Blog Post #15

Final Project

Blog Post #14

    Fasting.  Not many people realize how addicted to our media we have become.  In this day almost everyone has a computer, ipod, electronic reader or who knows what.  To think that it is easy to go without all of our fabulous gadgets for 24 hours really is laughable.

     I chose to try to do the media fast.  I started at 10 p.m. on Friday night.  That part was easy.  I had my children in bed so I didn't have to worry about them wanting to watch something.  My husband was supportive and hid my phone.  But it started to get difficult pretty quick.  I sleep at night with one of the music channels playing on my TV.  Since I was unable to use the TV it took me forever to go to sleep. Saturday was very difficult.  My kids were not happy with going without TV.  This actually made me feel like a bad mother because I was faced with how much TV I allow my children to watch.  But I kicked them outside for a while and started working on school assignments that needed to be read.  This helped pass the day and I was able to concentrate on what I was reading.  But of course it could not last.  I needed to call my mother and I had to use my phone.  So I broke the fast.  To be honest I don't think I could have made it much longer.  I continued to try not to use any technology but it was very difficult.  I have to admit that I like to just sit and watch a movie  whenever I want to.  It seemed to be like being on a diet.  When you tell yourself that you can't have something it makes you want it 10 times more and that is what my e-media fast felt like.

     I learned quite a bit during the 24 hours though so I am glad that I tried.  I have decided to limit the amount of time that my family uses media.  I want my children to be active and feel that if I turn the TV and computer off  and go play with my kids more it will be better for all of us.

C4T#4

On my last Comment for Teachers I was Assigned Ira David Socol. The post that I first read was about how people change certain things about themselves in order to "fit "in with a certain group.   He starts by talking about the movie PYGMALION

and how Eliza is not seen as a person by Dr. Higgins till he has changed her into his creation.  But she is not able to go back to being the flower seller that she was before because she no longer fits into that group as well.  He then goes on to discuss how this is apparent in our country as well and had been for years.
     In response to him I shared my own experience with this as a Southerner with a bit of a thick accent.  I have personally seen how "educated" people look at someone who sounds country.  When  giving a report once I noticed that my audience tuned me out after about a minute.  At first I thought it was because I was boring.  But after a lecture in another class about how different dialects are looked on  I wondered if maybe it was my speech that was the problem.  So when I had to give to presentation again I fell back on the lessons learned in my voice classes many years ago.  I tried to lessen my accent as much as possible.  I noticed that my audience actually listened to me.    To me people who do not use Kings English are thought to be ignorant. Unfortunately on a whole we seem to see see people who are different than us as less than us whether it is skin color, birth, or speech.

    In the second post of Mr. Socol he is speaking about the problems in the world.  he starts by showing a speech of JFK in Houston.  He explains that the people in power after WWII saw that our country need to grow and change for the better.  Even though they know it will require sacrifice they would create a better place for future generations.  But now governments are spending their time saying what they can't do instead of saying we are going to do it and finding the way to do it.  Mr. Socol says that we need heros like the JFK's of the past who were not afraid of the challenge and how to invest in our future.  I completely agree with him.  We need people who can be heros.  We need people who say this what is wrong and we are going to fix it.  It will be hard and it will take sacrifice but we will create a better world.  When our heros step up and are willing to change the way things are and actually start making changes we will see a better world for our children.

Final Report on PLN

I absolutely love my Personal Learning Network.  As people that I follow post sites on twitter that I think will be a benefit to me as a history teacher, I add them to my Symbaloo web page.  I am at this time trying to organize my tiles on Symbaloo into different web mixes.  I will have one for the family and church things that I need.  Next of course is the page for college.  This one contains not only the web sites for the college but also all the sites that I feel help me in research for my different classes.  Then I have the page that is just sites that I see as being important for me when I start teaching.  Each of my web mixes are constantly changing.  And my twitter account is changing as well.  I am figuring out ways to create lists for the people that I follow so I can go to one for history and another if I am reading for stuff about pod casts.  I think that my PLN will be constantly growing and changing.  I have already started talking to my oldest child about starting a PLN.  I really feel that this has been one of the best things that I have learned in EDM 310.  Thank you Dr. Strange!!!

Blog Post #13

  
      The top ten list that Jose Picardo has compiled should be a short list that every teacher keeps with them on the different types of media that can be  used in the classroom.  There are several that I plan to use if available in the school that hires me.  First if the class has a smart board then I will need to find ways to make it worth the money that was spent on it.  I can create whole lesson plans that basically use the smart board.  The class calender can be done with the smart board and also roll call.  There is a template that can be used that the students can move their name into the present category as soon as they walk in to the classroom.  I see the smart board as becoming my class hub.  Since they take up so much room you might as well use them.
     I also think that music can definitely be used in the classroom.  It can be used to help teach lessons or to create a calming atmosphere.  Streaming video will be very useful.  Such sites as Khan Academy will be a great help and also other educational sites that have videos that can be used to teach a topic.  I can't wait to be able to use skype with my students.  I would like to create a universal classroom where my students can keep in touch with classrooms all over the world.  I feel that this could be used to help to teach about different cultures.
     I plan to create podcasts of each class so that students who missed or who may have a learning disability of some sort will be able to get the information at the touch of their fingers.  I also plan to use a class blog.  I want to have an overall blog for the class that parents, students, and administrators can go to to see what is happening in our class.  Also I would like to have blogs for the students as well so that they can have a type of portfolio of there work for the semester.
     I really want to try to use all of these tools when I find it appropriate and when the administration will allow it.  I hope to continue learning how to use these tools so that I can create an exciting and eclectic class that the students will enjoy being in but will also be able to learn the information that is needed for them to learn.

