Sunday, May 6, 2012

Blog Post #14- Final Reflection

Final Report on PLN

My PLN has definitely grown. I have actually taken a liking to twitter and I now use it on a regular basis. It is how I have connected with other bloggers and educators. PLN is just an easy way to keep all of your entertainment organized. This is my current PLN .

Sunday, April 29, 2012

Report on Collaboration for Project #15 and #16

Group Jaks collaborated on both projects using Skype, Google docs and texting. The majority of our collaboration for the project was done through Google docs. We met in person to put together our ideas. We used Youtube to add background music. I movie was used to finalize the projects. For our final project we wanted to be creative and show others how to change a boring class into a classroom filled with technology.

Blog Post 13

As simple as it may sound to just be for one day, this was probably the most difficult post yet and I have still not mastered the full 24 hours without technology. Attempting to go without technology really makes you realize how much of it you truly do use and just how often. I first attempted this on Thursday. I did well until the evening when I was supposed to be going to a concert with friends and my grandma who was at my home in Mississippi watching my younger brother for me started panicing like a normal grandma would do over her grandchild (ha-ha) because she has to know where I am every minute (she thinks) and could not get in touch with me. I eventually had to relieve her, so that was a fail. I then attempted Friday. Friday was even worse than Thursday because my mother kept calling after my doctors appointments and blood work to make sure I was okay. My final attempt was Saturday. This day I started late at 1:00 and just went straight through to Sunday. It went pretty well because my parents were now home from Texas and were not trying to call me all of the time. I babysat my three year old cousin and we just played outside, watched movies, colored and read books and such. She is a handful, so she kept me pretty occupied. This assignment would have been much easier if it had not been during a week that my parents were out of town and I hadn't had so many health issues involving doctors appointments. However, this assignment even though not completely accomplished was a real eye opener for me. It shows how much we really do rely on technology. We really feel as though we cannot last a full day without it, and I believe we take it for granted because there is a larger percentage of the world that do not even get the option to use technology in their daily lives at all along with other things more important as well. With all of that being said and learned, who are we to completely try to take technology away from students in the classroom when that's all they have really known to grow up with in their daily lives? If it is so hard for us to go a day without it, it must be the same feeling for student to go that seven or more hours in the classroom without it. So why not utilize it? Why not incorporate it as much as you can into their learning in the classroom as well? Why not? The answer: there isn't one.
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Sunday, April 22, 2012

C4K

This C4K was really cool because we got to comment on and read posts from around the world.

The little wooden cat by Betty

On every morning when you walk to school, the little wooden cat watchs you. He is black from head to toe . He sit’s on the baby hex’s draw. Every minute of the day he sit’s reading the daily news. One day baby hex took the little wooden cat to the shop hex looked at the sweets , the little wooden cat looked at the vegables. Then hex dropped the little black cat suddenly a little girl called lily picked up the little black cat up and took him home and after a year he had a new friend.

My Comment: Hi Betty,

I am a student in EDM310 at the University of South Alabama. I absolutely loved reading your blog post. I am assuming that you enjoy writing. I too love to write. When I was younger I used to write stories, songs, and poems all the time. Now that I am twenty one I just stick to writing poetry because I feel that is what I am best at. Keep doing what you enjoy and keep up the good work dear!

-Katelyn Gill

I also got to comment on a little girl named Laura's post where she talked all about her family. She talked about what her parents do as far as jobs go and also about her siblings and their ages. I told her that our parents had similar jobs because my mother also worked in the medical field and my dad worked on helicopters like her dad works on computers.
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My last C4K was on a little girl named Rosalinda's video called a mihi. On Rosalinda's mihi she shared information about her family and told how she was the youngest in her family with an older brother. My Comment: Hi Rosalina!

My name is Katelyn and I am a student in Edm 310 at the University of South Alabama. I really like your mihi!I really like your headband you are wearing as well! I too have a brother, but he is younger than I am. I am the oldest. I hope to hear more stories from you later! Keep up the great work sweetheart!

