Blog Post #2

Did You Know? 3.0 by Karl Fisch



I was not expecting this video to be as interesting as it was! Some of the facts in the video were pretty amazing. I know that the United States is not the largest country, but to see how small our population is here compared to China and India was mind blowing.

The video also put some things into perspective for me. It makes me a little nervous that technology is taking over so quickly. I never thought about how much a computer would "know" in 20 years. It's always just been my way to watch videos or type a paper. I never really thought about all the knowledge that it possesses, let alone the knowledge one will possess in 2049!

Mr. Winkle Wakes by Mathew Needleman



This video was hilarious! I laughed the whole way through. Classic Rip Van Winkle! I think Mr. Winkle is a little dramatic. He should probably go back to sleep. And how did he get a job so fast in an office? It took me two months! Mr. Winkle should have been more appreciate of that job. And why was a 100+ year old man allowed to walk freely in an elementary school? Someone call the cops! But honestly, the video was great.

Sir Ken Robinson: The Importance of Creativity



When I first saw this video I thought, "Wow. 19 minutes..." Then I heard the speakers accent and I thought, "I'm going to be so confused." I thought he would get philosophical and I'd have to go to Dictionary.com to keep up with him. But of course, I was absolutely incorrect. This video has taught me to never judge a person, topic, or a class (like EDM 310) before you get an understanding of what is actually going on. I thought EDM 310 was going to be posting blogs and watching boring videos about how to post to blogs. But so far, Professor John Strange, you have proven me wrong. I've enjoyed all of the videos we've watched this week. The speakers and creators get their points across in a very entertaining way. But it's not all about comedy. They actually make you think about the way educators are today. They've also made me think about the fact that I hope to never cause such an injustice to my students. Kudos, Strange. Kudos.

But on to the actual video. I agreed with the speaker at times. I do believe that our education system hinders a child's creativity. When children first begin kindergarten, they have the option of showing their creativity; however, the higher up we go, the more that option dwindles. And some teachers do offer the opportunity to write your own poems or stories and then share them with the class. But every child is not a poet. Some children express themselves through music, or as our speaker suggests, through dance. So when an educator decides that he or she wants to allow for a moment of "creativity", why limit which method can be used?

Even though I agree that students should be able to express their creativity, I also agree that they should have a structured education system. Believe it or not, some students enjoy math and reading. I was one of those students. I was very shy in school and I hated reading my poetry aloud or playing my violin in front of the class. I liked being in a math class learning how to do different equations. I was a nerd. And notice, I said WAS. I still am a nerd, however, I grew to the point where I liked expressing myself. But by the time I was mature enough to step out of my shell to do so, the teachers were cramming me back into it! Creativity should not be pushed aside or "forced" out of us. But math is also very important, as well as biology and economics. And these are things we HAVE to learn. I believe there should be a mixture. Allow students to sign up for the classes they feel they can express themselves in, but also keep core classes. The speaker states that dance is just as important math. I agree that some people feel that way. It may not be dance, but someone may believe that art is more important than anatomy. I believe that creativity is just as important as a structured learning system, however, I would rather have a doctor with a strong medical background than one who starred in "Hairspray." I believe we should allow students to pick what they want to take to express themselves, but do not make the Arts and Humanities more important than the Sciences. They should at least be equal.

Vicki Davis: Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts



The way Vicki Davis uses technology in her classroom is amazing! It keeps her students' attention and it seems to be more effective than traditional learning. If a student has to sit in front of a book all day for 5 days a week, of course they're going to go to sleep! It's boring! But to actually put kids in front of a computer is amazing. It's especially great for students today who are use to technology. Sitting in front of a book all day may have been okay for Theodore Cleaver (Leave It to Beaver), but this is 2010! While you're sitting in front of the class lecturing about Hamlet, students are hiding their cell phones under the desk, texting a friend. Why not put that technology and the students' knowledge of technology to use?