Progress Report on Final project

Oh the final project.  I am happy to report that my group who is made up Bobbi-Jo, Regina, and myself, have outlined our project.  We are making a movie on forms.  We are wanting to take an entertaining view of the issue of forms by make a silent movie style teaching video (if there is such a thing).  We hope to show someone how to create a form while making it interesting to watch.  We each have different parts of the production that we are responsible for and are excited to get it done.

Blog Post #12

Since I was suppose to come up with an assignment that Dr. Strange should have given us I was a little stumped.  How could I come up with one?  I didn't have a clue.  So after thinking about this for a few days and looking back over all the things that we had done, and how we had discussed what technology that teachers are using I thought "Do teachers think they are technologically literate and do they even care?"

So here is the assignment that I came up with:

You must interview an active teacher who is in the same discipline as you (a social science major would interview a history teacher and so forth).  This interview must be recorded and posted to your blog.  The form doesn't matter.  It can be a skype interview, audio or video recording.  You will need to ask the following questions:
1.  Do you know what a technologically literate teachers is?
2.  Do you consider yourself a technologically literate teacher?
3.  What types of technology do you use in the classroom?
4.  Does your class use blogs?
5.  Do you think that classroom blogs can be beneficial to your students?
6.  Do you have a PLN (Personal Learning Network)?
7.  Do you think that your students should be taught about PLN's and encouraged to create one?
8.  If you were allowed to use any type of technology in the classroom what would you use?
9.  This is a question that you make up on your own.
Record the whole conversation.  If they don't know what something is explain it and then get their answer.  Write a summary about what you learned from the teacher that you interviewed about technology that they use.



I interviewed a teacher in Alabama.  From the questions that I asked I got the impression that not only does the school system that she works for use technology in the schools, she seems to  be well versed in the usage of the tools.  Not only does the school allow the use of smart phones in the classroom they use blogs as well.  She uses the students blogs to start discussions for the class.  She asks a question and the students must comment an answer  and then must comment on each of the other students comments.  She thinks that PLN's are an important concept to be taught to students.  She believes that we should teach students how to find knowledge for themselves instead of just teaching them a a bunch of facts.
Overall I feel that the system she works for an open minded one.  She is a teacher who is sees the benefits from technology and is not afraid to learn how to use them to the benefit of her students.  I hope to be able to follow her example in the classroom and am willing to try new things that will be a benefit to my students as well.

Project #15 Book Trailer

Blog Post #11

     I feel that Ms. Cassidy should be commended for stepping out of her comfort zone and developing the use of technology in her classroom.  It takes a brave person to step out like that and try something new.  It speaks well of Ms. Cassidy that she was willing to try to help improve the quality of her students education.

     I like that she is using a class blog for her students to have portfolio of their work.  This allows parents to see on a weekly basis the progress that their child is making .  This will usually make parents happy.

     I myself would like to have a class blog where all important information for the class can be found by students and parents.  I would also like for my students to use class blogs to turn in assignments.  I think one of the benefits that I could anticipate in doing this is just getting to the students interested in doing the work.  Of course some parents might not like this.  It is sometimes hard to get people to try new things.  Parents and administrators both will have concerns about what a student may be seeing or doing on a computer.

     I am still thinking about ways that I can address concerns of parents and administrators.  Some of what Ms. Cassisdy uses would be very beneficial.  First parents would have to sign permission slips.  Also I would show examples of ways the blog would be a benefit in the classroom.  There would hopefully be ways that the system could be made to work.  I plan to continue to look at ways to implement class blogs and ways to maintain student protection.  Hopefully I will have a starting plan when I get my first class.

Project#14 Teach Someone

Project #13 Smartboard Presentation

Part II







Part III

C4T#3

On this go around with Comments for Teachers I have been assigned Mr Fisher.  The post that I read first or I should say watched is a video that Mr Fisher had made at ISTE 2011.  He had interviewed a young man that everyone in EDM 310 should be familiar with.  The iSchool Initiative creative was his person of interest.  So basically I commented on the interview.  Mr Fisher asked him questions about the iSchool Initiative and how it came about.  Also he answered questions about what his goal is with the non-profit organization.  I found out that the state of Maine has determined that all middle schools students should have a portable education device.  this was a little overwhelming to me.  So I asked him how would teachers and parents in a community like where my children attend, where you a not allowed to bring any type of technological device from home, can try to start a campaign to allow students the use of these types of media.

In the second post that I read by Mr. Fisher he was discussing ePortfolios like the one that we are required to have in the College of Education.  He interview Mr. Z.(this is what he called him) who seems to be the leading person on the topic.  One of the points that he brought out was that this is a way for someone to show there best work.  They would have a actually portfolio of there work in the cloud that could be seen by them, their teachers, parents, administrators, and future colleges, and possible future employers.  I feel that this is actually a very good concepts for schools to look to for a way for students to see what they are doing and what they have accomplished.  I feel that it may be something that I would like to use in the future for my students.  I much to learn about setting it up and how to run it but I am interesting in figuring it out and hopefully using it to benefit my students.

