Final Reflection Final Post~

C4T Summary Post

The teacher that I was assigned to comment on was Andris Grover. He was very inspiring with his words and he spoke a lot about education and technology and how it seems to change more often than we think.  The posts that I commented on were 21 apples and Modern Technology.  First I want to say that he came up with the name 21 apples because of course we are living in the 21th century and well when most people think of apples they think of teachers.   Well with that being said, he felt as though the modern educators should be both willing to learn just as much as they are willing to teach.  With technology changing so much it would be so easy for something new to kick in to action and we could miss it with just a blink of an eye.   Also the other post about modern education was similar to 21 apples, except for it was also stating how we should try to keep an open mind with students and not try to teach them 'by the book'.  To me that states that well it is true that we should try to stay on track and organized as much as possible as educators.  But with kids their minds become so lost and bored at times to where it is our position to get them back on track, and with technology, performing hands on, and visual activities it gives that extra excitement. 

C4K Summary Post 8-11~

#8~ I was assigned to comment on Naomig's blog he is a student in Mr. Chamberlin's 8th Grade class.  He was talking about a project that he had been working on.

 #9~ The other student I commented on was Madz who is in Miss Thompson's class.  She was writing about a movie they were looking at in class called Inanimate Alice it seemed very interesting.  I have never seen or even heard of the movie but I am considering finding more about it because it may be something I enjoy.

#10~ I was also assigned to comment on Trace's blog who is in Mrs. Huebner's class.  I can tell by his posts that he is a big sport fan, especially when it comes down to basketball.  I commented on his post where he talked about the New Season, which meant basketball season.  He said that he feels that he and his team will have a good year and that he is very excited about it.

#11~ Last but not certainly not least, the last student's blog I commented on was Yasmine, who is a student in Mr. St Pierre's class.  I had commented on several of her posts and they wre great.  She is a great writer with great potential, and like I mentioned in one of her posts, if she continues the good work she would have no problems once she gets in college.

Final Project!

Final PLN

Tell Me What Are You THANKFUL For.....(personal post)

Blog Post #13~ALEX

One word for ALEX, wow! This is a great web site not only educators, but parents and students as well. I see this as being a one-stop shop for new teachers like myself just getting into the real world of education. Though there may be things that you would alter from the site once you scan through it, I really see this as being a great guide. Their slogan "Quality for Every Facet of Learning" seems to fit their intentions greatly. It provides everything from lessons plans to different courses of study.  Even though I have family and friends that have been in education for some time I can still see this site as being an excellent guide for me.

I also checked out ACCESS and this network I think is also very useful.  It implies different ways that technology can be helpful to students around the world and how it allows you to learn things the same way whether you are face to face or communicating online.  I am almost certain that this will help many students entering college familiarize themselves with the different uses of technology.  It is not fun trying to play catch up with the 21st century technologies, and remember that you must always stay one step ahead!

Additional Assignment #5

I read Mr. Spence's blog and I think that his posts are well worth the time.   It's like he puts much thought in them to be better perceived.  Now that I have reread  "Don't Let Them Take the Pencils Home", I understand the concept of it much better.  I think that with all his posts his main message is the students.  Even though he wants them to understand the purpose of what they are doing, it also seems as if he is not making it easy for them.  I think that when he gives his students a challenge no matter how big or small, it's not to punish them but to make them realize the potential they have behind all their fears.

Project #15

How Determinded Are you Really? 'Forum Survey'

Are you college student?

yes~100%
no~0

What is your class ranking?

Freshman~0
Sophomore~8%
Junior~54%
Senior~15%
Do Not Know~23%

How much time a week do you spend doing school related assignments?

0-10 Hours~62%
11-20 Hours~15%
21-30 Hours~15%
31+~8%

Do you have any kids?

Yes~24%
No~76%

Are you attending college for your own purpose or because your parents have made it mandatory?

Me~85%
Them~0
Both~15%

Have you decided on your major?

Yes~100%
No~0

How assertive are you? (1-5 with 5 being the highest)

1~15%
2~8%
3~0
4~54%
5~23%

Are you a member of a professional organization in relation to your career goal?

Yes~85%
No~15%

How well are your networking skills?

Poor~15%
Average~54%
Excellent~31%

How much time do you spend towards your personal life on a daily?

0-5 Hours~62%
6-10 Hours~30%
11-15 Hours~8%
16+~0

Blog Post #12

Go to a school (what ever grade to desire to teach) find a student and ask them a few questions about technology at least five.  They may be any questions of your chose.  Also explain to me why you chose teaching as a profession and why you enjoy this particular grade level over the others.

J. E. Turner Elementary School
3rd Grade-Tiffani Wright

Do you know what technology is?
Yes, it means computers & cell phones

What type of technology do you use at school?
well we just got some new computers called smart boards that are really fun work on

What type of technology do you use a home?
I have a computer and a laptop at home that I use to do my homework and my mom and dad they both have cell phones that I also use

What would your teacher do without technology?
I think she would be slower giving us papers to take home because she uses the computer for that and we would not have as much fun in her class because our new smart board would not be here and we could not be able to learn.

