Monday, November 15, 2010

Progress Report on Final Project

On my final project I admit that I have fallen far behind. I do not a partner and I have not started thinking about ideas. Hopefully I will find a partner by the end of the week.

Blog Assignment Twelve

Blog Assignment Twelve
1. Wacth a youtube video of your choice. (within reason)
2. Look for ideas about the use of technology in that video (sound, images, scripts...) look for ideas that you might use in making your own youtube video in yor future classroom.
3. In your blog share at least two ideas that you might use in the future.
4. Include the video in your blog.


The video I chose was, Alejandro - Lady Gaga Parody ( Jalapeño ). Some of the ideas that I might use would be making a parody in class. Of course this parody would be somewhat educational! We could pick a song or maybe a commercial and creatively turn the words into a parody. My second idea would be actually recording this video and have the class edit it. This would encourage learning in many different areas.




Summary Post C4K 3-7

blogger logo
In the last few weeks of commenting I have been able to see how blogging is used in many different classrooms. Some blog posts were short and simple, about Halloween and costumes! In another blog I was able to watch a video of students learning with a wii! All of the blogs that I have visited so far have been greeat!

Summary Post C4T Teacher #3

language olympics symbol


For this I was assigned to comment on Joe Dale's blog. His first post was about the language olympics. This was an online competition. It was very informative about what exactly the language olympics were. In my comment I was sure to thank him for his blog. The second post that I commented on was about a presentation he had given on the importance if PLNs. It was a interesting presentation! In my comment I thanked him for sharing his presentation and opinion.

Blog Assignment Eleven

Nintendo DS


The use of technology in this elemenary school classroom is amazing! The students knew all about bolgs and wikis! They seemed to really enjoy this type of learning. Her approach of using technology made it seem more enjoyable instead of busy work. I believe that some of the students would not think of this as learning but as fun! Some of her techniques I might use are to incorporate devices that students already use into learnng. This class was using and learning on their Nintendo DS! I believe that the benefits would really out weigh the negatives. This type of teaching would really improve students learning. One thing that might get in the way of this is the money to buy the supplies. I do not think that asking for 30 Nintendo DS per classroom would be granted. One way about going around this would be have fewer DS's and have students working on different activities so the DS's can be shared.

Blog Assignment Ten

pack of pencils


An Open Letter to Educators

This was another interesting reading assignment. I can understand how both the author and video maker feel. Sometimes feeling cheated at University is all to common. The difference in EDM 310 and my other classes is unreal. Although not all professors fall into the boring lecture category, some do. My overall experience in college has been a good one. I feel that most classes could be improved if professors were REQUIRED to take EDM 310!!! The use  of technology would greatly improve the college experience for most students.


Don't Let Them Take The Pencils Home

Yet again another great blog! At first I was confused, but with a little thinking I could understand that the pencils were not really pencils at all. This is a good example of finding a solution to a problem. The fact that the pencils were in fact computers made this blog pertinent to our class.


Two Questions That Can Change Your Life

Whats my sentence?  Was I better today than yesterday? These are two questions that require some thought. Not only are these good things to think about as teachers but they are great things to think about as people. What will we be remembered as. Did you treat someone well today? My sentence would be, someone who offered a smile and an open ear but never advice.

Blog Assignment Nine

clipboard of goals


"What I've Learned This Year"

This was one incredible blog post! I was very interested in reading, glad that this was part of our assignment. He told of the struggles that he faced his first year teaching. I believe that these are probably pretty common and therefore very appreciated. The one comment that really stuck out to me was about how teaching is not about you, the teacher. I could not agree more! Another point that I found interesting was that there is no such thing as a perfect lesson plan. Hopefully I will remember this in the future and save myself a few headaches!

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Blog Assignment Eight

This Is How We Dream Parts 1 & 2

This was a very informational video. It shows that books are both online and in print. Mr. Miller was able to complete a writing assignment without ever going to a library. This is not surprising to me but to those who are used to having to search for material manually in a library it may take some getting used to. He continued to talk about how some documents are both written and online. That things in print will eventually make its way online and how some online things are or are not in print. He continues to say that this is "a incremental change not a fundamental change."

He talks about working with a digital environment. Online research is more visual and up to date. Information is more availability. I agree with him when he states that educators must be willing to share ideas freely. I believe that this could not have been better said. Ideas are normally not original. He dreams of a future with an educational system with students using digital tools for school work. He understands the boundaries that are being faced with that today but he has hopes that those problems will be overcome.

