Sunday, December 9, 2012

Project #13

Our group mostly used text to communicate about projects #14 and #15. We used Google Docs and at first I thought it was pretty cool, but as we went on, not so much. It got really complicating for three people to type at the same time without getting confused about who was typing. We met in the lab more than once and used the equipment that was available to us to make them a success. When we were not all able to meet in the lab, we made sure to send each other our videos so they would all be in the same place at the same time. I think we did a good job of getting together and finishing up the semester with two very good projects.

Blog Post #15 - Reflection

Thursday, December 6, 2012

Final PLN Report

I started my PLN with Symbaloo and first I really was clueless as to what I was supposed to be using it for. As time went on, I started realizing more an more that I could use it very often because of the fact that everything I need can be in the same place at just a click of a mouse. My PLN is mostly full of social networks such as Twitter and Facebook of course but EDM 310 taught me how to use these things effectively.

Blog Post #13

A Vision of Students Today This video was created by Michael Wesch. It really had my attention the whole time simply because it brought my attention to new things that have never crossed my mind before. If students learn what they do, then what are they learning sitting here? This was one of the first of many questions that popped up on this video and I found it to be very interesting. Those questions made me think. As the students started showing the signs of what they think and feel things got real. All of the students put up things that all of us as students feel.
Teachers should ask their students more about how they feel. Colleges today don't always seem to put their efforts into the right things. The one sign that really stuck in my head was the one that said only 18% of her teachers know her name. Presidents and teachers all around the world should make it a serious part of their jobs to make sure they know each and every students individually. There's no way a student can get the correct amount of instruction if no one is actually instructing them. I also think that a chalkboard is a thing of the past and technology is the best way to reach students. That doesn't mean that you shouldn't get to know your students though.

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

C4T #4

Two interactive iPad Apps that work
Liz Davis posted about two really awesome iPad apps that seem to be a very good idea for the classroom. The Apps are called nearpod and socrative. They both do different things but are kind of similar. The class is able to interact directly with the teacher. Students can take quizzes and the teacher and students can see their answers as soon as they enter them. I think this is a good idea because the whole class will be able to talk about the answers that the majority of the class got wrong. I also like how on the nearpod she made it clear that the teacher can control what the students can and can't look at. Anytime there is control over good technology you can't go wrong in the classroom as a teacher. The Silent History
This week Liz posted about a different kind of app. This app is one that is free and you can download different parts of a book or the whole thing all at once. The book is very interesting and covers a huge time throughout history. I think this app was just as interesting as the first one that she posted about. It's things like this that make me think libraries are going to non existent anytime now.

Sunday, December 2, 2012

Project #16

Project #15

C4K Summary For November and December

Fight the Power
Cameron was talking about how how to Overthrow a Tyrannical Government in the 16th century. He feels that in order to make the government the way that you want it to be you must first take as much action as you possibly can. You should allow your opinion to be heard as much as possible. In order to overthrow you tyrannical government you must make your own rules and constitution. I like this post because he got right to the point. He talked about how if you want to be heard you must voice your opinion or you have no right to complain. This was a good time to post this because it was around the time of the presidential election and Americans tend to talk about how they dislike things but they don't take control to try and change it.  

How I express myself Amber Parker wrote about how she expresses herself. I found it short and sweet and right to the point. She talked about how the simplest things, like painting her nails, is what she does to express herself. I liked everything that she said because everyone expresses themselves everyday by the clothes that they wear. I can relate to her because different music says a lot about a person and it always makes me feel better when I sing along to a particular song that I can relate to the lyrics. I told her that it's very important to express yourself in your own way because that's what sets you apart from everyone else in the world.

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Progress Report on Final Project

Our group has chosen to do first grade math. Our focus will be on numbers and identifying different ones. The project will allow students to match the number of objects with the correct number. Our group will be getting together and making sure everyting is together and on time. This final project will be a complete success.