Blog Post #10

Do you teach or Do you Educate?
     Being tasked to think about why I choose education as a major, I am able to say that my reason runs in line with what this video has to say about being an educator.  I don't just want to be a teacher.  This implies just imparting information.  You use methods of gifting, punishing and intimidation to make sure the student learns or memorizes the material put forth.  This isn't the type of person that I want to be.
     I want to show my students why learning things are important.  I want to try to lead my students in wanting to learn and how to learn.  I want to impart to my students the skills that will help them in my history class but also will stay with them through many years of school then into their careers and even farther into their family years.  This is why I want to be an educator.

Tom Johnson's Don't Let Them Take the Pencils Home!

     First I must say that I love Gertrude's title.  Also if she really thinks that taking a pencil home is going to lower test scores then her title has gone to her head.  But enough of that.

     Mr. Johnson uses his post to show that burying your head in the sand is not going to help a situation.  To me the "pencil" in this blog represents all that is wrong in schools today.  The lack for ways to engage the students in the lessons.  If student do not see that what teachers are trying to impart to them is important they will have no desire to learn the topic.  It will be like the student playing hangman with their pencils.

     But instead of bowing down to useless statistics, Mr.Johnson came up with a war plan.  He initiates a plan to combat the "don't care" attitude of students.  He involves the parents of his students.  This in itself is a great leap forward.  If you can get the parents on board and show an interest then you are half way to reaching most of your students.

    So as educators we must admit there is a problem in schools and then start trying to find solutions.  But if a solution is not working go back to the drawing board.  I think the future of our children is to important to take an "it is what it is" attitude.  What about you?

Special Assignment #2

Part I


Khan Academy
  
The Khan Academy is a free website.  Just by gazing at the homepage you seem to be able to find a video in everything that almost any student can use plus other information such as banking and credit information.  They have videos about investing and venture capital.  These videos go into detail about the subject.  It is almost like a one on one session with the teacher.  They are a non-profit organization whose goal is to provide a "free world-class education to anyone anywhere."  Anyone is allowed to use the site.  They also have exercises that can be worked that can be broken down step by step.

iTunesU
iTuneU is part of iTunes.  So you have to download iTunes to be able to use it.  It contains lectures and other videos that have been done by actual professors.  The videos come from colleges and universities all over the world.  You can choose a college and then sift through what they have posted.  These are free lectures of different classes.

TED
This is a non-profit organization that is devoted to what they call "Ideas worth spreading."  It is a place where knowledge is free and covers many different areas.  Some of the areas covered in this site are technology, entertainment, design, business, science and globel issues.  The videos can be short or long.  They seem to have quite a bit of information but seems to be a little harder to navigate than the other two.

Part II


Khan Academy
They have video teaching lessons in just about anything that you need to learn in school or college.  They also have practice exercises in some subjects such as math.  They are continually growing and adding more videos to the ones they already have.  Mostly this side is dedicated to education.  I think that this site would be fantastic for teachers to use with students who are having problems with understanding a concept.  They can spend extra time on a topic by getting extra instruction with out the class teacher having to do it.  They can also work the lessons that the site has to help them with the concepts.


iTunesU
This site isn't just lessons.  It covers things that have been posted for K-12 but these are not just lesson geared toward the student.  There are sections that are resources for teachers.  There are also the sections that is for colleges level information..  You can choose a college then the category that you are interesting in.  This site could be helpful to a teacher who is looking for more information than the regular textbooks offers.  Some of the videos could be shown to the class to go in hand with whatever lesson you are teaching.

TED
This site does not seem to be as in depth enough for the topics I would need.  As a teacher I will need history and social science type of videos and there just isn't that much to choose from and only a couple of the videos would be any help in the classroom to me and I am not sure how they could help other teachers.

Part III


TED
Aaron Huey: America's Native prisoners of war
Mr. Huey gave a very impassioned presentation on the injustice of the treatment of the Lakota.  He made his point very clear as to the fact that the reservations were prisoner of war camps and the Indians themselves prisoners.  I feel it was in depth with out being boring.  All of the matters discussed were accurate.  I feel it was a well done presentation that got to the point with out any unnecessary fluff.

iTunesU
Unfortunately I was not able to figure out how to put a link for this video.  I watched the Temple of
Diana/Anatomical Votive.  This video lends itself very well to education.  It was short and to the point which is what I like.  It discussed the Temple of Diana and votives that the people would leave as gifts.  It showed samples of the votive that they were talking about.  It gave good information about the topic and was extremely informative.

Khan Academy
Appomattox Courthouse and Lincoln's Assassination
This video is basically a learning tool.  I think it is fantastic.  It is very informative.  If gives the basic information that is needed for students for understanding the things that took place at Appomatiox. It also discussed the issues that led up to Lincoln's assassination.  Very informative and easy to follow and understand.

Part IV
When it comes to how I can use each of these sites a s a teacher, I can honestly say that I do not think that I will be using TED.  I thought that this site was hard to navigate.  If did not contain the type of information that I feel that I will need teaching history.  I am sure it may be of some use to others but it doesn't fit me.
     iTunes could be a good supplemental source of information that I can present to my class.  Also it can be used as a research  for student who are working on projects.  The Khan Academy is my favorite of the three sites.  It is made for education.  The information is very informative.  if has great depth into the subjects that it covers.  The lessons would be good to use as a teacher.  If a student misses a class they can get the information that they missed from this website.  It can also be used by the students to find more information than can be gone over in the classroom.  Of the three this is the one that I like the most and will plan to use in my class.