Creativity and Curiosity: My Thoughts- Special Post #12 A

Do schools in the United States systematically destroy (or inhibit) the development of curiosity and/or creativity in students? Hmmm, well I would have to say yes, especially after doing our blog post assignment that required us to watch the hilarious, but true Youtube video discussing education by Sir Ken Robinson. I think all schools should have their teachers watch his video, along with others. I think there's a lack of curiosity and creativity because there is a lack of motivation and there is a fear of change and reactions from others. It is just too easy and comfortable to do it the way it has always been done before. If teachers would begin to challenge themselves creatively, I believe they could better challenge their students curiosity and creativity. If a teacher has little deire and creativity, why would the students be curious or creative in anything? Teachers should do more than just blab out the facts of knowledge they know. It isn't impressive, or enjoyable at all. Teachers should bring more to the classroom. They should be fun and creative. They should play learning games. They should do new and fun activities to excite and get students going, such as learning on the floor, lying on their backs and making the ceiling a place of learning too, fun games, scavenger hunts, and there's so much more you can do that doesn't include constantly sitting in a desk and spitting out facts. As a teacher, you always have to remember that: It starts with YOU!

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Blog Post #12

Blog Post 1 Assissgnment:

Watch Maisie Lynch's Youtube video, What Do Students Expect From Teachers? . Write at least two paragraphs describing your reaction to this video. Also, read the comments and list what you as a student expect from your teachers, as well as what you wish your future students to think about or expect of you. Be sure to discuss in your blog how you plan to follow through with those expectations for yourself.

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My Blog Post 1

After watching this video, I began thinking about how much teachers expect of us as students and wonder how often they think about what the students might wish for or expect of them in return. It is not only the students that must continue to learn, but also the teachers. I know that as a student myself, I expect respect from my teachers just as they expect respect from me. I also know that I expect to recieve the grade I deserve that depends on how much work and true effort I put into my assignments. I expect teachers to be kind, encouraging, fun and very motivational so that their students know that they are capable of anything.

I am not yet a teacher, but I feel I am working very hard to eventually get there. I am ready to dive in and have fun learning with my students. I do not want to be a dull teacher. When I thonk about a good teacher, I think about The Dead Poets Society. I want my students to have as much fun in something like a school day as they can. I am not afraid to make a fool of myself for the enjoyment of others. I enjoy making someone else smile and have fun and I plan on being the same way in the classroom. As a teacher, I plan on making an assignment such as this, the first for my students. I will have them anonymously write what they expect from me and try my hardest to reach those expectations while still allowing them to learn the best and most they can. I want to give them assignments and allow them to battle them out themselves with me motivating them throughout class and helping them when they need it. I cannot wait to be a teacher!

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Progress Report on Final Project #16

groupjaks

Characters: Teacher, students, 1 super hero We are creating a movie about how students seem like the day is dragging on and on and they are bored with the "normal lectures" that teachers give. We all know that sitting in a classroom for 7 hours a day can seem like forever especially when all it is is lecture and note taking. Have the superhero come in and show how a normal lecture could be turned into a fun, interactive, and creative day for the students. We collaborated on this project by using the following tools: Google Docs: To gather ideas and plan the video Telephone/Texting: To plan meeting day to record video Email: To write up the movie script Flip Camera: Use to record the video iMovie: To finalize the movie and add music to the background Sara Cardwell Allison Cullars Katelyn Gill Jonathan Freeman

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Blog Post # 11

Ms. Cassidy

Ms. Cassidy posted a youtube video called Little Kids....Big Potential that shows how her first grade class is using technology. Her students have their own blogs that they regularly post on and comment on others. Her class also has a classroom webpage that they can access both at school and home where they can choose what they would like to click on and learn.



Ms. Cassidy also did a Skype interview with Dr. Strange where he asked questions such as how she got started with using technology in her classroom and such. They discussed how long it took for her students to become familiar with the technology they were using and networking tools. I have a facebook account. I am now interested in checking out Flickr because I love photography, but I am not a huge fan of twitter. I think when I have my own classroom, instead of journal entries I will have my students create a blog and do blog posts instead. It will teach them better writing and communication skills and it will also teach them how to positively use technology. I look forward to the future.

