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Blog post 15

My Reflection of EDM310

Final Project 16

Yasmine's Wordle

I was also able to comment on Yasmine's wordle in replacement of blog post 14! It's very inspiring to see a student blogging and so passionate about her peer's responses! She has a great opportunity to express her thoughts and share them with not only her classmates and teachers but the world! I hope that she is very encouraged by EDM310! I saw a comment that Mr. Chamberlain posted on her page and he simply said that she was experiencing both the joys and pains of sharing thoughts. That is such a true statement because when we share our thoughts we aren't guaranteed that people agree with our idea or are even attracted to what we think; but it doesn't negate our liberty. Yasmine's blog was very nice and I think that she definitely has a lot of potential and will be able to apply all that she is learning!!

C4K 8-11

11- We were also able to comment on student's blog pages from Mrs. Haugen's 6th grade class. I got to read a summary about a book Gracie has been reading called Canterwood Crest: Take the Reigns. She was very detailed in her description and I enjoyed reading her summary! She did a great job of explaining the plot of the story and giving the overall point of it in a very clear way.

10-I was able to watch a video posted by room 7 in the Little Voices, Little Scholars! The video was phenomenal and was played in a cinema in New Zealand. The video was made especially for the Manaiakalani film festival. The screen effects that they used were very creative and the ideas were very captivating. The kids definitely have big potential and it's very challenging to see kids create such a phenomenal video.

9-I also got to comment Ben's blog post and he created a very cool kerpoof  picture to help him remember all the planets.
His acronym for memorizing the planet's was
My
very
evil
mongoose
sprayed
Uncle
Nut.
This is his Kerpoof project:


The Kerpoof was very cool and creative and I think it is probably a very helpful visual in remembering the planet order!

8-I was also able to read Ali's blog! She is a high school student and her blog was very thought provoking. She began her blog with a very challenging thought by William Feather who said, "Next to a sincere compliment, I think I like a well-deserved and honest rebuke." She was a very inspirational student because she displayed the desire to actually learn and not just "get through" school with a grade. Her post was discussing constructive criticism and how it helped her see where she made mistakes but also strive to be better. 

C4T #4

This was by far my most favorite assigned teacher's blog to read and comment on! The blog written by Jenna Bently was challenging, thought-provoking, inspirational, and eloquently put. In her post, Jenna asked the following question: “If we had people as radical as the Founding Fathers of America in today’s day in age, and they wrote a  new declaration of Independence that would withstand another 200 years, could you even imagine what that would be like?”  Asking such a question begs the reader to stop and examine life as it is and life as it was in the past. Her blog was entitled United as One. To some up her post she was discussing how nation wide catastrophes often unite people because in those situations each person looks out for the interests of each other rather than simply promoting their own individualistic goals. In doing this unity occurs within a nation. When a nation works together it progresses, and when they work against each other it is counter productive.  Her perspective was very interesting and definitely provoked me to think. I enjoyed it because it was not just talking about technology but discussing the world we live in and how we can make a difference by joining together by really being one nation. She discussed radical people like the founding fathers who made a great difference in our nation and how those with the most heart and most will come out on top. She didn't leave just discussing radicals of the past but she called for radicals of today who were willing to take a stand when she left us with this:  Now we just have to find the radicals who will fight for a new day.

I really enjoyed it and all of the comments of the students who read it and were as challenged by the post as well. I will definitely follow the blog! 

PLN Final Report

This is my final Personal Learning Network or Symbaloo . I added several more tiles and actually found many more assets on Symbaloo that has been very helpful. In the beginning  I had no idea that you could create your own tile but as I learned more about the system I realized you could so I was able to at U.S.A. to my webmix and also make an EDM310 tile. Just adding these two to my network has been very helpful because I have all my essential links grouped together. I was also able to add the apple tile and a few sports tiles for my favorite teams. Besides those additional tiles I have all the same as the last time I posted. I tried to keep it divided as best as possible between educational on the top left, social on the top right, sports on bottom left and then travel/news/business on the bottom right. The symbaloo is such a great network to work from, everything I need is in one spot. It makes everything more accessible, convenient, and definitely more organized. 

