My Final Reflection on EDM 310

My Final Project (#16)

For this project, Matthew Poirier and I created facebook pages of historic figures relating to our current educational choices. He is an English Education major, so his facebook page was on Mark Twain, the author famous for his novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, and because I have a minor in music, my facebook page was on George Howard, a professional jazz musician who began his career in the late 1970's.
We thought that an idea for a facebook page being incorporated into teaching would be very fundamental. Think of this scenario: Matthew, after graduation, begin teaching literature at a high school. One of the weeks he is there, the class and Matthew discuss a famous literary author, for example, Mark Twain. Assigning the students to create a facebook page about this particular literary figure is a wonderful idea because (1) it was very fun creating the facebook page on Mark Twain, (2) while doing research he learned many things about Mark Twain he had not known prior, and (3) facebook is a great tool that young students can easily relate to. They wouldn't really see it as "work," but rather a creative way to learn about a historic literary figure.
I, on the other hand, have been following George Howard for as long as he has been around. I too , learned a lot more personal things, about Mr. Howard, than I knew before my project. I discovered how he got into the music business, and where he graduated from college. I learned he was a music Major, and that the great Grover Washington Jr., gave him his first big music break. Sadly, I also discovered the reason for his death. He died of colon cancer, at a very young age,by musician standards. I have purchased all of his releases, as a tribute to his greatness, because one day, I truly believe, they will be worth a ton of money, in the very near future. You know what they say about jazz. Its like fine wine. Its gets better with age. Currently, I am a teacher and I often draw on my musical background, to field questions about the history of Jazz, and how it all got started.


Because Mark Twain was simply his pen name, the facebook account is under his real name:
Samuel Langhorne Clemens

My Final PLN Report

On my PLN I decided to put all the internet sites I visit the most. Here are just a few to mentioned:
Facebook
Twitter
Youtube
Rivals
Scout
PAWS
University of South Alabama
Microsoft Word
Google
FireFox
and many more sites. I will continue to add new sites as needed. Will look into bill paying sites as well. It s really nice to have every site one key stroke away. I utilize my PLM on a daily basis.

C4T #4

Learning Is Messy-Blog

Summary (post#1)
Brian is a teacher who was picked to go on the last space shuttle mission. He was invited to twitter the whole event. Its a first, and his students are lucky. He will be traveling with Mark Kelly, who is the husband of congresswoman Gifford. She was shot by a gunman in Arizona. I told Brian to say hello for me. He said the initial launch has been postponed once, and is now scheduled to launch on April 19, 2011. I told him to stay in touch and feel free to respond to my comments. I left him my contact information.

Summary (post#2)
Brian was a little disappointed that the shuttle mission was delayed again. The good thing, was he was able to send pictures to his class, of the housing facility, for the shuttle, and all of the inner-workings of the launch experience. Brian was also able to make homework assignment via several modes of technology. Bottom line, even though the mission was delayed, once again, the experience was priceless.

Blog Post #14/ Special Assignment

METAPHORS

I feel like the reason I, and several other students missed the metaphors, in Tom Johnson's post was because we are students. There is this mindset, to do whatever the teacher instructs you to do, when the teacher instructs you to do it. Its kinda like having blinders on. You know there is the possibility, of something going on in the background, but thats not what you were instructed to do. This assignment, like all others, is for a grade. I'm sure despite their curiosity, most of the students decided, to take the safe route.

Since the class was asked to keep a log of metaphors, I have been totally surprised, at the number of metaphors I use everyday, without paying any attention to it. Its like a part of the English language, we take for granted. Almost every sentence I heard or said, had a metaphor in it. A conversation would definitely be boring with out them.

As educators, we may have to tell our student, to not take everything so seriously in class. Tell them to not be so hard on themselves. And most of all, tell them its ok to be wrong, because thats what we are in class for, to find out why. Make sure they know about the "Head Fake".

The reason we use metaphors, is to add our personal touch to our conversations. We use them to add more meaning to pronouns and nouns. Sometimes an adjective, just isn't enough. Metaphors show how intense a person can be. They also can coin a phrase, like no other.

C4K #8

C4K #8

Summary

I watched a video on the correct way to leave a comment on a blog. The directions were given by Mrs. Yollis, and her directions were very easy to follow. As Mrs.Yollis gave instructions she the video followed her every step of the way. I will save this post as a draft for the summary thats sure to come later.


C4K #9

Summary

I went to Mrs.Yollis Blog, and I visited all of her links to get the big picture of her Blog. I liken it to a virtual yellow pages. Every thing was well thought-out and executed. She had a link to introduce her self, for those who weren't familiar with her. She introduced her class via a picture. That way you can see what the bloggers look like. Mrs.Yollis posted a video which shows how to leave a proper comment. Afterwards, she gives instructions in text, on HTML. The instructions shows how to write words in italics, how to bold words, and how to create hyper-links. I really enjoyed the hyper-link section as it taught me a few tricks. One in particular, was to copy instructions for HTML to your desktop, and they will always be there if and when you need them. Mrs. Yollis was well aware of the immense size, a blogger faces, when blogging. She has several clocks, with all the time zones, listed and running on her blog. She knew people all over the world, would be responding to her blogs, and she would be returning the favor. Knowing that people from all over the world would want to know about where she lived, Mrs.Yollis decided to treat her audience to a virtual tour of California. She has a link for games, homework and many other topics. Mrs.Yollis really designed and built her blog for ant possible scenario. Great work indeed. I will certainly use her ideas, when I enter teaching.


