Friday, July 20, 2012
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Project 13
Project 15, Smart Board Instruction Part 2, was a little different from our other projects. We were unable to meet face to face during the planning period. This could have been difficult, but having the group that I did made it very easy. Everyone was able to cooperate and get the planning done without ever meeting in person.
The planning started via texting and Face Time. We contacted each other using these tools to give our ideas and input for our lesson. Considering we are all majoring in elementary education it was pretty easy for us to decide that we wanted to create a lesson for kindergarteners. The lesson we ended up teaching was on patterns.
Once the ideas started flowing, Google Docs became very useful. We each created two slides for our lesson. Once everything was created and put together, we met in the lab to film us teaching our lesson.
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Final Report on PLN
My PLN has constantly been improving. I am getting more and more comfortable with Symbaloo and my organization skills have become even better. I have become more comfortable and efficient using the tools that EDM 310 has introduced to me.
C4T 4
Post 1: Denise Krebs’ post was about her great experience of presenting at the Iowa Reading Conference. She presented the session “Joining the Conversation”. She explained how grateful she was for the help that her PLN gave her. She concluded by saying how much more confident and passionate she has become as a teacher.
Comment 1: I began by introducing myself. I congratulated her on her presentation. I said that she seemed to be very passionate about what she does and that I believe that I too am passionate about teaching.
Post 2: In Denise Krebs’ post she shred the link to GoodReads.com. She shared all of the books that she has read throughout this summer. She has read professional books, children’s friction books, children’s non-fiction books, and short stories.
Comment 2: I commented by thanking her for sharing the link to GoodReads.com. I then let her know that I visited the site myself and found it very useful. I told her I will get use out of it now and once I start my teaching career.
Blog Post 13
I really got a lot out of this video and found it very interesting. There were some great ideas brought up. I really liked the idea of having students create their own blogs. Instead of having them take a multiple choice test after a project, I think it was a great idea to have them blog about it. This really gets them learning on a higher level. Having students write about what they have witnessed not only gets them leaning on a higher level, but it enhances their writing skills too. Thanks to technology, they are able to collaborate with others outside of the classroom. This is truly amazing.
The statistics in this video are shocking. This video really got me thinking. It opens your eyes to see that there are some classrooms out there that are not preparing their students for the future. The classes are irrelevant to what the students need to be learning.
I believe that students deserve a quality education. They are certainly paying for one. As a future educator, we need to make certain that our students are as prepared for the real world as they can be. Incorporating technology into the classroom is a solution to all of this.
This video really got me thinking. It helped me to realize the answers to my questions “what do I want my students to know?”, “what do I want my students to be able to do?”, and “what do I want my students to have experienced?” I want my students to know how to use technology and understand its importance. I want my students to be able to communicate and collaborate with others across the country or around the world. I want my students to have experienced a higher level of learning.
I think that Dorothy Burt made some very valid points in her blog post. It is true that teachers are expected to know how to do much more now than in 1999. Technology has come a long way and teachers are expected to keep up with it. I got worried when I saw her long list of things that teachers should be able to do. However, after reading it over, I found that I was able to do almost all of it. Technology is used so much every day. We don’t even realize how much we use it. I agree that teachers should be capable of everything on Dorothy Burt’s list.
I really enjoyed reading this post and watching the video that goes along with it. It is quite obvious that Miles Webb is very passionate about what he does. I like how the students’ tasks were turned into much more, with the help of digital technology. This was a very good idea and I hope to do something similar with my future students.
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Progress Report on Final Project
I am in a group with Makenzie Cunningham and Courtney Hieronymus. So far, our iBook is coming along great. We have a welcome to the jungle theme and our iBook is a survival guide for EDM 310. We already have all of our chapters planned out and have equally divided up work for our group meeting tomorrow. I am really excited about this project and I think it is going to turn out great.
Monday, July 9, 2012
Blog Post 12
For my assignment I want you to think back to your elementary education experience. Was there much technology use?
Watch the video Discovery Student Movies: Technology in theClassroom. Do these students make a valid point? Do you believe elementary aged students are too young to learn with technology or should students be taught with technology at a young age?
Write two or more paragraphs comparing and contrasting your elementary education experience to the experience that the children in this video are proposing. Then explain your views on whether or not you believe technology is important for elementary grades.
