Goodbye For Now

This semester has flown by! This course has been very informative and very busy. I have enjoyed learning so many different things and plan on using many of the tools I have learned about. I would like to thank Dr. Strange and Ms. Averitt for everything that you two did to teach and help us students. I think one of my favorite things about this class is Dr. Strange's dedication to education but also that every single thing for this class was free! It is amazing that all these tools are so open to everyone. I want to also thank my group for my projects which included A.W. Faris and Brittany Lewis. You guys were great. This semester has been fun and very eye opening in the area of technology. I feel very accomplished to have completed this course.

Final Post

1. I think the byline for this class is definitely how to become a technologically literate teacher. After my first night of class I became familiar with this term and over the course of the semester I have come to truly understand it. I think it is so important to be tech literate in schools today because our world is changing fast and if you don't adapt you will get left behind. This class has taught me the importance of it and what tools I can use to make sure I'm prepared. Blogs have been the most important to me. I think it is awesome that so many people all over the world blog and anyone can read it. It is so cool to read post and watch videos and then have a place to write everything you think about them. Also comments for classmates, kids and teachers were all very important to me. With classmates it was interesting to see how other students responded to our assignments and that I could insert my opinion. Teachers and kids were cool because I got to see how teachers view their responsibilities and how they are trying to do more and with with kids I got to see how kids are learning to write using blogging and also how young these kids are using technology. Another important set of tools that we used were all of the Google programs such as Docs, presentations and spreadsheets. People spend so much money on Microsoft programs such as Office but all the Google products are free to use and do exactly the same thing. They were so easy to use and also easily accessible. You can work on a project anywhere just by signing in. Podcast and Videocast were also very cool to me. They are both so interesting because they are informative and also accessible. Making a Podcast was so much fun and to me it was quite an accomplishment. A very important aspect of this class is our PLNs. I learned the importance of staying connected and also how to do that by using Twitter, Skype and other tools.

2. I would have liked to work on making better quality videos in this class. I have a Mac and would love been able to make more "professional" videos.

3. There is nothing that I learned in this class that I wish I hadn't learned.

4. This class did excite in the fact that I learned so many different useful things I can use in the classroom. Being able to incorporate technology in my classroom excites me because we live in such a technologically savvy world. I think students will enjoy this.

5. While not many things were too difficult I think blogging and commenting were somewhat challenging. Every week you had to come up with something to write about or comment on so you are constantly thinking through your words. Very good practice though.

6. Not a second of boredom.

7. I think this only particularly pertains to my class. While it was nice to have some nights off, I would have rather had a pretty steady class schedule especially since it is a once a week class. I personally learn better in a classroom setting and I understood more things and did more work when in class.

8. I believe I am technologically literate. I think after this class I'd say I'm on a good level, so past medium probably.

9. I think one way I will maintain my tech literacy is by continuing to blog. I love doing it and I think I will continue to. And to improve it I will try to become more familiar with the tools on my Mac and how they can help me. When I start teaching I plan to incorporate many of the things I have learned in this class.

Interview With Laura Blackman

Teaching Video

This is my video where I teach how to teach something by using technology. I decided to teach how to tie a bowtie. My audience would be anyone who needs to learn how to tie a bowtie. I hope you enjoy and hopefully learn how to tie a bowtie.

Substantive Presentation

My group, which included Brittany Lewis and A.W. Faris, used the site xtranormal.com to create a video for this project. Enjoy.

Personal Learning Network Post 2

I have now expanded my personal learning network. I use Twitter where I follow several educators. I also use the social networking site, Facebook to connect with other people. I also use Delicious to bookmark interesting websites that I find. With Delicious I can share all of bookmarks with other people. I also have researched the website ALEX which is the Alabama Learning Exchange. It is a very helpful tool for teachers and I'm sure I will use it in the future when I become a teacher. Also I have learned that Skype is very useful for connecting with others and I have used to get help from classmates. It is a great tool that can connect people from all over the world.

Comments4Teachers 13 and 14

For these weeks I followed a blog entitled The Fischbowl. This blog is written by Karl Fisch who has been a middle and high school math teacher for 21 years. He is currently the Director of Technology at Arapahoe High School in Centennial, CO. In his blog he post about new ways to grade in the classroom and also new teaching patterns that he is using. He opens up his blog for discussion and opinions of other educators and whoever really has something to say. His post are always interesting and always make you think. It was enjoyable to read his blog.

