C4K October Summary Post

The first blog post that I commented on was by a young lady named, Chloe. She wrote her post based off of  the movie, Cars. She talked about the true friendships in the movie and how she can apply them to her own life. In her summary, she said that a true friend to her  is: "trustworthy, cheers you on, kind, caring and always there for you." I thought that these were some great values of friendship to see at such a young age. Overall, the content of her post was great except for a few gramatical errors.

The next student wrote about her reaction to romantic themes. She did a great job of telling everyone specifically how it made her feel. She mentioned that it could give her many emotions from being very excited to being very sad. The student even mentioned how these same emotions can be played out in t.v. advertisements. She says that it is all about how the writer or producer wants to make you feel. Again, I thought that this was another excellent student post.

The third week, my student was from a middle school in Iowa. Her post was a poem that she had written. She didn't metion particularly but I had guessed that it was a haiku.  I beleive that the point she was trying to make was to be your ownself and lively freely. Lexi R did a great job and seemed very mature beyond her expected age.

This week, my C4K was on Mr. McClung's class blog. He showed an assignment that he had given his students using Google SketchUp. This was another amazing tool produced by Google that allowed the students to create their own country. I absolutely amazed at the technological offerings that students have today. When I was younger, just about the most advanced tools that we had to express ourselves with were still crayons and paper. What a great distance education has come just in the last 10-15 years! 

Blog Assignment #10

An Open Letter to Educators by Morgan Bayda

As a whole, I will have to say that I agree with the thoughts of both Morgan Bayda and Dan Brown. I have the same experience that I enter a classroom with at least 50 other people where the professor makes no attempt to get to know the class and his teaching styles are power point lectures full of FACTS. These facts have little to do with what I am trying to accomplish in becoming a teacher. While it is true that an elementary teacher will need a broad knowledge of basic concepts in many areas like science, math and history. But knowing every little detail of the Cold War for a final exam is not going to make me a better teacher. If the time comes that I ever need to go over Cold War facts for my students, I can just as easily look them up on Google then, as I can now. Like Dan Brown said, this is the "information age" and the information in today's text books  are the same information being offered online. So it seems to me that something does need to change in the institutional education. We need to be more focused on preparing people for job specific careers and while doing so cut down on the high and wasted cost of today's higher education.

Two Questions That Can Change Your Life

I believe that motivation is something that is instilled in all college students. Like mentioned in the movie, motivation is what gives us the drive to become who we want  to be. At night, I am not sure that I have ever given thought to whether I was better today than I was yesterday. However, making a conscious effort to be a better person tomorrow than I was today is not a bad a idea. Sure, everybody has their moments or days when nothing seems to go right but that shouldn't stop us from our drive to get things accomplished. I am starting to see that as a challenge to strengthen our own various skills, be it whatever we are working at. So, what is my sentence?  I am a college junior working to become a well-rounded student given my current circumstances of various learning techniques so that when I graduate I can inspire others to succeed.

Skype Interview

Blog Assingmnet #9

What I've Learned This Year by Mr. McClung

I thought that this was a great post for any teacher or teacher-to-be to read. Not only does Mr. McClung provide great insight to what your first year of teaching is really like but he also explains it in seven simple points.

His first point is "How to Read the Crowd." Here, he explains that you must teach for your audience not anyone else. Meaning that students may never grasp the material if it is not on their level or "wave of thinking." He stresses that you may want to impress your superiors with fancy lesson plans but in the end teaching is not about you, it is about the children.

His next point is "Be Flexible." Mr. McClung wants to remind everyone that things don't always go as planned. He says that "the lesson you teach and the lesson you plan are always different." Nothing is ever going to be perfect so when something goes wrong he says that you just have to keep a smile on your face and work with it.

Communication is another valuable tool to remember in your first year of teaching. He stresses that not only to you need to communicate well with students but also build a good rapport with other teachers.  Communication always makes things go smoother.

