Additional Assignment #3

What do you think is the most important thing Sir Ken Robinson says in this presentation?

"How can we educate our children...given that we can't anticipate what the economy will look like?" I thought this question was the most important. Lately, we've been reading a lot of posts and watching a lot of videos about how our education system is failing us. I have disagreed with this statement so many times, and this video has just justified why I do. We have to give education the opportunity to catch up with all the technological advancements that are being made. How can we fault a professor for teaching us the only way they know how? How can we fault our professors' professors for educating their students for a future they cannot predict? The American educational system is trying to catch up with the times. I know it is taking awhile, but we will have to be patient. Or, if patience is not the option for you, try to contribute a few things to the system to speed up the process. Money isn't the only option. Try to contribute some ideas because complaints are not enough. The speakers we've been listening to these last few weeks have had some amazing ideas! Hopefully, our educational system will at least attempt to use some of them.

Is there anything you disagree with in this presentation?

I didn't find anything that I disagreed with in this video. Well, maybe one thing. There was a clip in the video that showed two guys moving a piano down a flight of stairs. One of the guys says, "I wish I would've listened in school." I feel sorry for people who feel this way about their jobs. Look on the bright side. Someone has to move the piano! And we haven't really discovered a way to move them safely without you. So, technically, those of us who own pianos see you as heroes.

How congruent are Sir Ken Robinson's positions with those which you are being taught in the College of Education. In other words, where is there agreement? Where is there disagreement?

It's very hard to point out the similarities and differences between Sir Ken Robinson's positions and the College of Education's. The COE improves daily. It tries to add different approaches to learning new material and the COE also tries to encourage our creativity. EDM 310 is the perfect example of the COE's efforts. We learn so much about technology and it's uses in the classroom just from this one class. So I believe Sir Ken Robinson's positions complement South AL's COE positions. I find very little opposition between the two.

What can you do to address the issues Sir Robinson raises?

One of the issues Sir Robinson raises is about the "epidemic" of ADHD. I completely agree with him about how ridiculous this has gotten. He says that we are making our kids take their pills to listen to boring stuff. Hopefully, when I become a teacher, my material will not be filled with boring material and my monotone voice. I want to get the students involved. I would like to increase their participation in the classroom and hopefully that will keep their attention. I'm not saying that I plan to annihilate Ritalin. I'm claiming that I will increase my students' interest in my lesson plans and hopefully, none of their parents will feel obligated to force them to pay attention.

What do you think of the presentation? If you had to do a presentation with others like this, what role on your team would you like most to play?

I loved this presentation. I also enjoy watching any video with Sir Ken Robinson. He is the best speaker that we have had to watch in EDM 310. If I had to do an RSAnimate presentation, I would like to be the idea generator. I want to come up with the witty remarks to place inside the thought bubbles.

SMART Board Jeopardy- Project #13

This is our SMART Board presentation project. My partner, Trieu Tran, and I decided to do a Jeopardy game using the planets.

Teach Someone- Project #14

This is a video I made that shows you how to upload movies from Windows Movie Maker to YouTube and then embed that video to your blog. I decided to do this example because uploading and embedding were things I did not know how to do at the beginning of EDM 310. The sample movie that I created in this movie is located in the post below this one(just in case you wanted to watch it). Enjoy!

My Movie

This is not a real video. For my Teach Something project, I showed how to upload a video from Windows Movie Maker. This is the video I used as my sample video. It's just random pictures from Windows 7 and one of my favorite Fall Out Boy songs.

Blog Post #10

An Open Letter to Educators



I really enjoyed Morgan Bayda's opinions about education. The only thing I didn't really enjoy was Dan Brown's video. It had nothing to do with Dan Brown as a person or any of his opinions. I actually liked him. But for a minute, and I don't know why, I actually thought Dan Brown (one of my favorite authors on this planet) would be the speaker in this video. Again, I don't know why I believed he would make a video about education on YouTube, but I had high hopes.