Do you know what you want to be when you grow up? Do you think you will have to use technology on your job?
Yes I want to be a singer, and I think I will have to use technology to let people know when I have a show and to type up songs for me to sing.

I really enjoyed this interview with my student, she was very willing to answer my questions with the best of her ability. By the end of this interview I had to explain to her that technology is all around her and that it is more than just cell phones and computers. I decided to do teach third grade simply because to me they seem to be more willing to learn and more attentive to the teacher when it comes to learning new material. I have substituted for many elementary classes and I still seem to find myself more interested in third grade than the others(not saying that I wouldn't be willing to teach them all). I chose teaching as a profession because as a child growing up I have had a couple of teachers that has really inspired me in life not only when I was in class with them but as I progressed in school also. They taught me more than just the material in the books, but also how important education would be in my lifetime and how it's almost mandatory that I get one in order to live comfortably and be happy with my life. I want to be remembered as one of the teachers that impacted my students life and let them know that education is forever, and that knowledge is power!

Teaching Someone Something!

C4T #3 Summary Post

I was assigned to comment on Ms. Paula White's post who seems to have a lot of positive things to say about the way students and teachers should interact. She has posted some very interesting posts. The way that she writes things seems as if she feels that teachers should become more involved with their student's learning and also as educators we should be very careful with what we say and how we say it especially when talking with parents. 

Blog Post #11~ Little Kids...Big Potential

Mrs. Cassidy uses great techniques when it comes to teaching her students the way technology can be used today. I'm sure that getting all those little minds to cooperate was a challenge but with her seemingly passion for teaching, it was not an issue for her. I think that I would probably take a little something from all of the different approaches that Mrs. Cassidy uses to educate. The two I would probably use more often than others would be (like Dr. Strange)to get my students to create a blog and assign them to post something on it once a week and maybe on Friday's have a Skype conversation with a classroom elsewhere to learn different material from one another. Technology is not as bad as it sounds and once you get the hang of it, you can actually have some educational fun, much like Mrs. Cassidy's class seem to do.

C4K Summary Post 3-7

I was assigned to comment  on different kid's blogs that  ranged from elementary on up to middle school. 
The first child I want to talk about is Kane, he is a 4th grader at Pt England School that posted his volcano project.  He seemed to be an interesting kid who really enjoyed working with his other three classmates to get their volcano to erupt.  It looked very nice and he even wrote down a list of things that he would have done differently to make it a little better than it was, which shows great potential!  The other student was Tylara who is a 6th grader who talked about the school's parent/teacher conference.  She talked about how even though she wasn't able to attend to the conference she knew that she needed to work a little harder in Math, but she was doing well in her other classes.  It's very rare that you have a child at that age to really keep up with the progress that they are making in the classrooms.  Keep up the good work Tylara and try to make it to the next meeting if you can.  The third student was Maddie, who is a 7th grader in Miss W's class in Australia that was working on researching her ancestors.  I told her that by doing that she would find some  useful facts about her elders and her culture.  I also mentioned that I remember doing something similiar back in grade school and even though it seemed to be a never ending project it was very fun!   Another kid that I commented on was Madison who is a 6th grader in Mr. Goerend and Mrs. Quam's class in Iowa.  I commented on a poem she wrote that talks about her favorite spot in the classroom.  She goes on to say that the other students in the class often try to take her spot when she is not around because it is so comfortable.  So I also mentioned to her that I too have a cozy little spot at work that I love with a heater and all!  I also learned by reading Madison's blogs that her pet peeve is having a twin sister and that her favorite sudject is Math.  Now last but certainly not least, the last student that I commented on so far was Angie, who is a 4th grader in Ms. Naugle's class.  Angie talked about her in class project where they were measuring apples, and even though she left her apple at home, her classmate Nya shared her's so that Angie would not be left out.  I informed Angie that it's nice to have peers that don't mind sharing with one another in order to complete their work.  To conclude, I want to add that I really enjoyed commenting on these kids blogs, it allows me to see what they are thinking and how they react to different things in the classrooms.

Blog Post #10

An Open Letter To Educators

In Morgan Bayda's blog post where she commented on Dan Scott's video, I can honestly say that all three of us have something in common.  That is that we have all experienced having that professor that makes you just want to sign the role and leave due to he/she lecturing for two hours while you sit there trying to figure out what the lesson is really about.  I would also like to add that it really irritates me to have to pay hundreds of dollars on books that I may use the first day of class, while the rest of the time it sits in the truck of your car the next couple of months.  I don't know about most students but I'm also a mom and for me to have to spend that kind of money on a book I only use once and to just receive half that money back at the end of the semester can become very upsetting!   Furthermore, I would like to add that as Morgan mentioned, I applaud Dan for his courage to have that diverse mind frame and go his own route, but I don't think that I would have made the same decision.