C4K #10

Summary

Mrs. Yollis and her third graders, posted on Dr.Strange's Blog. They wanted to discuss, how there was a contest, initiated by Mrs.Yollis, for leaving good comments, after blog post. Adia, Hanna, and Gracie, discussed in their blog, all the the ingredients, to leave a great comment. The winner of the contest was Jaden. He was very humble, and commented, on how nice it was, to be communicating with college students, who are sharing their blogs, with Mrs Yollis, and the class. Jadens' last suggestion, to EDM310, was to make sure every post, is checked before posting. He continued, by saying, sometimes things look a little different, the second time you read it. His point was well noted. I hope everything is ok with this summary, as I have re-checked it. That being said, I will miss my C4K visits, but will stay in touch, by blogging.

Blog Post #13

"ALEX" and "ACCESS" Analysis


I did not know "ALEX and "ACCESS" existed, until I followed-up on Dr.Strange's Blog assignment #13. I glanced over all the links, on both sites, and was amazed. For those of you who read this blog, and aren't familiar with these two sites, let me explain. "ALEX", is like a personal learning network site(PLN), where there is virtual information, provided by the "State Of Alabama". I would compare it, to looking for something in the yellow pages. But these yellow pages, are on-line. There is a button(link),for all the different categories. Also, these virtual yellow pages, are not just for whats happening in Alabama, but the entire world. Imagine that, everything you need to know, or want to know, at your fingertips. If you're a teacher, it gets even better. There are links for lesson plans, podcast topics, professional learning, courses of study, and a link called ALEXville. ALEXville, has links to different sites, in different communities, about an array of topics, which vary, from local to international news.
The other site I investigated, was "ACCESS". This site, like "ALEX", is provided by the "State Of Alabama", and was designed, for every student to have equal access, to educational materials and courses. Even if you already are in school,and doing well, there is information there to enhance and improve your potential. There are links for on-line courses to take, graduation exams, support centers from universities and high schools, and links acknowledging contributions for teachers. All in all very informative educational site for teachers and students. This web-site is distant learning at its best.
In closing, I would like to say, I was so impressed with both sites, I took the liberty of book-marking them. I would strongly recommend you, to do the same. I will definitely be using this site in the future, not only in teaching, but networking as well.

Progress Report On Final Project

I have determined that I will do a video recap, of my learning experiences while attending Dr.Strange's EDM 310 class. I will give a summary of what I'm able to do now, verses what i was limited to doing before I enrolled in the class. This will be my final project.
It is important to know, you can teach "an old dog new tricks". In my case, its not tricks, its technology.

Blog Post #12

Minorities And Public Education


Statistics show that the number of minorities,in the public school system, is growing at an alarming rate. At the same time, the number of minority teachers are on the decline. It is important, that these students have role-models, that they can understand and communicate with. In your blog, research this problem, to validate your opinion on why this trend is occurring, and what you think can be done to reverse it.

Teach Someone project #14

Mr.McClung's World: Special Assignment

Mr. McClung is an Eight grade teacher at Woodlawn Jr. High, in Fayetteville, Arkansas. He coaches cross-country track and teaches social studies and computer applications. Mr.McClung takes a personal interest in all of his students, and wants them all to learn. Not just get by, but actually get it. He thinks out of the box and is an advocate of technology in the classroom. Based on the fact that there is a large hog, on the bottom of his blog, I would venture to say he is a huge Razorback fan.
If you expect to be apart of Mr.McClung's class you need to report to class full of energy, expect to participate, in class discussions, and be ready to listen. Mr.McClung is real big on listening as, he says anyone can talk. He also has five class rules you need to be aware of. Raise your hand before you speak, raise your hand before you leave your seat, make smart choices, follow directions quickly, and lastly, keep him happy. Mr.McClung says these thing not only work in the classroom, but in life as well.
Mr.McClung explains how his blog is the vehicle that drives the technology in the classroom. He uses his blog to make class assignments. He feels that this will keep down the confusion as to what is expected from his class, and when. He says, his blog also keep the student's parents informed as well.  Keeping those teacher/parent meetings to a minimum. The parents can simply go to the blog, for anything, they need to know about the class. Mr.McClung also explains, how the blog not only cut down on time, it cuts down on trees as well. Not a lot of paper being used on the internet. I think he has a wonderful system, and when I become a teacher, I will definitely, have something similar in place. Great way, to keep everything in one place, without a lot of trouble organizing a lesson-plan.
While I was on Mr.McClung's blog, I visited a few other sites. One was called "Convince Me". This was a really cool link. When you click it, you can see all kinds of debates going on. Great place to go if you feel strongly about something. However, you can expect to run into someone there, who feels just as strongly about their opinions as well. "Plagiarism Checker" was another link that was interesting. If you have any questions, about a students paper being original, you can go to the plagiarism checker, to confirm your suspicions.
Mr.McClung is also big on safety, for his class, while they use the internet. He explains, how they should never use their first, and last name when commenting on a blog. He Also instructed his students, to never meet anyone in-person, that they meet over the internet. Also to never,respond to threatening emails.
My C4K assignment was about "The Perfect T-Shirt". Students at school were holding a contest to raise money, for a needy cause. The winner of the contest, would have their t-shirt displayed at the school. I looked at several other sites while there, and ended up watching many links, about students projects for raising money.
In closing, I would like to make a few observations about Mr.McClung's Blog. I think he did an excellent job with the layout of his blog. There is a little bit of everything for everyone to see. From the student, to the parents, and even an occasional visitor, that might have dropped by, because of the tags, I'm sure he has attached, to bring in traffic. Mr.McClung's blog is so well designed, I'm sure people chime in, to just admire the attention to detail, on this bog. I'm gonna go out on a limb, and say this is probably the best blog site I've ever visited, since I've been enrolled in EDM 310. But then again, thats why Dr. Strange used this blog for his special assignment. To show us how useful a blog can be, and what you can do with technology, in the classroom.