Part V
This assignment has shown me that there are many assets in the cloud that can be used by students and teachers.  It has really opened my eyes to the fantastic tool that the internet can be for schools.  I can hear all of the "old school" believers say that the internet is just to dangerous for children to be using.  I understand that it is dangerous but so is a school bus.  As adult we have to use common sense to protect the children while giving them as many advantages as possible.  I am very glad that I have been introduced to this information.  I feel that it will come in very handy in my future as a teacher.

Blog Post #9

     I feel that Mr. Clung brings up a good point in that many teachers , not just new ones, forget to remember the crowd.  If we spend our time trying to make sure that we teach the perfect lesson and don't bother to make sure the students get it, then we aren't doing anyone any good.
    Remembering to be flexible is an idea that I think that we should always remember.  The day in a classroom will not go perfect and you will have to change or shift something.
     I don't think enough can be said about communication.  I feel that this is a key component to having  a good experience as a teacher and as a student.  If you don't communicate with the people around you your plan will be even more difficult to bring to fruition.
     Mr. Clung covers three things that we should see as the BIG 3.  Don't be afraid of technology, listen yo your students, and never stop learning.  Technology is our friend not our foe.  It can not only be a tremendous learning tool in the classroom, it can also help teachers manage their classes.  If you don't listen to your students when they try to communicate with you then you might as well just give the class up.  If they don't believe that you care about what they are saying then they won't bother to listen to you either.  And the biggie, NEVER stop LEARNING.  This should be the mantra of everyone not just teachers.  Knowledge is how we grow and evolve and it is process that should never be stopped.

Project #12 Recorded Skype Interview

This is my sister Lynette.  She works for Prison Fellowship International.  Check them out and see what all they do.

Blog Post #8

This Is How We Dream Parts 1&2
     I was amazed to watch Richard Miller's presentation.  It brought so much information to the table for people to see.  The way that you can basically write a paper without just words is a new concept to me and I find it fascinating.
     While watching the video I was thinking "How do you get from your topic to the finished product?"  But then it came to me.  It is still writing.  You would follow the same steps as writing an "old-fashioned" paper.  You have to have an idea, then an outline.  You have to do your research the same as writing a basic paper.  Then you put it together using all the multimedia that you have found and of course site your sources.
     Mr. Miller stated that right now there is not a pedology to teach how to write with multi-media.  He is right. It will have to be a collaborative effort.  First teachers will have to get on board and work together to come up with a plan or a way to teach students how to use multimedia.
     At this time I am not prepared to write using multimedia.  I don't really know how yet.  I realize how benefical it would be to me as a teacher in my classroom.  Not only would I have a way to present information to my students in am interesting manner I would be able to show them how much info is out there and how to harness it to their advantage.  I plan to learn as much about using multi media in my writing as I possibly can.

Carly Pugh Blog Post
     I think Carly is a genius.  I think she comes as close as a person can to what Dr. Miller is describing in his video This is How we Write.  The idea of letting her students take an assignment and run with it is a fantastic philosophy. It allows students to think and use their creativity which is not usually used to its full potential.  I really like her ideas.  And creating a playlist of video's that inspire and lead your creativity is an idea that I am thinking about using my self.

The Chipper Series and EDM310 for Dummies
     We had to watch two video's for EDM310.  The Chipper series was about a student who just didn't seem to think the class was important and didn't bother with her assignments.  If I took this approach there is no way that I would pass the class.  The EDM310 for Dummies was basically a survival guide for the students.  It introduced everyone who watched to what was in store and how to deal with it.
     After watching these videos I have come up with a couple of ideas for my own videos.  Both are teaching videos.  I would really like to do a video on Google forms.  I know that many people in class had problem with the assignment.  Also the directions that we were given were not very detailed.  So I want to do a video that show step by step how to make a form and how to use each of the  types of questions.
    Also after attempting to make a video and not having much luck at it, I would like to create a video that shows how to use a PC to make a movie.  I know that this would be useful to other students as well. These are a coupule of the ideas that I would like to act on and create.

Learn to Change, Change to Learn
     This video brings to light many of the things that are wrong in the education system today.  There are many things that need to change in our schools systems.  Students are being taught how to pass a test.  They are not taught skills that can be used throughout their lives.
     One of the speakers said that the change needs to start with the teachers.  Give the teachers the tools and teach them how to use them and then they can show their students how to use the tools as well.  When administrators and politicians realize that the system isn't working and are willing to listen to the teachers we will see a change in the system.

Project #8 Group Podcast

Project #10 PLN progress report

I feel that having a PLN (Personal Learn Network) will make my life easier and more organized.  I use Symbaloo for my PLN.  I have all the sites that check automatically as soon as I turn my computer on, on my Symbaloo page.  I have my class blog, my personal blog, YouTube, facebook, twitter and all the educational sites that I have found so far that are a help to me.  I am glad that this is something that I am learning to do.  Of course , I am still learning and look forward to all the stuff that I am going to learn to do with my web mixes.

