Richard Miller This is How We Dream
Am I ready to write with multimedia? In considering the videocast from Richard Miller, I would say that I will be conscious of the response of my writings by students. I think the gist of this is to not focus so much on cool pictures and movement, but depth through data and display. The example he gives about the 2008 Presidential Election Data is fascinating. Not only was it real time data, but the demographic data was presented on many levels, real time.
I think students are in an information climate that provides them with a lot of depth. Is it absorbed or researched? It would be interesting to me to know how many kids read much more than that required by school. I also wonder how many just sit at the computer and browse the web for whatever comes to mind. It is our job to provide the depth to whatever it is we are conveying. So I would take the message of this videocast to be to provide the depth and charisma in the material we present to our students that will convince them to explore and learn.
The Networked Student by Wendy Drexler
When children are networked, why do they need teachers? I am of the opinion that teachers should be the experts. Not all are. There are even some that really shouldn’t call themselves teachers. But for those that are wonderful teachers, I feel there will always be a place for them. It’s not a competition of teacher versus information network. Certainly the challenge to the teacher is providing guidance on the base skills that students should posess developmentally while providing an environment for independent discovery and vast exposure. Maybe the “traditional” teacher and classroom become less of a lecture hall and more of a fast paced, integrated lesson style where the depth variety of information offered on the web are a large part of that. Throw in independent discovery, and there the teacher has allowed them the networking aspect while providing guidance for appropriate development.
I think this may be the fourth post that I mention this, but what I propose above sounds a whole lot better than a curriculum centered around standard testing. Another case for eliminating it?
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Comments4Teachers Post - David Hopkins
Email Is So 1973
This is a Red Magma slide presentation. Do we call this a slide cast? Anyhow, take a look at it to see a view of why email may be obsolete. It kind of makes me chuckle that it would even be imaginable that email could be outdated by real time conversations online. WAVE by Google is the program that is discussed, although it is mentioned that it can be done without Google. I left a post for the teacher asking for examples of real time conversations on-line that are different than an IM or chat room. I am having a hard time coming up with an example myself differentiating the real time conversation from IM. Anyone have any suggestions for clarification?
This is a Red Magma slide presentation. Do we call this a slide cast? Anyhow, take a look at it to see a view of why email may be obsolete. It kind of makes me chuckle that it would even be imaginable that email could be outdated by real time conversations online. WAVE by Google is the program that is discussed, although it is mentioned that it can be done without Google. I left a post for the teacher asking for examples of real time conversations on-line that are different than an IM or chat room. I am having a hard time coming up with an example myself differentiating the real time conversation from IM. Anyone have any suggestions for clarification?
The Evolution of My PLN - Initial Post
This PLN idea is fantastic. I never would have imagined that this is the kind of thing we would be encountering in this class. Teaching is looking more and more to be an art. With that, I feel, come endless ideas. What would be a greater way to test out your new ideas than networking? I also think about those times that I won’t be able to come up with my own solution. To be able to reach outside of our region, without the constraints of our school system, will be so valuable in learning new techniques. Grant writing comes to mind when being able to site supporting information for that grant from other teachers that already have proven the cause to be worthwhile.
My PLN started the first week of EDM310. A couple of rules of thumb that I quickly adopted were to respond to every post and post regularly. Who would want to post to my blog if I’m not actively posting?
As the weeks have progressed, I’ve pretty much done what Dr. Strange has recommended and then the PLN seems to have taken off. I’ve looked at a lot of blogs and websites, and have commented on a couple. When someone has responded with advice, I’ve gone to where they said to go and explored. Dorothy Burt from Pt.
Mr. Chamberlain has offered a lot of time to our class in posting advice, and I have taken advantage of that. He strongly recommends Twitter. I posted my apprehensions about joining Twitter on my blog, and then Dr. Strange chimed in with some guidance, which was shared with the class last week, on managing Twitter. So I decided to try it. To further add to my PLN, I looked at the people and sites that Mr. C. and Dr. Strange follow and chose to follow the ones that appealed to me professionally. I have not spent a lot of time on it, but occasionally when I do get on Twitter, some good stuff crosses my list.
The podcast project has been where I have seen the biggest benefit of the PLN. Tyler and I chose to research “Can podcasts be useful in the classes I teach?” We had decided to interview a local teacher to see how he uses podcasts. Then I took a look at some websites that I had bookmarked through blog assignments that would help. I always like to have more than one set of data (that’s just the analytical in me) to see the trends, so I decided to email Mr. Chamberlain with similar questions we had for our interviewee, Mr. Fletcher. In that email, I also took the opportunity to ask for any leads Mr. C. may have for other teachers that he knew of that used podcasts in their math classrooms. And so he gave me the link to a friend of his Eric Langhorst. I emailed him requesting his interview and any contacts he may have for a math teacher that creates and uses podcasts. We received a great podcast with excellent information and a link for a math teacher that creates and uses podcasts. It was great to see how our research for the project unfolded and through mine and others’ PLNs, we received great information. This was a great learning experience.