Yes, I am prepared to write with multimedia. I believe that this is something that future teachers must be prepared to do this. With help students should be able to write like this. Students now are using word programs and maybe even pen and paper. They had to be taught to do this, therefore they can be taught to write using multimedia.


EDM 310 is Different
The Chipper Series and EDM 310

I think that the main point from the Chipper Series would be to do work on time. This is a important tool for all students. This may be even more important for us, future teachers. The EDM 310 for Dummies was a great video! It really made a class assignment fun to complete an fun to watch. I hope to incorporate some of some ideas from these videos into my future EDM 310 video.


Smart Boards

The first critique of smart board had some valid points. I am pro smart board! The critique seemed a bit one sided. Although lessons are the same smart boards allow teachers to be more interactive. If a teacher has a smart board in their room why would they not use it? Teachers do not have to depend on and teach only from smart boards. The second critique. So this blogger had a more put together argument. I can see why they do not care for smart boards. I am slightly beginning to lean to this side. (Will not decide until I have time to actually teach with one.) He points out that schools but these and then show them off like things have already been accomplished. When in all actuality you are able to do just as much with computer software. Both of these arguments have good points.

Project #11

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Additional Assignment #2

How Kids Teach Themselves

After watching this video I believe that when someone is motivated to learn that they will be capable of teaching themselves anything. Before this video I did not believe this, in some cases teachers may be necessary but this video proved they are not necessary in all situations. If the motivational learner is a kid I say yes of course they can teach themselves! The kids in the video could. Although I do believe that motivation is necessary. The conditions necessary for a kid to teach themselves would be motivation and determination. If the kid does not want to learn then they will not teach themselves. I also believe that interest would help a kid teach themselves. The conditions necessary for anyone to teach themselves would be pretty much the same. I think that an adult would know the importance of learning and maybe not have to be interested in the subject. Computers and internet play a HUGE role in the process. They are probably the most use full tools. Motivation also has a large role, I believe that it is almost necessary for a kid to have motivation. The questions or problems may give the motivation. The need and want to figure out the answer will provide motivation. Therefore having a question or problem would be very helpful. I believe that you can motivate someone to learn by showing them the opportunities that it will provide. I am motivated to learn partly by the opportunities it will create and partly because I am a curious person. Yes, I believe that anyone motivated to learn will be able to. Sometimes I teach myself. I mostly review what I have already learned but sometimes I have teach myself a different way than I was first taught, it helps me better understand. A teacher can be a great source of motivation! They also give instruction and help. My most important response to this would be that most children would love the opportunity to learn. This really shocked me. Other questions in this video that should be discussed are how can we incorporate independent learning in our future classrooms!

Friday, October 15, 2010

Progress Post on PLN Project #10

So far on my PLN I am using symbalto. I am using skype, facebook, flickr and others. I have joined groups related to my PLN and hope that they will be resourceful. I am not entirely sure of how to compile this information to create my finalized PLN but I am sure with more research I will figure things out.

Blog Assignment Seven


Randy Pausch's Last Lecture

This was one amazing video! This was inspirational from the beginning! From the football stories and the trip with NASA he is a very accomplished person. He learned from his childhood dreams and heroes. He understands that not achieveing dreams is acceptably, and sometimes is better that accomplishing them. His view He understands the importance of dreaming.

His determination to get around brick walls is astonishing. He showed that there was a good and bad way for saying "I dont know." His opportunity to work with Disney was amazing! The way he was able to have his cake and eat it to shows his detirmination to get around brick walls.

When he talks about enabling childhood dreams he seems to be really sincere. His way of teaching is very inspirational, the work that he gave students was incredible and their responses were even better. They were given big tasks and they performed greatly. He saw his students as brilliant, which I honestly do not think that most teachers do. He was able to excite the school as a whole.

His work good at making learning fun. He understood childhood dreams, he was even able to live some of his own. He understood the importance of helping others. He knew the importance of believing in students. He also knew that making learning interesting for all ages. This one amazing way to keep children interested in science. His determination for getting around brick walls is astounding.

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Project 9a

Summary Post C4T Teacher #2

I was assigned Larry Ferlazzo, his blog is a helpful tool for those who teach ELL, ESL, or EFL. His first post was about the articles related to the movie "Waiting for Superman" a movie that was not yet released. He provided links that provided responses to the movie by teachers. One link that he provided was from a recent episode of Oprah. In this episode she awarded millions to schools that are making changes all across the country. In my comment I said that I actually watched a portion of this episode. I was dissapointed by the fact that not one school awarded was a public school. They were private and charter schools. The second blog post I commented on was a new website for ESL and ELL teachers. He compared this website to a new site that is being launched by google. In my comment I wrote that competition between sites could be a good thing and that both of the sites would be helpful to teachers.

