Final Review

PLN

Link

Project 16- Poem

Okay, So I know this is going to be cheesey but here it is! My EDM310 POEM.

The first day I walked into EDM310
I had no idea what technologies I would find within
on the first day of class I fell into shock
How would I manage to put nine hours on the clock?
16 projects and blogging to boot
To much work I would say! But my point was mute
Project 1- Create my own blog
and lab assistants helped me to clear out the fog
I was lost at first but worked my way through
Project 1- I knew how to do!
Project 2 was a wordle with words
I put things I liked like: Camping and birds
Project 3- Comments for teachers
I learned a lot of cool facts and features
they were all so nice and had knowledge to share
I am glad I met people from here and there
Project 4- I helped out my peers
I found out their opinions, their dreams, and their fears
Project 5- was a Google presentation
I had a tough time at first and did some experimentation
but in the end it was worth it
Because a lot of commenting I did get
Project 6- Was a Google form
E-mailing people surveys-for me, is not the norm
I built a survey all about cell phones
but when no one e-mailed me back I was on my own!
Project 7- was comments for kids
and comment on top of comments I did
I enjoyed doing this each and every week
You can even read about some of them on my tweets
Project 8- was a podcast video
and I did this project with Crystal and Elo
We had a lot of fun
But we also go things done!
Project 9- I made a timetoast all about Disney
It was really fun and it was easy!
Project 10- was my PLN
A personal Learning Network I did build
I love all my education links-(I am in the right field)
I added Twitter, Facebook, and even Skype
I began finding myself never wanting to gripe
about all the work that I had begun
in fact most of this was an awful lot of fun
Project 11- was a short movie that I did in a group
and as a tip: lab assistants have the scoop
if you ever need help just go to them
Stephen, Anthony, or Jamie Lynn
Project 12-was a Skype interview
this was something cool and really new
I did it with a friend and so can you
this was a really easy project to do
Project 13- was all about smart boards
and this info I even got to forward
to other students, teachers, and peers
and this is where it all became clear
I was learning, teaching, and having fun
but the semester still was not done
Project 14- was to teach someone something and so I taught art
I taught class mates to draw on a board that was smart
smiley faces and hearts we drew
nothing difficult but always something new
Project 15- I mad a video about being literate
because it really just seemed to fit
I wanted to show others what I had learned
I learned that in this class you opinions will be turned
you will be challenged this is true
but just remember that everything you endure
is not just for grade but your students future
Project 16- I wrote this poem for fun.
but now my time in EDM310 is done.
Thank you Dr. Strange for teaching me how to learn
and now I leave this to you...It's your turn.

TimeToast

Project 15

Blog Post 13- ACCESS and ALEX

The first part of the assignment was to find out about ACCESS Distance Learning and so I shall tell you what I found out. The goal of the distance learning plan is to create equity through additional educational offerings for all Alabama public high school students and is available to all Alabama public high school students whom want to use it. ACCESS Distance Learning is high quality instruction that delivers quality learning opportunities and greater equity for all Alabama public high school students through 21st century technology.

What I did not find on the website or on Google however, is why do they only share all of this with high school students. Do middle school students and elementary students not need to learn also? I think it is great that there are programs like this for children who want to learn all about using the web and technology. I wish more teachers knew about sites like this because when I asked some of the teachers that I am currently working with for my experience hours they all say they have never heard about programs like ACCESS or ALEX. If no one knows about programs like these then I believe many people are being cheated. Schools should tell their teachers about programs like these so they can take advantage of them if they would like too.





ALEX or the Alabama Learning Experience website is a site that I am glad I now know about! The first thing I looked at on the website was the "Courses of Study" Page. The courses of study offered are many and I think that is excellent. Their are not only your standard subjects like math, English, and history but also art, physical education, drivers ed, health, career, and Dr. Strange's favorite...technology. For fun I clicked on the technology link and then was amazed that it gave over 50 different websites and sources that I could use with my class. That is extremely useful! Not only do they give you sources to use but then it also gives you thousands of ideas for lesson plans! Already written lesson plans that you could really use in your class. I hope no one would actually use exact lesson plans because I believe you should always make them your own but using ALEX could truly give you some inspiring ideas to use in your classroom. I believe ALEX is a very useful site and I will be using it! In some ways ALEX could hurt some teachers if they just relied on lesson plans that were written by other teacher and use outdated methods of teaching but as long as a teacher just browsed ALEX for ideas I think it could be extremely beneficial to education.

Blog Post 12 - What Should Have Been

My own personal assignment is:

Watch or read through two of the links below and discuss what they talk about in your own words and whether or not you agree or disagree with them and tell why or why not. (A paragraph for each link you use please and you must choose at least two).

Then in your own words I would like you to write about some of the good and bad sides to technology in education. Is it more harmful or useful? After writing out your pros and cons pick the side that you agree with and defend it. (This should be one to two paragraphs).


The Links:

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/Economy/story?id=7590263&page=1
This link is a column written by MICHAEL S. MALONE and is called Young People Cop to It: Technology Is Bad for Us (Read what he is saying and really think about weather you agree with him or not.)

http://www.innovatingtomorrow.net/2008/03/10/technology-gone-bad
This is by Matt Farina

http://scienceray.com/technology/information/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-advanced-technology/
This is by Jin Sun Kim
(Focus on not only his thoughts but also on the comments! They will help you!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0VGy_i3jpg
This was a cute project done by Ms. Lagomarsino's 5th Period Class.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4W6I1Q97bc&feature=related
This is called The Negative Effects of Technology in Society

End of Assignment

Project 14 Teach Someone

Here is a taste of my awesome teaching skills. :D


http://www.youtube.com/v/mkKgnsWXRbs?fs=1&hl=en_US%22%3E%3C%2Fparam%3E%3Cparam
www.youtube.com

