January 31st Blog Assignment

SMART-BOARD LESSONS PODCAST

I listened to the podcast about DimDim.com. I think this concept is so awesome! It is really neat how teachers can go and use ideas from other teachers around the world. I also think sites like this are very important in the aspect of broadening learning. It opens the door to so many opportunities for teachers and the students they are teaching.

KIDCAST

The podcast I listened to was "some thoughts on video pod casting". I thought that this was a very informative pod cast and really did a good job a demonstrating some of the different options you have when doing your own pod cast. It also informs you on some big points like to know who your audience is and it also offered good ideas on keeping it interesting. Personally I think that there should be video with certain pod cast to help keep the attention of listener/watchers.

ED TECH TALK

I chose episode 90. This was about using podcast to connect whole schools and communities. I think is a good idea in the works. I think it will bring about great opportunities for teachers and learners alike. I also think it would make problem solving easier and more helpful because instead of hoping one person knew how to help you, you would have a whole community and I think its safe to say that surely someone had the right answer!

IPHONE BEING USED BY A ONE YEAR OLD

This was completely shocking to me. I mean I know how advanced technology is these days and how important it is but I honestly never even thought about a one year old being able to do it. I mean I know some adults that cant even use todays technology such as iphones and it just makes me laugh to see this baby doing it!

January 24th Blog Assignments

MICHAEL WESCH: A VISION OF STUDENTS TODAY

I think this video is very realistic. It is very similar to some experiences i have had in college. The part when the papers said "I spend money on books I never open" "I only get 7hrs of sleep a night" "I work everyday after class" and so on and so forth. I'm not exactly sure if technology can "save us" but I think it is important and could definitely benefit in areas such as time management and what not.

The part where students were saying "I'm on my laptop in class not doing school work" or "I'm on facebook through my whole class period" that I believe is true also! I have seen plenty of times where kids bring their personal computers to class and do nothing but play the whole time. I don't know why it is a problem though because universities can have blocks put on certain websites. If universities want students to be doing online class work during the class time there should be blocks on certain websites during class hours. This would ensure that students were doing what they were suppose to be doing not goofing on the net all day.

"IT'S NOT ABOUT THE TECHNOLOGY" BY KELLY HINES

I agree with what Kelly is saying. Its kind of hard to try and eliminate technology though because of how much of todays living is based on it. I do however think that it is very important for teachers to know how to use this technology. After all, how are we supposed to teach the kids about something we don't know how to use? If we don't understand the technology our students are expected to learn or know we will never get anywhere.

However I do also agree that technology shouldn't be the only thing. Sure technology is great and very helpful, but in some cases it can rob children of their imagination. I mean really, it is so much easier to google pictures and problems for homework but whatever happened to drawing your version of an english poem? Or drawing out a cartoon using your vocabulary words? As I look back on my elementary and middle school years that kind of stuff is what made school interesting and challenging. I agree technology is important but so is children using their imagination and thinking for themselves.

KARL FISCH: IS IT OKAY TO BE A TECHNOLOGICALLY ILLITERATE TEACHER?

I agree with Mr. Fisch 100%. I believe that teachers should be embarrassed to say the are technologically illiterate. Especially in todays society! Computers and technology run just about everything. I'm not saying a school teacher should be able to do programming and tech support for computers, I'm just saying teachers should know the same programs and skills the kids they are teaching know. You can't expect someone to teach something they do not understand. You also can't expect children to learn from someone who knows less then them.

GARY HAYES SOCIAL MEDIA COUNT

This is insane! The numbers grow so fast. It's like I know how much technology I use, and it is a pretty fair amount. I also see how much my friends and peers use technology but I guess to see how fast the numbers grow on a wider scale is just amazing. This really emphasizes how important it is for teachers to know how to use basic technology. These numbers are doing nothing but skyrocketing and they will only get worse in years to come. Teachers beware! This is the age of technology!!!

Jan 17th Blog Assignments

DID YOU KNOW 3.0 BY KARL FISCH

I found this video very interesting! It was weird to actually see, in researched numbers, how much more some countries are advanced than America. India and China more than tripling our number in birthrate per year and also how technologically advanced their students are. It really makes you wonder how or if America can keep up with the rest of the world because it seems we are already so far behind!

Something else that I found very interesting, is how much technology in general has sky rocketed! It seems like living in these times I would have realized exactly how much it had changed but really I had no idea. I think the part that made me think the most was when it said "the knowledge students are learning today will be outdated by their third year of college" and that's a big deal! We are advancing in technology faster than we ourselves are advancing. It really just furthers the thought that computers and technology really are going to rule the world someday.

MR. WINKLE WAKES BY MATTHEW NEEDLEMAN

I think this video symbolizes how much everything in the world has advanced in the past 100 years or so. However, it makes the point that even though everything seems to have changed school remains the same. It seemed like in the video, school had been left out of all these advances and it makes one wonder if maybe this is a good thing or a bad thing.

I think it points out the important fact that if the outside world (the world after school and education ends) is so advanced and using technology as a way of life, then why aren't we teaching these things to our children in our schools? It makes it almost seem like our children will be unprepared for what awaits them after school. This is because the skills we are teaching in school, and the skills needed in real world life are two worlds apart.

KEN ROBINSON SCHOOL KILLS CREATIVITY

I absolutley loved this video. I agree 100% with what Robinson is saying. When he said "children arent afraid of being wrong and they arent afraid to take chances" he hit it right on the tip of the nose! One of the reasons I decided to become and elementary education teacher if for that reason. I love hearing what children have to say. They are so pure and honest and at times actually quite funny. I do believe that school sometimes can rob them of this quality. They are told how they are suppose to think, what the outcome is supposed to be, and if they dont think of a particular answer they are wrong. I believe the only wrong is this logic. If everyone always thought the same we would be missing out on so much! Originality and creativity is a true gift and it should be uplifted not covered up.

Something I think sad is the fact that when Robinson said "our education is being prided on academics" this is sad to me because it just isnt fair. Not all children are academically gifted. Some are good at math and science, and some are good at music, dance, or art. Why should the "artsy" student automatically assumed less of or arent expected to succeed in life as far as the ones who are good at the maths and sciences? This is sad to me on the level of being a future teacher and future parent. I would never want my child to be taught their natural talents should be underminded because they are different.

VICKI DAVIS: HARNESS YOUR STUDENTS DIGITAL SMARTS

I think Vicki has the right idea! If there were more teachers like her, there would be a greater number of prepared students. If more teachers would take a chance, and try and help students get as technologically advanced as possible, I think it would be easier for students once they got out into the real world. This is because of how advanced we are this day and age. If we are going to continue to advance as fast as we have in the last few years, then we as teachers, should be prepared to teach our students how to do these things. If the world weren't becoming so advanced so fast this wouldn't be such a big deal. The fact of the matter is, we are that advanced, and it is happening this fast!