-skunk-blog/2010/5/5/smartboard-survey-teachers-likem.html
Dr. Richard Miller is a visionary when it comes to the application of broadband media and publishing. This is a huge paradigm shift for today’s adults, but I think our future students will have a much easier time with it. Familiarization with the multimedia through the web and available on cell phones and iPods will allow the future students to quickly adapt to multimedia publishing. This has been evident in several of the videos we have watched as part of our class assignments EDM310.
This course is providing a good introduction to many of the tools and technology that are required to publish in this realm but I will need a lot more practice to be comfortable with the multimedia. As the technology matures, new tools and software are being developed to make this type of publishing easier and more seamless. One of the biggest challenges will be ensuring that the content is original thought and not just a mesh of other people’s work.
One concern about students is the still limited access to broadband internet in rural areas. Access is usually provided at school and in libraries but the students that will need the most attention will often be the ones with the most limited resources and access.
EDM310’s videos
The primary message in the Chipper Series was to get your work done and be professional because that is the expectation. As an adult, that is what you are going to have to do.
In the EDM310 for Dummies, these girls thought of a way to help students get through EDM310 with an “A” .
After watching these two videos, an idea I thought of was a video on specifics of a PLN. It would be more of a “how to” video with specific guidance.
Both Mr. Staton and Mr. Ferriter seem to agree that it is not necessarily the technology of the Smartboards that they have issues with, but how they are used (or not used) in the classroom. Mr. Staton believes that there are more cost effective ways of obtaining the same technology without the expense of a Smartboard.
Mr. Ferriter believes that the Smartboard can actually hamper effective learning by maintaining the “teacher-centric” model. Both agree that the purchase of Smartboards can be an easy way for school administrators to show technological advancement, whether or not the boards are used effectively.
A contrasting view is cited below.
http://doug-johnson.squarespace.com/blue-skunk-blog/2010/5/5/smartboard-survey-teachers-likem.html
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Additional Assignment #2
Yes.
2. If those motivated learners are kids, can they teach themselves?
Yes.
3. What conditions are necessary for kids to teach themselves? For anyone to teach him or herself?
Learning resources such as access to information. Groups can also facilitate learning.
4. What role do computers and internet access play in the process?
They’re a source of knowledge that is immediate and direct.
5. What role does motivation, a desire to learn?
Motivation stimulates people into action. Without motivation there is no learning.
6. What roles do a problem, a question or multiple problems or questions play in the process?
The questions or problems stimulate thinking. People naturally want to solve problems if it concerns a subject they are interested in.
7. How do you motivate someone to learn?
You motivate someone to learn by finding out their interest and leveraging their interest.
8. How are you motivated to learn?
I am more motivated if I can apply a concept or subject as opposed to learning theories or concepts that do not directly apply to me.
9. Can anyone who is not motivated to learn?
They can be exposed to it, but probably will not retain it.
10. Do you teach yourself? When? Why?
Yes. At some levels we are always learning. A large part of this course involves learning the subject matter independently. Also learning hobbies or crafts are examples of individual, independent learning. Motivation can range from curiosity, to deep interest in a specific subject. The long term rewards that are obtained (degree, job) are another source of motivation.
11. What role does a teacher (either answer generally or use a specific example) play in your learning?
A teacher’s most effective role is coach or mentor. With a teacher’s guidance, the learning process can be made more efficient and direct (wasting less time than undirected self learning) and at the same time, provide timely feedback to ensure that the desired skill level is reached.
12. What is the most important idea, question or emotional response you take away with you as a result of watching this video?
Group learning is more effective than individual learning.
Age is not a barrier to learning with technology.
A mentored class, even by an unskilled teacher, demonstrated a significant increase in learning.
13. What other questions or issues are raised by this video that should be considered and discussed by aspiring teachers?
How effective is the SOLE concept for long term learning?
What type of subject matter is this method best suited for?
