Blog post #6

The Networked Student

The presentation Wendy Dexler: The Networked Student shows how valuable networking is to the learning process through using a true story about the 21st century student. Wendy Dexler believes in connectivism which means that learning is done through a diverse network of many connections and ties. 21st Century Student is encouraged to engage in his own learning through a Personal Learning Network of PLN. Here he is taught to assess and evaluate information, to use Google scholar, to bookmark to his bookmarks site, shares other's bookmarks, searches blogs, use Google reader to subscribe to blogs, and creates his own blog. He also uses iTunes U to listen to lectures on his topic from excellent professors around the world such as Berkley. He also uses Skype to hold in class discussions with important scholars. In the end he creates his own virtual textbook and is available to other students around the world.

So why need a teacher? Teachers are the resources that students use if they need help. Teachers are learning architects. They help you build your PLN. Teachers are modelers which means they guide their students when they get stuck and need help. Teachers help to create a learning conciense. They do this by showing how to communicate properly and ask respectively for help from experts. They are a connected learner incubator which means that teachers help students differentiate from good information and propaganda. Teachers are network Sherpas and synthesizers. They turn web searches into scavenger hunts. Add all this together and you have a change agent. Teachers get their students excited when they find the "pearl of content".

Connectivism is a great learning technique to teach students to be responsible and engaging learners. However, I don't think that this method would be best for high school and middle school students. This method is great for the college level. The college level shows a greater level of thinking and responsibility. However, I believe this method is a great way to get students prepared for a higher level of learning. I believe that this method should be used not for the entire duration of the class but as a side project. Throughout the semester have students choose a topic relative to the class they are in. For example as a future history teacher, I would encourage my students to choose an interesting topic they want to learn more about such as the Holocaust. Help them establish their PLN and let them take the wheel from their. For high school students, the best way to help them to stay on track, is to create a check sheet and have them complete something every week like EDM 310.

I find this method of teaching very useful. I value independence and responsibility. It creates the best character within a person. Being self sufficient is the key to being successful. I believe that using this method in my future classroom will create self sufficient and 21st century learners. I believe this method of learning will stay with my future students throughout their lives and very will into their professional careers.

Personal Learning Environment

A seventh grade student from Wendy Dexler's science class shares her personal learning environment and shows how the entire class is taught through networking. This means that the class is completely paperless. In the video she shows us her daily routine and the freedom she has through her personal learning environment. In ways her personal learning environment is a lot like EDM 310's learning environment. Both express the need for creativity and responsibility. Both environments are given the freedom to work on things that need to be done when the students want to. Granted in EDM 310 we have deadlines, but the freedom is still there. Through these personal learning environments, students are given more responsibility and independence which is essential to their professional careers and social growth.

My Sentence Video

Blog Post #5

If I Built A School

Krissy Venosdale has been teaching for 10 years and is now a special education teacher. She uses blogging and her PLN (Personal Learning Network)to become a better teacher for her students. She has a huge passion for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics or STEM. She believes strongly in inquiry based learning and teaching them how to think and not what to think.

In her blog post If I Built A School, she describes how the school looks and interacts with the students. The way she describes it is very cozy and makes students want to go to school and learn. Everything seems more modern. For example in the cafeteria there are cozy chairs where student can sit at and collaborate. There's a lot of new equipment for science labs and computers, laptops, and Ipads in every classrooms. Her school is a place for innovation and thinking. If I were still in high school I would definitely look forward to going to this school every morning.

I think building a school would be a great experience. I have never thought about building a school before but I love design and function so I would incorporate that into my building plans. There would be reading and study nooks where students can do homework before and after school. The classrooms would be colorful so students feel welcome with comfortable chairs and tables. The tables would be round to encourage team work. Hands on learning will be part of the everyday curriculum. In the library there will be comfortable reading nooks in every window and there would also be a small student coffee shop managed by the student body. There would be technologies in the classroom to encourage students to research answers to current problems and to help them to learn to be technologically literate. The school will be painted in bright colors so that it will have an energetic atmosphere with a lot of windows to incorporate some environmental factors. I think there should be a lot of plant life so students can be environmentally aware. I believe there should be designated rooms for the arts and social sciences. For example there should be music rooms, art studios, a museum room and a dance studio. I believe a focus on the arts along with science and math is what makes a great school. Giving all students the opportunity to explore their interests.

Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir

I have never heard something so beautiful and soothing until I listened to Eric Whitacre's virtual choir sing Lux Aurumque. The way that this ensemble was put together further explains how technology is used to connect people across the world. According to Jennifer Chamber's post, the performers in the choir have never met and have never sang together before. The performance was put together through the internet and posted on Youtube. I would love to do something like this. Not just for my personal use, but also in the classroom. To connect with other students through the internet is a great way for students to learn and to respect others throughout the world. I am so thankful that Dr. Strange introduced this video to me. It really has got me thinking and I cannot wait to do something like this with future students.

Teaching in the 21st Century

Learning can take place at anytime and anywhere thanks to the internet and the technologies that provide internet. So what does this mean for teachers? The video Teaching in the 21st Century addresses these issues. Students can easily find the information they want via Google, Wikipedia, Facebook and Twitter. So why are teachers still needed if students have the information at their fingertips? Teachers are still very important for learning and engagement. It is up to teachers and future teachers to harness the skills needed to ask questions and to solve problems. The video made feel like educators will no longer be needed due to the readily information on the internet. However, our duty is to engage our students in today's technology in challenging way; to make them think in challenging ways.

Flipping the Classroom

Flipping the classroom is cool way to get students interested in learning and engaging in the classroom. It allows students to got home and look at videos that the teacher wants them to go over and come up with questions, discussion and strategies to share in the class the next day. This allows struggling students to get caught up, for middle students to understand and ask questions and for advance students to go forth to the next level. This allows teachers to focus on each students skills and give help to where it is needed.

I believe that I could use this strategy in my future classroom. I think that furthering education outside of the classroom is a brilliant idea and strategy to help kids to get engaged in learning by asking questions. As a future history teacher, I believe that this would be a perfect way for students to come into class with some really great discussion topics.

Project # 5 Presentation

C4T #1

Post written on January 25, 2013

I read Edna Sackson's blog What Ed Said on January 25, 2013. This post is all about beginnings and how she interacts with her students. The main thought is how she interacts with her students on the first day of class. Her post is divided into three categories: I used to think, now I think, and 10 ways to create a learning culture. Under the header I used to think, she lists how she used to introduce the class. Some examples of how she used to think are explain your expectations, establish rules, know everyone's name, tell them what they will be learning, and show a firm hand. Under the header now I think she lists what she does now on day 1 in the classroom. Opposing the previous list, she now thinks ask about their expectations, create an essential agreement, know everyone's story, demonstrate that you value thinking, talk about learning, make sure you listen, and laugh. Under the header to create a learning culture, she applies that list to working with teachers and making a more professional environment.

My Comment

I commented that I agree with the thought process in list two. I said that I believe in getting involved with your students and getting to know them individually. This list also helps to know what the students need help with the most. This list also great for working with fellow teachers. It allows teachers to come up with great lesson plans for everyone and creates a great learning environment. I also said that I plan to use this list in my future classroom.

Post written on February 6, 2013

This post is about digital citizenship and what it means and how it effects her students. Some of the questions that students will be addressing are How do we analyse and evaluate digital content, What are our responsibilities when creating digital content, How can we communicate our ideas creatively and effectively online, and What can we learn by connecting and collaborating with others in the world. Through these questions, Sackson hopes that her students that people are consumers and creators in a digital world,we need to think critically about digital content, everyone needs to be responsible for digital content they create, the internet enables us to connect,communicate and collaborate with people all over the world. She plans to accomplish this through the tools of Skype, blogs, Twitter, Voicethread, email and other types of media.

My Comment

I comment again that this post is very relevant to me. I am in Educational Media 310 or EDM 310 and we are learning to be digital citizens through blogging and podcasting. So far I have learned many valuable skills and how to be aware of what I put on the internet. As a future teacher I plan to use these methods in my own classroom.

Blog Post # 4

Langwitches

Podcasting is a brilliant way to engage children in the classroom. I was thoroughly impressed by the first graders that were Langwitches introduced. As I was listening to the first graders, I couldn't help but to smile. These children are engaging in a type of learning that I was never introduced to. What really impressed me was the way that Ms. Silvia Rosenthal Tolisano taught her second grade students how to learn Hebrew. The students recorded their own voices in Hebrew to tell the story of Purim and the teacher out the script out of order so that when the students went up to the smartboard they can put them in order. It's a way for the teacher to test their comprehension level of the language. I thought that this was just amazing. If I had this opportunity I would probably be fluent in Spanish by now.

