Friday, May 4, 2012
Project 13
For these projects, my group members and I basically kept in touch with each other through Facebook, texting, and emails through our Google accounts. We used these forms of communication to collaborate on our ideas and to come up with times to meet with each other. We all shared our thoughts on how the project should be done and the critiqued each others ideas.
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Blog Post # 13
So for this week's blog assignment we were supposed to go 24 hours without technology. I can't even say that this was a successful task.After not being able to go without my cell phone, I decided I would just try not to check my Facebook account. Well before I could even give it a second thought, I ended up checking it. I communicate with co-workers, classmates, and family members everyday through my cell phone, Facebook, and emails. There are lots of people that rely on me and I have so many obligations that it's hard to not use technology. I am a student, an employee, and the oldest child in a city with little family. Therefore, my daily responsibilities never have a stopping point. Most of my classes this semester require me to use the internet for homework and assignments. Being that I have to actually work to pay for school and my bills, my job and billing companies contact me through email. I can honestly say that people in this day and age greatly depend on technology. It was really an eye opener for me to see that I could not stop the use of technology, for even a whole day. Everyone that I know, uses technology on a daily basis. It's lurking around every corner and it's almost as natural as breathing. Technology is important and I've learned through this assignment that it's something that I cannot avoid. ![]( "http://cdn1.iconfinder.com/data/icons/iconsland-weather/PNG/256x256/no technology border=")
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Blog Post # 12
1.) Watch the video iPad in Literacy: Using iPad in the Classroom. In two paragraphs, tell me your thoughts about the video and how you think using the iPad to promote literacy would work in the classroom. Follow the requirements in Writing A Quality Blog Post.
2.)After watching the video, tell me how you would use technology in your classroom. Follow the requirements in Writing A Quality Blog Post.
1.) I absolutely loved this videoThe video shows how the kids, themselves, actually feel about learning with the iPad. They seem so enthusiastic about the iPad and all of the things that the application teaches them. using the iPad to learn how to read and spell words is a great idea because it's hands on and most kids need something that's audible and visual. One of my favorite things in the video is the fact the students were helping each other learn and that is a great thing. From the little experience I've had working with children, I've seen that they feel good about themselves and learning when they are able to be interactive.
The iPad, in my opinion, can be used with all subjects because again , it gives kids the opportunity to teach themselves and feel a sense of accomplishment. I mean, just from watching this video you can see how much the children actually enjoy it. As a future educator, I want my students to feel as if they are bringing something to the table by interacting with tools such as the iPad, instead of feeling that learning is a chore. These days you can do almost anything with technology, and the iPad in particular is one of the greatest learning devices.
2.) In the future, I plan on using the iPad and blogs in my classroom. These two forms of technology are my favorite types of learning tools. Before entering EDM 310, I planned on being the old fashioned teacher who taught students strictly from the book and the "board." This class has taught me the importance of implementing different types of technology in the classroom. Blogging will be a great way for my students interact with each other and other teachers, to share ideas and peer reviews and critiques. Also it will open up a medium for parents to be able to see what their children are doing in school. In addition to blogging, the iPad will be a resourceful tool because, as a future elementary school teacher, young kids can be hands on with their learning and can be helpful in teaching one another different things like reading and writing.
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Progress Report on Final Project
My group and I really like the idea of using the Smart board and we have discussed different things that we could do with it. We have used Facebook and text messages as a way of communicating with each other. In the next week or so we plan on meeting up to make a final decision about how we want to use the Smart board for our project.
C4K Blog Challenge
My student's name was Dylan, who is a very adventurous child. In his blog he talks about how he like to ride quads and snowmobiles. He describes how he likes the rush of hitting mud holes in his quad and racing across the fields in his snow mobiles. My comment to Dylan was:
Wow Dylan!
You have some pretty cool interests! I have never rode a quad nor a snowmobile but it seems like it's really fun. Maybe one day I will get up enough courage to try at least one of them. I would love to read more blogs from you! Keep up the good work!
The second blog Dylan posted was about his family. He compared them to the "Three Stooges," which I thought was cute. His mom works at a pizza place, and his step-dad is a mechanic.
Hey Dylan,
Your blog was funny. I like how you compared your family to the "Three Stooges." I think it's a great idea to fix cars because everyone always needs a mechanic. My dream job is to become an elementary school principal. I love children! I look forward to reading more blog posts from you!
Dylan's next post is titled,Halloween. He talks about how it's one of his favorite holidays because you get to eat candy.
Hey Dylan!
I like Halloween too, because you get to dress up! Christmas is my all time favorite though. You should write more blogs because I enjoy reading them. I look forward to reading more! Aneelis Had an Encounter with a Beautiful Butterfly My last student Aneelis, visited a butterfly creek with her class and one happened to land on her arm. Aneelis, I think it's pretty cool that the butterfly landed on your arms. The picture is beautiful!
Wow Dylan!
You have some pretty cool interests! I have never rode a quad nor a snowmobile but it seems like it's really fun. Maybe one day I will get up enough courage to try at least one of them. I would love to read more blogs from you! Keep up the good work!
The second blog Dylan posted was about his family. He compared them to the "Three Stooges," which I thought was cute. His mom works at a pizza place, and his step-dad is a mechanic.
Hey Dylan,
Your blog was funny. I like how you compared your family to the "Three Stooges." I think it's a great idea to fix cars because everyone always needs a mechanic. My dream job is to become an elementary school principal. I love children! I look forward to reading more blog posts from you!
Dylan's next post is titled,Halloween. He talks about how it's one of his favorite holidays because you get to eat candy.
Hey Dylan!
I like Halloween too, because you get to dress up! Christmas is my all time favorite though. You should write more blogs because I enjoy reading them. I look forward to reading more! Aneelis Had an Encounter with a Beautiful Butterfly My last student Aneelis, visited a butterfly creek with her class and one happened to land on her arm. Aneelis, I think it's pretty cool that the butterfly landed on your arms. The picture is beautiful!
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Blog Post # 11
Watching the video, Skype Interview with Ms.Cassidy was interesting! She talks about how the use of technology in the classroom benefits her students' learning. I agree with her. I like the fact that she incorporates blogging into her class. This is one technique that I enjoy now and I think kids would definitely enjoy it. Blogging helps you be able to share your ideas with other teachers and students around the world. In regards to children blogging, it's a great way for their parents to be able to look at their work and see what they're doing in school. It's also fun for the students. I've learned more about the importance of technology in the classroom, with all of the different videos we've watched in this class. Though, I will not solely rely on this to educate my students, I think blogging would be an important part of their learning.
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Blog Post # 10
Do You Teach or Do You Educate?
This video was really good! I love how it was put together and the music that was chosen. I definitely can say that the points made about "educating," were amazing. I plan on educating, in my future teaching. My goal is lead my students to success, in the small time I spend with them.
I don't want to just show them something and have them memorize it to move on to the next grade. I want them to be able to retain any knowledge in a way that will let them carry it with them in the following grades to come. Anything that my students learn from me should be something that they can teach to others, if necessary. I want to educate my students in all areas of life, if possible. As a future educator, I want to be encouraging, inspiring, and reliable.
Tom Johnson's Don't Let Them Take The Pencils Home
Don't Let Them Take the Pencils Home, was interesting. I never, before, even payed any attention to the fact the most teachers focus more on the cause of a problem, rather than the solution. Now that it has been brought to my attention, I must say that it all makes sense to me now. As a student, I have encountered teachers that would always tell us why a certain plan failed, but then when were left clueless about what to do next. It was like, "Well that didn't work, so we won't do that again," instead of "Well that didn't work, so let's try and understand why, and come up with a solution!" Many times teachers are too focused on test scores and in what manner the child is completing their project. In my opinion, it does not matter if the child is "playing hangman with their pencils," as long as some type of effective learning is taking place. Teachers should stay focused on the best way to help children succeed and realize that "our" plan for their learning, may not be what's best for their learning! Let's pick solutions to problems rather than dwell on their causes.
This video was really good! I love how it was put together and the music that was chosen. I definitely can say that the points made about "educating," were amazing. I plan on educating, in my future teaching. My goal is lead my students to success, in the small time I spend with them.
I don't want to just show them something and have them memorize it to move on to the next grade. I want them to be able to retain any knowledge in a way that will let them carry it with them in the following grades to come. Anything that my students learn from me should be something that they can teach to others, if necessary. I want to educate my students in all areas of life, if possible. As a future educator, I want to be encouraging, inspiring, and reliable.