Additional Assignment #5

Tom Johnson takes a very clever approach in writing blogs. As Dr. Strange stated it requires more than skimming but it's mandatory that you turn your brain on in reading his posts. I read the blog Just Teach Them to Solve for X.  The writing itself was encouraging students, teachers, and people all together to really embrace metaphorical writing techniques. In this blog he made several good points but a few really grabbed my attention. He stated, The genius of paper is how we can use it to construct knowledge rather simply copy processes. This is very true because writing (or blogging) gives us the freedom to invent our own ideas and share it rather than just becoming a carbon copy. He makes another statement that explains why people would often settle with copying a process instead of using creativity through different ways of writing. He said, "Look, it's just that metaphors are dangerous.  There's too much room for confusion." "That's exactly why we need them.  Life is dangerous.  Learning is dangerous.  A bad metaphor can launch a war.  I want my students to know this.  I want them to see that language shapes our perceptions of reality."
A lot of times people are so afraid of embracing something unknown or that could possibly be messy because it requires both effort and thinking. The idea that it is messy invites one to a world of creativity. It lures away from the rigid structure of burping back knowledge and really invites someone to explore interpretations. 
I agree that this is the language that shapes our perception of reality and that it is the bridge from abstraction and concrete. We need both, so how do we incorporate? By thinking ourselves and making our students THINK. So why not just solve for X, why not use such a formula in writing? Because individuals need to see beyond the horizons of the extremely structured learning they have adapted too and embrace new and creative ideas.


It is so easy to become adapted to one way of thinking and apply that to all subjects and all situations. Did you catch that? It's easy! Thinking outside the box and perceiving things in a new ways demands that as a reader we are actually present in the moment to contemplate the possible meanings of a post. Even though I misinterpreted Don't Take the Pencils Home for the original assignment, I now understand his keen use of metaphorical writing to discuss the issues with computers and technology in low income areas. I really was wondering what the big deal was with pencils in low income areas but now I understand completely. He is right that technology is a lot of times perceived as a toy rather than an object that will greatly enhance the learning experience. Not only that but teachers fear that students will not be held accountable, which in my opinion is good and bad. Students need to learn to be self motivated with the help of a teacher. Technology and self motivated classrooms, such as EDM310 exhibits the responsibility a student must have by being self taught, but also the creativity and ability to explore that it gives. So in this post he raises many relevant questions and points that are taking place in the school system today. It just requires reading beyond the words and actually paying attention. Now, I really enjoy the posts! 

Blog Post #13

Alex stands for Alabama Learning Exchange Program. This is a very resourceful website created by the Alabama Department of Education. It's not limited to educators alone but has many great sources for students and parents as well. Because I am majoring in Secondary Education Language Arts, I first explored the courses of study option then viewed the language arts tab. Whether a student in English, a parent helping their child, or an English teacher, this feature offered grammar and literature tips from all grades. So ALEX is very helpful for all grade levels and provides practical help for all the basic school subjects. The podcast treasury was extremely fascinating.  Each subject had so many podcasts relating to the topic. This asset is very helpful for students and encourages hands-on learning and comprehension as well as allowing them to experience creativity and technology. The website also had a lesson's plan tab that I was able to explore. Again you could choose a variety of subjects and the grade level that you would be teaching.

I found this website very helpful, just as a student. It practically has unlimited resources. In the future this is a website that I will incorporate into my PLN and also refer to often as a teacher. It's great that the Alabama Department of Education offers valuable and relevant information to all involved in the school system. No matter what grade level or what subject you teach, ALEX will be very beneficial in gaining knowledge and pursuing goals. When I student teach this will definitely be something I use to serve as a spring board for lessons plans and ideas. I can't wait to apply what I have discovered here.

Project 15

Progress on Final Project

I will be working with Lawanna Hinton for my final project. As of right now we are trying to juggle the challenges that come along with doing both  project 15 and the final project. For the final project we are aiming towards doing a short film, either Drexler style or using iMovie to discuss education and how it's change and the overall benefits of technology in the classroom along with being a networked student. In this we may incorporate examples such as a timeline to help and possibly preview videos we have seen in the class. Through this we hope to display the importance and effectiveness of technology in the classroom. So these are the things we have been brainstorming and trying to gather, so we will continue!

Blog Post 12

This assignment required a lot of thinking! After putting some thought into what Dr. Strange was asking I came to this conclusion that an appropriate assignment would have been something like this:

Assignment
Blogging is the bulk of the EDM310 course. As an educator, will you incorporate blogging into your classroom? Why or why not? If you choose to, then what role will it play in your curriculum? How often do you see your students blogging? Give a detailed explanation of how it will be used in your classroom with the subject or grade level you wish you teach.

