week 10

Morgan Bayda/Dan Brown
This form of education rebellion could become more main stream in the future. If we as future educators do not present our lessons that is attention grabbing or interesting to the students. Presentation is not only the key, the information itself needs to be interesting itself. I think it should incorporate the knowledge of technology and the new ways of learning the students will need for their future. I believe this trend in technology will spark charter schools in our near future.

Dan Brown states that education, knowledge, and the liberated highway of information available today is free to all. This is far from the truth. Who pays for this child's computer and accessories that allows him to create his broadcast, who pays for his internet connection, who supplies him with an environment where he can video? Most likely his means comes from his parents or guardian. Not all parents have the means to make this available to their children. Nothing in life is free.

week 9

Alabama Learning Exchange

When I googled the Alabama Learning Exchange (ALEX), the first thing I noticed was how easy it was to find what you were looking for. On the home page, you can choose from lesson plans, courses of study, web links, etc. Then, each topic is broken down between either subjects for the teacher or student. The website provides links to the Alabama Department of Education, career and technical education, counseling and guidance, and several other links that may be useful to teachers. There is even a link you can click that will provide access to several podcasts that cover many educational topics.

ALEX is used to help students, teachers, and administrators share educational information through things such as links and podcasts. This website is about education in the state of Alabama. You can create an account and become a frequent user. You can choose nearly any subject ranging from math to physical education. You are able to view objectives, and choose the grade level you are interested in teaching. I believe is a very useful website for those who are interested in teaching as well as those who are already teachers.

Alabama Learning Exchange

Alabama Connecting Classrooms, Educators, and Students Statewide (ACCESS)

I found ACCESS to be interesting, but compared to the Alabama Learning Exchange website, it is confusing. The website states that their goal is to "create equity through additional educational offerings for all Alabama public high school students." This distance learning could truly be a blessing for some students who are very interested in learning, but because of the location of their school and the school use of resources, they are not able to explore everything they wish. The program was started in 2004.

I looked at the tab on the website that strictly pertained to the students who might use this type of distance learning. I was surprised to see that the program provides students with access to 10 AP, or advanced placement, exams to practice with! WOW! I wish my high school teachers had known about the program and shared this information with me because I was in AP English and AP Chemistry as a high school senior. This tab on the website also has information for parents so they will know just exactly how distance learning will benefit their child. The program also provides ways to help you decide if you are ready for distance learning. I think the program is a great way to help students prepare for the transition between high school and college.

Edm 310 entry 7

Richard Miller's "This is How We Dream"

I think it was a great presentation. The presentation focused on composing with text, with using many different forms of media. Instead of just using a simple text document. He stated it would quickly be disregarded. According to Miller, students will compose with not only text but with audio, still images, photographs, and movies in order to produce compositions that is in Miller's words are both "beautiful and compelling".

Miller's presentation was so interesting, I really enjoyed it. I do think my students will be able to use this with the right instructions.

Watch The Networked Student by Wendy Drexler

The video on the networked student was every eye opening. When I read the title I was wondering what it meant then after seeing the video it became clear to me about what it means to become a networked student. I really like the idea of reaching out to the students with the use of technology. I liked how Drexler emphasized the importance of the connections that were being made by students.

Yes i think i am ready to become a teacher of a networked student. In previous blogs that we have seen it displayed the teachers as being the students, I think that would help us as teachers better communicate with the students.

PLN

For my Personal Learning Network(PLN), I have a blog and Facebook. I try to respond to as well as post to other people's blog. I use facebook on an everyday basis to stay in contact the teachers as well as fellow students I've met here on campus and teachers whose class I was once in.

Edm 310 entry 6

Dr. Christie’s site
This website was very informational. Dr. Christie has included lecture notes on many topics that can be helpful to a new teacher when considering different aspects of technology in the classroom. I enjoyed Digital Pencil in my Portfolio. This application enables the teacher to incorporate a lesson plan that will be completed by the students completely digitally. They have a worksheet to complete along with all research material needed for the lesson. This could be used for all grades.

