Blog Post #15- Final Reflection

Final PLN Post

This semester, EDM 310 has really helped me improve my PLN. I am more organized, I procrastinate less than normal, and the quality of my work has improved. I thought it would be best to show you my PLN rather than to write about it, so I've created a short YouTube movie. It's less than a minute, but in the movie, I show my PLN and the many different sites I visit. I hope you enjoy it!

Final Project

Final C4K Summary

C4K #8- ShawShaw24

I commented on a post by ShawShaw24, who is a very intelligent high school senior! Her post was basically about how students should be focused more on learning rather than on what their final grade will be. She also states that teachers should be more concerned with making sure their students know the material instead of constantly finding problems with the work they do. I commented and told ShawShaw24 that I thought this post, as well as other posts on her blog, was excellent. I also told her that I should take a page from her book and focus more on the quality of work I turn in instead of my final grade. I also decided to follow her blog. She has some very interesting thoughts!

C4K #9

For my C4K #9, I commented on a blog by a group of 1st graders. They posted about a garden they had planted at school. They planted strawberries, tomatoes, spinach, corn, and lettuce. They also said they planted marigold flowers to keep the insects away. I told them I thought their garden was amazing and that strawberries were my favorite fruit.

C4K #10-Flat Olivia



Next I commented on a student's Flat Stanley project. I included the link to the Flat Stanley assignment so you could see other examples. The students create paper versions of themselves and send them around the world! I thought that was amazing. I commented on Flat Olivia. She had just left Westford, MA and was currently in Cape Cod. I told her Cape Cod sounded fun and I asked her what were some other places she planned on going.

C4K #11-Helena

My last C4K was for a student named Helena. Helena's post described the setting of the book "By the Great Horn Spoon." Helena said the book is set a ship called the Lady Wilma. Almost everyone aboard the Lady Wilma has gold fever. Helena also said she cannot wait until she finishes the book so she can see what happens. I commented and Helena how far she had gotten with the book and I asked her if she was still enjoying it.

C4T #4 Summary

My 4th C4T was Mrs. Paula White. The 1st post of her's I commented on was about grouping students together. Mrs. White said that she wanted to group her students according to their achievements and not their abilities. She said that we are not capable of determining a child's abilities, we can only go by what they've done in life. I agree completely with Mrs. White. We do not know what our students can do and grouping them according to what we think they can do only marks them for failure. If we put all the students in one class who we believe are the least likely to succeed, they'll know what we think of them. They will begin to not believe in themselves and eventually give up trying to learn.

Paula White's next post was titled "Planting...or Uncovering Brilliance." Mrs. White and some of her colleagues had a discussion about whether educators plant brilliance or uncover their students' brilliance. I commented on Mrs. White's post and stated that I believe it's a combination of both. Educators uncover their student's brilliance but they also plant the necessary tools their students will need to succeed.

Blog Post #13

Alabama Learning Exchange (ALEX)

The Alabama Learning Exchange is a project of the Alabama Department of Education. They have designed this site to share the many different types of educational materials and information for parents, students, and educators. The resources included on this site are lesson plans, web links, and interactive activities. These resources are also connected to the AL Courses of Study by the National Board Certified Teachers.

There are 8 different options you can choose from the homepage of the ALEX site:

This link allows you to search the course of study by grade level or keywords. First, you click on the subject. Then you click on the grade level and view the objectives for the course.

This provides different links for teachers, administrators, and students. These links can be used as resources for lecture materials for teachers or essay materials for students.

This link allows you to create lesson plans using your own personal account or use lesson plans that have already been created and stored in the ALEX database.

You can use this link to search the entire ALEX database.

You can create your own account, or Personal Workspace. With your own personal workspace, you can store and submit lesson plans and teacher web pages.

With this link, you can learn more about ALEX training opportunities and search for grants. You can also find professional development opportunities and teaching/learning tools on this page.

You can view podcasts from every subject on this page.

This link allows you to communicate with colleagues, stay up to date with ALEX news, and follow ALEX Professional Learning Communities.

Additional Assignment #5

Just Teach Them to Solve for X

This post is basically a debate between the "new" and the "old" methods of teaching. One teacher is trying to get the other to stick with the basic teaching methods without using metaphors and pictures to teach the kids math. Math is a subject that very few people like and a subject that even fewer people understand. It's great to teach kids the importance of solving for 'x' and let them demonstrate some examples of how solving for 'x' can be used in real life situations.

Sketchy Portraits: 8th Grade Identity and Pencils

This post shows that he really understands the minds of a 14 year old. The student, William, did have a tiny bit of an attitude. I probably would have been a little angry myself if he would've said those things to me, but it was pretty funny. I often wonder why teachers get so worked up about things. Why was it even necessary for the teacher to even continue to pick with him? Why was she so determined to make William give her the answers she wanted to hear? Anyway, I digress. You can't really be a great teacher without first understanding how your students feel and how they see the world. Like he said, they want to be treated as adults and kids. Regardless of what the overly anxious teacher believes, I believe it's possible to do both at the same time.

He Just Likes the Class for the Pencils

These teachers at this school are out of control! How can you take pleasure in watching a child cry? Then they wonder why he has no respect for them or their class. I was also angered by some of the comments one of the teachers made. He states that the student interrupts him with stupid questions in his gym class. First, even though I sometimes wonder if this statement is true, there is no such thing as a stupid question. If this teacher believes asking questions in gym class is stupid, then perhaps he should find another career. Obviously being an educator is not his calling.

