Feb 14th Blog Assignment

Can Wikipedia Be Trusted

I never thought of Wikipedia as a reliable source of information: The idea of a free encyclopedia where information can and is shared by anyone: "Wikipedia calls itself "the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit,". In a world where Internet access is available to everyone: Who's checking the facts?It is no wonder company's have been caught changing information in there favor and that it is the number one used search engine for fact checking. Why wouldn't huge conglomerates want there consumers going to a search engine where they can edit the facts. Taking this into consideration when checking facts I would stick to .edu's, .gov's, and proven companies and sources such as Webster's, and Encyclopedia Britannica.

To Wikipedia's credit they never claim to be factual. Even Webster's definition of an encyclopedia: "a work that contains information on all branches of knowledge or treats comprehensively a particular branch of knowledge usually in articles arranged alphabetically often by subject." or any other definition of an encyclopedia I could find, claim to be 100 percent factual without error. In any case be careful of information perceived factual displayed on the Internet or otherwise. Being a sceptic is sometimes beneficial, especially when dealing with information mass displayed to a huge audience.

Response to "What I've Learned This Year"

Mr. McClung after his first year teaching in Noel, Missouri makes seven distinct points about what he's learned to be a better educator after his first year.

Point 1.) How to read the crowd, McClung discuss's the importances of when giving a lesson plan how important the crowds reaction is. When giving a lesson it's pointless to ramble on about the information if the students are not focused on or understanding the material. As educators during a lesson we must be able to judge how effective the lecture is being (according to the crowd) and be able to deviate in order to secure positive retention and understanding.

Point 2.) Be Flexible, When teaching we can not hold our lesson-plans and ideas to one unchangeable plan. Every student is different so we must be able to change to be the most effective.

Point 3.) Communicate, As in life communication is key. You have to be able to communicate with your students. If there not doing well; why not? and are you conversing with the student on how they can do better or why they are doing poorly. Knowing the problem is have the battle, once you know what the problem is, its usually easier to fix, communicating with your students will allow more understanding which will promote learning.

Point 4.) Be Reasonable, Lofty expectations lead to crushing failures. Educators want the best for their students and want to teach them as much as possible, by setting realistic, reasonable goals, students and teachers will both be successful and more excited about learning.

Point 5.) Don't be afraid of Technology, Technology is vast becoming the most effective way of teaching. We must embrace these new ideas and teaching tool's to promote the most effective learning environment. We cannot be afraid of thing 's we don't understand, as teachers we must adapt to things that are new and might be scary to us in order to be the best educators we possibly can be.

Point 6.) Listen to your Students, Knowing how a teacher is perceived by a student is key. Yes the teacher teaches but the student learns. If a teacher is not listening to the students learning needs and desires there not being fully effective. Student opinion is so important in regards to there motivation, interest, and excitement towards the material being taught.

Point 7.) Always keep learning, Probably the most important idea Mr. McClung makes. Educators have to always continue learning, if educators fail to learn everyday, how can they expect there students to.

Mr. McClung makes vary astute points on becoming a better educator and I look forward to reading more of his ideas.

Presentation

Comments For Kids Assignment 2

I read Raheel's blog; he talks about how his class is learning how to make cartoons. He list the tool's he used to create his cartoon "bloat, pucker, warp, hue/saturation and selection brush tools". I think its so great that kindergartners are able to use this type of technology. It promotes creativity and learning in today's youth, a issue that is not addressed enough.

February 7th Podcast What I've Learned

Pod casting is one of the newest uses of multimedia to further education. Teachers now can upload lesson's, lectures, and curriculum plans relatively easy on the Internet. This feature allows students access to vital information they may have missed. Parent's now can listen to what their children are being taught on a day to day basis; enabling them to discus what their children are being taught, make sure they understand the material, and make learning at home more effective.

Using podcast and blogging in the classroom promotes innovation, creativity, and interaction. Students who are absent from class can listen to or view assignments missed with ease. The skills learned from using multimedia in the classroom provides a skill set that is now required in our society. Technology will continue to advance. Students must be taught the uses and capacities of such technology so their knowledge does not become obsolete. We must change the views of parents and educators that do not understand the capabilities and benefits that blogging and podcast have.

First Post Comments 4 Kids

I read Taylor's blog for my first assignment. Taylor talks about a good week. Taylor was able to watch surviorman in class. Taylor seems really excited about school and the influences of technology in the classroom. I am interested to read more blogs from students in this class, it's kind of neat to realize even though were so different in age were both doing the same type of assignments.

Response To 3 additional videos for Jan 31 Blog

Response To "They Are First Graders! Are you ready?"

