Project #14

Blog Assignment 8

This Is How We Dream Parts 1 and 2


In “This Is How We Dream Part 1”, Richard Miller talks about the transition from reference books in libraries to online sources. He also included a discussion about collaboration online, using sources like Skype. He shows different images and websites online and then compares them to books; for example, the Washington Post is now online with live footage; where as, it used to be a printed newspaper with news from the day before. Miller talks about “incremental” changes and “fundamental” changes. He says that transition of the Washington Post and other related documents from print to the Internet is an “incremental” change and not a “fundamental” change. He considers these changes “incremental” because they are not a necessity, rather just a change going with the flow of society; for example, the Washington Post now has a website with live footage because the society is moving towards a technological era. This newspaper did not change because they had to. People would still it read it without the live footage, like they did 10 years ago before the Internet was popular. In this video, he shows Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I have a dream speech”. I find this interesting because we can see how far our world has arisen in technological advances since this era. He stated, “I am the person of the book. I was raised in a house filled with books and I dreamed of a career that involved working with books”. I can relate to this statement because I was raised in a house with bookshelves in every room, even the bathroom. We got the newspaper every morning, and to this day, I have 100s of books in my own house. When he went on further to explain that a book is, now, out of print and can be bought on Amazon.com for $0.59, I thought, “what will it be like when I am raising my children”. Does this mean that my favorite childhood bedtime stories will now be on a computer screen for me to read to my children? With the way that we are advancing with technology now, I believe it is safe to say the answer to this question is “Yes”. Miller also stated that he did “an entire research project without stepping foot in a library”. Ironically, I have also done this; we probably all have. I remember being in high school and the teachers forced us to go to the library and use reference books as a source. It was so irritating! Why did we have to use the library when we could find this book online? Thinking back and thinking ahead, I do not want to be “that teacher” who is stuck in the past, using the “old ways”. I do not want to make my student do “useless” tasks, like I did. This is a scary thought.


Furthermore, in “This Is How We Dream Part 2”, Miller talks about this “new material that changes before our eyes”. He asks why would we not want to use these new ideas. Well, I think we as students and future educators should use every tool and resource possible that is available to us; it would be senseless not to. Miller stated, “limits and restrictions are what we place on ourselves”. We are the only ones holding ourselves back.


These videos are interesting, in that in can relate to them, but they also frighten me. Am I prepared for the future as a technologically advanced teacher? Somewhat, but my skills needs practice. I already write with multimedia, like online sources and such, but this video shows much more advanced aspects of multimedia writing. I am willing to learn how to use these new programs and advances, and with given time, I will be able to use them. I think that this is a learning experience for us all, teachers and students; therefore, we will learn from each other.

Blog Post #12 by Carly Pugh

First of all, I loved the how Carly wrote this post. I try to focus on writing a formal English paper for my blog posts, while she wrote Blog Post #12 in her own words. I think it showed her personality and made this post easier to read; I felt like I was connecting with her. In this post, she talked about an assignment that Dr. Strange should have suggested. Her idea was making a YouTube playlist of videos that included points like the type of teacher you want to be, tutorials and modifications for the classroom, and others. Along with writing the assignment, she also made a playlist. Like Carly, I also learn by example. I think this was a well written assignment because she included all of the directions and an example of the final creation. I am sure this post took a great length of time, but it was well written. The links that she provided really enriched her post. This post shows how creative Carly is and we should all learn from her creativity and strive to achieve.   


EDM310 is Different

I watched both of these videos, The Chipper Series and EDM310 for Dummies, at the beginning of the semester when Dr. Strange suggested them hoping that they would prepare myself for the class that I was about to endure. I was nervous/terrified/stressed/eager all together for the first 2 weeks. Needless to say, I was a complete wreck. Both of these videos are absolutely hilarious. The EDM310 for Dummies offered a great deal of relief. Obviously other students had made it out of this class alive, so I knew I could do it. I have felt just like these students. Ripping the keyboard out of the computer and throwing things have crossed my mind. After making it through the first half of this class, I am no longer a complete wreck because I have my own schedule and can do assignments at my own pace. I have learned that I was a huge procrastinator and I have learned what the term “time management” actually means. I wish I had taken this class as a freshman; I would probably have done better in some of my other classes.

The Chipper Series was also great. Chipper is a normal college student who thinks that teachers should plan around her schedule. After being fired from every job possible she decides to go back to school. I believe I would have given up and returned to school sooner than she did. I remember freshman year, even this past semester, thinking, “this teacher must think their class is the only class I am taking and that I do not have a personal life”. Yes, this class can be stressful if you get behind but it is also a wonderful class, in that, you learn much more than just the same ole “textbook material”; you acquire knowledge that will be useful for the rest of your life.