Comments4Teachers 10 and 12

For these weeks of comments4teachers I followed a blog named Teacher NZ. This is a blog by a teacher in Hamilton, New Zealand. She teaches a grade 4 class part time but also helps teachers and students with their own "technological journeys." Her most interesting post was a video she found which talked about the internet winning the Nobel Peace Prize. Her post was very informative and well written. This blog is a great tool for educators.

Welcome to My PLE

This is a video of a 7th graders personal learning environment. She discusses the many different uses of her PLE and tools that are included in hers. I think it is incredible that someone at such a young age has a personal learning environment and knows so much about it. She is very capable of finding her way around the internet and can use her PLE thoroughly. Her PLE is like mine in that we use many of the same tools. My PLE is more geared towards teaching while hers is more towards using the internet to research a topic. This student is quite impressive with her knowledge of technology and of personal learning environments. She uses her PLE more extensively than I do though.

Two Questions that Can Change Your Life

This video was very interesting and extremely thought provoking. In the video, the creator, Daniel Pink, says to ask yourself "what's my sentence?" This question made me think a lot about what my sentence would be. I'm not sure what mine would be but i think it's too soon to tell. I think my sentence will come when I really begin to live my life in the real world as a teacher. I'm just a student but I hope my sentence will always include making a difference but for now I feel like that is just a draft of what I want my sentence to be. The second question he wants you to ask yourself is " Was I better today than yesterday?" Many days I think I was but there are also many days I know I was not. It's hard to always be better and being human there is no way we could go without messing up. But to have this question to think about can motivate someone into striving to be better everyday. Sure you may slip but I think as long as your goal stays the same you can do it.

Group Podcast

My group's project was all about Google LitTrips. In our podcast we described what they are, how they are used and their significance. Click here to see our podcast on Google LitTrips. Click here to see the whole class' podcast.

Making a Difference

One of the most important things that I have taken from EDM 310 is that as a teacher it should be my goal to make a difference. Whether it be in one student or in every student I teach. It is important to have that motivation behind you when you teach. Knowing that you could actually have a great affect on some one's life. I know that the best teachers I have had have made the biggest impact on me. The most influential teacher I have had was my American literature teacher in college. She was passionate not only about the material but also about life, teaching and making a difference in students. And I have to say she definitely made a difference in this one.

I think that EDM is equipping me to achieve this goal. By using the technology I have learned about over the semester I feel like I have a whole set of tools that I can use to make a difference in the classroom. Dr. Strange is passionate about his classes as well and I think it is his goal for us to make a difference. I feel as though this class has prepared me to teach better and more effectively. I look forward to getting in the classroom and using the many technologies and techniques to teach. I hope I can be an affective educator who will always maintain the motivation to make a difference.

Comments4Kids

This week for comments4kids I read a blog by Josie who is a 6 year old in Mrs. Kathy Cassidy's class in Moose Jaw, Canada. In her post she put an illustrated story book about a fairy. The graphics were great and the story was well written for a 6 year old. The book had a cover and several pages that you click to turn through. It seems like a great tool for kids to learn to write with.

Vocaroo

I used Vocaroo for my comments4classmates this week.

The Importance of Blogging

Over the course of the semester in EDM 310 I have come across several interesting things from different peoples' blogs. I have learned how blogging can be very useful for both the creator and the reader. You can learn all sorts of things and at the same time get feedback. It has become an important part of our technological society. One can achieve many things through blogging and sharing information over the internet. This tool is very important and is used by many people.

One example of the importance of blogging is to share progress with others. The video of the PS 22 students singing is a great example of this. They were sharing the video for someone to see the song they were singing but ended up getting widely recognized. Just by posting that video for someone they got recognized.

Blogging is also important because it can be used as a way to record things. A great example is the blog "Dear Kaia." This blog is written by Kaia's father for his 4 year old daughter as sort of a scrapbook. He records things that they do so that later Kaia will have the memories with descriptions, pictures and even videos.

Another good example of the importance of blogging is for teaching. Doing the comments4kids I have learned that teachers help their students to read and write by making them blog. Even younger students have gotten into using blogs. I think this a great way to encourage kids to both write better but also learn to use technology. It is important to have technologically literate kids in society today.

This is from a 5 year olds blog.

Comments4Kids

This week for comments4kids I read a student's post on the class blog for Helen King's year 5 students at Pt England School. The student's post that I read was Kingston. His post was entitled Kingston at the Swimming Sports. He wrote about a swimming race he had won and had a video of him swimming. He wrote a few well formed sentences about it as well.