Even though I enjoyed Morgan Bayda and Dan Brown's opinions, I did not necessarily agree with them. Dan Brown dropped out of school because he felt as if education was prohibiting him from learning. I could never do that. Even though most of my classes at South Alabama lack any attempts to really keep me entertained, I could never say that I don't learn anything. I understand that some classes are boring. I also understand that some people, like Brown and Bayda, feel as if our education system seems to place us in a position where we feel we cannot speak about topics in the class. This, however, is incorrect. Part of learning is making yourself work. No one should have to make it a grade requirement for you to do something. For example, Bayda states that they are scarcely encouraged to speak with other students on a topic. A teacher does not prohibit discussion. Sure, you may not be able to voice your opinion during their lecture, but no one is stopping you from approaching your classmates and setting up study groups. My professors actually encourage it. Teachers do not have to make communication a part of their curriculum, even though it would be fun and nice in a perfect world. But if communication is an essential part of how you learn, don't wait on the teacher to force you to do something. Take action!

Morgan Bayda's attitude towards education is understandable. Education can be boring and you may feel a little trapped. I know that in today's world, we think things should happen immediately with a push of a button. But we must realize that it takes time for things to change. Education has been around for hundreds of years. It'll definitely take time to change it. But from what I've experienced, education is trying to change for the better. And change is easier said than done. We can want our teachers and universities to do all these magnificent things, but the resources may not be available for sporadic changes. We must allow them time to build up their resources and funds to provide us with the tools that we believe can enhance our education. We also should not forget that some of the most brilliant inventors, doctors, and educators had to sit through boring lectures just like us with nothing more than a pencil and paper. Buttons and screens keep our attention, but without the passion to learn, we never will.

Tom Johnson's Don't Let Them Take the Pencils Home

This was a very interesting blog. I like how he referred to tests as drill and kill. That's how they make me feel. I'm definitely going to continue to read some of his posts. The majority of his other writings are just as hilarious as this post.

Two Questions That Can Change Your Life

Two questions that can change your life from Daniel Pink on Vimeo.

What is my sentence?

It took me a very long time to come up with a decent sentence but I finally have one. "She taught multiple generations of students how to succeed in life." I think this sentence is perfect for me. I not only want to teach materials that students come to school to learn, I also want to teach them how to succeed. All the math in the world will not be enough. I want my students to know that I care about their futures and I want to inspire them. I think my sentence encompasses all of those feelings.

Was I better today than yesterday?

Hopefully, I will always be better than yesterday. My main goal is to be better at everything than yesterday, not just EDM 310. Every week in this class, I try to get ahead in my work. But I often forget about other classes or obligations. Everyday, I will try to be better at every single part of my life.

C4K Summary- Comments 3-7

Christ Church's Earthquake

My 1st comment was for a student in Auckland, N.Z. named Ashin. Ashin discussed an earthquake that happened in his town on September 4, 2010. He said it caused much damage to property but no one died. I commented and stated that I was happy to hear that everyone was okay. I also asked Ashin if his school or home was damaged during the hurricane.

Harry6

My 2nd comment was for harry6. He posted about a fete his school held in order to raise money for a playground. Harry6 said they eventually raised over $20,000. He said his favorite ride was called the jumping castles. I asked harry6 if he rode the bungee trampoline, which is another ride he says they had at the fete.

Alyssa

The next student's blog I commented on was named Alyssa. Alyssa said that sometimes she thinks about how things can be improved. She said that she believes school would improve if they allowed people to have classes outside. Alyssa also said that she knows it may be cheesy, but that's what she thinks about. I commented and told Alyssa that I didn't think the idea was cheesy at all. I told her that it would keep students awake if they didn't have to sit in a stuffy classroom all day.

LuisA

Next, I commented on LuisA's blog. He wrote a riddle and asked everyone to try to solve it. His riddle was: "I am long. I can be green. I can not blink. What am I?" I asked Luis if he was referring to a snake. I also told Luis that I am terrified of snakes.

Rikimaru

The last student's blog I visited was an 11th grader at Bryant High School named Rikimaru. Rikimaru had recently created the blog when I visited it, so there weren't that many posts. But Rikimaru did have an excellent picture of what appeared to be a set of guns on a ship. Rikimaru asked what we thought the picture should be titled. I commented and told him all of my ideas sound corny. I also asked what were some of the names he was thinking about naming the picture.

