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.