I have truly enjoyed the exposure to the available (free) technology information as well as the perspectives by other teachers. This is where I use Delicious. I really was happy just using that bookmark program that comes with Explorer or Firefox. I went to Delicious because we were supposed to :) and have enjoyed it. I especially like sharing bookmarks. And so I saved all of Dr. Strange’s professionally pertinent bookmarks to my Delicious.
I have really enjoyed many student blogs. Jamie Lynn’s is one that comes to mind. The posts are always thought provoking for me. I haven’t been to everyone’s, and expect to hit those as the class progresses. It’s nice to hear the comments of my peers, as we all are in the same boat. Our eyes are wide open and our hearts and minds are getting ready to step foot in the classroom. It would be neat if Dr. Strange had an EDM310 alumni blog. Just a thought!
I’ve said in here a few times that I just did what I was supposed to. And that is my start. There are things that I know I will not use or use differently to fit my style or learning, networking and organization as time goes on. Starting somewhere is better than not starting at all. It goes the same for venturing into unchartered waters, which is where I’ll continue to go as well.
I like the start of my PLN and am looking forward to seeing how it evolves. I will quote Eric Langhorst from our podcast interview. He says, “If you find something that works, share it with other teachers…We are all on our own with professional development. Schools don’t have tons of money to pour into professional development…” The PLN sounds like a great start.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Blog Assignment 6, for Week of February 15th
Dr. Alice Christie is a recently retired Education Technology professor from
Under Dr. Christie’s Research Links, “Linking Technology, Learning and School Change,” the article “ How Middle School Boys and Girls View Todays Computer Culture” was interesting. It focused on the use and meaning of what computers can do and the way they interact with them, for a population with a mean average age of 12.5 years old. I appreciated the findings, in particular the recommendations for being aware of and addressing the gender bias in computer use.
This website may be a good add to a blog in addition to bookmarks as an addition to our PLN. The Education Portal has links to many websites covering educational news and links for educational funding.
iPods in the Classroom
The volume of information available is amazing for this topic.
iLearn : Learning Made Mobile is a publication I found on Judy Brown's (coordinator of the mLearnopedia.com website) blog. The format is interesting, to begin with. The content nicely bridges some learnings from our EDF315 class (Fall 2009). This guide is an aid for learning what the different iPods can do in a learning environment.
iTunesU seems to be the application used by many schools to store their podcasts for all of us to use. Dorothy from Pt. Aukland stores the podcasts for this school on iTunesU because she feels the quality is very good from that site. iTunes can classify the podcasts by grade level or topic, making it easy for us to find what we need.
The Duke University iPod Experiement
Interesting research done here to see if iPods would be useful in the classroom. The first thing that came to mind was "What a great plan to investigate before a mass integration of the new thing!" The results were both for and against, but in general it seemed that the iPod was easy to use. Duke will continue to use iPods in the classroom, where the study showed it to be beneficial.
Some benefits that were seen during the study was that the iPod was most students used it to record lectures and field notes.
Negatives about using the iPod included that some publishers didn't allow recording of protected material and sometimes the recording quality was poor. Professors worried about class attendance, that lecture would be replaced by the recordings.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Comments on "What I've Learned this Year" by Mr. McClung
What I’ve Learned This Year by Mr. McClung
I enjoyed this post in that Mr. McClung shares the real side of teaching. I often wonder how I am going to put my education into motion in the classroom. Endless information about child psychology, diversity, and technology are presented to us. We hear snippets about the adverse conditions of the classroom and student population such as not enough resources (money nor people), pacing guide, standardized tests, student home life, learning disabilities, truancy, teen pregnancy, etc. At times it seems overwhelming to me to think that I will need to meet the pacing guide and standardized testing with all of these obstacles. There are a lot of teachers that make it happen, that their students learn. Their students learn more than the material that will “be on the test” and have opportunities to explore and enjoy learning. How do they do it? I’ve been told that it’s not until a teacher gets into the classroom that the real training begins.
Mr. McClung tells us about that. His learning curve was steep his first year. I expect mine to look much like Mt. Everest. Flexibility and positive attitude while focusing on the comprehension by the children seems to be his recommendation, in a nutshell. It seems to me from his last comment that he is a great net worker. Listening to the students as well as being a life long learner sounds like they are part of the formula for being a successful teacher.
I look forward to getting into the classroom, and wish it was more of an integral part of our entire time in the education program at USA. The toolbox I’m filling while in the program will have all sorts of tricks and treats that I will be ready to pull out when needed. I don’t think that until I actually work with students awhile, that I’ll know which ones will go to the bottom, and those that are necessities. And then there will be the teacher network that will have infinitely many lessons on what works and what doesn’t.
I hope he shares year two with us.
I enjoyed this post in that Mr. McClung shares the real side of teaching. I often wonder how I am going to put my education into motion in the classroom. Endless information about child psychology, diversity, and technology are presented to us. We hear snippets about the adverse conditions of the classroom and student population such as not enough resources (money nor people), pacing guide, standardized tests, student home life, learning disabilities, truancy, teen pregnancy, etc. At times it seems overwhelming to me to think that I will need to meet the pacing guide and standardized testing with all of these obstacles. There are a lot of teachers that make it happen, that their students learn. Their students learn more than the material that will “be on the test” and have opportunities to explore and enjoy learning. How do they do it? I’ve been told that it’s not until a teacher gets into the classroom that the real training begins.
