The Stubborn Zax

Although this cartoon was not made to be a put down for teaching methods, it certainly fits it well. Some teachers, a lot of teachers, are a Zax inside and out. Some are so set in their own ways that they will not budge to better the education of their students. I think for many educators, teaching has simply just become a job. It has become a routing to perform their job everyday, that they forget they have an enormous daily impact on the lives of 20+ students. I truly wish that I could see the era of reform for education, but I do not think it will be in my day. ( I know that is negative!). Although we have come so far with technology in education, education in itself is still the same. We still sit in a classroom and listen to a teacher. Teachers still just lecture. Students are still forced to simply sit and listen. We desperately need a change, but unfortunately I do not see it. I thank God for the amazing teachers we have learned about this semester. There truly are teachers out there who believe in a change, and I hope they know what an inspiration and what amazing individuals they are.

My Physical Fitness Survey Results

Comments4Kids

Week 4/ Mr. C's Class Blog- The title of of the post I was assigned to was called, "To Build A Fire." My student used the tool www.goanimate.com to make a short cartoon. The cartoon was a man on fire and then he walked his dog in front of a silhouette of buildings. I commented that it was very creative and the details were amazing and interesting. I also that it looked like hard work to create this piece of art and that I was very impressed : )

Week 5/ Mr. Lamshed's Class- The title of the post was "Tie Tuesday Photos." I was not sure of what Tie Tuesday was so I researched more of the blog and I learned that it was a day that the boy's wore ties; the lesson is so that they will know how to tie ties! I commented that the class truly seemed like a "community" of learners, and that it was great to see a class doing an interactive project. Also, around the world other class are joining in and I think that is awesome.

Week 6/ Pesburne- I was assigned to comment on Kefu's post, and it was artwork that he created; it was a blue background with white bubbles. Kefu said that he chased and played with the shiny bubbles. I told him that bubbles were very interesting and I hope he enjoyed himself. I said that his artwork was very detailed and sophisticated.

Week 7/ Quam Students- My post was titled, "My Favorite Superhero." The student said his favorite superhero was Flash, because he has a cool outfit, he can run on water, and he can run around the world really fast. He said he does not understand why Batman and others are called superheroes because they do not have real powers. I posted that Flash seems like a cool guy and he has very useful characteristics. I added that it was very mature and smart of him to think analyze the meaning of superhero!

Week 8/180 Days of Kindergarten- I was assigned to Day 108, and I learned about everything they accomplished on this day. I commented that it was great to see such organization and technology in a Kindergarten classroom, and it is great to see how much they get done in one day. I also added that I really enjoyed a website that she posted about; it is a temperature learning website for kids.

Week 9/ JK McClung- I was assigned to a particaular lesson learned, which was, "Always Dress out for PE." Basically, he did not dress out for PE and split his pants while playing! I commented that it was a very valuable lesson learned, and that you learn something new everyday, whether you want to or not : )

Week 10/ Mrs. Kolbert's Student Blogs- My post was entitled,"Faces," and it was posted by Leo. He informed me that everytime he typed a smily face, it automatically turned into a computerized yellow smily. (I thought this was very humorous!) I told him that it was definitely a mystery and sometimes computers are crazy like that! I urged him to do some research to discover what was causing this.

Week 12/ Pesglaze- I commented on Sean's video about the beach. It was his first video, and he did a good job. He was very quiet, and all I could understand was that he saw dolphins leaping over the waves. I told him that he did a great job on his first video post, and I hope he keeps up the good work. I also added that I am sure the dolphins were beautiful.

Week 13/ Pesking- I commented on Ramona's story. Her post contained a short video of her and her friends bowling. She explained that her friends were doing very good, but she was not because it was her first time bowling. She also stated that the bowling ball was so heavy that she was scared it might break the floor. I commented that bowling was a fun sport, and it did not matter who won or lost, as long as you had fun with your friends. I told her that I was not very good at bowling, but my friends are supportive and we always have a good time. I told Ramona that she was a wonderful writer and to keep up the good work.

