Week 7

This is How We Dream
This video really hits me just because an English professor is telling us that technology is the future. Dr. Miller says we are now in a "digital environment" and we need to use the new materials that we have at hand. He says that as educators, we have to share our knowledge and the internet is the easiest and fastest way to get it all out for people to find. I completely agree with him. One of my teachers said that the best way to hide something is to print it. Many people do not read any more. Much of their information comes from electronics. Dr. Miller shows us iTunes in his video which is an excellent way for people to find everything. As he says, instead of going to the library, you can stay in the comfort of your home and find any information that you need.

As Dr. Miller mentions, the internet can be the easiest way to do research. I just finished a research paper. My reference sheet show three books and about seven internet sites. Items are easier to find on the internet than a book. For books, first you must find a book that has the information that you want. Then you must find the information that you want in the book. With the internet, you can just type in what you want and "click" you have it. Not rustling through dusty bookshelves for something that may or may not be there.

At the moment I am not competent enough to completely work with multimedia, but by the end of this class I hope to be. I cannot see myself working quite like what he shows us but I do hope to be able to work decently with it. I believe that once I start teaching, my students will have a greater knowledge of technology than what I am trying to grasp now. And if they are not, then I plan for us to work together in building our knowledge, because as many are saying now, technology or "the new humanities" is the future.

The Networked Student
This sounds like my Microcomputing Systems class, thought it seems like the teacher is used a little less. We meet two or so times a week but everything is done online and we have to use blogs and PLN. The teacher does not really lecture and we have even have a YouTube video maker Skype with our class. And of course, we have the wonderful no book rule. iTunes U was be a great help with that.

This type of class is different from what I am used to. I enjoy having a class where the teacher lectures some and I see them at least twice a week. I like a personal touch over the technology but technology is a great way to get in touch with other people. The PLN is a great help.

I hope I could be a decent network teacher. I have a lot more to learn before I could guide anyone in technology, but a network teacher is still a teacher. It especially showed when they said she hopes that they use what she taught them when they leave the class. All teacher wish that.

Toward a New Future of Whatever
I liked how Professor Welsh showed how people open up more through technology. I agree. In anything that I have done publicly through technology, whether Facebook or blogging, I am much more open about how I feel or think. I feel less self-conscious. When I write some of the things, though, I also want more attention, which is where the narcissism comes in. We want and expect people to look and pay attention to what we say when we write on Twitter, YouTube, or our blogs. I can see how people believe that the best way to be heard is to be in the media. Technology truly is getting to be a bigger part of our lives.

Comments 4 Kids
Have you ever heard of Secret Life of Scientists? This student introduces us to this site and tells us a little bit about Erika Ebbel, biochemist and Beauty Pageant Queen on his class blog.

Comments 4 Teachers(Week 7, 8, 9)

These are the comments that I posted for my Comments 4 Teachers

Bringing the Novel to Life
Wow. I adore reading and have thought about joining or making a book club but I never thought about any details. This makes a book club sound so much more organized but fun than what I really thought. Since I plan on being an English teacher, this sounds like it would be very helpful for me.

A Dozen Ways to Incorporate Technology into the History Classroom
I really liked this presentation. Though I am going to be an English teacher instead of History, I still see this as very helpful. This may be goofy but I got really excited about what I can use in my future class and how I will use them when I saw all of your ideas. I think that I could have fun making some lessons and my students could have fun and really learn with technology in my classroom.

Walden University Video- Using Technology to Expand the Classroom
I loved that you said that you do not want your class to just exist just during class time. I really want to be one of the teachers that interests their students in what they are learning. I want learning to be fun for them. If I take what you have talked about, I sure that I can succeed. Thank you so much!

Summary
The posts that I read were so inspiring and interesting for me. I really enjoyed this project. Mr. Langhorst is now officially on my PLN. I learned so much from him. I am extremely excited to about being able to actually put what I have learned into some use. Unfortunately for me, I have a while before I can.

Presentation About Me!

Week 6

Comments 4 Kids
This week I watched a video by year 4 students in Mr. McCafferty's class. They learned a catchy little ditty that can help them with problem solving. The students were so animated while they sang (or shouted) that I watched the video a few times. Because of the students' animation, i.e. the clapping, stomping, and yelling, the song repeated itself in my head for a while afterwards. For me, things like this (simple and catchy) help me to remember answers or information

Dr. Alice Christie's Web Site
My favorite part of Dr. Christie's web site was in the tab called Searching the Web. I think that out of all of the useful information on her web site, the is the most useful. With all of the things that I have been doing in school and observed from some teachers, this is wonderful. The tab contains information and links to information about the web. It also has links to dozens of search engines and research resources. This is a great place to start of research.