Tom Johnson's Don't Let Them Take The Pencils Home
Don't Let Them Take the Pencils Home, was interesting. I never, before, even payed any attention to the fact the most teachers focus more on the cause of a problem, rather than the solution. Now that it has been brought to my attention, I must say that it all makes sense to me now. As a student, I have encountered teachers that would always tell us why a certain plan failed, but then when were left clueless about what to do next. It was like, "Well that didn't work, so we won't do that again," instead of "Well that didn't work, so let's try and understand why, and come up with a solution!" Many times teachers are too focused on test scores and in what manner the child is completing their project. In my opinion, it does not matter if the child is "playing hangman with their pencils," as long as some type of effective learning is taking place. Teachers should stay focused on the best way to help children succeed and realize that "our" plan for their learning, may not be what's best for their learning! Let's pick solutions to problems rather than dwell on their causes.
Friday, March 30, 2012
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Blog Post #9
What I've Learned This Year 2008-09
This blog What I've Learned This Year, Mr.McClung talks about his first year of teaching. He talks about his expectations going into teaching and his realizations. He listed some tips that I feel would be very helpful to my future as a teacher. Mr.McClung made an interesting point that as he entered his first year of teaching, he focused so much on how his superiors viewed his teaching delivery that he forgot to consider how his students viewed his delivery. This was important to me because I know that even as a student I focus so much on the accuracy of my work, that I forget to consider the importance of the content I'm turning in. This was a great point that I will definitely take with me.
Another great point, was that no lesson plan is perfect and it we should always be flexible. If you make mistakes, then you should keep on going and "work with them." I had the misconception that teachers are expected to be perfect, when they enter the field. I see now the reality of teaching , that I never considered. Communicating with your students and peers helps you to have better relationships with both. Mr.McClung suggests that we should be flexible and as teachers we should always take into consideration that we are dealing with children and we shouldn't hold them to such high standards all the time. That is important and as teachers we should handle our students with care and understanding. Throughout this EDM class, we have discussed the use of and importance of technology in the classrooms. Mr. McClung just reinforces what we have learned about technology in the classrooms, by saying that we need to not be afraid of it and incorporate it into our classes. Another one of my favorite points he made in his blog post was that we must listen to our students. As a student, I have found that I have had teachers that have listened to me and that have not listened to me. This is important and lets students know that we are there for them. The last point Mr. McClung made was that teachers should never stop learning. Just because you have passed the necessary tests to become a teacher and went through the needed years of schooling, does not mean that you are done learning. The more you learn, the more your teaching styles can improve. Ultimately incorporating all of these different tips into your career as a teacher will help me become a better teacher!
What I Learned This Year 2010-11
Three years after the previous blog, Mr.McClung wrote What I Learned This Year (2010-2011). This post shows how he has grown as a teacher. His teaching expanded to becoming a coach and a computer applications teacher. I absolutely loved the quote that he put into his post that said,"Our decision making process should always be student centered and not centered around pleasing adults." This quote is simple but says a lot. I took from it that as teachers we may become so wrapped up in the opinions of their peers and their daily life problems, that we may lose sight that students are the main focus. Loved it! He also made a huge point by stating that we should always stay true to ourselves and our beliefs, even if the only person who believes with you, is you. That is important not only for teachers, but for everybody. "Never touch the keyboard!" Wow! Can you say powerful?! I love this statement because it basically says that we should let our students learn on their own and not do the work for them. Saving the best for last, my most favorite point of Mr.McClung's blog is that as teachers we should never get to comfortable. As a student I become bored with the same old, same old. So continually shaking up the lesson plans and techniques will be a vital part of my teaching. I never want to just get in a position where everything becomes a routine and ultimately boring. I admire Mr. McClung for his honesty and optimism. Out of all the things I've read in this class so far, I can honestly say his blogs were my favorite and I plan on taking his advice with me in the future.
This blog What I've Learned This Year, Mr.McClung talks about his first year of teaching. He talks about his expectations going into teaching and his realizations. He listed some tips that I feel would be very helpful to my future as a teacher. Mr.McClung made an interesting point that as he entered his first year of teaching, he focused so much on how his superiors viewed his teaching delivery that he forgot to consider how his students viewed his delivery. This was important to me because I know that even as a student I focus so much on the accuracy of my work, that I forget to consider the importance of the content I'm turning in. This was a great point that I will definitely take with me.
Another great point, was that no lesson plan is perfect and it we should always be flexible. If you make mistakes, then you should keep on going and "work with them." I had the misconception that teachers are expected to be perfect, when they enter the field. I see now the reality of teaching , that I never considered. Communicating with your students and peers helps you to have better relationships with both. Mr.McClung suggests that we should be flexible and as teachers we should always take into consideration that we are dealing with children and we shouldn't hold them to such high standards all the time. That is important and as teachers we should handle our students with care and understanding. Throughout this EDM class, we have discussed the use of and importance of technology in the classrooms. Mr. McClung just reinforces what we have learned about technology in the classrooms, by saying that we need to not be afraid of it and incorporate it into our classes. Another one of my favorite points he made in his blog post was that we must listen to our students. As a student, I have found that I have had teachers that have listened to me and that have not listened to me. This is important and lets students know that we are there for them. The last point Mr. McClung made was that teachers should never stop learning. Just because you have passed the necessary tests to become a teacher and went through the needed years of schooling, does not mean that you are done learning. The more you learn, the more your teaching styles can improve. Ultimately incorporating all of these different tips into your career as a teacher will help me become a better teacher!
What I Learned This Year 2010-11
Three years after the previous blog, Mr.McClung wrote What I Learned This Year (2010-2011). This post shows how he has grown as a teacher. His teaching expanded to becoming a coach and a computer applications teacher. I absolutely loved the quote that he put into his post that said,"Our decision making process should always be student centered and not centered around pleasing adults." This quote is simple but says a lot. I took from it that as teachers we may become so wrapped up in the opinions of their peers and their daily life problems, that we may lose sight that students are the main focus. Loved it! He also made a huge point by stating that we should always stay true to ourselves and our beliefs, even if the only person who believes with you, is you. That is important not only for teachers, but for everybody. "Never touch the keyboard!" Wow! Can you say powerful?! I love this statement because it basically says that we should let our students learn on their own and not do the work for them. Saving the best for last, my most favorite point of Mr.McClung's blog is that as teachers we should never get to comfortable. As a student I become bored with the same old, same old. So continually shaking up the lesson plans and techniques will be a vital part of my teaching. I never want to just get in a position where everything becomes a routine and ultimately boring. I admire Mr. McClung for his honesty and optimism. Out of all the things I've read in this class so far, I can honestly say his blogs were my favorite and I plan on taking his advice with me in the future.
C4T #3
My teacher for this week's name is Jenna Bentley. The name of the blog is Perception is the Key to Survival. This blog began by asking the question," Is the glass half empty or half full?" In this nlog Jenna talks abvout how Pi in the The life of Pi views life. Pi relied greatly on his devotion to religion when it came to the destiny of his life and survival. he depended on only the things around him to survive, with the beliefs that God would control his fate. The closer he got to his death, the more he held on to his beliefs while stranded on the life raft. At one point Pi mentally gave up on his devotion and was given another chance at life because he had been so dedicated. The point of Jenna telling about Pi, was to encourage people that even though times get tough, you should keep on going and never give up on yourself. Jenna ends this blog by saying" everything will be ok." My response to Jenna's blog was:
Hi!
My name is Kiala Burnette and I am a student in the University of South Alabama's EDM 310 class. This class teaches us how to blog and how technology can affect the classroom. I enjoyed reading your blog this week. I, too agree that even though things in life may get hard sometimes, we should always try and look past the bad and continue to move forward. Pi's journey is very inspiring. To know that someone continued to hold on to their beliefs even though they were facing death, deserves the up-most admiration. That story is encouraging and a true life lesson.
The next post that I commented, by my teacher, is called Recipe for Defeating Fear. In this blog Jenna again refers to Pi Patel to show how he defeats fear of all things around him. The blog then lists two steps that one can take in order to defeat fear. Step one is "coming to terms" with your fear. Pi did so by realizing that no one would come to rescue him from the lifeboat in the middle of the ocean. Step two is "taking action." In the book Pi does this by deciding that if he is stuck on his lifeboat then he must do whatever it takes to survive. He does so by killing to feed himself and fighting beats. His will to survive was strong enough to keep him alive and weaken his fear. The point I feel Jenna was trying to make with this blog post was that, we all have fear, but it is up to is to take action and overcome our fear by any means necessary. My comment to her post was:
Hi!
