Final Reflection

Project # 13

Throughout my journey in EDM 310, I have grown so much as a person and as a future educator. I can not express my joy and excitement for my future as a 21st century teacher. Without EDM 310 and Dr. Strange I would have never learned the tools that technology has to offer. Before this course I thought that I knew pretty much everything about the computer and what it has to offer. Wrong! I was so wrong this class made me realize everything that I didn't know, and the importance of staying in tune with technology and it's everyday changes. Each week in EDM 310 was a brand new adventure with each and every assignment.

 I am very proud of the achievements I have made in this class. My blog has actually turned out very well, and I thoroughly enjoyed commenting on my fellow classmates' blogs. Podcasting, blogging, book trailers, iMovie, and so much more was completely new to me and I feel very confident in using these tools in the near future. In my opinion EDM 310 should not only be for education majors, because the course is for the changes in the 21st century. I'm sure future educators are not the only people that will deal with changes due to technology. Before this class I would have laughed and thought why do I need to learn about technology in my future career? Dr. Strange's passion for technology in the classroom has opened my eyes to a new curriculum and style of teaching in my future classroom.

 I was very worried about the group projects that were assigned throughout the semester, because we were are all very busy with different schedules. Thanks to Email, Skype, Twitter, Facebook, and Google Docs we were able to all communicate very effectively on our assignments. The last Smartboard project # 15 threw me for a loop when I read that we were not to meet face to face before creating our video. I automatically texted my group member and decided that we would communicate back and forth through email. Without the tools I learned about in EDM 310 this project would have been impossible to complete.

 The image that I found below contains many informative facts that relate to communicating through technology.

Final Project: Made at the USA

Project # 15

C4K Summary for November

November 8th, 2012- I was assigned to comment on Cade K's blog post

Cade wrote a paragraph about a book he read called Hoot The book is about a child that moved from Montana to Florida and doesn't fit in. He is being bullied now that he has moved to a new place. The end of the book is about the child saving owls. Cade enjoyed the book and thought it was pretty good.

My comment: Hi Cade, This book seems very interesting and had a very good moral. The details you shared with me left me wanting to read it myself. In my opinion that makes you a very good writer! I will add Hoot to my list of books to read. Keep up the good work! Kayla Walker University of South Alabama EDM 310 Student

Novemeber 15th, 2012- Audrey's blog post was my weekly assignment.
“I Need Help With My History Homework…” “Help out a younger student with an essay about world history, but make up a few things that may not have actually happened.”
I helped my younger brother – who is in eighth grade – to study for his history test tomorrow. The chapter he was studying was Hinduism and Buddhism. He proceeded to recite all that he knew about the chapter while I interjected with questions and occasionally some additional information.
Some of the things that I told him that were not true include: Buddha did not actually found the ideas of Buddhism. I told him that while Buddha was in his palace during his childhood, that his uncle used to tell him his thoughts on human suffering, letting go of human desires, and all of the other ideas that Buddhism is based on. My story told that Buddha just repeated all of those things. I also lied and said that Buddha did not sit under a tree without eating for forty-something days. Arguing that a humans cannot go without food for that long. Instead of telling him that Buddha was a wise man, I said that Buddha was actually an inspiring clothing designer – one of the first of his day. The fib goes that Buddha did have a a strong connection with the ideas of karma and the ideas of the Earth but he represented his thoughts through fashion. Saying Buddha invented the circle scarf (to represent karma) and the idea of using animal print and floral print on clothes – to take patterns found in nature and repeat them was a way to honor nature. Another few tidbits I told that were not true were that Galileo was named after his mother’s favorite fictional character and that the word karma means circle or infinity in Arabic. None of what I said is true.
It is always stressed in my history class to “question the author”. My younger brother trusts me. He believed every word I said to be true because it was his big sister telling him. Do you consider every word that your teacher says to be true? your textbook? It is very easy to twist the truth when your audience does not question you. That is why it is important, especially with history, to consider the authors’ motives. “Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense.” Buddha once said that. Or did he?

My Comment: Hi Audrey, It was such a pleasure to read your blog post. You are such a bright and intelligent person. I never would have thought of this topic, but it is definitely something to consider. I have had many situations where I have heard people tell me facts that sounded incorrect. The truth is everyone doesn’t know everything and we should never assume they are right all the time. What a great lesson and eye opener for your readers. I also think it is wonderful that you help your little brother. I can remember helping my sister with homework, and she has always encouraged me to become an educator. Great job Audrey! Keep up the good work! Kayla Walker University of South Alabama EDM 310 Student

November 18th, 2012- I was assigned to comment on Nelson's Naviagtors Blog post
The State house video was assigned for me to comment on for this week. The video showed how the students used technology to create a video with lots of informative facts. They incorporated many images and music to go along with the video. My favorite touch was the kid's voices in the video.

 

My Comment- Hi, I am a student in EDM 310 at the University of South Alabama. I really enjoyed watching your videos posted above. I can tell that you worked very hard using the technology you were given in the classroom. Even though I watched all four videos, I am commenting on The State House. My favorite thing about this video is that you are reading the facts and information in your on voices. It is a little boring to read the facts, but I like how each of you read a little information in the video. The music and images really made the video very enjoyable. I had no clue the Governor’s mansion has a pool in the shape of Alabama. That is very cool! I enjoyed seeing what you did with technology to create these videos. Keep up the good work! Kayla Walker

Final PLN Report

I am currently still working on my PLN using the tool symbaloo. My PLN is basically personalized for my needs in my life. I have social networking websites such as Facebook and Twitter. I also have added  blogger, EDM class blog, and USA's website set for my convenience on my PLN. I have worked on making my learning network to fit my needs for my classes and the websites I visit the most. Not only has my PLN helped me with EDM 310, but I have also been using it for my other classes this semester. I am very thankful that I learned how to create a PLN for myself and as my homepage.