As a student, I have research papers to worry about all the time. I always use Google or Yahoo search just because I do not know any other. I think one of my favorite search engine on the page is HotBot. It shows the website's home page so I can see what the site looks like before I click on it. Another good page that I can use or send my students to is called High School Ace. It has link to any subject a high schooler might have. It also has links to see what is on the new today or difference references. Those are just two of the links that I can use. You should check it out.

iTunes University
Before this class, iTune use to just be a way for me to listen to music or maybe watch some videos. It was just for entertainment. Now iTunes is a place for me to learn. What a difference, right? iTunes purpose is no longer just entertainment but also education. Now I can see lectures(some for fun, of my choice, and not graded) and other course material from universities on iTunes U. For anyone involved in the field of education, this is a great help.

iTunes U has browser that you can use to find different subjects for you purpose. As a student, you can find lessons online for whenever you need it or other lesson that can help you understand. As a teacher, you can post lessons or problems online for your students to use. You can learn a different languages through the language link or just learn more about the English grammar. In the education section you can see things like Guitar Hero to Microsoft Excel. As iTunes U says, "Learn anything, anytime, anywhere." Thank you iTunes U.

iPod Use in the Classroom
iPods are much more than mere music players now. They are now tools for educators. iPod can be used for just a single class to classes across the globe. They are students very own pocket classroom in which they can stop and replay over and over. From kindergarten to university levels, iPod used is rapidly expanding. The Chapin School uses iPods for their foreign languages, computer proficiency, and music classes. Georgia College & State University created iVillage where their students can virtually learn and communicate with each other.

In 2004, Duke University gave iPod to all of their first year students for the students to use in their classes. They now give iPods to students only in certain courses. Duke expected twelve hundred students to use iPods for lectures and the like for some of their Spring 2005 courses. Duke Digital Initiative, formerly known as iPod First Year Experience, is a program in which students work on mastering the use of technology through use strategies, teaching, and curriculum enhancement. If you would like to see some uses of the iPod in classrooms, check out Education World.

Week 5

Wikipedia
We all have heard that we should not used Wikipedia as a source in any paper. Anyone can change facts and the "facts" can be any range of fact (or fiction.) I have never used Wikipedia as a source for any of my school reports or researches. I knew that people change the facts for fun or for benefits. One of my friends has actually told me that his friends in high school used to change facts to something ridiculous just to see how long it would take for someone to notice and change it back.
These articles that I read tell us about a man named Virgil Griffith and some of the work he has done with Wikipedia. Griffith wanted, after hearing that politicians change up their facts on Wikipedia, to see who else changes Wiki information. Griffith found a way to trace Wikipedia changes back to the groups who changed them. We can actually see exactly why our teachers have told us to never use Wikipedia.

What I've Learned This Year
This is a great blog for anyone who wants to be a teacher. Mr. McClung highlights and describes some if the major points that many future teacher may worry over or make mistakes about. He writes about what some of my best teachers have. They have to listen, be flexible, communicate, and learn.
We need to listen to our students and fellow workers. Hear what your students say like what problems they may have or what would help them further. Take advise from others. Your ideas may be good but another's may be better. Being a teacher does not mean you cannot learn from others, including your students. In fact, being a teacher just means that you have a bigger responsibility to learn. Any teacher who starts off thinking that they know everything and do not need to listen are going to get the shock of their life when they find out otherwise.

Comments 4 Kids
This week I visited Mrs. Cassidy's Classroom Blog and commented on Ryland's blog at this link. Ryland is learning how to read and write. I am so excited for him. Though I had always hated learn how to read and write, I now find them to be two of my favorite hobbies. I hope that he learns to enjoy them also!

Week 4

Comments4Kids
I admit it. I am a huge fan of this. I read Taryn's blog of his week at this link. The poor boy's week was full of tests. A baby visited their class and he was pretty excited about it. He sounds so sweet. He and his classmates get to talk to other children their age all over the globe through blogging. I think that this is a great idea for the children.

Eagle's Nest Radio
Podcasting is a great way for children to learn. They know that they are going to be recorded and then posted where everyone can listen. They actually have to know some of the material beforehand. I love how so many of the students participate in this. The students all have to cooperate with each other. They seem to be enjoying themselves. Since my class has to do the same sort of thing, it was fun hearing these students.

Podcasting does not seem as hard as I was making it out to be. I would need to pick out some fun music for the introduction and ending and more sounds for effect. All that is left is to pick out who else is working with me and then find a good interesting topic. The students topic are educational but they were taught in a fun entertaining manner. I enjoyed listening to them explain some of history like the gladiators or explorers.