Don't Let Them Take the Pencils Home

In this post it goes to show just how people take the things they read and if it interests them in a way that seems valid they look no further and run with that information.  The 'specialist' in this post really makes me want to double check her resume; not only becomes she doesn't find critical information to back up her story, but because she feels as if students should not take home their pencils.  First off if they don't take them home then they would not be able to do homework, so that there is an opposing fact to what she believes.   Like Mr. Johnson if someone came to me and said that I too would think it was some sort of hazardous problem but for her to say it drops test scores, I don't see the logic in that.  But instead of Tom arguing with her about what she feels is so true, he thinks of ways that would help the students to become more creative at home and at school, while also having the faith that they would put their ideas to great use.

Two Questions That Can Change Your Life

I would like to first say that I try my best to become a better person than I was yesterday.  Not only as a student, but as a mother, a fiance, a daughter, a friend, etc.  When I strive to do better and accomplish that goal it makes me feels wonderful inside, and it reassures me that I am on the right track in life.  My  lifelong sentence  is "Even though I was the last born out of my moms kids, I WILL be the first to attend college and graduate, so that I can become a better parent to my child than my mom was to me!"  I will always believe in this sentence because I want my child to have things in life that I didn't and I know that to better those chances I must receive and education in order to better educate her in life.  Also I want to add that even though my mom is not a bad parent to me, I see things in life that could have been different if she made better decisions.  I may not be the perfect parent but I want to be 'perfect' in my daughter's eyes and to let her know that the possibilities in life are endless!

Additional Assignment #3

This video was extraordinary! Not only was the animation great, but most of the messages were outstanding as well, and even though I'm not a great artist I would love to have the job of the artist/designer if I had to plan out something similar.  I think that the most important issues that were addressed is when he talked about medicating the students and the many standardized tests that  have been thrown in the school systems today.  I sort of understand that they issue them to seniors entering college to see where they stand academically, but for them to issue them to junior high and elementary students, I think is ridiculous! I feel as if they should not take up the younger kids time by giving these test because clearly it takes up too much time and its hard to cover all the information that is on it due to the class sizes being so large.  The other issue is the medications that are allowed to be given to kids at school.  I don't understand the reasoning behind it, what to calm a child down?  Well an active child to me is a child that's willing to learn and experience new things and in my opinion once you medicate them to were they become zombies in the classrooms, that's the real problem.

With me being an education major, I can relate much of the material I'm being taught to the some of the points that Robinson is trying make.  One that is most important is the use of technology and helping kids to become more familiar with it. Also, by showing them how it can be used to their advantage when it comes to learning in school, oppose to making them bored and have there attention floating elsewhere.  But their is one thing that I don't quite agree with him and that is when he says that we shouldn't organize kids by their ages.  I understand that some kids may be a little more or less advance than some kid their age, but I feel as if it allows them to learn from one another. With them being the same age they have more in common, which makes the process of growing easier for them.

SMART board Instructional Project!

Skype Movie Interview~

Blog Post #9~What I've Learned This Year? by Mr. Clung

I really enjoyed reading this post, Mr. Clung really provided me with some useful information about the life of a first year educator.   He really made me realize that being a teacher is not so much about lessons plans and getting everything done in a days time, but more so of being patient with students and being willing to listen to them if whether we are going too fast or too slow, or even if they just don't understand.  I have seen many teachers today let go of the teacher/student bond and just try to go by the book and be done.  But that is an example of a 'burp back education' which is something that I am going to try my best not to do to my students.  Mr. Clung also made a great point in his blog when he mentioned that the best way to make things run smoothly is to communicate.  That is not only true in a personal relationship, but also a student/teacher realationship, and even a work environment.  If you don't teach yourself how to communicate with different people, then in my opinion you will not be able to obstain an accurate relationship with your parents and/or your students.  I'm sure that being a first year elementary education teacher was challenging for him do to him going strictly by the books and the things that he was taught in college, but I'm happy to see that he learned from his mistakes and his students that no matter how hard to try and stick to those lesson plans those little minds will continue to work at their own pace.  I am sure that once I graduate and become a teacher that I will run into some of the same problems, but hopefully I'll be able to learn from my mistakes as a first year or even a second year teacher and apply those new applications to my teaching and learning network.

Timetoast 9b- US statehood

Blog Post #8

Richard Miller: This Is How We Dream Parts 1&2

Part 1 and 2 of Richard Miller's video was great and it provided many different techniques that can be used with technology by gathering and even presenting information on the web. It sort of seems like a lot of information to grasp as of how to become comfortable with using the web and neglecting all other sources (such as library, books, etc.), but I see that he is saying with just about everything being available online it would make the job easier.

Am I prepared to write with multimedia? Well there are different sources of technology I need to familiarize myself with, but I know once I am an educator I will have become more knowledgeable about the web and the things available for me and my students. But, I feel as if even though I'll have the knowledge to write with multimedia, I don't think I'll have the time to get my students to be as creative as they probably could be with using it the way the educational system has started to dictate the way things are taught in the classrooms. In my opinion as long as the students are grasping the information in a mannerable way, then it should be up to the teacher as to what technique would better suite them.

