PLN

My Personal Learning Network(PLN) has grown over the course of this class. I have met new and inventive people. After sitting through several classroom skypes I feel like I can honestly say I know people around the world. I have learned that I have had a PLN for a while now. I have been on Facebook and Myspace for years now. The people that I have met on there are all apart of my PLN.

Project 10 videocast

John Woolf, Kris Killingsworth, and I did a videocast about the advancement in technology for athletes. We talked about how technology has helped because when an injury occurs on the field/court new technology can help fix that injury. Technology has also improved recruiting just because we are able to get video out there faster than ever before. We also talked about the new preventive equipment that is hitting the market as we speak.

Project 11 Presentation(Smart Board)

John, Kris, and I delivered a presentation to the class about Smart Board. We talked about how the Smart Board was used in the classroom. During the presentation we showed a video of an elementary student using the Smart Board as a learning tool. There are endless possibility when it comes to using a Smart Board.

Good Bye... For Now

I really enjoyed your class Dr. Strange. It was enlightening as it was informative. I hope that as a whole(class) we became technologically literate. It is imperative that new teachers become knowledgeable about technology. I can honestly say that this class has prepared me more for teaching than any other class I have taken. I hope that this course inspires other courses to become "green" as well.

Manditory Post

1. I can't begin to talk about all the things that I have learn over the course of this semester. I was absent more than present but I still learned A LOT of new and inventive ways to communicate with other people. The one thing that stands out in my mind is Skype. I am just amazed that we can talk to anyone with a computer and a camera. What amazed me the most about skype is that it is virtually free to use. A free video chat, who would have ever seen that coming? I feel like if I was to start teaching tomorrow I would be more equipped to handle a classroom in this day in age than someone else who hadn't taken this class.
2. There really isn't much more that I would have wanted to learn about in this class. It was a very well organized course. I feel like the personal blog took up most of the class. I wish we could have spent more time exploring Smart board and things of that nature.
3. If a teacher feels the need to teach a lesson to a class then it must be important. Everything I learned in EDM310 is vital to my understanding of how technology in the classroom works.
4. What excited me the most about this past semester has to be when we skyped a class from another country. That was just so cool to me. I really enjoyed seeing technology at its best.
5. My personal blog gave me the most trouble. I was just overwhelmed with the magnitude of this project. I feel like it would have been better if the personal blog was shortened.
6. Nothing about technology is boring to me. It is what runs this country that we live in. I did however find that the Google Spreadsheet kind of dull. All in all a very interesting class.
7. Shorten the personal blog! If you don't want to shorten it then at least work on some of the blog in class. Watch the videos with the class and ask if there are any questions about the video clip.
8. I feel like I am in good standing when it comes to the question "Am I technologically literate?". I have always been decent at figuring out how a system works. I just takes PRACTICE.
9. I will always use the information that I have learned. I used the information before this class so I won't have any trouble using it when this class is over.

Two important rules to know

Some of the best teachers are the dumbest teachers when it comes to the computer. Here are two rules that teachers need to remember when using a school computer.
Rule 1. NEVER use your computer at school to store your personal information. That means no doing your taxes while giving an exam to your students. When using a school computer keep it simple. You are there to teach, not go through receipts.
Rule 2. If you think that technology in schools is just a fad then you are wrong my friend. Technology is here to stay... FOR GOOD. Embrace it don't curse its name at the top of your lungs. Technology is a helpful tool that takes the tedious work out so that you can get right to the point. Not to mention that once you have installed technology in a classroom it can help prevent the waste of paper products. Think of technology as Al Gore... Some people might not like him but what he is trying do is only going to help us.
Click here

At the Teacher's Desk

The fundred dollar bill. That is what caught my eye on a professional blog called At the teachers desk. This video clip spoke on the subject of New Orleans and the lack of federal funding they received to rebuild the city. The importance of this video clip is only intensified because the website at which it is at. It looks like a professional blog. It portrays a sense of importance just because of the quality of the blog site itself. If you want to bring in good business then portray yourself as a good business person. It all starts with a vision.