Mr. McClung tells us about that. His learning curve was steep his first year. I expect mine to look much like Mt. Everest. Flexibility and positive attitude while focusing on the comprehension by the children seems to be his recommendation, in a nutshell. It seems to me from his last comment that he is a great net worker. Listening to the students as well as being a life long learner sounds like they are part of the formula for being a successful teacher.
I look forward to getting into the classroom, and wish it was more of an integral part of our entire time in the education program at USA. The toolbox I’m filling while in the program will have all sorts of tricks and treats that I will be ready to pull out when needed. I don’t think that until I actually work with students awhile, that I’ll know which ones will go to the bottom, and those that are necessities. And then there will be the teacher network that will have infinitely many lessons on what works and what doesn’t.
I hope he shares year two with us.
My opinion of how and when Wikipedia can be a trusted source of information.
I was surprised with the information I had learned about Wikipedia. I was always under the impression that this was like an Encyclopedia Britannica website where the information is factual. I must say, this solves the question that has always nagged at me about Wikipedia. It has always amazed me that I have never, and can really say never, except for a people search, have not pulled up a Wikipedia link for any topic I have searched on the internet. This certainly supports the fact that it is necessary to know the validity of the information we see. Shame on me for being so naive!
Virgil Griffin designed a great tool. I equate it to Fact Check which was used to verify the facts in Presidential campaign articles and speeches. It let me decide if the facts presented were valid and also illustrated the integrity and quaifications of the candidates,. Running an edit scan on the article I am accessing in Wikipedia would allow me to make my own decision as to whether or not to site it as a resource. Also, in defense of my decision, I could provide that information in the bibliography of a paper or presentation.
I can still see Wikipedia as valuable. I can almost be assured I can most always find the topic. If I were to cross reference the Wikipedia listing with another source, the facts could be confirmed. Wikipedia would provide some direction.
Virgil Griffin designed a great tool. I equate it to Fact Check which was used to verify the facts in Presidential campaign articles and speeches. It let me decide if the facts presented were valid and also illustrated the integrity and quaifications of the candidates,. Running an edit scan on the article I am accessing in Wikipedia would allow me to make my own decision as to whether or not to site it as a resource. Also, in defense of my decision, I could provide that information in the bibliography of a paper or presentation.
I can still see Wikipedia as valuable. I can almost be assured I can most always find the topic. If I were to cross reference the Wikipedia listing with another source, the facts could be confirmed. Wikipedia would provide some direction.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Teacher needed in NZ
I think this spot may have been filled, but I thought this podcast was too cute not to share. The children are requesting their new teacher.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Blog Assignment 4 - Summary of Podcast Information Found - Helpful Stuff
Summary of information found about Podcasts
Website : Engage - by the
http://engage.doit.wisc.edu/podcasting/teaching/index.html
This website provided tips on creating a podcast. The following information may be helpful to all of us in EDM310 whom are preparing to create our first podcast.
This is reprinted from the website.
- Step 1: Select your content
- Step 2: Determine your instructional goal
- Step 3: Design your content
- Step 4: Produce your podcast
- Step 5: Incorporate the podcast into your course
There were some important points in the first step. UWM mentions that choosing to present material with a lot of detail is usually best kept to a lecture or reading because podcasts are usually listened to by the user while they are doing something else. Therefore they probably would not be taking notes during the podcast.
In Step 4, Produce your podcast , the information about your presence on the podcast will help in determining how you design it and whether or not you will consider video or audio or slides.
This site has a lot of information pertaining to podcast use and production.
**********************************************************************
“This is the home of the free podcast tutorial that will take
your podcast from concept to launch fast and for minimal cost
brought to you by, Jason Van Orden, author of Promoting Your Podcast."”
See the Audacdity related podcast that demonstrates how to add music and voice tracks to your podcast using Audacity.I like this tutorial for a couple of reasons. It gives specifics while demonstrating for the introduction of a podcast. This is a great example for the podcast factors of sound quality, environment, and interest level.
Check out Joe Dale’s blog, specifically the tutorial. It has a ton of really neat stuff from photo information to podcasting in the classroom. His focus is bringing technology to the foreign language classroom. He has posted links to many valuable sites that may help in our podcast project. I’ve bookmarked his site for blog ideas and tools.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Sunday, January 31, 2010
EDM 310 Blog Assignmnent #3
Video Podcast : One year old with iPhone :
I may be alone with my reaction, but a baby operating the iPhone is not impressive to me. The brainpower in doing what he has done is not much when you dissect it. What he is doing is a simple repetitive operation, which is no different than knowing how to turn on a computer. I love that my kids are excited about technology and know how to use certain aspects of what’s out there. I’m just not that interested in the aspect that only allows them to experience what a computer programmer has provided, with one right or wrong answer.