Project 13 Smart Boards

http://www.youtube.com/v/FvKIiaTmSuA?fs=1&hl=en_US%22%3E%3C%2Fparam%3E%3Cparam
www.youtube.com

Here is a link to my video! Enjoy! :D

Blog Post 11

Ms. Cassidy's Classroom

I would like to begin by saying that Ms. Cassidy truly is a very inspiring teacher. My favorite thing that Ms. Cassidy said through out her Skype interview is that children need technology just like they need a real relationship with their teacher and that a teacher must learn to balance the two. I love that! This is the kind of teacher I want to be. I want to be the teacher that Ms. Cassidy is talking about. I want to be a teacher that can not only teach children what they need to know to succeed (which is now technology)but also having a meaningful relationship with my students so that they know they don't have to make a learning journey alone and that it is always okay to ask for help because I will do whatever it takes to help a child learn and be the best that they can be.

Ms. Cassidy uses a very wide use of technology; from Skype to blogging all the way to Nintendo DS's (which is super awesome and I had to tell her I thought so). I think by teaching children about all of these different types of technology that she is giving them a huge head start on the knowledge they will need.

The children in Ms. Cassidy's class looked so happy and you could tell that they were learning so much! I really love Ms. Cassidy's classroom environment and I wish I had been able to be in her class! It is amazing that she learned everything for her students. She learned how to be technologically literate for the well being of her students education. That is what I call dedication. I hope to be just as dedicated to my students as Ms. Cassidy had been.

The last thing that I would like to address is the answer to the question that has been puzzling school supervisors and teachers for years. That is how to get parents and guardians more involved in students education. I believe that Ms. Cassidy had found the answer. Technology. It might be hard for parents who work to come to the school everyday to just have a chat with a teacher but by using blogs and things like Skype, parent/guardians can be a part of their child's learning experience just by turning on their computers at home. I love that grandparents, aunts, and siblings can all post on their relatives blogs in school and really encourage them to do the best that they can by simply commenting. It is such a brilliant idea and one that I fully intend to use in my classroom. I would love for parents and family in general to be more supportive and involved in children's education and I believe that my students could greatly benefit from this.

Blog Post 10

An Open Letter To Educators by Morgan Bayda
Link

In her post, Morgan talks about the pitfalls of the modern university experience, and how it compares to a class such as EDM310. It's very common for students to loose interest in the coarse of a hour and a half long lecture from a boring lower-level coarse (especially one that has nothing to do with your major or interests). And I certainly agree that this is not the most optimal way to learn. I know I have had quite a few math classes that I felt especially restless in. She seems to fully embraces the Delicious "learning network" way of acquiring information, as she explains that she got the link to her post's namesake video from a shared link, and how she found out a super useful link simply by crying out to her network on Twitter. I still think school progress needs a little more hands-on. The internet is an unbelievable tool for amassing information and learning on any subject out there, but nothing beats talking to someone in arms reach and looking them in the eyes. This comes back to my argument that teachers are still very important to the education system. I know I certainly appreciate them and the relationships I have had with them!

As for Dan Brown and his "Open Letter" I don't think he's going to change anyone's world for the better, and no matter how much he thinks he can prove by dropping out of school because it's "getting in the way" of his education, it won't change the fact that the universities are the only places that can hand out the "I am smart" cards that are so valuable in the job market. As a side note, maybe that's why he's trying to sell his youtube videos for a buck. I can agree that you can learn a lot from the internet but you still have to have a degree to get the job. Extra learning outside of school is always a bonus but the school is still necessary in my book.






Don't Let Them Take Pencils Home by Tom Johnson
Link


Tom makes a funny little satire post comparing pencils to computers, and how standardized tests and statistics can turn even the most obviously beneficial things into terrible monsters that are ruining the world and lowering everyone's IQ. The panicking principal rants about how the students using "pencils" are doing worse on their standardized tests and how schools should not let students bring "pencils" home. Really the problem isn't with the "pencils" at all. In many school systems across the country it seems to be more about the teachers being technologically illiterate and having trouble using "pencils" and students unyielding desire to play with anything that remotely resembles a toy. Teachers need to straighten up and teach a new generation of kids that "pencil's" number one use should be "gasp" learning, and if they start with this attitude then it will spread new light on the way students interact with "pencils."

Two Questions That Can Change Your Life
Link

My sentence would be "To make a connection and improve all of my students lives in a positive manor and to promote the best learning environment possible." The reason I am going into education is because of my passion for spreading not only knowledge but compassion and care as well.

The second question is to ask myself every night if I was better that day than the day before. I have to say that in some ways I have already been asking myself this. I am a learn as I go kind of person and a firm believer in "life's a dance". Every day I make goals and try to get as many of them accomplished as I can and if I don't I will not worry myself to death about it but simply try my best to do it the next day. Most of the time, I do believe I was better than the day before because I feel a whole lot smarter and it is mostly because I lived and made mistakes and good decisions all along the way.

Blog Post 9

"What I've Learned This Year" by Mr. McClung
Link

Mr. McClung sounds like he had a wild ride in his first year of teaching. His post was all about what a young teacher picks up in the first 180 days in the driver's seat of an elementary school class. He points out several key ideas that will be extremely helpful in how I treat my students. I like how he says "While we as instructors like to plan "perfect" lessons, we have to remember that we are performing in front of a crowd the struggles remembering what they brought for lunch that day." It's sometimes hard to grasp when I'm sitting in class learning about teaching in all these clinical terms that, yes, they are, in fact, children. I also liked his advice on talking to the kids and fellow teachers about the problems in the classroom. Sometimes just listening to their problems is all someone needs you to do. Mr. McClung learned a tremendous amount in his first year of teaching, and I hope to take what he learned and build on that to learn even more in my first year to be the best teacher I can be.