Response to: Toward a new future of whatever- Michael Wesch

Is the media controlling what we think and talk about? Watch this and decide for yourself. In my opinion the media controls everything we talk about. If we didn't have Youtube.com or CNN we would be lost in our own minds. Most people are afraid to talk with family and friends but when it comes time to post on Youtube they can talk. It is a false sense of security if you think about it. We are losing that mental connection with humans. We stare at a screen all day looking for someone who is as miserable as you are. I agree with using the media as a learning tool but when it comes time to express oneself do it with a friend.

Why is it important for students to post their work to blogs?

Here are three reasons why students should start recording their work to blogs:
1. As I have progressed in my EDM310 class I have enjoyed watching children from foreign countries read bedtime stories. I have watched these kids progress in their reading each week. I would not be able to do that if they hadn't posted their work to a blog.
2. Students do amazing things when they put their mind to it. Some of the most brilliant minds in this world are students. Why not record all of their work not just for enjoyment but also for history. What if Albert Einstein had kept a blog? how much more information could we learn about him?
3. Networking. That is all I need to say. When students blog about their work, other students look at that and make a connection with that student. Maybe even learn something that could help him/her in the future. Just think about the endless possibilities that we could see open up in the near future...
Want to hear something extraordinary? Click here

What is the Alabama Connecting Classroom, Educators and Students Statewide (ACCESS)?

The goal for Alabama Connecting Classroom, Educators and
Students Statewide (ACCESS) is to provide equal access to high quality instruction to improve student achievement through distance learning opportunities. ACCESS is out to help students learn and experience upper level courses. This program has been put in place to help insure that all students will succeed in school. All students are required to take at least one distance learning course through out high school. ACCESS is a great program because it allows students to expand their mind and knowledge. It helps prepare students for college as well.
ACCESS

Explanation of the Alabama Learning Exchange (ALEX)

(ALEX)Alabama Learning Exchange... What is it? Well it is a communal database in which teachers can go online and create their lesson plans for class. It is an in-genius idea that helps teachers organize the best subject material in their field. It gives teachers the power to teach only the best to the students.
I found ALEX to be a useful tool for teachers. When I begin my teaching career I will definitely use ALEX to do my lesson plan!
A.L.E.X.
National Educational Technology Plan

Response to: Dear Kaia

This is an amazing way to document memories. I wish this technology was around when I was growing up. It is a virtual scrapbook with voice notes. How much cooler could it get when it comes to making memories permanent?!I think that in the future teachers will be able to send voice notes through email. When a student emails a teacher their paper, the teacher could send verbal information back to the student. It could help clear up any confusion with the student.
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Response to: The New Media Literacies by the NML Staff

New Media Literacy Skills
judgment
negotiation
appropriation
play
trans media navigation
simulation
collective intelligence
performance
distributed cognition
visualization
multitasking

All of these skills are important when it comes to being a productive person on the computer. I believe that my two strongest skills have to be judgment and multitasking. I have great judgment when it comes to figuring out if the information on the computer is fact or fiction. I am also a great multitasker! I have always been able to do multiple things at once. I am going to try my best to strengthen my other skills so that I can be a well rounded researcher!
Click here to watch
Official Website

Response to: The Networked Student by Wendy Drexler

Click here to watch the video
I really liked this video. The way it was presented was really cool. It reminded me of the UPS commercials. In the video they asked if teachers were even needed if everything we need is online? Of course teachers are needed because when the student gets stuck on an assignment the teacher can help. The teacher is needed to teach the students how to use the system. The teacher is there to help the student build his or her network. The teacher is there to guide the students in the right direction. How else would the students know what information is fact and fiction! The teacher is there for support as well.

Response to: Richard Miller: This Is How We Dream Parts 1 and 2

Why should learning have to be confined to the library? Now it doesn't! Dr. Richard Miller, a professor at Rutgers University, talks about moving learning from books to virtual books. He speaks a lot on using visual and audio tools as a learning tool. Using the internet as a learning tool is the next step in learning. Reading can only go so far in the learning process. We have to see and hear what we are reading in today's day in age. More and more people turn to the internet to find information. Why not go ahead and put everything else online?
Want to learn more?

iPod's in the classroom?