Blog Post #7 Randy Pausch's Last Lecture

     I am glad that we were required to watch this video.  Not only was it very educational but it is very moving.  To me this entire speech is geared, as he says at the end, to his children.  With this video he is able to leave a legacy that his family can look back on.  He also gives several examples of how to run a class or a certain subject area in a school.  If administrators were to allow a class to be run in the manner that Mr. Pausch suggests, I feel that they would see a big difference in the students, the teachers, and overall grades and accomplishments of the students.
     One of the concepts that Pausch used in his class was that there were no books.  Now this is a strange concept to most teachers and administrators.  How are you going to teach without a textbook?  Well there are more interactive ways that a subject can be taught than with just a book.  Computers can make a big difference in the classroom.  iPads, iTouchs, and other electronic devices can be used to make a class more interactive.  When a classroom is interactive it means not only do the students collaborate with each other but with students all over the world.  Not only will they learn the information that is required they will go above and beyond.  They will learn interpersonal skills that will help them their entire life.
     Another point that Mr. Pausch brought out was that his class had no curriculum.  What were the students suppose to do?  Well what ever they wanted as long as it was not profane nor pornographic.  Not very many parameters for a group of students but apparently it worked.  In a regular class such as History how could this be made to work?  First it is a history class so everything done in that class will pertain to history.  Now that you have the perimeters set the students loose and be their guide through the world of independent and group learning.  Let the students choose the topics to be covered.  If the students have a say in what they are learning they are much more likely to take an interest in the class and therefore put forth the effort to get the assignments done.
      Just a few changes in the way curriculum is approached could make a huge difference in the results that schools get.  Students need to have motivation to learn and what better way to motivate them than by asking what they want to learn.  I believe that all students must learn the basics such as reading , math, and language skills.  I also feel that history, science and the arts are just as important.  But all of these subjects can be taught in a way that gives the students a leg up.  Schools need to be finding ways to capture the attention of their students and create a learning environment that would make the children want to come to school and want to do the work that is involved in their classes.  When schools start to make the changes that Mr. Pausch used in his class then they will see a much better success rate.

Project #11 Short Movie

C4T#2

I have been assigned Justin Tarte for this second comments for teachers.  Mr. Tarte is an educator that is transitioning into an assistant principals job.  The first post of his that I read was about the top ten things he has learned as an educator from his students.  One of the biggest things that he spoke of was to remember that the small conversation that we have with a student that really means nothing to us would mean the world to that student.  I think that this is something that is really important.
     In response to his post I commented on how important tips like this are to future students such as myself.  I need all the information that I can get to help me navigate when I get into my first classroom.  I plan on trying to use as many of his tips as I can.


     In Justin Tarte's second post that I read he was discussing the amount of time that a student actually spends in school from the ages of 0 to 18.  It is only 9% of their life in that 18 years that students are in a classroom learning.  He asked the question "What does this mean to you?"  So I told him.
    To mean this means how difficult our jobs really are as teachers.  We have an extremely limited amount of time with our students and we have to impart as much information as we possibly can to them.  Not only do we have to teach them the information needed to pass state testing (which I am not a fan of) but we have to teach these students ways to go farther and learn more information on their own.  Because of outside forces this can be an uphill battle.  Some students do not have people in their lives that feel that education is all that important.  Some of the role models that students have show a different type of learning as being more important.  This is what we must fight against in the 9% of their lives that we can have an affect on them.  As teachers it should be our goal to teach students how to learn and how important it is to learn.

Blog Post #6

The Networked Student by Wendy Drexler

     At first I was thinking how is the student learning?  But after I watched the video a couple of times I realized that he was part of a guided learning classroom.  The student's teacher is teaching but not in the normal since.  She is teaching her students how to take a topic and to learn all they can about it without sitting through boring lectures.  The teacher guides the students through techniques that allow them to find information and to validate that information to be sure that it is accurate.
     The teacher also guides the student into creating his own learning network where he can learn new subjects.  I believe that this is good for middle school and high school students.  I feel that becoming a networked student will give them the knowledge to do research and become well rounded learners.
     I do think that I will be ready to be a teacher of a networked student.  At least I am ready to learn how to be the teacher of a networked student.  I hope to be able to try this with my students.


A 7th Grader's Personal Learning (or PLN)
     The PLE that this student is using is amazing.  She is able to create a personal study and learning guide.  Adding sites to her personal page that will contain information that she needs for her classes will make it easier for her to study.  Also when doing reports and experiments she will already have many educational resources at her disposal.
     This PLE is a lot like my Personal Learning Network (PLN).  My PLN includes the sites I visit most looking for information.  I also include many sites that have been recommended by other educators.  With these sites all located in one place I am able to keep track of new techniques and technologies that may be beneficial to myself and my class.  The student in this blog uses her PLE in the same manner that I use my PLN.  She is able to keep track of her favorite sites in one place as am I.

Critiques of Smartboards
     After reading the critiques of Smartboards by Michael Staton, Bill Ferriter, and Kevin McLaughlin I was surprised by the amount of dislike these men had for Smartboards.  It has been 14 years since I graduated high school and at that time we thought that we were high tech because we had dry erase boards in the classrooms.  Saying that I was wowed by the Smartboard the first time that I saw one in my children's class is right on the money.  Unfortunately, I do not have any experience with one and really have no idea what the benefits are from one.
     I can see the point of all three of these gentlemen.  Basically, these men are saying that the Smartboard is a glorified overhead projector that is not utilized to the full potential by most teachers.  They use these boards the same way they would a dry erase board.  Also the use that these boards get does not justify the cost of them.  In the times that we are in where there is not enough money to go around, the purchase of these boards is a waste that could be used in other areas for technologies that can be useful to the teachers and students.
     Of course this is just one side of the argument.  There are some teachers who love their Smartboards and think that the technology has really helped their students.  I found a page called Why do Teachers Love SMART Boards? Wall Wisher that teachers have listed the reasons that they love their Smartboards and why they feel schools should buy more of them.  Some teachers are unknown and others left their name.  There are hundreds of post on this wall.  One that stood out to me is that the teachers were able to allow the students to brainstorm, save the information and then post it online so they would all have access to the information.  I did not know that this was a function of a Smartboard.  I feel that I have a lot to learn in the next couple of years about this form of technology.  I can see both points of the argument and will need to do more research to make a decision for myself as to whether they are good or bad.

