C4T # 2

I got to read up on a website called ilearntechnology.com which was pretty interesting. The post I read about was for teachers to send in their "favorites". This could be anything from their favorite subject, topic, teaching tool, method of teaching, ball point pen, etc. I think this is great to see that there are forums that fellow teachers can extend out to new teachers or even experienced teachers to help make their efforts more effective. The children in the classroom also get a chance to benefit because they are able to have more things thrown at them to keep them engaged in their studies. Websites like this prevent classroom subjects from becoming stagnant. I'm actually really excited to read over the contributions that some of these teachers are going to have to offer when they are published early next month. I'm an idea guy and I thrive off of other peoples ideas. Brainstorming is great and this is a very large brainstorm network. There is also consulting advice offered on this site if needing more than an idea type of services are required. It's really a great tool and look forward to becoming more familiar with the individuals contributing to the success of education on this site.

Blog Post # 5

Don't Teach Your Kids This. Please?

Dr. Scott McLeod is an associate professor at the University of Kentucky and the founding director for the Center for the Advanced Study of Technology Leadership in Education (CASTLE). He also was the co-creator for a popular video series called Did You Know? (Shift Happens). I had to read through this reading a few times to formulate what I really got out of it because it was like a 12-6 curve ball at first glance. The format of the post was all on the lefts side and sidetracked me a little from what the message was. Then I got through it a second time and asked myself why we would want to shelter youngsters from this information when we have been shown how useful it can be in class via you tube videos, blog posts, and other articles throughout this semester?

To me it seems that there needs to be certain supervision when getting these kids started. I think that this was a more sarcastic approach to get parents thinking about the things kids will be missing out on and the set backs they will have when they are our age and in college for the first time. I may be wrong but after watching a few of Dr. McLeod's "Did You Know" videos, he has a unique way of getting his message across to his audience. If I'm on the same page then I agree with his approach because it explains all the positives throughout and then says that's what he's doing. I'm not sure why he chose this method to deliver it but it is a interesting way to open eyes at the least. 

iSchool Initiative

Travis Allen came up with a very unique way to save money and expand our learning ability as a nation. We would be saving on school supplies, books, paper, pencils, and other materials that strict school budgets can't meet. Through the itouch device everything that a class room would use and need would be provided on the phone. Teachers, students, and even parents would be able to view assignments and complete them via the internet. Money is also being saved for the parents because extra materials such as calculators are included on the itouch. Interactive calenders and notebooks are available to keep students on track and on the same page with the class.

I think it's a great idea and excellent initiative to propose such a plan and I hope one day we will have that type of class room environment across the country. I'm always skeptical of how the flow of money in this country however. I think there are a lot of jobs that would be lost in not only the education field but also the different industries that provide school supplies. I think a gradual transition over time and an eventual switch would be the most effective approach. There would have to be some way for schools to be able to afford itouch's for the students and stay within their budget for that scenario to work. It will be interesting to see if this method is able to be implemented and if so how it works. 

Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir

I personally had zero interest in this. I think it is neat that people are able to put compositions like this together. I don't know enough about this sort of thing to really give an opinion on what pros and cons this type of use of the internet has to offer. I do know that I don't think I would ever use the internet in this type of fashion. I had a hard time paying attention to this but I may be able to use this clip if I'm ever having a hard time falling asleep. I think that in the musical realm this would be a great way to share different forms of music.  It is impressive in its own respect I just don't see the use in it.

Teaching in the 21st Century

There is a sense of a constant push being created in the beginning of the videos of importance of expanding the way we relay information from ourselves to others. Excuses will always be made no matter what we try to pass on to someone else. Give someone a cell phone for 10 minutes and I bet that individual will be able to pull up an answer for any question you can think of. Technology is amazing and its potential is so great that we can't even begin to think where to start and how it should be applied. 