Week 14/ JK McClung- I commented on the post by teacher called "Explorer Tests Results." Basically, his students took a test to see what occupations they might be interested in, based on interests. I commented that I took one of these in high school, and I thought it was very beneficial. I said that I hope his students really enjoy the results, but also that they understand that they do not have to do what the test said!

Sweet Kaia

This assignment was really enjoyable and quite touching. If you truly care about education and the future of children around the world, then this should have moved you at least a little. This is a story that is so inspiring and almost magical. This sweet little girl is going to do wonderful things with her life because she has a family that is leading her in the right direction of education. There are people all over that truly love her story, and it is impossible for her to understand the extent and importance of it.

As teachers, this should completely inspire us to do great things with our classrooms. We are capable of touching so many lives and reaching out to and connecting with an amazing amount of people, if we only try. As teachers during this day in time, it is vital for us to step out of our comfortable educational shells, and create the opportunities for our students that they deserve.


This assignment should show us that it is simple to touch the life of another child. Reaching out to other people will be an educational growth experience for us as a teacher, our students, as well as the person we are reaching out to. The children of today live in an era of media and this must be incorporated into their education, or this generation will turn their backs on educational schooling because they deserve better than it can do for them.

A positive review of educational blogging

"I think it’s the most beautiful tool of the world and it allows us the most magic thing..."

—Florence Dassylva-Simard, fifth-grade student

Institutionalized Education... NOT for me or my students.

I really enjoyed Miss Bayda's opinionalized view on our current form of education and schooling; I feel she and Dan Brown could not be more correct. Until this current EDM class, and also my EDF class, I have been comofortable with my "schooling". I have always felt like I was not learning anything at my University, but as long as I was earning my A's and B's, I was okay with it. Thanks to a few teachers, and my wonderful PLN, I am now sickened by my university, as well as many others. I am tired of memorizing facts, and recalling them when it is test time.

Enjoy Dan Brown's Video on Institutionalized Education

I think the most valuable point that Mr. Brown made was that, as student we do not use our hundred dollar textbooks, because the facts and information are readily available online. This generation is one of media; we are done with textbooks! While learning online, you get animated objects, tutorials, how-to's, and visual images. It satisfies every style of learning whether it be linguistic, visual, audio, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and whatever else there is. I feel that it is up to us future teachers to take what we know about education and embed it into our elementary schools all the way up to 12th grade. WE have to make the difference and influence our students. They are the generation of change, and we are the ones to help them make that change. I do not feel that anytime soon education will change, but there is no doubt in my mind that my students will see it, and I want them to look back and say, "My kindergarten teacher started this."

Random post ... My sister is a cheerleader at Southern Mississippi and I miss her SO MUCH!! : (

ACCESS

This is a program that I really wish I would have known about in high school. This basically allows students to take online courses that they are interested in. For example, if a student wants to take Marine Biology and it is not offered at their school, or they want to take it a semester early, they can gain credit for the course by taking it online. It is very similar to online courses in college, except there are more guidelines and content. Students can take exam exemption courses as well as advanced placement courses. This site also provides website resources. For example, the Alabama Virtual Library can connect a student to any book on any subject. It also has an advanced placement test, as well as an exemption test.

I really like ACCESS because it is completely technology oriented. There are not textbooks, papers, or pencils. It really encourages distance learning, which is basically anything besides sitting in a classroom. Students are able to learn from teachers that are not available at their school. Many of the resources available through ACCESS are web-based. They are not articles or online books. They are websites that provide visual learning through stimulation effects. For different subjects it provides power points and digital media to enhance learning.

ALEX

ALEX stands for the Alabama Learning Exchange. It is a wonderful resource for teachers, students, and administrators. It basically lays out the curriculum, standards and guidelines for K-12 education in Alabama. This site has web links available for you providing information and useful tools. For students, they have websites for every subject possible. Students will find this useful for studying or doing a report. This website also provides teachers' lesson plans. This is a nice tool for parents to access to see what their children are doing in school. ALEX also explains in details what the curriculum guidelines are for every subject and every grade. I enjoyed the part of the website that contained tools for Professional Learning. It is important for teachers to continuously develop and better their teaching methods and educational growth. This provides tips and tricks to working with technology ( which is very useful!) It has a Special Education tab, library media tab, as well as a link that lists professional organizations.