When I was in elementary school and even in middle and high school, we really did not do much with technology at all. Besides learning how to type, I never learned anything else about technology in school. I think that the kids in this video make a valid point and technology should be incorporated into younger grades. The younger, the better!
When I got to college, a lot was done online. We had to keep up with our own emails. Also, important class information was posted online. Not to mention, there are plenty of online classes along with work that is to be done online. Luckily, I had grown up around technology because my dad is a software engineer and thought it was very important for me to have a computer. If I hadn’t been surrounded by technology in my home life when I was younger, which some kids aren’t, then college and the real world would have been much more difficult.
I know today is much different for kids than when I was growing up. Today, it is more common than not to be surrounded by technology. I feel that it is the teacher’s job to educate their students on how to use certain types of technologies and how to use them properly. If technology is incorporated into the classroom at a young age, students will always be up to date on the latest technology and using it will become second nature. This will make for easier transitions in the future. For those students who already have technology as their second nature, incorporating it into the classroom will make class more relatable to them and they will learn and understand why it is important to use technology properly and in a positive way.
Our society, today, is so reliant on technology and different devices. I feel that our students should be prepared to enter into this society. It doesn’t make sense to keep students away from technology when they are going to be expected to know how to use it and know how to use it properly in the future.
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Blog Post 11
I never would have thought that first graders would be capable of blogging and this use of technology and the internet. I think that is really great that Ms. Cassidy was motivated enough to attempt this with her first grade class. She proves that children as young as first grade are capable of learning these techniques, which means any grades should also be capable.
It was not only amazing to see what all these students have learned, but it was also great to see how excited they were to learn. They were very proud of their blogs and seemed enthusiastic when they were explaining what all they have been doing.
I would love to incorporate blogging into my classroom. I really feel like it would help my students learn to be better writers and produce work they are proud of. I like how Ms. Cassidy taught her student how to use the internet in a positive way. That is a skill that could never be taught too young.
It is incredible that Ms. Cassidy started all of this because she got five computers into her classroom. She could have used them for something else, but she has really done something amazing for her students. She believed in her students and didn’t underestimate them. As a future teacher, I need to be mindful to never set the bar too low for my students. Students, no matter how young, are capable of great things. Ms. Cassidy is a great role model for educators.
Monday, July 2, 2012
Blog Post 10
The message that I got from this cartoon was that these are two different brands of pencils. This cartoon is boring in color, which represents learning without technology. When we incorporate technology into the classroom, learning can be a lot more “colorful”. Though technology is more expensive, it pays off more in the long run and can result in a better education. This might not be the message that John T. Spencer was trying to convey, but that is what I got out of it.
This post was very clever and I really enjoyed the writing style. The principal was against games in the classroom. He only wanted teachers to focus on “the rote memorization skills”. He was suggesting that this was the only way students would pass “the rote memorization test”.
In reality, students are learning more from these hands on interactions, than by strictly memorizing facts. When facts are memorized they are often forgotten after the test. These “games” relate more to the students, are more fun, and encourage learning. Also, what is learned is more likely to stay with the student.
Teachers and principals today are so worried about what their students will make on their standardized tests, that they are too afraid to try anything outside of the box. This post does a good job of portraying this. As educators, we need to be more focused on benefiting the student and making sure that they are learning and retaining the material. By making the material more relatable to the students, this can be accomplished.
Scott McLeod has a blog called Dangerously Irrelevant. On it he talks a lot about technology and it importance, leadership, and the future of schools. He has received several awards for his technology leadership work. He has even come out with his first book, What School Leaders Need to Know About Digital Technologies and Social Media.
In his post titled “Don’t Teach Your Kids This Stuff. Please?” he uses sarcasm and irony to get his point across. He is telling everyone not to teach their kids about technology, the internet, social networks, etc. because he is going to teach his kids this and they are going to be ahead and have “a leg up” later in life. I think that it is important to incorporate technology and the internet into the classroom and students who have access to it really will be on a different learning level. I really enjoyed the sarcastic manner in which he wrote this post.
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Friday, June 29, 2012
C4T 3
Post 1: John T. Spencer’s post was titled “An Idea for the Next ISTE Conference”. In it he mentioned his idea of having no technological gadgets allowed. It would be a “digital detox”. There would be books, games, music on the acoustic guitar, and much more.