Additional Assignment 8

This is a speech by Sir Ken Robinson and the video drawings are by RSA.org. This video is called changing education paradigms. For those of you who do not know what a paradigm is (I didn't and I had to look it up) it is a set of assumptions, concepts, values, and practices that constitutes a way of viewing reality for the community that shares them, especially in an intellectual discipline. The point of this video as I see it is to show us how educations practices are quite out of date and is in great need of a change.

The first point he makes is how we are suffering from an academic system where people are labeled as "academic" or "not academic" and as of late I would like to add, "college material" and "not college material". What is very sad about this is that children really could be quite brilliant in some areas but do not know they are because they are being judged on a "one shoe fits all" academic basis. I know what Sir Ken is saying is completely true. All children are not born equal. It is hard to accept sometimes but it is true. I can trace this back to the seven styles of learning. Their are seven different styles of learning and no one learns in all seven. Children and adults all learn in different ways and are better at some than others. Just for the styles the actual intelligence of a subject is always going to be different. Math come easier to some while reading and writing comes easier to others. It happens. So knowing this, why are children all subjected to standardized testing which only grades what you know according to some subjects? If it is standardized testing then why don't we test ALL of the standards and not just five subjects?

The next point I would like to come across is the ADHD "imaginary" epidemic. I disagree and agree with Sir Ken on different points on this topic. First of all I would like to say that my younger brother has been diagnosed with ADHD and I believe he does have it. My brother was failing every subject in his fifth grade class simply because he could not sit still long enough to learn anything. He was up disrupting the class, obsessively tapping, and talked at such a speed that it was difficult to understand what he was saying. After being diagnosed he was given a medicine called Concerta. His grades went up to straight "A"s over the next two months and his relationships with other children and siblings also improved. I realize this is a super specific case, but I wanted to stress that some children can benefit greatly from a little medication. I would hate to think what would have eventually become of my brothers education had he continued without the medicine. After that being said, I completely agree that many children are being misdiagnosed. Children being hyper because their parents give them candy and soft drinks is NOT an excuse to medicate a child. Just because children are hyper in class does not mean that the child has ADHD or that just because the teacher does not want to deal with a hyper child is a good reason to medicate the child.
The last thing I want to go over on the ADHD topic is does it affect the child's creativity or the real them? The video showed the children who are on concerta looking like zombies but here is what I have to say. The children who actually have ADHD are not going to be zombies but like normal children's level of concentration and focus. Also if you give most ADHD medicines to normal adults or children they have the opposite affect and make them hyper. So I do not believe any child is going to turn into the zombie that was portrayed. I believe that many children are being misdiagnosed due to parents and teachers not wanting to deal with children who are a little bit hyper, but that is what you should expect when you go into education or decide to have children. If you do not have time to deal with children or spend the extra time with them then DON'T have them and DON'T go into education!



The last issue that I would like to address is why we educate by groups and age. The best reason for this I can come up with is the fact that we try to judge how well a student is doing based on how well the other students are doing. Of course, if we are trying to raise standards we should not be judging children on where the others are at but by where we want them to be and the goals that we want them and ourselves as teachers to achieve.

I think Sir Ken has really thought about how our world is now and how it used to be. The only thing left to do is move towards the future that is unknown. We can control our future and I believe he did a wonderful illustration of some of the problems we need to try fix as a whole. After all, he did say we do our best imagining when working together.

Blog Post 8 Assignment

Richard Miller's This Is How We Dream

I would like to begin by saying that during his speech he said that "teachers have not yet begun to realize the changes in our world" and he is so right. Watching this video, for me was a bit of a shock. I know our world is changing but it is so hard to see how fast it is moving. I will admit that it is extremely hard for me to accept it most days but I am trying. I want to be the best teacher that I can be and what I grew up thinking was the "ideal" teacher is quite possibly not the "ideal" teacher now. It is becoming more and more important to be a technologically literate teacher. This is because while some teachers are keeping up with the new ways of teaching other teachers are sticking to their old ways. This is causing some harm to some students. The teachers who are using all of their technology, such as the teachers using the internet to teach their students visually, with audio, pictures, live footage, and text (like the teachers in Dr. Miller's speech) are going to have very well rounded students. While the teachers who are simply using a book with mostly text and a few pictures are letting their students fall behind the students who are in the technologically literate teachers classes. As much as I may hate to give up my pen and paper I want to do what is best for my students (as should all teacher or future teachers). So I believe that Dr. Miller is right on! Using all of these different types of teaching will keep students interested and there for inspire them to learn. While this video has helped me to admit that technology in the classroom is important, I still will not fold on the fact that we DO need teachers. I believe Dr. Miller has proven this point by showing how great a "good" teachers effect can be on students. A teacher who uses everything the have to improve their students learning, including keeping up with technology so they can be prepared in life. I believe Dr. Millers dream is a good one but that for me at least it is still hard to accept how today's technology has changed the world, let alone what the future will be like. As of right now, I believe that I am ready to teach my students with all of the technology that Dr. Miller spoke of but I would also love to add some things he left unmentioned. I am also seeing now that children should not just be limited to what their teachers think are important but should also be given some time to teach themselves. I believe a class where you are guided and pointed in the right direction and taught using multimedia and technology with a lot of inspired learning on students own would be a great mixture for the classroom. This way the teacher is teaching and the students are teaching themselves and each other as well. It would be a classroom full of learning for sure.