I see parents give their cell phone or iPod to their kids to keep them busy. It goes against my personal philosophy that I have used with my two children whom are 8 and 4 years old. To “keep them busy” I provide them with chances to learn by their own unlimited exploration. I’m a proponent of toys and activities that don’t box them in to a correct answer, certainly not those with binary results. Some of our favorites are paper, pencil, crayons, markers, stickers, yarn, and basic art supplies. We’ve now ventured into staplers, hole punches, protractors, rulers, and other tools. Elizabeth and Olivia can create a wardrobe for their animals and Barbies out of those things. They create cities, play school, invent new pieces to their playroom to carry things, such as elevators and ziplines. They write, illustrate and construct their own books. They write letters to each other and make things for people. Give them a stack of towels or some blankets and the dining room turns into a city in Egypt and their bedroom is Chicago. My point is that when they play, their options are endless and are driven by them.
Now don’t get me wrong. My 8 year old LOVES gadgets. And she loves computer time. The spy tank with remote camera and control has been a big hit this Christmas. She has wanted a Nintendo DS for two years now and, well, I broke down and there it was Christmas morning. Reluctantly though. The technology is a part of life. There is no question about that. My preference is to use it to enhance their creativity options, exposure to the world, and to expose them to tools that they will be using down the road.
My 8 year old is very excited about EDM 310. She loves to Skype (something I’ve been meaning to do, but made the time this semester), enjoyed working with me on my presentation due this week (she really wanted to add a wild background to the presentation, but I finally convinced her my professor was against it!), and is looking forward to making a family blog. These to me are the technology opportunities for creativity and unlimited ideas, which I am 100% behind.
“They are First Graders, Are You Ready?”
I was impressed with the first grader who demonstrated accessing their class website. What a great exercise for her to have to organize and order events, to verbalize them, and then to build confidence in presenting. She did a great job. I can see the benefits. I’m ready to bring it to my classroom.
“Little Kids… Big Potential”
I am so happy to have seen this podcast. Many times I heard the following : work together, I decide, my choice, learn, look up, ask questions, plan with my buddy, etc. The students are getting so much from the experiences with laptops, Skype, blogs, etc. I really liked what the one student said about blogs. He liked to log onto the class website at home to see what one of his friends had posted.
I wonder if future grade levels for these students will provide these tools and techniques to continue this aspect of their education.
Reviewing Podcasts to Become Familiar with Different Styles
“Smartboard Lessons :Timmy’s DimDim.com”
I was looking forward to listening to the information to be presented in the four and a half minutes or so that was allotted. The format was very casual, as if he was talking to himself in his car. As a matter of fact he was I his car. It gave me an idea that podcasts may be a great “on-the-run” way to capture thoughts that I may have after having time to think about a lesson or project. I could record them for the class, post them online after school on our class blog to be used in discussion on the next class day. I didn’t like the format of this podcast as the author included too much discussion about his lunch and coffee.
“Kidcast”
The introduction of the podcast included vocals and music. The man’s voice was desirable hear. The content of the podcast was pertinent to the well –focused topic. The speaker didn’t include personal information. This was more like a lecture rather than a personal conversation.
“ConnectLearning” episode 96
The format was that of a commentator and interviewer. It was clearly presented. Any interviews that were spliced into the podcast were of great sound quality. This was a very formalized conversation with clear points.
“EdTalk” episode 62
The style of this podcast was a relaxed, conversational style. The ladies voices were nasal and not audibly appealing. I would have preferred a very factual interview, but much personal commentary not pertinent to the topic was included.
“This Week in Photography” episode 125
This format was much like that of EdTalk, although the voices were appealing and clear with a little more fact. The format was conversational.
“APT Music Voyager” episode 14
This was a video podcast about the interview of a musical group. I liked the notes on the bottom of the screen during the video. The sound was great for both the music and interviews. I liked the video for this sort of topic.
The following three Podcasts were found on Dr. Strange’s EDM 310 Podcast Blog, found on his personal Website.
“Anthonyagain”
Well done fellow future teachers. The format was a question and answer audio podcast. I didn’t feel the need for video here. The interview was well conducted and clearly spoken.
“John et al” – Well done fellow future teachers! This was a three person contribution to convey technology in high school and college sports. I liked the video aspect of this one. If I were to do a video, I don’t know if I could be as relaxed. The challenge with video that I can see is having a good setting and candid motions and interaction.
“AshleyMayRachel”
This was a great, very entertaining podcast. What was the software program used to format the presentation? I really loved the animation. The video and audio were quite great!
Points to Consider when Making My Podcast:
In looking at these seven or so podcasts, I have seen some things I prefer and others I don’t. I think my least favorite podcast was the one about Smart Boards. I would have loved to hear more about the topic, but the man spent so much time talking about coffee, ordering lunch at a drive through, and then other non-related things. My style as a listener is to be more interested in a podcast that is well organized, stays on task, and is as short as possible. So well presented facts would be most appealing to me. I also enjoyed the podcasts that included a short introduction that summarized the podcast succinctly.
I enjoyed the ConnectLearning and “AshleyMayRachel” podcasts the most. I felt my time listening was well spent. The interview and discussion was relaxed, but organized and I never lost track of the conversations.