I have found all of the links to be useful to me. Considering the fact that I am new to teaching and the technology changes every year. I enjoyed the site very much.

iTunes University
I was amazed to see how iTunes is being used for more than just music. This is different to me. After seeing the video it has opened my eyes to the many things iTunes is capable of doing, besides music. Now that I have found out that iTunes has a way of showing lectures online, I am thinking about taking online classes.

I am going into secondary education and that consist of 6-12 grade. As a teacher I would use I-tunes U in my classroom not just for my absent students but also for students want the extra lectures. It could be used to expose students to a college level lecture.

Edm 310 entry 5

NPR
When I was in high school I never knew why my teachers wouldn't allow us to use Wikipedia. After reading this it explained it all. Any one can go in and change your ideas as well as your entries. It is a good thing that the person who developed the site is able to see made edits to his or her site.
It is surprising to see the different corporations, religious groups and different areas of the government that have made changes to this cite.

Scanner Tracks Who's Changing What on Wikipedia
I heard that it is possible to trace someone one the computer from the numbers on their computer, but WOW. The way this guy came up with this method is awesome.
They did a great job at explaining exactly how Virgil Griffith's Wiki Scanner works. The scanner is a great tool that helps to protect the original creator of a page, if something inappropriate is put on his or her page. The creator is not held liable for something they did not do

Wired
This article was about Virgil Griffith's new invention, "Wiki Scanner" that is able to track those who edit information on Wikipedia via their IP addresses. I thought this was an interesting article. It interested me to learn about someone having the imagination and time to put such a great tool together. It shows that u can not believe everything you read or hear.
I must say i did trust the Wikipedia site for searching for information in and out of the classroom. After reading these different cites has made me search a little farther than the just the first result that pops up, which is always Wikipedia. From now on i will be looking farther down the page when I'm doing searches.

What Ive learned this year
Mr. McClung's blog was very interesting. I enjoyed the different topics he had. I think the best way to have a successful first year of teaching is to hear from someone who has just completed their first year. If you get advice from someone who has been teaching for many years the children have changed over time. Someone who has just completed their first year is able to tell you how the students behave. This blog was very informative and had many great points. I can say i really enjoyed it.

EDM 310 entry 4

Pod casting in the classroom

In the an it introduced an effective way of interacting with students outside of the classroom. It is a great way to be able to listen to lectures anytime and anywhere. It is a form of learning for students of today who are familiar with technology and therefore makes it relevant to them. It allows for differentiation and project based learning students who can access the higher order thinking skills in Bloom's taxonomy.
Vod casting is easy for reviewing rather than teaching the subject over again. It also allows students to demonstrate higher order thinking skills. It promotes creativity and innovation it can offer distance learning opportunities for absent students. The process of creating and uploading audio files is easy students can record role plays in character making their learning more memorable and parents can see and hear what their children are doing at school.
I think Vod casting is needed in every classroom. It allows parents to see what their children are doing in the class. I think it would be a big help with the disciplinary problems in the classes. When the teachers send letters home and the students deny what the teacher says, they can return back to the videos.

EDM 310 entry 3

Media Literacy in the First Grade
I am very impressed to see that these really are first graders. You would never think that first graders would be able to do this. With the technology that is available anything is possible. When I was in the first grade I was practicing cursive hand writing not doing a blog for the world to see.
The children knew about the different topics and they were able to explain what media literate meant. I am still stuck on the fact that they are in the first grade. I really enjoyed the video. It goes to show how much technology is changing and how we all need to adapt.

Kid Cast
This pod cast was very entertaining. I found this podcast very informative. I was surprised how he handled the different questions. I actually enjoyed listening to this podcast. I thought he helped me understand the basics of a podcast. He stated "that the teachers need to be proactive" I agree with him This is a very important goal for teachers to take.

Ed Tech Talk
I found it interesting that Robert actually interviewed Danielle and Marley about pod casting. It shows the many ways pod casting could be used. It gave a lot of great information. Danielle explained the social relationships through pod casting, I was impressed by that. She even used Net Flicks as a teaching tool. Robert explained micromanaging in classrooms, I liked that part. Although I went to a small school I was offered micromanaging, and it was very informative.