Blog Post # 13

Back to the Future - Brian Crosby

Brian Crosby is a fourth grade teacher that will roll over to teach his current students throughout the fifth and sixth grade. That is something I haven't heard of before, but seems very interesting because the student and teacher relationships are probably far better than having a different teacher each year. More than 90% of Mr. Crosby's students are second language learners. These students are at risk because they qualify for free lunch, which means that they are exposed to poverty. What fascinated me most in this video is when Mr. Crosby mentioned most students answered basic questions incorrectly. For example, which country do you live in , what is your telephone number, and your address? These students have been at this school since Kindergarten and have yet to learn basic knowledge that is at their level in their education. This saddens me as a future educator to know that I will one day possibly have a student that has lacked a proper education. Is this due to the neglect of technology in the classroom or a teacher that failed to give his or her all? One of my favorite parts of the video was watching the students involved in the interactive hot air balloon experiment. You could see the amazement in the eyes of the children, and to watch them have fun while learning was great! Mr. Crosby has introduced the students to blogging which improved their self confidence and writing skills. Seeing how he incorporated technology into the everyday subjects being taught in the classroom was very informative. I agree that educators should give their students the very best education available, and give students the skills they need to succeed in society. I can't wait to have my own classroom and successfully have a class blog along with students that are blogging.

A Vision of Students Today




The video above was created by Michael Wesch along with 200 students at Kansas State University. A vision of students today was such an eye opener even though I am a full time college student. The question is asked if these walls could talk ? What would they say? Well the students give many facts that really opened my eyes to my life and how I am affected as a student. Of course the walls cannot talk, but the students can even though there are many students paying for the course that are not attending on a regular basis. The average accumulated debt is 20,000 before graduation. The truth is students pay hundreds of dollars for textbooks they may or may not ever open. The facts are that students are learning in a way that has been the same for a very long time. The fact one student presented said only 26% of my readings are relevant to my life.

Why is it that assignments are rarely carried over into our lives? I have yet to figure this out because isn't college there for us to have a future career in society. Our class work and assignments should all be given with the hopes that it will help us in the real world. Why do we pay such high tuition to be assigned busy work that will end up with a grade and mean nothing more? 21st century educators must change the way teachers have been teaching in the past. Society is moving a full speed ahead and technology needs to be brought into every classroom. The textbooks students spend so much money on could be a thing of the past and the money could be used for technology like iPads. As a future educator this video was very scary for me, because I am currently in the same situation as most of the students at Kansas State. My goal is to be the best educator I can be given the skills I have gained from EDM 310. Many assignments I thought were busy work actually taught me so much in the end.

C4T # 4 Summary

Last week, I was assigned to comment on Allanah King's blog post.  This post was entitled Home School Partnership- iPad Night. Basically Mrs. King held an iPad night for parents, because knowing what their children are doing in school is very important to them. The iPad is a tool that the children are using and the parents had this informative night for them to learn as well. Mrs. King allowed forty parents to come join the iPad night at this particular venue. The night was very succesful in sharing apps, ideas, and instructions on the iPad and allowed many parents to understand exactly how technology is effecting their child.

My Comment:

Hi Allanah,
I am a student in EDM 310 at the University of South Alabama. I really enjoyed reading your blog post and reading about the iPad night. I think it was an excellent way to get parents involved and using their iPads and technology with their children. We are learning in my class about how to bring technology into the classroom. I think one of the most important steps is getting the parents involved and on board. Thanks for allowing me to have the opportunity to read your blog post.
Kayla Walker

Final Project Progress Report

I am working alongside my classmate Josh Adkison on our Final project for EDM 310. We have chosen to enter the Made At The USA Contest. We have discussed our ideas through emailing and texting, and will be meeting sometime next week to create our video before the due date on December 2nd, 2012.

The topic we have chosen to create our video on is USA Athletics. Basically, we want to incorporate the major changes, improvements, and benefits resulting from the athletics programs offered at USA. I am completely confident that our video will be an excellent representation for USA's 50th anniversary. I can't wait for it to be completed, so others can see one of the many components that makes up the University of South Alabama.

Blog Post # 12

Blog post # 12 was assigned for the student to create their very own assignment. It can be anything you would have liked to have received as your first blog post. I plan on being an elementary teacher so I didn't really choose a specific subject to apply this assignment towards. I feel like at the beginning of EDM 310 I was a little confused at the main goal of the course. However, now it so clear to me and has changed my way of thinking. My assignment is similar to the video blog post Dr. Strange has assigned. I feel like this video is a great example for all new EDM 310 students because it is very straight forward and to the point. 
The instructions for Blog post # 1 1. Watch this video

2. Explain how you feel about this video and what does it mean to you. Do you think you can conform to this style of teaching as a 21st century educator? Give your opinion on how students can benefit from technology. Highlight and summarize the video.

3. Follow the guidelines Writing a Quality Blog Post

Blog Post # 1

I thoroughly enjoyed watching this video on New Brunswick Public Education. It is fantastic to see the door being closed to the old and outdated education students have received for years. The comparisons used in the video really hit home with me. I didn't realize how long ago it was when I did actually get up to change the TV channel. Or when was the last time you seen a payphone? Lets face it a long time ago right! I wonder what 21st century classrooms would look like if these changes all take place. If students have no textbooks then there will be no lockers. Will students have desk? Who knows because paper and pencils being obsolete may include other aspects of schools as well.

Everyone is constantly saying the world is changing around us, but this video really brought that concept into perception. For some reason I am probably like every other student walking into EDM 310 but I never dreamed of teaching in such a way. I thought pens and paper would be everywhere in my classroom. I don't mind learning more about 21st century teaching and all of the technology available. It is just very new and a lot to absorb at one time. I am curious about how to incorporate all students which come from all works of life into one technology savvy classroom. I love the flipped classroom idea but what if all of my students don't have a computer at home. I want to think that everyone does but the fact is that may not be the case. I want to be a 21st century educator thanks to this video and what it has taught me.

C4K for October

October 1st
Briana-Cari a student in Ms. Dunlop's class was my assigned C4K for the week. She posted about how smart and nice Ms. Dunlop is as her teacher. Ms. Dunlop is always willing to help her and that is why she admires her.

My Comment: Briana-Cari, I’m very happy to see that you enjoy Ms. Dunlop being your teacher. I can remember my fourth grade teacher Ms. Kerley. I admired her enough to choose to become an elementary teacher as well. Keep up the great work on your blog. Kayla Walker 

October 11th
Annelise, a student in an online AP US Government course was my assigned C4K. She posted about AP Government ruling her daily thoughts. She spoke of how AP government has influenced her life through the class, news, and family's conversation. She explained about how she was interested in politics and how her family very opinionated. I think at any age opinions can be formed, and it is great for young adults to be interested in politics.