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Blog Post Assignment #7
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Randy Pausch’s Last Lecture
I really enjoyed Dr. Randy Pausch’s Last Lecture. He advocated many wonderful teaching methods. The first is to realize that all children have dreams. If we key in on those dreams and use them to motivate the learning process the children will pretty much teach their selves.
Another applicable topic was, “Are you a Tigger or an Eeyore?” It’s easier for a student to pay attention and want to learn when they are excited about a topic. Effective teachers create and foster that excitement by being a “Tigger” and not an “Eeyore”. Unusual and off the wall teaching methods can aid in maintaining attention and creating a focused effort. This also goes with what he said about, “have fun, make it fun”. Whenever possible, learning by doing and combining some fun will result in effective learning.
Dr. Randy Pausch said, “Most of what we learn, we learn indirectly (or by “head fake”).” I can relate to this because I have probably learned more about the development of children from babysitting and my job rather than what I have learned from the courses I have taken. Or to put it into military terms, a flanking maneuver can be more effective than a frontal assault. If we give the children the tools to find the answers, they will often ask the questions. As several of the blogs we have viewed have demonstrated, students can amaze us with their abilities of doing something hard and still yet having fun in the process.
A lot of the lecture was philosophical in nature, but is highly relevant to our classrooms. “Never give up”, “never lose the childlike wonder”, and “the best gift an educator can give is to make someone self reflective” are all core goals and beliefs that we should carry with us in our work. If we can use any or all of these techniques and philosophies to impart a desire for learning, then Dr. Pausch’s legacy will live on.
First Progress Report on PLN Project #10
My PLN emphasis is using technology in early education classrooms. I started with Twitter and Symbaloo. I’m also using sites like, Google, Delicious and YouTube to find information on my choice. I am reading different blogs and websites for research and to find different links. I am interested in finding out the degree to which young (kindergarten and first grade) students can use ”hands on” computing and technology. I know that my five year old niece can manipulate the smartboard in her classroom during certain exercises. I would like to know if these methods are effective and what other tools can be used.
Summary Post C4T #2
I commented on the Langwitches Blog by Silvia Tolisano. Her blog posts consist of links to other blog posts and sites that she found useful and wanted to share. I commented on the link she posted about the 9 Worst Ways to Use Twitter for Business, by Diana Freedman. The post is self explanatory from the title. I thanked her for posting the link and told her that it was very helpful. I also told her that one of the tasks in this class is to experiment with Twitter for educational purposes.
The second post I commented on by Silvia Tolisano was on a few different things. On link she posted was about a free SMART board game. Another link was, Don’t Forget Your Audience! 5 Ideas to Connect with Real Audiences, by Lisa Nielsen. The last link she posted was Docs Teach. This site was very interesting. It consisted of over 3,000 sources chosen from the National Archives and also, tools that were ready to use for teaching with documents in the classroom. I again, thanked her for the useful links. I told her that a helpful addition would be some of her personal experiences in integrating technology in the classroom. Not only what worked, but also what didn’t work well.
The second post I commented on by Silvia Tolisano was on a few different things. On link she posted was about a free SMART board game. Another link was, Don’t Forget Your Audience! 5 Ideas to Connect with Real Audiences, by Lisa Nielsen. The last link she posted was Docs Teach. This site was very interesting. It consisted of over 3,000 sources chosen from the National Archives and also, tools that were ready to use for teaching with documents in the classroom. I again, thanked her for the useful links. I told her that a helpful addition would be some of her personal experiences in integrating technology in the classroom. Not only what worked, but also what didn’t work well.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
C4K #1 and #2 Summary
I commented on Valeries' post, "My Learning Manifesto". Some of the things she talked about are reading more, writing more and being on time to class. I told her that those are wonderful and that they will have a very positive outcome.
The second comment I made was on Kyla's "About Me". Kyla's mother was in EDM310 this past summer. I told her she seemed like an awesome girl, who knows how to have fun and that it is great that she loves to read and dance.