EDM310

A video that I would like to construct is the difference between a technologically literate teacher and a teacher who is not a technologically literate teacher. I believe we could make this a very fun video and at the end the question you could leave everyone with is "Which teacher would you want"? And the teachers could do activities and you could see the literate teacher do the activities using really cool technology and then show the other teacher making the children get out a pen and piece of paper. Then both teachers could talk about how the students can use the skills they learned in each classroom in the "real" world. The literate teacher would say that they could use the internet to teach themselves anything they wish, that they new how to use programs that will help them make connections such as Facebook, twitter, YouTube, applying online for jobs and schools, and blogging. The other teacher would say something like, "you now know how to write and read" and one of her students could answer, "we learned that in kindergarten". I think the video would show how lacking teachers who do not use technology are compared to those who do. I was just throwing some ideas around for this video but I do think it would be a fun one to make and could possibly help some one else. The main reason I would like to make this video is because when I first started this class I did not see the importance or the difference between the two kinds of teachers. Now I know and I would love to show not only students in EDM310 why it is important but teachers everywhere.

EDM310 for Dummies

I think they really should make a book! They could make some serious money off of it I think. I believe the point of this video was that if you do the tutorials and the assignments that you can have a really great time in the class. EDM310 was not made to be your enemy but to help you learn and if you embrace it, it can be a lot of fun.

Chipper

Chipper was so sad. This was a pretty funny video thought I must say. The point of the video was to show that if you try to get out of learning you really are only cheating yourself. Chipper did not get anywhere when she tried to not learn and neither will we.


Smart Boards

So I read both of the Smart board blogs we were supposed to read but I was unable to find a blog telling how smart boards actually helped education. The only example I could find of how they are useful would be this short you tube video I found http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0U05WeXPGlk . I believe this was a strong indicator that perhaps smart boards really are not that essential to education.

On the "Why Smart Boards are dumb post" Jeff Branzburg left this comment, "The reason that smart boards work (to make students learn) is because it instigates a change in the way teachers teach. It makes them pay attention to multimedia". I agree with Jeff. Smart boards are very useful in the way that they help teachers who are afraid of technology become better teacher by being forced to learn how to be technologically literate. As for cost, if you were not spending money on smart boards what other technological device would they buy? I think Smart boards are a great tool to teach. Should they improve teaching? Not necessarily, teachers could use other forms of technology to accomplish almost the same thing, but it makes it a lot easier on the teacher. I do not believe using a smart board is going to help your students learn any better than they were (unless of course you were NOT using multimedia and are now USING it because you wanted learn how to using the Smart Board). A great example of this was a comment left on Why Smart Boards are Dumb by TimeOutDad was "Giving me a Porsche isn't automatically going to make me a better driver, but then, we shouldn't blame the Porsche, right? ;) If I don't know how to drive stick-shift, then I better learn how to, if I want to drive it properly. Then again, if I'm in the middle of the desert, forget the Porsche. I'll take a camel. It all depends... ". I thought this was an awesome example!! Having a Smart Board is not going to make you a better teacher, you WANTING to be a better teacher will. Teachers who are given these really expensive devises and then do not use them really are a waste of school funds. However, if a teacher is going to use them to improve their teaching I think they should be in our school systems.




so thought this comment was pretty strait on for those teachers who really want to have smart boards to help their students learn, on the "Why Smart boards are dumb" Matt left this comment, "As an educator and trainer I support and encourage the implementation of Smart Boards. There are obviously better options for tech-savvy educators that include using multiple devices at a smaller cost, but there is nothing better than IWBs to introduce tech-weary teachers to the power of edtech and to create a community of educators united by common tools."

The Last Lecture

Wow! Just wow. I'm so stunned I have nothing to say. So now to say some more. I'm not kidding when I say that this video really shocked me an made me see some things in a new light. Some of those are personal and not really any of your business, but it also opened my eyes to ways to teach. It also showed me how to react when my *fingers crossed* future children and students far exceed my expectations. He also gave me some ideas on how live a good life. I am sad that he was not able to continue his, if anyone is worthy of living, it was him.
When it comes to teaching, I had always thought that their should be a structure to the class. Now, I don't mean that a class should not be "structured," what I mean is that it doesn't necessarily have to have rigid format, that cannot-be-deviated-from-by-one-iota-or-there-will-be-hell-to-pay. He gave his students a little freedom and they ran with it. The did wonderful work and they so far exceeded his expectations that he had to change the curriculum.
He was blown away by his students work. I have to admit when he was describing it and showing it, it shocked me as well. He said that for their first project, they brought back material that he would have given A's for had it been a semester long project. According to him, when that happens, what it means is that "you clearly don't have an a grip on where the bar should be." When that happens you need to challenge your students and see what happens.
He didn't specifically so much about how to live a good live, but I saw it in how he behaved. He said that you should always listen to those who love you when they give you advice, most of the time they are right and you just can't see it. This wasn't the only thing he said that was good, there were several, but this one really stuck with me. I agree with him wholeheartedly, but I personally have a lot of trouble with this. All in all, I was enlightened by this lecture, and encouraged that doing what he did is included in my chosen profession.

Student Post Summary

I commented on Samuela's blog post and he is a little boy from New Zealand. In his class his teacher is mostly focusing on the students writing and also teaches them interesting things about the world. In one of the post I commented on, he and some of his class mates had made a video of them with pirate hats on which was so cute and educational because they were telling about what they had learned. The posts are at
Link

Additional Assignment #2

Absolutely! Well, let me elaborate, computers don’t do the teaching, but they provide a way for motivated people to teach themselves. The internet can be bad in some ways. For example, what you sometimes see on sketchy pop ups is not a plus to the internet in my opinion, however, it is also an extremely powerful tool. There is so much information stored online, that anyone, even a child, who is interested in something, can find tons of information about the topic as easily as typing the topic into Google.

Let me be clear that I don’t think that computers alone make people begin learning spontaneously. There needs to be desire, curiosity, and interest. Without these a computer is just an expensive hunk of useless metal. The want to use a computer has to be there first and foremost. If children can find interest in a subject, they find themselves motivated by their curiosity to learn more. To even further this effect, a problem or question can be posed to a group of people. This will tend to ignite the curiosity that is needed to motivate them to discover, all they need is the equipment to enable them.