My Comment: Hi Annelise, I am a student in EDM 310 at the University of South Alabama. I am so thrilled to see that you are enjoying your online AP US Government course. It is wonderful to see that you are carrying your knowledge outside of the classroom. There are very few people in the younger generations that care about politics. Since your family is very broad on the political spectrum it allows you to see many styles and personalities. I’m sure! I really enjoyed reading your blog post, and keep up the good work! Kayla Walker

October 16th Jake K was my assigned child for C4K and he was such a joy to read and comment on his post. He wrote a paragraph of informative facts on Thomas Jefferson. All of his facts were on point and some I never knew. Did you know Thomas Jefferson hated to speak for a crowd? Well it's true. He left a link that led to more information on Mr. Jefferson our third president. I also really liked the image he added of Thomas Jefferson on a coin. He did a wonderful job!

My Comment: Hi Jake, I enjoyed reading your post about Thomas Jefferson. All of the facts that you mentioned were very informative. I had no clue that Thomas Jefferson did not like to speak in public that is very interesting. When I was in the fifth grade I had to learn a song to name all of the presidents in order. President Bush was our current president when I was in the fifth grade. Can you believe I still remember the song ? Also, the picture of Thomas Jefferson and the link contained a lot of good information. Keep up the good work Jake! Kayla Walker University of South Alabama EDM 310 student

October 25th I was assigned Loreli, which is a very smart and creative student. She created a slideshow video of the Rocky Mountains. I loved all of the animals that she incorporated from the mountains. The music she added on the slideshow was very appropriate and made me want to take a trip!

My Comment: Hi Loreli, I am so happy to have had the opportunity to read your blog. The slideshow you created was fantastic. The fact that you incorporated music was great, because it tied the slideshow and the images together. The images of the landscape of the Rocky Mountains and the animals were very informative. Have you ever been to the Rocky Mountains ? Kayla Walker University of South Alabama EDM 310 Student

Blog Post # 11

In this video Little Kids Big Potential, watching the kids work with technology was very exciting. All semester I have been told about technology in the classroom, but actually seeing kids work together with technology was great! The students had blogs, wikis, and were working with Skype. They knew more than your average adult does about the computer. Mrs. Cassidy set up blogs for all of her students and they write on their blogs everyday. In the video the students said their writing gets better every time they write. One of the perks to students having blogs and their teacher having a class blog is the interaction with parents. The students post their daily work on their blog and then parents can see exactly what their child is doing. They can see homework assignments and feel involved in their child's education. I think this convenience allows parents to be open to their children's work being on the internet. At the beginning of the year a paper is sent home for parents to sign before their child can even access the computers at school. Then once the students are on the computer they will not have their last names exposed with their first name. The students pictures are also not matched up with the child's name. These features are for the child's safety on the internet. Safety is a the main priority of the teacher and parent because the children love for others to see their work. I love the idea of having each student with a blog to write on everyday.

I really enjoyed watching the Skype video with Dr. Strange and Mrs. Cassidy. She is such an inspiration to all the future educators looking forward to technology in the classroom. How did Mrs. Cassidy start with technology in her classroom? Ten years ago she was given five computers and that was enough to make a center in her class. She thought this was a great place to start and lets just see what happens. There are so many benefits for technology in the classroom because this is the children's world now. They need to know how to live in a changing world. I think Mrs. Cassidy is a great teacher and I loved seeing everything she does for her students.

Check out the Skype conversation with Mrs. Cassidy HERE.

C4T Post # 3

Why are some people moaners?

Well this article was written by Ali Handscomb on her blog called Leadership in Practice. Basically this post was directed towards people who are negative and complain often. Why do some people act like this? I have the slightest clue. I have a friend that acts this way and her attitude makes me miserable. I guess it is partly because as humans we most often like certainty rather than chaos. Some people are simply not made for working within a climate of constant change, whilst for others it is the breath of life. Ali could not have said it better because not everyone can handle changes in life. A life that would be easy for one person may overwhelm another person. I try to look at life by the rule "don't judge someone until you have walked in their shoes". That rule often helps me to not judge someone when they show a negative attitude.

My comment: I know people in my life that are completely negative about any situation. Positive atmospheres are always great to be in, but the reality is that we are all going to be put in negative situations at some point. I agree that it has everything to do with how we react to things rather than acting in a certain way. Why do people give up? That is a question I am not sure how to answer, because I have such a "go getter" type attitude. How someone can just give up on life, a class, a person, or anything is mind blowing to me. No matter what situation it all depends on the amount of effort that is put forth. As a future educator I have decided that I will make my students dig deep to strive for an A. I will not spoon feed a child, because they need the skills to work on their own and succeed. Students can not always have the answer right in front of them because that will cause students to fail in real life situations. I really enjoyed reading your blog post! Kayla Walker University of South Alabama EDM 310 Student

Transforming is not the same as saving money

This post was directed towards people such as JK Rowling, Steve Jobs, and Spielberg. Each of these people have their own unique stories, and are all well known for their accomplishments. I based my comment around this statement "To transform requires new thinking, the capacity to change and ultimately loss". I feel like each of these individuals to risks and chances in the decisions they made every day. Without taking risks one will never know the full potential that they have. I agree that transforming is not always for the goal of saving money.

My comment: Hi, My name is Kayla Walker, I am a student at the University of South Alabama in EDM 310. I enjoyed reading your blog post Transforming is not the same as saving money. I agree with you by reading about JK Rowling and Steve Jobs in particular the transformations in their life were definitely not cost cutting in a any way. By changing shape, appearance, and form that allowed each person to stand out in their own way. Without some sort of transformation they would have never flourished in their own way. To transform requires new thinking, the capacity to change and ultimately loss. This reminds me of artist that painted with such simple concepts. The reason they are famous is because they decided to call their idea art. That is a form of transformation in which led them to become famous artists. With change failure and loss will come, but success can also follow. Your blog post caused me to think a little bit which I appreciate. Kayla Walker

I would highly recommend that you check out Ali Handscomb's Blog

Special Blog Post Assignment

A world where grades don't matter, is a USA Today article written by Mary Beth Marklein. In celebration of USA TODAY's 30th anniversary a few of USA's greatest visionaries were interviewed to talk about the world of tomorrow. Mary Beth Marklein wrote about Sebastian Thrun, a Google Vice President who has founded an education company called Udacity. Mr. Thrun plans to revolutionize education through Udacity which is his education company in California.
Udacity is a completely different type of education, because learning will be free and available to anyone interested in operating like a whimsical style playground. Never be late for class again, failure no longer being an option, and a lesson plan similar to Angry Birds. Does this sound like an educational system for you? Sebastian Thrun says learning should be as much fun as it is to play a video game. Udacity was created after teaching a free-online artificial intelligence course that drew more than 160,000 students. He had such an experience that he decided he could no longer teach in a traditional Stanford classroom. Udacity is his idea of having an online catalog full of free online courses taught by professors from around the world. Special effects and videos are also being incorporated into Udacity.