My response:

Being in EDM310 has redefined my idea of blogging. I had a blogger account and used it for social blogging prior to this class but now I see it's significance for educational purposes. I can honestly say today that I can't see my classroom without it. My major is Secondary Education Language Arts so I can teach English to high school students. I would love to be able to go to other countries and teach English, so no matter what route blogging will still be a very important role. If I were to teach high school grammar and literature to students blogging would be very key in the class room. In a literature course students would blog a summary of what they learned from the story they read. This would count as a participation grade or so I am thinking. Sharing a summary through blogging would be very beneficial for several reasons. One being the students could see one another's thoughts on what they read and also comment on each other's thoughts. They would be in essence building a network by sharing ideas and gleaning from one another. Blogging would also be beneficial in grammar because students could do certain blog assignments pertaining to the part of speech they are learning or post progress on papers they are in the process writing. Final drafts could be posted on their blog page and could easily be edited and as a teacher I could read the ones posted and encourage them in their process. If I were to teach overseas, things would be similar because blogging would be a very beneficial part of the curriculum. The students would be learning English so they could do daily assignments as a journal entry. This would help them apply the English they are learning in a fun, creative, and challenging way. It would be compelling because they could write about what they want with the exception of some specific assignments. Because of this, the students will want to use the English they are learning and they will also be able to read other blogs which will help understand English more efficiently. So blogging is very important and will not play a minor role but will be something that I would love to have as a fundamental in my classroom to complement the subject I teach.

EDM310 Class Survey-Project #6

View complete results!

Project 14

Teach Someone Video

Adding Alt and Title Modifiers to an image

Free online screen recorder

C4K 3-7

Alba Dinocorn  was my 7th student's blog to comment on and was a little new to blogging. Alba posted a picture of the USS Alabama to her blog. She mentioned the details in the pictures such as the lines and shadows. It was great to see a student capture some Alabama history and take that much interest in it to post it on their blog! It was a great picture and nice addition to a blog!

YenniferL was my 6th student's blog to comment on and I was able to view a very interesting riddle and actually try to solve it!! Wow, it was very tricky! The  riddle was  the following:

I am furry.

I can be black, white, or brown.

I can be hard to find.

I like to eat fish.

I live in a house.

Who am I?

I guessed that she was referring to a cat, unfortunately she never answered!  I guess it's up for interpretation to the avid blog reader! 

The 5th student's blog that I was able to comment on was Ashlyn M. She is a 6th grader in Mrs. Quamm's class in Iowa. Her blog brought back so many memories. She discussed her homecoming game and dance! She seemed to have a lot of school spirit as she discussed the football team and she also sounded like she had a lot of fun at the dance. It's great for student's to share what they like because I believe that connects the  teacher to the student in a personal way! 

I was also able to comment on Finn's blog who is from New Zealand! This was so amazing to be able to connect to a student in another country. It's amazing the path's that blogging opens up. Finn was discussing a Fete, which I had to look up in the dictionary. It is a festival, and they had one as a school to raise money for a new playground. Through hard work and great effort on behalf of the students and the faculty, Finn explained that they were able to raise enough money to build a new play ground. He was very excited about the new play area.

For the C4K3, I could not reopen the link. What I do remember was that the student was from another country and wrote very descriptively about a devastation that had recently occurred within the country.

C4T #3

Creating Life Long Learners  

I was also assigned to read and comment on Mathew Needleman's latest post on his blog, Creating Life-Long Learners, which is a very catchy blog title. In his post, 3 Ways to Download Movies from YouTube, he gives some simple and very helpful tips for the process. The first tip he had was the "Low Tech" way, which I personally liked. Not only did he say that, but then he went on to say "If you are not comfortable with technology then this one is for you" so right away I knew that would be for me, especially after doing the podcast. The other two tips for downloading movies from YouTube were through using zamzar and also through certain plug-ins. The way you choose which way to go would be based on how many movies you plan to upload. According to Mathew, if you only want to download one or two movies then zamzar was for you, if not then browser plugin's would definitely be the way to go. For instance if you want to download many movies, then you should download helper for firefox or even download YouTube for Safari. He does make a good point to keep in mind that these are good, but they will only work in a place where YouTube isn't blocked.

After doing my podcast on iMovie and uploading it to YouTube along with watching other videos, I realize how important videos are in a classroom, and YouTube provides access to watch and show videos. This is not just beneficial as a "bored student" but for a teacher to use in the classroom. I enjoyed reading these tips and hope I can apply what I have learned in the teaching field, as well as being a networked student.

Blog Post 11

Little Kids... Big Potential

This class really lives of to the title of this video Little Kids...Big Potential. When I was in elementary school we would write in journals everyday and maybe visit the computer lab once a week (if we were lucky!) to play Oregon trail, which was on a floppy disc. These kids were able to BLOG  their thoughts everyday and to do that at such a young age is extremely vital in sparking creativity. These students had the opportunity to use blogger, skype, wiki,  build networking communities, and make videos. The most amazing thing was that they absolutely enjoyed having technology in classrooms.

Before watching this video I questioned how effective technology was on the elementary level and these kids proved it to be very effective. My first thoughts of kids and computers is well... messy! That is definitely stereotypical and not the case.  The atmosphere in this classroom allows for tons of interaction of peers and evokes a sense of creativity in the kids. A great foundation is being instilled in them by introducing them to technology of all sorts at such a young age. They truly live up to big potential!