A very interesting aspect of ALEX was its podcast library. It is called Gallery 360. You can search for different topics throughout the different subjects. Some of the findings are interviews with a person knowledgeable in the particular subject. Something that is helpful about the library is that it informs you of the standards and grade level that the podcast is aligned with. This way, teachers are able to hand pick what is appropriate for their class.

... And Your Dreams WILL Follow.

The Last Lecture

So, halfway through the lecture, and on until the end, I was extremely confused on the point of this lecture. It seemed like a man talking about his life and career, and I didn't understand why, so I am assuming not many others did either. So, I did some research, and it is tradition at Carnegie Mellon for a professor to present a "Last Lecture," when he or she has been diagnosed with or cancer, or some other reason, and is expected to die within a short period of time, so when I discovered this, I was able to understand a little better. So there is a little insight for you guys.

Well, I cried at the end. I cried a lot. This guy who I had no interest in at the beginning of the video, was really powerful to me as a young person. I am so surprised that I enjoyed this video so much, because ultimately I did not know this man, I care nothing about virtual reality, and I had no idea what his intentions were. I enjoyed his lecture so much, he expressed so many wonderful and touching ideas, that everyone can learn from. From this lecture, and I also did some extra research, it seems that Randy was a great person, and he lived a very fulfilled life. My sorrow goes out to his wife Jai, and his three beautiful children.

I love the "head fake" idea. This is a great theory to use in life as well as education. Children do not want to do what you want them to do, you know? It is a great thing to witness a child learning a task or an idea, when they had no idea they were learning. This is often called incidental teaching. I once worked with a teacher who was head over heels for this method of learning, and I often got to experience the positives that came from it. The students were in preschool, and it was almost like a light came from their eyes when they realized what difficult task they had accomplished that was simple in reality. When someone thinks they are working hard on an assignment or idea, and they realize that something wonderful has also come from it, it is a great feeling.

I also took to heart his idea of putting others before yourself. This is something we are taught as soon as our cognitive abilities allow us to understand it. Unfortunately, media and the 21st century embed the idea of self into our brain. I feel that as educators, WE are the ones who understand the idea, and also exhibit the idea. We certainly do not go into the profession for reasons of "self". We embrace it with the hope of touching the lives of others. This blog is not meant to talk about myself, but I do want to share that I understand his idea of leading a good life and putting others before yourself, and your dreams will come to you. I once volunteered a camp for special needs children and adults. I literally changed diapers and gave baths to utter strangers. Giving up our summer to perform tasks such as these do not sound like a good time to most people, but it was the BEST experience of my life. It was FULFILLING. If I never do anything else again in my life, I will know my life has been fulfilled because of that one summer. I lived for others, and got so much in return. My personality and outlook on life was deterred, and I realized my dream of becoming a special education teacher. So, when Mr. Pausch expressed this idea, it really hit home, and I hope that others will also embrace this.

I feel like I could blog for days about this lecture. He seemed like such a good hearted man who accomplished so much. He led an amazing life because he listened to the advice of others and always prioritized others before himself.


Thank you Mr. Randy for your words : )

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A Future of Whatever!

I really enjoyed this assignment. Mr. Wesch is an extremely sophisticated and brilliant man. He seems so passionate about technology in education, and it seems like he does an amazing job working with his students. Mr. Wesch and his class brought up an interesting viewpoint about social networking that I have never thought about before. When I get on youtube, I just watch the videos. I do not think about who the people are that made or participated in it, nor do I think about their reasoning behind it. I just simply watch.

Now that I think about Mr. Wesch's observation, I completely agree with all of it. It is like these people can and are being someone completely different than who they are, and then they present it to the world. Or, they are being themselves and are bearing all kinds of personal information out on the line, for anyone to see or hear. Why is this so easy? Because they are sitting in a room by themselves staring into a camera. Like the video mentioned, it takes away all of the social anxiety that comes with making eye contact, or telling a deep dark secret to someone.