Skype Interview-Project #12

First, I would like to apologize for the quality. My internet connection is terrible so the audio kind of cuts in and out and the video may freeze. I am working on it. I may have to do the entire interview over. But this video is an interview with my best friend Timothy Simmons. I chose Tim because, honestly, his life is more interesting than anyone else I know! Tim has gone to many different places (I've been with him to a lot of those places) during his pursuit to stardom.

I know the video is atrocious, but I am currently working on it. I would hate to leave my intellectual trail full of garbage. I hope you enjoy my interview!

C4T #3 Summary

Let Them Sing It for You

My 3rd teacher was Dianne Krauss. Her website is amazing. The first thing I commented on was her "Let Them Sing It for You" post. Mrs. Krauss finds digital sites and posts them daily to her blog. This one was my favorite! If you type in a sentence, it will sing it back to you using different musical clips. I told Mrs Krauss how much I loved this site and how fun it was. You guys should try it!

Teachers Love SMART Boards
Next, I commented on another of Mrs. Krauss' discoveries, which ironically was a site I visited during our Blog Post #8 assignment. This site gives tips and tutorials for SMART boards. I commented on her post and thanked her for posting this site. I also told her about our SMART board project that is due and how this site will help me complete it.

Blog Post #9

What I've Learned This Year by Mr. McClung

In this post to "At the Teacher's Desk", Mr. McClung shares a little of what he's learned over his past year as a teacher. One lesson McClung shares that he's learned is about keeping his material student centered. Mr. McClung states that when he first started teaching, he was so focused on presenting students with the information that he did not try to make sure the students had a full understanding. A lot of teachers need to learn this lesson. I understand that teaching is your job and that you have to meet certain requirements, but at the same time you're supposed to make sure that your students can do the material you teach. What difference does it make that you went over the material if no student in your class can perform the tasks?

Another lesson Mr. McClung shared with us is one I wish that one of my current teachers would learn before the end of this semester. You may plan a perfect lecture, but it will never happen! Students get confused. I'm sorry that you want to stick to your syllabus but I was under the impression that it was tentative. There are certain things you have to teach us before we must move on to the next class, but I promise that if you slow down we won't get too far behind.

These are just a few of the lessons Mr. McClung shared in his blog post. However, these are the two that I felt where the most important. I've had loads of teachers in my life, some just starting and some who've been teaching since the invention of paper, and a lot of them really need to have a one-on-one session with Mr. McClung.

Short Movie- Project #11

Blog Post #8

This Is How We Dream




Richard Miller discusses how technology has changed the writing process and how the Internet has allowed us to communicate globally. Of course, these are changes that we all should have noticed by now, especially my fellow EDM 310 classmates. I'm not sure who Miller intended to aim this video presentation to. I find it very hard to believe that there are people now who are against writing and researching online. I'm sure we still have a few people who prefer the good old Dewey Decimal System, but even they have to admit that the Internet is so much easier. Not only can you find ANY category you are searching for, you can also find numerous sources on one topic. That type of research would take many hours (and even more cups of coffee) in a library.

Writing with multimedia is sort of a necessity now. Every English class I've taken at South that required me to write papers has required to me to write with multimedia. Instead of turning in a 5 page essay, we had to go online and post our papers to the teacher's site. We also had to submit our papers to a source that analyzed it for plagiarism. There was no way to avoid it! And my students will definitely know how to write using multimedia. I intend to teach 12th graders. Hopefully, by the time they've reached my class they'll know how to write with multimedia. If not, then that will have to be an addition to my syllabus. There's no way I can let those students leave my classroom for college without that knowledge.

The Chipper Series

First let me admit that I did not watch this video at the beginning of the semester. Now that this is off my chest, I can continue.
Chipper is hilarious! I'm starting to wonder if a student has tried to use this technique before! For all EDM 310 students out there who can see the future, please report back to the present. I believe you when you say your work is completed in December. I really do. Unfortunately, technology has not caught up with you yet, so Professor Strange needs to see a blog post in October! Nice try Chipper! Someone (not me because I am a horrible actress) should make another video with nothing but ridiculous excuses for not completing their work. I'd love to hear what people can come up with!