Kathy Cassidy with her first grade class shows the value of creativity to improve literacy in the classroom. Creativity an aspect that is lost when most educators create their class structure. In this video you have first graders who 3 weeks ago were more technological savvy then myself (and still might be). To be honest I could have cared less 3 weeks ago. EDM 310 has changed my views dramatically in a short time. Never really being exposed to technology, multi media, and it's uses. I did not fully understand the advantages. I am just beginning to get my proverbial feet wet with the amercement of technological advances. I am willing to push aside preconceived notions to be able to become the best educator I can be. Any advancements that will promote creativity and learning must be fully exploited by educators to fix the miserable excuse for school systems in the U.S.A.. I applaud the efforts by educators now realize creativity and interest level are the keys to education.

Response To "Little Kids...Big Potential"
This movie shows the benefits of exposure to technology in today's children. First graders are shown blogging and using multimedia tools in the classroom. Not only are the students learning about the influences of technology at a young age they are excited about learning. I remember being in grade school and being excited about a pen pail in another state. Now at such a young age students can connect to all over the world instantly with a click of the keyboard. These students are at an extreme advantage; Not only are they furthering there education at such a young age but their being allotted the uses of inner creativity. Students being excited about learning, teaching, and being creative is the key for education.

Response To "iPhone Used By One Year Old Part 2"
As new uses of technology becomes more prevalent in our ways of lives it will impact today's youth as well. As i grow older technology grows more advanced. I remember when Nintendo was the end all be all of gaming systems, Since the technology outbreak we now have smart phones, Skype, and numerous advances; To many to name. A one year old will never know about Nintendo (dead technology) and the iPhone hes playing with will be outdated probably by the age of 6. Today's youth must be exposed at a early age to technology if they ever hope to stay in times with technology.

Blog Assignment Number 3 For Janurary 30, 2010

"SmartBoard Podcast Lessons" Response

I have never viewed A podcast before this assignment. I did not realize the infinite possibilities of uses for podcast. In my ignorant bliss of ignoring the influence of media technology, I had made several assumptions. I believed podcast were just radio broadcast available on the Internet. In listening and viewing SmartBoard, these assumptions were found untrue. The SmartBoard podcast is incredible, there are over 67 episodes on how to use SmartBoard, Not only do Dave Sladkey and Scott Miller provide an intellectual and entertaining commentary on how to use SmartBoard but alongside the audio commentary they use a visual presentation allowing step by step instruction.

In addition to the podcast there is an interactive website click here to go to website; http://smartboardguys@teachingwithsmartboard.com where you can pose questions and a forum with uses of SmartBoard. I don't think this is a live podcast, I could fine no proof that it is. It is interesting on conceptualizing how they create this podcast. I am new to audacity, the uses of google slide shows and PowerPoint presentations. I assume they pick a topic or topics, (maybe from a email or comment on there website) for there podcast and design a formative plan on how to execute the explanation of their topic or topics choice. I assume there are many different ways to execute their podcast. It seems they use interactive slides, that they can adjust on there computer, I don't yet understand how they accomplish this. I also don't know if they record audio separately or live as they do the slide show presentation. It is interesting to view a podcast and ask the questions on how or why it was created. After asking these questions for myself, I now look forward to finding the answers.

Reaction To "KidKast" Episode 62

Dan Schmit discusses the differences the differences between media productions in this podcast. He establishes the differences between audio podcast, enhanced podcast and video podcast. The reasons Schmit believes you should use a video podcast are for interactive purposes such as a classroom setting with nonverbal interactions, visual models, demonstrations on how things work, if your accessing podcast from video accessible equipment (computer, IPhone, media television) and finding the medium that affectingly address's the topic. He also list's problems of video podcast in comparison to audio, such as production time, cost of production, and production editing. This is a informative podcast on how to produce and create a podcast. I suggest anyone who is interested in creating their own podcast to listen to this podcast. Click here to find podcast http://ftcpublishing.com

Reaction To "Connect Learning One Episode 92"

In episode 92 David Warlick has an interview with principal Chris Lehmann about Educon. Educon is an educators conference designed by educators, the conferences are strictly conversation based, planed online, and influenced by blogs. It is incredible to think educators are now able to design education conferences online using multi media operations. Wanting to become a teacher myself; It is great to be able to listen to a podcast and become exited about learning. The innovation of Chris Lehman's ideas are revolutionary. He has created a conference where educators created it by blogging their ideas. It is empowering to think my blog could eventually further the education of others.

Reaction To "MacBreak Weekly"

MacBreak weekly was different then any other podcast I listened to out of the six that were assigned. MacBreak was run more like a radio talk show. I found it interesting that the interviews conducted used multimedia tools such as skype for their connections. There are so many uses of multimedia applications that are foreign to me. I had no idea that I could start my own podcast with a Internet assessable computer. So much information is so easily obtained. I now understand why technology must be prevalent in the classroom. With all of these tools now available to share information; We must take every option to use them to further our own students and ourselves knowledge.

