Project 9a "My Timetoast Timeline"

Blog Post #5

Don't teach your kids this stuff. Please? by Dr. Scott McLeod

Who is Dr. Scott McLeod? Dr. McLeod is an Associate Professor of Educational Leadership at the University of Kentucky. He is a very well-rounded individual with wonderful insight about the world of technology. He is a well known blogger, CASTLE director, Idea Generator, Solutions generator, etc. Dr. McLeod states his opinions in a sarcastic fashion and leaves his viewers with many thoughts in mind. I like how he got his point across by using sarcasm in his blog post. I do agree with his statement that there are bad things out there and we need to keep our children safe, but I also feel like we shouldn't keep children too sheltered. Dr. McLeod talks about how the negatives of technology can prevent us from actually encourages the use of technology in our classrooms. We need allow children to enhance their knowledge but also keep them safe while doing so. I think as long as we address the concerns to our students and allow them to come to us with any problems then the worries should soon pass. We as educators need to educate ourselves primarily first so we do not feel threatened or fearful of negative outcomes of technology. There are so many wonderful opportunities in regards to technology; so we should embrace it instead of running away from it!

iSchool initiative By Travis Allen

I was very impressed after watching the YouTube video on iSchool initiative by Travis Allen. Travis was only 17 when he created his video, iSchool initiative. Travis speaks about how schools should incorporate technology into the curriculum and eliminate the use of pens, paper, and possible books. He believes the iPad and iTouch have a lot of wonderful uses that will benefit future students. He also talks about how there are different apps that can help allow the learning experience to grow. You can do so much through internet apps and YouTube, the possibilities are almost endless. I feel like this could be a fantastic idea but we would need to get administrators on board, and I know that would be a difficult thing to do. It seems like teachers today and school administrators would dislike the idea of ischool because they are stuck in their traditional ways of teaching. Travis also talks about how expensive the cost of books for a single student can be. He says the price for one student on ischool would only be 150 dollars opposed to 600 dollars for textbooks alone. I think that would enable a tremendous amount of savings for school systems but I know the administrators would fine holes in ischool. I personal feel ischool would be very inexpensive compared to the prices of textbooks, but I think we have a long way to go to get parents, teachers,and administrators on board before this could ever happen. Travis Allen has a lot of great ideas and he did a wonderful job on his YouTube video.

Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir

I watched the video on Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir-'Lux Aurumque and I was truly impressed! The music was so beautiful and all the different faces that were put together just amazed me. I was very pleased after watching this peaceful sounding video. Eric Whitacre is such a talented individual to have put this remarkable video together of all these individuals. I am personally very happy that we were assigned to this particular video because I would have never looked at anything of this nature. This is definitely something I would like to look into further. I like that there is such a positive and moving video on the internet such as this one. I love how technology is evolving into the arts. I think it is a good thing to incorporate as much technology as possible into the arts. I will definitely show this video to my future class.

Teching in the 21st Century by Kevin Roberts

Kevin Roberts talks about how students do not always need their teachers first to solve a problem or as a resource. Technology is a major resource for many students. Teachers are not always the biggest part of the classroom, but they are needed to engage with their students and pave the road for their future with technology. Technology needs to brought about in a way of learning and educating instead of just being known as a form of entertaining.

Students today need to be aware of the technology around them because it is not only growing but it is also everywhere. Yes, the internet can help teach the student and be a resource for almost anything, but the need for a teacher is definitely still relevant. I believe even when technology has taken over the school systems the need for an educator in the classroom will still be utmost important. Teachers not only pave the way for students, but also leave stepping stones for their future students.

Reading rockets
Reading Rocket is a wonderful website filled with tons of resources for teachers, parents, administrators, counselors, and many more! Reading rocket has lesson plans, fun games, ABC's of teaching, video podcasts, and much much more. I really think this website is going to come in great use for my future classroom. I have already printed off a few things! I found the resource Helping Struggling Readers a wonderful resource because it gave many different tips and information to help encourage your students with reading problems. There are questions and answers for the teacher and parents to discuss about the student also available on this resource. I like this resource because it have tools that teachers can use in the classroom and also free printable worksheets!