 The video that I would make for future students is How to Use Collaboration. Collaboration is a major part for group projects in this class. In this video I would show a group for 4 students that included someone who was not a “team player”. The plot would show all of the students working together to make a podcast with the “outcast" member playing on the phone and not paying attention while the others worked hard on their project. I would show how to use Google Docs, texting, email, and twitter for meeting times and other important shared information. The “outcast” member would not pay attention to any of the information being sent to them, further omitting them from the important project. In the end, the student would learn how to use all of the advances suggested and learn how to be a “team player”.

Learn to Change, Change to Learn 


I loved this video! When this class began, the first blog assignments included watching videos about using technologies in the classroom. Honestly, at first, I was completely against using technology in the classroom. Sure a computer was ok, but smart boards and online learning, like blogs, Symbaloo, and Storify were completely out of the picture. I was set that I was not going to use these resources in my classroom. I am sure you are thinking “Why not”? Well, truthfully, it was because I did not know how to use these resources; therefore, in mind eyes, they were not useful to my future students or me. I could not have been more wrong. Dr. Strange and EDM 310 have opened my eyes to all of the valuable assets of the Internet and new technologies, like the iPad. I am actually considering purchasing an iPad now; when before this class, the thought never crossed my mind. This video brings up the idea of the old classroom and how unrelated this teaching method is to our students of today. Future students will need to use the technologies available to them during school years so they are prepared for their future in the workforce.  This is a great video and I completely agree with the statements of these distinguished individuals.

Scavenger Hunt 2.0

I found the tool that is similar to Facebook/Twitter and it is called Edmodo. This is site that is set up almost exactly like Facebook, only instead of being able to view only picture and posts like Facebook, Edmodo offers resources that are great for teachers. You can make assignments, quizzes, and polls. Pretty awesome! My students and parents could have accounts and they could view all quizzes and assignments. Instead of the parent being oblivious to their child’s progress in class and to what their child is learning, they could follow along with the class!

I also found a video tool that I had never used. For this tool, I researched Animoto.com. This website allows you to make videos using your own images and your own music. Although I prefer to use iMovie, I think this would be an easy video tool for someone who did not have access to a Mac.


I created a poll:

Create your own sms poll at Poll Everywhere

Project #12

Project #11 Short Movie

Project #9b Instructional Timeline

-All information came from wikipedia.org

Project #10

For my Personal Learning Network, I decided to use Symbaloo. I got this idea after watching A 7th Graders Personal Learning Environment. This student made it look easy, so I wanted to try it. I wish I would have found out about this earlier! Symbaloo is possibly one of the easiest websites to navigate, it stores all of my important websites, and it's free! I am so excited about creating my PLN. I have started, and slowly it is coming together.

C4T #2

My assigned teacher for this post was Jenny Luca. Jenny is the Head of Information Services at Toorak College in Mt. Eliza. Mt. Eliza is a suburb of Melbourne, Australia. Jenny believed that web applications had potential in the classroom, so in 2008, she began exploring and using these resources. In her blog, she provides helpful tips about web applications for the classroom. The first blog post that I commented on was “Storify your English Classroom”. Jenny is currently teaching “year 10 English”. Their focus this term is “a thematic study about power and greed” with their study text of George Orwell’s Animal Farm. She is using Storify this year. She says that it is a simple application to use, and is now offered as an app for the iPad. I did not know what Storify was, so I did a little research and found out that Storify is an application that allows you to create a social story. Here is the tutorial video that Jenny provides to explain Storify: 


         


You can compile information, like tweets, Facbook posts, and pictures into a story. I think that using Storify in the classroom is a great idea. This application allows students to compile different communication websites into one story and share it. In order to use Storify efficiently, the student must know how to use Facebook, Twitter, Flicker Photo, YouTube videos, and other applications. Instead of requiring the student to use each website individually, they can assemble them all together into one project. Jenny describes Storify as “something that could be an essential part of any English classroom, just like the pen and paper or folio of old”. Storify seems like an interesting application to use in an English classroom, or any other classroom that requires projects. Instead of writing a paper, or making a poster-board presentation, Storify allows a student to write and publish social stories easily.


The second blog post that I commented on was entitled "School's Out Friday". In this post she includes the video "The The Impotence of Proofreading" and states that a senior English class would benefit from this exposure, but I think that we all can benefit from this video. Taylor Mali, the speaker in this video, is absolutely hilarious. He is talking about all of the typical errors made by students who do not proofread. Honestly, I am scared to submit anything without proofreading now, even a short text. I do not want to be embarrassed like some of these students. This video is worth watching; it might make you think twice about turning a paper or a blog post without reading it numerous times. 

                           

Blog Assignment 7

The Networked Student

Before doing this week’s assignments, I did not have a clue what “PLN” stood for, much less what it meant in the teaching world. After watching the Networked Student video, I was amazed by the number of websites this “student” used in his PLN. I find it interesting and frightening that our society is getting more and more dependent on technology, like computers and the Internet. This student uses many different helpful websites and organizes them all together in one place, making them available to others, like me.