Blog Post #10

Do You Teach or Do You Educate

This video may only be few minutes in length, but it is still powerful. It sends out a good message. It defines what it means to teach and what it means to educate. To teach, you are explaining, or showing how to do something. To educate, you are inspiring, mentoring, advising. I want to be an educaator. I want to be a mentor. I want to be an inspiration.

I want to be able to guide and help my students figure things out. I never learned well by being fed a bunch of facts throughout a lecture, and I don't expect my students to either. To help a student figure something out independently is awesome. Not only are you proud of them, but they are proud of themselves. Right now I am a substitute teacher at a montessori school. The students there do work on their own. You walk around and guide them, and they ask you for help. I intend on using these practices in my own classroom.

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

John T. Spencer's blog post discusses the argument of pencils being sent home with the students. The academic specialist involved argues that pencils should not be sent home with students because a research study showed that students who did take their pencils home had lower standardized test scores. "Tom" however brings forth solutions such as giving students lists of projects they are interested to do. This post really more important than focusing on and arguing about the problem. Plus, like he mentioned in the blog post, even hang-man can bring forth some learning. I think that is better than no pencil at all. Also, with that being said, maybe another form of testing other than standardized should be looked into as well. I know plenty of people (including myself and my younger brother) that do not do well under that type of pressure, but excel otherwise and the blame can't be put on the pencil.

Sunday, April 1, 2012

Blog Post #9

What I've learned this year (first year)

In this blog post a teacher named Mr. Mcclung shares with us what he has learned in his first year of teaching. He tells how he has learned things such as: how to be flexible, communicate, don't be afraid of technology, listen to students, and last but not least never stop learning. Two things he said that caught my attention were "don't build your expectations too high for your students and become upset when they don't meet them", and "I truly believe that teachers do not know enough about the students they are teaching". I truly miss being in high school in a small town because I was actually close to my teachers and they really seemed to care. When cities, schools, and classes start to get bigger, it seems to get harder for teachers to truly interact with all of their students. I think one teacher here knows my name. I hope to be the teachers that appears to truly care about all of my students individually because I know how good that feels as a student. Another thing he said I liked was "it's never too late to change your way of thinking, learning, or style". That quote makes me think of his class because we are furthering our learning for our students. We need to continue to learn with our students.

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What I've learned this year (second year)

In this blog post he shares all of the things he learned in his second year as a teacher. He talks about things such as: adapting, taking he path less traveled,finding your school mom, checking your ego at the door, not being a control freak,scope and sequence, not losing sight of what's important, and it's about what you learn after you know it all that matters. He talks about how stepping out of your comfort zone and change is good and ultimately makes us better teachers. He also talks about relaxing with all of your lesson plans instead of trying to perfect everything. I agree with both of those things although change can sometimes be scary. It does make us better though. Another thing he discussed that I really liked was don't be afraid to make a fool of yourself for the students to better learn or understand a concept. I hope to one day be that crazy fun teacher her students love and enjoy. I really enjoyed reading his posts and truly do believe they have and will continue to help future teachers prepare for what's ahead of them.

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Blog Post #8

This is How We Dream Parts 1 and 2

In this post , Dr. Richard Miller discusses how reading and writing are transforming into something much, much bigger. The ways in which we all read and write is continually changing through technology. We now have the ability to do basically anything with the web. We no longer have to go drive to and sit in a library and search for books and soley use just paper and pencil for our writing assignments. We can sit in the comfort of our own homes now.

We can search pretty much anything we want or need much faster by the use of the web at the tip of our fingers. We can write papers and such by finding and reading a number of books online. There are so many different resources we have by using the web. It is basically limitless and endless. It is also constantly growing and extremely interesting as well.

Our learning of such things as technology and numerous ways to use something so broad and large as the web as anything else should never cease to grow as well. In such things we can help to not only prepare ourselves, but prepare our own students with a much better and brighter future. It is kind of scary to know that there is something out there that is already so big and is still constantly growing. We have to prepare ourselves for this type of constantly changing environment as well as our students.