Are iPod's tomorrows tool for success? Studies have shown that it is very possible. These crazy little inventions not only play music but they play Podcasts and videos. It is like having a little teacher on your high tech toy. What makes this tool so useful is the fact that you can take it anywhere you want. You could go jogging while you learn American History. Learning is getting easier and easier for today's youth. In 2004 Duke University provided the freshman class with ipod's preloaded with orientation information. That is pretty cool in my book!
Check more out here...

iTunes University

If I could go back and do it again, college I mean, I would do it on iTunes University. It is so much easier than having to wake up for an 8am class. What do most students do when they have an early morning class? They sleep through it and learn nothing. What good does that do for us when we are expected to learn EVERY LITTLE DETAIL. I have had teachers who would run through the lesson just to get out early. The teacher would explain just enough to confuse me even more. With iTunes University I would have been able to go back and play just certain parts of the lesson that I needed. It is like going to school except better because you don't have to leave home.
Click here to learn more about iTunes University

Response to: Dr. Alice Christie's Educational Technology Guide

Dr. Alice Christie's Educational Technology Guide will help teachers across the world! It will help teachers develop and teach new and interesting things. When I begin teaching I will definitely use Dr. Alice Christie's program. She has simplified everything for teachers and that is a good thing!
I really like the access that this website gives me. I could make a boring assignment more enjoyable just because I will be able to relay the information faster and more precise. Information today is vital for tomorrows future leaders.
Visit Dr. Alice Christie here!

Response to: "What I have learned this year" by Mr. McClung

I enjoyed reading every word of this essay. I hope to be a teacher one day and this has placed a whole new view on teaching for me. I was always nervous about how I was going to approach the class with new lessons. I don't know why I was nervous about that stuff but I was. Now I feel like I have read a guideline about what to expect in my career to come. I feel like once I become accustomed to the teaching atmosphere I will be a good teacher because I can relate to the students. I am a people person, I guess you could say. I love helping people learn and grow.

NPR blog on Wikipedia

Trusting a paper to Wikipedia is like leaving your new born child with a four year old toddler. It is not a smart thing to do when it comes down to writing a research paper. I have written many papers at the last minute using Wikipedia and it saved my life, but there was no telling what information was fact or fiction. I really like the Wikipedia Scanner because it can help me verify my information for future reference.

Practice

Karl Fisch: Is It Okay to Be A Technologically Illiterate Teacher?

After reading this blog I feel like Mr.Fisch is bias against teachers who are technologically illiterate. My mother is a high school teacher and she is about as computer savvy as a 2 year old. She can not check her email or even a simple text message on her phone but she knows how to teach. Its not how well you know today's technology. Its how well can you relate the material to the class.

I have had teachers who were experts on the SMARTboard but they could teach for crap. All they knew how to do was draw a problem up on the SMARTboard, solve the problem, and then ask if anyone has any questions. That is not teaching, that is showing the class what you know. It takes a special person to teach and be affective. The technology doesn't make the classroom, the teacher makes the classroom.

"It's Not About the Technology" by Kelly Hines

I agree with Kelly Hines on all points. Its not about how hard you teach to the students, its about how well you get that point across. You don't have to be a genius to be a teacher. You don't have to be a technological expert to teach in today's society. All you have to do is be able to get the matter across to the students.
In order to get information inside the students head you must first be the student. If you can't teach it to yourself how do you expect to be able to teach it to someone else? Technology itself can help you get your point across to the students but the main thing is the teacher. If the teacher is good then the type of technology is a mute point.

Michael Wesch: A Vision of Students Today

This was a very accurate depiction of students today. Most students will be 20,000 dollars in debt by the time they graduate. Money is the issue in today's world. We thrive on money, we can't eat, sleep or even read without money. What does a student do on the computer when they sit in class? Facebook? Myspace? The answer is both and don't even get me started on the book dilemma. I spent 456 dollars on books this semester. I ended up getting 3 books. How is that even possible?!

I don't know how to fix the problems in today's society. I sure don't know how to even attempt to approach them. All I can do is learn to cope and deal with them. Is that how we want our children to see us? Do we just want to learn how to deal with the problems and not fix them? Technology might be the answer to some of these problems but its not the answer to ALL of the problems.

