Blog Post #8

This is how we Dream - Parts 1 and 2 By: Richard Miller

In this video, Dr. Richard Miller tells about new ways that we can teach using "collaborative technology". He begins with pointing out that our new workspace is our desktop; it is hardly ever paper and pencil anymore. From our desktop, we can (as he puts it) "research the riches of the world." He says that we have just as much access to books and media on the web now, so we really don't even have to go to the library to do projects anymore. Dr. Miller points out that he and his staff are able to collaborate on the web using not just text, but also with images and videos. He mentioned that he and his fellow staff members put one of their publications on youtube, and within 3 months it had over 9,000 views and had been embedded into blogs. Towards the end of the video, he states that he does not have a way to teach the technology that he has described, because they would need "Ubiquitious composing technology, spaces that foster collaborative learning, inspiring teachers of new media composing, and pedagogies that foster creativity and collaboration."

You can tell that Dr. Richard Miller really knew what he was talking about. I was very impressed by this video. I thought it was really interesting how he and his colleagues were able to collaborate like they did using the internet. If we could learn to do that in our schools, working together with other teachers might would become a little bit easier, because we wouldn't have to hold meetings after school. We could just find a time that it easiest for us all to meet, and then get on the internet with our webcams at the same time. He says "We need inspiring teachers, people who tell you that they're teaching visual literacy. I don't think they've yet begun to deal with how profound this change is..." I agree with him. Maybe they've realized that technology has advanced, but I do not think that they have realized just how much new technologies could majorly impact our schools, and our ways of teaching. I think it would be awesome if we could have some kind of curriculum to teach teachers and future teachers about the technology, and how to use it.

Now to answer the question, Am I prepared to write with multimedia? I know that I could definitely try! With all the technologies out there and all the internet resources I think I probably could. The only thing is that our schools will have to first be able to get all the technology that is needed. Maybe we could do some simple things, but not all the things that Dr. Miller showed in the video. He said that for himself to even teach it at his university they would need more materials. I know that I said in the previous paragraph that we need a type of curriculum to help teach us how to use these technologies, but I honestly feel like EDM310 is helping to do that! I can't speak for others, but so far it has taught me to use podcasts, make youtube videos, use smartboards, and so much more. I think that as technology progresses, it will be incorporated into EDM310. Now, for the next question; "Will my students be able to do this?" I think it will be a while before students can do most of what he showed in the videos. Like I said, first the schools would have to get the technology to do it. If the right technology were added, then its a good possibility that they could!


Carly Pugh's Blog Post #12

I think that Carly's idea is great! It involves making us think about our future educating methods, what kinds of technology we want to use and basically what kind of teachers we want to become. I think that by assigning us to make a youtube playlist, she is inspiring us to use internet resources and technology; therefore, she is doing exactly what Dr. Miller talked about. She did a really great job instructing what to do, and she even gave an example of exactly what she had in mind to be accomplished. She is definitely creative! I loved her form of writing. While reading her post, you almost feel like you are inside her head (I mean that in a good way!) She will definitely be a teacher who has realized the change in technology, and who is ready to incorporate it into her teaching methods. She really did a great job!


The Chipper Series & EDM310 for Dummies

I found these videos quite humorous! They did a great job on them. Both videos made me wish that I could make tutorial videos to help future students with the things in EDM310 that my classmates and I have both struggled with. For example: I've had a hard time with managing my time, and also with the PLN. It would be cool if I could make videos for future students helping them to do these things! The EDM310 for dummies video was a really great idea, and I really think that if Dr. Strange wrote the book he could definitely make some money! To me, the purpose of both the Chipper Series and also EDM310 for dummies was to help people realize that if you have problems with the class, there are always people who are willing to help, but you must be dedicated to the class to really succeed!


Learn to Change, Change to Learn

In this video, several different people all gave their opinions about how they think that educators need to change their curriculum and teaching methods. They are basically saying that the curriculum needs to be more student-centered, to where students can be able to relate their experiences outside the classroom to their experiences inside the classroom. They bring out many great points. One man stated "The kids are having a much more stimulated and rich environment outside of school than they are inside of schools". I think this is really something for future educators to think about. We don't need to "dumb down" our curriculum, but we need to change it to where it at least interests the students. In the video, a different person states "Kids are very rich content developers today through their social networking science, they're big communicators through email, instant messaging, and even text messaging; and yet all of these things are banned in their schools." I agree with most of what she said, I just think that we might have a difficult time monitoring their texts and instant messages. Her basic point is that we aren't really allowing them to use the things that they learn from the most. That is true to an extent; we do have internet and computers in the schools, but they only get maybe an hour or two a week on them.

For the most part, I agree with the basic message of this video. I think that people who are coming up to be teachers will be good with this because we realize the present/modern ways of learning; but as for the current teachers already teaching (some but probably not all), they really need to learn to adapt the use of technology into their lessons.