Sal Kahn is a friend of Mr. Thrun who is a huge supporter of the "flipped classroom". He has inspired a number of schools across the country to "flip" their classrooms. When you flip a classroom it allows the students to watch video lectures at night, and discuss and complete homework during the following day. It reduces unnecessary lecture time in the classrooms, which gives students the time they need on each lesson. It's amazing that New Charter University and UniversityNow are working to make an online education as affordable as a cell phone bill. Also, Charter schools have created a curriculum based on game playing.

How exactly will education look like in 30 years? Honestly nobody knows! Thanks to technology enabling educators the future is looking very promising. Silicon Valley entrepreneurs is also personalizing education and scaling it up. Classes involving a sequence of increasingly more challenging exercises and quizzes aimed at helping students master a particular concept or skill. Instead of the same skills taught over and over that will never carry over into the real world. Thrun is planning a funeral for brick and mortar schools. Instruction will be free, but related services may involve a fee. Honestly that sounds a lot better than the rising tuition rates we are currently facing.

Before EDM 310 I would have been completely confused when reading this article. I have never before been in a class with no pencils, paper, or grades. At first I was very skeptical and honestly nervous because I like my work right in front of me neatly organized. Thanks to my PLN and Google Docs I have been very pleased with the course. Technology is changing around us and educators are taking advantage of a new updated way of learning and educating others. My way of thinking has completely changed thanks to Dr. Strange and Edm instruction. I do not completely agree with Mr. Thrun and his vision for a failure free education. In my opinion we all fail at some point in our life, and my failures have made me stronger and the person that I am today. I also enjoy meeting with my instructors rather than online courses. Through online courses that I have taken I often felt alone with little help. The Wednesdays that I meet with my classmates and Dr. Strange always help me to feel like I am aware of what is going on in the course. The email, facebook, twitter, and the class blog are excellent and informative ways to communicate through online assignments in EDM 310. Technology in classrooms are a MUST and flipped classrooms are so effective from what I have seen so far. I cannot wait to be an educator that leaves the past with the paper and pencils. I do agree that grades are discouraging and just really don't always show the effort put into the course. EDM 310 will be a grade that I worked a lot harder for than most A's I have received in the past. So therefore I plan on grades not being the most important factor in my future classroom.

Green Screen Project

Project # 14

Blog Post # 10

I have been staring at this cartoon on and off today, and I think I have come to a conclusion. The Papermate to the left is the old outdated learning. He cost less but breaks all the time is a way of saying higher education costs more and lasts longer. Papermate is less quality than 21st century learning and with a little more money he could easily be a thing of the past. The Ticonderoga represents the new updated way of learning and teaching. By saying she is the most expensive purchase any hipster will make is an example of outdated education versus new education. Yes, the outdated way of learning is cheaper, but it is less effective than 21st century learning. I think the cartoon is meant to grab the reader's attention and focus in on giving our students a better quality education.

Part 2 Why Were Your Kids Playing Games? This post is about Mr.Spencer and a talk he had with the principal at his school. Basically the principal accuses Mr. Spencer of playing games in the classroom instead of teaching. He begins to explain that the students were engaged in this interactive activity. The principal will not have it he says the focus is helping the students pass the rote memorization test, so the main focus is memorization skills. Well Mr. Spencer believes interactive activities for students is a fantastic way for students to learn while having fun! In my opinion anyone that feels like games and fun interactive activities are not made for the classroom should not be a teacher or belong in education. While having fun students will not just learn new skills, but also everyday life skills and how they are applied in different situations. The problem solving skills are fantastic to teach because like I have said before students need to be able to fend for themselves. Students should not be spoon fed because they need to know how to help themselves and do simple problem solving skills on their own. I think Mr. Spencer is an excellent teacher and is doing a great job with his mind set in his classroom!

I also read the post Remember Pencil Quests?, and I agree that the old way of learning is nothing more than outdated. He starts off by explaining the game Pencil Quests that he remembered playing in school. The game was basically about following a predetermined map and using your pencil. The pencil was the only tool for being social in this particular activity. Isn't that sad? I agree that when I think back to some of the mediocre games and activities I played in school that they were the least bit interactive. The 21st century allows a new way of learning for students and an exciting place in the classroom for any teacher. If you let technology into the classroom, the students will only flourish and grow as a whole. Students need to have that opportunity to socialize with their classmates whether it be blogging or social networks. The classroom is full of endless opportunities if you are willing to open up to new ideas and leave the past in the past.

Part 4 Don't Teach Your Kids This Stuff. Please? By Scott Mcleod I could not agree more with Mr. Mcleod's poem about technology in the classroom. Why would we want such an evil tool influencing our students? It's called technology and it's changing around us daily whether we want it to or not. As educators why would we want to hold our students back from learning and interacting through technology. Well Mr. Mcleod hit the nail on the head, he basically states that porn, cyberbullying,sexting, and many more dangers are out there. Well I can remember in elementary school being so excited to take my accelerated reader test on the computer, because it was so much fun and way better than boring test on paper. It actually encouraged me to read so that I could take my test on the computer. That is actually really sad to be excited to take a test just because it is on a computer. I understand parents concerns about the internet, but this is educational and students will thrive when introduced to such and engaging way of learning. Why hold students back from their full potential?