EDM 310 Skype Discussion with Mrs. Cassidy

Mrs. Cassidy has a great view of technology within the classroom. It is technologically centered which greatly benefits the students. It opens up so many opportunities for the students to learn, grow, and reach their individual potential.
I thought it was great how the students used technology in the form of a journal by the blog spot. Blogging on subjects seem to be very effective and is something that I would like to incorporate into my classroom. It's wonderful for people to summarize their thoughts and then post it for others to see it and comment on it. That way what they learn is not limited to the teachers view alone but is available to an entire network. Creating a network, in my opinion greatly enhances learning. That is one thing I will most definitely incorporate into my classroom instructions. Mrs. Cassidy does a great job of using Blogger.

Additional Assignment #3

Changing Education Paradigms

Sir Ken Robinson's presentations are astounding. I really enjoyed the RSA Animate version. It definitely brings to life the points he is trying to make. 
One of the most important things that Sir Ken Robinson discussed was the "ADHD epidemic." I strongly agree with what he stated and I have also heard other experts mention similar ideas in regards to ADHD. Kids are surrounded by fast pace technology, computers, televisions, and many more things, so of course when they are stuck in a classroom, it will become somewhat "boring" to them. Rather than educators adapting to the more fast pace technological advances, they have settled for sending kids to the doctor to be diagnosed with a disorder. It's easy to give a kid medicine rather than really letting the needs of the students be the motivation for how you teach, but we aren't in it for what's easy. 


I agree for the most part with everything he says. He seems to be very on target with his research and bases a lot on what he has personally experienced.  Although I do agree with most and do believe that education needs to be re-defined I don't believe education is a bad thing. At times in the video it seems that education is used in a derogatory manner. For example when discussing divergent thinking and the measuring of longitudinal study, he shows that as one gets older their divergent thinking decreases. He says "education happens." Education in and of itself isn't a bad thing. I think at the core it is good but it needs to be redefined and transformed so that it will become relevant to today's students. This will definitely prevent the ADHD plague and mentality but will definitely cause action among teachers, faculty, peers, and parents. 


As far as the College of Education, I heard from a EPY professor here about why so many students are diagnosed with ADHD and it is exactly like what Sir Ken Robinson said.  In our society, going from the social norms into a classroom is like getting a sprinter who has been running all day to sit on a bank a fish, he would be bored and going absolutely crazy inside. As far as the similarities in disagreements from what I have been taught here, I don't know if there are any yet. I would love to show some professors this video and see what they agree or disagree with. 


What can I do?
Wow! I hope to make my classroom interactive and hands-on. Money will always be  a hindering factor in education but we must be able to work with what we are given. I hope to let the needs of my student's be the motivation for what and how I teach. I hope to incorporate hands-on activities so the students will stay engaged. It is my goal to not even give the students a chance to get bored, not by overloading them with homework, but by giving them the keys to tap into their creativity and letting that facet inspire their learning habits. I can always control the atmosphere in my classroom and that's powerful. 
Hopefully this will eliminate what Sir Ken Robinson talks about as far as the monotonous education goes, and actually allow students freedom to be creative as well as eliminate this ADHD idea. 


I like this presentation a lot. It definitely gives you a new way to see what Sir Ken Robinson is saying. It makes you feel more engaged honestly rather than just looking into someone's face and it was definitely creative which matched the theme of what he was talking about. I would love to learn to make one of these videos. 
If I were to make a video I would probably be the idea generator and the author, maybe even the artist.. but not that good! 

Skype Project #12

Capture your screen in seconds

This is my friend Ahlam (Loma). She is from Saudi Arabia and is studying ESL here. This is an interview explaining a little about her personally along with the differences in cultures, education and technology.

Project #13-Smartboard

This was my first time using a smart board in the classroom. I was able to use some of the different features, but I didn't really get to explore all of what it has to offer. I hope that when I student teach that the classroom I am in has a smart board so that I can get a better feel for it and decide how effective it is in an actual classroom. It was very interesting to me considering it was my first time but from just my experience today I don't see how impacting it will be as far as interacting with students, but that could be different after using it daily. I look forward to using it more in the future.

Blog Post 10

An Open Letter to Educators


I am beginning to think that this is the most thought-provoking post I have read in this class. The video by Dan Brown is in essence a summary of what we have been learning this far in EDM310. Both the video and the post begs the question, Why are we in a University? Are we here to sit in
a classroom to learn facts alone and never really engage in what we are learning, only to regurgitate those facts on a test to receive our A? Will our diploma be based on how well we memorized facts (that will probably be forgotten by graduation) rather than skills that are applicable to everyday life and will equip us for the future. One thing that really stuck out to me in the video was when Dan Brown says that his schooling was getting in the way of his education. That is probably the first time that I have ever heard that from anyone. I can definitely see his point, very clearly. Institutionalized learning can limit and hinder a students chance to learn  because it's become almost of a ritualistic idea rather than one that serves a greater purpose. I believe that the most beneficial way of learning to get the best education is to become a networked student like we learned about earlier. This theory, when applied, leaves a student completely uninhibited to learn.