To read his post click here.

Timetoast Timeline

Ice Ice Baby

Skype

In EDM 310 we are required to use Skype as a tool for education media. I have used Skype several times this semester. It is a great tool to stay connected with people all over the world. It is incredible that people can be connected so easily. Skype serves so many purposes and can be used in many different ways.

EDM 310 Survery Results

My survey was all about music. I asked what kind of music people listened to, how often they listened, what kind of music player they have and who is their favorite artist. The results are as follows.

To see my survey click here

To see my results click here

Dear Kaia: Voice thread and Video

In this blog, Mr. Chamberlain and his class at Noel Elementary School discussed a comments4kids blog they came across. The blog they found is written mainly by a dad for his kids as a digital scrapbook in the voice of his oldest daughter Kaia. His children Kaia and Skyelar are the focus of the blog and it follows them on their journey growing up. The post that Mr. Chamberlain's class read was about some pictures that Kaia and her dad took. After they took the pictures they made a video where Kaia talked about each picture she took.

Mr. Chamberlain and his sent a video with voice thread as a response back to Kaia because she is three and cannot read yet. The video had pictures of the class and each child said something about her pictures in the voice thread. First of all I think it is amazing that Kaia is able to do such amazing things on the computer. It is so cool that this class is able to see someone from so far away in the nation and read about their experiences. The way that the class responded was awesome because Kaia will be able to appreciate the class's thoughts even though she cannot read. The communication across the Internet is so incredible and interesting to experience.

Kaia's father also has a blog in which he shared the whole story about his daughter and about Mr. Chamberlain's class's comments. He talks about how this communication through classrooms is what is needed today in order for students to thrive and grow. He encourages the use of technologies in the classroom and hopes that everyone can be connected through education and media. He is sharing the life of his daughter to teach himself, Kaia and others that the world can be completely connected through the Internet.

This so important for teachers because class from all over the world can communicate and learn from each other. It expands the borders of education and the many tools used to teach. I think this form of learning will allow students to learn more at all ages without limits and possibly on their own. This is such a huge step for educators and once this educational tool is applied to all classrooms I think that education will be revolutionized.

To read Mr. Chamberlain's blog click here

For Kaia's blog click here

For Kaia's father's blog click here

Comments4Kids

This week's comments4kids was a blog entitled "Team One Rock stars" which is a class blog of 5 year olds from England. The post I commented on was by Henry titled "Pop, pop, pop!" He drew a picture of a fish and the subtitle said a fish blowing bubbles. I told him that it was a great picture with cool colors.

The Morgan Bayda Post

In the post on Morgan Bayda's blog, she discusses a video on YouTube by a guy named Dan Brown. Dan created the video basically explaining why he dropped out of the University of Nebraska. He says that he dropped out because his schooling was interfering with his education. In the video Dan talks about how universities in America are failing to make advances while the world around them changes. Morgan agrees with Dan in her blog. She uses examples to show how she too has been "cheated" by her university.

I agree with Morgan in many areas of her thinking. While I feel like I am getting a good education, I also think it could be a lot better. I share many of the same experiences in classrooms as Morgan. Many of my professors expect you to take notes from their lecture and have "assigned reading" which actually won't even be on the test. The test will come solely from the professors lecture so you are suppose to memorize any notes you have taken in that class. This form of teaching discourages me because I may know the facts for the test but overall some of it never sticks. I think topics should be covered thoroughly as needed by the students and discussed with the class, not read by the teacher from a powerpoint slide.

Like Morgan I too have learned through this education media class that my professors are not the only ones I can turn to for help. This class has encouraged me to search answers on my own or ask other educators out there for help. I never thought to ask someone for answers other than my professors. Of course someone out there can help me! Maybe even someone more qualified than my own professor. I think if universities picked up on many of the aspects of media in the classroom then education would be much more enjoyable for students and rewarding in the amount of information gained.

This post has been an extreme eye-opener. I'm not the only who is pissed about buying books I won't use for a class because we aren't taught from it. I think universities should make the needed adjustments to keep up with our technological society. Morgan and I share many same ideas but the most important thing is that we are both unafraid of change. I know change is necessary in most all parts of life and I do not fear it. Now if only America's education system would not fear change.

Comments4kids

My comments4kids this week was from Mrs. Kolbert's class blog. The student's post who I commented on was Leo. He asked, "What day is two day’s before the day after tomorrow?" I responded that it is today. To see his blog click here.