I love the Flat Stanely podcast. It is a great way for younger students to learn about the world around them. The students recorded their voices to tell the short story about how Stanley became Flat Stanley and how he was mailed around the world because he could fit into an envelope. Next the students were flattened! They were so excited that they got the permission from their parents to be mailed too. These students were mailed to Tokyo, Antarctica and even to Alabama where she learned to say Roll Tide! In order for these students to do this project, they had to go home with the help of their parents and do a little research about the location on where they were being mailed to. This is a great for students to engage in critical thinking and to learn how to work with others.

There are many benefits to using podcasts in and out of the classroom. According to Joe Dale, the author of The Benefits of Podcasting in the Classroom, some of the benefits include that it is a form of learning students of today are familiar with and therefore makes it relevant to them, it promotes creativity and innovation, it can offer distance learning opportunities for absent students, and allows parents to see and hear what their child is doing at school. This is the kind of teaching and learning that I want to do in my future classroom. I love hands on learning. I also think that it is a great way for the parents to be involved in their child's learning and personal growth. I will definitely use podcasting as a learning tool in my future classroom.

Special Blog Post #1

Misinterpreted Data

Looking at data can be easily misinterpreted if you don't think about what it actually means. When I did the WolframAlpha search, I was really amazed by the results. I did three population comparisons between the United States and India, the United states and China, and for fun I compared China and India. The results showed that China has 1.35 billion people, India has 1.21 billion people and the United States, the lowest on the totem pole, has 309 million people. There is a dramatic difference between the United States and these two countries. It is safe to say that the United States is out numbered.

WolframAlpha

WolframAlpha is a search engine that helps you find facts on what you want to know about. To have fun, I first typed in the search engine "compare the Alabama Crimson Tide to the Auburn Tigers." Sadly they are still investigating this topic. So I searched something more realistic and I compared Facebook to Twitter. Facebook has 12 billion page views a day and Twitter has 690 page views a day. Facebook also has 630 million daily visitor where as Twitter has 120 million. Facebook site rank is 2nd where Twitter is only ranked 10th. I also searched "How far is the United States from Italy". The results showed that the distance between the center of the United States to the center of Italy is 5,343 miles, and in kilometers 8,599. It also showed the distance travel times. In an aircraft at 550 mph it would be 9 hours and 45 minutes. Sound would take 7 hours, light in fiber would take 40 milliseconds, and light in vacuum would take 29 milliseconds.

According to WolframAlpha, their "long-term goal is to make all systematic knowledge immediately computable and accessible to everyone." The creator Stephen Wolfram did just that and is continuing to maximize the users experience. This search engine is for the purpose of gaining knowledge and is easy for anyone, young and old, to use. This tool would be great for me and for any future or current educator to use in a classroom. Let's say that a student ask you a question that you don't know the answer to. For example:"Ms. Harris, when did Christopher Columbus sail the ocean blue?" "I don't know Tommy. Let's find out as a whole class." WolframAlpha makes it easy to find out. You type in the search engine the question and wala! "WolframAlpa says that Christopher Columbus reaches the new world on october 12, 1492." This tool is perfect for any classroom for students, and possibly teachers, who want to learn.

Gary Hayes Social Media Count

It's mind boggling thing when you think about how many people are there using Facebook at that current time or how many people in the world are using some form of technology period. Gary Hayes Social Media Count makes that thought into a realization. This social media count shows how many people are using Social, Mobile, Games and Heritage. In one month about 61,005,848 blog post have been posted. It's crazy to think that I am one of those bloggers who posted in a month out of about 61,005,848 post. In one year Facebook has about over 1 trillion likes and comments. This count puts in perspective of how much the world is connected.

I knew the world was a vast place with billions of people in it. However, I never realized how closely connected we all are until I look at this count. Technology is vital to our survival as a whole. As a future educator, my perspective has changed on how we use technology and now I realize how important it is to stay on top of the technological trends. For my future students to be the best of the best, I have to be exceptional at providing my future students with the resources that they need to succeed. Being aware of the world around you is the key. Gary Hayes Social Media Count is a great tool to show how connected we are in the world and is a great reminder that what we do effects everyone.

Blog Post #3

Peer Editing

Peer editing can be either destructive or helpful to a students. If not done correctly, peer editing will not be effective and will do more harm than good. Throughout the years in middle and high school and carried on into my first year in college, I dreaded peer reviews. At the time, I thought there was no purpose of the task and just gave my peers the excuse to ridicule and to mock me. Let's face it; kids are ruthless. I went to school with a lot of Mean Margarets and Picky Pattys! As a result of my peer review experiences, I became inefficient in my criticism of my peer's papers. I was afraid to give any kind of criticism due to the fact that I was concerned with hurting his or her feelings.