I'm sure that with me being an elementary educator the students may be very familiar with the basics techniques of the use of the web, but I am sure that I will have to spend more time with them to assist them on how to properly display certain information and/or assignments via the web.  As I stated in the previous paragraph, in order for us to better work with students and assist them with multimedia writing, the principals would have to let up a little and allow teachers to show their capability of expanding students thoughts and creativity.

EDM for Dummies

I really enjoyed these videos they did a great job.  I was also able to relate to to the stress at the beginning becuase this class can be stressful when you are new to all the different technology that is being thrown at you.  But once you ask questions and are able to understand the purpose of it all, you become more relaxed about the assignments and they become a breeze to complete.

Smartboards

bdiehl001 said...

Short Movie: Germs Are Not for Sharing~

First Report PLN

Although I still have much work to do on my Personal Learning Network, I have accessed networks such as youtube, facebook, symbaloo, podcast,  twitter (which I have just joined) and of course my blog.  The 7th grader's PLN that I watched on youtube was very impressive and soon enough I'll feel the same way about mine.  I have been exploring new networks every chance I get to better familiarize myself with the technology that is available to me.  With this EDM310 class I feel that once this semester is over and I have successfully passed, I would have accessed so many different networks that I never knew existed which I'm more than positive will be a great benefit for my career as an educator.   Also I would like to say that My PLN in Action by Karl Fisch was a great example by how it can really be put to use in many ways and also helpful to people of all sorts.  One thing that I favored most was the post where he said he had read where someone said that 'books are still in my PLN'.  I think this is great because even though most things today are given to us in some sort of technological form, reading is something that will still enhance your way of analyzing things, improve the way you speak, and  broaden your thought process.  So therefore, a PLN with many different ways of learning is great have because the thing that teachers need the most are organizational skills, and with an improved PLN I think it will help out a lot.  So keep an eye out on my magnificent Personal Learning Network because it is coming soon!

Project 9a Timetoast~Madison Emeri Dale

Blog Post #7~Randy Pausch's Last Lecture

Though this video was a little over an hour long, I feel in my opinion that it was well worth the time. Most of the time when you listen to speakers they are usually too boring, too scattered brain, or simply begging for too much attention; and well he was just the opposite. His words were very inspiring and meant a lot in a way that most people could relate to.

This was amazing, the words that he spoke and the way he spoke them were magnificent! There are very few people good in not only spirit but at heart also, and Dr. Pausch proved just that. I loved his introduction and how he still presented himself with high spirit though all the complications with his kidneys that he has faced in life the last few months (during the time of the video). Unlike many people he is not asking for sympathy or any sort of compassion, because as he mentioned he has already been blessed with the support of his wonderful family.

He had a very strong belief in education, that sort of reminds me of Dr. Strange. He wasn't too fond of the use of books because he didn't think it was enough to help students to actually learn something, he felt as if they could learn by doing and continuing to strive harder along the way. It seems as though he had accomplished just about all of his goals in life, which I think is very impressive. Also I would like to say that it's so nice to see that someone with the knowledge of his life span has so many happy memories about their life.
He was a well-spoken man with the thought of respecting others and you will receive the same respect that you will receive back by doing so.

C4T Teacher #2 Summary Post

I have been following post done by Karl Fisch and he is a very interesting guy. I say this because a lot of the posts that he post on his blog are very eye catching and makes you want to read and respond in pages at a time. The two posts that I commented on were the newpaper article in the Denver Post and the post about Teacher/Parent Conferences.

First let me say that I never thought that some people could have such a negative outlook on something as important as education and allow certain things to be publicized for us to see. The Denver Post made a headline story that read "Back in Action" and the subtitle to that read "Summer is almost over and the disappointed about returning to class...", really? It's understood that some kids aren't as excited about going back to school when the summer break is over, but the word disappointed to me is a little extreme, especially when coming from a newspaper publisher. If anything they should have been helping promote some sort of back to school function, especially with the drop-out rates that are sky rocketing today.

The other post that I commented on were his thoughts on Parent/Teacher Conferences at school. He made a statement by saying what is the purpose of holding a conference about a student and they are not present. Well to me this makes sense, because it's true that the parent may be able to relate the conversation back to the student but with them not being present, most of the time they are not going to be the least bit interested as to what went on. He also brought up the idea of a student-led conference, which I think seems to be great. It not only allows students to have that sense of authority and attention many always strive to get, but it also allows for better communication with the teacher, parent, and of course student as to what is understood and/or misunderstood in the classrooms.