Blog Post #4

Judy Scharf's Podcast Collection

In Judy Scharf's Brief summary of what a podcast is, she explains that the term "podcast" actually is a cross between "broadcast" and "iPod". Judy talks about how a podcast is a "radio-style" talk show which may include music and is useful in the classroom for any subject. Judy informs us that a podcast is simply a type of digital media. A podcast is a wonderful tool to share information with millions of people around the world just through the internet. To make a podcast, all you need is a microphone, a computer, and the software for your computer, which Judy tells us is free to download. Judy includes two links, the first link is one on YouTube which shows you how create your podcast and what tools and downloads you must have to do so. The second video is on Teacher Tube, an instructional video that also shows you in detail how to create a podcast and how to use iTunes in the classroom. I felt both videos would come in handy when I make my podcast for EDM310.
I definitely plan to use podcast in my future classroom. I think podcasts will give students the time to show their voices and present their assignments in a more vocal way. I am excited to learn how to make my own podcast so I can become an expert for my students.
The Benefits of Podcasting in the Classroom
This video by Joe Dale is done by using an actually podcast. He talks about how podcasting focuses on the higher levels of Blooms taxonomy and allows for creativity and innovation. The video also talks about how podcasts offer a new and relevant way of learning for students. The students become more engaged and excited about learning. After the huge outbreak of the iPod, podcasts have become more and more popular. I like the idea of podcasts in my future classroom because it will allow students to have a higher level of learning and it will definitely allow them to learn significantly. If a child were to ever be sick for an extended amount of time, podcast will come in handy to allow students to get the important information they may need or they have missed. I am excited about creating my own podcast.
I enjoyed visiting Langwitches Blog because it was filled with a lot of useful information about twitter, Skype, a lot about iPads, and podcasts. Langwitches likes uses podcasts because it is a great way learn many different types of languages. She does a lot of documenting and provides a lot of tools on her blogs that I would definitely use. The one I would use is, Story Telling with the iPad, I think this is a great tool for teachers to use in the classroom for their students to learn languages. One Langwitches blog there is also storykits for students which I think will be very useful.

Project #6 "My Sentence Video"

Blog Post #3

Technology in Special Education

Special Education has come a long way with the success of technology. After watching this video it made me recall when I was a special education peer helper in high school. The students that I would help also had computer and desktops for communication, hearing aids for hearing, and technology for viewing simple sentence for vision impaired. Simple requests like: going to the bathroom, needed help with an assignment, or simply hungry/thirty would be difficult to ask without a touch pad or computer for those whom can not communicate. Without technology for learning, understanding, and communicating, I know the stress on the teachers and the students would be very frustrating. I was there, so I understand how difficult it can be on the student to show their ability to learn.
I strongly feel every student regardless of their learning capability should be able to perform to their fullest and gain a sense of success and creativity. The technology that is used for special needs provides opportunities for those students and we as educators definitely need to know what kind tools are out there for our students. As a future educator I will definitely be mindful of the technology that is available for my students who may have special needs.


How the iPad works with Academics for autism

After watching the video about the iPad I quickly realized how amazing apple has come. I think it is wonderful that the iPad has so many apps and options to help autistic children with learning and success. There are many many apps to choice from at Apple.Education Apps.com. It is fantastic that there are apps that will motivate and help children in specific areas. Many areas that are essential for these children with autism are: counting, reading, siting, drawing on the iPad to practice, and etc. I looked through several of the apps that were provided and I would definitely consider using them in my classroom if it were allowed. My favorite app is the Britannica kids about volcanoes for Science. The colors and very visual pictures would definitely excite any students, especial one who has special needs.

Gary's Social Media Count

This media count is absolutely incredible! I am yet again shocked at how technology impacts almost everyone on a regular basis. What does this mean for a professional career as a teacher? We as educators must learn to familiarize ourselves with the future of technology. We must not only know how to use the technology, but we need to know how to learn from it and change our previous teaching techniques to evolve from it. We incorporate the new technology of our future into our classroom. There are so many new ways to use technology to teach and I believe it we can embrace these techniques then will we have a successful classroom indefinitely. I am very excited about using technology in my classroom because I know the smartboards and iPad will help students come a long way. We must embrace changes in the technology world and not fall back into the old ways of teaching.