Blog Post #11

First Graders in Ms. Cassidy's Class

I think Ms.Cassidy's approach to technology in the class is very forward-thinkng. She has a plan and is working it. No smoke and mirrors, just someone who is trying to change how teachers teach, in the classroom. She started small, to keep from overloading herself. She is now the lead person at her school, when it comes to teaching kids with technology. She confesses that other teachers do not want to change the way they teach, but she is adamant she is heading in the right direction. I could use her blog site for daily assignments to her students. She made a statement about teachers concerns, with exposing the internet to children, at such a young age. She said children and technology go hand-in-hand. They take to it quickly because they are born to use. The only problem they will ever have is adults getting in the way with their learning. I think the benefits outweigh the risk. I watched the skype interview by Dr. Strange and his class, with Ms.Cassidy, and thought the questions by the class were tough. Ms. Cassidy responded to all the questions, very professionally.

Blog Post #10

Comparison essay on Morgan Bayda and Dan Brown

I'm currently in a class at the University Of South Alabama called EDF 315. The article and video, was like a blast from the past. I never understood how bad the educational system in The U.S. was, until I enrolled in this class. I never really cared until then. Hard to believe at 56 years old, how numb I was to the problems of our educational system. It's a testament to years and years of the dominant culture, imposing their will upon the less dominant cultures. There is nothing I can do about the past, but I can do something about the future. I can't compare my attitudes and experiences to Morgans' and Dans. I can't really remember, as it's been over 35 years, since i was a student. My mom was very firm, so quitting school was not an option. I don't remember being bored in class. If fact, I can actually say, I enjoyed school. My, how times have changed. But hey, thats why Morgan and Dans' comments, hit home. With the invention of the internet, I can see why students get bored. Everything the teacher teaches, is on the internet. Every assignment can be downloaded, copied and pasted. If the powers-to-be, will not come up with a solution soon, there will be an educational back-lash. Hopefully it won't come to that, and our politicians will figure it out. In my brief association with the internet, and its' capabilities, the handwriting is on the wall for the old ways of educating. My whole mind-set about how things use to be, has changed. The Jeanie is out of the bottle, and will never go back in. We need to utilize every aspect of the internet in the classroom, if we ever expect the new generation to maximize their potential.

Summery Post C4T Teacher #3

Post #1 Summery
Don't quite know what to make of Mr. Bill Ferriter, an his taxie cab ride. Only coment i can make at this time is i hope her avoids this driver the next time he is in San Francisco on a convention. He may not be so lucky the next time. Nobody should drive a client that fast, no matter what.
After i left a comment on Mr. Ferriters' blog about the speeding incident, he responded by saying the cab drivers are paid by the mile, not by the minute. That explains it. I will rent a car, the next time i visit San Francisco.

Post #2 Summary
Bill and I are not happy about the way the politicians, are blaming our teachers for everything that is wrong with our educational system. The Curriculum, and school policies are voted on, in places far removed from the classrooms. Funny how people who never set foot in the classroom can regulate what goes on in it.

Skype Interview Recorded Project #12

Blog Post #9

What I've Learned This Year,

This topic is about a first year elementary school teacher(Mr.McClung), who started out with the right intentions but got a hard dose of reality. When he tried to implement his lesson plan for teaching, something went terribly wrong. He took everything he had learned in college, and had what he thought was a good plan. Only problem, the students didn't know that. After a rocky start, he came up with a brilliant idea. The idea was, why don't I ask the students what they think. That lead to his second and most important idea, not only will I ask there opinion, I will listen to there suggestions. Mr. McClung learned a valuable lesson, what good is a lesson plan, when nobody but you can appreciate it. Teachers are so worried about being teachers, they forget about the students concerns. Tragically, this happens all the time, and is the undoing of most teachers today. Mr.McClung realized early on, that if its not about the students, then who, and what are you teaching.

Blog Post #8

This Is How We Dream Part 1

Richard Miller did a great job, of wetting our lips, on where we are, and where we can take reading books, in the future. He showed, how we have come a long way, from paper-back books, to Ebooks. He explained how we've only scratched the surface, of what we'll be doing in the next phase, of the web.



This Is How We Dream Part 2

This is how we dream part two, shows all the possibilities of the web in the future. He explained how the media, and web, will not only combine to write books, but to publish them as well. Even the newspapers will be getting in on the deal. Forget words, how about books being published by media, audio, and visual effects. Imagine this, it would be much more appealing, to visually see the plot, and the characters. Thats what the teckies are experimenting with, right now. Glad to be taking EDM 310 from DR. Strange, as i will be ready, for whatever the future hold in technology.