Comment 1: I started by introducing myself. I mentioned that it is very true how much people rely on their gadgets. I thought the idea of a “digital detox” was very interesting. It seems to be a good idea to have one day to get away from it all. I also mentioned that technology has helped us accomplish a lot, but there are still other ways to learn, communicate, and have fun.
Post 2: John T. Spencer’s post was about why teachers are so reluctant to start tech integration. He believes that it is due to the fact that they are afraid to fail. He found that it is not a matter of teachers not understanding the technology. Teachers would be excited and willing to make the change if they weren’t afraid of failure.
Comment 2: I told him that he made a valid point. I mentioned that even as a student we already know about teaching by certain standards and standardized tests. Teachers are judged by the scores that their students make, so they are afraid to try new ideas. This make tech integration risky and teachers are less likely to attempt it.
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Blog Post 9
"What I’ve Learned This Year" by Mr. Joe McClung
After reading Joe McClung’s posts, I feel that I have learned a lot. I am very grateful that he decided to share his experiences since he has begun teaching. He has learned a lot by his own experiences that they don’t teach you in school.
Joe McClung gave a list of thing that he learned from his first year of teaching in his What I’ve Learned This Year 2008-2009 post. As he has mentioned, teachers sometimes forget to check and see how their students comprehend the material. They become too focused on how the material is being delivered. We need to remember to make sure the students understand. Also, he says that lessons don’t always go the way you have them planned. He says that this is going to happen and it’s okay. Another point he made, and I think it is a valid one, is to not be afraid to use technology in your classroom. Even if we aren’t the best with computers, we need to try. Students in these days grow up surrounded by technology. It could make material more relatable to them if we incorporate it into the classroom. Joe McClung mentioned at the end of this post that we should never stop learning. This makes a lot of sense. We obviously don’t know everything. We should try and learn as much as we can.
In his What I’ve Learned This Year 2010-2011 post Joe McClung says that we need to make certain that our decisions are centered around the student and not centered around pleasing other adults. He says that he is an outsider because he spends less time with the other teachers and faculty and more time with his students. He says that he is happy with the teacher that he has become. Another point he makes is to not get too comfortable. Many times when teachers have been teaching for a few years, they fall into a routine. Educators need to try and help make changes in the schools.
Joe McClung has learned a lot during his three years of teaching. I am glad that I have read his reflections of his teaching. By reading these posts I have learned even more. It is really neat that by him reflecting on his own learning, he has been able to help teach others and let them know a little more what to expect when they get into teaching in their own classrooms.
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Blog Post 8
This Is How We Dream
Most of us have grown up writing with pencils and paper and researching in the library. This is how my schooling was. Schools of the future will have their workspace, which will be the desktop. This is very exciting.
When it wasn’t until I got to high school that teachers started trying to incorporate computers and technology into the classroom. By incorporating technology, all they did was require that we type our papers and then turn them in. Now students even at a young age will be to write with multimedia. Also, students will be able to find their information on the web rather than in the library.
As a future educator I need to be prepared to write with multimedia. I am no expert at it, but it is my job as a future educator to understand it to my fullest so I will be able to better educate my students. These are tools that students will learn and work with in school and I must be on top of it. The only way for students to learn to write with multimedia is by having a teacher who understands how to write with multimedia.
I really loved Carly Pugh’s blog post 12. It is quite obvious that she put a lot of time and effort into this. Her playlist idea was a great idea. Videos can be very inspirational. Having student create these playlists themselves could be very beneficial and also requires them to find information on the internet.
I really liked that she made her own playlist. I also believe that teachers should teach by example. She was a great example.
These two videos were great. The Chipper Series started off with a girl who couldn’t stop procrastinating. She then drops out and has job trouble. She then becomes a student who works hard. This video is an example of how important hard work is and that procrastination gets you nowhere. EDM 310 for Dummies is a book that students are trying to sell. It is a book with tips on how to get an A in EDM 310. All of the tips have to do with using the tools that are provided for us. If we just use what is provided for us and try not to get overwhelmed we will succeed in this class. Also as the Chipper Series had addressed we must not procrastinate and get our work done in a timely manner.
These are both great videos that were not only informative, but fun to watch. I would like to create videos similar to these. No matter what message I am trying to get across, I hope it will be entertaining and fun to watch.