Blog Assignment Six

The Networked Student

This was a very neat video. I have never put much thought into why a networked student needs a teacher. I just assumed that teachers were involved either way. Connective learning was a real interesting way to think about the options of future learning. I hope that this way of learning is tried because I beleive that it could really work.

When the question is asked why have a teacher it is throughly answered. A teaacher is there as a model and a guide. Also to help the student sift through the information found. Another way a teacher is needed is for encouragement, teachers will also help students learn good information from bad and choose scholary sources. The teacher is also there to get excited with the student when good information is found and the student begins to enjoy connective learning.

I hope that this type of learning will be used, and soon! I beleive that with teachers as moderators and helpers that this learning will succedd. This is also a good way for students to become more independent. Not just independent in learning but also in other aspects of life.

A Seventh Grader's Personal Learning Environment

This was a great video for a seventh grader! This seemed like a great example of connective learning. It really uses the internet to its fullest. This is a great way of interacting with experts outside of the classroom. I believe that this way of learning would really motivate students. In this video responsibility and freedom went hand in hand. I did not think that science could be mainly tought with computers and internet. I was wrong. This was a great example of how most any subject can be taught through this way of learning.

My PLN in some ways does seem like the seventh graders who made this video. We both have assignments and are expected to do them. Although the subjects are different we both have assignment and are expected to turn them in on time.

The Machine is Changing Us

This was a very shocking video. The revolution from 1984 to the cable boom in the 80's and 90's and the meaning of whatever was very interesting and informational. Although I am not cinvinced that our society is as narcissiistic as he makes it seem, although he does make a valid point.

The part of the video on you tube is very informational. I have never thought about the youtube community or the fact that people are talking to a camera and youtube not to a person.

I am not an avid youtube user. I do assignments for class and watch the occasional video, maybe ten before this class. Therefore I beleive that what Dr. Weschis saying is mostly true. You tube allows people to become more personal. The free hugs video was a way for people to communicate through videos online.

Thursday, October 7, 2010

C4K Summary 1 & 2

For this assignment I was assigned Courtney D, I read her "about me" and learning manifesto." Courtney is a student at Noel Elementary. She seemed to be a very bright and excellent student! She understood what she was being taught in class. She also seemed to be close to her family, Courtney also had a passion for animals, she has horses and dogs. Some of the things mentioned in her learning manifesto are still relevant for me today. She wanted to become more organized with her work. Organization is very important and I wished her luck!

Our Crystal Ball: Speculations of the Future Classroom


Get Your Own Free Hypster.com Playlist.

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Blog Assignment Five

microphone and headset


Eagle Nest Radio and Class Blog

This was a great blog and podcast! Very nice for third grade work. I like how they used music playing while they were talking, I also enjoyed the class picture. This is a good way to add to a voice podcast. It allows the listeners to see who is doing the podcast. I enjoed the subject of the last podcast, Romans. From this podcast I would like to incorporate the use of music while talking and maybe a picture into my groups podcast.

Langwitches

I enjoyed this website. It had great tools to help with podcasts and great podcast examples! I liked how teachers used the blog to enable learning. They said it helped them to discuss current events and learn topics being covered in class. On thiss website I saw where in one school every class had blogs and podcasts! This is exciting to me! I beleive that this could be a great learning tool and I am pleased that it is already being used in schools. They also say this is a great way to indroduce young students to the internet and blogging.

Another thing I learned from this podcast is that picking a theme is a good way to entertain students! The Langwitches showed a cartoon of a witch at the beginning of podcasts and had a witch laugh and spooky music as the introduction to the podcast! I found this a great idea and I beleive that elementary school students would love this!

The Practical Principals

Again with this podcast I like the the introduction and I like the way they also used a picture for something visual for the listener. This podcast also had intro music which I also liked. I would really like to have music in my groups podcast! In this podcast it was more like a conversation than informational. I believe that this is because they were sharing information not summarizing what they were reviewing, like the third grade class above.

All three of these podcast websites were very informative. I really hope to take what I learned from these and involve them in my group podcast!

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Blog Assignment Four

Don't Teach Your Kids This Stuff. Please?