Blog Assignment Number 2 For Week Of Janurary 24, 2010

Response to "A Vision Of Students Today"

Wow, great depiction of many various problems that exist in the college world today. I myself am from humble beginnings and could not afford to go to college coming out of high school. It was not an option for me personally. Like many young people in the world today i took the only route available for me to pay for college, The Military. After almost six years and many trials and tribulations I am now in college. Where I struggle with all the problems displayed in " A Version of Students Today".

Yes i feel I overpay for books, I don't use and classes that the information is useless to me. I study for tests that don't evaluate the information I'm supposed to learn. I spend hours upon hours studying subjects that will be no use to me in the real world(my opinion based on experience). These problems ask questions??? I do not know the answers to. How to change the flaws in the institution? We call an college education. You can not make a acceptable living without graduating from college. An average college graduate does not even go into the field that there degree is in. The degree becomes an in to get an interview for a basic position they probably could have accomplished coming out of high school, without being in thousands of dollars in debt.

At the University Of South Alabama there are numerous signs posted around campus saying protect your G.P.A (grade point average) know the drop date. Classes cost lots of money what is the message we are sending when we promote quiting? Revenue, upper education is all about money the more students drop classes the less teachers have to work for the same amount of money. Books, I have spent thousands of dollars on books i have not needed or never used, just to sell them back to the University for a fraction of what I payed to see them resale them at 4 times the cost they just bought them from me. I have spent over 16,000dollars on a education so far that really has taught me anything I couldn't learn from reading. Yet office hours for my professors are conveniently during my other classes so if I have questions, I must send an email and wait for a response. We know the problems, How do we Fix Them?

I think "A Version Of Students Today" fulfils its targeted agenda. I would like to watch a movie that actually shows the struggles of a college student, than depict them. As a director of this type of movie I would actually show more real life problems, such as no parking spaces, running late to class because of the parking problems, having to park somewhere else just to receive a ticket. I would like to direct a 5-6 minute video depicting actual real life situations.

Response To "It's Not About Technology"

Kelly Hines is correct about the assumptions she makes. No matter how established the aspects of technology effect the learning curve. We as educators and teachers must have the ability to correct and correlate the learning curve for our students. If we are unwilling as educators to find the best ways to improve ourselves as educators, students will continue to be unsuccessful in the classroom. If a student fails its because they are not being reached, it is our job not only to educate when it is easy, but to understand why we are not successful in our endeavors to better understand the failures of our students and address them.

Teachers have to understand that all there students are different. Kelly Hines makes an extremely valid point; we have to understand where a student is coming from in order to anticipate where they are going. We can not expect for one method of teaching to reach all 40 members of all one class. Learning has to be fundamental for all parties(students, teachers, appropriators, parents) if we expect to improve the flaws of the ever flailing school systems in this country.

I believe to be successful students need to be assessed at a young age in which ways they learn the best, and be catered to learn by there needs. Students need to have a councilor that identifies what they need to learn on a daily basis and why they need to. We also need to check if they accomplished the goals set for them on that daily basis. If we do not change how we interact with students and how we learn from them; We will never be able to educate to our best ability. The best person to tell you how they learn is that person, not a manual that takes no consideration of individuality.

Response To "Is It Okay To Be A Technologically Illiterate Teacher"

I hate to refer back to another portion of this blog but being Tech illiterate is not the problem. I am referring to my response to Kelly Hines. If you wish to be a successful teacher you cannot be illiterate in forms of teaching, learning, and ways of sharing information to make you more affluent at both.

Karl Fisch makes a astute point about the apathy in this country. Many people have now become fans of being proud of there incompetence and illiteracy. Life is to short to be proud of your shortcomings. We as educators are already put at a disadvantage to improper parenting. The fact that parents would take pride in the fact that there children share there same disadvantages is appalling. The purpose of procreating is that the hope that our children will be more successful then ourselves. Why would anyone be proud of the fact that if I was bad at math that my child is to. We as a society must be more proactive in the ability to better ourselves and our youth in anyway possible.

If we do not take more of an interest in our own shortcomings, and how to improve them; the youths (our future) of this world will be hard pressed to be competent or prominent in anything they attempt to achieve.

Response To Gary Hayes Social Media Count

The astounding rate of social used media is climbing by the second. 20 years ago cell phones were a status symbol, 10 years ago so were personal portable computers. Now we have phones capable of doing both at a stellar pace. No longer does a teacher have to send a note home with a student. Teachers are now able to communicate all around the world at all times. Having a iPhone myself I am able to correspond to emails, text, twitter, facebook, myspace, blogger, or any other social media sites instantly anywhere (that I have service, surprisingly most places) or anytime.