This video really has some interesting points. Children really do grow up using technology for their social networks. Also most kids, today, have a cellphone or iPod of some sort. However, all of these things are banned in the classroom. Today, technology is something that kids grow up with and can be used to better education. As it was mentioned in this video with all of the technology and social networks that kids use, kids are living in a great world to learn.
As a future educator I want to make it a goal to incorporate as much technology as I can into my classroom. Children grow up surrounded by technology and it could be very beneficial to use it in the classroom. By incorporating things that students are familiar with, school can be much more fun for the students. When students enjoy learning it is much more effective.
I do want to use technology in my future classroom. However, I would make sure that it is monitored. I only want my students to be exposed to useful and appropriate uses of technology.
I loved the idea of having a scavenger hunt. This was a fun, but useful assignment. I found many helpful tools, which I will be able to use when I am a teacher.
A social network that I found for teachers and students was edmodo. I created my own account and it seems very useful. I would like to incorporate edmodo into my classroom. It is a way for teachers and students to communicat outside of the classroom. Teachers can post up assignments and assignment descriptions. Students can ask questions and submit assignments through edmodo.
I made my own comic by going to the Make Belief Comix website. It was fun to play around with. I think this could be fun for my future students. Children could get really creative and use their imaginations with this.
Animoto is a video tool that I have never used before. After looking at it I have seen some very cool features. It has a spotlight that allows you to spotlight a specific image. It also is very easy to share and download your videos. A really helpful feature of Animoto is that it automatically analyzes music and video clips. Animoto seems like a useful and easy video tool to use.
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Blog Post 7
This is a very interesting idea. It sounds a lot like EDM 310. I enjoy this class and have learned a lot. However, I’m not sure how it would be if I had more than one class like this. I understand that technology has come a long way and we all need to know how to use it, but I like physically being in the classroom too.
Networked students are definitely challenged and required to use higher levels of thinking, which is a good thing. They are also rewarded by seeing and sharing their finished products online. I can see how a student might find being networked overwhelming because there is so much that needs to be done. However, they will end up learning so much. They won’t be memorizing something spoon fed to them; they will be learning skills that will help them for life.
This video addresses the fact that even though networked students are doing a lot on their own, teachers are still needed to guide them and teach them the skills they need. It is also the teachers’ duty to get their networked students familiar and comfortable with the internet.
Networked classes are going to become more and more common. With technology constantly changing, students are going to need to understand how to use it. I can see how it might be quite difficult to be a networked teacher, but I’m willing to do whatever is necessary to better my future students’ education and get them thinking on a higher level.
I can’t believe that a 7th grader is capable of doing all of this. I think back to when I was in 7th grade and I barely got on the internet besides using AIM. I feel that it is important for students to be organized and comfortable on the internet. The younger they start getting acquainted with the internet and technology, the better they will be prepared for the “real world”.
My PLN is coming along, but still a work in progress. I’m trying to keep mine organized, just as this girl’s was. I have also started using Symbaloo, which I noticed she was using as well. My PLN is quite similar to her PLE. I hope to keep it up and get it more and more organized.
Thomas Suarez: A 12-year-old app developer
I can't believe that this is a 12-year-old kid. He has already made several apps. He also has formed a club at school to allow other students to learn how to design apps. I think it was funny when Thomas said that students were better with technology than the teachers. This is so true; students are capable of a lot when it comes to technology. It is impressive that even at such a young age he wants to share his knowledge with others and has goals that he wants to accomplish in the future.
I can't believe that this is a 12-year-old kid. He has already made several apps. He also has formed a club at school to allow other students to learn how to design apps. I think it was funny when Thomas said that students were better with technology than the teachers. This is so true; students are capable of a lot when it comes to technology. It is impressive that even at such a young age he wants to share his knowledge with others and has goals that he wants to accomplish in the future.
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Project 10-PLN
My PLN is a work in progress, but coming along quite well. After watching videos and reading articles, I have started to familiarize myself on the internet. I have signed up for Symbaloo and have begun using it to help me navigate easier around the internet. I have become much better about checking my emails. I have two email accounts, gmail and jagmail. I also have a Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube account. Also, Google docs/drive has been very useful. I’ve certainly become much more organized.
C4T 2
Facts
Post 1: Dr. Strange’s post was about how he believes that learning facts is irrelevant. He thinks that knowing when the Civil War began is not as important as wanting to get the answer, knowing how to gather information and evidence to answer a question, knowing how to sort through the evidence, and clarifying the question. He mentioned that he believes that we should probably not even be tested for our knowledge of facts.