Who is Scott Mcleod?
Scott McLeod, J.D., Ph.D., serves as the Director of Innovation for Prairie Lakes Area Education Agency 8 in Iowa. He is also the Founding Director of the UCEA Center for the Advanced Study of Technology Leadership in Education known as CASTLE. The co editor of the popular series Did You Know?(Shift Happens). Scott Mcleod is also an expert on K-12 school technology leadership issues. Mr. Mcleod is an inspiration for advocating technology and education, and I enjoyed reading his blog post.

Blog Post # 9

What I've Learned This Year (2008-09) By Joe McClung
In this post Mr. McClung shares his first year of teaching. He explains that over the course of the year he learned a lot about teaching and being a teacher. Mr. McClung shared tons of informative tips for new inexperienced teachers. For example, the image at the top of his post says to stay positive, and that is a great attitude to have in the classroom. I enjoyed reading this blog post and learning from his first year of teaching.
Mr. McClung mentions that he was extremely worried about what his superiors thought about him. Therefore, he lost touch with his audience when teaching a lesson. Student centered lessons are what many teachers are lacking in their classroom. He explains that the delivery of the content is nowhere near as important as student comprehension. He learned in his first year of teaching to let his students drive the lesson. "NO LESSON IS EVER PERFECT. THE LESSON YOU TEACH AND THE ONE YOU PLAN ARE ALWAYS DIFFERENT." This is a statement that I plan on remembering for my future lesson plans as an educator.

Next, Mr.McClung says that we should learn to talk to one another. Communication is essential to have with co workers, students, and parents. We must be able to resolve issues by talking to one another about a problem. Also, educators often set their standards and expectations too high in the classroom. Students are going to fail and not always meet the required standards. Don't be so quick to scold them, instead encourage them to do better next time.
Always take the time to listen to your students, because you may be all they have in their life. Learn to take interest in their lives, earn their respect, and build relationships. When reading Teach Like Your Hair's on Fire the author Rafe mentions trust being the most important element in the classroom. Building trust in a classroom is essential by having compassionate and caring student and teacher relationships. A student should feel like they can count on their teacher and trust them with their education and feel like they can come to their teacher with any concern.

What I've Learned This Year (2011-12) Volume 4

After four years of teaching Mr. McClung was having a hard time deciding who he was as an educator. He held a wonderful reputation with his students, but he constantly worried about what his peers thought about him as a teacher. As he thought about this long and hard he decided no matter his students are what matters. When it came down to it the kids are the reason he wakes up in the morning to go to work not his co workers. Mr. McClung was having a hard time by bringing his personal life into the classroom and that believe it or not it affects the students. His love of teaching and desire to have fun while educating them allowed him to solely strive to follow the same steps, and use the same guidelines that allowed him to become who he is today. If Mr. McClung's students are having fun and learning he is doing his job as their teacher. I think we can all learn from this post and not just as future educators. Is it really important to worry about what others think about us ? Honestly we all wonder daily what others might be saying, but deep down if you stay true to yourself then nothing else will matter.

Over the years Mr. McClung found himself teaching the same boring lesson plans and basically stuck in the same routine year to year. Building creativity is essential in the classroom, and in my opinion how can we help our students flourish if we are never changing and stepping outside of the box. Luckily, he was offered a position teaching a new AP course and he accepted the offer. He spoke of his childhood and thinking back on how much he dreaded going to school. He wanted more than anything for his students to never feel the way he did as a child. This was an opportunity for Mr. McClung to step it up and have a fresh start. He can bring new and innovative ideas to the classroom for this AP course. Children have short attention spans and lets face it mine is probably not much better. It is important to capture a student and reel them into learning and giving you a chance as their educator. It is a must to bring new ideas and concepts into their old outdated way of learning. Whether it be technology or interactive lesson plans the choice is yours as an educator. The main thing I learned from Mr. McClung is that we have one chance as a teacher, and it is important to never fail your students. Give it your all and the possibilities are endless!

Project # 12 Book Trailer

PLN Progress Report

My personal learning space was created using Symbaloo . I have come to absolutely love this tool, and creating my learning space was so much fun! It has helped me tremendously having all of the websites I need and use regularly right in front of me in one place. Organization is a key issue for me and Symbaloo helped me adjust my personal learning space to my desire. Personalizing my PLN and making it easy and compatible for my convenience was a simple task with Symbaloo. A great feature that Symbaloo offers is that it is completely free! Also, there is a grouping tile feature that allows you to group certain websites together like social networks and educational networks. I decided to add a group for future websites that will help me as a future educator. When I become a teacher I plan to use tools like this one to stay organized in the classroom.

Blog Post # 8

This Is How We Dream

In Richard Miller's This is How We Dream Part 1, he tries to make it clear to the viewer that the world is changing around us and that there is no going back. Growing up around prints and books allowed information solely from that text. Now living in a world introduced to the web and endless information prints are slowly fading. Not that books are a thing of the past, but the sources of information available are absolutely endless. The incremental changes through networking and technology are changing daily around us as educators, students, or anyone with a job in the 21st century. The collaborative workspace is now word processing and laptops, instead of pencils and paper. The information we can receive at our fingertips is the research riches of the world. Miller mentions that this time currently is the greatest change in human communication in history. I would have to agree 100 % the world is not what it was technology wise, when I was in school looking at the overhead projector. The times are changing and conforming is not an option it is a must to stay on track with 21st century ideas. Texting, emailing, Skype, and Facetime are now the communication resources we can use to stay in contact with others throughout the world. The wonderful Google doc workspace allowing people to work together, and collaborate ideas from anywhere in the world. These are all proof that communication is forever changing and is only advancing in the technology available.

Part Two

I decided to go ahead and watch all of the part one and two videos Richard Miller created.This is How We Dream Part 2was a video that I didn't really care for too much. Mainly because I have my favorites and this video just seemed somewhat boring. I am prepared to learn everything I can to write with multimedia. Will elementary students be able to write with multimedia? Well you better sit down because of course they will! Students of all ages will be writing with multimedia, and I can't wait to learn more so that I can educate my students on incorporating multimedia in their writing. I do agree with what Richard Miller is saying by our world changing rapidly, and how great it is to be a part of this 21st century experience. In part two he pushes the concept of sharing your ideas via the internet. I agree that sharing your ideas is an excellent way for others to see and possibly to learn from your work. Miller wants educators to push towards a technology based world and leave the past behind us. He wants inspiring teachers that will allow us to achieve our dream of inspiring work spaces for learning and educating. What is a Pedagogie? The definition is a method and practice of teaching, esp. as an academic subject or theoretical concept. Miller speaks of inspiring pedagogies, which will drive forward and advocate for educating others through the advances in technology.