I watched the video all the way through and then picked through it a second time to rethink a few points of the video that made a lot of sense to me. One of the best points that was made is that students don't need to be entertained but that they need to be involved. We are not going to be baby sitters we are going to be teachers. I for one am not going to sit up in front of the class and hope that some kid will get what I'm saying and I'm not good at juggling so it is up to me to figure out how to get my class to learn. Learning can be fun if involvement is applied because otherwise you are just fighting the sandman the whole time. 

Project # 8

Project #9

Project #6 "This is My Sentence"

Blog Post # 4

I decided to start off my readings with the "Eagles' Nest Radio & Class Blog" because it was stated that these were exceptionally done by 3rd graders. We have already been given guidelines to follow when writing our own blogs that youngsters also use so it seemed appropriate. When I was listening to these podcast's that these kids did I thought about my elementary school days. These kids have such an advantage compared to my education. We read out loud paragraph by paragraph taking turns when learning about a certain unit and it was extremely boring. The benefits from podcast's that teachers have today is they are able to get the students involved in activities other than just taking turns reading from a book. They can be creative and express what they learned in a fun way. The way this class got to learn about the Romans was a lot more interesting then when I learned about them. The background music that each kid had when presenting their segment caught your attention as you transition to the next child's topic. I also realized that not only can this be shared with kids in the class but also with kids anywhere in the world via the internet. It's very exciting to see this being practiced and how useful it is. I wonder what else will follow this teaching technique.

The second recommended piece of information in my preparation for making a podcast was "The Benefits of Podcasting in the Classroom" by Joe Dale. As most of the readings or videos that we watch, facts and statistics were provided for us to put things in perspective and to help support the point they are trying to make. The facts are always interesting, for instance I did not realize that I was a "millenial". The most interesting positive about podcast's was the advantage they have for students that can't make it to class due to sickness. The young girl Emily in the video could not make it to class for a test review due to illness, but thanks to her teachers podcast she was able to stay up to date and the rest of the class did not have to be exposed to the illness that Emily had. This is great because this can reduce the amount absences in school due to sickness. Granted kids will always miss class, but the spread of illness in the classroom that would affect other kids can be controlled.

 My third selection of the choices provided for us was " Judy Scharf Podcast Collection". I chose this because I figured I could use all the suggestions I could get seeing as how I have never actually made my own podcast yet. The You Tube video "How To Create Your Own Podcast" was eye opening and I will be using this as a reference when I finally make my own podcast. Judy provided an abundance of information from topics to project formats for when we have our own students. I didn't know that podcast's could be as time consuming as they are. I wonder if Dr. Strange followed tip number six from Judy's list for us? The best aspect of podcast's being used in the classroom is that they are a inexpensive way to educate others. I love that because school budgets are very limited and when we are given a tool that we can be effective with that doesn't take away from projects that we actually need funding we will have it available. 

C4T # 1

The teacher I was assigned to follow was Nancy Hniedziejko. Over the past two weeks I have been able to read about her classes and her interactions in them. The first week she talked about her experience in a beginner quilting class that she had been taking. She described how the rest of her class seemed to be getting the hang of the techniques but she had struggles. Nancy did not want to be the only one who was having a hard time so she opted to tough it out instead of ask for help. Through her frustrations she had made a connection between teacher and student. In this case she was the student and was able to apply her struggles in the class room to her profession as a teacher and some of the children that she has that may have similar problems.

In the second week I read a previous post on how she had one idea turn into two ideas without even planning it. She asked her students write about what they would like to be when they grow up and how they would contribute back to society. She ended up evolving their papers into actual humanitarian projects that taught her kids the meaning and importance of giving back.

I enjoyed both of these posts because they both shared a common theme, and that theme is that she seems to steer herself into a successful outcome without ever intending it to. I sense that Nancy is very intuitive in her life's events and always seems to pick the important lesson from each one to help improve the learning quality of others as well as her own. It's great to read accounts like this that contain such valuable information for myself down the road but also for right now. It goes to show that if you don't keep an eye on the moment it will pass you by before you have a chance to soak up all it has to offer.