I think this does compare to my personal life and my college experience, because these are the social networking sites I use. It is awkward for me to have a face to face conversation these days, because I am so used to sending a tweet or writing on someone's wall. I am not sure what this means for my future career. I think that I will encourage my students to use networking sites, so they can reach the rest of the world.

The Networked Student

This video was C-U-T-E! It was so simple, but it got the point across, which I really appreciate. Technology in education is such a hot topic, and a lot of videos and speeches are so boring and over the top that it completely loses the audience and its meaning. It was nice to watch something so simple. This video laid out the basic principles of the point it wanted to make, and it worked. It put it in a real world sense of view; it definitely kept me entertained AND informed.

I am completely prepared to introduce networked learning in my classroom. ( Although, I am hoping that their previous teachers would have introduced it). It is vital that our students understand that there is a big world beyond books, and they can connect to any part of it that they wish. They should research and hear the views of people from all over the world, not just from me. For example, if we are studying biology, then I will do my best to set up a Skype session with a biology professor. For whatever we are studying, I will encourage and lead my students in the right direction to find out more and various information on the topic.

One of my favorite parts of the video was about the purpose of the teacher. It has never crossed my mind, but with all the hype about online learning and technology in our classrooms, it brings up a valid point of why we even need a teacher. This video did a fantastic job of reinforcing the quality of teachers. First of all, there has to be someone there to encourage our students and introduce new ideas. Some of our students from low income schools do not even have access to a computer outside of school. These students need to be encouraged to be a part of this big world through social networking. Also, these kids need someone to explain the difference between valid and invalid research, and how to differentiate between the two. The teacher is ultimately the backbone of the adventure, and must be there to show her kids the way.

This Is How We Dream

This video and speech never reached a point, in my opinion. After watching and listening several times, I am still not sure of the purpose of it. I understand that it was encouraging us to write using media applications, but it never gave any ideas or examples. It also seemed to me that the speech had nothing to do with what was being shown in the video. I feel like the two should have been separated.

I do feel that I am prepared to make my classroom a watching/listening environment. I know that I personally get tired of reading books and basically re-writing what it says for an assignment or a test. The times are changing at a fast pace, and books and paper just do not cut it for today's students. Students are more apt to pay attention to a presentation on a SmartBoard rather than reading a book, because technology is what their lifestyles and culture is now centered upon.

It does seem that Dr. Miller and his crew feel strongly on this idea, and have done a lot of research to support it, and I give him kudos for that. A lot of teachers are simply stuck in their ways and think change is a bad idea. It takes people like Dr. Miller to create videos and give speeches to get the word and the information out there, so change can happen.

Here is a video that basically gives you every possible idea for using an IPod in you classroom.

I suggest you watch it, but I will summarize it for you.

The point of the video was trying to prove that you could store hundreds of paper files, a dozen technological devices, a ton of test scores, ( you get the point) or you could have one tiny ipod.

A few ideas..
Podcasting- record a lesson, learn a new language
Audiobooks- listen while you read
Video- animate a story by your class by using pictures
Demonstration- make a how-to-video, ITunes U, share online videos
Flash Cards- make your own or download
Presentations- convert power points, share charts, graphs and visuals
Reference-download a dictionary
Games- create your own quizzes
Living Text- write, listen, or watch a word ( great for speech and special education teachers!


Thats not even half of the examples this video provides, so WATCH IT!

Duke University thinks Ipods are so important in education that they give them to incoming freshmen. Yes, give.
Read about it here.
...And here

A paragraph from the article...

"Expanding the use of information both in the classroom and in the campus community is part of the school's overall goals, said Tracy Futhey, Duke's vice president of information technology. The school is looking forward to ideas from the faculty and students about additional uses for the devices, Futhey said. The student newspaper, for example, might use the iPods to distribute a daily audio editorial."

