Blog Assignment #5

1.Don't Teach Your Kids This Stuff. Please?
This post made me really evaluate what type of teacher I want to become. This post really explains the problems that can be associated with students using technology as a learning source. The main concern was the dangers that the internet can have; however, the post also mentions the pros of using the internet/computers. Computers make students think, share, learn, and be creative more. Isn’t this the main goal of teaching students? Don’t we want our students to learn in as many dimensions as possible? Pencil and paper has become an outdated source of teaching. Our world is quickly evolving into a technology savvy world and we must keep our kids up to date. Dr. Scott McLeod, associate professor at the University of Kentucky, is the founding director of CASTLE; which is the only center dedicated to the technology needs of school administrators. [CASTLE stands for Center for the Advanced Study of Technology Leadership in Education.]

2.The iSchool Initiative
Travis, a student from Georgia, portrays how effective teaching can be created without having loads of books, papers, pencils, and funds. With technology, apps and other programs can be purchased at little or no cost. iPads and tablets have many interactive apps; which can increase students to become more motivated in learning. In Travis’ second video, he discusses the revolution of iSchool Initiative. I really enjoyed this video because it shows the opinion of an actual high school student. Travis, who is a student, is helping educate teachers on how teachers should approach the future classrooms. As Travis stated, the revolution of technology in education has already begun and we need to be nothing but positive and helpful. 

3. Virtual Choir
This video was amazing! It was a video compiled of 185 strangers virtually interactively singing. This video is clearly a work of passion because it had to have taken a great deal of time. A video like this just show how helpful and how many options are available using the internet. Being the fact that the internet is worldwide there are so many users. This video and my EDM 310 class make me want to incorporate worldwide interaction with other students in my classroom. The most interesting part of this video is that 185 strangers “came together” to create a beautiful video that can be viewed globally.

4.Teaching in the 21st Century
Have you watched teaching in the 21st century? If not please click on the link immediately and watch this video. It is truly amazing! This video is a perfect display to fight people who are against integrating technology into classroom. Teaching should involve information that is relevant, engaging, and challenging to students. When I begin planning my future lessons, I will be sure to keep those three words in mind. Making lessons and learning relevant motivates students to want to learn the information. Students want to know how and why lessons learned apply to the real world, and making lessons relevant answers that question. Entertaining should be used when using technology or videos, never for learning material. I really want my students to be challenged rather than entertained with the lesson. By making the material challenging, the students must critically think and apply the material appropriately. Kevin Roberts and I seem to view teaching as more of a guide for students to move closer to the right direction. Teaching is evolving from just programming students with information to actually instructing teachers how to retain the information in students. By guiding the student, instead of just telling the students directly, the students are learning what to do with knowledge and information that is learned. The age of teachers is changing and even though there will always be a need for educators, the methods of teaching are changing with the times.

5.Reading Rockets

Reading is becoming a lost art form with the use of television and things being visually available. Reading needs to be rocketed back into our world! The Reading Rockets website was very overwhelming. The website provided many links and information on the entire page. At first glance, the website is sort of confusing, but once you begin exploring the website it becomes more understandable. On the teaching tab, there is a classroom strategies link. This link explains some beginning strategies for teaching reading to students. The topics are explained how to be broken down and how/when to approach the certain sections. Top 10 Things You Should Know About Reading is a great resource that is available to help those students who are still struggling with reading. The best part of this website is the section that is a list of recommended books. By selecting the type of subject or topic, it recommends different books that students may enjoy. My softball girls are always asking me if I know of any good books and now I can now recommend a great website for them to continue their excitement of reading.

Blog Post Assignment #4

The Benefits of Podcasting in the Classroom Until this video, I never really understood or knew what a podcast could be used for. This video explained to me that podcast has two main purposes. One way, allows the teacher to record the podcast and make it available for students to review on material or to visually see the material once again. I really love this point because it allows students to review even if they are sick or absent. The other aspect I enjoyed with podcast is, students can use a hands on experience. The students could create scripts and add on to the podcast. I think what I'll take from this video, for my own podcast, is making my podcast entertaining and creative. I really do not want my students to have to listen to a monotone zombie. I want them to be entertained as equally enough as a television show to an extent.

Podcast Selection Somewhere out in the world, is probably a book called “Podcasting for dummies,” but if you cannot find a book like that then this video is for you! Judy Scharf did a phenomenal job on explaining what a podcast is. She also gave ample amount of examples on how to do a podcast and methods to assign. On Ms. Scharf’s video, was a link to TeacherTube; which is a great podcast about podcasts. The best tip I received from this video was make the viewers actually want to finish the podcast. Make it exciting and enjoyable, not just facts and lectures.