This blog post post really hit home with me. I let a lot of things go by because I allow fear to hold me back. I completely agree that fear can defeat life and the only way to overcome it is to come to terms with it and take action. The comparison, again, to Pi's journey was really good. You made your point very well. I can't wait to read more posts from you!
Sincerely,
Kiala
The last post from my teacher is titled, Just Believe. In it she talks about religion. This blog was just another one of her well-written blogs that challenged my thinking and forced me to consider things that I never I have never considered. Basically, this blog talks about how people of all different beliefs and religions all rely on the concept of "believing," because they need something to believe in to help them escape from reality. If you think about it, it's true. I mean I am a Christian and I believe in a certain set of values and beliefs, but I can agree that everyone relies on an outside source to be able to handle their own lives and circumstances. Even if we don't believe in the same God, we still all stand for some type of beliefs or follow some set of guidelines to go by in our lives. But the question is,"Why do we need to believe in something?" I guess the answer is just the simple quote at the end of her blog. "Because hope is our raft, and despite what it is made out of, without it we would all drown."
Wow!
This is just another blog that makes me think. All of your blogs are really challenging to the mind and insightful. I like to think of myself as a Christian and I am pretty faithful to my beliefs. However, I can totally understand what your saying, because if you think about it hard enough, it's all true. People do need something to believe in to escape from their realities. I can't wait to read more from you because these blogs make me go into depth with my thoughts and force me to think about the unknown.
Hi!
My name is Kiala Burnette and I am a student in the University of South Alabama's EDM 310 class. This class teaches us how to blog and how technology can affect the classroom. I enjoyed reading your blog this week. I, too agree that even though things in life may get hard sometimes, we should always try and look past the bad and continue to move forward. Pi's journey is very inspiring. To know that someone continued to hold on to their beliefs even though they were facing death, deserves the up-most admiration. That story is encouraging and a true life lesson.
The next post that I commented, by my teacher, is called Recipe for Defeating Fear. In this blog Jenna again refers to Pi Patel to show how he defeats fear of all things around him. The blog then lists two steps that one can take in order to defeat fear. Step one is "coming to terms" with your fear. Pi did so by realizing that no one would come to rescue him from the lifeboat in the middle of the ocean. Step two is "taking action." In the book Pi does this by deciding that if he is stuck on his lifeboat then he must do whatever it takes to survive. He does so by killing to feed himself and fighting beats. His will to survive was strong enough to keep him alive and weaken his fear. The point I feel Jenna was trying to make with this blog post was that, we all have fear, but it is up to is to take action and overcome our fear by any means necessary. My comment to her post was:
Hi!
This blog post post really hit home with me. I let a lot of things go by because I allow fear to hold me back. I completely agree that fear can defeat life and the only way to overcome it is to come to terms with it and take action. The comparison, again, to Pi's journey was really good. You made your point very well. I can't wait to read more posts from you!
Sincerely,
Kiala
The last post from my teacher is titled, Just Believe. In it she talks about religion. This blog was just another one of her well-written blogs that challenged my thinking and forced me to consider things that I never I have never considered. Basically, this blog talks about how people of all different beliefs and religions all rely on the concept of "believing," because they need something to believe in to help them escape from reality. If you think about it, it's true. I mean I am a Christian and I believe in a certain set of values and beliefs, but I can agree that everyone relies on an outside source to be able to handle their own lives and circumstances. Even if we don't believe in the same God, we still all stand for some type of beliefs or follow some set of guidelines to go by in our lives. But the question is,"Why do we need to believe in something?" I guess the answer is just the simple quote at the end of her blog. "Because hope is our raft, and despite what it is made out of, without it we would all drown."
Wow!
This is just another blog that makes me think. All of your blogs are really challenging to the mind and insightful. I like to think of myself as a Christian and I am pretty faithful to my beliefs. However, I can totally understand what your saying, because if you think about it hard enough, it's all true. People do need something to believe in to escape from their realities. I can't wait to read more from you because these blogs make me go into depth with my thoughts and force me to think about the unknown.
C4K for March
C4K #6
My student this week, Kaitlyn, made up a quiz with pictures of different things that you had to guess. It was a little hard for me but it wasa fun idea.
My response was:
Hey Kaitlyn!
I'm a student at the University of South Alabama and I'm in a class called EDM 310, where we learn how to blog. I really loved your idea of making up a quiz and I may use it on one of my next blogs. I only knew a few of the answers. Even though I failed it, it was very fun trying to guess the answers. Hopefully I can do better next time! Keep up the good work!
My student this week, Kaitlyn, made up a quiz with pictures of different things that you had to guess. It was a little hard for me but it wasa fun idea.
My response was:
Hey Kaitlyn!
I'm a student at the University of South Alabama and I'm in a class called EDM 310, where we learn how to blog. I really loved your idea of making up a quiz and I may use it on one of my next blogs. I only knew a few of the answers. Even though I failed it, it was very fun trying to guess the answers. Hopefully I can do better next time! Keep up the good work!
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Blog Post # 8
This Is How We Dream Parts 1 and 2
Both videos, This is How We dream Parts 1 and 2, were both quite interesting. Richard Miller discusses how multimedia can be used to change education and how communication is being changed.
In the videos he discusses two types of changes, fundamental and incremental. Miller also says that "technology is an incremental change, not a fundamental change." Everyday new forms of technology are being created and we are becoming more reliant on our computers for information rather going to the library to find information. Technology makes it easier for us to find out things, without having to do more than a click of a few buttons. Technology also corrects our mistakes, therefore dictionaries and other books are of a lesser need to us now.
One of my favorite quotes from the video is,"Ideas don't belong to us individually, but belong to us as a culture." This quote just goes to show you that technology also allows people to collaborate with others on ideas, which makes it easier for people to share the things they know with others, while still gaining knowledge themselves. Multimedia does make education more interesting and I can see myself using it one day in my classrooms. As I've stated in my other blogs, I will not be totally reliant on technology but I will still incorporate the ideas I have learned into my classrooms because I feel that they are important skills that will contribute to the teaching experience.
Carly Pugh's Blog Post 12
I absolutely loved Carly Pugh's Blog Post #12. All of her thoughts and ideas were pretty interesting and good. The video that she gave as an example, challenged me to shed some light on how I would respond to some of those questions. I love how she thought deeply about her assignment and gave examples of different topics in her playlist. She had such enthusiasm about her blog post and I just loved her videos throughout her post.
The Chipper Series
The Chipper Series was very interesting. I thought it was funny as well. The underlying message from the video was to not be like Chipper. Chipper procrastinated and did everything she could to take the easier route that did not require her to do any work. In the end it didn't do her any good because she was not as successful as should have been if she would have stayed in school and followed directions. Although the video was funny, it really made me reflect on my work ethic. I find myself sometimes behaving like Chipper did in the video and in reality this could very well happen to me or any student that wants to do school in their own way.
EDM for Dummies was pretty good video and showed exactly what a lot of EDM students are going through. It was funny and creative. Being creative is one of the hardest things for me to do, and after watching The Chipper Series and EDM for Dummies I really had no clue of what idea to come up with. I put a little thought into the assignment instruction and finally came up with something that fit me best. If I were to do a video for the class, I would probably take two EDM students and make a slightly exaggerated video of the different roads they took while in the class. One student would follow the rules in the class and do what they're supposed to do, while the other procrastinates and somewhat does what Chipper did by handling the class their own way. At the end of the video, I would show how each student's life ended up and compare the successes in life. The point of the video would be that if you follow the rules, you will have a better outcome.
Learn to Change, Change to Learn
Learn to Change, Change to Learn, is one of the many videos that I've watched in this class that has changed some of my views of technology in the classroom. In the video, different teachers discuss their different views on education and how it is changing everyday. Before taking this class I was not really educated on every side of the debate of technology in the classrooms, therefore my opinion was that I really didn't care that much for it. Now every week that I do my assignments for the class, I can say that my opinions have changed. I believe that education is changing everyday, and from experience I can say that if I don't change and grow with it, I will definitely be left behind. Change is good, especially in the classroom because it is teaching students not only the necessary schooling that they need, but skills they need in their everyday life.