In truth, computers can’t make someone learn. Neither can teachers, parents, friends, or even employers. The only thing that can make a person learn is motivation, without motivation, what propose is there to taking in new information. Motivation, however, does not necessarily come from curiosity. One can be also be motivated by teachers who are willing to offer their knowledge, parents who care about their children’s future and well being, friends who offer friendly competition and moral support, and even employers who will often pay more attention to those who are motivated. Motivation is key in learning and it does not escape this rule for technology. The motivation to use technology must be there in order for it to be used.

I am motivated to learn by a lack of knowledge. If I do not know something and realize I do not know enough about it I begin to seek answers to the questions I don’t know. I am also motivated to learn by the people I am surrounded by. My friends, family, church, and teachers all motivate me to constantly question and seek answers and knowledge. Yes, I do teach myself quite often. Just the other day I was wondering why it is I hate mayo but love mustard. I got on good and searched why people dislike certain foods. I found out in the end that most food dislikes are caused by taste aversions. It was something I now know that I had never known. I teach myself whenever. My learning does not have a certain time or day it is simply when I need to know something.

Teachers play a pretty significant role in how much I learn about a certain topic for sure. An example would be anatomy class. My teacher greatly stressed learning all the bones in the body but when it came to learning the muscles she didn’t really care. Now looking back on this class, I can still name almost every bone in the human body even though it has been two years. But how many muscles can I name? Not many. Teachers greatly influence what you learn in a class.

The most memorable thing about this video is the children. How much they really wanted to learn. It is so important for teachers to try to motivate students even if it is difficult. Those children really inspired me to be the best teacher I can be for them. I believe this video should be watched by teacher all over America as an example of how students should behave. The lack of motivation in our schools is scary and really should be a concern for anyone in or going in to education.

Blog Post 6

The Networked Student
Link

This was a very intriguing video. It described a way of learning that is rapidly growing in today's online society. The idea is that a teacher would, instead of directly teaching students, show them how to find accredited online sources about their subject and use them to create their own network of learning. They would build a blog-network and establish connections with experts that would help them build knowledge.

The most glaring problem with this idea is that it's lack of appeal to enough different kinds of students. The internet is a giant confusing place and even with the best advice a student could spend hours traveling down the wrong trail when looking for the information they need (trust me I have done this many times). This quickly leads multiple students to frustration. This system also doesn't appeal to non-visual learners. In an ideal situation students would have access to video's and audio clips about every subject in the world, but in reality the availability of accredited sources of that variety are difficult to find in my opinion.

A question was proposed "Does a networked student need a teacher?" The answer is a glaring, yes. Without a teacher there is no driving force behind a students learning, no assignments, no direction, nothing to do but "learn" about a subject. In a traditional classroom, all the students are literally on the same page, they get constant reinforcement that they are headed in the right direction towards learning the material, and they do not spend hours heading down the wrong path.

I guess I am just old fashioned but I like to have a teacher to help me and tell me when I am doing something wrong or when I am doing a good job. I think technology is important, but that human connections are so much more important. I believe we still need teachers there to help students learn and want to learn. In some way children have to want to learn themselves but I still believe teachers are the motivators behind the scenes.

A 7th Grader's Personal Learning Environment
Link

This student shows us how her class teaches students. It shows how her assignments are posted daily and how she has been taught to use online tools and her personal blog to complete assignments. This is actually very similar to the way EDM310 works. We both are allowed to do out work on our own free time, but have a constantly updating assignment list that must be checked regularly. Both systems promote effective time management and responsibility. I really like being able to do my own work on my own time but in a class like this it is easy to fall behind. These classes do not have room for excuse when sometimes excuses are actually legitimate. For example I was sick a couple of weeks ago and I am still struggling to catch back up. Of course, I still really like the structure of the class and I will get caught up because I am a determined student and that is the kind of students classes like these create.

The Machine is (Changing) Us: YouTube and the Politics of Authenticity
Link

This long presentation was a long exploration into the culture of Youtube and the way the current generation expresses itself. Dr. Wesch examines how Youtube has created a way to be altogether anonymous and glaringly public all at once. He describes how our modern technologies have made being famous just as unobtainable as it is desirable, and how Youtube allows anyone to become insta-famous for the most mundane of acts. Dr. Wesch explains that people have become independent and self-centered to the point of narcissism and that Youtube can be used to break down these walls and bring everyone onto the same level. I thought it was very interesting and really did show how our culture has really shifted in the past couple of years. It is kind of sad to me that someone can become super famous by doing something so silly.

C4K 1 and 2

I commented on http://grou.ps/noelclassof2011/blogs/item/my-learning-menifesto/#comments_list which is a little boy named Ismael's blog. I posted on his "about me" post and also his Manifesto. I thought the manifesto was a really cool idea for this teacher to incorporate in the classroom and I am tempted to steal the idea when I become a teacher. :D

Hi Ismael, my name is Tiphanie and I am a student at the University of South Alabama. It is a college that is located in Mobile, Alabama. I am in a class called EDM310 and if you want to check out my blog it is at http://owenstiphanieedm310.blogspot.com/ . I also really love to play video games! My favorites are anything with Mario or Pokemon! I also love to play dodge ball, but I don't try to hit people in the face because I don't want to hurt anyone. I hope your surgery went well and that you are doing much better! I agree with you that math can sometime be hard but also easy. It can also be really fun sometimes!


Hi Ismael, this is Tiphanie! I am from the University of South Alabama and I am in the class EDM310 . I think if you followed all of your manifesto you would learn a whole lot more in school this year than ever before! I also have trouble getting up in the morning and I too should try to go to bed earlier so I wont be tired at school anymore! Great ideas!