I may be alone with my reaction, but a baby operating the iPhone is not impressive to me. The brainpower in doing what he has done is not much when you dissect it. What he is doing is a simple repetitive operation, which is no different than knowing how to turn on a computer. I love that my kids are excited about technology and know how to use certain aspects of what’s out there. I’m just not that interested in the aspect that only allows them to experience what a computer programmer has provided, with one right or wrong answer.
I see parents give their cell phone or iPod to their kids to keep them busy. It goes against my personal philosophy that I have used with my two children whom are 8 and 4 years old. To “keep them busy” I provide them with chances to learn by their own unlimited exploration. I’m a proponent of toys and activities that don’t box them in to a correct answer, certainly not those with binary results. Some of our favorites are paper, pencil, crayons, markers, stickers, yarn, and basic art supplies. We’ve now ventured into staplers, hole punches, protractors, rulers, and other tools. Elizabeth and Olivia can create a wardrobe for their animals and Barbies out of those things. They create cities, play school, invent new pieces to their playroom to carry things, such as elevators and ziplines. They write, illustrate and construct their own books. They write letters to each other and make things for people. Give them a stack of towels or some blankets and the dining room turns into a city in Egypt and their bedroom is Chicago. My point is that when they play, their options are endless and are driven by them.
Now don’t get me wrong. My 8 year old LOVES gadgets. And she loves computer time. The spy tank with remote camera and control has been a big hit this Christmas. She has wanted a Nintendo DS for two years now and, well, I broke down and there it was Christmas morning. Reluctantly though. The technology is a part of life. There is no question about that. My preference is to use it to enhance their creativity options, exposure to the world, and to expose them to tools that they will be using down the road.
My 8 year old is very excited about EDM 310. She loves to Skype (something I’ve been meaning to do, but made the time this semester), enjoyed working with me on my presentation due this week (she really wanted to add a wild background to the presentation, but I finally convinced her my professor was against it!), and is looking forward to making a family blog. These to me are the technology opportunities for creativity and unlimited ideas, which I am 100% behind.
“They are First Graders, Are You Ready?”
I was impressed with the first grader who demonstrated accessing their class website. What a great exercise for her to have to organize and order events, to verbalize them, and then to build confidence in presenting. She did a great job. I can see the benefits. I’m ready to bring it to my classroom.
“Little Kids… Big Potential”
I am so happy to have seen this podcast. Many times I heard the following : work together, I decide, my choice, learn, look up, ask questions, plan with my buddy, etc. The students are getting so much from the experiences with laptops, Skype, blogs, etc. I really liked what the one student said about blogs. He liked to log onto the class website at home to see what one of his friends had posted.
I wonder if future grade levels for these students will provide these tools and techniques to continue this aspect of their education.
Reviewing Podcasts to Become Familiar with Different Styles
“Smartboard Lessons :Timmy’s DimDim.com”
I was looking forward to listening to the information to be presented in the four and a half minutes or so that was allotted. The format was very casual, as if he was talking to himself in his car. As a matter of fact he was I his car. It gave me an idea that podcasts may be a great “on-the-run” way to capture thoughts that I may have after having time to think about a lesson or project. I could record them for the class, post them online after school on our class blog to be used in discussion on the next class day. I didn’t like the format of this podcast as the author included too much discussion about his lunch and coffee.
“Kidcast”
The introduction of the podcast included vocals and music. The man’s voice was desirable hear. The content of the podcast was pertinent to the well –focused topic. The speaker didn’t include personal information. This was more like a lecture rather than a personal conversation.
“ConnectLearning” episode 96
The format was that of a commentator and interviewer. It was clearly presented. Any interviews that were spliced into the podcast were of great sound quality. This was a very formalized conversation with clear points.
“EdTalk” episode 62
The style of this podcast was a relaxed, conversational style. The ladies voices were nasal and not audibly appealing. I would have preferred a very factual interview, but much personal commentary not pertinent to the topic was included.
“This Week in Photography” episode 125
This format was much like that of EdTalk, although the voices were appealing and clear with a little more fact. The format was conversational.
“APT Music Voyager” episode 14
This was a video podcast about the interview of a musical group. I liked the notes on the bottom of the screen during the video. The sound was great for both the music and interviews. I liked the video for this sort of topic.
The following three Podcasts were found on Dr. Strange’s EDM 310 Podcast Blog, found on his personal Website.
“Anthonyagain”
Well done fellow future teachers. The format was a question and answer audio podcast. I didn’t feel the need for video here. The interview was well conducted and clearly spoken.
“John et al” – Well done fellow future teachers! This was a three person contribution to convey technology in high school and college sports. I liked the video aspect of this one. If I were to do a video, I don’t know if I could be as relaxed. The challenge with video that I can see is having a good setting and candid motions and interaction.
“AshleyMayRachel”
This was a great, very entertaining podcast. What was the software program used to format the presentation? I really loved the animation. The video and audio were quite great!
Points to Consider when Making My Podcast:
In looking at these seven or so podcasts, I have seen some things I prefer and others I don’t. I think my least favorite podcast was the one about Smart Boards. I would have loved to hear more about the topic, but the man spent so much time talking about coffee, ordering lunch at a drive through, and then other non-related things. My style as a listener is to be more interested in a podcast that is well organized, stays on task, and is as short as possible. So well presented facts would be most appealing to me. I also enjoyed the podcasts that included a short introduction that summarized the podcast succinctly.