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Blog Post #12

Watch the video Technology in the PE Classroom and write a paragraph on the things that you see. Talk about how the Physical Education classroom has seemed to change since you were in Elementary and Middle school.
The classroom had a kickboxing and nascar station that let the students actually get involved. They weren't just running around a gym without any sense of order. The most interesting part of the class to me was the skate and snowboarding stations. The kids that were interviewed really loved going to the gym. Technology has even made a difference in helping the obesity in America. If kids enjoy running around and trying new things then they will stay as active as possible. This classroom was way different from the one that I was in at that age. We just went to a gym and got a ball or two and could only do so much with it. Technology hasn't only advanced in the subject material classes but also in the classes that allow the students to actually get up and be active.

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Blog Post #11

First Graders in Ms. Cassidy's Class
Nothing could describe this classroom any better than little kids big potential. It's just shocking how first graders have all of their stuff together and know exactly what they are talking about. In this video, all of the students could sit there and talk to an audience about everything they were doing on the computer. They have a web page that they can go to that will take them anywhere on the internet that they need to go. Ms. Cassidy has done an amazing job of teaching her students all about technology and the many ways that they can use it to learn. The kids even know how to use skype and communicate with people anywhere around the world. All of them seemed to enjoy every second of their time at school and not a minute was wasted on their education. The kids loved using the learning videos on the computer and that is the road to success.
Skype with Ms. Cassidy
The skype conversation just gave me more information about Ms. Cassidy and the way that she teaches. All of her great ideas came from being given 5 computers. Technology started giving her new ideas that she never had before and that helped her whole classroom expand in big ways. She even said herself that technology is constantly changing and you just have to do your best to keep up. I would make all of my students get a sheet signed by a parent before allowing them to get on the internet. There are many useful things and every student should be allowed to participate but at the same time parents are important too. If the parents are as involved as they can be then they will push their kids to keep doing their best and learning at the best of their abilities. Ms. Cassidy has done a great job of putting technology into her classroom and I have to give her a big thumbs up.

C4T Summary #3

Are You Driving a Race Car or Horse and Buggys?
This post was all about the Amish and how they live their lives technology free. It was very interesting to me because she made a very good point. The Amish live their lives happily off of the land and such but they don't really give any other way a chance. The show that she watched was about Amish who went through their daily lives without computers and such. The point that the author made was that even though this way of life is acceptable and a great way to go, the children in schools aren't getting all that they need. Yes they can learn to read and write but without technology they can't completely understand the world around them. These children aren't able to reach their full potential in life.
Sexist Or Silly?
A Geeky Momma's Blog has so much information on it that it could get anyone's attention. This post was about a worksheet that a child brought home from school that dealt with gender stereotypes. The father got really upset and tweeted it to all of his followers and it got a lot of feedback. The teacher told the students to put certain "duties" in a box labeled boy, girl, or both. A rule to the assignment was that all of the boxes had to have something in it. The little girl got in trouble because she put a bunch of the things in the 'both' box and the teacher told her that was against the rules. There were many angry people. I have to agree with the father for getting angry but at the same time I feel like we don't exactly have all of the information that we would need to completely understand the assignment. I keep thinking that maybe the teacher really did have good intentions but it just looked really bad. I think that anytime a teacher brings up an assignment dealing with gender stereotypes they are asking for trouble.