The Medium Shapes the Learning

This post was a little more difficult to decipher. I believe he is saying that people, not just teachers, tend to jump on the technological bandwagon. Whenever something new is produced, we decide we want to use it for our own purposes. We try to mold these new things to fit our life that goes against it's purpose. Not only do we use some new forms of technology against their purpose, we also deter our students away from the purpose of the material. I'm not sure if that was the intended message but that's the best guess I have.

Project #15

CREDITS:
Song chosen by Trieu Tran: The Fray-How to Save A Life
Story Line by Talisa Swain
Pictures created by Trieu Tran
Facts submitted by Talisa Swain
Facts provided by Fayette County, GA Fire Safety Website

Blog Post #12

Watch this video by Sir Ken Robinson and share your opinions about this video. Do you agree/disagree with any of Sir Robinson's opinions?

We all know that I love Sir Ken Robinson's discussions. I think he's great! This video would also be great to watch along with Randy Pausch's Last Lecture because both videos encourage people to follow their dreams. Sir Robinson used Paul McCartney and Elvis as examples. He says that both McCartney and Elvis had teachers who believed that had no musical talent. What if they would have listened to their teachers? What would they have done with their lives without music? How would the music industry be affected without the influences of the Beatles and Elvis?

Also in this video, Sir Ken Robinson briefly discusses how California recently dispersed some of it's funds. California's jails received 3x times more money than their school systems! This always angers me when I think about it. Why was so much money needed for the prison system when it's apparent that America's education system needs all the money it can get? Our teachers are paid less than our basketball players! Some of America's schools are still using Windows ME while others still don't have computers! Yet, they would designate over $9 billion to a prison system? I know the guards and officers and kitchen staff need paychecks too. I also know that money is needed for maintanance on our jails, however, I feel if we are going to give $9 billion to them, there should be no school in America that's falling to pieces. Once when I was in high school, we had to miss a few days of classes because they found signs of asbestos in our school. I wonder if the county jail down the street from our school ever showed signs of asbestos...

This video was amazing! As always, Sir Ken Robinson makes you think and question behaviors and "epidemics" that are getting out of hand. One "epidemic" he discusses is the sudden increase in ADHD students in America. He has also discussed this is another video we've watched this semester called Changing Paradigms. I completely agree with his opinions about ADHD. I will not deny that some children do have a problem with paying attention but prescription drugs is not the solution. I do not believe that doctors are trying to prohibit creativity with these drugs, however, that is the effect they have. A 5 year old is not supposed to be calm and quiet and sit through a 7 hour school day. Why would you even want them to?

As always, Sir Ken Robinson was spectacular. I am currently watching all of his videos on YouTube. I'm even debating on purchasing one of his books.

Additional Assignment #4

Form Results

I distributed a form to 20 of my classmates regarding the amount of money they spend on textbooks at South Alabama. I also asked my participants where they purchase their textbooks, the average amount they've spent on books since they've been at South, and if they sell their textbooks back to the bookstore. From this survey, I was able to gather a lot of information on the amount of money the average student spends on books. Since 85% of the participants were either Juniors or Seniors and 89% of them are full time students, I think it is safe to say that this survey gave me even more information about the average amount of money spent on books for full time students who've been at South Alabama for 3+ years.

The majority of the students (95%) who responded to my survey said that they buy their textbooks brand new every semester, spending anywhere from $200-$500. Out of the 20 responses from this survey, 16 students said they purchase their books from the USA Bookstore. 89% of the students who purchase new textbooks sell them back for approximately 26-50% of the price.

This survey also helped me determine which subjects students spend the most and least amount of money for on textbooks. I suspected that science would have been the most expensive book these students have purchased and that the social science courses would be the least expensive. 68% of the participants said that science books were the most expensive. I was correct with guessing the most expensive, however, the survey determined that the social sciences where not the least expensive books. The least expensive books are English books, with History running a close second.

Project #16 Progress Report

We haven't gotten very far with our final project. I have my partners for the project as well as some general ideas. For project #15, we wanted to do an RSAnimate. We eventually agreed to use Dillon's style for that project, so I'm hoping for project #16 we can do an RSAnimate. We've thrown a few ideas around. One of our ideas was to do an RSAnimate about obesity. We also discussed doing a massive "Teach Something" project. I like this idea, but again, nothing has been set in stone.

Blog Post #11

I would definitely like to incorporate the use of blogs in my classroom. In this video, one of the students said that he received a comment from his sister and his mother. I like the idea of using the blog as a way for the parents to get involved. My students could use the blog as a sort of journal. My students could write about what we studied in class, what they've learned so far, and share their feelings about my class and the materials. Blogs are also a great way for students to stay in touch with me and each other. They could write on other students' blogs and set up study sessions and if they have any questions about homework assignments, they could always leave a comment for me.

Blogs are also great for peer reviews. I could let my students comment on other students' blogs weekly. They can comment on any mistakes they see in grammar and sentence structure. This type of feedback will hopefully help my students realize their mistakes and work on correcting their grammar and expanding their vocabulary. Students could also let the others know how well they're doing in the class. Of course, there will always be one student who wants to leave negative comments, but to prevent this I will make sure my students understand the rules of blogging. One of Ms. Cassidy's students tells us the number one rule of blogging, "Never say something bad cause you could hurt someone's feelings." I will make sure my students understand and abide by this rule.

It is clear from the video of her students that all of Ms. Cassidy's techniques work. Her students are very intelligent! They know how to use technology in ways I did not learn until my 3rd year of college (in EDM 310). Earlier this week, the question was raised about how to prepare your students for a future you cannot predict. I think Ms. Cassidy is preparing her students for our future. She may not know what it will be like, but her students will be equipped with the necessary knowledge to succeed.

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!