Adaptation. What a fantastic thing to point out! It's imperative that education adapts to the world around it or else it will eliminate it's old ways of working. This process of elimination is not a new one, but as in fact been around since the dawn of time. I do agree that education should adapt to the changes in the world around them. It's abnormal for everything to function one way in the world when the very place that should expand your intellect functions on a lower level than it's surroundings. There's something wrong with that picture and for some people like Dan Brown settling will not work.

Problem. The only problem that I run in to with all of this is what about motivated learners. Incorporating technology to a greater degree (especially in elementary and high schools) will require more responsibility on the students part as we learned about in the PLN video. We see that Dan Brown is very self motivated and has a great desire to learn; therefore, he has enough responsibility to explore freedom of learning outside of the boundaries set up by an institutionalized university. Then on the other hand you have students who aren't responsible and motivated enough to learn outside the bounds. They are not motivated enough to explore outside of the regulations set up by a professor, which could also hurt their education. So in this case would institutionalized learning be accepted? Some people work better within regimented schedules and strict guidelines. It could possibly give them a sense of safety and stability and in college you gain a sense of freedom.  So I think that it really depends on the person, some work well with total freedom and learn anyway, some work best within strict boundaries.

Don't Let them Take the Pencil Home

It is so easy to sit at your desk and find all the problems in the world then talk about them, but it is much harder to find one problem and work at solving that. In this post we see a teacher who takes initiative to solve the problem. He began taking steps, talking to parents and creating projects to engage students to better test scores and use pencils effectively. This may not be the all time crisis in education, but this man made a difference because he took action which effected change.

Two Questions that Can Change Your Life

1. What is your sentence?
2. Was I better today than I was yesterday?

Clara Booth Luce coined the phrase "A great man is a sentence." In the video we watched we so several men who changed history. Their life and their accomplishments were summarized into one sentence. In the video we were encouraged to live life in such a way that when summed up we have such an astounding sentence. How can we do that? Drive and motivation is what the video said, and making sure that we aim to be better today than yesterday which comes from being motivated. 

So a sentence for myself would have to be:

I want to strive daily to devote myself to a cause bigger than myself, in which I will blaze a trail of faith into the unknown and deposit belief into those who will follow behind me in generations to come. 

Short Movie Project # 11

Blog Post 9

What I've Learned This Year

In Mr. McClung's post What I've learned this year, he recaps from his first year being a teacher. In my opinion experience is one of the best teachers that we can learn from. Mr. McClung shares many significant lessons that he took away from his initial experience in the classroom. The point I favored and found most beneficial was the one in which all other points can be based on. He mentioned that sometimes it's easy to be so concerned about your superiors that you can lose focus of what your students need. As teachers we should let our student's needs determine our instruction. If this is our focus as a teacher, all other important principles will follow. For example Mr. McClung also mentioned the importance of communication. Communication is not the easiest and most fun to do among co-workers; however, it is very beneficial in producing the most effective school system. He also mentioned that many adults fear computers or have cyberphobia (sahy-ber-foh-bee-uh), which greatly inhibits what we as teachers can introduce and incorporate into our student's lives. 

Mr. McClung agrees that change is a good thing. As teachers we should never stop learning. We expect students to learn everyday so we should be willing to grow everyday as well. Our role is to learn to give out and if we stop learning, then we are limited in what we can give. It is a fact! 

In closing remarks, another thing that Mr. McClung stated that holds great significance in becoming a successful teacher, is that the key to becoming great can't be found in a certain formula, guide, or from a well put together lesson, but it's from simply listening to the students. When given a chance, the students will show what they are interested in, how they can learn more efficiently, what works for them, what areas they struggle in, and what areas they are strong in, we just have to be there to listen, guide, and grow them. That's success!  Dr. McClung discovered a lot in  his first year of teaching and I am confident that he has learned much more as he has progressed, but one thing is certain. He is successful, because he is student centered. I found what he said to be very true and challenging for all teachers. He makes teaching a daily evaluation and I agree it's absolutely necessary. 