Carly Pugh's Blog Post #12

A fellow student at the University of South Alabama, and former student in EDM 310: Carly Pugh posted a wonderful blog post about her own form of an EDM 310 assignment. Her assigment she too created herself was a playlist of youtube videos that basically define yourself as a teacher that you would like to be and then some. As Dr. Miller did, she used numerous approaches to different types of technology to read, write, and then create her own phenominal assignment for herself and other students. She has shown great talent and dedication already, so I truly believe she will do well in the future as a teacher as well with her own students.

Chipper Series and EDM 310 is different

The Chipper series kept a smile on my face as I watched and made me giggle out loud. Chipper is a young lady who expects the world to work out her way by breezing through it basically. She thinks she can do whatever she wants, whenever she wants throughout life and still get the outcome she wants such as easy success for basically doing nothing. Life is hard. This class is hard. Nothing gets handed to you, and you do have to work for the things you want and deserve. Too bad life doesn't work out the way Chipper thinks it ought to be. It took being a garbage person to turn her life and mind around to proper thinking and decide to get an actual education attending class, doing work, and such.

Edm for dummies is a dream I wish were real ha-ha. I would pay good money if I had it for such a book because I will admit I am constantly overwhelmed by this class. I feel so accomplished when I get things that I have never done before completely finished, but the process is mind boggling and very stressful. I have appreciated the help in the lab very much. This video made melaugh, but in all seriousness I wish it were real.

I do not really have any idea personally for a video just yet. I think a commercial might be fun and creative? I would definitely want to something comedic though because I love making other people laugh. I think laughter helps loosen up the stress causing tension.

Learn to Change, Change to Learn

This video really makes you realize how large the need for change really is. I will admit, just learning now as a junior in college how to really utilize technology is extremely stressful and frustrating, but I believe that I would enjoy it much more if I had been taught sooner in school and actualy understood it more and better. Students should grow up with this growing change and be taught early so they aren't thrown in it and slapped in the face with something so large and confusing later on in life, such as in college when they should already know and understand it. If teachers everywhere brought this into the classroom sooner, I feel we could really get somewhere and really help our students in a way that they would enjoy it.

Scavenger Hunt 2.0

1. Classroom 2.0 is the social networking tool I found that I enjoyed. It is like a Facebook for teachers only. It is really cool and interesting. It makes you feel like you are really a part of something bigger now. It is full of interesting discussions from different people from all over the world that share the same profession and clearly love or yearn for knowledge of technology. I think being a part of this network will be a lot of help because you can always ask questions, get involved in other discussions, and stay current with what's going on with schools, learning, and technology everywhere.

3. I used a tool called Make Beliefs Comix to create my very own comic strip!

CLICK FOR MY COMIC PLEASE

5. I used a tool called Poll Everywhere to create my poll.

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Blog Post #7

Wendy Drexler - The Networked Student
Wendy Drexler's video The Network Student shows a different way of learning. It shows how students can learn through social networks by connecting with other students online. It not only shows that you can connect with other people, but web content and information as well. It just shows another new 21st century way of learning through connectivism.

This video was pretty interesting and very illustrative. It shows a way of learning I have never heard of. I guess I am just oldd fashioned. I am okay with that though. I am more of a personal/face to face/ hands on interactive learner. It is all a matter of opinion and personal preference though. I don't think it should be something forced in a classroom or on a student if they prefer learning other ways.

I like technology. I like using technology as much as any other 21 year old. I don't want to be dependent on it though. I do think this video presents a good and positive way of using technology if it's a way you're interested in learning. It shows independence on the student's part and guidance from the teacher's. That too is good.

A 7th graders personal learning environment (or PLN)

In this video, a 7th grade student tells about her own PLN. It's really neat to see how other students are using personal learning environments not only to help themselves learn, but others as well. I too used Symbaloo to create my own PLN. Although my PLN is not as advanced as hers, I still find it to be very neat. I'm still learning.

