Monday, February 27, 2012

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 Pencil and paper has become an outdated source of teaching.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.

2 comments:

  1. Hey Anna! I you were my assigned C4K this week. I know an other girl who played softball at West Alabama too, her name is Stephanie Beahn. Do you know her? She transferred here too! But lets get down to business. I had to do my most recent C4T on Dr. Scott McCleod. He's done many wonderful things for this movement!
    1st off, I'd like to tell you that I like the way that your blog flows, you use good grammar, and spelling. By reading what you wrote, I can assume that you definitely have the urge to do well as a teacher and incorporating the right methods is extremely important and I believe you will do well.
    I concur with your opinions pretty much throughout the entire blog post! You have written some good stuff! Part 5 in particular. Once I got to that website I was lost and confused. Honestly, I didn't even write a summary for part 5 on my blog mostly because I couldn't understand how to navigate through it and find things. I agree that reading is a dying, and it's one of the most important tools to survival in modern societies today. But, there's an app for that! If not, then there is one that will be created soon. However, I still believe that reading and vocabulary are the basics of communication. Good Blog! -Travis

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  2. Anna,

    Your writing looks great. However, the post written by Scott McLeod was a satire. Meaning, his entire post about the "dangers" of the internet was not supposed to be taken literally. It was written to make you realize that everything in life has dangers, but that is not a valid reason to avoid it. Technology, like anything else, can be misused, but as teachers, it is our duty to make children aware of these dangers and how to overcome them so that they are able to live an enriched life. Also, you MUST include an image, with ALT and TITLE modifiers in all of your blog posts.

    Thanks,

    Rebekah

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