ITunes U

ITunes U is genius. I can't believe I have never explored this resource until now. I have a mac and an ITouch, and I could have been using this tool all along, but did not really know about it. Not only will this be great when I am a teacher, but it is helpful to me as a student. I am able to listen to lectures from the world's most renowned universities. I subscribed to Stanford's link and enjoyed listening to their podcasts on education. It is rather mind bloggling to me that the idea is simply... giving away free instruction that some students are paying thousands of dollars for by attending these universities. Granted, by listening to it you aren't going to receive a degree, but still, the thought is pretty interesting. I found an article by The Washington Post that talked a little bit on this topic... Enjoy.

Click here to read the article, "Is ITunes for You?

Since I have never used ITunes you, I was not sure of where to start. So, I googled the topic, and the website I found most useful was the apple site giving an introduction to the tool. It explains what it is for, how it works, etc. I enjoyed this video which is a basic introduction to ITunes U.

This resource is not only for universities. It contains a section for K-12 Instruction from around the world. Just like the university section, not just any school can be a part of it, it is only a select few that really know what they are doing and are getting some great things done.


Click here guys. Too funny.

I found this under Texas A&M "Wired Study Tips"

www.alicechristie.org

Click here to explore this website!


I loveeeddddd this site. I could spend hours and hours exploring it. She has a ton of useful information for current and future teachers. It is a great starting site for someone who is new to using technology in the classroom. The section I found most interesting was the constructivism link located under the Educational Technology tab. I am a huge supporter of constructivist teaching and learning in the classroom, so obviously I really enjoyed this link. When you click on the constructivist tab, you first read an explanation of this theory of learning, followed by seven principles that support this theory. Dr. Christie then provides SERVERAL wonderful links to examples of teachers facilitating these principles.

Constructivist Section

Here are a few of my favorite examples...

Mrs. Silverman's 2nd Grade Class:Stellaluna's Friends
KidSpired Tales

I hope you enjoy these examples. I am sure that the students really enjoyed making these projects, and as you can tell, they learned a lot!

My Mexico Presentation : )

Wikipedia Scam

Wow! I had no idea about this. I always use Wikipedia as a source for anything; It is usually the first website I go to. This guy is super smart for discovering a way to uncover who has edited what and when in Wikipedia. It is such a wake-up call for folks to understand that you can't always believe what you hear, or READ. We usually believe anything we see or read on the internet just because, well, we feel like it is an accurate source, but apparently it is not.

I think that is a great thing that this grad student discovered this. We can uncover the truth about politicians, big corporations, or musicians. We can see the things that they do not want us to see. We can finally see the truth. Wikipedia is something that most of us feel that we can rely on, and we now know that is not the case. Fortunately, there is now something we can do about it.

Podcast Help!

The websites were extremely useful, I learned so many things about podcasts that I previously did not know. The website I found most useful was is.gd/2cd21... The video about podcasting in the classroom had so many wonderful ideas and it definitely convinced me that using podcasts will be a benefit to my classroom. I liked the idea of uploading your lecture to a classroom blog so that parents can listen and learn, and also for students that are absent can hear the lecture and ultimately do not have to miss any important materials.

What I found to be the most useful on this website was the videos explaining garageband and audacity. I have a mac and completely forgot that I had garageband; I have never even used it. The video explained absolutely everything I would need to know when using this application. This will help me so much when my group and I make our podcast. I was originally pretty stressed out, but now that I know how to do this ( and have also watched 1st graders make a podcast!) I feel rather confident and excited about this project.

One Year Old With IPhone

I have to say this video did not really surprise or impress me. Lots of one year olds can remember repetitive actions, like this one is displaying. He simply remembers which button does what, and remembers to slide his fingers to see a new picture.

Don't get me wrong, it is pretty amazing that babies are now using technology. I went to YouTube and searched for more babies/IPhone sort of thing and there were tons of videos! This means that by the time these kids get to Kindergarden they are going to be pretty incredible. As a future teacher, I have to make sure I am up to date with the latest technology; I want to keep up with my students.