Comments4Teachers

For my comments4teachers for weeks 7,8 and 9, I followed a blog entitled Teacher Leaders Network. The blog posts include many different topics that range from interviews to different resources for teachers. This site would be very advantageous for any teacher to use. I think this will be very helpful for me in the future and I will definitely use this great tool.

ALEX

I really enjoyed looking at the ALEX website. The Alabama Learning Exchange is a resource website with multiple useful tools for teachers. On the site a teacher can use their own personal workspace to prepare for class by putting their ideas on the site for reference. Another section that is useful contains lesson plans made by that teacher or examples of other lesson plans made by other teachers to get ideas. A great option is the courses of study section available where a teacher can search information about curriculum at different grade levels. Other sections include: web links, search, professional learning and a podcast treasury.

I believe this site could be very useful for teachers. It provides teachers a place to get ideas and to see what they should be teaching at their grade level in Alabama. It is important to have resources like these in order to keep students learning on the right track. This site had several helpful resources and tips for teaching and teachers should take full advantage of it. I know that when I'm teaching it will be helpful to refer here.

Alabama Connecting Educators and Students Statewide

The ACCESS program site was very interesting. The goal of the ACCESS is "to create equity through additional educational offerings for all Alabama public school students." The site provides courses and teaching via technology. This site allows students to take courses in order to further their education through the internet. It is available to all public school students. It provides many different courses for students. The site uses the phrase distance learning because there is no classroom where the courses are taken. They are online and therefore at a distance from the teacher.

I think this idea is great for students in Alabama. By having the option of taking courses online, students will not miss out on school or will not be left behind if something goes wrong. It is important to have things like this because it is important for students to maintain their education. I would encourage students to look into this because it is a great opportunity and overall great resource.

Comments4kids

This week I read the post by a kid in the 8th grade named James. His blog post is entitled Charcoal Drawing. He drew a charcoal picture and wrote a poem along with it. The picture is of a guy who looks like he is in pain. The poem goes on to describe the pain behind this man. It is the destruction of nature that is causing the man's pain. It was a great picture and a very well written poem.

To see his post click here

Comments4kids

Week4- This week I read a blog by Chelsea from Avoca School District 37. She wrote about her favorite time of the year which is fall. She described with great detail the many reasons she loves the fall. She used very descriptive words that helped paint a picture for the reader.

See her post here

Week5- See February 14th

Week6- This week I commented on Aneisha from the blog Flying High with Room 17. Her post was entitled Swimming in the Holidays. She talked about going to a place with her uncle where she jumped off a cliff into water and swam. She also had a video she made which was very impressive and brightly colored.

To see this blog click here

Week7- For this week I read a blog by a girl named Paola from Mr. Crosby's 4th grade class. She wrote an interesting piece on coral reefs. The writing was incredible for her age. It is very impressive to see students this young to be writing so well and on the computer.

To see this blog click here

Week8- This week I read a blog called Six Traits: Voice & Word Choice. It was posted by a guy named Chris who wrote about the use of voice in writing. It is important for students to have a voice in their writing so it can set them apart from others. Without a voice your work is just another paper.

To see this blog click here

The Last Lecture

The video of Randy Pausch's last lecture was both moving and motivational. His positive "carpe diem" attitude was very inspirational. Pausch is a man who has literal lived his dreams and for that I envy him. Every goal he set as a child, he worked hard to meet. Not many people can say they fulfilled all of their childhood ambitions. Just in this one speech you can his appreciation of life and the joy he has found in it. This speech was his last because he has terminal cancer. In the lecture he talks about life and the many things he has learned.

As a professor he taught his students more than just information for the classroom but information for life. By challenging students Pausch showed them how to work hard and believe in themselves. His dedication as an educator earned him respect and love from his students. He ended up working with many of them after he taught them. Pausch's method of teaching by example and self motivation led to great success in the classroom and an overall satisfaction from his students. One could see the respect from his students just by the amount of people in the audience.

One thing he never lost in his life was his childhood dreams. Just by hearing him talk you can tell he has never lost the kid inside of him. By obtaining all of his goals, it shows his ambition and intelligence as a man. He worked hard to achieve all his did in life and did exactly what he wanted to do. His appreciation for the many people and achievements in his life are made transparent in his speech. He constantly thanks others for the opportunities he has had and is modest about his own self achievement.