Project #9b Instructional Timeline

Blog Post #5

Eagle's Nest Radio- Roaming with the Ancient Romans
     I was very impressed with this podcast.  The students were very clear and really sounded like they knew what they were talking about.  I was able to get a better idea of what a podcast is.  Before listening to these 3rd graders I was unsure about what we would be doing.  Now I am not as nervous about doing my own podcast because I have an idea of what I will be doing.  I really liked the way that the children used music to transition from topic to topic.

The Benefit's of Podcasting in the Classroom
     This video shows many ways that podcasting can be used.  What I was interested in was the use of podcasts for absent students. For parents and students to know that there is a way that they can still manage their school work if they come down with a prolonged illness will be a relief.  I believe that this is something that I can use when I start to teach.

Podcast Collection
     This site was fantastic to me because it explains in detail what a podcast is.  Also it gives several links that I can use to learn how to make a podcast.  Judy Scharf also included lesson plans that will help me in the future with my own classes.  I think this site is definitely one that will be included with my PLN.  It has so much information that is helpful to teachers and students alike.

Project #9a Personal Timeline

Special Assignment #1

Population of China  1.35 billion
Population of India   1.21 billion
Population of U.S.   309 million

United States is 77.2% smaller than China
United States is 74.58% smaller than India

     Unfortunately, I did not know about WolframAlpha or Google Squared.  For me as a Social Studies teacher I feel that WolframAlpha will be highly useful to me.  It was very user friendly.  It was easy for me to find the information that I was looking for.  This means that my students, even ones that are not used to using a computer, can still find information.  Also I can use it to find information to help come up with idea's for projects for the students.
     After looking at this information I believe that the statics that are reported in Do You Know? did not show the whole picture.  It is easy to be shocked that India has more gifted students than the U.S. has students if that is the only information that you are given.  But when you look at the population size of each country you see that the population is so much greater in India that it follows that they would have more gifted students.  India's population is almost 75% larger than the United States.  I think as teachers we need to teach our students to look at all the data so they get a clear picture of a topic not just a piece.

Blog Post #4

Don't Teach Your Kids This Stuff. Please?

     Scott McLeod is a very interesting writer. This poem has two meanings to me. First, he shows how technology is viewed by most teachers and parents. As a matter of fact I am a parent who worries about what my kids might run into on the Internet. I am also very uneducated as most parents are to what is out there that can actually help my children learn if used correctly.
     Second, it is a statement to those of us who are scared. He tells us to go ahead and not allow our children to learn to use the different technologies at our disposal. While we act paranoid of what our kids might see he will be teaching his how to use these things to be more knowledgeable. And in so doing making sure that his children will be pick for scholarships and jobs over those who have not been taught the same skills.
     This article should be a wake up call to us paranoid parents. We need to learn what is out is out there and how to use it. Then we need to learn techniques to help protect our kids while giving them all advantages  possible. Since Dr. McLeod is the Director of the UCEA Center for the Advanced Study of Technology Leadership in Education, which is the nation's only academic center dedicated to the technology needs of school administrators, he is in a position to see what new technologies are out there. I believe he sees the prejudices against technology and is trying to educated schools as to the benefits of using these technologies. I hope to read more of his writings to educate myself in order to help my students and my children.

The iSchool Initiative

     I am very impressed with Travis Allen's video. I had not heard of iSchool before and the concept is very interesting to me. This first thing I thought watching this video was how professional the video was. I believe this is the result of being taught how to use technology. I was also amazed at the possibilities of the iSchool. For myself I was thinking how great it would be to do everything with one device. I am thinking it would make my life much easier to manage.
     As I was watching Mr. Allen's video, it became clear to me that the idea behind the iSchool has good merit. It would allow schools to save money but also parents. But to me there is a down side as well. What happens when a student loses his device? Do the students turn them in at the end of the school year or do they keep them through the summer? I think the start up cost would be very costly. It would be good to see a trial run with the system in a school so real data could be obtained. I am interested in keeping tabs on the initiative to see how it is progressing.

You Can't Be My Teacher

     I like that a child was used in this video to get the point across. It shows how much even small children know about computers and different forms of technology. He asks if his teacher is going to be using technology to teach him. He also wants to know if the teacher knows how to use technology? This shows how much children want to learn using these techniques.
     I feel this video shows how important it is for teachers to learn new and creative ways to teach. Our children are very smart and are learning things much faster than their parents. As teachers we should be harnessing their interest and lead them into learning avenues that are safe but enhance their learning experiences. If we do this they will remember what they are learning and be able to continue to learn after they leave the classrooms behind.

Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir

     I think that this is an amazing use of technology. I am a baby when it comes to knowing all the things that a computer and the Internet can be used for. I was not aware that you could create a performance without the singers and director even meeting. To me this opens all sorts of avenues for world classrooms.
     I believe this is an excellent use for the Internet. I feel that things like this should be be reason the Internet was created. This type of usage would be wonderful for creating a multi-cultural classroom. The possibilities really are limitless.

