Final Reflection Blog Post #14

Final PLN report

In the video above, I describe how I developed my PLN and where I believe it will take me in the future. From the moment I discovered Symbaloo, I have been hooked! I truly love the site and the fact that most everything I need is right there. As I explore and find new websites or blogs I can easily add those to my mix. This has been a great discovery for me personally as well as professionally.

C4T #4

The Power of Educational Technology

For my final C4T, I had the great privilege of reading Liz Davis's blog, The Power of Educational Technology. She has so many powerful ideas about education. Liz is the Director of Academic Technology at Belmont Hill School which is an all boys, 7-12 independent school outside of Boston, MA. My first post was on her thoughts regarding iPads in education and I really liked what she had to say. She made many valid points beginning with why an iPad would be better than a laptop - easier to tote around & the benefit of the low screen profile. Why an Apple product over another tablet? Her school is already committed to all Apple products so that would make iPads a sensible choice. Her final argument regarding why the iPad is the many applications that iPads offer to assist students in learning complex material. She also mentioned that having student textbooks on the iPad would also help lighten the students physical load as well as the school's fiancial load. 

Her argument for wanting a 1:1 program is best explained through her own words, "In a time when the ability to discover an answer is more important than the ability to memorize and regurgitate the answer, we must make those answers readily available to both our students and faculty. If we want a pedagogical shift, 1:1 access to a digital tool will help both to facilitate and to force this change to happen." I could not agree with her more! I am ready for our nation to wake up and realize that educating our children must take precedence and  must be done with the tools of today not those of years past.

Blog Post 13

I am not what I would consider a technical "junkie". I am fine with having no texting, cell phone, facebook, or the computer. My biggest problem is the television. I completed my media fast this week while my children and I were spending time in Pensacola. We visited the Naval Museum, the Lighthouse, and Fort Barracas. It was a beautiful day! We did not watch television or use the computer. We had a picnic outside and played on the beach until late in the day. We had real, uninterrupted conversations together. I have to say it was fantastic! The only problem I ran into was using the GPS. My navigational skills failed me and I got a little lost. I had to pull out my GPS system in order to navigate my way back home.I believe that was the right decision to make or else we might still be in Pensacola driving around. The next morning I went to breakfast with my mom and we enjoyed real, face to face communication over coffee and bagels for more than an hour. It was truly a very relaxing, well spent twenty-four hours.

Although I have no problem forgoing technology for an entire weekend while camping with my family, I know that there are some people who do have difficulties letting go of these devices even for a minute. I, personally, think these individuals need to let go of the obsession (if only for two hours) and concentrate on having face to face conversations with friends and family without cell phones present. With that being said, I know that the classroom should be full of engaging technology that captures our students hearts and minds. We should not ask them to go back into the dark ages, as some students would say, without computers and Smartboards. There should be a delicate balance of technology and personalized instruction. If we continue working towards this goal, then before we know it changes for the better will occur in every classroom across America.

Creativity and Curiosity: My Thoughts - Special Post #12A.

Do schools in the United States systematically destroy (or inhibit) the development of curiosity and/or creativity in students?

No, I do not think you can make such a blanket statement. I think there are individuals within the system who attempt to inhibit creativity in students. I have worked in the Mobile County Public School System on both the elementary and high school levels. I have seen teachers who go above and beyond the job description encouraging students to think for themselves and not always expect the answers to be handed  to them. I have also seen teachers and administrators who want students to be carbon copies of one another so that they can create lesson plans that are "one size fit all".  There certainly  needs to be changes  made to the overall education system so that every student has an opportunity to be the very best person they can be.  

Can a curriculum be developed that increases the curiosity of students? Can a curriculum be developed that increases the creativity of students?

Yes, and that curriculum for me is the AMSTI program that my son participates in at his elementary school.  This program has sparked his curiosity in science where there was not much before. He lacked enthusiasm for science until last year when AMSTI began. His teachers have done a fabulous job in facilitating this program. AMSTI is a hands on science program that encourages students to find the answers to questions through experiments and real life scenarios. If this program could be modeled for math, english, history, etc. than I believe students would take more ownership of the learning process and we would create more creative, more enthusiastic learners.

Can a teacher's actions increase the curiosity of students? If so, what would be those actions?