Carly Pugh's Blog Post # 12
After reading Carly Pugh's blog post, I can not wait to create my own blog post assignment. Carly is an English major and it is very apparent when reading her writing. She is so much fun on her blog, and has inspired me to go ahead and start thinking about my future assignment. I loved her YouTube playlist that she created on and honestly watched every video. Her assignment was to create a youtube playlist thinking about our philosophies as a teacher. Taking full advantage of YouTube and all of the videos watched throughout the semester. A few of the options for the playlist include: describe the kind of teacher you would like to be, ways to improve modern education as we know it , ways to improve modern education as we know it , and show ways you can motivate your students. Your YouTube playlist must be published, and needs to be titled with your name, and EDM310 Blog post. At least five of these topics need to be included in the playlist with a minimum of ten videos. Answer the question what could you do with them in your teaching environment? Also, explain how these videos describe your own personal teaching philosophy.I absolutely loved the assignment and I honestly wish it was assigned. I enjoyed watching Carly Pugh's Playlist, and just had an awesome time thinking about what my playlist would be like for my classroom. This is such a great idea for any classroom and any group of students. Thank you so much Carly! Go check out Carly Pugh's Blog!

EDM 310 Is Different
The video The Chipper Series, is about a student named Chipper that attends the University of South Alabama. She is a procrastinator and is never on time with her work. She also never comes to class and when she does she isn't prepared to spend any time on the work. In the video she mentions that she wants to be taught, so she doesn't have to learn. Therefore, she drops out of school and opens a timeline pilot school. This school is designed for students to come to class and spend as much time as they would like on their work. Unfortunately, the school is shut down due to inadequate amounts of class time and instruction. She goes to school online and gets her degree in Education, and Dr. Strange winds up helping her land a job. Once again due to missing class and not being their for her students she loses the job. Next she hops from job to job losing each one before she has a change of heart. Chipper finally decides to go back to school and change her ways to become a better student. Her priorities have changed and she wants to spend time on her classwork, turn her assignments in on time, and actually attend class. It is unfortunate that it took Chipper so long to realize the importance of an education, and the reason why the workload is heavy is to give students the information they need to succeed in the real world at a real job.
EDM 310 for Dummies

The video EDM 310 for Dummies, is a good example of how I felt the first few weeks of EDM 310. In the beginning of this video it shows two students that have lost their minds due to the new information and workload involved with the course. They are confused on many topics and assignments that are being assigned by Dr. Strange. Later it shows two happy students talking over their assignments and how much they are enjoying the course. All of this is thanks to the book they purchased EDM 310 for Dummies. The book contains information including how to use twitter, blogger, Audacity, Delicious, and Skype. The book allows the tools in order to make your intellectual journey a success. I enjoyed watching this video it is clear that it is fake, but the overwhelming feeling this class provides is normal to the not so technology savvy student. When watching this video it made me look forward to creating my own. In my video I would like to include tips on procrastination, and how to manage your time for this course. Also, how to access the class syllabus, manage your PLN for free, learn more on Google Docs, and how to become a successful student in EDM.

Learn to Change, Change to Learn

I couldn't agree more with this videos and the opinions the speakers have about the 21st century student. The students in the 21st century will not need standardized testing to help them reach the dream of their future jobs. The classic "vending machine learning" is a thing of the past, facts and right or wrong answers are not going to help our students succeed. We as educators and future educators can change the way students find information, validate information, collaborate, and problem solve. Welcome to the 21st century! These are skills that students will need for the real work force not just the facts. Because they need to know how to apply the facts in various situations. Creating brave students that have artistic abilities and are multicultural is essential in the 21st century. "Every turned off device, is a turned off student." This was my favorite quote of the entire video, because devices hold the key to endless imaginations, creativity, information, and technology in the classroom. Technology is essential for students to flourish and create relationships through learning. The kids love to have access to technology and they communicate through social networking and blogging. As an educator, students should never be held back from exploring through the surrounding technology.

Scavenger Hunt 2.0

3.) Find a tool to make-your-own comic strip. Create a comic. Post a picture of it in your blog. Justin Commetti, a former EDM 310 student recommended this tool. Make Believe Comix, is a website that allows you to make your on comic strip.
My Comic Strip

4) Find a tool that you have never used before.
I found a very useful tool for the classroom it is called Puzzle Maker. There are so many fun puzzles that can be made like cryptograms, hidden messages, and even word searches. Learning can be fun! I think making puzzles for the classroom is a great way to maybe put students in groups for learning relationships. Also, the class could work together to solve the puzzles to help learn material for a test. Homework can even be engaging and fun for students with puzzles to go along with the lesson taught. I love puzzle maker and think it is a wonderful interactive tool.

5) Find a tool to create a poll anytime, anywhere.
I created a poll using Poll Everywhere

Project # 9b

Clouds on Prezi

C4T # 2

For my first C4T assignment I commented on Ms. Vicki Davis's Blog. She is a full time teacher and mother of three. She lives in Camilla, Georgia and is the author of Cool Cat Teacher Blog. October 3rd's blog post was a topic based on Daily Education and Technology news for schools. What are creative ways we can create symbiotic learning relationships between different types of learners? Vicki Davis asked this question to her readers in hopes for a response for all educators to help one another. Live Mocha is a site that uses tandem learning where each learner teaches each other a different language. She mentions in her classroom she allows her older students to teacher her younger students about computer hardware. I think that is an excellent way to build learning relationships. The learning relationships that are possible in the classroom are endless. She also gave some informative news for the reader that Google Drive has updates for iOS and Android. Google Update allows you to edit google docs simultaneously just like on the web. She asks for new ideas and opinions on flat classrooms and learning relationships. What did I think about symbiotic learning relationships? I enjoyed reading this blog post, and reading all of the comments full of informative ideas that I can apply in my future classroom. I mentioned that I remember one style of learning in my education in Mobile, Alabama and it was the same for basically every class and instructor. Either the students conformed to the learning environment or they began to slip behind. Also, EDM 310 allowed me to realize the amount of technology available for educators and students is astonishing. A flat classroom is new to me and I plan to learn what they have to offer, and how they help the students and their learning environment.