A Vision of Students Today

This video shows how we have developed tremendously through technology. This video raises the point that teachers are still teaching in an old fashion way, and with technology constantly evolving, students are getting bored. Throughout class students are not even focused on their readings, the teacher, or focused on actually learning. Looking at the chalkboard and taking notes; forget about it! We as educators need to allow changes in our classrooms due to the progression of technology that is unstoppable. We can still teach our students the same material and set them up for success, we just have to change the route with technology. There are options such as: internet based classroom, electronic based books, and more smart board activity. We do have to keep in mind avoiding students texting, face booking, and non classroom web browsing in the classroom. We as educators must keep our students in tune during class so they will not be tempting to do the non class activities. We definitely need to prepare are students for the next step in their careers because this world is a technology based one.

C4T #1 Assignment

I found Hadley's Blog Post full of energy and very refreshing. She posted this Blog on January 27, 2012. The first thing that I read was about Hadley heading to Educon. First and foremost, Educon , is a conference set up for educators and administrators from all over the world to get together to create organized dialogue. The teachers begin Educon with visiting with one another and connecting with fellow teachers from past conferences. This conference is a weekend long session filled activities such as: sharing teaching techniques, learning, and conversing. There are many ideas that are discussed and presentations that will be shared. Hadley states that her brain and heart in many ways will be bursting by the end of the long weekend. She has such a desire to better herself as an educator and reach the full potential of each student she has in her classroom.

I commented on Hadley's post on Educon by first of all introducing myself as a student at South Alabama and a student in Dr. Strange's EDM310 class. I told Hadley how important I thought it was to have a conference such as Educon. Sharing ideas and presentations with fellow educators and administrators is such a wonderful idea and I think as future educators we should all attend such a conference. Learning from one another's experiences and making changes to their teaching techniques to better the futures of their students is fantastic. I asked Hadley is anyone could attend Educon because I feel it would make me a successful future educator. I told her how wonderful her survial plan was for getting through the weekend at Educon. I really did enjoy her blog because it was insightful and full of positive energy. Hadley is such a wonderful teacher and influence for future educators. I hope I become a teacher like her, dedicated and ambitious.

I found Hadly's second post, Takeaways from Educon just as exhilarating as her previous blog post that I read. This was ultimately a follow up on Hadley's trip to the weekend Educon conference. She states that she felt the power of the people within the conference. She says that one of the biggest challenges is for the conversations to actually arise among educators and administrators. There is a presenter at the conference whose goal is to get people to talk with each other, learn, and share together. Hadley states, "Educon is not for the faint of heart or the passive. Teachers and administrators don’t come to Educon unless they want to grow and develop their practice." I feel as a future educator we should not be lazy teachers but embrace our students. We should allow ourselves to find the full potential of our students so they can learn and be successful. In Educon, Teachers and administrators find ways to do so. I loved reading Hadley's follow up on her trip to Educon. I hope that future Educon conference come near the southern states because I think it would benefit me as a future educator to attend a conference. I would love to get to know educator and administrators from all over the world.

My second comment for Hadley's blog was for the blog Takeaways from Educon. I began telling Hadley how powerful her blog was and how excited her blog left me. I told her that her statement about how “Educon is not for the faint of heart or the passive.”, made me realize how my choice to become an educator will always be the right choice for me. I told Hadley that I want to become a teacher like her, who wants to not only reach out to all students but lead them in the direction of success. I want to attend an Educon conference so I can grow as a future educator and learn from fellow teachers. This is a fantastic tool that we as educators need to embrace and use as much as we can. A tool that allows us to share, learn, and talk to people from all over world is incredible. I am so pleased that I was assigned to Hadly's Blog. She has opened my eyes in a totally new way. I want to learn with fellow educators and administrators like Hadly.

Project #5

Blog Post # 2

1. Did you know?-3.0 A John Strange Version January 2012

I was assigned to watch the video Did you know? by Dr. Strange for my second blog post. Honestly, I really enjoyed his remake of the original done by Karl Fisch and Scott McLeod. Both videos were very informative and well put together. I was already aware of how far along technology has come, but when I read the statistics regarding the use of SMS messages per day, YOU Tube videos per minutes, the number of Google Searches per minute, and the percentage that actually own computers astounded me! I personally use my phone frequent throughout the day and would go crazy if something were to happen to my computer. It does make total sense that these percentages are rises as the time moves forward with the progression of technology. The video also addressed how we as a country rely tremendously on the use of technology to just get us through the day. If we lost the use of Google, I am sure the country as a whole would shut down.