Project 13 Smartboard Presentation

Project #11

For my short Movie Project, I talked about Why I want to be a Teacher.

Blog Post #7

In this video, Randy Pausch did a phenomenal job. He talked his childhood dreams, and he explained that some of them he got to do, and some he didn't. Some were; experiencing ground zero, playing in the NFL, winning huge stuffed animals, and becoming a Disney Imagineer. Of these, he tells that he got to experience ground zero, he never got to play in the NFL but he learned a lot from his football coaches, he won a bunch of huge stuffed animals and showed them to the audience, and lastly he told about how hard it was, but he got to be a Disney Imagineer.


He said something that really stood out to me, and that was "Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted." He told about how even though he didn't get to play in the NFL, he got some really good experience from it, and he learned a lot from his coaches. I found this statement pretty powerful, because it is so true! It reminds me of that saying, Thank God for some unanswered praters. He also told of some things that he learned during the time. Another cool thing that he said was "Brick walls are there to show us how badly we want stuff." I thought that this was awesome. He said this when he was talking about how hard it was becoming a Disney Imagineer. Eventually he made it, and he got to work on the Aladdin project. I found this to be really cool! It was definitely very motivating listening to him talk about these dreams of his that actually came true, especially since at the time he was dying. We should have all learned a lot from him!


After he talked about his childhood dreams, he talked about enabling dreams. He talked about a course that he taught on virtual worlds. He showed a video of a student's virtual reality, and then he showed a slide show of the students he taught. I thought that it was extremely interesting! Then, he went on to talk about a course that he and a man named Don Marinelli taught. It was a course that focused on people and learning to work in groups. He also talked about a project called "Alice", which is a way to teach computer programming. It has become very popular, as he stated over 1 million people have downloaded it and ten percent of colleges are using it.


Last, he tells about the lessons he has learned. One is that many people have helped him a long the way, like his parents, his teachers, and more. Another is that we learn from many people, such as our bosses and also our students. He talks a lot about how it is important to help people. I found this video really inspiring. It is important for us, as educators, to encourage our students to shoot for their goals and to help them as much as we can along the way. This was a great video!

Blog Post #6

The Networked Student

This video was about a boy who does his work by using the internet. His teacher uses "connectivism", which teaches the students to use the internet and social networks to get connected socially with other people, and to help with school work. The boy uses different websites, internet tools, and social networks. Some of the internet tools that he uses are skype, google scholar, delicious, and more.


The first question being asked is "Why does the networked student need a teacher?" Well honestly, they probably could do it on their own if they had to; however, the help of a teacher would guide them and help them a lot along the way. Teachers help answer any questions or concerns, help the students to stay on task, and they encourage the students to learn. If there is something that the students are struggling with, the teacher is there to help them better grasp the concept that is being taught. So do they need a teacher? No. Is it better for them to have one? Yes! That is my opinion anyways.

The second question being asked is "Am I prepared to be a teacher of a networked student?" That is a very good question! I would love to say yes, but I am afraid that I'm only halfway there. I need to get a better understanding of all these social networking tools and internet resources before attempting to teach them to other people. It would be embarrassing for me to teach something and then find out that the kids know more about it than me. This class is helping me a lot to better understand the many tools of the internet, but I am afraid I have some more learning to do! I really enjoyed the video and watching how the boy used all of the internet references and websites, and I would like to learn more about the "networked student". I believe that once I learn more about this, then I will be prepared to be a teacher of a networked student.


Welcome to my PLE
This video was really cool! I would love to use something like this in my classroom. Her class blog had an agenda that helped them to be able to keep on track with their homework. It was really cool how she had all of the websites that she visits on her page where she could just click the icon any time she needs them.

Project #8

The Septemberists' Podcast

C4K September

C4K#1

For the first comments for kids assignment, I commented on Athena's blog post called "Silly Sports Day." In her blog post, she wrote about a day when her class and several others had a silly sports day. I said that I was glad she and her class enjoyed it. One of the games she had listed that her class participated in was the 3-legged race game, so I told her about a time when I tried it, and lost.


C4K#2


I can't find the website for this comment, but I know that I commented on a child's blog who wrote about the book series "Diary of a Wimpy Kid." She said that she enjoyed reading them, and that she liked to play outside just like the kid in the book. I told her that I was glad she enjoyed the books, and that I had not read them but I have seen one of the movies.


C4K#3

For the 4th Comments for kids, I wrote to Miller on the St. Elmo Explorer's blog called "Letters to Lucy." This class received free iPads and money for field trips (donated by Lucy Buffett), and they put together a google presentation of all the children's thank you letters to Lucy. Miller told Lucy that he thought she was awesome, and that he was excited about the iPads and field trips to come. I told him that I thought his letter was sweet and that Mrs. Lucy would enjoy reading it.