The Chipper

Excuses, excuses, excuses. First DR. Strange, you have the patience of Joeb, in "The Chipper"story. Chipper was spoiled, lazy, and a know-it -all. I know the story is fiction, but Chipper really got under my skin. I've seen a lot of Chippers, in my day. They want something for nothing. Anything you tell Chipper to do, she will take the easy way out. Problem with chipper is, when she was being punished as a child, her father didn't reach back,with the paddle far enough. I got the point, and hope everyone else, in our EDM 310 class did, as well. I hope there aren't any Chippers, in our class. Chipper went full circle, only to find out, what she should have known, from the beginning. "THERE ARE NO FREE RIDES".



EDM 310 FOR Dummies

The girls in this video came to the EDM 310 class, with a negative attitude. Instead of finding the positives in the course, they wouldn't give the course a chance. Towards the end of the video, they found someone, with similar interest, on the blogs and twitter. Moral of the story, There is something, for everyone on the the internet, if you would just take the time and look. Don't enter the class with a negative attitude.

Summary

Both Chipper and the the girls, on the dummie video, are prime examples of what not to do, if you want to excel in class. This blog is a wake-up call, for the people, who have fallen behind in Dr.Strange's EDM 310 spring class. The Videos are a Good way, to tell you, I told you so, without embarrassing any students, who are failing the class.
I have a couple of ideas from the video, that would shake up the lazy people in class. Only thing, I don't know if I could use my words and pictures, to do it. Seriously, sometimes you gotta cut to the chase, and call a person out, to get results. Some people just don't get it!!!




Learn to Change, Change to learn

Summary

The guest, on the videos expressed some great ideas. Every single guest, had nothing but good things to say, about technology in the classroom. They all agreed, the classroom of the future, will not be, brick and mortar. How could you ban something, from the classroom, that has most of the answers, to this country's educational problems. As soon as we can figure out, how to integrate the Iphone, into the classroom, that will be the beginning. Think about it, the teacher could teach class, while being out due to sickness. Believe me, that would go a long way in covering the cost, of this idea. The next thing, would be to figure out a way, to keep the kids from damaging the equipment. How about this thought. If someone could figure out a way, to build the technology, into the students' desk. That way, the kids couldn't damage or remove the equipment, but still use it. Thats the ticket. If a student could learn, how to used the internet responsibly, under the guidance of a teacher, then students both Black and White, Rich and Poor, have an equal opportunity at success. This would truly be the public school, our fore-fathers envisioned, when they implemented the public school system.


"The Secret Power of Time"

Philip Zambardo does a masterful job of showing us what we probably already know. Give us more time, to do whatever we need to do, and we'll get behind even further. He also explains how our kids are being totally re-wired, in a digital way, which will make the traditional classroom, as we know it, become obsolete. In America, a kid drops out of school every 9 seconds. It gets worst for minorities, and even worst for Black men. Kids are growing up in the digital world, with parents wired for an analog world. Traditional classroom will become a thing of the past, because kids are now use, to controlling things, due to the invention, of video games, Iphones, and computers.



"The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us"

David Pink explains, how when you reward something, you get more, than the behavior you want. When you punished something, you get less. Seems like people do well, when they are able to make decision, on their own. This is especially true, for mechanical thinking jobs. When it comes to cognitive thinking, this doesn't work. In truth, its not the money, its the freedom. We'll work hard for free, if the money is removed from the situation. An good example of this is an Australian company(Atlassiam). The company gave its employees one day, in the quarter, to work on anything they wanted to, for 24 hrs, as long as they showed it to the employer, when they were done. The results were astounding. The ideas the employees come up with, to help the company, went off the charts. As humans, its about being self directed, not the bonuses. Studies have proven this point.

My Smartboard Project

The above SMARTboard project on "OUR SOLAR SYSTEM", was a team effort by Kelsey Robinson, Jenna Baxter, Kristan Steele, and Woodie Holloway. After a reviewing our lesson plan, with the help of the SMARTboard, we emailed the class a test. To view the test, please click the following link.

https://spreadsheets0.google.com/viewform?formkey=dHNJdkU5VG9hcTBJUjE5cHBFLVg3M2c6MQ


The results from the test were quite encouraging. Three(3), of the four four(4) students, answered all of the questions correctly. The remaining student, only missed one(1).
I really enjoyed working on the SMARTboard project, and will definitely use the training, from this presentation, to apply towards my teaching experience.

Summery Post C4K comments 4-6

Summery(4-6),

CK4
I think its wonderful that the kids overseas are really utilizing technology the way they are. For one thing it raises the bar for our instructors, here in the US. The next thing it does, is creates an
awareness about the endless use of the internet. The Kids made a "Old Scool" video that was really neat.
CK5

On this video, the children showed how serious  they were about the things we can do to help our environment. The video was not quite complete, but ran long enough to make its point. The video showed kids collecting plastic containers for recycling. Nice to see young kids doing things without any directions from adults.

CK6

The last blog i visited was about a little boy, who loved to play videos, with his friends. Problem was, he love to box with them also. I explained to him, about how he had to be careful about boxing, and the need for supervision by an adult. I mention that under the right conditions, boxing could be fun. I explained how fast a playful thing, can turn into a serious altercation. I also reinforced his strong belief, of having lots of friends, as this seemed to be very important to him.

My short movie for EDM 310 class

1st progress report on PLN project #10

Have just begun to put together a plan for using Symbaloo. I will be putting all my ideas together and completing the project this week Hopfully i will have my PLN fully operational by Wednesday of this week. I cant wait to get it up and running. I will be able to save countless hour on completing my projects.