He dedicated the whole presentation to his kids as a legacy of himself and a memory of their father. Pausch's goal was to make a difference and it is very apparent he did through teaching and even just living his life. His leading example as a humble, self motivated and dedicated man has been visible to anyone who knows him and all who have even seen this lecture. It is incredible the many things he achieved over his life and many of his personal qualities are extremely admirable. I only hope I can make half the difference through my teaching as he has. It is important to know what you want and what you have to do to get it.

This is How We Dream

This video by Dr. Richard Miller was very interesting and presented many ideas about multimedia writing. He discusses the many different things one can do on the computer to write, create or learn. He talks about how he created an article for the one year anniversary of the Virginia Tech killings without ever going into a library. He showed how he used online resources to research his topic and to write his article. He also created a graphic on the computer to go along with his article.

Miller also discussed how information can be used and shared through technology whether it be from the past or present. One of his examples was the recent presidential election. It was amazing to me the way he could follow the election as it was happening and see each states voting patterns and also video reactions to Obama winning. He used this to say that this information that is available on the web can help you write and can be used as sources for project.

All of his examples were really cool and he explained all of them thoroughly. I thought his presentation is important for teachers and students to see because it shows the many ways one can write with multimedia. I think I can write using multimedia and i plan on teaching my students how if they do not already know. I think it is very important that each student knows how to use technology for a better education.

The Networked Student

The video by Wendy Drexler was all about connectivism in the classroom. Her video depicted a student who uses connectivism to succeed in the classroom. The student is taking a class where he goes to class 3 days a week and 2 days online and he does not have a textbook. His teacher believes in connectivism which is the theory that thinks that learning occurs through a social network of many diverse connections. With this theory the student does most of his work online.He is given an assignment uses the Internet to find out all he can on his topic.

The teacher is there to teach him how to use this network of connections and to build his own network. It is also said that his teacher rarely lectures. To me I think this way of learning may be useful for some but not everyone. While learning on your own is important I believe it could also leave some students lost. Some students require personal work and time in a classroom setting to better understand things. I know that in my experience I like having class time to ask questions and get immediate personal help directly from a teacher.

Also under this way of learning I believe it is cutting the responsibilities of teachers and maybe ultimately cutting jobs. If a student can do everything over the Internet then why have as many teachers when you could only use a few. I think it is great to be connected and for students to use their own knowledge to find answers but at the same time I value the traditional teaching methods I have experienced. Students sometimes need that personal contact with a teacher because they do not get it at home. It seems also that with this there is a lot of applied pressure on students.

Michael Wesch Video

In this video Michael Wesch talks about the social technology of the day and how it is affecting people. He talks about how people today are narcissistic. I agree that more and more people are becoming narcissistic and caring less about the world today. Everyone is taught that they are the best when they need to be taught that we are all equal as humans but all different in personality. This view of themselves is only encouraged by today's society.

Wesch also talks about YouTube and how it is used by people today. It has turned into a personal space where people feel they are able to share as a confessional and are not seen. It is being used as a place for people to interact in both positive and negative ways. The conclusion of this video is basically Wesch asking how we can use this technology to get away from this narcissistic personality.

Personal Learning Network

My PLN is small but slowly growing. I am trying to social network myself and also making contact with other educators. I have a Facebook page, a Twitter and I am using many other applications to expand my network.

Dr. Christie's Website

Dr. Alice Christie has been an educator for forty years. Through her website, Dr. Christie shares her thoughts and experience with others to help teachers learn and become better equipped in the classroom. On the website there are several areas to explore that can be of help to teachers. They include: educational technology, classes available for teachers, workshops, guides on geocaching, searching the web, web design and publication. The section that I found most interesting was the one on educational technology.

I believe that as a teacher it is important to use the classic methods of teaching but also in this technological era i think it is important to use technology to help children learn. On this page Dr. Christie set up she gives a guide to the many different technologies that are out there and how they can be used in a helpful way. She lists twenty-two different topics which are explained and told how they can be helpful for students. This is a great tool for teachers because it teaches them how they can further their students knowledge of technology.

iTunes University

iTunes U is a program through Apple iTunes where teachers can provide digital lessons to their students. The teacher can video or record on a topic and then post it on iTunes U. This can be helpful for teachers because they can have all the information they have taught on in one place for any student to use at anytime. They can also make sure everyone is learning at the same pace so that if one child is not understanding they can learn at home as well. In college this would be a great tool in case the teacher has to miss a class so instead they can post their lecture on iTunes you and tell students to go their to check it out.