I found this to be a very interesting article. At first I was confused, as I continued reading I better understood Dr. McLeod's point. It is important to trust students, doing this will help allow us as teachers to give them more reponsibily and a better chance to learn. Dr. McLeod is a Professor at Iowa State University. He is an avid blogger, and does alot of technology leadership work.

iSchool Initiative

This was a very interesting video. Definately a great idea for schools willing to change! Not only will this provide a better learning situation for students it will also help teachers. It will allow teachers to connect with students instantly. This is also a great way to keep up with student work and even grades. This provides teachers and students a way of privately communicating without the student having to stay after class and be embarressed about it.

Another way this is a logical idea is that it will cut down the budget. In the video he states about $600.00 per student! That is alot of savings! Plus no text books, paper or other supplies that are costly and produce an excessive amount of waste. The iSchool idea is a very green way of learning. I hope that this project is a success, although I do see some sketicism from those unwilling to open their minds I believe that this will be a ultimate success.

The Lost Generation

This was another amazing video. When first viewing this video I became upset, I believe those things to be untrue. I believe that my generation does care and that work does not come first. When this video reversed I was shoked at the style of writing. Amazed that someone could have this make sense by simply reversing it. The technique was captivatingand it really pulled together to make sense.

Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir

Wow! Yet again another impressive video! The whole idea and importance of technology is really starting to grow on me. I now realize that the possibilities are endless! Using the internet this way is something that I never would of thought of. Now that seems like a shame to me. The internet should be used for more and more things like this. The capability to connenct people who may have never met otherwise is astounding.





Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Additional Assignment #1

This was my first experience with Google Squared. I did not know of it before watching the video, google continues to amaze me! This allows students or any user to see information about different things all at once. It sorts it out for you to. It definately helped my search about most popular dog names. WolframAlpha was also interesting. It seems to be a very smart tool, through this I found that I share a birthday with Michele Obama and that I have been alive for 7,915 days. This information source is amazing! This tool will be able to help children with everyday school work and provide a vast amount of information. I did not know about either of these tools before the assignment.

My Did You Know comments were based on the pure astonishment of the statistics in the video. Through Dr. Strange's video and these new search tools I must say I was to quick to fall for the ststistics. Now I understand why India has more honor students. There population is much larger than ours. I have learned that the shock of statistics needs to be examined further. I need to be ready to research and see the whole numbers before they were statistics.


Sunday, September 19, 2010

A little bit about Sarah Blankenship

Blog Assignment Three

laptop with chalkboard background with apple beside laptop



Michael Wesch: A Vision of Students Today
I would say that this movie is an accurate depection of most college classrooms. I have had quite a few classes where people are sleeping or facebooking or not even there. There are some exceptions to this boring one way style of teaching. I have had classes of both sorts but unfortunately they are mostly like that in the video.

Ways to add to the movie would be to show that although some students are sleeping or on the internet not paying attention that there are students there trying to learn. Another way would be to show a classroom where some technology is being used just, like in a powerpoint. These classes are not far above the level of the one shown in this movie. Although there is technology being used this does not mean that the class is interactive or even interesting.

It's Not About Technology
This was a very interesting read. There were many valid points. When first reading the title I was mislead, but after reading the article I understood why she named it "It's Not About Technology". I agree when she states that "Learning and teaching are not the same thing". This is an excellent point, students must learn in order for us to be teaching. I also agree that teachers must still be learners. In order to be the best teacher one must keep up to date on ways and styles of teaching. Learning and using technology in the classroom is one way for teachers to be learners.

My favorite point from this post was that "Technology is useless without good teaching", I could not agree more. Imagine your in a classroom with all sorts of technology. New computers, new software, plus all sorts of other technology but your teacher does not utilize these tools to the best of their ability. They do not optimize learning for their students and are not being a good teacher.

Is It Okay to Be A Technologically Illiterate Teacher?
I enjoyed this post. I agree that technology is a tool for educators to use. It would be a shame not to, the possibilities are endless. As a student I have been a victom of classrooms that seem to be anti technology. There is not a lot of learning going on in those classes. Just memorization and then forgetting it after the test. Classes that include technology in learning are more interesting and I normally learn and retain more information.

I also agree with the statement, "If a teacher today is not technologically literate - and is unwilling to make the effort to learn more - it's equivalent to a teacher 30 years ago who didn't know how to read and write." In most other jobs the employee is responsible for keeping up with the changes that are taking place. Why should teaching be any different?