The second comment I made was on Kyla's "About Me". Kyla's mother was in EDM310 this past summer. I told her she seemed like an awesome girl, who knows how to have fun and that it is great that she loves to read and dance.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Blog Assignment #6
The Networked Student
Historically, this is a model that works well among motivated individuals. An example of this would be the Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge chartered in the 17th century. These gentlemen networked to advance the scientific knowledge of their era.
In the video, the networked student needs the teacher as a guide, a motivator, and a resource. The teacher no longer imparts the specific knowledge, but is instead a vehicle to obtain the knowledge. Instructors need to be well versed in, and able to communicate/validate, the reliability of search and data sources that the students use. They are still responsible for ensuring that the overall learning goals and objectives are met.
The described class activities will naturally allow the more motivated individuals to spend a larger amount of time on their own and actively networking. This will naturally allow more time for the teacher to assist the students that need help and to motivate the unmotivated students.
A 7th Grader’s Personal Learning Environment (or PLN)
This was very exciting! This Science class is a perfect example in the application of the technologies that we are learning about in EDM310.
This 7th grader’s PLE is very similar to my PLN. We have learned to use the same tools for research and documentation, such as Google docs and even blogging. It demonstrates that we need to adapt to the current technology to be able to teach it.
The Machine is Changing Us
Mr. Wesch’s comments on isolation from peer groups and society doesn’t affect my personal life too much because I come from a large family, even nonrelated, who are still considered to be family. We spend a lot of time together and really enjoy it.
His comments on people more concerned with amusing themselves rather than with an intellectual application (serious reading, opinions and activism) affect me more. I don’t watch much TV because I am so busy with work and school, but when when I do, I want something “mindless”. I also do not spend time on serious reading much right now, other than what is needed in the courses I am taking.
Thinking about communication and how it is delivered makes me think about the amount of time that I communicate texting instead of face to face communication. Texting is a good way to keep in touch, but it reduces communication to the bare minimums and it does not allow you to see body language on how the message may be received.
I can use the comment Mr. Wesch’s made about technology controlling the message and how it is delivered/received when it comes to my future professional work as a teacher. This can be done by the way I deliver the technology to my students and with the way they will receive it.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Blog Assignment #5
I listened to podcasts on Eagle Nest Radio and The Practical Principles. I also watched the video on The Benefits of Podcasting in a Classroom. I was surprised the third graders in Eagle Nest Radio did such a good job. I noticed that the background music they used matched the subject they were talking about and it made it more interesting.
I found the podcast on The Practical Principles to be somewhat tedious. Although the format for this podcast was more like a radio show, I could not appreciate the small talk at the beginning. There were some good suggestions for use of technology in education.
The video I watched on The Benefits of Podcasting in a Classroom brought out interesting applications. One of the most applicable would be to keep students who have to be absent informed of the assignments and lectures though podcasts. Another thing that occurred to me would be having students listen to their own podcasts to help them improve their expressiveness and use of punctuation when reading.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Blog Assignment 4
Don’t teach your kids this stuff. Please?
I love how Dr. McLeod is being really sarcastic here, and it made it a great post. He’s showing how ridiculous some people can be when it comes to the internet and technology. Obviously, the dangers of the internet should be discussed, but everything thing else should not be taken away because of concerns like that. He’s saying, fine, don’t let your child do any of this, but I will. His children will be much more technologically literate than others.
Dr. McLeod is a professor of education at Iowa State University and the creator of “Did You Know”.
The iSchool Initiative
Travis was advocating the use of an iTouch for dedicated instruction. He believes that it will revolutionize the way that education is conducted today and could save large amounts of money. He was saying that it will allow more accountability of students and teachers. He is also banking on future apps that haven’t been created yet.
My reaction to this is that it was idealistic, but not practical. Perhaps this technology is wave of the future, but it will probably be with a larger format, such as the iPad. For me, any extended reading on my iTouch, gives me a headache. This wouldn’t be something I would enjoy.
The Lost Generation
This was very effective when it came to communicating the issue at hand. It used a good combination of visual and audio techniques. The way everything was reversed was effective in making her point.
My reaction is… I just hope there are more people like her out there!