For students this is a great tool for learning. They can not only learn from their own teacher but hear what other educators have to say on certain topics. Also if a child is sick or has to miss class for some reason, a teacher can upload their lecture to iTunes U so they won't be left behind. This is also a useful resource for outside projects and papers that students might have. For a student this program would be very advantageous.

Click here for info on iTunes U

iPods in the Classroom

Classrooms today are full of interesting and useful technology but who knew that an iPod could be used as a tool for learning! I had no idea that this would even be an option for teachers to use because i use my iPod for music and that's all. When i researched the topic more I found that this idea has grown more and more popular. On one site that I found a teacher had gone to a webinar on how to use iPods in the classroom then he blogged his notes to share with other educators. He found there are several ways to use and iPod for instance taking notes, copying links and taking screen shots. He learned that using the microphone in the iPod can help students work on a class project or podcast. Also it could be used to listen not only to music but audio files such as famous speeches with the transcripts on the iPod.

It can also be used a personal presentation tool. A student can save each powerpoint slide as a jpeg then download each on to the iPod. It can also be used for studying digital flashcards which students can make or download on to their iPods. iPods can be used as a source for reading books or stories. For example the iPod can read up to 4,000 characters of saved text files which means they can hold thousands of books. This information on iPods amazed me and I have found that they can be very helpful for educators to help teach their students.

Click for the information mentioned in my summary

Wikipedia

The online encyclopedia site Wikipedia is a database where anyone can write on a topic or change what is already written about it. A grad student named Virgil Griffith created a system to scan Wikipedia and find out who makes changes to some articles. He found that many companies were going in and changing information about themselves in order to look better. His Wikipedia Scanner can tell who change information by obtaining the IP address of their computer then tracing it back to find out who did it.

In school I have always been told by teachers that Wikipedia is not a reliable source for papers or projects because anyone can write anything on a topic. This is not surprising to me that people would go in and change information to look better. Wikipedia is fast and easy to use but cannot be used as a valid source. If you are looking for a basic idea on a topic or maybe quick facts then Wikipedia is perfect. But when looking up detailed information from a valid site you might want to look elsewhere. It is a great tool but should not be used as a source or encouraged to be used by students.

What I've Learned This Year

In this blog post by a teacher Mr. McClung, he describes his experience and growth in teaching. He recalls lessons he has learned over the past year which have made him a better teacher and shares them to help others. Some of his majors points include: be flexible, communicate, be reasonable, don't be afraid of technology, listen to your students and never stop learning. The things Mr. McClung shares are very insightful and helpful for me to understand students and teaching better. I can see where it would be easy to get caught up in over thinking your specific teaching style and not focusing on whether the students understood or not. Teachers have to be patient because not everyone learns at the same pace which is what he meant by be flexible. Another interesting point was be reasonable. With this he discussed how most teachers' expectations are too high for students. When this occurs it can be both frustrating for the teacher and student. You have to remember that these are kids! I think the most important topic he talks about is listening to your students. You don't know what your kids may be going through and it is a teacher's responsibility to take time with them and be patient. A teacher may be the only person they have in their life that listens to them. This is the part that i felt the most strongly about. Teachers have a lot of power and it is up to them to use it to better their students.

Comments for Kids

This week for kids comments I had to comment on students from a year 5 class in England. The post was entitled "Bitten!" and it was by Dionne and Callum. They wrote a short post about a boy getting bit by spider. They used really descriptive words and other techniques to put emphasis in certain parts of the story. For nine year olds I am extremely impressed with their use of computers and with their writing abilities. I think it is important for kids to start learning about technology such as blogs at this age because it helps familiarize them with computers and improves their writing.

My Trip to Hawaii

Podcasting

After listening to these podcast, I have discovered what to do to make a successful podcast and also what not to do. To me the best podcast are the ones with speakers who pronounce every word and speak clearly. It is distracting to be listening to someone without seeing them and then not being able to understand them. When you speak you should have some sort of animation in your voice since the listener cannot see you. You have to keep the listeners' attention so make it interesting. Another way to keep it interesting is to add music like in the introduction but only when someone is not talking.

My favorite podcast was the Practical Principals Podcast. It was interesting that they had both a man and a woman who were from two different states. They discuss topics thoroughly while taking each others' opinion as well. They speak clearly and with flection in their voice. This was my favorite because it was practical, interesting and clearly recorded. When making my podcast I would use this as a guideline on how I want mine to be.