Additional Assignment #2

How Kids Teach Themselves

Mitra's experiment was amazing and it makes so much sense when it comes to how and why kids learn the way they do. Most children are what I like to call enthusiastic learners, I use that term to mean that most kids learn better when there is a lot involved in an activity in order to better release their energy. Motivational learners are just what is says, they are motivated to do what ever needs to be done by even going that extra mile, and though a kid may have that motivation in them; the model and guidance of an educator is still needed to continue them on the right track. Technology plays in role in this also, because with it changing so often, it always provides that different outlook every time for students, to prevent them from becoming bored or uninterested. For example in one of Mitra's experiment where he embedded a computer in a wall in India, it shows just how motivated kids were to learning and exploring new things and how their excitement about it motivated them to explore more. Another point I would like to touch on is, how do you motivate someone to learn? Well my answer for that is that you must first figure out that persons personally and discover the things that interests them the most and decide how to embed that within their learning experience. But sometimes it takes a little more than that to assist a student with their learning skills, because some of them just think that school is just work, work, work, so as an educator you should show them how working can be both fun and educational and that's where you integrate your hands-on ability with them. I give this example because that is a way that has motivated me to continue to learn new things and even use them in my everyday life. I'm not saying that I need to be taught hands-on every time, but for example in my EDM310 class, the technology that I have learned how to use has been not only knowledgeable to me, but all of it is something that I am able to apply with me in my future career as a teacher. So with doing so, it motivates me to learn more knowing that I'm not wasting my time and that I am able to take this information and actually use it! Therefore, there are many issues that we should focus on as aspiring teachers, one would be making sure that we keep up with technology in order to better understand the world and better prepare our students and another is that we must keep the students interests on with what we are learning next, because that not only keeps them motivated, but their thoughts of school being boring and hard, will have completely exited their little mind and they are continuing to be motivated about learning!

Blog Post #6

The Networked Student

Though this video wasn't very long it contained a lot of not only important, but also knowledgeable information.  Most people don't expect students to do so much networking to accomplish a certain goal, but for the one's that are determined to go that extra mile, we as educators should be prepared. A student that is highly networked may seem like a challenge to some teachers but to me I feel as if it would another source for teachers to learn and become more aware of different sources that students have available. I'm not saying that the student should be teaching the teacher, but as I stated in one of my earlier posts, a teacher should be just as willing to learn new things as they are to teach new things.

Another point I would like to comment on is the question of "Why does the Networked Student Even Need a Teacher?", well my answer is simply, a role model. Even though a student my know everything there is to know about a certain subject and or an assignment, I feel as though they still need that modeled educator to assist them when they become confused, encourage them to keep up the good work, and even help out with networking, as stated in the video. In my personal experience, even when it may seem like I know exactly what I'm doing when giving instruction, it's sometimes become challenging when I'm left alone with no one to help me get started.

In conclusion, I really feel that even though I can still become a little better prepared to teach a networked student, that by the time I graduate I will have majority of the skills needed and even then I still would have an open mind and have that willingness to learn from my students!

A 7th Grader's Personal Learning Environment

This student is very self constructed when it comes to her school work. She is well prepared when its time for class by knowing exactly what needs to be done and doing it instead of drawing her attention else where and making her schoolwork her last result. This is very impressive for a kid her age, but in my opinion it's not everyday that you have a student of her grade level with her mind set with the knowledge of what to do and just doing it. Honestly, me as a college student it took me some time to mold myself into completing my work in a timely manner opposed to last minute. When I was growing up I always had someone there to remind me of what was important, but once you are in college you are basically set free and left to be responsible on your own. This student is on to a great a start and I hope that she doesn't loose her focus!


The Machine Is Changing Us

This video was very long but the speech was amazing! I really appreciate being assigned things that Mr. Wesch publishes because it seems to always be something with much logical and interesting information. It's so much to say about this video but I really want to point out when he talks about how the media mediates our generations young and old into believing that what ever we see on television or in magazines is the way things should be. I think that though those things may seem relevant and the time, it eventually plays out when another something comes along. Also I want to point out that though the Maury clip was a little amusing it was also ridiculous at the same time, because that shows exactly how kids today act towards their parents, full of disregard, disrespect, and no morals! He says that the machine is 'changing' us, I say that we don't have to allow that if we stand up and have a voice on what's right and not what's popular!

C4K Summary Post 1 & 2

Well I was assigned two different kids post comments on, one having done "About Me" assignment and the other kid had done the "Manifesto". The first student I commented on was a 3rd Grade student by the name of Kyla Carpenter, whose parent Alana Carpenter had taken EDM310 before. Her About Me post was very nice because along with it she had video of her pet and of her and her dad building a tree house, which I though was very neat. The other kid was an 8th Grader named Camren who had made some very interesting commitments in his Manifesto. But out of the ones he had listed the one that I found to be most becoming was the statement where he said that he promised not to give on no matter how hard something gets, and well to me at that age especially, that's a wonderful goal to have. I feel this way because many kids today seem to lack that will power and when things become a little challenging for them they just move on without even looking back. To conclude I would like to add that the two kids I read on were great and I hope they continue the good work!

Group Podcast

Blog Post #5

Well first I would like to say that I haven't ever done a podcast so I thought that I should actually read and listened to all of the different preparations assigned, and the three that I found most interesting were the Eagle Nest Radio and Class Blog, Langwitches, and The Benefits of Podcasting in a Classroom.  Podcasting to me is a tool that seems to be very helpful to students of all ages, but especially to elementary kids.  I say this because when you are that age looking at things on television and/or a computer screen actually gets you to be more involved and seems to grasp their attention more than just sitting in a class with no type of interaction at all.  Also with the little ones, they are always willing to do something and getting them to become active is what they love to do.  Now as for the older students, podcasting may seem like just another form of work, unless the teacher understands and has the capability to help them to explore the concept of it more and show them how it can be used in many ways.  I really think that every student should be requested to do a podcast at least one time throughout grade school, because unlike power point, you are actually able to act out different topics and your thoughts of them.