C4K Summary for October

Dinkel the pickle gets stolen
This story was really awesome to me. Romrog did a great job of using good description and imagery throughout the whole story. The pickle was an awesome character that just refused to go into someone's salad. Dinkel would not give up on escaping. He thought the sushi were so annoying and they ended up helping him out in the end. I really liked the whole story line and the way that it all worked out. Dinkel finally got back to his family at the end but ended up waking up in another stranger's car! I bet the sequel will be just as interesting as the first one.
Special Drawing
Fumika did a great job at writing a story about the drawing she worked so hard on. It seemed like she had some ups and downs with this particular drawing but she never gave up on doing her best work. Her parents encouraged her by saying it was good and I thought that was awesome. She even read a book about drawing to help her understand the whole drawing process even more. This story was very enjoyable and I hope Fumika continues to work on more drawings and progressing on her work.
Alberta Rocks
Luke made a video with one of his classmates on the Rocky Mountain Region. The video was very creative and it looked very thought through. This video had a lot of awesome pictures and it really made me want to go to the Rocky Mountains. He even added some soothing music that just made the audience want to keep watching. This is a good sign of how technology can be used in everyday life and learning.
The S&W 15-22+The Mighty Alvin, and Hammy Hunt
Kyle did an awesome job at putting his passion for guns down on paper. I was interested the whole time I was reading it because he was so into his story that it was impossible not to like. It was different than any that I've read in a while. It was about guns and how he and his father were waiting on the right one to buy. He also did a great job of explaining parts of the gun that I wouldn't have known otherwise. Kyle researched the gun that he wanted before he got it so he knew exactly how to use it. This story was great entertainment while also giving me a great deal of a new type of knowledge.

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Special Assignment

A world where grades will be left behind
Thrun has many interesting opinions on education. He dislikes the whole idea of grades and of anyone being able to fail. He also doesn't like the idea of people not being able to afford an education. The perfect case scenario for him is that people with high hopes for the world will not possibly be able to fail. He no longer wanted to teach in a traditional classroom because he feels there is way more options out there. I really like every idea that this man had because any kind of teaching that involves games has me won over. Nothing gets an audience's attention like an interesting and educational game. Thrun's vision of the future is, "a message of hope, of aspiration--not of destruction." I back up Thrun's ideas 100%.

Sunday, November 4, 2012

Blog Post #10

Adventures In Pencil Integration
Spencer's cartoon was very cute in its own little way. I feel like it simply got the point across that it is better to spend your money on something that will last than something that will break. If you go ahead and buy something worth the money, then it will end up saving you money in the long run. Sometimes expensive things really are better than the cheap stuff.
Why were your kids playing games?
Mr. Spencer's conversation with his principal was a pretty good eye opener. Teachers should be able to teach in the teaching style that works best for them. Standing up and making the kids just listen to lecures isn't for everyone. Games should be an important part of the teaching/learning process. Children really do learn more whenever they are involved and enjoying what they are doing. I would learn way more information at one time if a game was involved instead of just sitting down attempting to take notes. Don't teach your kids this stuff please
Dr. McLeod has without a doubt posted the most interesting post that I have read so far. He really went out on a limb here and it was awesome. He makes all of these points about why not to use technology, and at the end his reasoning is because he's teaching his kids that way. He explains all of the bad things out there and then closes it up with the point that you must use technology to really be involved in this world as we know it. I really like this guy and his post made my day.

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Project #12

Blog Post #9

Mr. McClung's World
What I've Learned This Year Volume-4
These reflections from every year was very interesting to me. The main thing that stuck out to me was how he did his best to set a goal for each school year. The two challenges that he had for this post was to challenge yourself and dance with who you went with the dance with. Teachers should enjoy teaching and do everything that they can to make the students enjoy getting up and going to class everyday. If the teacher doesn't enjoy his job then the students will get bored and dread going. Mr. McClung made a good realization when he came to the conclusion that he would do all that he could to keep the students interested in his class. I can relate with him whenever he talked about how he despised school because the teacher wasn't doing all that they could to keep the classroom exciting.
Structify 
What I've Learned This Year-2011
In this reflection, he went to a little bit higher than just talking about how the students should enjoy going to class. He talked about how as a teacher you should care about what your boss thinks, but not so much that it gets in the way of your teaching. Each teacher should remind themselves everyday that they are there for the students. The students are their number one reason. They should always be the center of attention and anything else should not even be an issue or worth you concerns. Each teacher should try to be their own person and teach in the way that they know best. Everyone has their own ways of teaching just like every student has their own ways of learning.