At the Teacher's Desk

Blog Post #8

This is How We Dream Part 1 and 2

I found This is How We Dream Part 1 and 2  by Richard E. Miller very intriguing. Considering I am a secondary education language arts major and will be working specifically with reading and writing in various forms, what Richard Miller said is very vital in applying to my career. He discussed how this was a very important time in the area of literacy and writing. He noted the significance that we no longer  have to go to the library but have an unlimited and endless search engine and resources at our fingertips through technology. Because of this, we are at a very important time in the era of writing. Miller spoke of a time when he was asked to lecture at Vtech in memory of those who were murdered and in preparing for his speech never had to step foot into a library.

Every era in literature has been important, but with technology it is truly redefining writing and literacy as we know it. Every magazine, article, and book is available on the web. Not to mention the time that is saved because we don't have to scan a thousand pages but can type in a search engine precisely what we are looking for and then compose our thoughts on to paper and discuss that. Technology is an important asset in education and in many facets of life. I want to aim to keep up with it as an English teacher to better equip my students to do proper research and write astounding papers.


The Chipper Series and EDM 310 for Dummies 
I really enjoyed both the Chipper Series and EDM 310 for Dummies. At times it is easy to feel like the girl did in the EDM for dummies video until you get a better understanding and handle on things, but this video added some humor along with some practical steps in order to do your best. The chipper series touched on several different things that we should do as a student in EDM 310 to help us be successful, but it was absolutely hilarious how Chipper always tried to find a loophole in the system. These videos were creative and definitely teach valuable lessons as well.

To Use the Smartboard or Not to Use the Smartboard
We were assigned to read two different articles written by teachers who were opposed to smartboards in the classroom. One was entitled Why I Hate Interactive Whiteboards and the other was Why Smartboards are a Dumb Initiative. These two articles beg the question what technology actually enhances education and equips students? In these articles the authors argued that smartboards are basically a pricey addition to the classroom that doesn't allow for student interaction and doesn't do any better function than any other equipment they already have. Stanton mentions that a smartboard can by no means fix what is already broken. It is not the end all be all. He also says that it doesn't provide a better learning environment, doesn't enable feedback, and doesn't help with the work load.
I found two articles/websites providing a counter arguments discussing the usefulness and benefits of smartboards in the classrooms. They can be found at www.smartboards.typepad.com and also at Smart Boards are hands on- minds on.

I can't honestly make a fair assessment on which side I agree with because I have never used a smart board personally. I have seen one in a class and it was used during the lecture. It didn't seem to enhance the lecture much. From the articles that I read the arguments against it was very strong and I would have to lean more towards that. Not because a smartboard isn't a great invention, but because it just isn't what is needed in education. It's a lot of money that doesn't necessarily go towards the solution of what we have been learning.
I did learn that not all technology has to play a role in the lives of a student, some are beneficial in making them a networked student and some are not.

Timetoast Project 9b

Who is Mary Todd Lincoln? The events that led to her madness!

Additional Assignment #2

How Kids Teach Themselves 

1. What do you think? If learners are motivated, can they teach themselves? Yes I do believe that learners who are motivated can teach themselves. Motivation is something will cause an individual to desire to learn beyond what an institution requires of them. For example Abraham Lincoln did not receive, in his opinion, an adequate education so he taught himself. In the same way the he taught himself those who are motivated likewise can become just as knowledgeable or more! 
2. If those motivated learners are kids, can they teach themselves?  I believe that kids can teach themselves many things, learn many different valuable life-skills, and adapt to their surroundings. As people we have this built in ability to learn. I think that teaching ourselves is possible but will be limited whereas someone teaching us or giving us information would broaden our understanding and knowledge of a certain topic or subject. 
3. What conditions are necessary for kids to teach themselves? For anyone to teach him or herself?  I think the conditions that are necessary would be for teachers to lay a firm foundations of basics and skills that can be formed and can grow as the students teach themselves. Kids need to be guided into the right direction so that they can be built upon throughout their formative years. 
4. What role do computers and internet access play in the process?  Computers and access to the internet play a huge role in allowing kids/adults to be able to teach themselves. I am a product of someone that taught myself how to use a computer in almost every way with the exception of a class or two.  Computers and internet provide a network that you can teach yourself from. It has unlimited access and information, so with determination what you can learn is indispensable. 
5. What role does motivation, a desire to learn? Motivation is everything. I sometimes ask myself the question where would I have ended up if I had more motivation in elementary/high school rather than just doing what I needed to do to receive a good grade. Well, I would have gained more skills and knowledge to go alone with it. 
6. What roles do a problem, a question or multiple problems or questions play in the process? Simple, with a problem comes thinking, analyzing, and problem solving. It causes part of our brains to function more efficiently.  
7. How do you motivate someone to learn? First, have them set short term goals and also long term goals. Help them take steps to achieve their short term learning goals that will eventually get them to their long terms. Focus will always motivate! 
8. How are you motivated to learn?  I am motivated in the same way that I would motivate someone else to learn, through setting both long and short term goals in my learning process. Then making the appropriate steps to achieve those 'learning' goals. 
9. Can anyone who is not motivated to learn learn? I think they can learn within the rules and regulations of an institution such as school. For example many students who attend schools are not necessarily motivated to learn or even attend, but they still learn just for the simple fact that they are absorbing the information. I do think that motivation cripples intellect and will hinder the capacity in which one can learn. 
10. Do you teach yourself? When? Why? Sure, I love to learn new ways to use technology because it is useful in many different facets: educational, research, social, etc. I also enjoy learning historical facts and reading literary works. I enjoy learning all of this because I am interested in furthering my understanding. 
11. What role does a teacher (either answer generally or use a specific example) play in your learning? So many teachers have been a positive influence in my life and have played a vital role in my learning.  They taught me character, skills, information, and how to be a learner. Teaching someone how to be a learner is the best thing you can teach them. 
12. What is the most important idea, question or emotional response you take away with you as a result of watching this video?  Technology is very important and is extremely essential to education. It does not replace teachers, but adds to them in a very beneficial way.  It is also amazing to see in this video that children from all over the world have the inward desire to learn and for their knowledge to grow and develop. It's not inherent to the U.S, but is actually all over the world, and resources such as internet help with that process. 
13. What other questions or issues are raised by this video that should be considered and discussed by aspiring teachers? I guess you really have to consider what parts of the video would be considered universal and what part of the video would be specifically for more of India. For instance in America it is very common for middle-upper class families to have computers/internet, whereas many schools and homes in India may not have as much access as the children here. So it begs the question, what would those kid's determination and results be like if they had the access to resources as we do??