I enjoyed the ConnectLearning and “AshleyMayRachel” podcasts the most. I felt my time listening was well spent. The interview and discussion was relaxed, but organized and I never lost track of the conversations.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Blog Assignment 2
Michael Wesch: A Vision of Students Today http://is.gd/2c0V0
I would first comment that this was an interesting class project. I wonder which points made were most important to the students. What would the sequel entail? Would the students have suggestions for presentation alternatives to the chalkboard that would be more interesting than Facebooking during class?
I admit that I would probably be no different than today’s students if I were 20 plus years younger and had a ton of time at my disposal. I was a telephone junkie during high school (I remember the day we got the 20 foot phone cord and I could take the one phone to my room and maybe a brother or two would trip over the cord every now and then.). I stayed connected with friends – in person. But if I could use my iPhone and keep up with them all day, every day, I probably would. Not to mention my friends in Istanbul, New Zealand, and New Mexico I would have made while Facebooking. Being connected is just plain cool!
After graduating in 1991, I’m now back in school, acquiring my teaching certificate. The statement “I’m a multitasker” emphasizes an attribute about today’s students that was not present when I was in college (the first time ). When returning to college life, I was really surprised at the number of students who are so preoccupied during lecture with texting, Facebooking, or even shopping online. I sometimes joke that it’s the new ADD. I don’t see it as multitasking, but as distraction. Facebooking or texting doesn’t take a lot of brain power and the interaction may only require attention for many segments, only seconds in duration. Presentation of a complicated topic requires time to understand the key concepts, put them to work, and solidify the theme, theory or method. Disrupt that with multiple short breaks and it is difficult to solidify the theme.
I’m absolutely in support of technology in the classroom. Absolutely! And I’m absolutely in support of lecture that is full of interactive examples or out of the box information that a single textbook couldn’t contain. Lecture that is exciting, thought provoking, challenging and organized, without being a sleeper. And I’m absolutely in support of keeping focus on the goal of the lecture without the distraction.
As for the student whose neighbor paid for class but never came, is that due to the structure of the class? What would convince him to come to class? Is it technology? Is it relevance of the material?
"It's Not About the Technology" by Kelly Hines at
http://www.eduratireview.com/2009/04/its-not-about-technology.html
Well said by Kelly Hines, that good technology doesn’t mean good teaching. I couldn’t agree more that teachers need to be eager to use the technology, but most importantly eager to “do amazing things.” I liked her comments about teaching and learning not being the same. Knowing what makes these children want to learn, how they learn, and what motivates them is going to be the key. There is a common thread in several of the blogs or clips that I have seen this last week which really brings to light that students are learning differently and desire different than the traditional classroom and curriculum offer. Programs like 21st Century Teachers are fascinating to me. They are even more fascinating when I learn of initiatives that have worked.
Karl Fisch: Is It Okay to Be A Technologically Illiterate Teacher?
http://thefischbowl.blogspot.com/2007/09/is-it-okay-to-be-technologically.html
If a teacher today is not technologically literate - and is unwilling to make the effort to learn more - it's equivalent to a teacher 30 years ago who didn't know how to read and write.
Extreme? Maybe. Your thoughts?
Only possibly extreme, I must say. If being technologically literate means using email, surfing the web, and using computer aids like word processors and spreadsheets, then I think it is imperative that teachers be technologically literate. These are tools that can make them more effective and reduce non-value added work, hence theoretically allowing more time for teaching and lesson development. Those few basic technology skills can allow exposure to specific teaching methods offered and proven in many areas of the world, a virtually endless supply of teaching materials, and supplements to the textbook. And maybe there is no textbook, only computers and links for the children to work with. I feel it should be required to have basic technology skills, but even more important to develop and use them in your school for teaching and ancillary functions.
Gary Hayes Social Media Counts
Watch the Social Media Count change every =second when you click on this sentence. Think about these changes that are happening at such an astounding rate. What do they mean for your professional career as a teacher?
My first thought about the information is that the activity for the technology social network is overwhelming. I wonder if the activity is even more rapid when students are out of school (it is currently 1:19pm CST).
Social life for middle school and high school students is a big part of their day. Since I plan to be teaching one or the other, understanding their social networking and what occupies their time is going to be important. So, what is Second Life? And why is Twitter so much more active than Facebook in terms of posts? Also, by which means will a student rather communicate with me; through email or Facebook?
I would first comment that this was an interesting class project. I wonder which points made were most important to the students. What would the sequel entail? Would the students have suggestions for presentation alternatives to the chalkboard that would be more interesting than Facebooking during class?
I admit that I would probably be no different than today’s students if I were 20 plus years younger and had a ton of time at my disposal. I was a telephone junkie during high school (I remember the day we got the 20 foot phone cord and I could take the one phone to my room and maybe a brother or two would trip over the cord every now and then.). I stayed connected with friends – in person. But if I could use my iPhone and keep up with them all day, every day, I probably would. Not to mention my friends in Istanbul, New Zealand, and New Mexico I would have made while Facebooking. Being connected is just plain cool!