C4T #2 Summary post for #1&2

C4T #1 post
I feel like "what now, what next", is a wake-up call for the powers to be in politics. After all, politicians are the ones who sit behind their desk, miles from the mess they created and pass these unbelievable laws for education. Statistics show that we are spending around $600 per student , on education. The iSchool presentation should make those politicians look like fools. Why don't they use the technology? Because that would be an admission of their stupid mentality. Also, why not spend the money on re-educating teachers. They would need to be educated, not only on the technology available, but to come up with a curriculum, that is more diverse. Testing, tracking and standardized test, are a joke. These policies are only oppressing people of color, and making it harder for them to go to college. Most of them drop out, or loose interest. This cycle needs to be broken.


C4T #2 post.
Nothing different from my feelings on #1 or #2 assignment. Forgot to mention how much guts, it took for Teachernz, to post on his blog site, about the evils of the educational system today. There is a lot of politicking going on, about how should we overhaul our educational system. Sounds to me, like Teachernz cares more about our children's future, than the flack from the politicians. If he really wanted to help, he should run for office.


Summary for #1&2
Again, I may not agree with the language of the messenger, but i guess something had to be done to shake-up the politicians. They sit in these offices miles away from the action, and make these idiotic decisions. There should be some type of system in place, where teachers(both white and people of color), can have a major role, in educational policies. Sh*t flows downhill, so the changes need to start at the top. You can say what you please, but the fact remains, we are falling farther and farther behind other countries, in the education of our youth. America was a leader in the petroleum, car manufacturing, and the micro-chip industry. We lost the lead because other countries, took what we invented, and made it better. In order for the US to retake the lead, we have to re-invest in our educational system, and stop putting up brick walls,when it comes to untilizing the technology available to us today.

Blog Post #7

Randy Pausch was professor at Carnegie Mellon University. He was born on October 23, 1960, and was known around the world, for developing the "Entertainment Technology Center"(ETC) graduate program, at  Carnegie Mellon. He traveled throughout the country lecturing about the ETC. Despite being diagnosed with terminal liver cancer(giving him 3 to 5 months to live), he never slowed, in his quest to promote his ideas and beliefs.
On September 18, 2007 Randy Pausch gave, what became known as the "last lecture". In this lecture he spoke about his childhood dreams and how he lived to follow them. He spoke of bricks, that we all encounter when we want something, and how they are there for a reason. In his analogy he explains, that brick walls are there, to prevent or weed out the people, who really don't want something bad enough. He called them, the other people.
Mr. Pausch also spoke of teaching techniques he learned, to further his career in both life and in the classroom. He spoke of always having something to bring to the table. He says when you do, people are always willing to listen. He also spoke of communicating on the professional level. He used an example of the word "no", and two different scenarios, with his immediate boss and his Dean. His boss upset him with his use of the word, and his Dean completely restoring his faith, in his abilities, with the same word. Mr. Pausch goes on to explain why he never instituted the bar rule(setting a bar to measure students achievements). He stated when you set a bar for achievements, you are basically putting a cap on your students abilities to expand. He explains, you never know how far a student can achieve, so let them set the bar, not you.
Mr. Pausch created the ETC to help pioneer the virtual world of technology. To further his cause, he entered into a contract with the the people at Disney, who were already secretly working on virtual technology. His objectives in creating the curriculum for ETC was, for students to just make stuff. The whole Master Degree program consisted of 5 projects. No book-reading, just projects through virtual worlds. He called the curriculum " the dream fulfillment factory".

The most important thing Mr.Pausch spoke about was the "head fake" teaching technique. He explains how he hopes one day, kids will learn how to write programs by playing a game. He explains, that the easiest way to get a kid to learn, is to make whatever your objection is,  look like a game, instead of a lesson plan. He called this the head-fake. It's the same as on the football field. Kids will be learning something fun, and not know, that they are programming. Mr.Pausch stated that a newer project called "Alice", would take the same learning technique, to the middle schools. There, they will be making music video games, story telling games, and  writing software, without even knowing it. Mr. Pausch added that because of his illness, he won't see all of his dreams come true. But like Moses, he has been able to take a peek into the future. Mr. Pausch continued to work vigorously, to educate and enlighten people about the possibilities, of virtual world education. Unfortunately, he passed away on July 25, 2008, ten(10) months, after the so-called "last lecture".           

My Life, My Job

Comments for Kids (summary 1,2,3)

All three blogs were very impressive, from Ms. Naugles' 5th grade math class to Mr. St. Claires' class blogs on their different topics. Glad to have visited these blogs for a couple of reasons. First these teachers are trend-setters. They are doing everything they can to steer the younger generations towards the use of technology. If we are ever going to take the lead in technology, as a country, we simply have to instill it into our children today. It doesn't have to begin with a massive overhaul of the current school system, but small baby steps. These teachers may not be able to change everything at once, but they are certainly changing everyone they come into contact with. And if you think about it, thats how all movements start.                                                                             Secondly, It was really neat to watch the math presentation on Ms. Naugles class blog, that was created by a 5th grade student. If had not known the situation up front, I would have thought the presentation was prepared by an adult. To start with that and to end with the "PodCast" presentations in Mr.St.Claires' class was simply  a treat. I got to see these young kids in Terryville Elementary School (New York), utilized video technology, in every conceivable way. I watched several as part of our class assignment, but clicked on quite a few more, to get some ideas, on my upcoming podcast project. Who says you cant' learn anything for kids. Kids are born with all the newest technology around them. The transition into the 21st century will be a piece of cake, so long as we, as adults don't get in the way.