Scavenger Hunt 2.0
1) The first thing I found on my scavenger hunt was the website Edmodo. Edmodo is similar to Facebook, but it's more specific to teachers and students. After creating my account I found that this website allows teachers to communicate with other teachers and students. Teachers can post assignments and homework on this site. There is a page for grades and a calender to keep the teacher organized. This is pretty cool and I'm sure very helpful for students and teachers.
2) The website that probably created this video was Animoto. They have a deal under pricing for teachers and students called Animoto Plus that costs $30 a year and $5 a minth. This is pretty affordable for both students and teachers.
3) The last thing on my scavenger hunt is Digimi. I found this website pretty cool. This website allows you to create avatars of yourself with one picture. You can create what you want it to look like by designing everything from its face to its clothes. This could be useful if you're trying to create a video that is entertaining as well as educational.
Both videos, This is How We dream Parts 1 and 2, were both quite interesting. Richard Miller discusses how multimedia can be used to change education and how communication is being changed.
In the videos he discusses two types of changes, fundamental and incremental. Miller also says that "technology is an incremental change, not a fundamental change." Everyday new forms of technology are being created and we are becoming more reliant on our computers for information rather going to the library to find information. Technology makes it easier for us to find out things, without having to do more than a click of a few buttons. Technology also corrects our mistakes, therefore dictionaries and other books are of a lesser need to us now.
One of my favorite quotes from the video is,"Ideas don't belong to us individually, but belong to us as a culture." This quote just goes to show you that technology also allows people to collaborate with others on ideas, which makes it easier for people to share the things they know with others, while still gaining knowledge themselves. Multimedia does make education more interesting and I can see myself using it one day in my classrooms. As I've stated in my other blogs, I will not be totally reliant on technology but I will still incorporate the ideas I have learned into my classrooms because I feel that they are important skills that will contribute to the teaching experience.
Carly Pugh's Blog Post 12
I absolutely loved Carly Pugh's Blog Post #12. All of her thoughts and ideas were pretty interesting and good. The video that she gave as an example, challenged me to shed some light on how I would respond to some of those questions. I love how she thought deeply about her assignment and gave examples of different topics in her playlist. She had such enthusiasm about her blog post and I just loved her videos throughout her post.
The Chipper Series
The Chipper Series was very interesting. I thought it was funny as well. The underlying message from the video was to not be like Chipper. Chipper procrastinated and did everything she could to take the easier route that did not require her to do any work. In the end it didn't do her any good because she was not as successful as should have been if she would have stayed in school and followed directions. Although the video was funny, it really made me reflect on my work ethic. I find myself sometimes behaving like Chipper did in the video and in reality this could very well happen to me or any student that wants to do school in their own way.
EDM for Dummies was pretty good video and showed exactly what a lot of EDM students are going through. It was funny and creative. Being creative is one of the hardest things for me to do, and after watching The Chipper Series and EDM for Dummies I really had no clue of what idea to come up with. I put a little thought into the assignment instruction and finally came up with something that fit me best. If I were to do a video for the class, I would probably take two EDM students and make a slightly exaggerated video of the different roads they took while in the class. One student would follow the rules in the class and do what they're supposed to do, while the other procrastinates and somewhat does what Chipper did by handling the class their own way. At the end of the video, I would show how each student's life ended up and compare the successes in life. The point of the video would be that if you follow the rules, you will have a better outcome.
Learn to Change, Change to Learn
Learn to Change, Change to Learn, is one of the many videos that I've watched in this class that has changed some of my views of technology in the classroom. In the video, different teachers discuss their different views on education and how it is changing everyday. Before taking this class I was not really educated on every side of the debate of technology in the classrooms, therefore my opinion was that I really didn't care that much for it. Now every week that I do my assignments for the class, I can say that my opinions have changed. I believe that education is changing everyday, and from experience I can say that if I don't change and grow with it, I will definitely be left behind. Change is good, especially in the classroom because it is teaching students not only the necessary schooling that they need, but skills they need in their everyday life.
Scavenger Hunt 2.0
1) The first thing I found on my scavenger hunt was the website Edmodo. Edmodo is similar to Facebook, but it's more specific to teachers and students. After creating my account I found that this website allows teachers to communicate with other teachers and students. Teachers can post assignments and homework on this site. There is a page for grades and a calender to keep the teacher organized. This is pretty cool and I'm sure very helpful for students and teachers.
2) The website that probably created this video was Animoto. They have a deal under pricing for teachers and students called Animoto Plus that costs $30 a year and $5 a minth. This is pretty affordable for both students and teachers.
3) The last thing on my scavenger hunt is Digimi. I found this website pretty cool. This website allows you to create avatars of yourself with one picture. You can create what you want it to look like by designing everything from its face to its clothes. This could be useful if you're trying to create a video that is entertaining as well as educational.
Friday, March 9, 2012
Project #10 PLN
This is my first time creating a PLN and I think it's really helpful. I've added a few links to my PLN that I use everyday but I will continue to work on adding more resources daily. I see myself using this, even after the EDM is over.
Blog Post # 7
The Networked Student
I enjoyed the video The Networked Student. It showed how students can become their own teachers in a way. I'm definitely all for the networking student, although I focus my attention more on having a teacher there to teach students. It's important to have both web-based classes and actual teachers, in my opinion. Education is changing everyday and it's really important to teach students to think for themselves and raise questions that can stimulate their minds and encourage them to educate themselves further.
By being a "networked student," this gives you control over your own and education and helps you to build connections with other people. Sharing your ideas and getting feedback is healthy for students and beneficial to their learning. Networking gives the students a way to be more hands-on with their learning in my opinion. I like the idea and think that it should be blended with the traditional style of teaching.
"Why does the networked student even need a teacher?" It's simple to me! The networked student needs a teacher to guide and support them. Teachers are the most important base of the "building blocks" of learning. They are the go-to about everything that you may have questions about.It will always be necessary to have teachers because although technology is a resourceful and extremely educational tool in students' education, it's also important to have a live person guiding their educational journey.
A 7th Grader's Personal Learning Environment (or PLN
This video, A 7th Grader's Personal Learning Environment (or PLN, taught me a lot. I absolutely love this way of learning. I had never before heard of a PLN until I began this class. PLN's keep you organized and responsible. I love it because everything that you need it is easily accessible. I like how this seventh grader used her science class as an example to show how you can organize. She really taught me a new way to utilize tools on the internet.
I enjoyed the video The Networked Student. It showed how students can become their own teachers in a way. I'm definitely all for the networking student, although I focus my attention more on having a teacher there to teach students. It's important to have both web-based classes and actual teachers, in my opinion. Education is changing everyday and it's really important to teach students to think for themselves and raise questions that can stimulate their minds and encourage them to educate themselves further.
By being a "networked student," this gives you control over your own and education and helps you to build connections with other people. Sharing your ideas and getting feedback is healthy for students and beneficial to their learning. Networking gives the students a way to be more hands-on with their learning in my opinion. I like the idea and think that it should be blended with the traditional style of teaching.
"Why does the networked student even need a teacher?" It's simple to me! The networked student needs a teacher to guide and support them. Teachers are the most important base of the "building blocks" of learning. They are the go-to about everything that you may have questions about.It will always be necessary to have teachers because although technology is a resourceful and extremely educational tool in students' education, it's also important to have a live person guiding their educational journey.
A 7th Grader's Personal Learning Environment (or PLN
This video, A 7th Grader's Personal Learning Environment (or PLN, taught me a lot. I absolutely love this way of learning. I had never before heard of a PLN until I began this class. PLN's keep you organized and responsible. I love it because everything that you need it is easily accessible. I like how this seventh grader used her science class as an example to show how you can organize. She really taught me a new way to utilize tools on the internet.
C4T #2
The teacher I was assigned to is named Diane Dahl. She has a Master's degree in Brain Based Teaching through Brain Smart at Nova Southeastern University. Her first blog was called Arithmetic Developed Daily. In this blog she spoke about a program she uses in classes called Arithmetic Developed Daily (ADD). This program uses techniques that allow students to do warm up math exercises for 5-7 minutes each day. She also said that this same technique could be used for other subjects such as reading, science, writing, and social studies. I found this very interesting and something I would try to incorporate into my future classes, to get my students' brain pumping each day. My response was:
This was really interesting to me. I think that ADD Math is a good idea and I would look forward to implementing that into my classroom lesson plans when I become a teacher. It's good to stimulate a child's mind in the morning with quick math lessons to get the day started.