Post 1: Dr. Strange’s post was about how he believes that learning facts is irrelevant. He thinks that knowing when the Civil War began is not as important as wanting to get the answer, knowing how to gather information and evidence to answer a question, knowing how to sort through the evidence, and clarifying the question. He mentioned that he believes that we should probably not even be tested for our knowledge of facts.
Comment 1: I commented by telling him two different types of teaches that I’ve had. Ones who pretty much just made us memorize facts and ones who taught skills and made us apply them to get the answer to questions. I learned more from the teachers who didn’t focus on us learning facts. I ended my comment by clarifying that, while I believe skills are more important for students in the long run, some facts are necessary to know and learn.
Post 2: Dr. Strange’s post was about how so many students in one of his previous classes didn’t understand the sarcasm in Dr. McLeod’s post “Don’t Teach Your Kids This Stuff. Please? He then went on to give the definitions of sarcasm and satire.
Comment 2: I responded by saying that I read Dr. McLeod’s post. I didn’t understand how so many students at a college level couldn’t understand the sarcasm. I went on to say that my only explaination was that the students didn’t really read the post.
Blog Post 6
Randy Pausch’s Last Lecture was very inspirational for me to watch. The hour that it took to watch flew by and my attention was grasped the entire time. He was very positive and motivating. If you have not watched his Last Lecture yet, then I encourage that you do so.
He begins with addressing that he has multiple tumors on his liver and has only been given a few months to live. With that being said, you would think that he would be depressing or unmotivated. However, he was stayed positive and had a great sense of humor. He really wanted to encourage everyone to achieve their childhood dreams. He showed the list of his childhood dreams and explained how he was able to achieve all of them throughout his short life. He explained that there will always be “brick walls” in the way of achieving your goals, but those are just there for us to prove how badly we want something. These “brick walls” keep out those who don’t want something badly enough. Randy Pausch is an inspiration. He never gave up and was able to make all of his dreams come true. Though he had many “brick walls” along the way, he accomplished all of his dreams. He should inspire everyone to make their dreams come true and to never give up.
Randy Pausch had some great teaching methods. He really shows how to be a good and effective educator. I think that all teachers should model after him. I like the idea of never setting a bar on what you expect out of your students. As, I saw from this video he told his students that he knew they could do better (even though he was extremely impressed with their work). They kept trying harder and harder and created some truly magnificent work, which he shared at the lecture. One thing that makes him such an effective educator is the fact that he is always having fun and enjoys what he is doing. He added a little humor when he said that everyone needs to decide if they are a Tigger or an Eeyore. This is very true if someone is trying to educate others and seems miserable, the message won’t be conveyed properly. Always have fun!
I have learned a lot from watching Randy Pausch’s Last Lecture. I feel that I will be a better educator if I use him as a guide. I believe that this is a lecture that everyone needs to watch at some point in their lives, especially educators.
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Blog Post 5
The iSchool Initiative
Travis Allen has some very interesting ideas. He wants to completely do away with books, notebooks, pens, pencils, and other school supplies. He believes that having an iTouch, alone, will make up for all other school supplies. There are so many apps that exist that make this very possible. Travis Allen believes schools are capable of going completely green.
My reaction to this video was shock because his idea really is possible. I think he makes valid points with his argument and an iTouch could replace a lot of school supplies and books. However, I find a little fault in his idea. It might be a little difficult to take notes using the touch screen provided. Also, I find it frustrating to read a large quantity of text on such a small screen. All in all, I think Travis Allen’s idea is quite possible. Even if an iTouch doesn’t replace every single thing in the classroom, it could still be very useful and make up for a lot.
This video was absolutely incredible. These people were all singing together and they have never even met. The internet opens up so many possibilities for us. We are capable of chatting with others around the world, and now people around the world can even sing in a choir.
This virtual choir was amazing to hear. It sounded beautiful. I honestly can’t believe it was all done through the internet. Technology has come a long way and it just keeps improving.
Teaching in the 21st century means incorporating internet usage and other technology into the classroom. It also means teaching skills for a higher level of thinking. Many people believe everything they see on the internet. This is something that teachers need to address. Teachers shouldn’t teach facts to be memorized, but rather skills. If students can learn to form their own opinions based on what they read on the internet, then a teacher has already accomplished a lot.