What Role Do Women Play in the World of Technology?

Throughout the history of the United States we see the struggle of a woman attempting to transgress the social conventions of her time period. We have the symbolic Rosie the Riveter depicting the increase of working women in the 1940s.  Not only that, but we also see female writers such as Jane Austen, Rebecca Harding Davis, and Emily Dickinson who changed the literature from women was perceived. There are also other keynote women such as Susan B. Anthony who led the women's suffrage movement and fought for equal pay of female teachers. Then we can't forget the brave and determined Amelia Earhart who was the first to fly solo across the Atlantic. So in our history,  it's apparent that many women have not accepted the bar placed on them. They understood that a brick wall was not an obstacle, but a challenge to thrust them forward into their dreams. These women battled for equality in their society that was mainly man and status dominated. They didn't see limitations, only aspirations. Some lost the battle but they fought, many women fought in the battle and paved a way for the equality and advancement of women in our society. As women, the positions we have available, the respect we have, and all the benefits we receive did not come at an easy price, but it took many women being willing to be persecuted, mocked, belittled, and looked down on in order to pave the way for the future.

So as women in our world today, where does that put us? It gives us unlimited vision for the future. How can we use our vision most effectively for the future, through technology! We can pave a way for the generations to come.  I was scanning YouTube and found a video by Anita Borg who founded the Institute for Women and Technology. The mission is to increase the impact of women on all aspects of technology and increase the positive aspect of technology in the world. It also raises awareness of the value of women in the technological world, ie. advancing careers etc. This was very fascinating in that many women become educators and can also become very important assets in the technological advancements of our time through using technology in the classroom. So women may struggle in some areas of advancing technology or finding careers in the technological realm, but as women in education this can be a resource that we learn, use, and take to a new level. This is an opportunity to create, imagine, produce, and do things greater and bigger beyond ourselves. As future women teachers, we have the possibility of blazing trails in technology and in the lives of students that can never be erased but can only be added to! Women no longer have to fight for their place in society but have the equal opportunity to make a difference in our world. This is where it can begin! So in the words of Rosie the Riveter, "we can do it!"

