Week Seven

Richard Miller: This is How We Dream

http://is.gd/2cfNk

I found this video very interesting. As I understood it, Richard Miller is suggesting a method of creating teaching materials in a modern world. He is able to create presentations that will inform his students while keeping them interested.

As someone who grew up in this age of technology myself, I understand that it is hard to keep the attention of a child with a book. I suffered throughout my school career due to an unwillingness to read what did not interest me. However, I always excelled at anything involving a visual stimuli. This seems to be more and more relevant as children are more and more exposed to and involved with technology at early ages.

What I really found interesting is that the teacher is given a bit more academic freedom in that they can create their own teaching materials. I do not mean to discount textbooks, but I cannot think of any class that I have had in my lifetime in which the teacher used every chapter of the text provided. Teachers do not teach the things that they do not have to and do not value, there is not enough time. This way the teacher can streamline their curriculum and teach in a way that they feel more comfortable, and more effectively.


Wendy Drexler: The Networked Student

http://is.gd/2cfNk

This was a really well done video. The little cutouts were kinda goofy, but all in all I thought that it was a creative way to present the material. I like the way that the voice over was done. I have kinda done the same thing in my podcast, so it makes me feel a little more confident in my choice to use that method.

I think that I am fairly prepared to teach networked students, since I am one. Maybe not to the extent of the students in the presentation, but throughout my college career, which has unfortunately been pretty long, I have used networking more and more each semester. Especially now that I am in this class, which not only encourages this behavior, but requires it.

It makes learning more interesting and more fun for the students. Not only that, but it broadens the spectrum of potential for what they can learn. Instead of saying, I am the teacher, this is what I'm going to teach you this semester, you open up a world of opportunity to them. I think that the best thing you can do as a teacher of networking students, is accept the fact that there is a lot that you don't know that is worth knowing.


Toward A New Future of Whatever - Michael Wesch


http://is.gd/3WVVZ

This was a really interesting video. What he said about 1984 and our lack of a need to be informed is frighteningly familiar. The shift of importance really seems to have shifted in our society to celebrity gossip and scandal. It drives me crazy to go through the check out line and see the crap that magazines write about. Who cares if Brad and Angelina are having relationship problems? It's just not our business, and yet these magazines sell.

I do not mean to seem preachy though. In other ways, I am just as guilty of misplaced priorities. Unfortunately, I not only had seen both of those clips from the Simpsons, but knew the scenes by heart. I also remember being obsessed with MTV back when it played music. Perhaps our generation was the first to find this preoccupation with media rather than real life and real issues.

Lastly, it was interesting to hear what he had to say about using webcams, or other types of technology, to disconnect. I can totally relate to this. For a few years now I have used Facebook as an excuse to not call people on their birthdays. I also love text messaging. Not because I like to chat or connect with friends, but if I need to let someone know something, but don't feel like talking, I can just text. It is the ultimate escape from socializing. It really makes you wonder how this is shaping and will continue to shape our society.

Comments for Kids

Jessica E. Week 4

I posted a comment on Jessica E.'s blog on a post about the book "Peter and the Sword of Mercy". She did a very good job.

Year 5 Week 5

My comment was in response to a commenter named year 5. They had a really great outlook and hope for the future.

Lizara Week 6

I commented on a video blog by a girl named Lizara who was setting a goal to improve her math skills. I encouraged her to try hard.

Week Six

Dr. Alice Christie's Google Earth Guide


Google Earth Guide

I decided to talk about the google earth portion of Dr. Christie's site. I am already fairly familiar with google earth and decided I could be a decent judge what she had to share about it. I really enjoyed her virtual tour. She highlighted some interesting spots around the globe that really made you interested in seeing more. It really shows another side of google earth, in that it is not only educational, but can also be fun in the classroom.

Her description of google earth was very basic and simple to understand, but at the same time quite comprehensive. It was not complicated or difficult to understand, and yet you could really get all the information that you need to know about the application from this one page. Not that there isn't much more to google earth, but she shares more than enough to get you interested.

iTunes U

iTunes U

iTunes U is a great tool that is available at the iTunes store. If you can download music on iTunes, than you can easily use iTunes U, and if you are not familiar with iTunes, you still should have no trouble learning, as it is very user friendly. This is great for teachers who are learning to use technology for the first time.

iTunes U offers a diverse selection of educational materials including podcasts and lectures. You can find information by topic, or you can search for materials by school or group. Once you have downloaded the track or tracks that you are interested in, you can put them on your iPod and view them whenever and wherever you choose.

As a teacher, we will be able to share these materials with our students, and even learn new things ourselves. You can easily bring this into the classroom setting, or have your students access the material at home. This is an awesome and diverse tool that I will definitely utilize in the future.

iPods in the Classroom


iPods in the Classroom

iPods are obviously amazing tools with several uses, and many that I'm sure are have yet to be discovered. They are already making their ways into the classroom. According to Robert Craven, education technology coordinator for the Orange County Department of Education in California, they are already making an impact on schools in his County.

As someone who grew up struggling with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), I can clearly see the benefit of being able to hear or watch a class lesson more than once, or just being able to back up a few minutes to hear the part you missed. I really wish that I had these options coming up in school, and as a teacher I will be glad to offer them to my students.

You can find out in the article "iPods in the Classroom" by Susie Meserve at
http://www.schoolcio.com/ShowArticle/1014

Week Five

Wikipedia

NPR article on Wikipedia.

These stories were interesting and it's cool that this guy found a way to find out who rights what, but what I don't understand is why they are talking like wikipedia was ever a reliable source. It has always been open for anyone to edit. Not just businesses and special interests, but fourteen year-old kids with nothing to do but play mad libs on wiki.

What I think is really valuable about this new tracking system, is that it tells us what is more likely to be true. Why would these companies be worried about changing entries that were untrue. So I think that we can safely infer that when Walmart feels the need to take down a statement about low wages, then that statement it true. Besides that, wikipedia is just a fun tool, but it is hardly an encyclopedia.


What I Learned this Year

What I Learned this Year

The one recurring thing that I see throughout this post is patience. He comes off as a teacher who has really worked on having a lot a patience with his kids, his coworkers, and even himself. It seems like that, more than anything, can create a fun and effective learning, and working environment.

The only problem I did have with this post is that it seemed to have a lot of errors. They were all very small, but they still stuck out to me. I feel bad saying something about it, as it was a very insightful and well thought out post, but I was thinking about what you said about your 'Internet footprint'. As an educator, you should be concerned with problems with grammar and punctuation, and all of his mistakes were small ones that could have been caught with just a quick scan before posting.

Week Four

The benefits of podcasting in the classroom

I chose to watch "The benefits of podcasting in the classroom" video. It starts off talking about the millinial generation, of which I am a part. We have grown up with the constant presence of technology. They then use a great example of how useful podcasting can be. When children miss school, they miss valuable information. If we make that information available to them at home, it can help them keep up in the classroom.

Harry Dell was able to utilize podcast technology in his classroom by having others help him act out readings. This made reading more interesting, and the kids were much more willing to be involved. The students not only enjoyed the different voices telling the stories, they were also able to create their own podcasts. They made their own stories, enriching not only their experiences with technology, but their reading and writing skills.