Eric Whitacre’s Virtual Choir
This was interesting. The technology makes this type of project possible for the average person that would otherwise be impossible. It shows that people have the same interest all over the world.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Additional Assignment #1
Educational Implications of Google Square and Wolfram Alpha:
Google Square and Wolfram Alpha have more concentrated information that is available more quickly. These have more potential to provide faster research than other ways you can search like encyclopedias or even traditional web search engines. You have to be careful because the data may or may not be accurate. Although in Google Squared it has a confidence indicator, which is helpful. It makes it easier to find the information so you can spend more time studying it than looking for it.
I did not know about either of these before I read about them recently.
Screen shot of the Pitcairn Island:
“Did You Know” Update:
For most part, I think my comment on the “Did You Know” video was pretty accurate. I guess I concentrated more on the big picture. I have learned not to take all statistics at face value without understanding specifically what data is being used, where it is coming from and, potentially, what it’s being used to “sell”.
Food for Thought:
This is a peftect example of a high level man-machine-interface.
Google Square and Wolfram Alpha have more concentrated information that is available more quickly. These have more potential to provide faster research than other ways you can search like encyclopedias or even traditional web search engines. You have to be careful because the data may or may not be accurate. Although in Google Squared it has a confidence indicator, which is helpful. It makes it easier to find the information so you can spend more time studying it than looking for it.
I did not know about either of these before I read about them recently.
Screen shot of the Pitcairn Island:
“Did You Know” Update:
For most part, I think my comment on the “Did You Know” video was pretty accurate. I guess I concentrated more on the big picture. I have learned not to take all statistics at face value without understanding specifically what data is being used, where it is coming from and, potentially, what it’s being used to “sell”.
Food for Thought:
This is a peftect example of a high level man-machine-interface.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Blog Assingment 3
Michael Wesch: A Vision of Students Today
My college experience, to date, has been somewhat different then shown in this video. Though Faulkner State is not a nationally known college, I experienced small class sizes, teachers who knew my name, actually used my text books most of the time, and reasonable tuition. Technology was embraced at a basic level though on-line classes. I believe that the education that I obtained, while not always inspiring, was adequate and a good value.
Education consists of multiple parts. Students can be offered an education and not take advantage of it or they can be capable of attaining the knowledge and want it, but not have the circumstances so that it is available to them.
A person who is interested and wants to learn will typically make the effort no matter how the knowledge is offered and will often supplement organized education with additional self study to become proficient. Effective teaching methods and technology can make this process much easier and bring the students to a higher and more functional level faster. There will always be students who are derailed by outside influences such as social life. A higher goal for society is to make a free on-line college (and access) available to those who desire it, but for whatever reasons cannot obtain it under “normal” circumstances.
For me, some things that could be added to the video are statistics about junior/community colleges. Attendance, tuition rates, class sizes, student teacher ratio and success rates of students pursuing higher degrees are some of the statistics that I would like to see.
"It's Not About the Technology" by Kelly Hines
There is a difference between teaching and learning. Teachers must be able to do both of these and be able to recognize when their teaching results in learning and when it does not. One objective of a teacher’s commitment to life-long learning is to keep pace with technology and recognize how to use it effectively in the classroom.
Adding technology to classrooms without an objective is not going to fix most problems in schools today. It’s the way the teachers teach, technology or no technology, which can benefit or hinder the learning process. We all had teachers in school that were effective. We need to realize why we responded to these teachers and try to emulate their success. I do think technology in the classroom is a good idea, but as previously stated; it is the way it is used that matters.
Karl Fisch: Is It Okay to Be A Technologically Illiterate Teacher?
Teachers should be aware of and even familiar with the “state of the art” technology and know how to use a level of that technology consistent with the educational objectives that they are teaching. Technology has a way of evolving with the successful being adopted and others being used briefly and then upgraded or discarded. Students should be taught that technology is ever evolving and they should take advantage of opportunities that they have to apply it, either inside or outside of the classroom setting. This message, if clearly communicated to the student will be more valuable than thirty minutes of “computer time” in a classroom.