Mr. McClung also says to be reasonable. As teachers we will always expect nothing less than the best from children. But, fact of the matter is that children are just children. Being reasonable means that it is okay to set high goals for our kids but if they don't achieve them we must still be able to "pick them back up and dust them off." Otherwise, we will just set them up for disappointment.

Another valuable trait to have in the first year is the ability to embrace technology. He says that adults everywhere are afraid of computers because they cannot know everything that there is to know about them at once.  He says that learning about technology is a process. You just have to jump in and get on board, and then you will see how beneficial technology really can be.

A teacher must also be able to listen to her students. Having a true student-teacher relationship means knowing a little bit of background on each student. This can be beneficial in education because then the teacher knows how to approach her students in ways that they can understand.

Finally, his last point is the "never stop learning." His point is that we will be working in a learning environment so we must continue to learn ourselves. Though, the material may not change but the approaches to teaching the material can.

After reflecting on his post I found great tips that I will truly keep in mind as I grow into my professional career. I believe that his self-evaluation is something that every teacher should do at the end of the school year. It provides great insight upon what you are doing that is working great and what can be improved upon.

Blog Assignment #8

This Is How We Dream by Richard Miller

This video series was very inspiring on how to use technology to get your thoughts out to other people. In Part 1, I consider his "incremental" changes to be very simplistic. It gave you very easy ideas on how to form videos and documents that you can share. Part 2 goes over very in-depth ideas that will be seen in the future. I had never heard of or seen anything like what he was showing.

Although the ideas in Part 1 were very simple, I did not find them any less important than those in Part 2. I feel that students, particularly younger students, would be more capable of learning from the ideas in Part 1. It gave great ideas on how to compile information and organize it so that it is neat and to the point.  In the beginning of the video Mr. Miller talks about how writing use to be a very solitary activity.  I feel that these ideas can make it fun for students to compile their thoughts on what they know or think about a topic. I believe that this is the same idea as writing an essay, it is just done in a more interactive method.

The ideas expressed in Part 2 were a bit more complex but generally had the same points.  Part 2 talked a little bit more about how to actually get your thoughts heard on the Internet, and essentially all across the world.  He mentioned that if you are going to take the time to compile your thoughts then you should also take the effort to make it presentable with facts and pictures. People will be more likely to want to read it if you at least look like you know what you're talking about.

So in conclusion, I find that students could, in fact, be capable of  writing with multi-media. However, like any discipline I think that somethings will need to be taken on step-by-step basis. Especially since much of this technology is so new, children will need to have time to grow and learn with it.



Chipper Series and EDM 310 For Dummies

I thought that the both of these movies were not only very entertaining but also, very purpose driven. They both demonstrated ways to be successful in EDM 310. The Chipper Series demonstrated the importance of not procrastinating while EDM 310 for Dummies showed why it is best to ask questions when your confused. My idea for an additional video would involve something that shows the basic importance of this class and how it can affect a students academic and professional future. This could be very basic, as in, an interview of multiple students are even as complex as doing a commercial similar to EDM 310 for Dummies. The commercial could then be an advertisement on why people should take this class in order to learn about new technologies.



Critiques of Smartboards

Michael Staton, Why Smartboards are a Dumb Initiative
In this blog, Mr. Staton makes a couple of valid points that I can agree with. His main point is that it doesn't change the way that children are learning. It is essentially the same thing that they are doing now, just with more expensive tools. The children will begin to want to participate in class, but only  to be able to "play" with the board. He validates this point by stating that with the purchase of 30 Smartboards, test scores went up on 1%.

Bill Ferriter, Why I Hate Interactive Whiteboards
Mr. Ferriter is also making the same arguement, Smartborads are a waste of money. In the mainpoint, he states that while they are a neat tool, they are practically useless. For the most part, they didn't make teaching the cirriculum any better or make it any easier for the children to learn it. My own conclusions about Smartboards are that since they are not accomplishing anything more than what students are already doing, why waste the money? Some may say that they get children more involved with the learning process, but children were already involved; just in different ways.