Of course they can! Teachers can affect every aspect of the learning process. If a teacher stifles questions and insists on order over organized chaos, students will learn that it is more important to be quiet and still than ask questions. The opposite is true as well, if teachers demonstrate the importance of curiosity, not only in the classroom, but in life in general it can make all the difference. Teachers must model curiosity. If a student asks a question that you do not know the answer to it is okay to say, "I don't know that answer, but let's find out together."  Don't be afraid to ask questions just because you are fearful of not having all of the answers. 

Can a teacher's actions increase the creativity of students?
 The very first thing that came to my mind was a teacher and her red pen. Talk about stifling creativity sometimes. I have used a red pen to grade multiple choice tests and chapter tests, but I can't imagine using one to make a lot of marks on a students essay paper. Red means not good or wrong to most students. If we want them to write and enjoy the process while doing so, then get rid of the red pens! The second thing that came to mind was the many projects students are required to do from home. Let's face it some students have access to better materials than others. How do you grade a project that is required to be done at home on neatness and use of materials when the parents can't afford the latest and greatest supplies to make it look as nice as others? Throw out the old way of thinking and reward the student who finds things around the house to complete their project rather than purchasing new items.
What would help you become more creative? What role would teachers and/or schools have in that process?

What helps me be more creative is knowing that I have a teacher on my side who wants me to be successful and who praises my effort rather than my perfection. School is hard and not every student is going to relate to and be successful at every task. I allow myself to open up and let my creative juices flow on the more difficult tasks if the fear of failure has been eliminated. If I know that my teacher respects me and the effort that I put forth more than whether I completed the project exactly right.
What would help you become more curious? What role would teachers and/or schools have in that process?
For this question, I want to back up a little bit in my life. My mom was a stay at home mom to four very different girls. I have said already in my blog posts that my mother was a huge influence in my childhood. The four girls are like night and day but with one common thread, my mom allowed us to be exactly who we were as children. She made sure that each of us understood how special we were and that we had something to offer the world that no one else had. We spent many summers making mud pies in the back yard, climbing trees, selling lemonade, and riding our bikes to pick blackberries. All of us would ask endless questions about the sky, the moon, the blackberries, the dirt and my mom would patiently answer each of our questions (even if she had answered the same one ten times already). My point is this, the development of curiosity begins at home. Somehow we need to teach parents that it is okay for your children to ask questions. If you do not know the answer, go figure it out together. The days of children being seen and not heard have long been over. They need to be seen, they need to be heard, and they need to be individuals who care why the sky is blue. Teachers and schools need to continue what parents have started allowing students to ask questions and pointing them to the answers. I have been in the classroom and I have experienced the inquisitive child that wants to ask a question about everything. I know how disruptive it can be to the learning process, but it is our job to figure out how to help that child find the answers he/she is looking for without always needing to come to us. Let's remember that there is a huge difference between curiosity and poor listening skills. I have been in class in a college level course and nothing makes me crazier than a student asking questions that have been answered more than once but they were too busy on Facebook or texting to hear the answers. That is not curiosity! It is the teacher's responsibility to discern the difference and to maintain the respect to the learning process by not indulging students who simply do not pay attention as they should.

  Who is Elli?
Elli is a writer for InGoodMeasure.net. She was born and raised in Colorado and now enjoys skiing, playing tennis, and hiking in the mountains of Salt Lake City, Utah. I can contact her by adding her to my circle on Google+. I have added her and I will wait for her response.

C4K April Summary

My C4K started this month blogging with Brett. I am not sure where he is from but he had drastically different posts. The first post I commented on was about basketball fails. Apparently, he was in computer class and had completed his assignment and decided to look up basketball fails. I am still not completely sure what that means, but I did find this image on Google images that helps to explain it further. I did ask him for clarification but he never responded. His second post had to do with world hunger. Now you see why I said drastically different. I think Brett was blogging because he has to not necessarily because he wants to even though his post regarding world hunger was well stated and very persuasive.

My second C4K was to Pt. England School to the 2nd year class. They posted a video from their visit to Butterfly Creek. It was so much fun to see their sweet faces enjoying the beautiful day and the lovely butterflies. It looked like a place I would love to visit. I asked questions about the visit, including if any of the children were frightened by the butterflies when they landed on them. I would love to hear more about this fantastic field trip. I think it would be great to see some blog posts by the students explaining how they felt about this field trip. I suppose I will stay tuned to for more.