C42 #2

I left a comment on this post from The Tempered Radical

I think this idea of paying students is a little bit crazy. My first question would be how much of a difference did this actually make on students grades, absences, and behavior? Even if it was extremely successful my next question is where is this money coming from? Is this coming from tax payers because I can not imagine that they are going to expect the public school systems to hand out this money when they are already in trouble. I also find it hard to believe they would give these students cash. I think it would be more productive to give these students money towards a college education such as a grant or scholarship. This way at least the money they earn is put towards there education in the long run. I still think the idea of having money as an incentive really would be teaching the kids the wrong values. What they should value is the education itself and not the money.


Then in reply he posted:

Hey Tiphanie,

First, thanks for stopping by...I love your idea about putting any incentive cash towards a college scholarship. That could be a good middle ground in this debate.

Your question above has me thinking, though: Sure a kid SHOULD value an education above money. Spoken like a true teacher.

But the truth is that's just not the case. There are TONS of kids who don't value an education at all. And in the poorest communities, the lure of quick cash is WAY more motivating than the intangible benefits of an education.

Should we ignore that motivation just because it doesn't feel right to us?

If our goal is to motivate students---which is a fun little cliche that we love to sling around in education---why are we judging some motivations as good and other motivations as bad?

I agree that paying kids for grades makes my skin crawl, but so does seeing thousands of dropouts every year. Maybe it's time we start to figure out what DOES motivate kids---even when those things don't represent motivations that we value----and tap into them.

Just thinking out loud here.
Bill

I posted again after this but you can check out the link to see the video and everything. :D

Blog Post 5

Eagle Nest Radio & Class Blog
Link

This was a cute little classroom assignment by a small third grade class. They had fun putting together a neat podcast presentation on ancient Rome. The kids got to play radio news stars as they passed the action back and forth between several neat little segments detailing something interesting about Rome. This was a very creative way for a teacher to get kids excited about learning, using technology, and keeping parents informed on what's going on in the classroom. It did everything a teacher could want it to without losing an ounce of that ever-so-hard to keep fun factor.

The Benefits of Podcasting in the Classroom
Link

This video outlines the many ways podcasting can be used to enhance the learning experience. It points out how leaving classroom assignments in public space allows parents to keep up with their children, how kids are very used to receiving information in this way and how it's not a strain for them to keep up with, and how kids can have easy access to their assignments when they miss class. It talks about how podcasting allows students to "role-play" which makes learning fun, easy, and most of all retain-able. It covered all the great things that podcasting can add to a classroom, and how, if done properly, it can be easy and effective.

Judy Scharf's Podcast Collection
Link

Judy has come up with a large collection of articles and podcasts detailing the uses for, the facts about, and how to create an effective podcast. She has more than a dozen posts with useful tools, examples, tips and guides on podcasting. I found the example podcasts especially helpful. They are great examples of children getting excited by podcasting. She also gives grading rubrics and assignment syllabi which are a great starting point for a teacher wanting to get started with projects just like this. It's a great collection and has everything a teacher needs to build her own podcasting assignment.

I think that all of these podcasts show that technology can help everyone to have fun and learn at the same time! :D

Project 8

Jameson Branch and I did a project together where we interviewed one of our teachers about how technology has changed the way they teach in their classrooms. Just follow this link if you want to take a listen. I think it is worth your time to download. It is really interesting how much technology truly has affected these two teachers. :D

https://sites.google.com/site/branchpodcast/home/edm-podcasts/Podcast.mp3

Blog Post 4

Scott McLeod: Don't teach your kids this stuff, Please?

Link

This is a blog post by Dr. Scott McLeod, an active and passionate supporter of technology in education. An Educational Administrator at Iowa State University and the director for the UCEA Center for the Advanced Study of Technology Leadership in Education (CASTLE), his opinions carry a lot weight in the education world.

In his post Dr. McLeod poetically outlines the many places where technologically conservative school boards, teachers, and parents restrict children's access to the technology that is shaping our future. It's very true that if children are not allowed to social network, blog, tweet or access the growing cloud of data that is the internet, they will be left behind, and completely lost in the world of tomorrow. Frankly, I don't see where anyone can hope to be successful in the world today without a basic understanding of these things. More, and more businesses are googling you before you even step foot into their office for an interview. What does that say for kids raised in conservative school systems who are not even allowed to freely surf the internet and are not taught what an RSS is?

"The iSchool initiative" by Travis Allan

Link

In this video Travis proposes a radical solution to one of the biggest problems affecting school systems nationwide, the budget. He explains how buying iPod Touchs for every student and teacher would actually save money and improve learning. By using specially designed apps for the iPod Touch, Travis says book, calculator, map, and printing expenses could be avoided and schools could save thousands of dollars.

Travis's idea is exciting and revolutionary, but it has many flaws. Travis claims that his idea could save school systems over $600 a student while only spending $150 a student. The problem is that most of the items he lists as savings are items that only have to be replaced once every six years or more, while every generation of students would have to have a new iPod. Maps, calculators, books, and projectors last years before becoming outdated or warn out, and when damaged (excluding projectors which are used solely by teachers anyway) are relatively inexpensive, but children are know to break cellphones, gameboys and any small electronics they're given, which means even more $150 iPods. Finally, ignoring all the cost problems, every advantage he gave for the iPod Touch could probably be done better by providing students with netbook computers.

AARP's "Lost Generation"

This was actually a really cool video, but the idea of the whole world going down a destructive spiral into a wasteland self-centered society unless we change it has been around for a long time though. Aldous Huxley was scared of it in 1932, and we're still scared of it in 2010. It's laughable to think about the world of Huxley's day and the world of today as the same, but it's remarkable how the problems are still the same. We all have to do our part to save the world, but we can't live in fear of where we're headed, because we've made it 78 years without crashing. The biggest question I actually get out of this is "What was AARP's agenda here?". This video was obviously not for retired persons, so I have to assume they are trying to ask the youth to preserve the ideals that they themselves lived by.