I strongly believe that my experiences and opinions of peer reviews are due to the lack of proper instruction on how to edit effectively. The video What is Peer Editing? and the slideshow Peer Edit With Perfection Tutorial gave me excellent tips on how to a qualitative peer review and how to edit effectively. I have learned that complements and staying positive is essential to a qualitative peer review. Complements builds up your peer's confidence and self esteem. I have also learned that giving suggestions in a positive way also helps because it doesn't make him or her feel incompetent. For example, when suggesting on word choice say "Hey, instead of using the word good use the word excellent. It gives the paper more personality." Being cruel and judgmental is not an effective way on getting your point across. Also being specific in your suggestions helps as well. Vague criticism is not helpful to your fellow peer. Other helpful tips on what not to do in a peer review according to the video Writing Peer Review Top 10 Mistakes are don't rush through the peer review, don't change the subject, and don't be a Mean Margaret.

I strongly think that these videos and slideshow should be shown in classrooms all across the country. They get to the point on what not to do and clearly state on what you should do when it comes to critiquing someone's paper, blog, or even a comment on a social network. Peer reviewing is personal and it should always be done in a respectful manner.

Assistive Technologies

I have always wondered what it would be like to be deaf or blind. I have always thought that I would rather be deaf than blind any day. I would hate to not be able to see the world or where I am going or to be able to read a book. However, the advancement in science and technology has given the deaf and blind societies the ability to surpass these obstacles.

The Mountbatten brail writer, according to the video The Mountbatten, is an assistive technology that allows blind students to keep up in the classroom. The Mountbatten allows blind students to interact within a normal classroom setting. The advance technology takes a brail document and can convert it to print for teachers and students who do not know brail. This also allows the teacher to give feedback. This allows blind and seeing students and teachers to work together in group settings. I would use this technology to help students realize that not everyone is the same and that disabled people deserve the same amount respect as everybody else.It would also help the blind students feel part of a student community and bring normalcy to their lives.

Teaching Math to the Blind

One of the hardest subjects to master is math. It is ten times harder for someone who is blind. For blind students who want to go into engineering, mastering the math that is involved can be very difficult. In the video Teaching Math to the Blind, Professor Karshmer from the University of San Francisco introduces a machine that helps blind students to perform the simplest math problems to the most advance math problems. This technology is amazing. It consist of a grid and blocks with brail and the actual number on the block. A student scans a block and it talks to the student identifying what that block is. Then the student places the block in the grid and the grid tells the student what that block is relative to where it is in the grid. This allows the student to set up the problem correctly. This technology is incredible. I believe that technology for the impaired should be in every classroom. This really helps impaired students feel like they are part of the learning community.

iPad Usage For the Blind

One of the most amazing app features for the iPad is voice over. This allows visually impaired students to learn outside the classroom. One of the features that this includes is iBook. It's really easy for a visually impaired person to operate this system. All they have to do is run their fingers along the screen and when they find an app they want to open, all they have to do is double tap anywhere on the screen. The iBook is incredible. A blind student selects a book that they want to read and the system reads it aloud for them. This gives not only blind students but blind people all over the world there independence back. They no longer need the help from seeing people to do things they like to do. I hope to have this technology in my classroom one day. Not only for the blind but also to show my students what the world is capable of producing and what they could produce way beyond today's advancing technology.

Vicki Davis: Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts

In the video Vicki Davis: Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts, you find students who are learning on there own and in groups about how to use the internet and other computer technologies through hands on assignments. In their groups, students are given an assignment to look up and to practice with and when they have done so they teach the rest of the class how to do it. An example of this was the Tereform group. What was so amazing to me is that Ms. Davis gave them an assignment on how to use the tereform when she didn't know how to do it herself. This is true learning. Getting the students involved in teaching their peers is not only effective but it teaches them to be responsible and to be critical thinkers.

While watching this really cool video, I was starting to notice that I was comparing Ms. Davis' classroom to EDM 310. We may not be learning how to tereform, but were learning to be critical thinkers. Were also learning to be digital citizens. I have learned more in this class so far than I have ever learned in a "burp back" classroom. The quality of learning that Ms. Davis' students are doing should be in classrooms across the world. I plan on doing this type of teaching in my future classroom.