Teaching in the 21st Century

     The first thing I thought as I was watching this video is the fact that where my kids go to school cellphones, ipods, and other technology from home is not allowed. Administrators and teachers do not understand the value of these devices as helpful in the classroom. The video showed that the roles of teachers have shifted. It is not just feeding children information. They can get information from several sources. Instead teachers need to show them the way to use these sources to get the correct information.
As a future history teacher I am learning that I won't have to just stand and lecture to my students.  With the proper use of things like google earth and other sites I can get the attention of the students and make them interested in learning the subject but at the same time show them how to use the technology.  I believe this is what this video is trying to get across.  There are much better ways to teach and if we have the opportunity to use these things in our classrooms then we should not be afraid to do it.

Project #6

Blog Post #3

Michael Wesch:  A Vision of Students Today
     I feel that this video does a very good job at showing a typical college student's life.  To be a college student you have to be able to multi-task.  You have so many responsibilities and not enough hours to complete them   in.  Of course, you have the cost of college included in the video.  This is something that pertains to every student.  One of the notes that stood out to me was the student who bought $100 books that he never opened.  This is prevalent in many schools.  I did the same thing last semester.  I was told what books were needed and then we never used them.  Even as close as this hits student life on the nail there were a few things left out.
     I did not see a single person over the age of 25.  Colleges have more and more older people returning to school and I think that they should have been included in the video.  With the older ages you also have a few different costs associated with college.  Day care is a big expense for older students.  And we can not leave out how much commuters spend in gas.  Of course that one pertains to all students.
     I know that technology was the bigger theme in the video but I was more drawn to the topics that I listed above.  I believe that for this video to pertain to all students, then some of the things that I mentioned would need to be added.

It's Not About the Technology
     I believe Ms. Hines has a good understanding of what our classrooms and teachers really need.  All the technology in the world will do no good if it is not used properly.  Changes need to be made in the way teachers are trained.  As Ms. Hines says "Teachers must be learners."
     I have said in some of my earlier posts that you must teach students how to learn.  But in order to do that, we as teachers must learn to be learners first.  We must constantly be learning new techniques that can be used in the classrooms.
     Another point that Ms. Hines made was to "Be a 21st Century Teacher Without the Technology."  How true this statement is.  We must be prepared as teachers to be in a school that does not have an abundance of technology at its disposal.  If we are able to teach the skills, even without the technology, we will surely make a difference in our students education.

Karl Fisch:  Is is Okay to be a Technologically Illiterate Teacher?
     Mr. Fisch has reinforced something that I mentioned above.  "In order to teach it, we have to do it.  How can we teach this to kids, how can we model it, if we aren't literate ourselves?"  I am in complete agreement with him.  In fact I believe it is becoming my soap box.
     As teachers we are preparing students for a future that will be much different form our past.  We must be able to show students how to use the technology we are given but also why it is important.  Kids can be very lazy.  If they see that their teacher does no think something is important enough to learn that you can kiss them showing any interest in it goodbye.
     We are the examples that our students see.  A person is never to old to learn something new.  Now I do know that it sometimes takes longer to learn something when you are older and some patience needs to be given for the teachers who are trying to become technologically literate.  But if a teacher refuses to learn then it may be time to start advertising the position.

Gary Hayes Social Media Count
     After watching the counter for a few minutes, I was amazed at the numbers I saw.  There were 940 new twitter accounts in 270 seconds.  Media is expanding by the minute and I don't think people are aware of the speed of it.  Teachers especially are at a disadvantage when it comes to the technology that is changing rapidly.
    When the school that you are teaching in has finally got up to date on the technology of the time, it will be another ten to fifteen years before they can upgrade again.  The schools just don't have the money.  But that brand new technology that you have in your classroom will be obsolete within  five years.  You will be trying to teach students the most up to date skills with outdated technology.  This will be a problem for all teachers.
     We must learn all we can and never stop learning so we will be able to teach our students what is needed even if we don't have the technology that is the newest and the best.  When we are able to reach this level then I feel we will have become good teachers.    

Project #5 Goggle Presentation

C4T#1

     My first post to read was by Bill Genereux.  He had posted a video of a teacher in Mexico who sang to her students to keep them calm while a drug cartel is shooting outside the school.  The video is very moving and I have included it so everyone can see both Mr. Genereux and myself were impressed with the teacher.  You are able to hear the gunfire while she is singing to the students.  Mr. Genereux brought out the fact that the teacher was amazingly calm during the situation.  He also wrote about how he will remember the teacher when he has a hard day in his classroom.
     I have to agree with him.  In my post that I left for him I mentioned  how I was not only amazed at how she was so composed but also sad that the children were forced to be a part of it.  I also pointed out that I hope that I can be half as composed in my career as a teacher as this women is.  I will also remember this video when I feel that my students are giving me to hard of a time or if I am just having a bad day at work.  Also I will be sending prayers for not only these students but all students that must deal with things like this on a regular basis.
  


 The second post that I read by Bill Genereux was a bit of a surprise.  I was expecting something about education but instead he was discussing instant reply emails.  These are those things that are automatically sent to you saying that your request was received and please do not respond.  Well these are things that Mr. Genereux does not like.  He would rather have a person actually send him a replay to his question instead of one that says someone will get back to him.  It reminds me in a way of the phone company.  You call with a question and no matter what button you press you never talk to a human being.  In my replay I agreed with him on the uselessness of these emails.  I have a limited amount of time to check email and I feel as if I am wasting valuable time sifting through these emails.  Of course all the complaints in the world will not change that we have to deal these things.  As technology advances and takes the place of humans in jobs, many more things will be automatic.  I think it will be something that we will just have to deal with.