Eric Whitacre’s Virtual Choir

Link

This video is interesting, but the idea is not actually all that new to me. With the easy of video sharing on YouTube it's no surprise that hundreds of people could gather and submit their small part of a global symphony. I would actually like to share a video I find far more impressive. "'The Internet Symphony' Global Mash Up" is a video where a group of artists, without knowing, contributed to a piece simply by posting their solo performance on YouTube. Then another artist gathered these assorted video's and created his\her own full orchestra symphony. It's amazing what volumes of works are submitted to YouTube everyday and how someone anywhere in the world can find your performance and take out of it something completely different than anything you had intended.

Additional Assignment #1

After being introduced to Google Squared and Wolfram Alpha it is clear that they could helpfully fill a whole within the learning process. Both tools provide information that has been available over the internet before, through one means or another, but both display a collection of information gathered in a uniquely simple way. Both tools give statistics with very little context, but both provide a bunch of data that can be used to get a lot of information.

Google Squared's charts allow for quick comparisons between as many related objects as desired. It provides students and teachers with fast references for building research papers or for gathering contrasts between subjects on-the-fly. I know I could certainly use this in some of my classes! Instead of it combing article after article about each individual topic for the info, it is provided altogether.



Wolfram Alpha goes a different direction with it's resources. It uses the collection of information on the internet to gather charts, maps, graphs and other statistics about a subject. This information would normally be provided throughout the encyclopedia articles in a way that would be incredibly slow if you were looking for "Just the facts, ma'am" in the style of Wolfram.

I had never heard of either of these tools before EDM 310, and overall I was impressed with each of them. This exercise has definitely shown me that I must do more than take statistics at face value. Statistics can be used to prove anything if you poll the right people under the right circumstances. It's easy to leave out information that would counter your argument, in order to build a better case and that is pretty darn useful!

Blog Post 3

Michael Wesch: A Vision of Students Today

Link

After watching this video on you tube I have to say that I am amazed. Amazed at all the complaining! If that is a true vision of students today then I am an over achiever. The comment that was written "18% of my teachers know my name" is just sad to me. I strongly believe that education is what you put into it. If she went to class every day and was active in class discussions and talked with her teacher then I am positive that they would all know her name. I would also like to take this time to rant about education. Did you know that right now what we as college students are paying to learn in a classroom we could easily learn ourselves online? It is the degree we are after, not the knowledge. If you wanted to know how to do something or learn a new language you don't have to pay hundreds of dollars and take a class. You could simply go online and there is all the information you need.

We pay hundreds of dollars for a degree. Some of the most intelligent people in the world could work at McDonald's (no offense to anyone who does) because if they searched for the knowledge on the web they could find it. So many people go to college and get in thousands of dollars in debt to get a piece of paper that says they are qualified to do the job. I believe college is a way to make money and that is all. The way jobs should be done is YOU teach yourself and then take a test to see if you pass. Not do you have a piece of paper that "says" you know everything you should. The students in that video are not interested in learning. They are interested in getting a piece of paper so they can get a job!




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

Link


I read this post by Kelly Hines and I think she has some very valid points. Her first point was that teachers must be learners. I have written about this in earlier blog posts and I still hold true to this belief. Teacher are always learners. In order to teach something you must first know it. Her second point is that learning and teaching are not the same thing. I at first thought this was an obvious statement but after reading her reasoning I saw why she included this. Not everyone learns in the same way and if no one learns than no one taught. I love and totally agree with her on her saying that learning is not the same to everyone, but it must be the goal.

Her third point was that technology is useless without good teaching. I believe you could also flip that and say that without technology good teaching is useless. Technology is important in our society and without teaching it you are failing your students. I believe the point she is trying to make is that good teaching and technology need to work together in order to have the best benefits possible.Her last point is that you should be a 21st century teacher with out the technology. This means in my opinion that you must first be a teacher and then add the technology with time.



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

Link

"We should stop being so nice. After all, we've got our qualifications and jobs, and we don't have the moral right to sit placidly on the sidelines whilst some educators are potentially jeopardising the chances of our youngsters" said Karl Fisch on his blog post. I believe this pretty much says it all. Teacher should be tech savvy because if they are not it is hurting the students. As educators it is our JOBS and highest priority to teach students all they need to know to survive in the world. If we our not teaching them the technology that they need to know about we are failing and there for should not be teachers. Those who are standing by letting the teacher get away with this are just as guilty of depriving the children. You would not stand by and watch a child deprived of food so why are we letting our children technologically starve? I realize that technology can not all be learned in a day and that incorporating it all will take time but we need to get a move on! The children are the ones who will suffer because of our incompetence. I know this is harsh but we do need to quit being so nice! We have been nice long enough and it is only holding us back from what the education system could and should be.




Gary Hayes Social Media Count

Link


After watching the various parts of this media count I am a little taken back. The speed in which our world is changing is beyond me. In mere seconds text messages sent had reached thousands. For someone who does not even text on a daily basis this is shocking. The only thing I can describe is the way I feel and I feel frightened. I know that most people believe technology is a great thing and in some ways I agree. I love how advanced modern medicine is today and we our saving more people than ever before. In some ways, however, I think it could quickly turn into a bad thing. If the wrong people use technology for the wrong reasons it could be devastating for our world. I don't really have anything left to say so I will simply leave you with the thoughts of good v.s. evil in technology. There will always be people who use it for good and those who use it for bad purposes.