Project 5

Blog Post #3

My C4C Learning Experience 
I have done peer critics in past classes throughout my schooling but I have never been faced with an option to publish it in a public forum. I thought about it for a while because it was new alternative for me and I wanted to handle it the same way I hope someone would when critiquing me. I decided to send the critique through their email where it would be left to be viewed between the two of us. It seemed like a more personal type of approach and also a respectful one more importantly. I don't know this individual personally so I felt this might establish a trust barrier allow whatever I had to say be more inviting and open minded on their end. I myself have pretty tough skin, however not everyone is me. With that being said I would be embarrassed and for lack of better words "pissed off" at someone if they completely ripped me in front of everyone to see on the internet. After reflection on this exercise I've concluded that critiquing is a form of helping someone just as much as helping them lift something heavy. You can ask them politely if they need a hand or you can say "step aside and watch how it's done". They may have gotten their task done but they won't turn to you for help or even help you if you need it down the road. "Do to others as you would have them do to you"- Luke 6:31.

It's Not About Technology
Kelly Hines' article really hit home with me because I'm not the most up to date on technology. I obviously know what a mac, Iphone, and the internet are (I'm not a caveman). I don't however know all the capabilities and advantages to those things are yet. As I get closer to being a teacher I'm starting to realize that I'm going to need to integrate these more and more into my daily routines. This quote by Hines is great and completely sums up the point that I am trying to make, "When we put innovative tools in the hands of innovative teachers, amazing things can happen. If you put these tools in the hands of teachers who are not willing to innovate, money has been wasted." The time where every classroom is technologically proficient hasn't quite come yet but the process has started and it is up to us to get ourselves prepared for when that day is here.

This transitional period of "purgatory" that some schools are in as they wait for their technological update cannot be wasted.  Has anyone ever heard the phrase "You learn something new everyday"? Of course we have and I'm sure that most of us have even used it. As a teacher we must learn from those who we teach to better the generations of students that will follow them to make their education experience better. We are not going into a profession that has an assembly line of kids where they are put together the same as the day before. Think about this. How did a classroom function before computers and movie projectors? Be observant and creative in the absence of virtual technology and customize a tailored suit of knowledge for each student under your care.

Is It Okay To Be A Technologically Illiterate Teacher?
Throughout the reading Fisch seemed to be on a rant about the subject of technologically illiterate teachers. It seemed more personal that it maybe should have. However, I can see where he is coming from as an individual that can get heated up about something I'm passionate about as well. Maybe he could have sat back and cooled down before he started writing, but would the message he wanted to get across been as effective? People should be held accountable for what they do or don't do. If you have a couple of staff members that don't do anything why keep them on and pay them for nothing? I agree with Fisch when he said the principle should be accountable for having inadequate teachers in their school. It is their job to make sure that the best education is being delivered. If that's the case then it just seems like the motions are just being gone through so that a pay check can be collected.

The paragraph where he talked about us living in exponential times really made a lot of sense and got me thinking about what he was saying on a bigger picture. If it's harder for people whom are technologically illiterate to progressively get jobs and be successful from year to year in this country then where do we stand on the worlds stage? If our country is getting less and less people to be effective in our technological realm then how competitive are we going to be as world power as time goes on. If we don't invest wisely then we may find ourselves in a position we don't want to be in.

Social Media Count
Every time I see one of these counters I think of it as a stop watch that got turned on, set down, and left to run until it runs out of digits. I think it's crazy that this is how big the internet is and how much faster it becomes on a constant basis. I can't even wrap my head around the small details that actually are behind the numbers.

This goes to show that a significant amount of people are turning to the internet to spend their time and so we should all follow suit. Not because it seems to be the thing to do but because it is becoming essential that we are able to connect with those we teach and learn from on the same level. Apples and oranges are two different fruits and will never equate. If we all bring oranges and oranges to the table of trade then we can all agree on what we are seeing and talking about.