On October 18th I commented on Ms. Davis's particular blog post for my C4T#2. The post was titled "Advice to presenters and teachers: All You Have is Enough." Ms. Davis is blogging about her trip she took to speak at a conference for educators. She spoke to a room of about twenty individuals, but she made it clear that twenty or five thousand makes no difference. As long as you change one person's life you have done a job well done. Did I give it my all? Did I help my listeners, and give them enough validating information? Is it enough ? That is the question for all educators whether it be the last day of school or leaving a conference puzzled. Yes, giving your all is all one can do and that is enough. Vicki Davis says, "If you give all you have that YOU have given enough. YOU MATTER very much. Don't let self doubt keep you from doing it again." All educators need to read this post. For an educator realizing that if you gave 100 % then that is a job well done is important. This post really hit home with me with an issue I often wonder about how I might handle. Dr. Strange commented on one of my post and told me that sometimes giving up on a student is not what we want to do, but if the student doesn't do any work then there is nothing else you can do. This post really allowed me to sit back and realize if you give all that you can that will be enough. If the student doesn't do any work then in a way they have up on you as an instructor, because the work given is to help them succeed in the course. So by not doing any work is basically saying I'm giving up on you and what you are teaching me. I enjoy reading Vicki Davis's blog post. She is an inspiring individual.

Podcast Group Project

Blog Post # 7

The Networked Student by Wendy Drexler

Wendy Drexler's video is based on the 21st century networked student. The simplicity of the video allowed the viewer to realize how easy it is to "get connected". The 21st century student is enrolled in an American Psychology course online. He attends class three days a week and two online with no textbook or lectures. Sounds like my kind of class! What makes this class different is due to the fact the instructor is teaching on a 21st century level. She is constructing a class using connectivism, which is when learning occurs as part of a social network of many connections or ties. She pushes her students to connect with other students and networks in hopes that they may learn from one another. The networked student may use tools such as blogging or podcasting to reach networks. 

Why does the networked student even need a teacher?

In my opinion, many teachers are the backbone of their classroom and make all learning environments stable. I think the 21st century teacher would allow his or her students to explore and navigate to their own extent and ability. Also, students need a teacher to help with validating and assessing information. Teachers are important in a student's life and need to be there to give guidance and instruction when needed. Looking back on a former blog post, I noticed how much information students can receive from various sources. Teachers are important to help students and at the same time allow room for learning on their own as well. 

Am I Ready To Be A Networked Teacher?

Honestly, over the past few weeks I have not been sure if I am ready or not. When beginning in EDM 310 I was like most other students believing I was technology savvy. When actually I knew very little about networking or the importance of technology. I noticed in the last mandatory class meeting the Google Doc's assignment, and how we could all work together as a class. I thought that was really neat and is such a great tool for any classroom. Since I have started my own blog I can not wait to have a running blog for my own future class. I never knew so many elementary age students were capable of maintaining their own blogs. What an interesting way to engage students and allow them to network. Now I feel that I am ready to be a networked teacher, and allow my students to grow in the 21st century as well. 

Welcome to My PLE

Welcome to My PLE is a video based on the Personal Learning Environment of a 7th grade student. In many ways our personal learning environment  is very similar. I check the EDM 310 class blog daily as a routine to see what is going on in my class. I also have my blog and many social networks such as facebook and twitter. The fact that every student can have their own PLE is a great tool for learning. The student can choose to network in many different ways and personalize their environment between social networking and educational networking. Lastly, Evernote which is a note taking program would be extremely useful for any student.

 

C4K Summary for September

C4K # 1

Mohammed's Blog

Mohammed is a year five student in Miss. Ouano's class. He is in room 14 Pt. England's school in Auckland, New Zealand. Mohammed's post was about swimming and Michael Phelps. He gave many interesting facts about throughout his video. The movie that he posted was thirty three seconds long, and his voice was loud and clear. In the movie he told when swimming was invented, and also how many gold medals Michael Phelps won. He shared many photos in his movie of a Michael Phelp's poster, a swimming pool, and even Michael winning a gold medal. I commented and told him how much I enjoyed having the opportunity to watch his movie. I also mentioned what a great job he did adding all of the interesting facts and pictures. Lastly, I ended my comment with a question asking Mohammed if he likes to go swimming.

C4K # 2

My second comment for September was on a student's blog post about homecoming week. I can not recall his name or even find their blog. He spoke of all of the different activities going on at his school leading up to the dance. Each day of the week the students in the grades were allowed to wear assigned colors. They had a lot of fun way to involve the students in the homecoming week activities. He said that on the last day they would all go to find out the homecoming queen and king. I commented by saying I remember my homecoming week in high school, and we always had a homecoming parade. Each grade would make a float and in the end the seniors always won the best float. I decided to ask him who won the homecoming queen and king for this school year.

Blog Post # 6

Randy Pausch Last Lecture: Achieving Your Childhood Dreams

Let me start of by saying Randy Pausch is amazing and his videos are so inspirational. His last lecture begins by sharing with the audience three of his current brain scans, and due to cancer his days are numbered. He mentions that "We can not help the cards that we are dealt, it's how we play them." He lives true to this statement in his life and how he speaks about death. When you watch him speak you can see how passionate he is about his students and education. All I can say is what an amazing man, friend, mentor, educator, and just all of the above example to live by.

I learned many different things from Randy Pausch to use in my classroom. I loved how Randy Pausch painted on his bedroom walls as a child. I think allowing children to express their creativity is important in the classroom. As a future educator I never want to give up on a child. When no one says anything to you anymore, then they have given up. I believe that no student of mine will ever be have to worry about me giving up. He truly embraced his childhood dreams, even though they may not all have come true. Experience is what allows us to chase our dreams, and make certain the important dreams be fulfilled and come true. I never would have thought a childhood dream of Mr. Pausch's would have been to join the NFL. He might not have achieved them all, but he focused and achieved the dreams that came to him by working hard. Fundamentals are necessary or nothing else will ever work was a statement that I know personally is a necessity in life. I struggled in math for many years, until I met a tutor that taught me the correct basics and fundamentals. Without the basics how can you advance and learn more? Well it is impossible the fundamentals are where you start and how one grows.