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Blog Post #6

The Last Lecture: Really Achieving your Childhood Dreams

Randy Pausch (October 23, 1960- July 25, 2008), a professor at Carnegie Mellon University gave his Last Lecture on September 18, 2007. In this lecture he talked about his many interesting and amusing childhood dreams. He also discussed his many lessons learned and gave inspiring advice on how to achieve your own personal goals. He optimistic with a great sense of humor regardless of his numerous cancerous tumors. He is very motivating to watch and listen to. This lecture was extremely inspiring and absolutely wonderful to watch.

My favorite thing he said in this lecture was: "We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand". This was actually my background on my phone before I had ever listened to this lecture. Just those words alone help to push you further and convince you to keep your head up through everything, no matter how hard things may get in life, but listening to his entire lecture can do so much more for you. We can't change or control everything that happens to us in life. We can, however, change the way we think about it. We can control our actions following whatever happens to us.

With that being said, I will express how not only that particular quote, but Dr. Pausch's lecture and himself as a person help to motivate and inspire me. Recently after transferring schools, moving, and beginning the most difficult semester of my life so far with a chronic illness IBS among other much more personal issues as well, I was diagnosed with severe depression and anxiety with high stress levels. It is not something I openly share or speak about, but I feel it is necessary to allow others to better understand how much someone like Randy Pausch can help to motivate people like me and worse in life. I guess it is my "elephant in the room to introduce" as he says.

Another thing he says that I love is: "Brick walls are there for a reason: they let us prove how badly we want things". I firmly believe that. Life wouldn't be as worthwhile if we never hit any brick walls. Hitting these said brick walls help you to overcome and apreciate a multitude of different things and obstacles in life such as severe depression, anxiety, stress, school, relationships, and other personal dreams and goals we all have in our minds. Dr. Pausch helps to motivate me to keep going no matter what, no matter how hard or frustrating it gets, no matter how many times I mess up. He says: "When you're screwing up and no one's saying anything to you, that's when you know they've given up. Good lesson to learn because your critics are the ones who still love you and care" and "Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted". Everything this wonderful man says helps you. It all makes you want to keep going, keep bettering yourself, and keep helping others better themselves as well. May this man rest in peace and his words and wisdom always live on.

Saturday, March 3, 2012

C4t

America's Biggest Story Time with Tim Tebow!


This blog post was about America's biggest story time and how to integrate it and reading into your own classrooms. Reading is important and it can be really fun if you know how to make it that way in your classroom. Disscussed in this blog were ways to integrate reading into your classrooms in a much more fun and interesting way to allow the students to see reading as more fun and enjoyable. If students find reading to be more enjoyable, they may be more willing to read themselves on their own time. This blog post also discusses ideas and sctivities such as throwing a reading party in your own classroom and setting up a fun and comfortable reading environment. I really enjoyed reading this post and will incorporate these cute ideas into my own classroom in the future.

My Comment: Hi my name is Katelyn Gill and I am from edm 310 at The University of South Alabama! I will be reading and summarizing your posts as posts in my own blog as an assignment. I have left a link to my personal blog. Here is a link to the edm 310 class blog: http://edm310.blogspot.com/. I love your idea of a reading party in the classroom and making it cute and cozy with food. I think it a great and creative way to get children more interested. I also completely agree with you and believe everyone should have a pinterest! It has so many creative ideas and I am an addict! Thank you for your post!

Link: blog

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Blog Post #5

Don't teach your kids this stuff. Please?

Scott Mcleod is the associate professor of educational leadership at the University of Kentucky. In his blog, Don't teach your kids this stuff. Please? he uses sarcasm against technology when he is really for it. I believe that teaching children to use technology correctly will help them emensely and give them a brighter future. It broadens their way of learning. I do not believe we should be fully dependent on it, but I do agree that we should teach and allow our children to use it correctly. We cannot always protect our children from absolutely everything in this world. Sometimes they have to learn other ways and on their own and if taught right and wrong we have to trust that they will do the right thing with what is in front of them.