 1st Graders Create Their Own Read Along Audio Book In this podcast, a classroom of first graders were divided up to create a script for a chapter book that they were reading. The thing about this podcast that was most visible was the excitement that the students had on creating the video. Until now, I never really thought about how much the students would enjoy creating one, only about how they would like watching one. The students really were interested in tweaking their voices and scripts on the Smart Board. I love when there are hands on activities for students! Anytime a child is excited about learning is something that should be repeated! When I create my own podcast, I want to play around with some of the effects that these students got to do and be better acquainted with the skills required. From the information received from the other podcasts, since I am excited about my future with podcasts, the podcast itself was a great podcast (because it made me excited and was creative).

Video About Me :)

C4T #1 Post

I was assigned to comment on the Blend My Learning Blog. One of the post's that I commented on was about "Lessons Learned from a Blended Learning Pilot." This blog was on a study on how blended learning really works in the real world. In this blog, he discusses the change in the teacher's role in the classroom, perspectives from students, classroom space, results, and several feedbacks from different sources. In the study, the students who learned in a Blended Classroom scored higher than those who were in the traditional classroom setting. However; the results are hard to depict success on just the implication of technology because of how skilled the teacher was and the motivation that the students seemed to have. Also, in the studied students are changing their forms of questions from "What is the answer?" to "How do I do this;" which is making students learn something new besides trying to just finish the work assigned. Some takeaways for me on this post were embedding learning, students seem to pay more attention to technology, and student's who seem to be disengaged with learning suddenly become intrigued with the technological educational games.
In the second post that I commented on, was the results on Blended Learning. The results stated that the "treated" classroom, that I mentioned above were successful on more correct answers. The Blended Learning used the Khan Academy out of California to study the students. The study was covered over a 5 week time span and the "treatment" teacher was extremely skilled. Also, the Khan Academy did not include the pre-algebra scores in the testing; which could effect the results of the study of improvement. Some questions that are still present in this research are would the pre-algebra scoring change the results dramatically, would the results continue with a less skilled teacher, and would the improvements in learning continue throughout through the entire school year. 




Since that was the first time I have heard of the Khan Academy. I would like to research it further so I can form a better opinion. However, what I have read so far, the Khan Academy’s way of teaching/learning gives students the ability to learn at their own speed. The benefits are extremely helpful for students who are still unsure of material that was covered in class. Sometimes students who listen closely and take adequate notes still need further assistance in grasping the information. As a student, I have experienced that problem first hand. Most of the time, that one lecture I seem to struggle on always seems to be the lecture that is covered mostly on the exam. A system like this will give students the opportunity to review until they get it. I am curious to see what the results of the year round test will show. I really wish that there was a program like this for some of my college courses, but as a future educator knowing that this is an issue, maybe I can conquer it before it becomes a problem.

Blog Assignment #3

Tutorial Peer Editing

View more PowerPoint from Adriana Zardini


Technology in Special Education

    After the YouTube video Technology in Special Education, I came to realize how vital technology is in the classroom. In Ms. Cook's class, she expressed in realistic detail how technology improved and saved her student's education. Ms. Cook mentioned that a major hurdle she faced with her students were communication barriers. With technology, relationships and barriers are being smashed down. 

    In the video, Ms. Cook uses some of her students to show how technology in the classroom improves their learning experience. Corbin uses an audio book to read during quite hour. Before this, he had to have a staff member read to him. Kris, who seemed to communicate with blinking, and Sherea used their computers to fully communicate in a more advanced fashion. Hopefully, with more technology, will come more efficient learning for students with special needs, and will allow educators to better understand what their students need.

Educational Apps

   With technology becoming the main way to educate students; it is only natural that technology is becoming more dominant in schools. Special need students are using technology more in more in schools and at home to better improve their lives and education. Computers are the more popular forms of technology that special needs teachers/students are using to communicate and complete work faster. Thanks to the iPad, iTouch, and iPhone learning is becoming more accessible without having to tote a full size computer around. 

     The application that I found for special needs children is called Dexteria. Dexteria is used to improve motor skills and handwriting. This app is easy to use and is for basically all ages. Dexteria is not only for the student, but therapists and parents are being able to monitor/view improvements and areas that need more assistance. The app is also reasonably cheap ($9.99) which is a huge positive note for parents. This game is bright and easy to use. I plan on teaching Kindergarten and I think this would be great to use even if the student is not special needs.

Gary's Social Media Count

    On Gary's Social Media Count, in the time 1 second occurs media technologies can increase by 1,000s. The world is filled with 6.8 BILLION people and a majority of those people are connected to some sort of technology. We are seeing technology improve life in the real world, but what does technology really mean for educators? How will this change the teaching norms?

    Well in my opinion, this increasing use of technology means educators need to keep up with times. If students are spending more time on the computer or phones then they are in the classroom then maybe we should use that as a resource for learning. With that being said, educators need to become more familiar with how technology is used and at least the main programs in them. 

     Like I said, the times are changing and every second their are more people using technology and everyday there is an increase in technologies. We must keep the old teaching techniques, but implement and blend the new technology techniques. The sooner the better too because with every second we sit twittering our thumbs the more people are logging into some sort of technology. 