After graduating in 1991, I’m now back in school, acquiring my teaching certificate. The statement “I’m a multitasker” emphasizes an attribute about today’s students that was not present when I was in college (the first time ). When returning to college life, I was really surprised at the number of students who are so preoccupied during lecture with texting, Facebooking, or even shopping online. I sometimes joke that it’s the new ADD. I don’t see it as multitasking, but as distraction. Facebooking or texting doesn’t take a lot of brain power and the interaction may only require attention for many segments, only seconds in duration. Presentation of a complicated topic requires time to understand the key concepts, put them to work, and solidify the theme, theory or method. Disrupt that with multiple short breaks and it is difficult to solidify the theme.
I’m absolutely in support of technology in the classroom. Absolutely! And I’m absolutely in support of lecture that is full of interactive examples or out of the box information that a single textbook couldn’t contain. Lecture that is exciting, thought provoking, challenging and organized, without being a sleeper. And I’m absolutely in support of keeping focus on the goal of the lecture without the distraction.
As for the student whose neighbor paid for class but never came, is that due to the structure of the class? What would convince him to come to class? Is it technology? Is it relevance of the material?
"It's Not About the Technology" by Kelly Hines at
http://www.eduratireview.com/2009/04/its-not-about-technology.html
Well said by Kelly Hines, that good technology doesn’t mean good teaching. I couldn’t agree more that teachers need to be eager to use the technology, but most importantly eager to “do amazing things.” I liked her comments about teaching and learning not being the same. Knowing what makes these children want to learn, how they learn, and what motivates them is going to be the key. There is a common thread in several of the blogs or clips that I have seen this last week which really brings to light that students are learning differently and desire different than the traditional classroom and curriculum offer. Programs like 21st Century Teachers are fascinating to me. They are even more fascinating when I learn of initiatives that have worked.
Karl Fisch: Is It Okay to Be A Technologically Illiterate Teacher?
http://thefischbowl.blogspot.com/2007/09/is-it-okay-to-be-technologically.html
If a teacher today is not technologically literate - and is unwilling to make the effort to learn more - it's equivalent to a teacher 30 years ago who didn't know how to read and write.
Extreme? Maybe. Your thoughts?
Only possibly extreme, I must say. If being technologically literate means using email, surfing the web, and using computer aids like word processors and spreadsheets, then I think it is imperative that teachers be technologically literate. These are tools that can make them more effective and reduce non-value added work, hence theoretically allowing more time for teaching and lesson development. Those few basic technology skills can allow exposure to specific teaching methods offered and proven in many areas of the world, a virtually endless supply of teaching materials, and supplements to the textbook. And maybe there is no textbook, only computers and links for the children to work with. I feel it should be required to have basic technology skills, but even more important to develop and use them in your school for teaching and ancillary functions.
Gary Hayes Social Media Counts
Watch the Social Media Count change every =second when you click on this sentence. Think about these changes that are happening at such an astounding rate. What do they mean for your professional career as a teacher?
My first thought about the information is that the activity for the technology social network is overwhelming. I wonder if the activity is even more rapid when students are out of school (it is currently 1:19pm CST).
Social life for middle school and high school students is a big part of their day. Since I plan to be teaching one or the other, understanding their social networking and what occupies their time is going to be important. So, what is Second Life? And why is Twitter so much more active than Facebook in terms of posts? Also, by which means will a student rather communicate with me; through email or Facebook?
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Blog Assignment 1 Posts
Did You Know? by
http://is.gd/5JQLF
My first reaction to the information in this movie is SHOCK. Where did these statistics come from? How do I know they are valid? I can’t help but be skeptical, as it seems so often that some very interesting information worth acting on or at least passing on, is deemed false by Snipe or some other source. The numbers here are so amazing, I would love to know how they were derived, specifically the predicted numbers such as the obsolescence of knowledge.
So if I assume much of what is in “Did You Know?” is true, many, many things have never been considered by myself. I consider myself educated, but think “ How do I educate my children to be successful in a world where the information they are taught one year is outdated by year three?” And then as a future teacher, I think, “What strategies do I implement so that my students will be prepared to be adaptable to potentially many employment changes?” There hasn’t been a classroom that I have witnessed learning or teaching since in my education program that would promote out of the box thinking so students would be able to be taught to solve problems we don’t yet know. Certainly teaching to the standardized tests isn’t getting them there.
Mr. Winkle Wakes by Matthew Needleman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lm1sCsl2MQY
I liked the Rip Van Winkle concept used here. What a great metaphor. This will stick in my head when working on my lesson plans in the future to keep the question in my mind “How do I move these students forward?” The way I learned, and the technology available back then was so different and limited compared to today. If I use the same techniques, will they even relate? What are the best ways for kids to relate nowadays to the material we are providing?
I think about the technology buzz words today; Smartboard, Live Classrooms, etc. How do these fit into the teaching toolbox to be effective and not just “cool things to have?” Kids love to push buttons (I know I always chose the Museum of Science and Industry over any other museum when it was my turn to choose because you could turn, push or manipulate most every exhibit) and get a response. Maybe that’s the hook for them when bringing technology or distance learning into their day.
