Blog Post 4

Don't Teach Your Kids This, Please!!
Dr. McLeod has a very profound use of  reverse psychology. My favorite part is the end, when he says, "can't wait to see who has a leg up in a decade or two!" That is very true. I think that if you were to take
students and separate them into two categories: group a. going through elementary/high school with only a chalkboard, pens, paper, and zero technology while group b. who had all of those resources plus, computers, power point, smart board, internet access, blogging etc. It is very likely that as Dr. McLeod was stating in his sarcasm, that those students (like the ones in group a) would be crippled. By the time they graduated, they would have limited skills and would not be developed and prepared enough to get a job or pursue a college degree, whereas group b. would be at the same pace with the world around them, and ready for the next step. Technology equips students with the skills that they need and without certain technology exposure students will become crippled as adults trying to make it in our society.

Dr. McLeod definitely does a great job at pointing out how relevant it is to learn with technology and become familiar with it through an indirect sarcastic way! It was a great and different read. I'm sure that educational systems are in a transitioning era between figuring out what from the past to continue to use, while incorporating more and more technology. As a teacher who firmly believes in the use of technology in the classroom, I would imagine at times it gets annoying when parents say things like "my child doesn't need that" when in reality it's for the child's best interest.

iSchool Initiative
In this video a student made a very interesting presentation about an iSchool. The iSchool would function off of  iTouch applications ranging from all sorts, world wiki, USA Presidents, Starwalk, table of elements, along with many different tools. It would completely eliminate the need for paper, pens, and copy machines. He argues that the iSchool would help save the school system money, it would be cheaper for students, and it would also help the enviornment.

The iSchool seemed like a very interesting idea; however I do not think that this is the answer to our countries education problems. Technology can equip and assist many teachers and students. It gives them the ability to go farther than a book, pen, and chalkboard can take them, however, this specific idea almost gives you the impression that human communication will be eliminated. Communication between individuals, in my opinion does in fact teach something that technology cannot. Without actually communication, relationship building, imagination, incorporated with the use of this iSchool, students will still be limited. Will this iSchool decrease the demand for teachers? That is something to really consider. Technology is great, but it doesn't need to take the place of the actual teacher, or else we are out of the job, before we ever have a job. Maybe this can be an addition to our educational system, just not the end all be all. Even though, it's not my favorite idea, it was still a great presentation from a younger student!

The Lost Generation
This quick video really sums up what seems to be the future of today's misplaced priorities in our society. As the reader goes down the list it seems to doom the future, but in reality our future is determined by what we do today. We shape tomorrow by the decisions we make now and if our priorities are wrong now then they will be even more misplaced thirty years from now. If we are a wandering generation, then we are blazing the trail for a lost generation. This was very alarming, but with all things just like we have the choice to damage we have the choice to impact for the good. Today we can put our priorities in the right place, families first, happiness over money, etc. and because of this the future will be a better and brighter place. We see this as the words/reading is reversed.  When we reverse our actions today, put our priorities right, take responsibilities for our actions we can decree exactly what was spoken in the second half of that video and that is that there is hope, divorce isn't the way, we don't have to settle for "quick fix", family is important, kids will prosper, and we can be happy knowing we can change the world. 


This video is powerful in and of itself, but with the effects of scrolling down and then reversing, it gives it a greater effect! I think that without that aspect of it, then the effectiveness would be lost. 


Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir- 'Lux Aurumque'
Wow, I know that we are supposed to write a summary of what we have seen but this was so amazing that I am almost speechless. As I was watching the virtual choir, I asked myself how is that even possible??? It's amazing that with technology even things like this are possible. Voices brought together from many different countries to perform one piece, from people who have never met. Who would have thought of such 20 years ago? So what could be possible in 20 more years? This was a masterpiece in itself and even showing and proving the endless possibilities that technology offers. I am still wondering, how it's possible because I know it took hard work for all the people involved. I think this was a phenomenal and creative endeavor. Technology awakens imagination, evokes creativity, and makes the impossible possible!




Conducting the virtual choir!!