Media Literacy

The video on media literacy was incredible! The fact that kids that young are able to access the web and use technology amazes me! I think it is very important for kids to learn how to use technology but i never imagined teaching this age group. A strong foundation in technology provides faster learning for the students when they move into higher grade levels. This video is encouraging for teachers because it shows that teaching students this young about technology and how to use it is very possible and seems to be easy. By making it fun and easy to understand for the young students, they would quickly learn.

Ms. Cassidy's first grade class is quite impressive with the kids' knowledge of technology. I think it is so awesome that the kids blog in their class. I think it is such a great way for the kids to get to write and practice and at the same time learn about technology and for parents and others to see their progress as well. Kids using this technology are more prepared for higher education and for life in the real world. Our society is based on technology and these kids are building strong foundations for their futures in technology.

Podcast

I thought the SmartBoard Lessons podcast was good. The guy gives full explanations of the topic he is talking about and gives his opinion on how it is useful. I thought that the fact he was in his car and ordering coffee was a bit confusing and distracting. I understand he was trying to make a point of how easy it is to use technology but to me it was distracting. In the KidCast podcast, the speaker speaks clearly and explains very thoroughly the idea of video podcast. He talks about all aspects of video podcasting such as equipment and instructions. This podcast is a good example for podcasting because it is interesting, explanatory and easy to understand.

The podcast by ConnectLearning was another good podcast. This is an interesting one because it is not just one person speaking but instead has a question and answer session. This type of podcast is more interesting because it has many people speaking and has people discussing topics and giving opinions. The podcast by EdTech Talk was also good but not the best one in my opinion. I found the sound quality to be poor. The content of the podcast was interesting and the speakers speak well and are understandable.

The MacBreak Weekly podcast was the best one to me because it was the highest quality. It had multiple people talking which is more interesting than just one speaking. They are talking about interesting topics that are important for people to hear about. They make it fun and interesting while still being informative.

The This Week In Photography podcast was another podcast of high quality. The people are entertaining on the show and have interesting topics. They give their opinion and full explanation on the topic which helps the listener know fully what they are listening to. The sound on this podcast is very clear which is a positive characteristic for a listener.

iPhone Babies

The video of this baby using is really awesome. It's amazing that children this young are able to use such advance technology. I think it's important for kids to learn about certain technologies while young. Technology can be very advantageous for kids and their development.

A Vision of Students Today

The video "A Vision of Students Today" by Michael Wesch presented several interesting facts and created a unique experience to get the watcher thinking. Much of the facts in the video were pretty accurate for my experience in college. Many times I choose to do other things than study. I do not spend nearly enough time studying. I think it is true that in a class students would read more on the Internet than in the textbook. I find myself using more available online sources instead of actually taking the time to read my book. All the statistics about the hours of sleep, online usage, music listening, eating and work are all accurate to my experience in college.

While many things are similar to my experience, there are many that do not exactly match me. For instance since I go to the University of South Alabama, which is a smaller university, most of my classes on average are about 30 to 60 people. Another difference would be in teachers knowing my name. Most of my teachers know my name and strive to know everyones'. In the issue of emails, I do not agree that i write more emails than pages in class. for many of my classes I write much more on paper than in emails. And lastly when it comes to students using computers in the classroom, my teachers who do allow computers in their classrooms are very strict on their usage.

It's Not About the Technology

This post by Kelly Hines was both informative and inspirational. She does not put the emphasis on technology in the classroom but on an open learning environment from the teachers to the students. Hines said that it is more important for teachers to be open minded to learning than being overly skilled with technology. In order for the teacher to learn about technology he or she must open up themselves to be thought. By putting themselves in this mindset, a teacher can go from learning about technology to using it for the betterment of a class instead of emerging a child into it without helping them understand it.

Hines is keeping teachers accountable to never cease the "open to learning" mindset. In order to be a good teacher, one must not stop learning or wanting to learn. To benefit a class teachers must dedicate themselves to learning as much as they can about new technologies that would help them learn better. Technology is important but it is more important to be open to learning new things and understanding new things. In doing this a teacher can reach more students in different ways.

Is It Okay to Be a Technologically Illiterate Teacher?

This post by Karl Fisch was very interesting to me because Mr. Fisch and I share several of the same ideas about the responsibilities of educators. In the post he discusses the argument on whether it is acceptable as a teacher to be technologically illiterate in the 21st century. He feels very strongly about teachers being educated on technology in the classroom. I have to agree with him by saying that in today's world of teaching it is unacceptable. Teachers should keep up to date with technology not only because they want to but also because it is mandatory. Schools should enforce technology training as well as provide it. Like Mr. Fisch said, if a teacher is not kept up to date with technology then the school administration is part of the blame.