P.S.-Please turn in your work on time. It's honestly not easy when you do everything last minute. I've been there. And I still don't understand why we have an entire week to turn in work and I still manage to procrastinate. My goal is to break this habit before December. Until I've managed to stop being a procrastinator, I will use Chipper's excuse for any work not posted by it's due date.

EDM 310 For Dummies

I did watch this video at the beginning of the semester. It taught me to ask questions as soon as possible when there is something I do not understand. I have found myself very frustrated with EDM 310 at times, like with the Timetoast embed code. But all you have to do is ask for assistance and someone will help.
This video has made me think about the many different approaches I can take with our "Teach Something" project that is coming up. I'll probably create a video tutorial about a program I had the most trouble with at the beginning of the semester. Maybe this will help a future EDM 310 student, whether they are newbies or repeat offenders.

Why Smartboards Are A Dumb Initiative and Why I Hate Interactive Whiteboards

Both posts describe Smartboards as an "expensive administrative cop-out" and "useless". Michael Staton and Bill Ferriter believe Smartboards are a waste of money because they do not make education easier, more fun, or less time consuming. Staton even states that there are other ways, such as projectors, that can be used in the classroom that are just as effective as Smartboards, but less expensive.
I found a Blog that completely disagrees with Staton and Ferriter, however, his blog does not comment on the expense of the Smartboard. The blog is called Getting SMARTER With Smartboards. It supports the use of Smartboards in classrooms by providing interesting tips and resources for teachers who do enjoy using a Smartboard in their classrooms.

Timetoast Project 9b

Additional Assignment #2

Obviously I underestimate kids! The kids in these villages were very intelligent. I kind of assumed that kids who are fortunate enough to have access to technology would eventually learn to use different programs on the computer. I also assumed that kids who have never even been introduced to a keyboard, like some of the kids in the speaker's video clips, would need more help to figure out how to use one. But these kids not only figured it out on their own, they did it within a matter of hours! This proves that people who are motivated, even children, can teach themselves. I'm sure these kids did not just click the screen and the music started to download. It took time for them to learn how to use the computer, find a site that allowed them to download, and understand how to move the downloads from one computer to another. That took an extreme amount of patience. If you aren't motivated, you wouldn't sit there for hours attempting one task. You'd give up the minute it got too hard or too confusing.

I'm sure kids could learn many things without technology, but it increases their chance of success. Kids need something that can keep their attention. This is the role that technology plays. Kids, and adults, need to be interested in the material. No one will attempt to teach themselves something they don't even find appealing because they wouldn't be motivated to keep moving if any problems occur.

Questions and problems are also a great way to motivate someone. Again, if someone doesn't care about the topic in the first place, then no amount of technology or questions could capture their attention. But if I'm attempting something new and a problem arises, I don't sleep until the situation is resolved. For example, this past week had to complete a Timetoast. I could not get my embed code to post to blog properly. I spent hours trying to figure out the problem. Eventually, I had to do the entire assignment over so Timetoast would generate a different code. Why did I go through all that trouble over one assignment? 1) Because I don't want to fail this course. 2) I was motivated. If this had been an assignment for another class (I won't say which), I would've turned my computer off and went to bed. But I enjoy some of these assignments and I enjoy learning new things.

I do have a lot of teachers who play a very important role in my education. It is because of their concern that I succeed. It's sad that I am 21 years old and my teachers still remind me to complete certain assignments. But the fact that they even care enough to notice keeps me going. They are my motivation. My teachers are in the position I wish to be in within the next 5 years. I want to motivate my students as well. There is no set way to motivate a person. You have to know what's important to that individual. And when I become a teacher, I plan on doing just that. I will know what my students like and don't like. I will know what they want out of life. And once I have all that information, motivation will follow.

Blog Post #7

Randy Pausch's Last Lecture was very interesting. When he talked about his tumors, I felt really sorry for him. But after those push-ups all the pity disappeared. I loved how he kept the audience's attention with his presentation! Some speakers can use a presentation that will put you to sleep by slide #3, but this speaker kept me interested the entire time. He didn't just go through a rehearsed speech and read from a slide. Randy Pausch used his humor and real life stories to make sure you were paying attention.