Blog Post #2

       DID YOU KNOW? 3.0


     Oh my goodness!  At first watching this video was a sensory overload.  The music and all the changing words and shapes on the screen was overwhelming for me.  I had to watch it twice to get the meanings of what was on the screen.  The second time I was able to understand the point that Karl Fisch and Scott McLeod were trying to make.
     At first it seems like a bunch of obscure facts, which is true.  But when you read them again, you see the thoughts of the creators. Basically technology is running rampant., It is becoming obsolete almost as fast as it is created, and the United States is not in the lead with educating our children.  There are more ideas that the video points out but these are the ones that stood out to me.  
     I guess the statement that caught my attention the most was "India has more honor students than America has kids."  I have known for a while that the United States was behind others in the field of education but I did not realize that is was that bad.  Of course this begs the question:  Do they have more honor kids because of their education system or because their population is so much greater than ours that the proportions would be about the same?  Sometimes statements like this video makes can be very misleading.  Unfortunately our education system lacks honors students as well as the technology that would help create more of those honor students.  


MR. WINKLE WAKES
  
     I really like Mr. Winkle Wakes.  The creator Mathew Needleman seems to be trying to show how far behind schools are compared to other parts of society.  According to this video, technology is used everywhere but in the schools.  The is a sad commentary on our society. If we do not teach students how to use this technology while in school they start their working lives already behind the eight ball.
     I believe that technology plays a huge role in our lives and our children need to know how to use it.  Of course, using technology in the classroom is an uphill battle.  As far as new teachers go, they are being taught how to use these new technologies in the classroom but many of the older teachers are still teaching the same way it was done fifty years ago.  Mr. Needleman brings all of these concerns out.  Changes need to be made in the classrooms and those changes will have to start with us.


SIR KEN ROBINSON:  THE IMPORTANCE OF CREATIVITY
     As I sat and listened to Sir Robinson's presentation, it became clear to me that he has seen a hole in the way children are educated.  Now, this hole is not one that is obvious to most of us.  But when it is brought to our attention, we say "WOW!  He is right.  I am draining the creativity out of my child,"  
     As a parent, I didn't realize that my children's creativity was being hindered by the way the educational system is set up.  Robinson makes it clear that all children are being forced to fit a mold.  No matter where a child's abilities lie, we force them to change to fit what we think they should be.  As educators and as parents we need to try to change this outlook on education.  We should be looking at students strenghs and cultivate them as much as possible.  If we do this we may find that it will help the students to excel at other parts of their education as well as the talent that they have been given.


CECELIA GAULT


     I happen to agree with Robinson on creativity and technology. The three myths of creativity are just that:  myths.  Everyone has a certain amount of creativity.  And I do not believe that there is a right or wrong way to be creative. Landscapers are creative.  Hair stylists are creative.  Housewives are creative.  Their are limitless ways that a person can be creative.  I think there should be a fourth myth of creativity:  that creativity only applies to art, dance and music.  This is simply not true.
    I hope I can incorporate technology into my classroom to help children use their creativity.  Children learn in so many different ways that if they have a say in what and how they learn they will retain the information much better.  As a history teacher I think allowing the kids to use creativity would be the only way to go.  Personally, I would like to assign projects to the students.  They would have a certain time period that they would have to tell an audience about.  They could make up a song or write a play.  They could even make a movie to show the class.  I believe that this would be something that would be fun and give them a way to learn a topic and to keep that knowledge.    I hope to use this technique to help my students to receive a good education using all of their talents. 


VICKI DAVIS:  HARNESS YOUR STUDENTS' DIGITAL SMARTS


    I am amazed at the amount of technology that Ms. Davis is using in her classroom.  In such a rural community, the skills that she is teaching her students will open up all sorts of doors.  But more important than that, she is teaching her students how to learn.  

Project 2

Blog Post 1

     Hello everyone.  My name is Ouida McDaniel.  I live in Lucedale, MS.  I am 32 years old and have been married for 13 years.  I have three children whose ages range form 10 to 6.  I am a Christian and attend most of the functions held at my church.  My world pretty much revolves around my children and the activities that they are involved in.
     South Alabama is an excellent University that is close to where I live.  That is the main reason that I am attending this school.  My major is in Secondary Education in Social Sciences.  I love history, economics, geography and reading which are the subjects that I will be teaching.  I have always enjoyed passing knowledge that I have learned to others.  Because of this I feel like I should be a teacher.  I want to show students how fun learning can be and to teach them how to learn.  I believe that if we can teach students how to learn than we can create in them life long learners.
     I have learned by looking at the Penn State website that  I am a procrastinator.  I have accepted that and know that I have to find ways to change my thinking of time and how I manage it.  This website is fantastic and should be mandatory for all students to read.  Several of the tips will be beneficial to me.  First, the use of a planner.  If I use a calender and a daily schedule I will better be able to see how I am using my time.  I will also be able to keep myself from attempting to put to much into one day.  Monitoring my time is another tip that I will be making use of .  I will be able to set my schedule to maximize my time.  Most important for me will to be sure I schedule some breaks in the day as the website suggests.  I have three kids who are home for the summer and they require a good bit of attention.  I have several time wasters in my life.  I watch too much T.V. and have allowed it to cut into the time I need to be spending  on projects. The whole section on procrastination is geared  toward me.  Using the tip to overcome my procrastination will allow me to reach my goals for my classes and for my life.  I think the tips to break big jobs down into smaller parts will be very beneficial to me.  If I do this it will help me from feeling overwhelmed.  In all this assignment will be a great help to me.

Practice Post

This seems to be an interesting class!