I found this particular quote very interesting, "23% of the population of India with the highest IQ's outnumber the entire population of the United States". Honestly, I am bothered by this quote because as a future educator I do not want our country to lack the interest of education. We as educator and students have become lazy and tend to search the internet and 'Google' our questions instead of asking our peers, our superiors, or a professor. We need to prepare ourselves to undergo a change in this statistic. Also, as a future educator I want to become more literate in the technology world. I was fearful of this class but I believe it will prepare me for my future and make the type of educator we need in the years to come.

2. Mr. Winkle Wakes

In the brief video of Mr. Winkle Wakes, we learn that Mr. Winkle has awoke from a 100 year slumber. He makes his way to a large and tall building filled with busy people and noises he was unfamiliar with. He also came face to face with machines that printed out documents and picurtes. This amazed Mr. Winkle. All of these changes he noticed overwhelmed him. He felt sick and visited a hospital. Mr. Winkle then saw X rays and machines that kept people alive. Mr. Winkle didn't understand this hospital so he left. He strolled into a school and realized there was no intrusion from the outside world. He liked the fact that school was almost the exact same after all these years he had been asleep.

I definitely liked this video and the point of the story was bluntly illustrated. Mr. Winkle was very lost and unaware of the technology that we use everyday. Everyone and everything seems to be increasing their technology to precede in the world, but it does seem like some school systems have been left out. Due to funding, I know school can not afford things such as: computers, printers, calculators, etc. It is a shame that not all the students are getting all of the equipment that it seems deemed to become successful. For the success of students I feel it is necessary for teacher and administrators to become familiar with the technology. Hopefully one day every student will have the tools needed to become successful in their future outside of school.

3. Sir Ken Robinson: School kills creativity

I really enjoyed watching Sir Ken Robinson. I found him informative and quite humorous. I think if a speaker can make the crowd laugh and also be very informative then he wins in my book! He begins speaking about how he feels we should treat creativity the same as literacy. Ken Robinson states that everyone has creativity inside of them. He also speaks about how everyone learns differently and for a student to succeed we as educators need to help the student to explore their specific talents.

The difference between right and wrong is something that we as educators focus a lot of our energy on. I agree with Ken Robinson that sometimes we neglect the creative side of students when we get caught up with the right and wrongs. I feel as educators we need to allow students to show their creative sides in all subject. All in all, we should embrace our students and support their creative sides!

4. A Vision For 21st Century

I believe one of the main arguments of this video is to allow learning through a video game and online. Yes I think learning online and a virtual video would provide skills needed for students, but I also feel students need to interact among their peers to learn communication skills. I think the maker of this video feels like students are not learning as much they are capable of in the classroom so they feel video and online learning is a better choice. I would like to see more technology integrated into the classroom but not a total 100% online based class. I do not think students would be able to use all of their creative sides if this new technique were established. It is definitely something that should be well planned out to prevent the lose of important motor skills.

I personally as a future educator to not agree with this plan of teaching and learning one hundred percent. Students and teachers should interact with one another. Yes I feel this video game could help with some aspects of learning, but I do not agree with eliminating the the old fashioned structure concept of learning.

5. Harness your students' digital Smarts: Vicki Davis

Vicki Davis' decision to make her classroom one that is built primarily around learning how to use, wikis, blogs, pod casts, and digital story telling is very interesting to me. I do not solely agree with her internet techniques but I would like to try using the internet to connect students with the world. I really like how even though Vicki Davis and her students' school is located in rural south Georgia, she still has herself and students connected and interacting with the world.

Vicki Davis prepares her students to be independent and reliable, qualities students must have to be successful in their futures. While Vicki Davis wants them to work on their own among each other, she still helps them when they need it. In close, This classroom reminded me of EDM310. I believe like Vicki Davis' classroom, EDM310 will prepare me for my future as an educator!