A Vision of Students Today
This was a unique video displaying its message through facts that were taken from a survey. The facts that were brought to light were interesting and easy to relate to because we are going through the same things as they are. I check my facebook and twitter accounts in class because what is being taught that particular class isn't catching my interest. We pay all this money to get a piece of paper to make less than what we are going to have to pay back in loans. All the points that were made were comforting to know that we are all in this together.

Project # 2

Blog Post #2

Did You Know 3.0?

This completely blew me away on how fast things become out of date. This was the most informative 4 minutes and 56 seconds on not only technological statistics, but also where we stand in our progress with other countries.This video explains to viewers that technology is growing at a rapid rate and it isn't waiting for anyone or anything. It outlines facts including the United States and a few other countries on there progress keeping up with technological advances.

In the first thirty seconds the video points out that 25% of the population has India's highest IQ's which outweighs the entire number of people in the United States. As mentioned before, the rate of how fast technology is growing is illustrated by how jobs that were not in demand 6 years prior are in the top ten of jobs sought after today. I truly believe this was an eye opener for me and hopefully everyone else that has watched this clip. The world is advancing and if people are not willing to step up and ride the wave then they are going to find themselves in a quality of life that is lower than they would desire.

Mr. Winkle Wakes

Throughout "Mr. Winkle Wakes" the narration describes various industries and how much they have developed dramatically over time. Then the main character comes to a school and recognizes everything as it once was before he fell asleep for 100 years. The primary point that is being made is that technology is advancing at professional levels and needs to be maintained at the same standard in the novice learning levels.

Like anything else with structure a solid base is the key to success. The same applies in school systems today which is what the main point that is being delivered. School systems remain handcuffed and deprived from the same flow of technological advances like video teleconferences and international communication systems. If these improvements don't become paramount then those fields will only remain mediocre.

Ken Robinson Says School Kills Creativity

The introduction of the presentation that Sir Ken Robinson gave he illustrates the ability that children have to be fearless in both action and answer in their daily tasks. It's amazing how we were all that way at one time and yet we have no recollection of this. He uses humor to deliver his message throughout the lecture which helps bring the atmosphere down from adulthood to time of adolescence. The example he used of the little girl  drawing the picture of God made me think of how I use to explain things. I wonder when I gained this sense of embarrassment that drives me to sensor my work.

So what is the right way? Obviously there are facts that tell us what right and what is wrong. These things don't exactly apply to us in the choices of our lives though.What I personally gained from this is that there are opportunities that come to all of us throughout the course of our lives and it is how we take advantage of them when they come that matters. We need to recognize them without hesitation (like the childhood versions of ourselves would have) and take full advantage of them.

Cecilia Gualt on Education


There is quite a difference between the United States school drop out rate (25%) compared to Finland (1%) who leads the world academically in the subjects reading, science, and math. This is all while having shorter school days. Robinson stresses that technology is not being used to its fullest capacity in subjects and its potential is being wasted. It is unacceptable that we are that behind in academics. We all claim that we are the best nation on this planet but if we do not change our standards in the classroom we may not be able to say that in the future.

Gault also spoke with David Livermore who is a senior researcher and the Cultural Intelligence Center who feels that the one element of education that is missing is the scholastic relationship between the child and the parent. Livermore also expresses a sociological necessity in learning about other cultures so we can understand and appreciate our own. As I stated in the previous paragraph we need to change some habits in our school system. Taking a page out of another country's book might be the beginning step that we need to take.

Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts


I completely agreed with the tailoring how a class is taught so that each student has a chance to get something out of it. I can relate to this because I have been that student that was left behind in certain classes. Students need direction at times to get started. There is more than one way to skin a cat. However, if only one way is shown to someone but it doesn't make sense then there isn't going to be much progress out of that person.

This video made me think of the learning format of EDM310. Everyone learns in different ways and speeds but we are forced to learn in order to survive! We have help at our disposal but it is us that needs to gain the knowledge in our own unique way. It's thinking outside the box sometimes that helps us get through problem solving.