Blog Post #6 Assignment

The Networked Student

I really enjoyed the video, for several reasons. I've never seen a low tech presentation, that had so much appeal to the high tech audience. There were some mix reviews, but overall the comments were positive. This discussion  is about a question the narrator asked on the video, about the teachers' role. All of the answers given were on the mark. I agree a the teacher should help the students build the network, because that is where the foundation  for all of the other ideas to materialize.
Also, the only way anyone can make headway on any learning project, is to ask questions. Believe it or not, this will save you countless hours of research. If you only knew the people, who have similar interest, that are out there. The video does mention you will have to do some research on your own, but anything you do, will make it that much easier, for the next person with similar interest.
My take on the video was that, if you can be a little creative, the internet help you give a world class presentation , without the financial hardships, that you would otherwise incur. The resources are vast, and with  the aid from the web, you can find anything out there quickly. The last thing the video mentioned, I feel is important, is for the teacher to help the student organized the information obtain, so that the research can be put on the web, for the world to view

Smart Boards Pros and Cons

The negative comments to the Smart Board(SB) is that it has been compared to a glorified overhead projector. Its cost is way to high, and its an electronic chalkboard. School systems buy the SB and sell the fact to the parents, that the SB is the future. With limited capabilities, the teachers still find themselves in front of the SB lecturing, as they always do, in front of students who are bored or disinterested.
The positives are, the SB is interactive, so students can participate in the class with the SB, which in turn keeps the students alert. The SB displays full color, high quality Images. Unlike the grainy or posters acetates. The Smart Board also adds punch to you lessons. To see the Smart Board Revolutions, go to  http://smartboardrevolution.ning.com/profiles/blogs/powerful-images-to-giv

7th Grade PLE

Very impressed, not only with the product, but the ease at which the 7th grader explained everything. For those of you that are not familiar with PLE or PLN, its stands for Personal Learning Environment. The latter is the same, except Network replaces Environment. A good description of a PLN, would be to visualize your keypad on your calculator or computer. Now, imagine the letters or numbers being replaced by names of sites and different links. Instead of clicking  several links to get to a destination on the internet, the necessary sites you visit, are readily available on one single screen. You just click whatever button which has your desired location and like that, you're there. Great idea, and everyone who spends a lot of time surfing the web, should have this.

My Timeline

Who's Been President Since I Was Born

Project 8 Podcast

Click here or the picture below to listen to our podcast about E-books in education.

This podcast was a collaborative effort by: Jenna Baxter, Woodie Holloway, Kristan Steele, and Kelsey Robinson.

Summary Blog #5

First i must say, the youngster's on "Eagle Nest" did a wonderful job with their podcast(very informative about Rome and it's history. Also like the way the kids did the "Shark-Tastic" interview. They did a good job matching the underwater music, to the words. I looked at all the podcast, that were recommended, and was impressed. I got some ideas from the kids and Judy Scharf(podcast collection). I have discussed what i saw with my partners in the podcast assignment, and we decided to do a radio broadcast.

My Sentence

Blog Post #4

Don't teach your kids this stuff
Great article. All the negatives express seemed to be about people, who are not willing to embrace technology. The article implied, that we can think of everything possible, to avoid educating our- selves, with the technology available. Even trying to criminalize it. Moral of the story, you keep doing what you are doing, and you will keep getting the same results. I'm moving forward, not staying put.
Also, i check to see who Scott Mcleod was: Scott McLeod, J.D., Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Educational Administration program at Iowa State University. He also is the Director of the UCEA Center for the Advanced Study of Technology Leadership in Education (CASTLE), the nation’s only academic center dedicated to the technology needs of school administrators, and was a co-creator of the wildly popular video, Did You Know? (Shift Happens). He has received numerous national awards for his technology leadership work, including recognitions from the cable industry, Phi Delta Kappa, and the National School Boards Association. In Spring 2011 he will be a Visiting Canterbury Fellow at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand. Dr. McLeod blogs regularly about technology leadership issues at dangerouslyirrelevant.org and occasionally at The Huffington Post.

Teaching in the 21st Century
Had to review the video a couple of times, to get the meaning. The video starts off by insinuating, with all the information out there on the internet, why do we need teachers, or what is the teachers role now. I think this video, and "Don't Teach Your Kids This Stuff", go hand in hand. The moral of this video is that, there is a lot of information out there, for the kids to get into. So the teachers' role has to change. We as teachers, should now show the kids how to used this information, in a positive way. Students need to know, that even though, the internet has a lot of entertaining information on it, as a teacher, we need for them to be engaged. There is a difference, entertainment is just was it says. Engaging, is when a student is challenged. Great piece!!

iSchool Initiative
I knew that a phone like this existed, but i never thought about it, in the say way this young man, in high school presented it. After looking at his illustration, i wonder how many school superintendents, saw this video and, is doing absolutely nothing, to move in that direction. If thats the case, they are "stuck on stupid".
I can see this technology taking hold, in a third world country(where they have limited resources), and someone else taking the lead, in technology, we have a chance to implement today.
Kinda like what Japan did to the US, in the car business. I will send this young man and email, to show my support, because using the technology i viewed, on the iSchool video, was simply amazing.

Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir
I absolutely loved this production. Almost like having a mega podcast. I imagine, the reason everyone had on earphones, was to keep everyone on key. With so many people singing, from so many different places, no way around the earphones. This was a very creative video. Everything done by video, and brought to you on video. Even the conductor. Technology, how neat!!

The Lost Generation
I thought this video was done very smartly. In the beginning, in seemed as if the lady in the video, was going to go on, and on, about the ills, of todays society. If fact, she did. The difference was, she turned everything mentioned around, by reversing. After she finished her last negative sentence, she went back over every negative she listed, with a positive solution, if we embrace technology. Kudos' to Johnathan Reed for a brilliant production.

My slide show for edm310

Technology In the Classroom

This video was really funny. It shows how some people were hooked on the internet and some didn't have a clue. People in funny situation, making suggestions about the the internet, Video games in real life situations and more. I thought the video was funny, but it brought home a point. The internet is everywhere and we need to come to grips with the fact that we need it, it doesn't need us. It will keep evolving into whatever, whenever.

A Faculty's Response to a Vision of Students Today

Could not run this Video. Looks like the You-Tube subscription had expired.

Social Media Count Graphics

Just the shear number of information being shared and viewed with technology is staggering. What it all means is i'm missing the boat. Looks like You-tube, Facebook and emailing is kicking everybody's but. Even though thats the case, the losers are exactly chop liver. The counter simply brings home the fact that the internet is truly the way of the future.
I tried to place my mouse(arrow) over a specific item to see what the numbers were but the figures were moving to fast to get any handle on just how much information was being transmitted. This counter should be plastered inside a school board meeting. Maybe if they see this, just might open some eyes as far as coming up with a curriculum for the students of today. Maybe replaced those chalk boards with computers, along with people who know how to utilize them in the school.

Its Ok To Be A Technologically Illiterate Teacher

I think Mr. Fisch reminded me why i came to edm310 class. I am very illiterate when it comes to technology, And i have avoiding it for the last 32 years. Guess what, the only way i can go from an aid to a teacher, is by passing this class. So, was Mr. Fisch right, or what.
This is a challenge i cannot and will not loose. I am blindly plowing forward hoping DR. Strange will perform a miracle. Teach me how to become proficient on the computer. My very lively-hood depends on it. In the post by Mr. Fisch, he spoke about not being able to operate the computer, and being proud of it. Well i wasn't proud of it, I only wanted to make it clear to the person asking, that i did'nt know, but i was willing to learn, if i had to.

It's Not About Technology

Ms Hines was right on the money. You can have all the technology in the world, if you don't have a teacher who is willing to embrace it,you're just whistling dixie. So many people in the US forget that our teaching system has stood by for years, and watch technology catch us, pass us by, and then leave us.
Its kinda like" I cant see the forest for the trees" syndrome. Ms. Hines is only posting what most of us already know and fear. Our teaching system is broken and every teaching system in the US, is willing to stand by, and watch it crash and burn. Thats my opinion anyway.
To make a short story long, i feel that the way we educate our teachers should be changed. Instead of teaching us what to teach, they need to teach us how to teach. There is an old saying " you keep doing what you're doing, and you'll keep getting the same results. Thats what Dr.Hines, in my opinion, is so tactfully trying to convey.

A Vision Of Students Today

Good way to bring attention to whats wrong in the classroom of today. Teachers are still lecturing, still writing assignments on the chalk board, and still killing trees for paper and pencils. The story-line is that the students are using technology(one way or the other), all day. Even multitasking in class, as a result of technology. Why is it that we teach all around technology. Why are we wasting away our teachers of tomorrow, when the technology is here now. Get this, the video in question, was produced by students at Kansas State. Looks like we got to use technology and some students, to make video, to show these superintendents, how to do there jobs.
Only thing i might could add would be to contact Micheal Moore, and let him run with it. He seems to thrive on stories like this.

Comments for Teachers(Summary for Post 1 & 2 )

January And My Month Of Free Learning- I myself find it quite amazing at the amount of free resources available to educators and students at the webstitutes. Also i’m quite impressed with the bold concept by which some teachers relate to their students. The virtual meeting places provide a wealth of information and knowledge for those who wish to participate. EC Ning is kinda like american soap opras. No matter how long you are away, it only takes a few minutes to feel like you were never away. Does The Suite Make The Teacher- I think they have it right over in the Netherlands. It seems like everything you do in the US, is because thats what society says you should do. Putting on a suit or a Business dress, doesn’t turn you into superman or superwomen. What it does is say i’m better than you. This is how i would think students would view it. Thats the wrong message you would want to send. How about dressing down. I would would think that would send the message of, hey guys and girls, i’m no better than you, in fact, i’m just like everybody else in the room.
I think that would make you a little more approachable from the students’ point of view.
Now about that facebook thing. I… don’t know. There are some cases where some teachers have abused it. This could go either way. What i do think is that someone needs to come up with a way to police the system better, instead of rejecting it. School systems need to invest in ways of figuring out a solution, rather than being closed minded. Maybe they can set up something where facebook is piped through the school systems’ website, with a series of filters that would have to be navigated, before the connection is actually made. It needs to be looked at anyway. Based on how fast technology is moving, someone has already figure it out, they’re just trying to get the highest fee before they release it.