Project #12

PLN
The website that I used to start my PLN is Symbaloo. Making an account was really easy and it was really self explanatory. Twitter and Facebook was really useful with setting it up. These two websites helped me learn how to organize things to where I can get to them with one click of the mouse.

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Blog Post #8

This is How We Dream This video had a whole lot of information that you don't really hear anywhere else in the world. The most amazing thing to me that I never really think about is the fact that anyone around the world can communicate with anyone else around the world. Someone being able to communicate in different countries is so surreal. Laptops can be used for so many things it is insane. Word processing is becoming a part of everyday life and there is just no slowing it down. Anytime anyone needs any type of information all they have to do is get on the web and it is right at their fingertips. The fact that anything ever put on the web will always be reachable is another thing of the future. Textbooks will be a thing of the past and it will be a much cheaper way to get an education. The presentation on Martin Luther King Jr. was very interesting to me because it is just amazing how sounds and visual aids can all be on one page. The web is more of a culture type of deal instead of just an individual which just provides even more information. There are always alternative versions to a story also and that just helps open the minds of everyone. It made me laugh whenever he said anyone can determine the emotion of the world just from blogs. We really can see who is the happiest city in the world just from reading blogs.
Carly Pugh
Carly related to Dr. Miller in many ways. The main thing that I noticed about these two were that you must feel some type of enjoyment for everything that you do. There is always more out there and it is never out of reach when a computer is around. You should always thing for yourself and motivate students in anyway possible. The video was very motivational to me and I enjoyed watching every second of it also.

The Chipper Series And Edm310 For Dummies
Chipper is a very interesting character to me because she is a typical student. Dropping out of school is never the answer no matter how tough the work may seem to get. You will never be successful if you make up an excuse for everything that you do not do correctly. In EDM310 For Dummies, these students are also just like every other student around the world. When work is mentioned most students just give up before even trying. Most students might enjoy the work if they actually put forth the effort. You really do learn things more whenever you take time to do the work that is expected of you.

Learn to Change, Change to Learn
Schools really are changing every day and it's something that not everyone realizes. This video put a great emphasize on how schools are becoming just another place for kids to come together and do work. The 21st Centure education isn't just in a classroom anymore. Learning takes place everywhere a students goes while they have a cell phone or computer. Technology has showed students many ways to multi task while learning during the process. Every kid around the world at a certain age now knows how to find and validate data in ways that they never could before. Teachers now have children that care about the information that they are learning.

Scavenger Hunt 2.o
PollEverywhere.Com is a tool that any teacher could use in their classroom to keep up with their students. The students could use their cell phones anywhere at anytime to send in their answers to any questions I may want to ask. Quizzes could be done while the kids are at home and I could just ask random, valuable, questions while I'm getting a test together to see what does and doesn't need to be reviewed in class.

C4T #2

Post #1-How do you help students reach thier yet? Erin had a really good point behind her blog post. She posted about a tweet that she read and added her input on the subject. She was talking about how teachers and adults tend to talk about students and say that he/she can't do that. The thing that adults don't realize is that students may hear those words and feel down on themselves and maybe even helpless. She feels that we should all do our best to use the word "yet" as often as possible. The word yet can make many changes in a childs life and can even motivate them to learn how to do the thing they're not expected to know. I really liked this post because it introduced something new to my life. I know, of course, there are many issues in the world. The use of vocabulary never phased me as an issue. I think she made a really good point in saying we should all do our best to use the word yet instead of don't or can't. If we say the child can't do it yet, it just sounds better because we will do our best to teach them. Every child should have a fair chance to find their yet. Post #2-Responsive Leadership
Erin does such a great job at saying what she feels on her blogs and I love it. This post was about how she loves listening to Sir John Jones and how he does such a great job at talking about motivation and capacity. Erin feels that you should always look for things to make your staff and peers want to be the best that you can. I really liked her post because it made me think about the types of motivation that I have in my life. I even picked out my own category that she talked about in her post. The Highly motivated and low level capacity was my favorite one. I felt like I could relate because I played ball and I understand that making goals and achieving them as a team is a huge accomplishment. Everyone should always strive to do the best that they can for themselves and others around them.