The major question asked, towards the end of the video, was, “Why does the networked student even need a teacher”? Well, this is an interesting question. This video points out a few answers for this question. The first answer is that the teacher “teaches him how to build his network and take advantage of [the] learning opportunities”. Other answers included: guidance, advice for communicating properly, navigating through good and bad information, assisting in turning a web search into a scavenger hunt, and teaching the student how to organize.

I find all of these answers true, but I do not think these answers are the only reason educators are still needed in the classroom. I feel like this video describes an educator as more of a coach than a teacher. I definitely agree with the idea of using technology in the classroom, like smart boards, but I think that educators are still needed to teach lesson plans and curriculum and guidance. For some students, the only parenting they receive is from their schoolteachers. I have taught in day cares and tutored in elementary school, and honestly some of those kids would not survive without their teacher. I have heard 3^rd graders say things that I had never heard before, including curse words and other phrases. Sure, you might say, “well, they do not know what they are saying, they just heard it from somebody else”. Well, when a 3^rd grader shouts a dirty word across the room and does a gesture with it, I know for a fact they know what they are talking about. This child did not know that the word and gesture were unacceptable in the classroom. How would he act in public as an adult if he were already acting like this as an elementary school child? I do not think he would know how to act with out the guidance of his teacher because obviously he was not receiving guidance at home. In conclusion, I agree that educators should teach students to learn how to use technology, but I also think that teachers are needed for guidance about socially acceptable behavior and for teaching the basics, like grammar, math, and science. I am a little scared about what the future holds for educators. I know that keeping up with this technology will be difficult for me. Hopefully, educators will still be needed for teaching the basics and not just for guidance on how to use technology. 

A 7th Grader’s Personal Learning Environment (PLN)

I thought this was an awesome video. This student has really learned how to use technology. By using Symbaloo, this student was able to organize all of her important websites and personal websites in one place. She is able to reference these at any time. She says, “I really like learning this way because I get more freedom… I can choose how to do it and when to do it”. Learning like this teaches a student responsibility, which is a great characteristic to learn at a young age.

When comparing my PLN to hers, my PLN is not as vast. I am still discovering important and useful sites that will be added. I hope one day my PLN is this useful. I found this video helpful; I now understand what a PLN is and how beneficial it can be.

C4K Summary #1

C4K #1: For this assignment, I was assigned Menrinna in Mr. Chamberlain’s 8th grade 6th hour class from Noel Elementary School in Noel, Missouri. The post that I commented on was a short poem written by Menrinna. It was a short poem, but had a lot of emotion embedded within. In my comment, I told her that I was a student at the University of South Alabama and that I am planning to teach high school kids. I told her that her poem was full of anticipation and good similes. My favorite line was “wing floats past me like the whispers of old men talking” because it gives the poem a “life-like” feeling. I loved her poem!

C4K #2: For C4K #2 I was assigned Sandhol who is in 4^th grade. In this post, Sandhol explains his favorite activity from this year. The activity that he described was a “picture perfect AR party”. He liked the project because the students got their own cameras and could take pictures of anything they pleased. After taking pictures, the students were given a party, with apples and dip, and watched America’s Funniest Home Videos. In my comment, I told Sandhol who I was and that I was planning to teach one day. I also stated that I enjoyed taking pictures and watching America’s Funniest Home Videos. It sounded like they had a great time with this project. 

C4K #3: For this assignment, I was assigned Kole in Mrs. Garcia’s 4^th grade class at Mary Montgomery in Canada. This was my favorite C4K for this month because it was about Mardi Gras. Mrs. G’s class skyped with 4^th grade students in New Orleans. Kole and his classmates learned about the Mardi Gras traditions. He explained what he had learned from the students in New Orleans, which included, the meaning of the colors, purple, gold, and green, the meaning of the baby in king cake and the amount of garbage left in the streets after the celebration was over. I told Kole who I am and that I have plans to teach high school students. I told him that, like New Orleans, Mobile also celebrates Mardi Gras. I also stated that some of my family members ride in the parades and that there is a lot of trash in the streets once the party is over. 

C4K #4: For student number 4, I was assigned 5P3 RF, a 5^th grader from Iowa in Mrs. T.G.’s class. This post was written in December 2011 and it was about Subway. This 5^th grader talks about how great Subway is, from the time you walk in to the smell of fresh bread, until the time you walk out with a stomach full. He stated that you get to pick your own toppings, including salt and pepper, pick a cookie or chips, and have “pop or water” with your sandwich. In my comment, I explained who I am  and told the student that after reading this post, I was hungry. I also explained my favorite sandwich and told him that I like to drink Coke and eat chips with it. 