The fact that Carnegie-Mellon and Brown University both denied Randy Pausch for admission blew my mind. " Brick walls let us prove how badly we want things, and stop the ones who don't want it badly enough." I thought this showed through in this video. If he had given up and stopped pushing himself he would have never attended Carnegie-Mellon. One of The childhood dreams that he had was to be in zero gravity. When his students gained the opportunity to go into the "Vomit Comet", an aircraft that allows one to experience zero gravity. Randy later found out this was an opportunity for students only and not the instructor. That did not stop Mr. Pausch he found an alternative way to climb aboard the creation by NASA. He was not going to allow a little brick wall to stop him, because he kept pushing and achieved another childhood dream. He taught a class for ten years called, Building Virtual Worlds. The class was filled with group work, and mainly working with the left and right side of the brain. The class consisted of fifty students creating virtual worlds using the technology available.

Becoming a teacher was not always a dream of mine as a child. Now, I can not see myself doing anything else besides educating others. It took experience throughout my life so far to realize what dreams to let go of. Certain dreams I wanted for the wrong reasons, I originally always dreamed of being a nurse. I think one of the main reasons I never pushed towards education was due to the lack of funding and the salary teachers receive. My childhood dreams have been altered, but I don't think I could be happier with the goals I am working towards achieving. Experience is what you get when you do not get what you want. Without certain things happening in my life I may not have ever ended up in this class or achieving a degree in Elementary Education. I thought Randy Pausch's video on achieving your childhood dreams was so empowering. I am so glad I took the time out of my day to watch this video from start to finish. In the end, I was literally in tears at how strong he is for all that he has done and continued to do throughout the days he had left.

Time Toast Timeline Project # 9a

My Sentence Video

Blog Post # 5

The iSchool Initiative

The iSchool initiative is a video created by Travis Allen, a 17 year old high school senior in Georgia. Travis presents iSchool as an innovative way to save money and change the educational system for the better. School would be completely different as we know it for students, teachers, and parents. Schools would save so much money not having to buy ink cartridges or paper. Every student and parent would save money not having to buy all of the necessary school supplies. Travis feels that with all of the money being wasted in the school system now that iSchool could change the way of learning. It would save around $600 per student, and would only cost $150 per student to have iSchool.

iSchool is an excellent way to turn around the educational system and make it more user friendly. In my opinion, everyone would save money and teachers and students would have easier access to everything they need. I had no clue that so many apps existed that would be so beneficial to each and every student. Allowing students to use technology and apps in the classroom would be so interesting and fun for everyone. The email app allows teachers and parents to stay in contact, and students to receive assignment due dates and more. The recorder app allows each student to record each lecture, and save to play back for study purposes. It also has a note taking feature that makes note taking easier than ever, classmates can also share their notes through email. One of my favorite apps was Classics; it is an app that allows students to access any book they may need. Classics will allow a student to select any book and they can begin reading. There are many other apps available including U.S. Presidents, U.S. Constitution, iHomework, and many more for easy access to learning through iTouch using iSchool.

I am completely on board with iSchool Initiative. After watching this video, I began to think of how much money the school system is wasting every school year. I think that if everyone would give iSchool a chance it could change the way students learn forever. Money could be spent in more valuable areas and students would be eager to learn. One of my first concerns was what if every student couldn't afford the mandatory $150 for iSchool. Then, I started to think and the school system could afford to help students in need if certain budget cuts were made. I can not think of a way that students, teachers, and parents would not benefit in some way by using iSchool in our educational system. For more information check out Travis Allen's second video ZeitgeistYoungMind's Entry .

Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir

What an amazing video! Everyone needs to click the link above and watch this video if you haven't already. This choir consisting of 185 people is no different than many other choirs we see and hear everyday. Until, you notice that this video was made entirely online, and that the performers have never met or sung together before this video was created. The choir is performing a song called Lux Aurumque. I think this video is a wonderful example showing how technology is changing everyday, and that our futures depend on keeping ourselves up to speed with the rest of the world.

Teaching in the 21st Century
Kevin Robert's video,Teaching in the 21st Century , was worth my time to watch and learn from. I think the video explaining that students can gather and collect any information they need on their own is important to realize. As a future educator it will be my job to help my students learn how to use the information they receive from Google , cell phones, laptops. We should inform our students about pirating,plagiarism,slander,copyright,and most importantly professionalism. we should make our students become critical thinking and to bring their brain to class each and everyday. I think applying problem solving skills in real life situations is very crucial to succeed, and make the best everyday life decisions. Remembering, understanding, applying, analyzing, evaluating, and creating are all skills we should help students to learn in the classroom. Students can learn these skills by blogging and podcasting with their classmates through the internet with various viewers and audiences.

Kevin Robert's says teachers are no longer the source of information, but the filter. I liked the statement by saying that we need to help our students better use the information they receive on their own. The teacher is not the person with all the answers, but can guide students on how to use the information in such a way that they can benefit through technology. A class blog is an excellent way for students to stay involved, and learn how they can allow people from all over the world to see what they have to say. If teachers do not stay involved with upcoming technology how can they educate their students to advance in the classroom, and also out in the real world after they are out of school. Teachers should give students the needs to think outside the box, and create a way to think deeper than just giving surface level answers. Students should be engaged in learning and teachers should be active learners for their students' benefit.

Why I Flipped my Classroom

Katie Gimbar's video Why I Flipped my Classroom . I enjoyed watching her video on how she flipped her classroom. I always wondered how as an educator how can I meet all of my student's individual needs. Every classroom will have students needing a challenge, students learning on pace, and students struggling to understand the information. I am definitely interested in using these methods in my future classroom. I think posting online videos allows every student to move at his or her own pace. Questions can be answered and explained in depth due to less time lecturing and more time giving students the instruction they need. Flipping any classroom would be beneficial to every student, and also using time more wisely when instructing students.

FIZZ- Flipping the Classroom by Dr. Lodge McCammon, he talks about the amount of lecturing that is eating up engaging class time. I agree with Dr. McCammon, if video lectures are posted on the internet students can watch over and over and pause too. I think allowing students to watch videos, and post their questions on the internet is so effective for students. Then, when in the classroom each group of students all at different levels can be given the specific guidance they need. The students would be more engaged to learn in the classroom and at home watching lectures.