Monday, October 15, 2012

Blog Post #7

The Networked Student
This video was different from all of the others that we have watched so far. The little pictures were very interesting to me and the person speaking got his point across. The student didn't have to go through lectures in a classroom or buy textbooks. He learned that tools are not as important as the connections that you make with different students and educators around the world. His teacher taught him how to use his own personal network in order to use google scholar and other websites with valuable information. He shares everything that he learns on his own blogs and comments on other people's blogs. Nothing used on networks are useless and this students story got that point across. I think the networked student knows just as much and probably even more than the student that just hears lectures all day everyday. This student has access to some of the best professors around the world. He can ask questions at anytime and get the best answer possible. A student needs a teacher for many things. Even when the computer does most of the work a student still needs someone there to guide them if they get stuck or confused by something. A teacher must teach the student how to use his/her network and guides them when guidance is needed. A teacher can also show the student how to communicate properly and how to differentiate between good and bad propaganda. I felt like this whole video had many good points and it feels good to know that teachers will always be needed even after everything starts being put on the computer. PLE
This 7the Grader's Personal Learning Environment was very organized. All of the school work was in one place and all of the other stuff was in another. Posting different websites about different things being learned in class for everyone to see is just another great way to use the computer. She can email a scientist anywhere in the world and ask them about anything in the world. She can ask questions and get answers right away even if it is through skype. I like this because you can choose when and how to do things at any given time. This PLE was awesome and I can't wait to get mine up and running.

Sunday, October 7, 2012

Blog Post #6

Randy Pausch Last Lecture: Achieving your childhood dreams I think it would be possible for anyone in this world to watch one of Pausch's lectures and not just envy him. This man gives me hope in the world and makes me want to be better. He feels that the only option in life is to live every day to the fullest and do everything in your power to achieve your goals. Pausch talked about fundamentals and how important they are. I have to agree with him because if you can't get the fundamentals on how to do something you will never know how to do it. He made a good point whenever he said that when your mentor starts ignoring you then you should be worried. When people are taking their time to help make you better then they really care about you and you should feel good inside. I feel that you do gain experience from the things that you never planned on doing in the first place. In order to learn new things you must do something you've never done before. Being a teacher is a much bigger responsibility than just standing in front of the classroom and talking about random things. Teaching is a huge role in a child's life. As a teacher you can always remind your students to follow their goals and not to give up no matter how hard it may seem. I really liked when Pausch talked about one of his student's Tommy and how he actually achieved his goal of working on the Star Wars movies. I also agree that everyone that you come into contact with has some sort of influence on your life rather you realize it or not. As a teacher, you will teach students many things and you will also learn from them. Every single day is a new learning experience and you have no choice but to live it up. You should always live every day as if it will be your last.

Sunday, September 30, 2012

C4K Summary for September

Summary of Emanuelle's Blog
Emanuelle's blog was very interesting to me and I must admit I was amazed by the whole thing. Emanuelle is a 5th Grader in room 14 at Pt. England School and his teacher is Miss Ouano. The blog had many interesting colors and there were a few stories that he wrote about a character named Dan. Dan seemed to be a very interesting person and I look forward to reading more about his adventures. I liked the blog and I can learn so much just from reading it as much as possible. The most recent blog post was a story about Dan wanting to get out of the house because his parents were fighting so he talked his sisters into taking a walk to the school. I can't wait to see what Dan, and his big sister, are going to be up to next.

Summary of Ata's blog 
Ata is a 5 year student at Pt England School. Ata's whole blog was kind of similar to Emanuelles's blog in the way that they were both very creative and had many ideas. Ata did a great job of expressing her ideas and putting them all into stories. I liked her story about the Paralympics and the way that she was so excited about trying something new. I told Ata that I hope she enjoyed her day just as much as I enjoyed reading all of her stories on her blog. I wish I could be that creative and put it all down in writing.