Travis Allen

In the short videos: The iSchool Initiative and ZeitgeistYoungMinds Entry , a high school student from Fairfield, Georgia attempts to show the public a solution to our current education problems in America. He calls this solution iSchool. His proposal states that it will save the average student hundreds of dollars. This idea may save money and be more green friendly, but I don't know if I fully agree with it. I think this may make students a bit too dependent on technology. Technology in the classroom is a great thing, but I don't want an ipod eventually taking my place as a teacher. All parents may not want their children to own an ipod and some applications and most ibooks still have to be paid for. It just scares me.




Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir

When I watched this short YouTube video of the "Lux Aurumque" performance, I was truly amazed. He put together a virtual choir consisting of 185 singers from twelve different countries. What is really amazing about this performance is the fact that not one of these singers have ever performed together or even met one another. It is genius and so beautiful. Bravo to Eric Whitacre and his lovely virtual choir.

Teaching in the 21st Century

Kevin Roberts believes that teaching in the 21st century means that teachers work more as a filter. Again, I will say I do not think that students should do everything on computers. No one should completely rely on technology. Everything should not be done online. I think if it were, then it would be like taking an online class. I don't know a single person who has enjoyed taking online classes. I know I really did not like them at all. Also again, I do believe we should use technology in the classroom, but not overuse. As teachers we should teach and guide students to use technology, just not for everything they do. I loved the interaction in the classroom while growing up. I love actual books, flipping real pages and looking at its pictures while I read. I love writing with pen and paper. I like writing on an expo board. I know that has changed and still believe in the future, students will rely on technology too much.

Reading Rockets

Reading Rockets is a great website that offers a number of reading strategies, lessons and activities designed to help students read better. It also helps to build fluency, vocabulary and comprehension for struggling readers. Penultimate is a popular note-taking application found. Alien Equation is another fun application I found; it has fun games that teach math skills. This website has so many wonderful resources for any subject and any student that aren't only for just the students themselves, but also gives helpful resources to parents, teachers and administrators as well. it also offers special resources for students with particular special needs. I believe this is a website I will definitely be referring to and sharing with my students and their parents in the future.

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Blog Post 4

Flat Stanley

Silvia Tolisano's blog Langwitches provided many resources on different teaching techniques. One classroom activity she did was a project called Flat Stanley The Flat Stanley project is where students mail out paper flat Stanleys around the world to learn about different places. Then the students shared their Flat Stanley adventures from the location that they were sent to. I was very impressed by these extremely advanced and smart first graders. They were very well spoken. They seemed to be so enthused and excited about this type of learning. I personally believe this is a great way for students to learn about other places they have never been to. It helps them to really learn well because its being done in a way that they really enjoy it.

Podcast Collection

In the blog: Podcast Collection , Judy Scharf gives many really good resources for people that may not know much about podcasts, such as myself.She gives lists for projects and different ideas. She also shares a step-by-stepp video on how to create a podcast. She just provides very helpful insight to people on making podcasts. She makes it easier to learn. She really breaks it down.

The Benefits of Podcasting in the classroom by Joe Dale

In this blog, a teacher named Joe Dale provides the public with a YouTube video: Benefits of Podcasting , which gives us many benefits of podcasting. It allows students to use more of their creativity. It allows students to use more of their creativity. It allows more ways to interact with a number of students inside and outside of the classroom. With podcasting in the classroom, parents can also see and keep up with what their children are doing. Podcasting is just an easy way to obtain information.

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Blog Post 3


Technology in Special Education

In this short video, a teacher shows how she uses different types of technology in her classroom to aid her special needs students to learn more easily. In her classroom she shows a variety of students with different needs using different types of technology and programs. She shows how one of her students who normally would have to be separated from his classmates and placed in the hallway with an assistant reader because he has trouble reading now uses an iPod touch to read aloud to him in class with the rest of his classmates. She then shows other uses of technology such as using a laptop to write out sentences more easily and a program called zoomtext to make the text appear larger and easier for students to read. Overall her students appeared to really enjoy using this technology and were much more willing to learn now that it had been made easier for them.
When I lived in Mississippi, I worked in a daycare that children with special needs also attended. So, from personal experience I got to first hand see some of the technology one littler girl in particular used. She had difficulty speaking so she carried around a small computer like machine called a dynavox. I actually got to go visit her speech therapist with her once and learn how to help her use it. I believe that the dynavox is one type of technology I could incorporate into my classroom in the future if needed. This machine is personalized by her with all of the things she likes, dislikes or is personal to her so it is easier to you. With this device you are able to make entire sentences and are also able to point at pictures or words and it will speak it aloud for you. I think it is an amazing device that I could use for students with special needs.