With this influx of technology and social networking sites, teachers now have billions of resources at there fingertips. These advancements were inconceivable 10 years ago. A teacher now has no excuse on the ability to learn or to find new information that was foreign to them. With this mass media explosion, teachers will be able to educate more effectively, keep parents updated more closely, and correspond to other educators in the progression of learning etc, etc, etc.

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A Link To My University

click here to go the University of South Alabama web site.

Assessment of 4 Movies

Assessment of "Mr. Winkle Wakes"

Matthew Needleman's short movie describes the trends of technology in business, medical care, and the lack of technology in the classroom of schools. In short the movie is brief, entertaining and to the point (describing Needleman's disdain for the lack of technology in the classroom).

Needleman makes valid points that the world is now based on the advancement of technology, but for me this short movie poses more questions than answers. The fact that is now accessible to anyone to be able to display their opinionated ideas in a deliberate way to millions of people is shocking to me. All Needleman has done is proved that the Internet is a way to access and distribute propaganda.

The National average of high school graduates is around 60 percent, those who graduate from college is less than 40. The only opinion that Needleman makes is that schools need to introduce more technology in schools. He did not however come to any factual conclusion on how or why it would be imperative to do so. Living in a country whose national debt is now trillions of dollars, he never poses any problems of where the money will come from, or had to introduce more technology in schools. Neddleman also fails to mention what the percentage of schools that already introduce technology into the classroom, what age, and how it can be improved.

This is my issue with technology being force fed to our youth with no one to monitor what is considered fact and what is opinionated dribble it is hard to me to endorse a movie who's only basis of fact is opinion and that can be accessed by millions in a clever cartoon way.

Assessment of "The Importance Of Creativity"

I was not familiar with Sir Ken Robinson before watching this presentation. After viewing this presentation I found him to be engaging, articulate, and witty. He did a brilliant job discussing his feelings on the lack of nurturing a child's interest (what ever it may be) in a way so that they maybe able to have a productive happy life.

Sir Ken Robinson is absolutely correct when he describes the problems with education. Students all through their education career are forced to take class's they don't like or do not understand. The truth of the matter is, if a student is interested in a subject no matter what it may be they will excel.

The education system forces students to take class's on a curriculum that they feel is necessary. If we want to educate more effectively we must change how we educate. Students must be given a chance to excel in fields that they actually enjoy, not subjects they have to pass to get a degree so they eventually can get a job.

The cost of an college education is not inexpensive and most college students have to take loans, receive financial aid and scholarship assistance. The success of a college student is based on interest. So why do freshman in a college only take required classes? And are not immediately given the chance to excel in there field of choice? They must take other classes and prerequisites. Most college students do not receive the opportunity to actually participate in there field to there junior or senior year, while they are already thousands of dollars in debt and frustrated with college. With more and more high school and college dropouts we must evaluate how we educate more closely.

Assessment of "Did You Know 3.0"

I would like to consider myself well informed. Upon watching Did You Know 3.0, I realized how clueless I have been to the technology movement. I was astounded by the information in the movie. I was shocked to learn it took 13 years for the television to reach 50 million consumers, and it only took 2 years for facebook to achieve that same number. I had no idea that in the past 8 years their were new jobs invented that are now in the top ten growing careers. I had no clue that the country of India has more honor students than the United States has students. The thought of a computer that costs a 1000 dollars and will be available in the next 30 years has more capacity then my own brain not only intrigues but frightens me.I also will no longer take google for granted. The ability of google to teach and promote learning is phenomenal.

I now have a higher appreciation for EDM 310 and have been motivated to become more informed. I honestly have learned more and have been more involved with furthering my own education in a week then in years. I look forward to trying to catch up with the movement of technology and web based media.

Assessment of "Harness Your Students digital' Smarts

The influence of technology in the classroom has become exponential. The idea of students being able to connect with the rest of the world to learn, was foreign to me. It never occurred to me that the Internet and computers could be used in grade school and high school as learning tools. I graduated from high school in the year 2000. I did not use computers in the classroom, besides an annual trip to the computer to lab to type a research paper. The idea of having a web based computer in the classroom with access to information based web sites is outstanding. Imagine a classroom with students not having to stop a teacher because they don't understand, they could just look up they fail to grasp. Not only do they not have to stop the teacher it promotes a students ability to want and be able to learn. Giving students easy access to information they don't understand is not only a good idea but a must.

I'm kind of at a lost for words just imagining how different my learning experience in high school could have been with these technological advances. I have been skeptical to the use of computers in the classroom. I guess its true that we fear what we don't understand. This movie has enlightened me on the improvements that technology has made in the classroom and makes me envious of what I may have missed out on in the past. Though I may be behind the tech age, movies like this one are motivation for me to catch up.