I think that this video is very true. Memorizing facts isn’t learning. Learning new skills and technology usage will be much more likely to benefit students in the future. When I’m a teacher I want to be able to give my students a research assignment and have them find reliable sources on the internet. They need to learn how to use the internet for their own benefit, not in a destructive manor.
Flipped Classroom
After watching this video, I thought that this seemed like a great idea. Ever since elementary school and sometimes even now, when I’m in a class that requires note taking, I get nothing out of it. I get so focused on writing notes that I barely listen to the teacher. I would always go home and try and reteach the material to myself. This flipped classroom idea seems to be a solution for this situation and situations similar. Now students can watch the videos of their teachers as many times as they need. If they are like me and like to take notes, they can watch it once and take notes and then watch it again and listen. This idea seems beneficial for many reasons. Students can learn on their own speed. Also, classroom time would be better spent.
I think this is a great idea that would be useful in any classroom. Now that I’m in college, I think I’ve had one class that did something like this. It really helped me a lot. I know that it would also be helpful in the elementary grades as well. This is something that I would like to try and do for my class when I’m teaching.
Friday, June 15, 2012
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Blog Post 4
First graders learning the skills to create their own read-along audiobook is quite impressive. This blog mentions that they were even able to experiment with pitches, emotions, volumes, etc. while reading the script. This just goes to show you that even at a young age students are eager to learn, especially if you make it interesting. After the finished project, the students were so excited to read their book and follow along.
I think that this read-along audiobook is a great way to grasp the attention of your students and encourage them to learn new skills. Also, it helps them produce work that they are proud of.
This video really highlights how podcasting can be useful in the classroom. I have never done a podcast before, but my EDM 310 class is going to require me to do so. Students using the skills needed for podcasting at such a young age will make it second nature to them. They will know how to pull up the videos their teachers post, as well as post up their own videos. This will keep them learning outside of the classroom and use skills higher on Bloom’s Taxonomy.
Not being very familiar with podcasting I would probably not have been very willing to use it in my classroom once I’m a teacher. This vide has made some valid points about podcasting. It also makes it seem easy to do. I think that it is important to incorporate higher levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy into your classroom and podcasting is a way. Also, I find it helpful for teachers to post up podcasts so students can keep up from home if they are sick or out for an extended period of time.
This site was very helpful. She explained exactly what a podcast was and how to create one. She also put up some great links showing exactly how to make a podcast. There were even examples of podcast topics and a link explaining the benefits. I will certainly refer back to this page whenever necessary, while still in school and especially once I’m a teacher.
As I have mentioned before, I have never done a podcast. However, I can definitely see the advantages of incorporating them into your classroom. Podcasting seems to make things exciting and from what I can see students enjoy creating them and revealing them. I’m excited to do my first podcast for EDM 310. This class is getting me prepared to do all of the things that I want to do with my students one day.
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Blog Post 3
Peer Editing
I have always been back and forth on how I feel about peer editing. I like getting the critiques so I know what I need to change. On the other hand, I don’t want to come across like I think I am smarter than my peers and I don’t want to feel like my peers think they are smarter than me. After reading Paige Ellis’s blog, watching the videos, and reading the assigned PowerPoint, I can now feel more comfortable about peer editing. There are a few simple rules that will keep negativity out of peer review and make it even more beneficial.
All of these sources have made it very clear that you must stay positive. You don’t want to come across mean or put anyone down. Also, you should always start your peer review with a compliment. Secondly, make suggestions. Finally, make corrections. I believe that these will be very effective to the peer editing process.
I’m excited to use what I have learned. I think that now peer editing will be completely beneficial and won’t cause hurt feelings or make anyone feel inferior.
This video was really awesome. It showed even more ways how technology is changing education for the better, including special education. Many of the students in this class had major difficulties communicating to the teacher. Now, they can easily type what they are trying to say on their laptops. Also, iPods were used to read aloud to students who needed assistance reading. They can now wear ear phones and still be in the classroom with the rest of their class. There was even one student who had trouble seeing small print. His computer was able to enlarge the print so he was able to see. This was a great video and really had great ideas with how to incorporate technology into special education classrooms.