Technology will be used if it is useful. You don’t see many engineers using slide rules anymore and not many sailors use sextants. Not because it was taught in class first, but because it made the job easier. However, these old skills will be important if the power ever goes out. There is a place for both in our society.
Gary Hayes Social Media Count
First of all, I just have to say… WOW. Do children play outside anymore these days!? That is mindboggling to me how consumed people really can be by the internet in general.
Technology is, and will be necessary. When teaching/using technology, we will be competing with digital entertainment and social networking sites. We need to take advantage of the basic skills acquired by the students in these activities and apply that to their education.
My college experience, to date, has been somewhat different then shown in this video. Though Faulkner State is not a nationally known college, I experienced small class sizes, teachers who knew my name, actually used my text books most of the time, and reasonable tuition. Technology was embraced at a basic level though on-line classes. I believe that the education that I obtained, while not always inspiring, was adequate and a good value.
Education consists of multiple parts. Students can be offered an education and not take advantage of it or they can be capable of attaining the knowledge and want it, but not have the circumstances so that it is available to them.
A person who is interested and wants to learn will typically make the effort no matter how the knowledge is offered and will often supplement organized education with additional self study to become proficient. Effective teaching methods and technology can make this process much easier and bring the students to a higher and more functional level faster. There will always be students who are derailed by outside influences such as social life. A higher goal for society is to make a free on-line college (and access) available to those who desire it, but for whatever reasons cannot obtain it under “normal” circumstances.
For me, some things that could be added to the video are statistics about junior/community colleges. Attendance, tuition rates, class sizes, student teacher ratio and success rates of students pursuing higher degrees are some of the statistics that I would like to see.
"It's Not About the Technology" by Kelly Hines
There is a difference between teaching and learning. Teachers must be able to do both of these and be able to recognize when their teaching results in learning and when it does not. One objective of a teacher’s commitment to life-long learning is to keep pace with technology and recognize how to use it effectively in the classroom.
Adding technology to classrooms without an objective is not going to fix most problems in schools today. It’s the way the teachers teach, technology or no technology, which can benefit or hinder the learning process. We all had teachers in school that were effective. We need to realize why we responded to these teachers and try to emulate their success. I do think technology in the classroom is a good idea, but as previously stated; it is the way it is used that matters.
Karl Fisch: Is It Okay to Be A Technologically Illiterate Teacher?
Teachers should be aware of and even familiar with the “state of the art” technology and know how to use a level of that technology consistent with the educational objectives that they are teaching. Technology has a way of evolving with the successful being adopted and others being used briefly and then upgraded or discarded. Students should be taught that technology is ever evolving and they should take advantage of opportunities that they have to apply it, either inside or outside of the classroom setting. This message, if clearly communicated to the student will be more valuable than thirty minutes of “computer time” in a classroom.
Technology will be used if it is useful. You don’t see many engineers using slide rules anymore and not many sailors use sextants. Not because it was taught in class first, but because it made the job easier. However, these old skills will be important if the power ever goes out. There is a place for both in our society.
Gary Hayes Social Media Count
First of all, I just have to say… WOW. Do children play outside anymore these days!? That is mindboggling to me how consumed people really can be by the internet in general.
Technology is, and will be necessary. When teaching/using technology, we will be competing with digital entertainment and social networking sites. We need to take advantage of the basic skills acquired by the students in these activities and apply that to their education.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Summary Post C4T Teacher #1
Summary to Mr. Joe Bower’s Blog post - Stuck in Our Ways:
Mr. Joe Bower is saying that we should not be afraid to challenge the norm and be willing to try new and different methods when it comes to teaching.
Summary of my comment:
I agreed with Mr. Bower. I said that people may be more accepting if new methods are slowly incorporated into the classroom and that earlier grades are probably the best place to start.
Summary to Mr. Joe Bower’s blog post - What we have here is failure to communicate:
Mr. Joe Bower is saying that some adults are failing to communicate with children. That communication in itself is difficult and when a child has a limited vocabulary, it can be even harder. We need to make sure we understand the message, even though it may be hidden. He also gave an experience about his daughter.