Blog Post 12

I have become very interested in educating my fellow colleagues as well as classmates in the easy things you can do to your computer to make it more accessible to all students. Dawn Hangen and I completed our Project #16 showing current and future educators simple changes that can be made and available downloads that can be added to the computer so that students with disabilities are able to take advantage of the available technology just like their non-disabled peers. I know that this class focuses on using Apple products and I completely understand why Dr. Strange has made that decision. However, I also understand that the reality for future educators in the Mobile County Public School System is that the computers they will have access to will be based on a Windows operating system. So, for this project, I would like to send students on a scavenger hunt using a computer equipped with Windows and Microsoft.

1. Watch my blog post featuring Project #16.

2. Visit the website hosted by Microsoft featuring Accessibility: A Guide for Educators. Here you will find a downloadable handbook that emphasizes the importance of accessibility for all students and the ways in which Microsoft has addressed this issue. Microsoft introduces the term accessibility, defines it, and then relates it to the needs of each student whether they have a visual, hearing, or learning disability. Read through this handbook making sure to understand the difference that a few clicks on your keyboard could make to a child in your classroom.

3. Discuss three ways that you can quickly adapt the computer to aid your student in accessing technology. Make sure you list the specific disability and how your adaptation will give the student more independence and allow them the same educational opportunities as their non-disabled peers.

4. Now, take this information into your own hands and become an actively, interested educator. Become one who sees a problem and fixes it rather than standing by with your hands up saying, "I just don't know what to do?". Find one way on your own that you can make technology more accessible to a student with an impairment or disability.

5. Carry this information into the classroom with you. If your fellow teachers do not have this information - share it with them. These small changes or easy downloads can make a world of difference in the life of your students.

Here is what I did:
As you will see in my final project, I demonstrate the ease of access or accessibility button located in the control panel. I turned on the magnifier so that a visually impaired student could see the screen better. I also  changed the colors to a black background with white letters so that a visually impaired student could easily distinguish between icons and letters. Finally, I turned on the narrator so that the computer's voice would lead the visually impaired student to the correct icons on the computer. These simple steps will help my visually impaired student immediately gain more independence, self confidence, and allow them to use the computer just as their peers do.

I wanted to know how I could help students who are unable to use the mouse or keyboard due to mobility impairments. I found that Windows 7 has a Speech Recognition program that enables the user to speak into a microphone and can surf web pages and dictate into email using almost any format. This is also located under the ease of access button and is a little more involved, but worth the effort that it takes to set up for your student. A few moments of your time can take a student from zero access to technology to unlimited  possibilities.

Blog Post 11

Little Kids....Big Potential was a very big hit with me! There is something so exciting about watching children explain in their own words what and how they are learning in their classroom. I could tell that the children were not "acting" for the camera. This is truly the routine in their classroom on a daily basis. I applaud Mrs. Cassidy! I found the use of the Wiki to be the most exciting use of technology. Community and family involvement has always been very important to me and I think implementing a Wiki the way Mrs. Cassidy has would be something I could see myself doing in my classroom. The use of computers during center time was a very smart way to teach important skills through entertainment. The use of Skype is also something I would love to do with my students one day. I could totally see myself beating down doors to get community leaders, scientists, authors, and celebrities to spend time conversing over Skype with my students.
The only thing I saw that I am completely unsure about is the use of the Nintendo's. My boys have Nintendo's and the Nintendogs game. I even borrowed them for a moment to try and see what Mrs. Cassidy might be using these for. I understand the idea of sharing and cooperation, but that could be taught through Legos and manipulatives. I also understand wanting the children to grasp what it means to be responsible and to care for a pet. However, I am sure that Mrs. Cassidy has a much more detailed purpose and I would love to know what that purpose is. I gathered from her Skype interview that she believes we have to use technology to teach this generation because the educational tools of the past are no longer meeting the needs of our students. I enjoyed hearing her say that her students enjoy her class because they do not have to "power down" in order to attend school. I believe that is very well said and a very accurate description of how some, if not all, students must feel like when they come to school.