Blog Assignment 6

Randy Pausch: Last Lecture

Randy Pausch seems to be a good hearted man and is extremely inspirational. I am glad Randy Pausch’s Last Lecture video was in this week’s blog post. The timing could not have been better; considering, it is midterm and this is about the time I begin to get tired and weary in school. Pausch stated, “inspiration and the permission to dream is huge… we must not lose sight of this". He is addressing students, adults, and his own children telling them to never give up on their own childhood dreams, no matter how far fetched they may be. The “Last Lecture” was broken down into three parts: his own childhood dreams, helping others, and lessons learned.
In the first section, Pausch described his childhood dreams. His dreams consisted of being in zero gravity, playing in the NFL, authoring an article in the World Book encyclopedia, being Captain Kirk, winning stuffed animals, and being a Disney Imagineer. Pausch achieved in all of these goals, except playing in the NFL and being Captain Kirk; although, he did meet Captain Kirk. He never let the negativity of any one around him hinder his ability to succeed. When describing his football career, he states, “most of what we learn, we learn indirectly ‘head fake’”. A “head fake” is a situation, where, an individual thinks they are doing a task, like playing a sport, but in all reality, they are learning more important qualities for their future. I can relate with Pausch and his sports stories. I played volleyball throughout high school. At the time, I did not realize what playing a team sport would teach me, but now I appreciate the lessons learned. I learned self-confidence, how to work in a group, self-discipline, and strength to keep pushing, even when I wanted to quit. One of the reasons why I am the person I am today is because of playing a team sport. Pausch also stated, “when you’re screwing up and nobody’s saying anything to you anymore, that means they gave up”. This is another great point. Educators and parents must push their students and children to achieve their goals. Without critique and feedback, a child will not reach their full potential in life. I think this statement made me realize how big of an impact teachers have on student’s lives. We must help students accomplish their goals and never give up on them. Although criticism might be harsh and sometimes hard to handle, students need to feel like someone cares, and through this attention, they will work harder.
After he described his childhood dreams, in the next segment, Pausch talked about enabling the childhood dreams of others. He realized that he could help students attain their childhood dreams through teaching. The last place that he taught was Carnegie Mellon. At this university, Pausch created a class called “Building Virtual Worlds”. There were 50 students in the class from various departments who worked in groups for 2 weeks producing a virtual world. After 2 weeks, the groups were reassigned and the students built another virtual world; this went on for the duration of the class. He described it as “having a new playmate” every 2 weeks. In this lecture, he included an example of one of the virtual worlds, and it was fascinating. Pausch taught this class for 10 years, passed it to someone who was “better than” he was and created the Entertainment Technology Center. The ETC is a 2 year plan for a master’s degree. While talking about his teaching career, Pausch stated, “[the] best education to give is for somebody to be self reflective”. I think this is another great point. People learn from their mistakes, but if they are not “self reflective” then they will never change for the better. Sure, students can read grades on a paper, but if they are not responsible for their own actions then they will not learn. Dr. Strange uses this strategy as well. He told us in the first week of class that we would have to answer questions about our assignments, for example, were they turned in on time. If these questions are answered truthfully, a student already knows the answer to questions like “what is my grade for this semester”.
The final part of the video was lessons learned. In this section, Pausch gives many helpful tips on being a teacher, or life in general. The main statement that he kept referring back to was “brick walls are there for a reason: they let us prove how badly we want things”. This is definitely true in my life, and I am sure true for others as well. “Brick walls” symbolize the challenges in life, and we must get “over” them to reach our goals. Those who want to achieve will find a way around them and those who do not care enough will quit. As educators, we must help our students find ways around these “brick walls” which will enable them to attain their goals. Just a few other words of wisdom that Pausch passes on are, “have fun”, “never give up”, “focus on others, not yourself”, “get feed back loop and listen to it “, and “find the best in everybody; no matter how long you have to wait for them to show it”. These are all helpful advice for anyone in any profession. My favorite is the last statement, “find the best in everybody; no matter how long you have to wait for them to show it”. I think this is extremely helpful advice for teachers. It seems like it would be easy for a teacher to turn their back on a student who does not care and does not try; but if we give that student enough support and feedback, they can and will strive to be a better person. The Freedom Writers Diary and Randy Pausch helped me understand this statement.
In conclusion, I think that Dr. Randy Pausch is an extremely inspiring speaker. He achieved his childhood dreams and never gave up, even when he was diagnosed with cancer. At this point in time, besides my mother, he is the most inspiring person. His lecture seemed to give me that extra boost that I needed to help me make it through this semester. I wish I could have met him. My favorite part of the entire lecture was the last few seconds when he said “this talk’s not for you, it’s for my kids”. Randy Pausch was an extremely intelligent man and is a great role model.

Project #8 Podcast