Blog Post #2

Did You Know?
Very fitting title for the clip. Reason being,is i didn't know. Looks like information technology is progressing faster than many people think. One of the things that struck e most was that everything i learning now will, will be obsolete, by the time i finish edm310. Also, never would have have thought the USA would be so far behind other countries, when it came to the internet. We invented it.
As far as the rate the internet is growing, the numbers are staggering.From the radio to the ipod, the rate at which the technology is able to reach people, is almost doubling every 2 years. Who would have thought we are training workers for jobs, that we don't even know will exist. Never would have thought Bermuda would be first in internet usage, USA@#19 and Japan at #22. In a nut shell, we in the US, need to get with it. Other countries have taken the technology we invented and ran with it.

Mr. Winkle Wakes
If anybody can relate to this video, i can. Last time i was in college, was in 1977. No internet or facebook. Mr.Winkle woke up to a different world, after sleeping for 100 yrs. Almost the same as me(34yrs), as far as the classroon and the way teaching is done. After leaving the hospital, Mr.Winkle was in shock. He couldn't relate to anything at that point.
Then Mr.Winkle went by the school, and found his comfort zone. I guess this is the moral of the story. He sleeps for 100yrs, and the only thing that he can relate to is the school. Reason being, they were still using pencil and paper, and the teacher was still delivering a boring lecture. I guess the only thing Mr.Winkle was a little uncomfortable with, was the computer sitting in the back of the classroom, not being used.

The Importance of Creativity
Funny guy, but he was spot on. He spoke of how we take very smart kids and basically un-educate them. Looks like a lot of kids are being diagnosed as add and sedated. A lot of people are being brainwashed into not making mistakes, when thats the basis for creativity.Thats what made this country of ours great. According to the video, kids are born with the ability to understand and adapt to almost anything. Unfortunately, the educational system robs them of there creativity.

The educational system needs a major overhaul. We need to rethink what we are doing now, and how it will effect the future, and take the lead. As a teachers'aid myself, i see this situation day in and day out. The teacher standing up front lecturing, and the student in the back drawing beautiful pictures of cars. Teacher walks back, takes a look, and either sends him to the office or scolds him. Buy the way this particular kid, has been diagnosed as a special needs person. Given the right situation, this kid could be designing cars for a major company.

Cecelia Gault/Laura's Blog Post
This little girl just blew me away with the questions for sir Ken. Looks like the definition of intelligence will never truly be understood. I was quite taken back by the situation, when over 50 professors were put in a room and ask to describe intelligence. None of them could come up with the same answer.
The questions about creativity came up again. Myths about creativity were quickly dispelled by sir Ken, as he explained how all of us are born with it. He also made mention that there should be a closer relationship between the sciences and the arts. He explains that one is just as important as the other. There is a reason that Finland has a 1% drop-out rate verses a 25% drop-out rate for the US. This is with a shorter school day!!!!

Harness Your Students Digital Smarts
This goes to show you that whether you are the farm or in a big city, the internet is the great equalizer. The teacher has taken a small town and put them on the map with technology. These kids are communicating to people in middle east. They are also learning how to make their own movies and out-source them. They are helping to structure the curriculum and are basically teaching the teacher now.
Looks like the whole town in this small town in Ga, have bought into the concept, and have nothing but praise for the program and the school. According to the video, relationships have been formed and trips have been made to the middle east as a results. Another example of how powerful the internet is.

Project #2

My comments for teachers

I myself find it quite amazing at the amount of free resources available to educators and students at the webstitutes. Also i’m quite impressed with the bold concept by which some teachers relate to their students. The virtual meeting places provide a wealth of information and knowledge for those who wish to participate. EC Ning is kinda like american soap opras. No matter how long you are away, it only takes a few minutes to feel like you were never away.

blog post #1

My name is Woodie Andrew Holloway Jr. I was born in Whistler Alabama in 1954, on December 9th. I have two sons(justin and Jared), and i am married to Bridgette Holloway. I attended high school at Vigor High School in Prichard Alabama. I graduated from Vigor in 1973, and went on to attend college at Alabama State University. I received a BS degree in Health Physical Education and a Minor in Music. My first major job was with Courtaulds North America, in Axis Alabama. I worked there thru 1979, when i left Mobile and landed in Plano Texas. While in Texas i was married to Bridgette and fathered two sons, Justin in 1987, and Jared in 1994. My wife was a flight attendant at the time, and decided to retire in 1999. After she retired, we decided to move back to Mobile in  2000.                                                                          When we returned to Mobile, we went into the real-estate and mortgage business. She was the realtor and i was the loan originator. Business was good up until 2006. At that point the bottom fell out. We lasted as long as we could but one of us had to get a job with benefits, and a salary. So, in August of 2010, i decided to utilize my degree in education, and renew my teaching certificate. While in the process of renewing my teaching certificate, we both decided i should do some substitute teaching. I became very proficient at the middle school level. I was offered a job at North Mobile County Middle School in November of 2010, as an aid. I was told i could not hold a teachers' position until i renewed my teachers' license.  Which is why i'm taking "EDM310", at the University Of South Alabama. I'm looking forward to the challenge, as i have not been a student in 32 years. At this point my wife is still a realtor, my son Justin is still living at home trying to finish his degree as anElectronic Engineer. His hobby is Japanese Jujitsu and computers. My son Jared is a star football player in high school. He attends Saint Pauls High School and will  probably being playing on sundays. He is 6'1", weights 260 and can run a sub-5 sec forty. He's only in the tenth grade.  Then there's me. I'm still doing whatever i can to provide for my family. I play a little golf, listen to jazz to keep my sanity and do whatever i can to be a good father and mentor to my kids.