Sylvia Tolisano, Math Lessons? Empower Learners?
http://langwitches.org/blog/2010/04/19/math-lesson-empower-learners/
In this blog, Sylvia Tolisano is giving an example of how a Smartboard was used in her classroom in conjunction with a math lesson.  She split the class into groups and had each group look through Smartboard lessons to find a slide that they could explain. Once they found the slide, they had to narrate outloud to the rest of the class on what to do. I thought that this was interesting for a couple of reasons. One, the children are taking on a "teacher" role in that they are taking something that they learned and explaining it to the rest of the class. Two, they are able to learn from each other. As one group is figuring our their own math problem, the rest of the children are listening and learing as well. This seemed to be a successful way to use the Smartboard in the classroom setting.

Project #11 Short Movie

Time Toast Project 9b

Additional Assignment #2

Answer these questions in your post. Identify any other issues that you think are important or useful to discuss.

1. What do you think? If learners are motivated, can they teach themselves?
Absolutely, without doubt anybody could learn to do anything if it is their will. Not only was this proven with the children in India and the computer they were given but even in normal day-to-day life. Personal example would be that I do not know how to cook until I read a recipe. Once I follow that recipe multiple times I begin to not rely on it as much until I do not need it anymore. Therefore, I have taught myself how to make that dish.

2. If those motivated learners are kids, can they teach themselves?
A motivated learner can be anyone. Like I said before, the children in the rural areas of the world were given a computer with no instructions and no adult help.  Yet, they were able to figure out how to play games and how to record themselves in just a matter of days. So, absolutely children are able to learn on their own. 


3. What conditions are necessary for kids to teach themselves? For anyone to teach him or herself?
I believe that the only true condition is that the person must be motivated and have a will to learn.  However, the advancement of technology is also a positive aspect. Technology is not necessarily a must for children to teach themselves but I believe that it definitely help.  Computers offer many advantages ranging from arithmetic games like shown in the video to search engines.  With Internet search engines, students can read and learn about anything that they have an interest in.


4. What role do computers and internet access play in the process?
Like I mentioned in the previous question, computers offer tools for learning that cannot be offered by any given teacher.  The Google searches done by the kids in the video prove this. The students were given a term in different language of their own and yet they were able to figure out what it was that he was asking for.


5. What role does motivation, a desire to learn?
I believe that motivation is the most important part to this equation. If the students are not motivated then they will not want to learn.  Furthermore, the students must stay motivated to keep their interest alive in order to keep learning.


6. What roles do a problem, a question or multiple problems or questions play in the process?
It seems to me that problems and questions would be a great thing in the process. Problems would encourage the children to learn even more to solve it. In any given learning environment,  you must ask questions in order to learn. If you don't ask questions then you will not be able to further your knowledge on any given topic.


7. How do you motivate someone to learn?
You have to be excited about something yourself. If you do not show general interest then why would anybody else?  No one is going to want to listen to you if you're boring or have a negative attitude. Not only be excited, but you must also have something to show. Whether it be dated PC's like the ones in the video or just pictures from your last family vacation. People tend to have more interest in things that they can visualize. 


8. How are you motivated to learn? 
As an adult, I stay motivated to learn for many reasons. My motivation to learn in college are based upon many reasons. Firstly, because I know that chances are I will not get very far into a career without a college education. Secondly, because I do not want to waste money. If I stay on top of my classes and do not get behind then I do not have to worry about finding the money to retake them. In my personal life, I stay motivated to learn about current events around the globe in order to be a more well rounded person.


9. Can anyone who is not motivated to learn, learn?
After pondering this question for a few minutes, my answer is no. In school, students may not want to learn all of their subjects but there is some sort of motivation. This motivation could come from parents, teachers, guidance counselors and even friends. Any of these people could encourage the students which is what may give them their motivation. 