When I’m teaching, whether I have special education students or not, I will always try my hardest to incorporate technology into my classroom. If I do have special education students, I will take any approach I need to better our communication and their learning. I think this video had great use of technology and I would certainly use some of these ideas.
After watching this video, I was amazed. There are so many different apps for the iPad that can be used for children with Autism or other disabilities. Braden was able to use his iPad to count, spell, and write. The cool part was that the iPad made it fun for him to learn. He was more motivated.
I went to the Apple in Education website and saw that there were many different apps to help students and special education students. One app that I found quite interesting was Proloquo2go. It is an argumentative and alternative communication solution for those with difficulty speaking. It is recommended for children and adults with autism, cerebral palsy, down syndrome, and other disabilities. I would find this very useful in a classroom. Not being able to communicate can be very miserable. To have a solution to this would be absolutely amazing. Enhancing communication greatly improves learning.
In this video the students were doing projects that I have never done before. They were able to figure things out on their own and actually teach their teacher and class how to do it. They were to figure things out on their own instead of relying on their teacher to feed them information. It was really neat to see fourteen year olds blogging. I’m twenty-two years old and this is my first blog I have ever done.
I think that it is crucial for students to be able to work many different kinds of technologies. Our world is centered around technology, so everyone must be comfortable with computers, iPads, etc. just to keep up. We had a computer class in grade school and high school, both pretty much just focused on typing. I wish I had learned how to do more on computers at a younger age. I’ve taught myself how to do a lot with technology, but it would have been much easier if I had been exposed to technology at a much younger age.
Friday, June 8, 2012
C4T 1
Post 1: John Mikulski’s first post was about an online PD conference that he has coming up. He was selected to be one out of eighteen educators at this online conference, PD in your PJs.
Comment 1: I congratulated him and introduced myself. I told him that this online conference was a good example of how technology is changing and that I know even after I graduate PD will still be a priority of mine.
Post 2: His second post was about how teachers can influence their students at any time. He posted a copy of a poem he wrote in the 7th grade and the comments his teacher left. His teacher asked if someone else had written the poem because it sounded very mature. Dr. Mikulski has not forgotten this and wants everyone to remember that teachers are here to influence, but you don’t know how or when it will happen.
Comment 2: I explained that though I am not yet a teacher, I have still had experiences with this as a student. I am going to remember this and try not to discourage my students and accuse them of something they did wrong.
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Blog Post 2
Did You Know 3.0 was originally done by Karl Fisher and Scott McLeod. Dr. Strange made his own version, Did You Know? 3.0 – A John Strange 2012 Version, for EDM 310 students. Dr. Strange’s version starts out explaining how just the top students in India is more that all of the students in the United States. Also the number of Chinese people who speak English is likely to exceed the English speakers in the rest of the world by 2025. The whole world is advancing. YouTube and Goggle have over a million people on, watching and searching, every minute. The world is becoming very technology dependent. Millions of text messages are sent every minute and the age in which one owns a cellphone has gotten much younger. Majority of people in the United States have computers. Dr. Strange’s video also has an estimate that the top jobs ten years from now do not exist and will use technologies that have not been invented yet. The world of technology is constantly changing.
It is amazing how much the world relies on technology for everyday life. Most people, including myself, wouldn’t know what to do without their cellphone or computer. I know that technology is constantly changing and there are new advancements made all of the time. I find it hard to believe though that the top jobs ten years from now do not exist and will use technologies that have not been invented yet. I believe that there will be new jobs, but I can’t imagine the top jobs changing all that drastically in just ten years. However, ten years in the technology world is a lot of time. I don’t think the jobs will change all that much, but rather new technology will be added to jobs that already exist.
Mr. Winkle was asleep for one hundred years. When he awoke the world had changed so much. Everyone was using new technologies that he had never seen before. Business and hospitals relied on these new technologies. However, when he went to the school not much had changed. Teachers still stood at the front and lectured, while students took notes with pencils and paper.
I think that since technology is getting more and more advanced, students should learn how to use it in school. Technology should be used when teaching students. Since we live in a world that relies so much on technology, students should start learning at a young age how to use it.
Sir Ken Robinson believes that schools kill creativity. Educators are here to foster the growing of young minds, but how can they when schools make it so easy to take creativity away. He quoted Picasso saying that all children are born artists, but the problem is remaining an artist once they grow up. This is true because all little kids are very creative in the way that they play, the pictures that they draw, and even in what they say and think. It is quite obvious that majority of people lose their creativity as they grow up. Teachers need to make it a goal to keep creativity in the classroom, no matter what the age. Also by incorporating all learning styles, all children will be able to learn more effectively and relate to the class.