Langwitches Blog

In this blog I learned about a 3rd grade class that took podcast technology and turned it into a way to learn about endangered/threatened animals in Florida. 3rd graders learning about podcast? I didn't know how to tie my own shoes in 3rd grade never the less work a computer. It is crazy that 3rd graders are becoming familiar with the technology that I myself am learning right now, IN COLLEGE! These 3rd graders are learning about new ways to do research and new ways to explore the internet.
I also read about this workshop for parents.This workshop can help parents monitor their child's internet access. Parents these days are always worried about the dangers of the internet but this workshop can help put parents a ease. Its a great workshop for any worried parents out there.

Tech Literate Teacher

I really enjoyed watching this video. The atmosphere of the video really put me at ease and I was able to relax and enjoy the video. The students in this video were very knowledgeable of the technology in today's class rooms. They mentioned that even though teachers teach the class they still had to be students. They had to learn how to use the teaching tools so that they could explain it to the students.
Some of the things I would have changed in the video really wouldn't have enhanced the knowledge that came out of it. I would have asked everyone the same question and ask everyone to comment on every aspect of that question. I would have picked a better angle to film the discussion. I would have provided a dress code so it looked professional. All in all I enjoyed everything about this video.

Podcast Reviews

The first podcast that i listened to was Kidcast episode 62. This episode really caught my attention because the host talked about "Vodcasting". Vodcasting is short for Video podcasting. Video podcasting is podcasting but is using video as the media. I do think that this is a progressive step in today's society. We have grown from using audio as a means for communicating and now we are using video to communicate with the world.
The next podcast that I listened to was Macbook Weekly episode 157. This is kind of like a talk radio show. I really enjoyed listening to them talk about the new Ipod and the new itunes. I do have to new itunes and I use the software in the new itunes. Genius mix is a cool way to listen to music on your own computer. It was a very informative podcast.
Strobest photography. What is it? In the podcast This Week in Photography episode 104 they talked about strobest photography. The Cannon G9 is today's top quality of camera. I don't know much about cameras but it sounds like this camera is the future of photography. This podcast is a lot like a talk show. I don't know much about this subject but it was very easy to follow.
I listened to the SMARTboard lesson podcast episode Teachers Connecting 11: Year End Ideas. This was the most entertaining podcast! The hosts were just so energetic. They talked about personal experiences and things that were happening in today's news. I think that today's society is headed towards a "no paper" society. Everything is just so high tech. I am looking forward to see what the future holds for us.

Response to:Vicki Davis: Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts

Ms. Vicki Davis is the type of teacher that allows her students to think. She is what i like to call "ahead of the curve". She is a different brand of teacher. She allows her students to take control of the class room and teach themselves the curriculum. Its students teaching students.
I really like this style of teaching because it allows the students to think as well as interact with other students. This style of teaching opens the classroom up for a broader interpretation.

Response to: Sir Ken Robinson: The Importance of Creativity

I agree fully with Sir Ken Robinson. Today's society does not focus enough on the creative aspect of the human mind. Kids left and right are taking medications for so called chemical imbalances in the brain. I myself take medication for ADD(attention deficit disorder). Its crazy because before I started taking the medication I would paint and draw. Now that I have been taking this medication for 13 years or so I lost my desire to draw.
I feel like in some situations medication is needed to help calm children down a little, but don't give a kid medication just because he/she is a handful. Children are supposed to be a handful. Don't hider the young minds of children, embrace the arts in school and show more interest in the energy of your child.

Response to : Did You Know 3.0 by Karl Fisch

Wow! I didn't know any of that! It just doesn't seem possible that in the next couple of years China will be the dominant English speaking country. That is just ridiculous! How about the fact that after watching that video 68 babies were born in the United States.
It just makes you wonder, what else do we not know? Is technology going to take over every job in the United States in the next hundred years? Is the use of gasoline going to be needed by the time today's youth reach old age? what exactly is going to happen to our children's children? Are they going to have clean air and a yard to play in?

Response to : Mr. Winkle Wakes by Matthew Needleman

After watching this youtube video I kind of put myself in Mr. Winkles position. How would i react to today's society if I was to sleep for a hundred years and wake up in an advanced day in age. I feel like I would react the same way as Mr. Winkle. He did not like the fact that everything changed around him but he liked the fact that the schools did not change.
I think that the reason schools have not really changed in the past hundred years is because the system works. Yes, technology is becoming more advanced but technology is not always needed to learn new things. Why fix something if it isn't broken?