Blog Post 2

Did You Know? 3.0 – A John Strange 2012 Version

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 Wakes

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

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. 

Classroom Disruption

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.