As a future educator I am going to make it a goal not to make quick judgments about my students and their learning abilities. Sir Ken Robinson told a story about a ballerina; her teachers thought she had a learning disorder. She in fact did not, but rather learned in a different way, thorough movement. This story is a perfect example of what I don’t want to do as a future educator. I want to get to know my students and not jump to conclusions about their learning abilities. Claiming someone has a learning disorder when in fact they do not could cause big problems for that student.
There are huge differences between the two teachers in the classroom disruption video. One was boring, would ignore the students’ questions, and did not use any computers or other technology. The other was quite opposite, he came into the classroom with a positive attitude, he was exciting, did all he could to help students and answer their questions, and his classroom was based around technology. One teacher made it exciting to learn, while the other made it hard to stay awake. I would definitely prefer to take the more exciting teacher’s class who used the technology to the students’ advantage. Unfortunately, most of the classes that I have taken are unlike that class and more like the boring teacher’s class.
These two teachers clearly had different objectives. One was more focused on making the students memorize information and spit it out on the test. In contrast, the other was more focused on the students actually learning rather than strictly memorizing. He made it fun for them to learn and his students were eager to learn. Also, the teacher that used technology in his classroom is doing his students a huge justice. They are going to be steps ahead of others when they get out of school and into the real world, which is centered around technology. I would like to teach like the exciting teacher who incorporated technology into his classroom. In order to do this I will need to be up to date on the latest technology and understand how to use it in a way that I can make it effortless and fun for my class.
Friday, June 1, 2012
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Blog Post 1
About Me
Hi. My name is Mary Emily Printz, but I go by Emily. I was born and raised in Mobile, AL and always knew that I wanted to go to a bigger university, even if it was just for a little bit. After I graduated high school, I went to the University of Alabama with the intentions of becoming a nurse. I stayed at Alabama until it was time for me to apply for the upper division of nursing and decided to apply for nursing at South Alabama. I got accepted into the upper division of nursing at South Alabama. I successfully completed the first semester of nursing and went on to the second, where we would actually be in the hospital doing clinicals. It was once I actually got into the hospital that I realized that I did not want to be a nurse. I got out of nursing and thought long and hard about what I wanted to do with my life, even though the answer was quite obvious.
Hi. My name is Mary Emily Printz, but I go by Emily. I was born and raised in Mobile, AL and always knew that I wanted to go to a bigger university, even if it was just for a little bit. After I graduated high school, I went to the University of Alabama with the intentions of becoming a nurse. I stayed at Alabama until it was time for me to apply for the upper division of nursing and decided to apply for nursing at South Alabama. I got accepted into the upper division of nursing at South Alabama. I successfully completed the first semester of nursing and went on to the second, where we would actually be in the hospital doing clinicals. It was once I actually got into the hospital that I realized that I did not want to be a nurse. I got out of nursing and thought long and hard about what I wanted to do with my life, even though the answer was quite obvious.
Before college I had what I wanted to major in narrowed down to nursing or elementary education. If I was to become a nurse I knew that I wanted to something with kids. For some reason I opted to do nursing at first. I’m in elementary education now and ever since I have switched I have been much more confident that I made the right decision. I love kids and I know this is my passion.
My parents have been very supportive of me my whole life and, although they were upset at first with my drastic major change, they understand now that I am doing something that I love. I’ve always been very close with my family and even though I loved Tuscaloosa I was so glad to come back home to Mobile. It has been great finishing up my college years surrounded by the people who love and support me the most.
Randy Pausch
I found Randy Pausch's video on time management to be very helpful. He gave some excellent tips. He said that we should always ask why we are going to do a certain task and what is the goal. He also mentioned that we should focus on doing the right thing, rather than doing things right. Also, when we make our to do lists, we should always do the worst thing first. He stressed that even though plans will change, it is important to make plans.
I know that this class is going to take a lot of time management so I am going to try and remember Randy Pausch's tips. I believe that these tips will be very beneficial to me.
Randy Pausch gave a lecture after he found out that he had cancer. He is famous for his "Last Lecture".
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)