Diane second blog is titled,How One Teacher Changed a Life.This was such a great blog post. Diane told a personal story about a girl whose teacher impacted her life greatly, with just one comment, "You are smart. I expect more out of you than this." The girl had been told her whole life that she was the "pretty" daughter, and she had a pretty low self-esteem about herself This comment by the teacher,Mr.Rose, pushed her to go on and make straight A's. She then furthered her education by getting her Master's degree and becoming a teacher.
The point of her story was to show how as teachers, you can plant seeds in children. Diane made a great point of saying that planting positive seeds early in students can show them that they are capable, no matter what type of upbringing they've had or environment they've grown up in. I agree 100% with Diane. If students do not feel good about themselves and do not have a healthy home life, then it is our job as teachers is to plant that seed in them because for eight hours of the day, we are responsible for them. We also have a big influence on them. If we put forth positive energy in their lives, then they will certainly do the same, if not immediately, then surely one day in their life. My comment to this post was:
Hi!
I am a student at the University of South Alabama and I am in a class called EDM 310 where we learn about blogging and different things. I must say that this was my favorite blog that I've read so far. I totally agree that the gift of "planting seeds" is the most powerful. I'm very happy that this one teacher motivated you to become who you are. Teachers are some of the best people who, I feel, are the most capable of planting seeds in children because they spend the most time with them, besides their parents. Teachers are great influences! One of my biggest goals as a teacher is to reach as many students as I can in a positive way. I want to plant many seeds, just as Mr.Rose planted in you!
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Friday, March 2, 2012
Blog Post # 6
Randy Pausch's Last Lecture
Randy Pausch's Last Lecture was an amazing and inspiring video. I found it the most inspiring that he found the strength to continue on with his lecture even though he was diagnosed with terminal cancer. In this lecture entitled, Acheiving Your Childhood Dreams, he shares some personal goals that he had as a child and suggested ways in which others can do the same.
In this lecture he compared life to a football game. Pausch talked about how he learned the characteristics of teamwork and leadership. Both lessons, to me, are very useful tools that I can see myself practicing in the future with my students. Another lesson that I felt was very important was stepping outside of your comfort zone. This is important to me because I feel that a person would never know the extent of their full capabilities, unless they do new things. In fact, it's one of the most daring yet helpful things you can do in life. Challenging yourself is very important.
My favorite quote that Dr.Pausch used was that "brick walls show us how bad we want something." If we allowed every brick wall to stop us from reaching our goals, then how much in life would we really miss out on? A lot! Brick walls are put forth as an obstacle for you to overcome. That is an important lesson that I want to instill in my students, as a future teacher. I want to teach them not let a "brick wall" stop them from achieving their goals and to continue to push until you accomplish all that you set forth to accomplish.
I enjoyed this lecture more than I had anticipated to. The thing that stood out the most to me is that Randy Pausch used his own personal testimonials as a guide for this lecture. He opened himself up to students and taught important lessons while doing so. If I didn't have someone to model my teaching skills after, I have found that someone in Dr.Pausch.I hope that I can inspire my future students just as Randy Pausch did and teach them the same drive that he spoke of in his last lecture.
Randy Pausch's Last Lecture was an amazing and inspiring video. I found it the most inspiring that he found the strength to continue on with his lecture even though he was diagnosed with terminal cancer. In this lecture entitled, Acheiving Your Childhood Dreams, he shares some personal goals that he had as a child and suggested ways in which others can do the same.
In this lecture he compared life to a football game. Pausch talked about how he learned the characteristics of teamwork and leadership. Both lessons, to me, are very useful tools that I can see myself practicing in the future with my students. Another lesson that I felt was very important was stepping outside of your comfort zone. This is important to me because I feel that a person would never know the extent of their full capabilities, unless they do new things. In fact, it's one of the most daring yet helpful things you can do in life. Challenging yourself is very important.
My favorite quote that Dr.Pausch used was that "brick walls show us how bad we want something." If we allowed every brick wall to stop us from reaching our goals, then how much in life would we really miss out on? A lot! Brick walls are put forth as an obstacle for you to overcome. That is an important lesson that I want to instill in my students, as a future teacher. I want to teach them not let a "brick wall" stop them from achieving their goals and to continue to push until you accomplish all that you set forth to accomplish.
I enjoyed this lecture more than I had anticipated to. The thing that stood out the most to me is that Randy Pausch used his own personal testimonials as a guide for this lecture. He opened himself up to students and taught important lessons while doing so. If I didn't have someone to model my teaching skills after, I have found that someone in Dr.Pausch.I hope that I can inspire my future students just as Randy Pausch did and teach them the same drive that he spoke of in his last lecture.
C4K for February
C4K #1:
This blog was written by an 8th grader named Marissa. She wrote a very creative short piece for a setting of a story. My response to her was:
Hi Marissa!
I really enjoyed the piece you wrote for a setting of a story. You are really creative and have a great imagination. I would look forward to reading stories from you in the future if you were to continue writing. Keep up the good work!
C4K #2:
My student,Axford, wrote about his hobbies which included playing his DS and Wii game system. He also talked about his favorite movies. My response was:
Hello!
I enjoyed reading about your hobbies. I have a little sister who also loves to play her DS and Wii games. She has more games than I can count. I sometimes like to play with her. My favorite Wii game is Michael Jackson:The Experience.
C4K #3:
My student this week's name was Quincy. He wrote a blog called New Orleans Skyping. In it, he wrote about the things he learned from skyping another student in New Orleans. The student taught him the meanings of the colors purple (Justice), green (Faith), and gold (Power). She also taught him about Mardi Gras and the traditions that go along with it, such as the king cake. My response to him was:
Wow Quincy!
I really enjoyed reading about the things you’ve learned about New Orleans. I was born there, but now I live in Alabama. We celebrate Mardi Gras here as well. Last week was Mardi Gras and I went to New Orleans to celebrate it. I celebrated in my hometown too. It was really fun and I caught all types of cool things. Hopefully one day you’ll be able to attend a Mardi Gras parade. You taught me things that I never knew. I have always wondered what the baby in the King cake was and what Fleur de Lis meant. Thank you for teaching me something new!
C4K #4:
My student wrote a blog this week called "Dana the Dingo." Her blog name was puppylover. My guess is she really likes dogs because her story was about different dogs, in which she gave names too. My response to the blog was:
Hi! My name is Kiala Burnette and I am a student in a class called EDM 310, at the University of South Alabama. In my class, we learn how to blog. I really enjoyed your blog. It was really cool how you named the dogs. Your story seemed as if it was going to be a great one. Keep up the good work!
This blog was written by an 8th grader named Marissa. She wrote a very creative short piece for a setting of a story. My response to her was:
Hi Marissa!
I really enjoyed the piece you wrote for a setting of a story. You are really creative and have a great imagination. I would look forward to reading stories from you in the future if you were to continue writing. Keep up the good work!
C4K #2:
My student,Axford, wrote about his hobbies which included playing his DS and Wii game system. He also talked about his favorite movies. My response was:
Hello!
I enjoyed reading about your hobbies. I have a little sister who also loves to play her DS and Wii games. She has more games than I can count. I sometimes like to play with her. My favorite Wii game is Michael Jackson:The Experience.
C4K #3:
My student this week's name was Quincy. He wrote a blog called New Orleans Skyping. In it, he wrote about the things he learned from skyping another student in New Orleans. The student taught him the meanings of the colors purple (Justice), green (Faith), and gold (Power). She also taught him about Mardi Gras and the traditions that go along with it, such as the king cake. My response to him was:
Wow Quincy!
I really enjoyed reading about the things you’ve learned about New Orleans. I was born there, but now I live in Alabama. We celebrate Mardi Gras here as well. Last week was Mardi Gras and I went to New Orleans to celebrate it. I celebrated in my hometown too. It was really fun and I caught all types of cool things. Hopefully one day you’ll be able to attend a Mardi Gras parade. You taught me things that I never knew. I have always wondered what the baby in the King cake was and what Fleur de Lis meant. Thank you for teaching me something new!
C4K #4:
My student wrote a blog this week called "Dana the Dingo." Her blog name was puppylover. My guess is she really likes dogs because her story was about different dogs, in which she gave names too. My response to the blog was:
Hi! My name is Kiala Burnette and I am a student in a class called EDM 310, at the University of South Alabama. In my class, we learn how to blog. I really enjoyed your blog. It was really cool how you named the dogs. Your story seemed as if it was going to be a great one. Keep up the good work!
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Blog Post # 5
Don't Teach Your Kids This Stuff. Please?