Summary of my comment:
In my comment to him I said that like his daughter, most children express their frustration in limited but familiar ways. I also said that I work with children on a daily basis and that I knew his daughter was just frustrated that she couldn’t actually express what she wanted to communicate.
Mr. Joe Bower is saying that we should not be afraid to challenge the norm and be willing to try new and different methods when it comes to teaching.
Summary of my comment:
I agreed with Mr. Bower. I said that people may be more accepting if new methods are slowly incorporated into the classroom and that earlier grades are probably the best place to start.
Summary to Mr. Joe Bower’s blog post - What we have here is failure to communicate:
Mr. Joe Bower is saying that some adults are failing to communicate with children. That communication in itself is difficult and when a child has a limited vocabulary, it can be even harder. We need to make sure we understand the message, even though it may be hidden. He also gave an experience about his daughter.
Summary of my comment:
In my comment to him I said that like his daughter, most children express their frustration in limited but familiar ways. I also said that I work with children on a daily basis and that I knew his daughter was just frustrated that she couldn’t actually express what she wanted to communicate.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Blog Assignment 2
Did you know?
Although I realized there are always new ideas becoming reality, I was not aware of how quickly technology is changing. It’s intimidating to know how much I need to learn, just to be able to keep up. It is even more intimidating to think about how much I will need to learn to be able to get ahead.
One main thing I was thinking throughout this movie was, “I was not aware of that.” I was not aware of how much information is transmitted and how quickly. It is amazing to learn that many of the jobs that students are training for today don’t even exist yet. I now understand that I will have to be a lifelong learner to be able to keep up and contribute.
Mr. Winkle Wakes
Industry has changed so much, but in the classroom things are being taught the way they were a century ago. “Mr. Winkle” finds himself comfortable in the classroom on the video. To him it was what he was used to a century ago, because there was not much change. Everywhere outside of the classroom was very uncomfortable to him because it was so technologically different.
The message it is bringing across is a little sad. Everywhere new technology is booming around us, but in a lot of school, they stick to the traditional way of teaching. It’s a different way of teaching that people aren’t used to, but it could be a very positive thing if taught the right way. It almost doesn’t seem fair to not bring the new forms of technology into the classroom and not give children the means to learn with the tools we have now.
Sir Ken Robinson: The Importance of Creativity
Mr. Robinson is saying the Arts should be just important in the school as Math, Science and English. Creativity is so important and can help many children to learn more. Mainstream education is making an effort to change with school of the arts (magnet schools) but even these schools are steeped in the traditional approach to learning.
Mr. Robinson says, "Creativity is as important as literacy." There needs to be more creative ways to learn in the classrooms because not everyone responds well to the traditional classroom environment. I think being willing, and actually using different methods of teaching would have a very positive effect in schools.
Vicki Davis: Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts
Ms. Davis’ approach is interesting to me. I think it’s a great way for learning. Though, it may not be for every student, just like the traditional classroom isn’t for every student. If nothing else, it will produce a class of extremely capable video game players. The video, to me, was not very clear if this was a dedicated technology class or whether all subjects were approached in this manner.
I do think it’s great that technology is being used in this classroom, but what if it’s too much? In the video “Mr. Winkle Wakes” there was no technology being used in the classroom. In this video though, I almost though it was too much. Every class has an objective, and the best educators find the way to relate with the students to achieve that learning objective. As Mr. Robinson outlined, traditional education can be limiting, but so can bombarding a student with technology. Bringing technology into the classroom is a great thing, but I do think it is very important that students need to be comfortable in that surrounding.
Although I realized there are always new ideas becoming reality, I was not aware of how quickly technology is changing. It’s intimidating to know how much I need to learn, just to be able to keep up. It is even more intimidating to think about how much I will need to learn to be able to get ahead.