Apple Education Apps

Through searching Apples many education applications, I found one that I may personally choose and enjoy using in my classroom one day if need be. The name of the application I found is called Proloquo2Go. This application was under language. I believe I found it interesting because it is similar to the dynavox computer I am already familiar with, only it is much cheaper. It is designed for both iPhones and iPads. It got a rating of 4 out of 5 stars and appears to be really wonderful with a lot of great reviews. It provides a full-featured augmentative and alternative communication solution for people who have difficulty speaking. I think if need be and given the monetary needs or benefits that I would use this in my classroom.

Gary Hayes Social Media Count

Gary Hayes provides us with a social media count that shows us how much activity is used in a matter of seconds, minutes, and years. The outcome you see is ridiculous. It is stunning to see in just a matter of seconds how many people have shared, joined, added, etc things to different types of social media. It shows Facebook at the top. Shows us that maybe we should all be technology savvy to keep up to speed with the general population and students as future educators. Could also show that technology is being overly used as well, especially for things that aren't necessarily beneficial to learning what we need to be learning, such as Facebook and social interaction sites that are very similar. I know as a student sitting in class that most people with their phones and laptops in class are using them more for things such as Facebook than for taking notes and learning. Technology in classrooms can be a good thing if used for the correct reasons and monitored.

Michael Wesch: A vision of Students Today

For such a short video, it shows a lot of power and a good message to both students and educators. I agree with and understand so much of what I read. As a student I feel much of their pain as well, such as spending so much money on books that I hardly even open for class and writing papers or doing assignments that are irrelevant to my major. I too will be in debt when I graduate and knowing that educators do not make as much money as I believe they should is sad. We cannot just rely on technology alone though. From an educators point of view this would make me feel pretty sad and badly. This video should make more wish to be more understanding. Both students and educators have a full load in their lives, but as an educator that is your job. As a student, we go to school to get an education to one day get a good career while trying to get and keep a job to continue to make money so we can pay to get an education. It is a lot of pressure to constantly be under. It is like having multiple jobs at once. I can honestly say though that in my favorite class this semester, there is no technology being used. My teacher knows my name and uses only a chalkboard. We use handheld tools such as compasses, rulers, and such for learning, but use no technology other than very rarely a calculator whatsoever. Technology has it's role in the classroom, but so does the teacher. We should not solely rely on one or the other. Technology has its fair share of pros and cons.

Sunday, February 5, 2012

Blog Assignment 2

Did You Know? 3.0 - John H. Strange

The two "Did You Know" videos, one by John H. Strange and the other developed by Karl Fisch and Scott McLeod, give very interesting statistics of the world mainly in comparison to the United States. These facts presented focus on technology, IQ levels, and language among other interesting things as well. Strange's "Did You Know" video begins by discussing India IQ levels and number of honor students in comparison to the United States. It should not be shocking, but it did startle me how well advanced India is and how lazy we appear to be in the United States. It is quite sad. Other countries outweigh and advance us in what should be our own medicine. I found this video very interesting. It should push not just educators, but all Americans to get up and work harder.

Mr. Winkle Wakes - Mathew Needleman

The short video titled "Mr. Winkle Wakes" tells us how a little old man wakes up after his 100 year slumber to find the world completely changed. He goes out into the world to find tall buildings, machines, computers, and all sorts of technology that he has never even seen or heard of before. He then finds a school where children are sitting, listening to lectures, and taking notes just as he remembers school to be and he is more comfortable and happy.
Technology and methods of doing things are constantly changing around us every single day. We can't change that. Technology is a good thing, however using it for everything constantly is not necessary. I believe that a balance in social interaction and technological interaction is a good thing. We shouldn't rely on technology solely for everything.