This was very interesting blog by Scott McLeod. In this post, he makes points on how technology can be dangerous in the classroom for children. He mentions such dangers like child predators, porn, and chat rooms. While I can agree that these are major risks when dealing with technology and students, I can honestly say that technology is still a very useful tool. If we as teachers can monitor the use of technology closely and teach them correct ways to use it then we can avoid the dangers that technology can hold. Also, another point he made about teaching kids to write online instead of a pen and paper, challenged my thinking a bit. I can strongly agree with the fact that online writing is staking the place of manually writing. I mean, if students continue to use the computer to write papers and communicate with teachers then students will never need to learn how to use a pen, in the future. For that matter we wouldn't even have to teach them how to spell because the computer would just do all of the work for them.
I did a little research on Dr.McLeod and found out some background on him. He's an Associate Professor at the University of Kentucky. He also a founding director of the UCEA Center for the Advanced Study of Technology Leadership in Education. It is the nation's only academic center dedicated to the technology needs of administrators. McLeod has received many awards for his efforts and dedication to his work in technology leadership.
The iSchool Initiative
Travis Allen made great points with this video. He really caught my interest with his power point. The iSchool Initiative is basically a new way that technology can save money and help the environment in our schools by having everything accessible through the iPhone.Things such as assignments, agendas, lunch menus, and books could be accessed through the iphone. Allen proposed that by doing this students could be saved hundreds of dollars and have access to everything they need at anytime through phone or computer. This plan also provides a way for teachers and parents to always stay connected with the students progress in school. I would have to say that I am totally on board with the iSchool Initiative.
Mobile learning is an awesome idea. Everyday the world is becoming more and more reliant on technology and its benefits. Schools are also incorporating technology into its curriculum more now these days. The organization that Travis Allen has formed is revolutionary. Getting on board with the idea of mobile learning can only benefit everyone. The idea of having anytime access to grades, lesson plans, assignments, and anything associated with school, can save so much time and money for parents especially. There would be no more need for buying everything separately. If would all be in one place. I am sure that people would agree with me when I say that students would much rather spend one lump some of money for everything, than spend multiple large sums of money on books, supplies. and more.
Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir
This video blew me away! I wasn't expecting to see something this cool. The fact that something can be put together so beautifully from a group of strangers, who have never met is just awesome. Technology is a beautiful thing. It sounds as if these people have practiced together,rehearsed the song, and performed it together. This video absolutely amazed me and I loved it!
Teaching in the 21st Century
This was another challenging video for me. I think that what Roberts thinks it means to teach, is for teachers to actually implement a lesson for students instead of relying solely on technology to do so. As students we can find anything on the internet if we look hard enough. We could teach ourselves school related lessons without the use of the teacher, if we wanted to. By saying this, I'm saying that technology is a teacher in its self. Now, this video makes me think because everything that I know from school was taught to me through my teachers. But now that I'm in college, times have changed and technology has become a crutch. We use Twitter, Facebook, blog sites, emails, and YouTube for everything. After watching this video, I feel that it is going to be my job to make sure that when I become a teacher I don't solely rely on technology. I want my students to be able to say that I taught them lessons based on my knowledge and my words. The Internet is very helpful but if we only have that as our resource for learning, then what's the use of teaching?
Reading Rockets
I browsed through different links on this website and found that the many different resources for new teacher peaked my interest. I like that the website offers all of these tutorials, guides, and self exams for first-year teachers. It's almost like a confirmation for new teachers to help them be more reassured that they are ready in all areas of teaching. The website offers newsletters and articles on things you can expect your first year of teaching and things you can implement in your classes.
As I searched some more on this website, I found a very interesting and fun activity for teachers called, "Put Downs and Comebacks." I played this for a minute and it taught me how to respond to a child who is putting themselves down academically and the reasons why this could be happening. Thus activity covered situations in which maybe the child is feeling negative about their self and about different academics such as reading. I found this very helpful because it demonstrates ways that you can encourage a child, when they are feeling discouraged and down.
This was very interesting blog by Scott McLeod. In this post, he makes points on how technology can be dangerous in the classroom for children. He mentions such dangers like child predators, porn, and chat rooms. While I can agree that these are major risks when dealing with technology and students, I can honestly say that technology is still a very useful tool. If we as teachers can monitor the use of technology closely and teach them correct ways to use it then we can avoid the dangers that technology can hold. Also, another point he made about teaching kids to write online instead of a pen and paper, challenged my thinking a bit. I can strongly agree with the fact that online writing is staking the place of manually writing. I mean, if students continue to use the computer to write papers and communicate with teachers then students will never need to learn how to use a pen, in the future. For that matter we wouldn't even have to teach them how to spell because the computer would just do all of the work for them.
I did a little research on Dr.McLeod and found out some background on him. He's an Associate Professor at the University of Kentucky. He also a founding director of the UCEA Center for the Advanced Study of Technology Leadership in Education. It is the nation's only academic center dedicated to the technology needs of administrators. McLeod has received many awards for his efforts and dedication to his work in technology leadership.
The iSchool Initiative
Travis Allen made great points with this video. He really caught my interest with his power point. The iSchool Initiative is basically a new way that technology can save money and help the environment in our schools by having everything accessible through the iPhone.Things such as assignments, agendas, lunch menus, and books could be accessed through the iphone. Allen proposed that by doing this students could be saved hundreds of dollars and have access to everything they need at anytime through phone or computer. This plan also provides a way for teachers and parents to always stay connected with the students progress in school. I would have to say that I am totally on board with the iSchool Initiative.
Mobile learning is an awesome idea. Everyday the world is becoming more and more reliant on technology and its benefits. Schools are also incorporating technology into its curriculum more now these days. The organization that Travis Allen has formed is revolutionary. Getting on board with the idea of mobile learning can only benefit everyone. The idea of having anytime access to grades, lesson plans, assignments, and anything associated with school, can save so much time and money for parents especially. There would be no more need for buying everything separately. If would all be in one place. I am sure that people would agree with me when I say that students would much rather spend one lump some of money for everything, than spend multiple large sums of money on books, supplies. and more.
Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir
This video blew me away! I wasn't expecting to see something this cool. The fact that something can be put together so beautifully from a group of strangers, who have never met is just awesome. Technology is a beautiful thing. It sounds as if these people have practiced together,rehearsed the song, and performed it together. This video absolutely amazed me and I loved it!
Teaching in the 21st Century
This was another challenging video for me. I think that what Roberts thinks it means to teach, is for teachers to actually implement a lesson for students instead of relying solely on technology to do so. As students we can find anything on the internet if we look hard enough. We could teach ourselves school related lessons without the use of the teacher, if we wanted to. By saying this, I'm saying that technology is a teacher in its self. Now, this video makes me think because everything that I know from school was taught to me through my teachers. But now that I'm in college, times have changed and technology has become a crutch. We use Twitter, Facebook, blog sites, emails, and YouTube for everything. After watching this video, I feel that it is going to be my job to make sure that when I become a teacher I don't solely rely on technology. I want my students to be able to say that I taught them lessons based on my knowledge and my words. The Internet is very helpful but if we only have that as our resource for learning, then what's the use of teaching?
Reading Rockets
I browsed through different links on this website and found that the many different resources for new teacher peaked my interest. I like that the website offers all of these tutorials, guides, and self exams for first-year teachers. It's almost like a confirmation for new teachers to help them be more reassured that they are ready in all areas of teaching. The website offers newsletters and articles on things you can expect your first year of teaching and things you can implement in your classes.
As I searched some more on this website, I found a very interesting and fun activity for teachers called, "Put Downs and Comebacks." I played this for a minute and it taught me how to respond to a child who is putting themselves down academically and the reasons why this could be happening. Thus activity covered situations in which maybe the child is feeling negative about their self and about different academics such as reading. I found this very helpful because it demonstrates ways that you can encourage a child, when they are feeling discouraged and down.
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Blog Post # 3
Technology In Special Education
This video sparked an interest in me because before watching it, I had never known that![]( "http://cdn1.iconfinder.com/data/icons/iconsland-weather/PNG/256x256/technology in the classroom border=")
technology could be so helpful in various areas of education. The teacher in the video, Lacey Cook, showed how the use of technology improved the way her students responded academically. For example one student, Corbin, who would normally have to have someone read aloud to him during silent reading, used audio books on his I pod to help him focus. The use of the I pod, provided him with an easier way to participate in silent reading. The video also showed two other students who have trouble speaking using the computer to communicate their words with the teacher. Lacey spoke on how she used the computer to give homework and classwork assignments to her students. In this instance technology seemed to help the students pay attention and participate effectively in class activities.