One main thing I was thinking throughout this movie was, “I was not aware of that.” I was not aware of how much information is transmitted and how quickly. It is amazing to learn that many of the jobs that students are training for today don’t even exist yet. I now understand that I will have to be a lifelong learner to be able to keep up and contribute.
Mr. Winkle Wakes
Industry has changed so much, but in the classroom things are being taught the way they were a century ago. “Mr. Winkle” finds himself comfortable in the classroom on the video. To him it was what he was used to a century ago, because there was not much change. Everywhere outside of the classroom was very uncomfortable to him because it was so technologically different.
The message it is bringing across is a little sad. Everywhere new technology is booming around us, but in a lot of school, they stick to the traditional way of teaching. It’s a different way of teaching that people aren’t used to, but it could be a very positive thing if taught the right way. It almost doesn’t seem fair to not bring the new forms of technology into the classroom and not give children the means to learn with the tools we have now.
Sir Ken Robinson: The Importance of Creativity
Mr. Robinson is saying the Arts should be just important in the school as Math, Science and English. Creativity is so important and can help many children to learn more. Mainstream education is making an effort to change with school of the arts (magnet schools) but even these schools are steeped in the traditional approach to learning.
Mr. Robinson says, "Creativity is as important as literacy." There needs to be more creative ways to learn in the classrooms because not everyone responds well to the traditional classroom environment. I think being willing, and actually using different methods of teaching would have a very positive effect in schools.
Vicki Davis: Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts
Ms. Davis’ approach is interesting to me. I think it’s a great way for learning. Though, it may not be for every student, just like the traditional classroom isn’t for every student. If nothing else, it will produce a class of extremely capable video game players. The video, to me, was not very clear if this was a dedicated technology class or whether all subjects were approached in this manner.
I do think it’s great that technology is being used in this classroom, but what if it’s too much? In the video “Mr. Winkle Wakes” there was no technology being used in the classroom. In this video though, I almost though it was too much. Every class has an objective, and the best educators find the way to relate with the students to achieve that learning objective. As Mr. Robinson outlined, traditional education can be limiting, but so can bombarding a student with technology. Bringing technology into the classroom is a great thing, but I do think it is very important that students need to be comfortable in that surrounding.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Blog Assignment 1
I am a native of North Carolina, though most of my relatives are from South Carolina. I moved to Mobile with my family when I was three years old and have lived here for almost eighteen years. I am the baby of the family. I have an older brother and an older sister. They are both married and have their own families now, each with a new baby less than 2 months old.
I’m twenty one years old and am a junior at USA. I am majoring in Elementary Education. I received my associate’s degree from Faulkner State this past year. Once I have received my degree from USA I plan on teaching elementary school. Working with children has always been a passion of mine and has seemed like an amazing thing to me.
I currently work at the Spring Hill Baptist Child Development Center where I am a 4k teacher. Besides babysitting, this is the only job I have ever had. I have worked there for two and a half years now, primarily in the 4k department. This year I have 15 four year olds in my class. It’s pretty great to be given the opportunity to experience and practice in the field that I am working towards getting my degree in. It has opened my eyes in that it is hard work, but I find that pretty gratifying. I am also a Christian and have been a member of Spring Hill Baptist Church since I moved to Mobile. I love Mobile and I hope to be able to find a job here once I have gotten my degree.
I’m twenty one years old and am a junior at USA. I am majoring in Elementary Education. I received my associate’s degree from Faulkner State this past year. Once I have received my degree from USA I plan on teaching elementary school. Working with children has always been a passion of mine and has seemed like an amazing thing to me.
I currently work at the Spring Hill Baptist Child Development Center where I am a 4k teacher. Besides babysitting, this is the only job I have ever had. I have worked there for two and a half years now, primarily in the 4k department. This year I have 15 four year olds in my class. It’s pretty great to be given the opportunity to experience and practice in the field that I am working towards getting my degree in. It has opened my eyes in that it is hard work, but I find that pretty gratifying. I am also a Christian and have been a member of Spring Hill Baptist Church since I moved to Mobile. I love Mobile and I hope to be able to find a job here once I have gotten my degree.
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