Little Kids... Big Potential
I enjoyed the part of the video about the children using the smart board. It is amazing how children are using more technology to learn in the classrooms. That is awesome from when i graduated a few years ago. These children are using so many things that when i was in school they were only for the teachers to use. The teachers that are including all this new technology is not only helping themselves they are also helping the students become more acting in education.
It is helping the children learn in a different approach. I enjoyed this video, I was impressed at the knowledge all these children had about the new technology that is changing everyday. I think if more teachers embraced this new style of teaching, then students would be more excited about school and want to come to and learn. When I was in school and I was able to use my Nintendo DS, in class my mother wouldn't have had to fuss me out of the bed so many mornings.

EDM Entry 2

Michael Wesch: A Vision of Students Today

This was a very interesting. I actually liked this one because it in my opinion was true. Sometimes when you are in a big lecture classroom many things go through your mind. I know for myself things that have nothing to do with the subject is going through my mind. The time I have left in the class and the other things I have to do is what I'm thinking about.

The movie does capture my college experience as far as a large lecture class room goes. If I was the director of this movie, I would have first had the teacher teaching and then show the class doing their own thing while the lecture is being brought forth. Then I would start the music and show the class with their notes. This would be my way of showing what the students had on their mind while the teacher was up lecturing.

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

I agree with the post, education isn't all about technology. The educational community does need an overall change in teaching. With the advances in technology and everyone having access to technology, teaching should not only be focused on pen and paper but also the advances in the technological world.

I think teacher should want to include technology into the classrooms. They should be able to teach it as well as be taught using this method. Sometimes because students spend more time on it than teachers, the teachers should be willing to learn form the students if they get in a jam on the internet.

EDM 310 Entry 1

Did You Know?

I thought this video was very informative. While I was watching, I started thinking about the information that was being presented. The more I watched I began to think "Where are they getting this information from?" I think the video is full of statistics. It made me think more about the video, was it true or was it done to make people think about the world around us.

I think this video was made from statistics. I enjoyed the information that was presented. I think it was made to make people who saw it think and I did just that. Is it making the viewers think about true or false statements is the question that I am asking?


Mr. Winkle Wakes

After seeing Mr. Winkle Wakes, it makes me think about the way education is being taught in the schools. For Mr. Winkle to wake up after 100 years and the only thing that has not changed was the delivery of education, something is very wrong with that. I think there should be a different type of delivery other than the same old presentation that has been used for many years. I think there should be a different type of delivery other than the same old style of lecturing. The students should be more hands on and learning should be fun for them.

In the video it shows how technology has also changed over 100 years. It talks about how people are able to speak with one another through the computer and how machines printed out pictures. Then he went to the hospital and realized there was technology there also. The technology that he saw was helping to keep people alive and taking pictures of their bones. This makes me wonder what is more important advances in technology or education?


Sir Ken Robinson: The Importance of Creativity

This video was long and boring, sad to say. Although it had some good points. Mr. Robinson's main focus was to talk about education helping and not minimizing student's creativity in schools. He thinks creativity and literacy should hold the same status. Kids will try anything and are not afraid of being wrong. People are born with creativity it is not something learned. Creativity comes from the different ways people see things around them.

Mr. Robinson stated that all of the school systems around the world have the same subjects. Some schools put more emphasis on certain subjects. He thinks the subjects that allow students to be creative have no value in the schools anymore. He also thinks degrees no longer have any value. I agree with the things he said about the importance of creativity. If someone was not being creative we would not have the things we use everyday. Schools should put a little more emphasis on the arts in schools, they would be surprised what the students are capable of doing.

Vicki Davis: Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts

Vicki Davis, shows that you do not have to live in a big city or even be a super star to do something that will change the lives of many people all over the world. She is only a teacher and the IT director at her school who uses different ways of technology to connect her students the people around the world. She believes there are many ways to learn besides the usual way of paper and pin. She also travel the world talking about what she does as a full time teacher. Vicki Davis and Julie Lindsey founded the global project Diji Teen, which allowed students from around the world to study digital citizenship.

I support everything that Vicki Davis has done to improve her student's knowledge of technology. Technology is changing and improving everyday. I think if more teachers allowed their students to teach once in a while then the classes would be more interactive as well as fun. I think if more teachers would do more to help the students learn school would no longer be considered boring.