I, personally, enjoyed the video and found that maybe in the future I could use some of the same techniques in my special education classes. Using online tools could really benefit my students later on in their lives because it helps them to be more interactive and hands- on with their learning. One of the tools that I found could be the most useful in my special education classrooms, was the program "Zoom Text." This program magnifies words on the computer for students who have trouble seeing. This tool is important because it shows that these students do not have to have limitations on their education and can reach the same potential as a student who aren't in special education.
How the IPad Works with Academics for Autism
This video shows a little boy with autism, Braden, who uses his I Pad to help learn. In the video he plays on different apps that show him skills such as counting and writing. It helps him by letting him interact with numbers and words directly. His parents said that before purchasing the IPad, they had trouble getting Braden to focus and pay attention when it was time to learn. I found this very interesting. As I went on to the Apple website and looked at the different apps, I found that they were very inexpensive. By education apps not being very costly, I think it would be more helpful to students because it can allow them to get numerous apps at once and use it to teach them in all areas academically.
The app that I chose to use in the classroom was Math Bingo. I chose math because it's an area most children struggle in and need help with. Math Bingo covers addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division and varies in levels of difficulty from easy to hard. The object is to answer the math problem, at the top of the screen, by choosing the correct solution on the bingo chart. You have to get five bingo bugs in a row to win and if you answer the question incorrectly, the correct answer is shown on the bottom of the screen. The time to complete the game is 45 seconds. I thought that this would be an effective game because when I was in school, we were given a similar timed game to test our multiplication knowledge. This particular app was ranked number one in educational games for three weeks in a row.
Gary Hayes Social Media Count
Wow! I never could have imagined such numbers related to how often people use the internet. Technology is important to our education and knowledge but this makes me question just how important it really is. I'm a victim of excessive technology use myself because not only can I not live without my smart phone, but I check my Facebook and email accounts daily. I'm not sure if this is good or bad but by the looks of those numbers in Gary's chart the rest of the world is more than active on the internet.
The rapidly changing numbers makes me think that by the time I'm a teacher, students as young as preschool will have access to sites such as YouTube and Facebook. Seriously, it seems as if I will have to be more worried about what my students are doing in my classrooms with their cell phones and laptops. As a college student now I find myself checking my emails in class and even logging in to Facebook for second, but looking at that chart makes me realize that those things are a real distraction. I cannot exactly say how this chart will affect me in the future, but I'm sure that it will, in some way.
A Vision of Students Today
Watching Michael Wesch's video opened my eyes to the world of technology and it's relation to education. I find myself on the borderline of the debate on how technology helps education. It seems as if it is a distraction in class for most students. Teachers are almost just "babysitters," because students are not paying much attention to them due to their possession of I pods, laptops, and smart phones. On the other side it is very helpful in classes that are a blend of lecture and online. While we still have access to the internet, blended courses help us to be able to do the work on our own time rather than in class when we are not paying attention.
Another thing pointed out in the video was how students who are paying for their classes are not attending them. I'm guilty of this sometimes as well. Also we as college students are paying hundreds of dollars for books that we don't even use most times. I'm not sure how this can be handled but it is a problem, especially for students who are putting themselves through college. It's funny to me that in the video, students say that we are victim of problems we did not create. I say this because we one day will be the educators and what we create will one day effect the students we teach. This video just makes you think and question the world around you.
This video sparked an interest in me because before watching it, I had never known that
technology could be so helpful in various areas of education. The teacher in the video, Lacey Cook, showed how the use of technology improved the way her students responded academically. For example one student, Corbin, who would normally have to have someone read aloud to him during silent reading, used audio books on his I pod to help him focus. The use of the I pod, provided him with an easier way to participate in silent reading. The video also showed two other students who have trouble speaking using the computer to communicate their words with the teacher. Lacey spoke on how she used the computer to give homework and classwork assignments to her students. In this instance technology seemed to help the students pay attention and participate effectively in class activities.
I, personally, enjoyed the video and found that maybe in the future I could use some of the same techniques in my special education classes. Using online tools could really benefit my students later on in their lives because it helps them to be more interactive and hands- on with their learning. One of the tools that I found could be the most useful in my special education classrooms, was the program "Zoom Text." This program magnifies words on the computer for students who have trouble seeing. This tool is important because it shows that these students do not have to have limitations on their education and can reach the same potential as a student who aren't in special education.
How the IPad Works with Academics for Autism
This video shows a little boy with autism, Braden, who uses his I Pad to help learn. In the video he plays on different apps that show him skills such as counting and writing. It helps him by letting him interact with numbers and words directly. His parents said that before purchasing the IPad, they had trouble getting Braden to focus and pay attention when it was time to learn. I found this very interesting. As I went on to the Apple website and looked at the different apps, I found that they were very inexpensive. By education apps not being very costly, I think it would be more helpful to students because it can allow them to get numerous apps at once and use it to teach them in all areas academically.
The app that I chose to use in the classroom was Math Bingo. I chose math because it's an area most children struggle in and need help with. Math Bingo covers addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division and varies in levels of difficulty from easy to hard. The object is to answer the math problem, at the top of the screen, by choosing the correct solution on the bingo chart. You have to get five bingo bugs in a row to win and if you answer the question incorrectly, the correct answer is shown on the bottom of the screen. The time to complete the game is 45 seconds. I thought that this would be an effective game because when I was in school, we were given a similar timed game to test our multiplication knowledge. This particular app was ranked number one in educational games for three weeks in a row.
Gary Hayes Social Media Count
Wow! I never could have imagined such numbers related to how often people use the internet. Technology is important to our education and knowledge but this makes me question just how important it really is. I'm a victim of excessive technology use myself because not only can I not live without my smart phone, but I check my Facebook and email accounts daily. I'm not sure if this is good or bad but by the looks of those numbers in Gary's chart the rest of the world is more than active on the internet.
The rapidly changing numbers makes me think that by the time I'm a teacher, students as young as preschool will have access to sites such as YouTube and Facebook. Seriously, it seems as if I will have to be more worried about what my students are doing in my classrooms with their cell phones and laptops. As a college student now I find myself checking my emails in class and even logging in to Facebook for second, but looking at that chart makes me realize that those things are a real distraction. I cannot exactly say how this chart will affect me in the future, but I'm sure that it will, in some way.
A Vision of Students Today
Watching Michael Wesch's video opened my eyes to the world of technology and it's relation to education. I find myself on the borderline of the debate on how technology helps education. It seems as if it is a distraction in class for most students. Teachers are almost just "babysitters," because students are not paying much attention to them due to their possession of I pods, laptops, and smart phones. On the other side it is very helpful in classes that are a blend of lecture and online. While we still have access to the internet, blended courses help us to be able to do the work on our own time rather than in class when we are not paying attention.
Another thing pointed out in the video was how students who are paying for their classes are not attending them. I'm guilty of this sometimes as well. Also we as college students are paying hundreds of dollars for books that we don't even use most times. I'm not sure how this can be handled but it is a problem, especially for students who are putting themselves through college. It's funny to me that in the video, students say that we are victim of problems we did not create. I say this because we one day will be the educators and what we create will one day effect the students we teach. This video just makes you think and question the world around you.
C4T #1
I visited the blog site of Dean Shareski called Ideas and Thoughts. From the two blogs that I have read from him, I must say that I admire his thinking. He has caused me to question my own thought process and dig a little deeper into it.
![]( "http://cdn1.iconfinder.com/data/icons/iconsland-weather/PNG/256x256/comment for kids border=")
The first blog I read was entitled,"A Tweet For Customer Service." Here he talks about a few bad customer service experiences he had and how the use of Twitter helped him straighten them out. The first bad experience he had was with Delta, when which case his luggage got lost. When he first discovered it was missing, he tweeted Delta's Twitter account and they responded by telling him to immediately file a claim, tracking it down, and telling him it would be delivered to him the next day between 6-10pm. As the last hour approached, the luggage was still not delivered to him, resulting in him going back to Twitter. Delta shortly contacted him and his bag was delivered at 2am. Delta offered him a free rebate of his luggage fee and a few Skymiles for his trouble. His next bad encounter was at a hotel in Orlando, where he was charged $14.95 for internet service. Once he attempted to make the internet connection, he was asked to pay another $14.95. He called the front desk to complain and they told him, that that's just how it is. Once again he resorted to Twitter, and a few minutes later the manager of the hotel took care of the charges. Dean Shareski says that he used to Twitter in these instances because he was mad, to tell others about the bad products/services, and to see if companies were paying attention.