Ken Robinson
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.html
Fantastic points. I fully agree with Ken Robinson. Making mistakes is a necessary part of learning. I remember when learning to ski with a friend a long while ago. He said, “If you don’t fall, you’ve not pushed yourself far enough to learn how to ski. You have to push the edge of the envelope.” My father has always pointed out that there’s a reason that every pencil has an eraser on it. I have also heard a great saying from a teacher at a camp last summer. He used the term “fail forward,” encouraging his campers to try what comes to mind to see if it works. In the process of “failing forward” you not only learn what won’t work, but an unlimited number of other ideas are sparked, and creativity is not smothered.
Encouraging students to create, innovate, individualize solutions is so critical to a student discovering his strengths and interests and developing critical thinking skills. Providing students with experiences we teachers can arrange are important, but creating an environment that allows them to discover on their own is even more important. In our public schools, so much emphasis is put on APY and in turn standardized test scores, that the students are taught a limited knowledge base with limited solutions in one standard methodology. Since not all children learn the same, have the same talents, or express themselves alike, the education that the public schools are offering as whole, can’t provide students with the means to discover and create.
There must be many teachers that have found ways to infuse creative development into their curriculum, which I am eager to find.
Vicki Davis : Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts
http://bit.ly/151RkU
This is exciting stuff. Confidence building, social studies, public speaking, ethics all taught with the incorporation of the Digiteen program with the curriculum. I liked the exposure opportunities to technology as well as other cultures. This is a generation that can not afford to be only exposed to domestic cultures. Their world is a global world. I hadn’t thought of students collaborating with other students via technology.
The technology use in the classroom for school use such as blogs and calendars is good prep for their future. I can only imagine the resources available to them for research papers and unknown information.
http://is.gd/5JQLF
My first reaction to the information in this movie is SHOCK. Where did these statistics come from? How do I know they are valid? I can’t help but be skeptical, as it seems so often that some very interesting information worth acting on or at least passing on, is deemed false by Snipe or some other source. The numbers here are so amazing, I would love to know how they were derived, specifically the predicted numbers such as the obsolescence of knowledge.
So if I assume much of what is in “Did You Know?” is true, many, many things have never been considered by myself. I consider myself educated, but think “ How do I educate my children to be successful in a world where the information they are taught one year is outdated by year three?” And then as a future teacher, I think, “What strategies do I implement so that my students will be prepared to be adaptable to potentially many employment changes?” There hasn’t been a classroom that I have witnessed learning or teaching since in my education program that would promote out of the box thinking so students would be able to be taught to solve problems we don’t yet know. Certainly teaching to the standardized tests isn’t getting them there.
Mr. Winkle Wakes by Matthew Needleman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lm1sCsl2MQY
I liked the Rip Van Winkle concept used here. What a great metaphor. This will stick in my head when working on my lesson plans in the future to keep the question in my mind “How do I move these students forward?” The way I learned, and the technology available back then was so different and limited compared to today. If I use the same techniques, will they even relate? What are the best ways for kids to relate nowadays to the material we are providing?
I think about the technology buzz words today; Smartboard, Live Classrooms, etc. How do these fit into the teaching toolbox to be effective and not just “cool things to have?” Kids love to push buttons (I know I always chose the Museum of Science and Industry over any other museum when it was my turn to choose because you could turn, push or manipulate most every exhibit) and get a response. Maybe that’s the hook for them when bringing technology or distance learning into their day.
Ken Robinson
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.html
Fantastic points. I fully agree with Ken Robinson. Making mistakes is a necessary part of learning. I remember when learning to ski with a friend a long while ago. He said, “If you don’t fall, you’ve not pushed yourself far enough to learn how to ski. You have to push the edge of the envelope.” My father has always pointed out that there’s a reason that every pencil has an eraser on it. I have also heard a great saying from a teacher at a camp last summer. He used the term “fail forward,” encouraging his campers to try what comes to mind to see if it works. In the process of “failing forward” you not only learn what won’t work, but an unlimited number of other ideas are sparked, and creativity is not smothered.
Encouraging students to create, innovate, individualize solutions is so critical to a student discovering his strengths and interests and developing critical thinking skills. Providing students with experiences we teachers can arrange are important, but creating an environment that allows them to discover on their own is even more important. In our public schools, so much emphasis is put on APY and in turn standardized test scores, that the students are taught a limited knowledge base with limited solutions in one standard methodology. Since not all children learn the same, have the same talents, or express themselves alike, the education that the public schools are offering as whole, can’t provide students with the means to discover and create.
There must be many teachers that have found ways to infuse creative development into their curriculum, which I am eager to find.
Vicki Davis : Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts
http://bit.ly/151RkU
This is exciting stuff. Confidence building, social studies, public speaking, ethics all taught with the incorporation of the Digiteen program with the curriculum. I liked the exposure opportunities to technology as well as other cultures. This is a generation that can not afford to be only exposed to domestic cultures. Their world is a global world. I hadn’t thought of students collaborating with other students via technology.
The technology use in the classroom for school use such as blogs and calendars is good prep for their future. I can only imagine the resources available to them for research papers and unknown information.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