Blog Post #5

The iSchool initiative
Travis Allen really got me interested in his idea about iSchool and the many positives about the use of it. Budget cuts are being made in schools and classes are getting bigger. His idea of using one touch screen is one of the best things I've ever heard. Technology does belong and it can replace all of the papers, scanners, and even pencils used in a classroom. There are many ways that iSchool can help teach a class in any subject taught in school. World Wiki can tell you anything about the world and can show you any country at the touch of a screen. The math was the most interesting to me because students use so much money every year on scientific calculators and books. I liked his arguments about iSchool a lot and I think every school around the world should really look into it. This device could help teachers learn new ways to teach their students in ways that they wouldn't be able to without it. I love the idea of saving money anytime possible and comparing 600 dollars to 150 dollars, there's just no comparison.
Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir
I am amazed by this video. Knowing that none of these people have ever performed together is just mind blowing to me. People from many different places being able to make such beautiful music is something that makes the internet just so much better. The internet is just so much more than just researching stuff and looking for new games to play, it is also a way to make wonderful things to happen. This video was very inspiring to me and anyone that watches it will be just as interested as I was.
Picture from Pc Rentals
Teaching in the 21st Century
Roberts feels that teaching is changing in many ways. The main way it's changing, of course, is because technology seems to offer so many things at the click of a button that teachers just can't. Yes a cell phone, google, and computers can give you all of the information that you need but it's not teaching you. A teacher still has a high priority of showing a student why and how things are the way they are. A computer can't get hands on and show examples in real life in the way that a teacher can. A teacher has to validate and communicate with the students so that they learn and understand what they have looked up on their use of technology. This will affect educators in a way that just makes their job easier but still very important.
Flipped Classrooms
I think these ideas of teaching can become very useful. Why I Flipped My Classroom made many helpful points that really got me on board with this way of getting all of the students on the same page. Recording lectures and sending them to the students is a great way to have everyone prepared before they even step foot into the classroom. The students that are ahead of the class can just watch the lecture and be fine. The students that are struggling can stop and pause anytime that it is needed. When students are able to self pace, the learning should come so much easier. I want to use this in my classroom to make everyone happy and give them a chance to know all of the material ahead of time.

This Is My Sentence

Sunday, September 23, 2012

Blog Post #4

Podcasting With First Graders This blog made an overall good point that everyone enjoys being heard. The students were all so excited to record their stories and they were so interested in the lesson that they didn't even realize they were doing school work. Anytime a student is interested in an activity, is a good thing. Podcasting can be a great way to get quiet students more involved in the classroom. I never thought of podcasting as a learning experience but now I think it is an intelligent way to teach. I loved the way that the students that weren't being recorded at the time just sat at their desks quietly waiting on their turn to go back and be recorded. Listening Comprehension-Podcasting
Hearing is a very valuable tool that is needed to learn new things. You can learn just from watching but being able to hear is a huge part of understanding. Hearing things over and over in many different ways is an easier way to learn. Practicing the use of words is also very important in helping teach new languages. This post talked about putting a feeling to a word and I really liked that. Recording things and letting students hear them in different ways is the only way to learn new things. Podcasting can even teach someone to really pay attention to something that would have never gotten their attention otherwise.
The benefits of Podcasting in the classroom
One major benefit of podcasting is that learning doesn't have to take place just in a classroom. The teacher can reach his/her students no matter where they are around the world. The students can learn the lesson anytime anywhere. Another major benefit is that while learning and watching the students can stop or pause the lecture anytime they would like to take notes and such. Using the computer is way more fun than just sitting in a class listening to a boring lecture for hours. Another major benefit is that students can still learning when they are sick and can't get out of bed. The work will always be just a couple of clicks away. After watching all of these videos, and reading post about podcasting, I see a new way to learn and teach and it is just as effective, if not more, than conventional classrooms.