I not only learned what a podcast is and how to use it, I also learned the different approaches to use when getting ready to began one.  Even though I have never used a podcast before, I know that the one I have been assigned to do in Mr. Strange's EDM310 Class will be interesting.  I see that I can different things such as voices and pictures all while educating and informing others, which I know is always a good task!

Blog Post #4

Don't Teach Your Kids This Stuff, Please!

When I began reading this post I started thinking, what in the world is Dr. McLeod talking about.  But of course once I continued reading I started to see things the same way he was.  I feel that when he states not to teach your kids this stuff, he doesn't really mean it literally, but then he does.  I know that may sound strange, but today you only have to teach a kid so much with computers & technology and well from then they figure it all out.  I feel as that if you are going to teach your student or child something about computers, you should teach them ALL there is to know, the good, the bad, & the ugly.  Some may not agree with me but for instance if a child is searching the web for something and mistype a word you never know what may pop-up so just in case they may see something inappropriate at least they will have the knowledge to know to exit away and/or get a parent.

Another point that I want to touch on that Dr. McLeod spoke about was the sex-ting.  To me,  this is not as simple of a situation as it may seem; I have seen kids as young as twelve become bullied, depressed, even commit suicide because of it.  With cell phones I agree that kids should have them for security reasons such as after school activities, out with friends, or other functions away from home; but i also say that their use of them should be monitored fairly closely by the parents, such as who they are talking to and texting and even when.  A lot of social problems like this can be avoided in my opinion if we had more parents to become more involved and attentive to their children, their peers and their surroundings.

To conclude, I would like to thank Dr. McLeod, who is a highly educated professor in Pennsylvania with many different interests, for his thoughts and I would also like to say that there are so many ways that technology has been made negative, so do the right things by teaching your child the positive ways, even though you can't hold their hand every step of the way; I guarantee that most of the lessons taught to them will last throughout their lives!


The iSchool Initiative

I listened to this video, and well I this student is trying to prove two different points: the first is that using the iSchool is suppose to cut down the cost of things and guarantee more teaching jobs and the other is that it would be easier on the environment and more convenient for teachers, students, and parents. First he starts of by saying that if they were to completely rid of writing utensils, books, and calculators for the students, and globes, blackboards, and computers for teachers, that it would be a great way to start cutting spending costs not only for schools but parents also.

Another argument that he made was that life for everyone would be easier.  He feels that being able to email assignments, review agendas, and even access the lunch menu would be a lot better for everyone.  He also states that their would be less air pollution and we would save more trees.

Well, my thoughts on this video are simple, the world would become more isolated than what it is today!  First, I want to say that it may be convenient to email a teacher and/or a student to easier contact them, but assignments, agendas, and lunch menu, are you serious!  If they are going to do all of that then they may as well stop building schools and just home-school every one.  With everything being right in your hand there would be no need for face to face communication, and well with a person like me, that would not work!  I don't mind communicating through technology that's not a problem with me, the problem is that I am a hands on learner who needs clear direction the first time from a person and not some computerized voice.   I would also like to say that yea it may cut costs and save the environment, I don't disagree with that, but with the money that's not being spent on that, you can guarantee that it is going to be used other places, and not going in your pocket.  Lastly I would like to add that the U.S are complaining about children being obese and all, I feel that this would be more of a contributor to that with students having everything, I mean everything right there in the palm of their hands!

The Lost Generation

This video once you see the first half is a message that seems to be sent out to many students around the world.  They feel that what ever they are told by someone that's older or in a higher position is correct and no other way is the right way.  But once this video is retold I see that there are still students out there that believe in themselves and believe that they can make a change in the world.  It only takes one person to have faith and once there is one other follower, the rest speaks for itself.

I have never seen a video created like this, and even though I'm sure it took time, thought, and patience it was amazing and this is something I would love to learn how to create.

Virtual Choir

This was great, you would never think that someone would actually be able to get people from all around the world to follow one person and actually be in tone enough to sound this great.  I'm sure that they were done at different times but the composer of this was Magnificent....Good job Eric!

Additional Assignment #1

A. The educational implications of Google Squared seems to be more in depth with the information it provides. Like for example when I searched for the United States it provided me with the states motto and special descriptions as to where a particular state was located and what the lands were like once you get there.

B. But the educational implications that I received with Wolfram Alpha is that it provided me with more resourceful like the economic properties and the types of currency that's used in each area, more so for people who travel the world more often than others. I also noticed that what ever topic that you research it will provide you a summary of that topic and then go on to describing the smaller subjects within it.

C. No, I have never heard of Google Squared but with me studying to become an elementary teacher I really feel as if would be a great source to help my students familiarize themselves more with where they are.

D. No, this was also my first time using Wolfram Alpha and I'm happy that you showed me because I'm more than positive that this will help me from now own, oppose to me looking through encyclopedias and things of that sort.