Project # 16

For Project #16, I collaborated with Dawn Hangen to inform educators on the tools that are readily available from Microsoft to use with a Windows operating system to assist students with disabilities in using the computer. There are many tools that you can access with the click of a button or two. There is software available at no cost and only takes minutes to download. We found that these things are simple, but so important to assist those students with hearing or vision impairments in using the computer. We hope that you are able to take the information in our project and use it in your classroom so that those students with disabilities can use the computer successfully.
I was very interested in learning how to give instructions as I walked the audience through the Ease of Access information. We found software by NCH called Debut Video Capture Software which worked very well and allowed me to do just that. Below, you can follow along with me as I instruct you in how to use the Ease of Access button found in your computer's control panel.
Dawn wanted to find a way to have typed documents read aloud to students. We found that Microsoft allows the user to create Talking Books through Word. You have to download two free add-ins before you can create a talking book. First, you have to download the Save As Daisy XML. You can search for that file or go directly to their website Daisy Consortium for Education. The second file you will need will allow you to have the document narrated and AMIS is a good choice for this. Dawn also used the NCH software to capture the screen and she was able to narrate the steps to create a Talking Book.

Collaboration report for Project # 16

Blog Post 10

Teacher or Educator?
This video, made on iMovie for teachers at the Foothill College Krauss Center for Innovation in Los Altos, CA, is determined to distinguish the difference between "teachers" and "educators". The individual who made this video first poses the question, "Are you a teacher?" followed by various definitions of the word teach. All of these definitions have the first word capitalized which automatically calls your attention to it. Most of these words can have negative connotations. For example, CAUSE someone to learn or understand something. This statement implies that if you choose to be a teacher, then you are a person who persuades students to understand whatever information is placed in front of them. After many of these definitions are thrown at you, then the statement or "Are you an educator?" pops up along with the very positive words of enlighten, illuminate, and empower. By definition alone, the word teacher pales in comparison to the word educate.
I want to be an educator but I also want to be a teacher. We need to spend our days inspiring children to want to learn. To present ideas and allow them to formulate their own opinions. To afford them the opportunity to be creative and think for themselves. Now, here is the part that you may not want to hear. As teachers, we do have to spend time correcting students and presenting information as fact. Our classrooms will be filled with all types of children, from all types of homes. It is largely our responsibility to teach these children the structure and order of the classroom. Our society has rules for a reason and so must our classrooms. The words "educate" and "teach" are just that - words. Let's not get so caught up in semantics that we forget to merge the two into a beautiful collaboration of inspiration and order.

Tom Johnson's Don't Let Them Take the Pencils Home! 
Gertrude, because of her fancy title, School Curriculum Instructional Interventionist Academic Specialist, appears to be very knowledgeable, until her first statement, that is. "Tom, Tom, you cannot have students bring home pencils and paper." For pencils and paper we will substitute computers and so what Mr. Johnson is really talking about is the use of technology. At the heart of his point of view is wanting educators, parents, and students to realize that there is more to life than standardized tests. We can encourage people to think outside, around, and in between the box. We can stand up and voice our opinions to the administration. When that doesn't work, we can find ways to still encourage project-based learning, enable creativity, and incorporate the daily use of technology in meaningful ways throughout our curriculum. We just do not have to let "the powers that be" in on the secret. Standardized tests are here and I do not see them vanishing anytime soon whether we like it or not. As educators, we will have to give these assessments whether we believe in them or not if we want to keep our jobs. 
It is quite obvious to me that Mr. Johnson "gets it". He understands what it means to be a teacher, an educator. He understands that educating these students to be all that they can be is his job, his life. I believe that Mr. Johnson wakes up every morning and doesn't say, "Ugh, another day at work." but rather, "Yes! Another opportunity to mold a student, create a life-long learner, and empower a creative student!" How many of us can say the same thing? Shouldn't we? 

C4T #3

Kim Cofino is an amazing individual who lives abroad and educates adults and children in all things technical. I truly enjoyed reading about her and all that she has seen and done in her personal and professional life. The posts that I read and commented on were full of interesting ideas on how to create time during the school day for those teachers who help their colleagues with new technology. Mrs. Cofino desires to provide meaningful education to the faculty that she so diligently works with to learn new technology so that they can in return teach those around them. She is very concerned with making sure that their time is well spent and does not take away from their personal lives outside of school. One of her ideas is to have teachers dive head first in using new technology tools to create "globally collaborative projects with other schools". She is working with her assistant principal to establish a 90 minute period for teachers to gather once a month to discuss technology and ways to implement new tools into the school day. I was very inspired by her dedication to her profession and her courage to work abroad.