My Beautiful Google Presentation

Blog Post 2 Assignments

DID YOU KNOW? 3.0 by Karl Fisch

It can be found by clicking this link

This video is mind blowing. Honestly. Technology is moving so quickly that it is almost impossible to keep up. Earlier this year I was asked if teachers being technologically literate was important. After watching this video my answer is yes. When you take on a job like teaching you have to realize that in order to teach you must first learn. Learning is the never ending job of the teacher. Our world is moving at such a fast pace, even the brightest of people could easily get lost in this techno logic translation.

At the end of this video the question it leaves you with to ponder is "What does all this mean"? I believe this means that technology is not going to stop it is only going to keep increasing and at a faster pace. In fact even this video is now extremely out of date. To me personally it is a little bit frighting but I have no choice but to move forward. I also disliked the prediction of humans creating a machine that is more intelligent than all of the human race. I believe it will be possible but I hope we do not ever create something like that. Have you ever seen the horror movies? Humans should never create something that they do not have the ability to control. Over all this video was amazing and a little breath taking. I think everyone should watch this!


Mr. Winkle Wakes by Mathew Needleman
It can be found at this link

I only feel sorrow after watching this video. The fact that all of our hospitals and businesses have advanced so drastically is great, but our schools are still using the same methods as one hundred years ago? What does that say about the education departments and systems? We really need to try to update our schools. This lack of technology in the schools is only hurting our children. We as educators are supposed to be preparing our students in every way possible to be ready to face the world and future jobs. If we our not "teaching" technology which is now a part of life then we are not doing our jobs.

I believe that Mr. Winkle Wakes really is a wake up call! To us! School systems need to be updated. I am not saying that we should never have lectures or personal connections with children in the classroom. I am just saying that teaching them the fundamentals of survival through jobs is our primary job and if that calls for them to learn technology (which it does in today's world) than we should. Education has been changing so slowly which was shown in Mr. Winkles trip to the classroom when he did at least "see" a lap top there. We need to move towards using the technology that we have to teach our children with. I think we are getting there but we need to catch up!


Sir Ken Robinson: The Importance of Creativity

It can be found at this link

I believe anyone who has any relationship with children should see this video. This video shows just how important it is to realize that some children are born to be different. No one in the whole world is the exact same. We all learn, feel, and experience things differently every day. So why is it that so many children in the education system are held to the exact same curriculum and standards? Not every child was meant to be a doctor or a dancer. Creativity is important because for some children that is where they thrive and shine.

By limiting children to only academic ideas and standards we are killing their potential. The story that he told about the little girl who was meant to dance was truly touching. So many parents in today's society would have put her on medication and thrown here back into a classroom where her creativity and need to dance would eventually die. Then she would be forced to struggle to keep up with children who were meant to be in academics while she was not. I believe finding what your child is good at is so very important. Not only for their happiness and potential but for their self esteem. When a child is really great at something and they know it that is when I believe they can reach their true potential.



Vicki Davis: Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts

This link should take you to it: link


After watching this video it only intensifies my want to be the best teacher that I possibly can be. In one part of the video Vicki says "children should be thinkers" and I could not agree more. Children need to learn how to do things for themselves. They are not always going to have a parent or teacher there to do everything for them. They need these skills to have a job and live a full life and when teachers do not teach but do all of the work for them they are only hurting the child. It is always okay to help but you should never "do" anything for a child.

I also love it when Vicki says "I do not need to know everything". I think this is a common misconception that teachers should know everything before teaching. Teachers are also learners. In the education field you are constantly learning and re-learning materials. It is okay when a teacher simply says "I do not know but we can find out". I think this video was wonderful and really shows what teacher dedication is all about. Go Vicki!

Project 2 Wordle

Me, Myself, and Everyone I Love :P

Hello! My name is Tiphanie Brooke Owens if you did not already get the memo and I am so very glad that someone is ACTUALLY reading this. :D My name is Tiphanie which is very unique compared to the normal T-I-F-F-A-N-Y spelling. So I will explain why my name is so unique. It is my parents names combined. Literally. My dads name is Tim and my mothers name is Stephanie. They took the "Ti" from Tim and the "Phanie" from Stephanie and created me! Tiphanie!

My mother is a first grade teacher (explains the creative name) at Collins-Rhodes elementary and my father is a agent for the government. I have two younger siblings, Bradley and Kaitlyn (where the name creativity ran out) whom I love dearly. I love having dance parties with my sister and telling jokes with my brother. They are both an awesome time waiting to happen! I recently got engaged to Brannon Goodrich. We have been dating for seven years! We met on the first day of high school and began dating a few months later. My favorite thing about him is his sense of humor and his great personality (no he is not fat). I live with my Grandma (whom I call Grandma uh-oh) and it is never a dull house with her and I together. She is the typical sweet old lady who is always making the best sweet tea. Mrs. Sheila Goodrich is my future mother-in-law and I love her! I know it is strange to love your fiances mother but there is no way you could dislike her. She is one of the kindest people I know and I am so happy to say that I have truly learned a lot from her. She is the dance teacher at Dunbar Magnet School.

I am a Junior at the University of South Alabama and a member of Alpha Omicron Pi (AOII). I love my life and would very much like to help others enjoy theirs. I want to become a teacher to make a difference (I am sure not doing it for the money). I have been influenced by some wonderful teachers in my life and I hope one day that my students will have the same opinions of me.

Some of my hobbies include; kayaking, swimming, camping, beach strolling, curling up with a book to read, hearing myself talk (great future teacher skill), and hanging out with friends and family. Things I am passionate about include; education (because it is important), animals, my faith, helping others, and food.

I believe most of my friends and family would describe me as outgoing, loving, and intelligent. Some other random trivia about me is that I really love to laugh, my favorite color is yellow, I really like spicy foods, and I don't believe that you could ever have to many friends.

Well, that is me in a nutshell. Actually this is me in a nutshell, "please help me I am in a nutshell"!
:D