 A Vision of Students Today

   Wow! After watching, A Vision of Students Today, I am completely shocked. I live the student life that the students expressed in the video. The college student day lasting 26.6 hours instead of 24. Above this section, I watched and commented on many other videos about technology, and I supported it. However, after watching this video I am starting to understand technology from the view point of an educator. 

   Technology can be helpful and beneficial, but it can also be very distracting! As a student, I am constantly pulled away from schoolwork to be distracted by a silly iPhone app, but as an educator I can see how technology can improve and assist in learning. That is the million dollar question I suppose...how can technology be balanced in the classroom? 

Project #2 Wordle URL Source

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Project #2 Wordle Image

Blog Assignment #2

Educational Video Summaries
Video 1:

    

  In video 1, Did You Know? 3.0, the main focus was on the lack of gumption the United States is having toward education. India and China are kicking our butts in education. India, for instance, has 25% high IQ then the entire United States population. In India, the country also trumps the U.S. in K-12 Honor Students. There are more K-12 Honor Students in India then there are the entire K-12 student population. China ,on the other hand, is "programming" their children to be ahead of the game. The Chinese have more citizens that are capable of speaking English then the ENTIRE United States population. What is going on with the United States? 

   In the last half of the video, the main focus was on the use of technology and the frequency it is used. From phones, to computers, to multimedia devices, technology is dominating the world. At the rate the world is going, the top 10 jobs do not exist as of now, and the technology to create/maintain those jobs do not exist. The world is constantly changing and technology is playing a leading role in success. From video 1, the statistics show that the United States need to pick it up a notch or other countries will lead in the foot race.

Video 2:

  In video 2, Mr. Winkle Wakes, Mr. Winkles tells a similar tale as Rumpelstiltskin. Mr. Winkle awakes from his slumber after 100 years! Mr. Winkles travels all of the town trying to find something familiar to his time era. He views TALL buildings that reach to the sky that are filled with computers and devices that can print images out on paper. He realizes that long distant business relationship change from miles and hours away to instantly connected. In shear shock, Mr. Winkle travels to the hospital. He quickly realizes that the hospitals are filled with magnificent technology that are capable of saving lives. Mr. Winkle leaves the hospital and wonders down the road and comes across a school. School ends up being the location that Mr. Winkle feels the most comfortable.
   Mr. Winkle feels more comfortable in the schools because of the lack of technology. Even though the video is a cartoon and fictional, it conveys a giant message of how schools desperately need more technology integration. As video 1 stated, technology is running side-by-side with the employment areas. The world is a lot smaller now with technology.   

Video 3:

  Ken Robinson is an inspiration to creative revolution in education. In video 3, Sir Robinson uses a humorous approach to improve creativity in schools and acknowledging its importance. Robinson states that no one has a clue on what the future holds and that teachers have no clue how to teach/prepare students for the future. To help students prepare for the future,  creativity will be just as important as subjects in school. Teachers need to drastically change their approach on creativity, it should be praised not stigmatized as a negative trait. The most intelligent statement I have ever heard came from Sir Robinson. He stated that if kids do not know something, they are not afraid of having a go. If people are not prepared to ever be wrong then they end up being frightened by being wrong. Basically, we are educating students out of creativity.
     Everywhere, in the country, has the same hierarchy in subjects and in the arts. By doing this, we are creating students to think with just one side of their brains (intelligence). The body becomes a shuttle for your brain. Teachers need to stop stigmatizing their students creativity and the desires of their talents. Teachers need to understand that talents can be turned into professions. Since education inflation has occurred, students need to focus on their talents and further themselves in other educational aspects. Sometimes you need to move your feet towards things in life that you enjoy.

Video 4:  

    A Vision for 21st Century Learning is a realistic portrayal of the present and future. After the Industrial Revolution, the world as we know it drastically changed. No longer are people having to send letters, travel 1,000 of miles to visit someone, and globalization is becoming easier and easier daily. In the 21st century, we are living in a globally connected world. Education with lecture and notes is a dull way of learning. Interactive video games, 3-D worlds of the past, and overseas interaction with other students is now accessible at a click of a button.
    In my personal opinion, I am extremely excited about the new world of teaching. The 3D world exploration of past worlds is an exciting program that I can not wait to explore with my students. Also, having complete openness to the world creates so many more doors for education and for students. Teaching is no longer based in a single classroom, but a melting pot of a global classroom.

Video 5:

     In a rural Georgia town, a teacher is recreating the outdated version of teaching. Ms. Viki Davis is allowing and educating her students to learning in an unorthodox manner compared to the traditional views. Ms. Davis allows her students to network, create blogs, create virtual worlds, and explore other worlds from the safety of Georgia. She is not violating the standards that she must teach, but allowing her students to explore other resources to accomplish the standards.

      Ms. Davis allows her students to focus on new software while learning the material with new technology. She does not only let her students learn the new software, but she encourages them to educate her on the new technology. Not knowing exactly how to teach the technology, or the materials used, is okay in Ms. Davis' eyes. She believes it creates them to use their own mind and creativity. Think globally act locally.