I responded to this blog by sharing that I personally had chosen not to get a Twitter account because being that I already had a Facebook, I thought it would just be another distraction. I wasn't aware of how helpful twitter could be. This blog convinced me that maybe I should get a Twitter account just in case I needed to utilize it if I found myself in any of the situations that Dean Shareski wrote about.
![]( "http://cdn1.iconfinder.com/data/icons/iconsland-weather/PNG/256x256/twitter border=")
The second blog post I read and commented on was called,"Understanding the Digital Divide." Here Dean talks about his experiences when visiting different conferences such as FETC. While at this conference he experienced a dominant use of technology and lack of conversation between guests. He said that he visited conferences in hopes of meeting new people and sharing ideas. The conference was mainly focusing on "tools and gadgets." This changed when he went to Educon, which took place in a school and was more conversational. After talking about his experiences at these conferences, he spoke about what he called "the digital divide," that he feels is occurring across the world. This concept basically says that technology and people are becoming "divided," meaning that there is a disconnect between the two. Dean says that he feels as if it's a problem that's bigger than him and he chooses to be with the "smart people" who still converse and share ideas, rather than letting computers do so for him.
I commented on this post by saying that I agree with his thoughts on technology. For example, in the beginning of my college career I found myself frustrated with the lack of real teaching and replacement of computers teaching me. It was almost like the teachers were babysitters and I did not feel connected with them. As I progressed in college, I had the pleasure of experiencing blended courses that were effective in incorporating the use of computers in the classroom.
In my opinion, there should be a balance between technology and teachers in the class.
![]( "http://cdn1.iconfinder.com/data/icons/iconsland-weather/PNG/256x256/digital divide border=")
The first blog I read was entitled,"A Tweet For Customer Service." Here he talks about a few bad customer service experiences he had and how the use of Twitter helped him straighten them out. The first bad experience he had was with Delta, when which case his luggage got lost. When he first discovered it was missing, he tweeted Delta's Twitter account and they responded by telling him to immediately file a claim, tracking it down, and telling him it would be delivered to him the next day between 6-10pm. As the last hour approached, the luggage was still not delivered to him, resulting in him going back to Twitter. Delta shortly contacted him and his bag was delivered at 2am. Delta offered him a free rebate of his luggage fee and a few Skymiles for his trouble. His next bad encounter was at a hotel in Orlando, where he was charged $14.95 for internet service. Once he attempted to make the internet connection, he was asked to pay another $14.95. He called the front desk to complain and they told him, that that's just how it is. Once again he resorted to Twitter, and a few minutes later the manager of the hotel took care of the charges. Dean Shareski says that he used to Twitter in these instances because he was mad, to tell others about the bad products/services, and to see if companies were paying attention.
I responded to this blog by sharing that I personally had chosen not to get a Twitter account because being that I already had a Facebook, I thought it would just be another distraction. I wasn't aware of how helpful twitter could be. This blog convinced me that maybe I should get a Twitter account just in case I needed to utilize it if I found myself in any of the situations that Dean Shareski wrote about.
The second blog post I read and commented on was called,"Understanding the Digital Divide." Here Dean talks about his experiences when visiting different conferences such as FETC. While at this conference he experienced a dominant use of technology and lack of conversation between guests. He said that he visited conferences in hopes of meeting new people and sharing ideas. The conference was mainly focusing on "tools and gadgets." This changed when he went to Educon, which took place in a school and was more conversational. After talking about his experiences at these conferences, he spoke about what he called "the digital divide," that he feels is occurring across the world. This concept basically says that technology and people are becoming "divided," meaning that there is a disconnect between the two. Dean says that he feels as if it's a problem that's bigger than him and he chooses to be with the "smart people" who still converse and share ideas, rather than letting computers do so for him.
I commented on this post by saying that I agree with his thoughts on technology. For example, in the beginning of my college career I found myself frustrated with the lack of real teaching and replacement of computers teaching me. It was almost like the teachers were babysitters and I did not feel connected with them. As I progressed in college, I had the pleasure of experiencing blended courses that were effective in incorporating the use of computers in the classroom.
In my opinion, there should be a balance between technology and teachers in the class.
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Blog Assignment # 1
A Little About Me:
Hello class! My name is Kiala Burnette, pronounced "Ky-la," and I was born in Gretna, Louisianna. I have lived in Louisianna, Texas, California, and Florida, but spent most of my life in Alabama. My mother Frances is bi-racial, therefore I have had the pleasure of experiencing the cultures of both my black and white heritages. I am the oldest of three daughters whose names are Demi and Kiara. Some of my favorite things to do are reading, singing, shopping, and eating. Family is very important to me and I enjoy spending time with them. My boyfriend,Jerrel, and I have been together for almost four years and we spend a lot of time together as well. An interesting fact about me is that I love candles and music. I believe that, when combined, they both can soothe anyone's stressful day.
I chose to attend the University of South Alabama, because it is close to my family and I could not imagine being living away from my support system. My love for children is my drive for choosing Elementary Education as my major. It has always been my dream to work with children. Unfortunately, I did not have the pleasure of having been taught by positive teachers and most of them did not care about us as students. My goal is to be the teacher I never had and touch as many lives as I can.
This is my first time blogging, and it may be challenging but I am always up learning and conquering new things. I am hoping that this class will teach me how to organize and manage my time better. Overall, I am looking forward to my experience in EDM 310!
What I learned from Randy Pausch:
I enjoyed Dr.Pausch's video on time management, and even though it was short, I was able to learn the things I do wrong and how I can fix them. Some of the main things that stood out in the video were the topics of goal setting and planning. Most times I find myself getting overwhelmed with everything that I have to do. When this occurs, I usually let it defeat me and discourage me from getting things done. So when Dr.Pausch said to "do the right thing," and not to "do the thing right," it really hit home with me. At times,I find myself focusing on how well I do the task instead of just giving it my best shot. Dr.Pausch also bought to my attention that I should break down my "to-do" lists and tackle the biggest thing first.
Before the video was suggested,I had never heard of Randy Pausch. I was very impressed at how that video touched on very important topics of time management in just roughly four minutes. This video was very helpful and I would like to start applying those lessons to my everyday life!
Hello class! My name is Kiala Burnette, pronounced "Ky-la," and I was born in Gretna, Louisianna. I have lived in Louisianna, Texas, California, and Florida, but spent most of my life in Alabama. My mother Frances is bi-racial, therefore I have had the pleasure of experiencing the cultures of both my black and white heritages. I am the oldest of three daughters whose names are Demi and Kiara. Some of my favorite things to do are reading, singing, shopping, and eating. Family is very important to me and I enjoy spending time with them. My boyfriend,Jerrel, and I have been together for almost four years and we spend a lot of time together as well. An interesting fact about me is that I love candles and music. I believe that, when combined, they both can soothe anyone's stressful day.
I chose to attend the University of South Alabama, because it is close to my family and I could not imagine being living away from my support system. My love for children is my drive for choosing Elementary Education as my major. It has always been my dream to work with children. Unfortunately, I did not have the pleasure of having been taught by positive teachers and most of them did not care about us as students. My goal is to be the teacher I never had and touch as many lives as I can.
This is my first time blogging, and it may be challenging but I am always up learning and conquering new things. I am hoping that this class will teach me how to organize and manage my time better. Overall, I am looking forward to my experience in EDM 310!
What I learned from Randy Pausch:
I enjoyed Dr.Pausch's video on time management, and even though it was short, I was able to learn the things I do wrong and how I can fix them. Some of the main things that stood out in the video were the topics of goal setting and planning. Most times I find myself getting overwhelmed with everything that I have to do. When this occurs, I usually let it defeat me and discourage me from getting things done. So when Dr.Pausch said to "do the right thing," and not to "do the thing right," it really hit home with me. At times,I find myself focusing on how well I do the task instead of just giving it my best shot. Dr.Pausch also bought to my attention that I should break down my "to-do" lists and tackle the biggest thing first.
Before the video was suggested,I had never heard of Randy Pausch. I was very impressed at how that video touched on very important topics of time management in just roughly four minutes. This video was very helpful and I would like to start applying those lessons to my everyday life!
Thursday, January 19, 2012
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