Thursday, September 20, 2012

C4T #1

Summarization of Karl Fisch's blog
I commented on Karl Fisch's "The Fischbowl." His blog was about an interview on a "Glee" star and how it had so much to do with his view on the world. He talked about how she knew she wanted to be a star but she also knew it was best for her to go to school and learn as much as she possibly could. Fisch was inspired by her story and wanted to use Benoist's ideas in his algebra class. My comment on Karl Fisch's blog
I liked how Fisch used this interview as a way to be better prepared to teach his algebra class. I told Fisch that all of his points made sense and how you never stop learning. Gaining new knowledge everyday is the best way to be successful in life. You can always use the new stuff that you've learned in a different aspect of your life. Summarization of Karl Fisch's Connected Learners at AHS
Fisch's second blog that I got to read was very interesting to me in the way that I didn't realize some things were still an issue in the world. The blog was about how he was trying to get enough funding for his school so every student could have access to their own laptop. He wanted them to have access rather it was just in the classroom or one that they could take home. He explained how funding was an issue, of course, and that he lived in an area where some students just couldn't afford their own. He brought this issue to his administration's attention and they agreed. Now their are programs in their school where certain classes need a laptop. They are trying to stress that money would not be lost in buying a laptop because the student could use it all four years. My comment on Connected Learners at AHS
This whole blog was very informative to me. I didn't realize that there were still places in the world that doesn't have computers in every classroom. I agreed that computers can be a great teaching tool for the students and every student should have access to one in order to learn new things. Money is always an issue with these things and there's only so much a teacher can do. I also agreed that funding would not be lost in the purchase of a laptop because it would be used far beyond school. Technology is a thing of the future and it is now a part of life.

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Blog Post #3

Blog Post #3
Part 1
I learned that there a more than one way to comment on someones blogs. There are specific rules to follow in order to be a successful commenter. The number one rule that all three of the videos said was to make suggestions. The whole point in commenting is to help the blogger get better. If you don't make suggestions, they will never make progress. You should always make sure you add compliments too so you don't seem rude. You really want to be helpful so you must tell them what you really think and there are right ways and wrong ways to do that. Editing a peers work can and should be fun. Make sure you are polite in your wording and not like the mean girl in the video that pretty much told the other girl that her writing sucked. You must always care about what you're doing in order to help another person. Part 2
(A) Technology hasn't just affected the way that the world works but it has also made learning easier for students that are less fortunate. This video was awesome because I was able to see how people that can't really communicate like everyone else learn. The students in the special education class in the video weren't really able to communicate with just paper. The computer was put in front of them and they could spell and say exactly what they were thinking. Chris in Technology In Special Education had a hard time communicating with his teacher until the computer was there to help. Sherae was another student that couldn't really just say what she wanted. This video really made me appreciate technology a lot more. I liked it before but now I see it is a lot more helpful that just being there to watch tv or listen to music. Sherae was a very intelligent girl that was able to show it whenever the key pad was put in front of her. This video taught me new things that I never realized before. (B) I could use the math bingo app that i found on Apple.Education.Apps.Com to help a child with special needs learn more easily. The game is a fun way to learn while counting and looking at pictures. It could help the students try to win the game while also learning to add and subtract. Students don't even realize they are gaining well needed knowledge while playing on a phone/computer.
Laptop
Part 3
This video did another great job of showing the many ways that technology is educating our young students today. It's educating everyone really. The main theme in the teacher's classroom was learning how to learn. The digital world that the kids were creating was teaching them new ways to see the world and how to create new things with their own creativity. Blogging is a lot more useful than I realized before this video. It is a way to communicate with people that you would have never communicated with otherwise. Students and teachers can share ideas on each other's blogs. All people can learn from blogging and other forms of communication, not just students in a classroom being taught by a teacher. Students sharing ideas with each other is a lot more affective than just listening to a teacher lecture for hours.