Gary Hayes Social Media Count
I believe that the astonishing numbers on this count show us that we are going to have to include technology in the classroom. There is really no way around it. Incorporating this into learning will be a way for students to stay interested. Using technology is also a way for teacheres to stay up to date in teaching.

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Comments for Teachers #1

The first blog post that I commented on was on the subject of things that will become obsolete in the classroom in the next ten years. Some of the objects on the list would be great to leave in the past, while some others may stuck around for some time after ten years. In my comment on the blog I reviewed some of the items to become obsolete, number eight on the list were paperback books. This I can agree with. E books will probably have won by then,that is if the textbook companies allow it. Some that I did not agree with were homework and Algebra 1. I see these things making it through the next ten maybe twenty years. The second blog post I commented on was about fast changing technology. The blogger was able to look for and purchase a house from another country. She was also able to furnish it with online purchases. I thought that this was amazing! Technology absolutely amazes me! The constant growth allows for so much to be accomplished so much easier. Technology also provides many green opportunities.

Sunday, September 5, 2010

Blog Assignment Two

Did You Know? 3.0

This movie was very informative to only be four minutes and fifty six seconds. The movie had facts that I found to be astonishing. For example that China will soon be the number one English speaking country in the world or that India has more honor kids than America has kids! I also found incredible how much technology has changed. I have never thought about the idea that more and more of everyday life revolves around technology. Internet dating, text messages, myspace, and google searches are part of everyday life. Another interesting fact is the amount of information in todays world. The tv, radio, newspaper, and internet provide almost any kind of information that could ever be wanted.

What really stood out in the movie was the fact that we will be teaching students and preparing them for jobs that do not yet exist. As the movie said the top ten in demand jobs in 2010 did not exist in 2004! This seems like alot of pressure to be amazing teachers. This also shows the importance of being technology literate. We are responsible for the future and technology will definately play a large roll.


Mr. Winkle Wakes

I beleive that if this were a true story that a classroom would be somewhat familiar to someone sleeping 100 years. Other than the obvious differences like air conditioning and more than a few rooms. Although computers and smartboards are a more common sight in classrooms there are not a large enough amount of change for a classroom to have a unfamilar feeling to someone after 100 years. Lectures and white boards are dominant in most schools. Hospitals, offices, and streets have had a significant change in the last 100 years so why haven't the way students are being taught.

In some cases I beleive that the fault does not lie on the teachers but maybe the school board or the lack of funds for the school. In other cases I do beleive that teachers lack the motivation to make learning exciting and do not make use of the technologies that hospitals and offices are using. As computers and technology advance I believe that the classroom also should. Using and teaching students technology is a very important part of the future.



Sir Ken Robinson: The Importance of Creativity

This video really explains the importance of allowing and encouraging creativity in students. He talks about how education focuses on math, science, history, english but not on the arts. That not in one school are the arts taught everyday like any other subject such as math. He also says that education was built around a hierarchy, the arts at the bottom. He also states that the worlds view of intelligence should change.

Creative capacitys in children should be strived for. This will allow for a better future. There is a large variety of creativeness which should be developed. Creativity is very important for education and it should be treated with such significance.


Vicki Davis: Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts

This video was very informative in showing ways to empower students. The student assignments in this video are interesting and allow the students hands on activities. It also gives the students a chance to teach the class what they know. I find this inspirational because the students seemed to really enjoy this class and also to enjoy the teacher. The class was able to interact with others all over the world from inside their classroom.

I beleieve that by empowering students with the know how to succeed that they will. The skills that they are learning now they will be able to use for future jobs and assignments.I agree with her statement that not all students will succeed with just pencil and power. Her students seem to know and enjoy technology.

Sunday, August 29, 2010

Blog Assignment 1

I have spent most of my life in Mobile, Alabama. Although I lived in North Carolina for one year. I have also traveled to numerous states and to Mexico. Some of my major interests are reading, running, exercising, and being around my family and friends. I have to mention that I am a huge New Orleans Saints fan! This is sort of a requirement for being in my family! I have the best parents that I could have asked for. They are the reason that I am the lady that I have become. I have four sisters and one brother. They are some of my best friends.
I am attending USA mainly because of the closeness to home. This is my third year and I have grown to love USA. I have always wanted to have a career in education. I am excited to be pursuing my goals. A few reasons why I want to teach are; to help the community, help students find a passion for learning, and to be a friend as well as teacher when needed. I beleive that one of the things I am best at is listening. I would much rather listen than give advice.