Project 15 Smartboard Lesson Presentation

Dawn Hangen and I worked together to present a lesson on why our vote matters and making voting accessible to all voters. Dawn's area of expertise is Secondary Social Studies and mine is Special Education. For Dawn's part of the lesson she created an in depth webquest for students to work on in groups. Part One is a treasure hunt for students to gather, analyze, and synthesize information using links to websites. The objective is for the students to determine who they would vote for as the next president and be prepared with enough information to defend their candidate.



For Part Two, I created a lesson explaining the steps that have been taken since the 2000 Presidential Race to make voting more accessible to all voters, especially those with disabilities. Students are presented with video links that explain what it means to have a disability and how that can effect how and even if you are able to cast your vote. Steps in the right direction have been taken recently by state and local governments to ensure that every American is afforded the opportunity to exercise their right to vote.


This is a link to our presentation One Vote Does Count.

C4K March Summary

Uzair

Uzair met the 100 word challenge by writing a story about his friends playing football, bike riding, and eating ice cream. He mentioned a particular game called "ludo snakes and ladders" that I have never heard of before and asked him to explain this game to me. His story took an eerie turn when a hail storm blew in and a bully decided to fight them. Uzair used many adjectives to describe the hail storm and what happened with the bully. Overall, he did a really nice job meeting this challenge.

SMARTboard Instructional Video Project #14

Blog Post 9

Mr. Joe McClung's Blog Post
WEDNESDAY, MAY 27, 2009

Mr. McClung had a lot of wonderful insights from his first year as a teacher. Most educators will agree that many of his points are very valid when it comes to teachers and students. I know when I look back on my first year of teaching, I am proud that I survived! He not only survived, but seems to have flourished in his newly found insight. The most impressive to me was the "Be Flexible" post. I am one of those individuals who likes everything just so and if things do not add up to my expectations, I find it very difficult to accept less than the best. I will work twice as hard to make sure that my clean house and stain free laundry meet my high expectations. I have a tendency to do that with my lesson plans as well. I don't know if it is maturity or watching so many wonderful educators over the years "go with the flow", but I have found that I am able to let go more. I am easier on myself if lessons are not going as planned. I pay much more attention to the students and if the lessons are meeting their needs and not my own expectations for myself.

THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2011
"...it is very important to keep in mind that whatever may be going on in your professional or personal life that your students deserve our complete attention and that we should never let the extrinsic factors affect our performance for our students." This statement is important on so many levels. First of all, Mr. McClung once again shares many more wonderful insights such as, "know who your boss is" and "don't be afraid to be an outsider". We must never be afraid to be different, to go against the grain in our professional lives as well as our personal lives. As educators, I do believe we can get caught up in the "pleasing game" forgetting who is the most important part of our day - our students. We must not let other people's opinions of us influence how we feel as educators. At the end of the day we do need to be able to say that we like the teacher we have become and we are doing a great job!

Now back to the quote above from Mr. McClung's blog. I do agree with this statement and I respect the principle behind it. However, it is most definitely easier said than done. I am an educator, but I am a wife and mother first. Unfortunately, when my children are sick or there is an issue at home, I am human and these things do affect me. As hard as I may try to focus on my students, it may be difficult. The same thing is true for students who are hungry, having problems at home, or an issue with a boyfriend. We are all human and we must work together to overcome the obstacles that life will inevitably throw our way. I do agree with Mr. McClung, but I also think that sometimes we just need to give one another a break. Life throws us curve balls that we are unable to dodge. As long as we stay focused and give our students our undivided attention 99% of the time. I think we can be forgiven the other 1% when we are a little distracted thinking about our own sick baby at home.

Blog Post 8

This is How We Dream Parts 1 & 2
"Can the educational system rise to the challenge of preparing students to live, work, think, and thrive in an environment of ceaseless change?" This question is presented by Richard E. Miller of Rutgers University and the New Humanities Collaborative through the presentations, This is How We Dream Parts 1& 2. He presents a very compelling argument that our world is changing at an unheard of pace with regards to technology and that we must work harder and faster to bring our education system up to speed. I do not disagree with him, but even he admits that at Rutgers University they are not able, through lack of resources and inspiring teachers, to bring the sciences and humanities together to create the "New Humanities" that he envisions. Nor are they fully able to teach students how to transition from a reading/writing culture to a listening/watching culture.