E. Yes, it does change the way I think in a way. The statistics that they through at us as far as where that U.S. stands at an educational level is expected to be low compared to larger countries such as China. Also with the U.S being as small as it is in population, I feel as it is expected that things would happen around the clock with the way the world is changing.

F. The lesson that I learned from this video is that just because someone says it or it's in a book doesn't mean that it is a fact; Research the information yourself there is so much that you will find if you just reread and think!

Wordle

My Journey!

C4T Assignment#1 (Summary)

Comment #1-Joe Dale

I watched the video on interviewing tips and great recording and Mr. Dale gave some pretty good advice. I have used computer technology for numerous of things, but it never hurts to learn new things to enhance your productivity whether you are at home or in the classroom.

Comment #2

I also read and watched the post on podcasting in the classrooms, and well it was sort of confusing but once I reread it and clicked on the different links then it presented me with a totally different out look on podcasting, especially in the class. Using technology and intergrating it in the classrooms really allow the younger kids to become more prepared in the future and not only that but it also helps the older kids better present themselves when needed.

Blog Post #3

Michael Wesch: A Vision of Students Today

I can't say anything else about this video besides that it is so true. We as college students become distracted when we are surrounded by many students in one class and a professor that does nothing but lecture the whole time, without any input from the students. With us having access to all these different types of devices right there at our desk we turn to them to keep up awake. Whether it's texting, facebook, twitter, videos, etc. anything and everything but what the teacher is saying in front of us. I understand that we are not in grade school anymore and that things for us are suppose to be 'Hard' but me personally still believe that things can still be challenging with hands-on assignments in college, most students learn better that way. Also a student on the video held a sign on the video stating that we are not the cause of the economy falling, but it is a part of our problem; all you hear in the world today is how the education system is falling and how the teachers aren't getting paid enough. We may can't change things in one day but us as future educators can become more organized and determined to the point where it wouldn't be so easy to just make lay-offs and salary cuts. Something that has always bothered me is that if EDUCATION is the key to SUCCESS why is the educational system number one on the list when it comes to budget cuts?

This video has many different points, and if I had anything to do with the producing of it I would probably add another student holding a sign stating "I have a child, so where does he/she fit in with those 26.5 hours a day" I say this because at least half of college students not only have to juggle classes and jobs, but being a parent is another role that we can't fall short on.

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

This post says a lot! Ms. Hines says that you must be a good learner in order to be a good teacher, and that's so true, and with that being said a computer to me is not something that can TEACH you how to do that. Being a good teacher means interacting with your kids and understanding their thoughts so that you are able to help them with their problem oppose to just telling them how to solve it. Now don't get me wrong because I do think that knowing how technology works does make a difference in a classroom, but I just feel that doing things manually will provide you kids with a better understanding of what is being done.

When it comes to be an understanding, well organized, & open-minded educator, it should be to where the ones that have been teaching for about ten years find a way to come together with the not yet tenured teachers and exchange thoughts and ideas. I say this with idea that the newer teachers are fresh with the technology and the older teachers are skilled with the manual work and with them both being great learners it will allow them both to learn new things!




Karl Fisch: Is it Okay to Be A Technologically Illiterate Teacher?

To start off I would like to answer this question by saying no, it's not okay to be technologically illiterate. I am commenting on this post with a full understanding that everyone is not going to be able to keep up with every single change in the world of technology, but I do say that everyone should be skilled with the basics. What I mean by this is like Mr. Karl stated in his passage, a person should not be proud to say that they can't read just as a person who doesn't know how to log onto the web be proud of that. Also I would like to add that with almost any professional career people are using some sort of technology everyday, so how is it possible to stand your position if you don't know what going on.

Lastly, I would like to say that his comment about the teachers that are technologically illiterate are that are not even willing to learn how to be, those are the ones that should have their jobs replaced, and that's for the student's sake! I would also like to thank you Mr. Karl for the little eye-opener!

Gary Hayes Social Media Count

These changes for my professional career as a teacher mean one only two words to me, Stay Focused!

Blog Post #2

Did You Know

This video is something that really makes you think about the things you do in everyday life.  I mean some things you know like for instance that there is a baby born almost every second of the day, but other things make you think such as how technology will eventually over power the human brain within the next 20 years or so.  Therefore I would suggest for all of us college students to become more focused because the world is changing at the blink of an eye.

Mr.Winkle Wakes

This video is so true for most of the older generation, but it's even more sad because some of the young people now days still haven't familiarized themselves with the way technology works today. Poor Mr. Winkle had no clue what was going anywhere the hospitals, the schools, or even at businesses, it was like he was in a totally different world.  But he was sleep for 100 hundreds, so with the way technology is changing it may only be a month, week, or even a day before we wake up and not recognize the things going on around us.

I would also like to add that this clip also makes a point that by showing us that we should start teaching our kids at a younger age the way things are in life. So that once they do start grade school though they will still will have a lot to learn, they'll have at least some knowledge of what they will be learning and how to get what they need to become successful.