10. Do you teach yourself? When? Why?
I feel like I have been teaching myself in EDM 310 this entire semester. While I do have help should I ever need it, I have still been successfully completing  my assignments. But it has been a good experience. Why would I need to sit behind a desk for at least 3 hours a week when I am completely capable of teaching  myself?


11. What role does a teacher (either answer generally or use a specific example) play in your learning?
I feel that Dr. Strange and his staff have been excellent for going to with general questions. However, I have yet to need to ask them exactly step by step on how to complete an assignment. In EDM310 I feel that the teaching staff are, more or less, class moderators. 

12. What is the most important idea, question or emotional response you take away with you as a result of watching this video?
The most important idea would be that children truly are capable of teaching themselves and do, really, just about anything that adults can do with technology. They just need the right tools and a little bit of encouragement.


13. What other questions or issues are raised by this video that should be considered and discussed by aspiring teachers.
I feel that aspiring teachers should look into giving children more time for doing group learning and less time standing at the black board. In group learning, students are able to get into the subject for themselves rather than just hearing about it from the teacher.

PLN Progress Report

Before beginning this course I had never realized how many amazing things that Google had to offer. Not only is Google an awesome search engine with numbers of was to search, such as, a regular Google search and Google squared. But it is also a great way for keeping e-mails organized with Gmail, storing and sharing documents with Google docs and I also can keep my dates organized with the calendar. Particularly with the calendar, I feel that I am more organized. I can organize the calendar with colors to distinguish between classes and social events. Google is truly a great tool that I will continue to use far beyond our class.

Blog Post #7

Randy Pausch's Last Lecture


In this lecture, by Randy Pausch, he gives a very important lesson that you probably wouldn't find in a class room.  His lecture is about having dreams and the creative ways to achieve them. He comments that we all have dreams and then goes on to talk about his own childhood dreams. His point was that we must push ourselves to achieve them rather than putting them off.

After going into detail about the extraordinary ways that he achieved his own childhood dreams, Randy turns the discussion into a new direction. He began to have a new dream. He wanted to find ways that he could encourage people to achieve their dreams. So, to achieve this, he becomes a college professor. While he is teaching, he finds that, perhaps, students were not being taught in the correct way.

He wanted his students to be as excited as he was about achieving dreams. Maybe it was that students were not taking away the right message from the classroom.  Randy began to focus on "life lessons" rather than classroom-type material. He began to implement technology in replace of books and group-study instead of paper and pen homework.  This advanced method of learning allowed the students to achieve things that Randy never would have thought of.

What I take away from this lecture is to not be afraid and to go for what you believe in. Not only was Randy able to do this himself, but he also left this impression on his students and his inspiring words for viewers and listeners across the globe.  I now know that dreams really can come true. From now on, I will make a conscious effort to go for what I believe and to never back down.

Time Toast Project 9a

C4T #2 Summary Post

Over the past couple of weeks I had been assigned to Mr. Brian Crosby who has done an excellent job in keeping his post and comments update. The first week I read and commented on his reply to NBC's article, "Make Way for Awe." NBC argues about styles of teaching to get children involved in the class. However, in Mr. Crosby's blog post, he replies by implying that the writer of this article probably has little to no experience in education. He then goes onto say that the people that are being heard in education reform also possess no experience within the classroom but are the loudest to be heard because they either have fame, fortune, or involvement with politics. His main point is that the children who are reaping the benefits of this reform are not the ones who truly need it but rather the ones who just happened to be placed in the best schools which are usually in the best neighborhood. His final stance is that ALL children be given the same opportunities in order to have the chance in life down the road. My reply to this is that I completely agreed with what Mr. Crosby had to say. My hope is that my students will have an equal opportunity to be a well-rounded individual. After all, these children are the future, so why would we wan to leave any of them out?


