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!