Sir Ken Robinson: The Importance of Creativity

In 2006, Sir Ken Robinson had a video posted presenting the importance of creativity and how school kills it. He states that all children have tremendous creativity and it is just as important as mathematics and literacy and it should not be squandered. He also states that brilliant, creative people think they are not because what they were good at in school wasn't valued. They were benignly steered away from things they liked in school on the ground that they would never get a job doing that. It was benign advice mistaken. He says that one of the problems today is that people are frightened of being wrong and they need to grow into creativity. "If you're not prepared to be wrong, you will never come up with anything original.
I personally believe this man is a genius. He is completely correct in everything he said. People with ADHD aren't sick, they jjust think better when they move. Creativity should most definitely be nurtured in schools. It should definitely be on top of the hierarchy along with mathematics and literacy. We do need to celebrate the gift of imagination and educate the whole being! I thoroughly enjoyed watching this video and highly recommend it for not just educators, but everyone.

A Vision for 21st Century Learning

This short video argues ways of learning in the education system. It tells how students go to school and are basically just fed a bunch of facts to know and are then sent home. As a current student, I feel I possess the credentials to say I agree. I go to school, listen to a lecture, take notes, go home to memorize the facts that I have "learned" for a test, and then I typically drop and forget them completely. If the facts are not something that I am interested in, then I forget them. It is like I never "learned" a thing at all. The video also presents a new way of learning by using resources such as a video game where students will have the ability to learn about different languages and cultures around the world. I think students would like to get more involved in something like that. They could learn and actually enjoy it.

Vicki Davis: Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts

This video shows how Vicki Davis (a teacher at a rural high school in south Georgia) is using new media tools to help children learn how to learn with all types of new technology. She is also allowing them to become more comfortable with technology. She considers herself to be a "teacherpreneur". With this technology enhanced learning environment she is also connecting her students to the rest of the world.
I think this is a great alternative to just lecture learning. I don't believe we should completely rely on technology for everything. I do believe we should use it to our advantage with balance and not abusing it. I agree that different children learn in different ways and that using only pencil and paper allows only certain students to learn. I find myself learning so much more about technology now and I am impressed.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Katelyn Ciara Gill: A True Story.

My name is Katelyn Gill. I am 21 years old and have lived in Vancleave, Mississippi my entire life until just recently. I graduated from Vancleave High School with an adavanced diploma in 2009 where I was voted class favorite and class cutie twice. I was also a homecoming maid two years and was voted class secretary for three of my high school years. I just transferred to USA for the 2012 Spring semester from Misssissippi Gulf Coast Community College where I was voted as class favorite and sophomore homecoming maid just last year. I am now living here in Mobile, Alabama for the first time. I am attending USA because it is closest to my home in Mississippi, I am familiar with the area and I have many friends that live in the area. Before I moved to Mobile, I lived with my dad, mom and younger brother. I am extremely close to my family. My mother is actually who I consider to be my best friend. Living in Mobile now is going to take a lot of getting used to. It is a big transition for me.
 I want to enter into the field of education because I absolutely love children and working with them. I have never had a job where I did not work with children and I hope I always have the opportunity to work with children. I want to get my degree and teach k-second grade preferably. Children are my passion. I have always known that I wanted to work with them all of my life. I am such a child at heart that I get along best with children as well. I believe that me having such a big inner child ables me to work best with children as well. I am looking forward to finishing school and getting that career. I am ready to be in my own classroom with my own kids.

Randy Pausch on Time Management

In this very short video about time management, I learned that I am not the only person in a America that is not so terrific with managing time wisely. I learned that it is better to prioritise by doing the right things adequately instead of doing the wrong things right. Failing to plan is planning to fail. Also, that you should plan and have a to do list regardless of if it going to change in the future. Having a plan is better than not having one. This is the first I have heard of Randy Pausch, but with my time management and stress, I am thinking watching his videos is not such a bad idea at all.