Blog Post 7

Randy Pausch- Last Lecture:Achieving  Childhood Dreams

This lecture was nothing short of inspiring. Listening to Randy Pausch was eye opening and thought provoking. It awakens the desire to dream and through his speech he gives you the permission to have dreams and go after them. It was astounding how he not only spoke of the dreams he had, but how he followed through with achieving his dreams, in failures and in successes. One of his greatest traits that was highlighted was that he saw a brick wall as a gateway and not as a dead end. That's absolutely imperative in life. Many times we will encounter brick walls, but they are a measuring stick to determine how much we really want our dreams in life. Pausch was an inspiration, by the full life that he lived. At the beginning of his lecture when he announced his diagnosis, Pausch stated a quote that said. "We cannot change the cards we are dealt just how we play the hand!" He had the astounding ability to know how to dream and take reasonable steps to accomplish those dreams and no matter what life gave him, he continued dreaming. It's very easy after we experience 'brick walls' to stop dreaming or to allow that to become a paralyzed part of our life, but he expressed in many words that those brick walls should be a catalyst to push us further into our goals. Another thing that he mentioned in the lecture that really stood out to me was his love for football, one of his earlier childhood dreams. He wanted to play in the NFL and even though he never made it professionally, it was a big part of his life because of what he learned from the sport, coaches, and experiences and then applied to all facets of life. It was very amazing that football was the dream in which he received the most fulfillment from. He learned fundamentals in football and what hard coaching was all about. He realized at that point that when someone points out your flaws, it's because they care. These principles were ones that not only applied on a football field, but in his entire life.
The lecture also pointed out how important mentors are. It's important to have people in your life who believe in you and in the dreams you have. It's so important and necessary because that teaches you how to believe in others. As future professors it must also be our heart and motive to enable others to dream big and aspire to achieve those dreams.
Because Pausch had such a phenomenal understanding of dreams and going after those dreams, he chose to become a professor so that he could enable the dreams in others. One great thing that he mentioned that would be great to apply to my very own classroom is that we shouldn't set the bar anywhere for students to aim to achieve because that will limit them and do a great injustice. Rather continue to raise the bar so that students will continue to aim higher.
Throughout the lecture I thought what drives us and this was also answered throughout as the following: Childhood wonders, helping others, choosing to be a 'tigger'  (or optimistic individual). He also spoke on how loyalty and leadership were so important. These were just a few of the things that should drive us.

What a truly outstanding last lecture on achieving childhood dreams. After watching this several words come to mind, and that is legacy, pioneer, life, dreamer, giver, and teacher. Randy Pausch definitely left a legacy and blazed a trail for dreamers to dream and also enable that gift in others. With a life lived in that manner, his works and productions still remain. There are so many things that I want to take away from this video, for example, the value and support of people close to me, the importance of dreams, never giving up but always being determined, taking constructional criticism from those who care, and letting passions determine my course as well as enabling that desire to dream in others.

First summary on my PLN

Personal Learning Network (PLN)

After watching the YouTube video last week of the 7th grader's personal learning network I gained a greater understanding of how to create one, it's importance, and what a PLN even was. While reading the instructions for the project, I came across a website called symbaloo to create my very own PLN. What I have below is called a webmix. I have it organized in four different sections as of now. The first in the top left corner are tiles that I use for educational purposes. Like for example, in EDM 310 I use blogger, gmail, google docs, wordle, and google earth. In my English/Lit classes I use the dictionary tile, Wikipedia, encyclopedia, and the Purdue tile. Having all of these grouped together allows for quick and easy access to the sites that help me the most in my classes. I can go to this site, and use it as a base for all of the other sources that I use. I also have a social corner, in the top right hand side. This includes facebook, twitter, skype, picasa, apple, and amazon. So whether I want to talk with friends, look at pictures, or find some great book deals, I can access it all from one point... even while studying. In the bottom right hand corner are more business type tiles, such as my bank account information, my sky miles information with Delta, and the national news with CNN. This corner also has some generic tiles that symbaloo webmix offers. In the bottom left hand corner are more personal and informative tiles, such as weather, search, espn, and fitness. This is more of a random section. 

 So far I have really enjoyed it because it acts as a personal homepage in a way, with all of "your stuff!" You can make it as educational , sociable, random, or business oriented as you want. How you set it up all depends on preference. It's a great asset to have, because it helps me to stay organized and work efficiently. Plus it's very cool. I have only had an opportunity to work with it for a short time now, but can't wait to add more tiles to it and use it more for both education and personal purposes. 

I love my Personal Learning Network so far! 

Check out my Time Toast!

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C4T #2

           I was assigned to read and comment on Joe Dale's blog, Integrating ICT into the MFL classroom. The latest post was about: Catherine Elliott on stop-motion animation, web 2.0, the iPad and primary languages. 

This post discussed the innovative ways that Catherine incorporates technology to teach foreign languages. She has been a very successful teacher and uses the following resources in her classroom to teach beginner's Spanish and French: animations, videos, clips, cartoons, slideshows, and multi-media posters. I thought that this was a great way to teach foreign languages because many students are visual learners and hands on learners. I would imagine that through watching the videos, cartoons, and posters that the students are able to perceive the information at a faster and more efficient rate than if they were simply reviewing in a book. Not that books should be taken out, but technology such as what Catherine used should be incorporated. There have been many times I have been able to recall information from something I saw on television or the internet over something I read in a book. I think that allowing students access to these resources are beneficial, especially when learning another language, which is a hard task in and of itself. 

          In the post, you can view firsthand, the very creative videos, cartoons, and posters Catherine has made for her students/classroom. If this is something that you are interested in you can also view her tips on animation. Her videos are informative and inspiring! She makes language learning seem so fascinating through exploring creative routes!