Randy Pausch shared a lot with us about his childhood dreams. One of the funniest to me was that he wanted to be Captain Kirk. He actually got the chance to meet Shatner (which I thought was awesome). Pausch said that he and his class built a virtual model for Shatner of the ship from Star Trek. The picture he showed looked exactly like the real thing! That must have been an amazing experience for his class.

My favorite part of his lecture was probably a technique he uses to inspire his students. While Pausch is explaining how he achieved his dreams, he also says that there will be brick walls to get in your way. He said that he was never discouraged because brick walls get in your way to test you. They are only put there to stop the people who don't really want to achieve a dream. I think that statement is very true! If we all continue to push through things in life once they get hard, then we'll appreciate the success so much more. There are too many people today who are given things and they don't show any appreciation. Maybe if we all followed Pausch's example, we can achieve all of our dreams like he has achieved all of his dreams.

Another piece of his lecture that I found interesting was the "Hello World" video he showed. At first, it was kind of creepy. Actually, it was creepy all the way through. But it was spectacular! His students must have really hated leaving his classroom. Randy Pausch lets his students use their imagination to literally create worlds. And he isn't afraid to act like he's a kid again.

PLN Progress- Project #10

Before I started taking EDM 310, I never realized that I already had my own Personal Learning Network. Over the semester, EDM 310 has helped me realize my PLN's potential and help me develop ways to improve it. So far, my Personal Learning Network is steadily developing. I keep every website I need to visit in the favorites bar across Internet Explorer and my favorites in Firefox. I constantly check these sites for updates on assignments and the class blog. My PLN has already improved so much! It not only helps me to organize assignments for EDM 310, it also helps with my other classes at South, too. I've saved my professors' pages, as well as their homework pages, in my favorites as well. I can't wait to see what else I learn!

Timetoast Project 9a

C4T #2 Summary

This time, I had the privilege of viewing Kathy Cassidy's blog. The post I was most interested in was "Room Two and the Forty Design." This post was about Ms. Cassidy redecorating her classroom every year. She states that this year she replaced the desks with tables and she added a coffee table and a sofa. I responded and told Ms. Cassidy that I loved her idea. I also asked if she's noticed a change in her student's behavior because of the change in the environment.

I also commented another teachers post to Ms. Cassidy's blog. She suggested that they add more natural items to their classroom, such as rocks and plants. I told her that I thought this was an excellent idea. I also suggested she allow the children to pick out different rocks and decorations they'd like in the room.

Blog Post #6

The Networked Student by Wendy Drexler



Connectivism seems great! It teaches organizational skills and it also allows students to "teach" themselves. When I was younger, anytime I asked my mom a question, she would always say "Go look it up." I absolutely hated that response! But everything I've ever looked up and had to find on my own, I've never forgotten it. Connectivism seems to work the exact same way. Let the students find the information they need. The teacher should just be the guide.

A 7th Grader's Personal Learning Environment



Before I watched this video, I never thought about what my PLE was like. I never even thought I had one! But after seeing the example of this student's PLE, I realized that mines is slightly similar. I have almost every website needed for EDM 310 saved to my favorites. At the beginning of the semester, I familiarized myself with the different websites and their uses. That way, when the time comes to use these sites, I will not be confused. The only major difference I noticed between my PLE and this student's PLE was that she seemed better organized than I am. I don't check the websites daily. I check them often though. I'm slightly jealous of all the students we've been watching lately. They're so much more prepared than I was at their age (and at my current age as well).

The Machine Is Changing Us



This was the exact message I sent my friend about this video: "OMG! He's out of his mind! A 33 minute video?!" Again, I judged before I even watched the video. Apparently, I have not learned as much as I've thought. I apologize for my behavior.

The speaker in this video was amazing! He was entertaining and very informative. He also caused me to think about a lot of the changes that have recently been made in my life because of technology. "We shape our tools and thereafter our tools shape us." This quote describes us so well! We create a machine as a convenience to some and eventually, we make it a necessity for all to learn. We have these brilliant ideas and once we've worked out all the kinks, they become our lives. I'm not saying that's a bad thing. It's just an eye opener.