Ken Robinson: The Importance of Creativity

With this video I don't know where to start since I agree almost everything that was stated within it.  I want to start off by saying that I agree that we should include some time of physical activity that kids would enjoy during school just as they do Mathemematics, Social Science, Language Arts, etc; maybe not everyday but there should be something worked out for at least once a week.  In my opinion, I think that obesity is happening because with kids not engaging in much physical activity at school and go home to play video games and look at television it's not helping them out at all.  Also with the scenerio that he gave us about the little kid who was said to having a learning disablility, I think that  was  ludacris because if the parents had been more attentive to the child they would have realized their child had a special talent and not in need  of  special attention!

Another point that I wanted to touch on was when he pointed out that years ago people with a degree were unemployed by choice, and well today people with degrees have to sometimes wait years to find a decent job that involves their speciality.  I have heard so many different things as to why people with a higher education can't get a job, but the most shocking one to me is, "Sorry but you are over-qualilfied", that to me is absurd.  I understand that some employers may not want to give the person what they are asking for, but some people are simply looking for employment.

Vicki Davis: Digital Smarts

This class reminds me a lot of EDM310, it deals with plenty of technology with many different people from all around the world.   Well me personally I have never had to be glued to the computer as much as I am with this class.  I'm not saying that it is a bad thing, becuase it isn't it teaches me things that I never knew that could be done and it's allows me to get things done in a much quicker and easier form.  Being digitally smart makes things possible that you probably never thought could happen with things such as web cam, undated cell phones and other high tech devices that are being created as we speak.

Just as those students were learning how to do numerous of things with their equipment I know that we are going to be exposed to those types of things and more.  I really enjoy doing new things especially when I have a clue what I am doing; so with this new technology changing everyday I know that in this class we are going to be taught the best way to keep up and move forward!

About Me!

     Well to start off, I would like to say that I love everything about myself, my lifelong goals, my determination for success, my flaws, and my strong-willed personality. I'm a 22 year old junior at University of South Alabama whom is studying to become a great educator.  I graduated from Blount High School with honors in May 2006 where I was also apart of the Elite Program & captain of the dance team; my goals after graduation were to join my best-friend at University of Alabama and become a registered nurse, but with my financial situation I had to start off at Bishop State Community College.  I attended there for two semesters and to be completely honest I dreaded everything about it; the environment had no positive influence at all, their staff was horrible from the office on down to the professors, and worse of all if you needed additional assistance outside of class, well let's just say that you were on your own.  So, with me not having the guidance that most college students had I left Bishop with no where to turn, with no transportation, no job, and no knowledge of knowing that there was so much more out there for a young lady like myself. 

     It's now February 2008 and my life took a dramatic change once I discovered that I was about 5 weeks pregnant, I had only been working a little part-time job and I had been out of school for about a year now, I just knew my life was over. But I went to God and asked him to guide me and that's when I realized that not only was it time for me to become stronger and stop feeling sorry for myself but I alse had another human life lying in the line of my decisions.  Even though my child's father and I had broken up by that time we both did agree that we wanted nothing but the best for our child morally, mentally, physically, spiritually, and of course financially.  Over those few months I had been talking to my best-friend and like always she continued to boost my spirit reminding of my intellectual ability and pushing me to start back in school, so I enrolled Summer 08' at the South University and surprisingly my application was still in the system from graduation so I didn't have to pay a thing.  I only went to summer semester because I knew that my daughter would be born within the next two months and I didn't want to have that stress on me, but seeing that I did well for the summer I just knew that I must go on, with me being the first of my mom's three kids to go to college I vowed to myself that I would finish with a fulfilling career.   Madison Emeri Dale was born October 15, 2008 and I can honestly say that that was the greatest experience in me and her father's life then and it still is til this day.  Now as time went by her father and I grew closer once again and things were fine, except the thought of me being unhappy with myself for not keeping my promise and going right back to school.  Family and friends were telling me that I was putting too much on me after having a baby but I knew my limits and what I was capable of, and 3 more semesters out of school was enough!  So July 2009 we bought our first home which was a blessing because we got way more for our money than we expected, I had enrolled back into South and I started back in August 09'.  A month later I was asked to go back to my job at Ashley Furniture from which I was laid off and I just knew things couldn't get any better, that was until he proposed to me on my birthday December 28 2009. 

     Life is a journey,  but it's up to you to determine if the journey is worth it.  I have had many disappointments in my 22 years of living but I don't regret them one bit because I have learned a great lesson from them all.  It's been a year since we have been in our home, it's been almost a year since I have been back at my job, our daughter will be two years old in October and honestly I can see my independent character coming out of her, and best of all I'm still at South doing great knowing that there really is light at the end of the tunnel.  I say how I'm ready for graduation in a year and a half from now but I will still continue on to receive my masters, because even though I know teaching is going to be fun I can see a world of opportunities the higher up the educational road I travel. In addition, I know that money doesn't buy happiness, it will make things for us and our daughter must easier when it's time for her to go to college and become successful and well until that day, I will continue doing to things I love such as teaching her, cleaning up after her, shopping with her and of course allowing her to make mistakes and learn from them afterwards.