Blog #8

Richard Miller: This Is How We Dream Parts 1 and 2.
This video talked about how technology is changing our way of writing. Before the invention of technology people used to write on paper and do their research in libraries. Now it’s becoming less and less common, as we are using technology more and more. As Dr. Miller mentioned in the first video, when he does research he uses Internet and finds everything online and can write his article on Google Docs.

Technology wasn’t a big part of my life until I moved to East Africa in 2000. This was the first time I actually really had hands on a computer and learned now to navigate it. During my Computer classes I was required to use Word, Excel, Access, Power Point for all the assignment that were due. I also had to be able to use the Internet and create a website. After my years in East Africa I was prepared to use Technology pretty well.

I believe that my students will definitely be able to use multimedia. Today, children know how to manipulate technology better than their own parents. They are growing up in this technology world and are upgrading as time goes on. They will have no problem using multimedia.



The Chippper Series
This video reminds me of how a lot of students think about EDM 310 and how they feel like we should meet as a class instead of doing all the work on our own. However while watching this video, Chipper reminded me of myself in some parts. Sometimes I just want to procrastinate and not do my work or do it late, but I soon realized that it’s not going to get my very far. Chipper had to try out several jobs and go through many experiences before realizing that dropping out of school was maybe not the best thing.
Even if it’s challenging sometimes to do all the work alone I realized that I learned a lot on my own, and maybe if we had to meet every week I would rely on my peers and not learn as much.

EDM for Dummies
This video was created my Jamie Lynn, and it shows you that you’re not the only one who goes crazy in EDM 310. It’s a normal reaction. However you learnt that purchasing the book “EDM 310 for Dummies” can help you understand how everything works.
The message here is that students should be afraid of asking for help. The lab assistants are here for us.


Smartboards
In the two articles we were assigned to read it critiqued the smartboards saying; how it only kept the students entertained for an hour, how it was a waste of money and how you could use other tools such as a projector instead of a smartboard.
I think that a smart board can be very useful and you can make your students learn very effectively and get them involved. A smartboard provides colored images and writing with different effects making it look more interesting.
Here is a video that is in favor of using the smartboard and how it is an effective tool for the classroom.

PLN Post #1

When I first went on the Symbaloo site I was a little confused on how to use it and set it the way I wanted it. This site is wonderful as you are able to keep all your bookmarks in one place.
Using Symbaloo enables the students and teacher to be creative and set up there works the way they want it to look. Technology is becoming more and more important in classrooms and Symbaloo helps everyone to be organized and have all your work in one place.
In my PLN I started adding my email accounts such as my Gmail, Facebook and Skype. I’m still learning how to use it properly and set up more interesting things. I am very glad that we get to use site such as Symbaloo in EDM 310 as your learn a lot about website you had no idea existed.

Summary Post C4T Teacher #2

I was assigned to comment on Paige Baggett’s blog. She wrote a very interesting post about “Mistakes” in classroom, especially in Art classes. This post talks about how children often start something, and they think it’s a mistake and asks for another piece of paper. They need to understand that it’s normal to make mistakes and sometimes instead of start from scratch again, they should keep on working on their “mistake” work and it may turn out to be a great piece of work. Like Elizabeth Peterson said in one of her posts “There are no mistakes in art, just surprise ideas.”

Blog #7

I have seen this video before in one of my classes last semester. This lecture really inspires people and makes them want to achieve theirs dreams. Randy Pausch’s has a great way to keep his audience interested.

During the first part of “Achieving Your Childhood Dreams” the audience is informed that Randy is suffering from pancreatic cancer. This didn’t stop Randy Pausch from having an extraordinary spirit and share his dreams and teach us all a lesson.

Throughout his lecture we discover that Randy achieved all his childhood dreams, somehow, he didn’t give up at the brick wall he fought for what he wanted.
As a future teacher I personally learned a lot from this lecture as it inspired me to tell my students to chase their dreams and not give up. Mr. Pausch was a professor before becoming an Imagineer at Disney, and he always made his lessons creative and fun for his students. This helped the students to get motivated and learned at the same time.

I think that everybody should see this lecture, as it is very inspiring. After watching it I wanted to go out there and start achieving my dreams. Life is short and we should get to most out of it. I also believe that this lecture should be shown to people who are ill as I think it will give them hope of achieving some of their childhood dreams or even make then think positive about the few months left of their lives.

TimeLine

Blog #6

Watching The Network Student video, made me think about what will happen to schools in the future. It really makes you think about your future as a teacher and how things might be very different from what we are expecting. I am also asking myself questions such as, how will the special needs students be able to work with networking? Who will teach them how to work it?
After watching and listening to this video it is clear that teachers will still be needed as they are the ones who will teach them how to create the network. They are also going to be here for guidance; the teachers will show/teach the students how to communicate properly; how to differentiate good information from propaganda; how to organize their information, and much more.
There is much more to networking than what most people think. Students are able to network with other students and share information and help each other out. The scholars can record courses and lectures on their MP3s and listen to it when they have a chance. They can also videoconferences and have discussions with their networking friends, and there is also a wide range of connections and each one of them are a new learning opportunity.


Watching A 7th Grader's Personal Learning Environment (or PLN) was very interesting as you see how it works and which tools to use. This is going to help me navigate the network a bit better, because I often get confused.
So far I cannot compare hers to my PLN as I haven't put it all together. I just have everything I want to put on my project on paper. However as soon as I start putting it all together I will compare our PLNs and see how it differs and how similar it is to mine.


Listening to The Machine is Changing Us by Michael Wesch, I realized how much we are influenced by others, television and YoutTube. He made me realized that we do spend a large amount of time watching TV or on the computer watching things that are not relevant to us, but we are curious and want to know about things. We also tend to copy what we see or do something very similar to things we appreciate. In other words we take a bit of everything that influences us, put it together and that’s who we are today.

Summary Post C4K Comments 1 and 2

On my first C4K blog I had the option to comment on a blog- About Me or a Manifesto. After reading all the instructions, I was assigned to go to Valeries blog and see her posts.
I decided to comment about the student's Manifesto because I personally believed he/she had very good goals to become a better student. I believe that setting up goals at the beginning of the year is a very good idea as you set targets to end up achieving them. Looking back at his/her Manifesto, it will remind Valeries what he/she has to do to improve.

I was also assigned to go back to the same students’ blog and comment on the “About Me” post; however the student I was assigned to did not post a blog. I had to email my teacher and inform him about it, and I was instructed to comment on another student’s blog. I chose to comment on Trystan F’s blog.
This student seems to be a very happy person who is well surrounded and gets along with his/her family. Trystan F has some very good strength, which includes being respectful and helpful to others. I believe that this will take this student very far in life and will help him/her succeed.