On a completely different note, his next blog post that I commented on was pertaining to interesting ways to make a lesson plan fun. He took the topic of Thanksgiving. In order to learn what Thanksgiving was REALLY like he had his students research the foods that were using at the original Thanksgiving feast. Once they came up with this menu, they had the chance to experience it for themselves. Most of these foods, the kids had never even heard of or thought of as traditional a Thanksgiving meal. It was quite an experience for the students who probably will not quickly forget. I loved this type of project for the kids to engage. Not only are they really involved but it is fun. So, with the combination of involvement in learning and having a good time, a teacher just cannot go wrong!

September C4K Summary Post

The first C4K was an about me post by fidele. He wrote that he wasn't very good in math, so, I gave him some tips that helped me get through my math classes. I told him that math is not a spectators sport and you have to "get into the game." In order to be good with math, like any other sport, you must first practice. To make math fun, I told him to treat each problem like it were a puzzle. Don't think of it as homework.

The next week, the kid's post were on their learning manifesto. They put on their blogs promises that they make to help them have better success during the school. My student promised to go to bed on time and asked questions when he didn't understand something. It stuck out to me that they promised to ask questions. I told him  that this was a great promise to make because the only way you really learn is to truly understand and to truly understand, you must ask questions.

Blog #6

The Networked Student


The video, The Networked Student, described what the author saw as a student of the future. The student of the future is very similar to EDM 310. They said that students will begin to learn through connectivism, that is, learning through socializing and sharing information on the web through sites and sharing ideas through blogs. It would be the students own Personal Learning Network, or PLN.

After a student does research on any given subject they would post theirs ideas and thoughts of what they had found in their own blog. A teacher would no longer be needed to go over the material in a class room like setting. The teacher would now be a useful source of how to build and maintain networks for learning. Therefore, after the class is completed, the student could continue to network in order to broaden their knowledge.

While all of this sounds great in theory, I just don't believe that students today are willing to take on the responsibility for their own learning. I believe that students need test, at least early in education, to hold themselves accountable for what they learn. Furthermore, test are also a tool for parents to be able to see how their child is doing in class. I also can't help but to think about how special education children would handle this. Special education requires that children receive more attention and guidance in class. These children, particularly, may not be able to learn on their own.



7th Grader's Personal Learning Environment


I believe that the personal learning environment, or PLE, shown in this video is a great organizational tool.  I believe that when students are organized, they are more likely to succeed in what they are doing. The PLE is not only a great way for students to be organized but it's also fun for them. Once again, I find her PLE is much like our EDM 310 PLN.

The student in the video mentioned that the PLE gave her more freedom in her own education. I think it's great that she is excited about using this technology for benefiting her education but I just do not feasibly see all students as excited as she. What is going to happen when this new technology becomes old and students become bored? I feel that the education system will then have a large problem on their hands because students will have all of this freedom to do their own learning but not taking the on the initiative and responsibility. The education system will then have an even larger problem than it does now.



The Machine is Changing Us


Dr. Wesch brought about many points about how today's society is changed through technology, that is, the use of  networking and broadcasting sites. His main points were based upon that today's younger generation have been raised to be narcissistic.

Personally, I had a hard time relating to this video. While it is true that my generation probably is more self-centered than any previous generations, I do not feel that I fit into his description. Much of the video talked about the use of YouTube and people's need of recognition. Before this class (and aside from facebook) I had never really put out some of my deepest thoughts on the Internet. But, I do agree with Dr. Wesch in that people create post to feel that they are being heard, creating a deeper level of awareness.

Dr. Wesch stated that 99.9% of YouTube videos are completely irrelevant to any given person.  This statistic speaks out a couple of things to me. First of all, that people waste entirely too much time being bored on the Internet. Secondly, people are nosey. Viewers know that they can easily access nearly anything they want to know on the Internet. So, people use this to get into business of other people's lives because they are probably bored with their own. In addition, like Dr. Wesch stated in the video, people use sites such as YouTube as "deep communities... revealing things about themselves that they wouldn't normally reveal to close family and friends."