Wordle Project #2

Wordle
Wordle about me

http://www.wordle.net/delete?index=5716936&d=XWAN

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Blog Assignment #2

Did you know

   I think this video was very informing about the world around us. The statistic about the number of Chinese learning and knowing English was very intriguing to me. I think it's awesome how in the future there will be other countries with more English speakers than there will be in the United States. It all just seems so unreal. I never really realized how many people actually use the internet everyday.
   The number of YouTube users and Google users are insane. The world does revolve around technology now and you don't realize it until you see statistics that are real. It's crazy to me how every minute 48 hours are added to the YouTube collection. I honestly feel like more sms text are sent everyday because it seems to be the main way of communicating with others.
Did you know 

Mr. Winkle Wakes
   Mr. Winkle Wakes woke up one day a hundred years later and saw his world turned upside down. He was overwhelmed by the way that everything was ran by computers. The office that he went to where there were workers was strange to him. The workers talked to one another and printed things off with just a click of a button. When he started feeling sick he went to the hospital and also found it to be very strange. He saw the same type of computers and equipment that he saw at the business office.
    The hospital still couldn't help his sick feeling. Winkle then went to a school, a place that he seemed to recognize more than the others. He walked in and sat in a desk and listened to the teacher lecture to the student for hours and he didn't complain one time. He seemed to like the way the teacher spoke to the children and taught them new things. He saw a computer there full of dust and not working and that made his day. He really liked school and the way that the world was still learning new things.

  The Importance of Creativity
   Ken Robinson did a brilliant job of explaining his views on education and creativity. One of the opening statements that he made was my favorite. He talked about how he doesn't get how educators can educator children about the world years from now when educators themselves have no idea what the world will be like or look like. Creativity, to me also, is as important as literacy. If no one thought on their own about the world there would never be new inventions or ways of doing things.
    Kids are not afraid to be wrong and are ready to share what is on their mind because they are prepared to be original. I liked how Robinson thinks that we are educating our children out of the creativity that they were born with and that is not a good thing. He made a good point when he talked about children not being allowed to take classes that will not be used in their job field, and I have to agree that is stupid. How else will the world learn new things? Brilliant people really may not think they are smart simply because the classes they are in doesn't allow them to show their intelligence.

  A Day Made of Glass 2
This video showed the amazing ways that glass can be used. It pretty much showed how our world works in one video. Everything is always changing and that includes the way that our children learn and our teachers teach. The beginning it was just a touch screen and then it continued on to way more advanced things that I found to be really cool. Whenever I think about our world in the future it is something like that video. Everything will be touch screen and the way of teaching will be so much more fun. The way of learning will also be different and paper and pens will be a thing of ancient history. My favorite part of the video was when the children were learning their colors and all they had to do was drag one or more colors together and they saw what came out of it. The future will be so much more advanced than it is now and our children will be so much smarter which is definitely not a bad thing.

Sunday, August 26, 2012

Blog Assignment #1

About Me My name is Kayla Moran and I was born in Pass Christian, Ms. I moved to Mobile two years ago to continue my education at Spring Hill College. I played softball there and really enjoyed it. My major is Physical Education and I want a career teaching and coaching children. I came to South to earn my degree and focus on nothing but being a full time student. My brother, sister, and I were raised by a single mother. I work at a daycare and support myself and intend to get myself through school. I couldn't imagine doing anything, career wise, that didn't involve children because they're always teaching me something new everyday. I love to do anything outdoors and love playing with my new puppy Oakley. Randy Pausch I liked the way that Pausch had such a passion for what he was talking about. He didn't just give some boring speech about time management. He had a specific point to back up everything he said. My favorite thing that he said was, "Doing things right is better than doing wrong things beautifully." It's true that time is valuable and we all learn things from bad experiences. If you always have a plan, and go through with it, then you will always get things done on time.