As educators we should strive to educate students with the best tools possible. Even basic skills in tech can help students learn and prepare them for life in the real world. A teacher who does not want to expand their knowledge in technology, to me, is not dedicated to their students' potentially higher education. It should be a desire for all teachers to learn about these things and to teach them as well.

Social Media Count

The Social Media Counter by Gary Hayes is incredible to me. The amount of technology used each second s incredible. The amount of texts seems fairly accurate to me considering i text constantly. The amount of social networking such as Facebook and Twitter is unbelievable. Both are such great tools for reaching others and it amazes me to see how many people are connected through the Internet. The amount of YouTube videos is another interesting area because i spend lots of time on there watching videos. I had no idea there were that many videos added daily.

When I see something like this counter, it makes me wonder why a teacher or anyone else for that matter, would not want to be technologically literate. Using these tools you can be connected to people all over the world and learn lots of new things. Why wouldn't someone want to better themselves and widen their horizons?

Did you know?

The video "Did you know 3.0?" by Karl Fisch was very interesting due to the facts and statistics he used. Many of his statistics were surprising to me. I think the creator of the video was using the statistics to get a shocked yet positive reaction from his viewers. It is exciting to think that technology has come so far in so little time and that it is only growing faster. The idea that technology is changing so rapidly can be scary to some since it means the things you learn now will not be valid later. I think that it is exciting that we will constantly have to learn new things and keep up to date with a modern world. The only way to survive in our world is to keep up. Those who do not, end up failing.

One of the most interesting statistics in the video is that China will soon become the number 1 English speaking country. This amazes me because this means that the students over their not only become familiar with their own language but ours as well. The determination and standards must be on a higher level than those in the U.S. because most Americans only know English. At the end of the video the question was asked, "what does all this mean?" and I believe that all of those powerful facts and statistics meant we must never stop learning, exploring or finding out answers. If we do then we will be left behind in a fast paced world.

Mr. Winkle Wakes

The video "Mr. Winkle Wakes," by Matthew Needleman is a story of a man who slept for a hundred years and awakens to find the world is now running on computers. He visits a hospital, an office building and a school. Out of those three, the school is the only one who did not use computers. Being a sophomore in college, I can remember using computers since the fourth grade! I have used them more and more ever since. I could not imagine my education without the use of computers. They have been a prominent tool in my education and I believe have contributed greatly to it.

I think it would be foolish not to use technology such as computers as a part of education. There are so many things that could help people learn more or at a quicker pace. I believe not using such technology is robbing a person of an opportunity for a more developed education. Also by using technology in education, a person could be equipped for the real world which, like the video displays, is run by computers. I do believe teachers are the most important aspect of education because human contact is a nessecity and they can teach things a computer cannot. Technology is merely a small portion of education which I feel is needed. When coupled with technology, I feel that teachers could have more success in the classroom. Education is falling behind because they are not up to date with a technologically savvy world.

The Importance of Creativity

Sir Ken Robinson's speech on creativity presents many impressive ideas and valid arguments. His stance on the topic of preserving creativity in schools is passionate and very admirable as an educator. He brought up the argument that some kids need to express creativity in order to learn. I agree with his speech and think it is important for a student to be able to express themselves in order to learn.

The other point I agree on with Sir Robinson is the idea that not all students who are easily distracted in the classroom setting are in need of medication. I think certain kids need specific education needs which can be easily met instead of just chalking it up to some sort of sickness. I believe each student has specific needs and while it is impossible to cater to every one's needs, there are ways that they can be helped. I think that educators are the most important people of society today and with more concentration on bettering our system I think that more students' needs can be met.

Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts

In our world today the importance of digital citzenship cannot be expressed enough. Vicki Davis' work with her students and with her website is an inspiration for educators everywhere. Living in rural Georgia, her students are communicating with others all over the world. The work she has done is imperative in a technological world of opportunity. So much can be gained through technology and she is making sure her students are prepared. As a future educator I hope to make an impact as big as Mrs. Davis' on my students and on education as a whole.

The dedication of Mrs. Davis in her journey to educate her students is quite impressive. She knows the role technology plays in the world and that her students need it in order to be successful. Knowledge in technology is something that everyone can use and is growing into something that everyone needs. I believe it is important for both students and teachers to learn about technology in order to better themselves and others.