I am amazed by how much information is available to me everyday, literally right at my fingertips. The fact that we can write an entire paper or create an amazing multimedia presentation without ever leaving the house is so inspiring to me.  I do believe that there have been fundamental changes take place in our culture when it comes to communication. We can quickly disseminate information in both print and visual media at alarming rates in our world. Youtube and Facebook have made that possible. I do believe we should teach visual literacy and encourage curiosity, creativity, and collaboration in our school and work place.The tricky part, for me, is not being able to escape the thought of those schools that are way behind the technology curve. What is our responsibility to those communities where education has taken a back seat for far too long? Do we just keep moving forward while those teachers/students fall farther behind? I can't seem to escape these thoughts. I know that our own school system is probably significantly behind other, more advanced systems. Just get on the information highway and look at other school websites and you will see the difference is staggering. I do not have the answer to Mr. Miller's question. My only conclusion has to be that we will remain incapable of preparing students for the world that he envisions until we make education a top priority in all communities and not just during an election year.

Carly Pugh's Blog Post #12
I take my hat off to Carly for this post. She did a fantastic job putting this together. I definitely think that she met the requirements of Mr. Miller's teaching with multimedia and his desire to encourage curiosity and creativity. Much care and thought went into this blog post which more than proves her acceptance of Mr. Miller's/Dr. Strange's  vision and her dedication to her profession.

EDM 310 is Different
In the Chipper Series and EDM 310 for Dummies, the overall message is to encourage students to take responsibility for their own education and to stop making excuses or creating reasons why it can't be done. Just get up and get it done! There are individuals everyday who face seemingly insurmountable odds who do not make excuses, they just work harder to reach their goals. Theses student created videos are a good representation of creativity and imagination at work.

I would like to create a video similar to these but with an almost overwhelming message about the correct reasons you should enter the field of education. I have heard so many interesting reasons lately about why people chose education as their major. Some people do not choose education, it chooses them. Their are a number of men and women who were in other jobs and felt a call to teach. Erin Gruwell, author of the Freedom Writers, is a wonderful example of this. She was a successful attorney but still did not feel like she was fulfilling her life's purpose. Education found her! As wonderful as her story is, there are many stories and reasons why teachers teach that are not so happy. I am a firm believer that you should not enter the doors of the school building unless you really want to influence the lives of those around you in a positive way.

Learn to Change, Change to Learn
This video by esteemed educational professionals does "attack" much of what we know about "schooling" today. However, that is not necessarily a bad thing. We have all agreed that our education system needs a major overhaul on every level, but especially in how we view technology. There are now SMARTboards in every classroom in our community and that is an excellent step forward but we have a long road ahead of us. Here is some food for thought, Keith Krueger said, "the U.S. Department of Commerce ranked 55 industrial sectors based on their level of IT intensiveness. Education ranked 55, below coal mining." Wow! I had no idea we were that far behind. This is a very sobering statistic. If you look at what I said in my response to Mr. Miller, I ask the question about accountability for those communities who are lagging behind in terms of technology. As I watched this video, I realized that compared to the industrial sectors in America, our overall level of technology in education is far behind. What are we planning to do about this?
 


Scavenger Hunt 2.0


1.) Edmodo is the networking tool that I found on Web 2.0 Tools that appeared to be similar to Facebook and Twitter. I really liked the look of this tool and could see myself using it in the classroom for discussions, parent information, upcoming test review, classroom information, and weekly assignment postings for those students who might be out sick. The Edmodo group has sent me numerous emails since making my account of ways they could help me set up my groups and/or my page. I think this is great that they are so willing to assist the newcomers.
 2.) Prezi is the tool used to make this presentation. The nice deal they have for educators and students is that they pay ZERO! Now that is some deal! I have already signed up and I am looking forward to creating my first Prezi presentation. Of course, as an educator you can always upgrade to the EDUPro and pay for the service. The only plus to that is larger storage space and the use of the desktop feature. I think I will stick to the free version for now.
3.)My first comic strip made at www.makebeliefscomix.com.

4.) PhotoPeach is a video tool I have never used before. I enjoyed checking this out. Signing up was quick and easy. I uploaded a few photos with no problem, added music, and decided how fast/slow I wanted the pictures to change. It turned out to be a very good photo movie. I could definitely see my students working with this program with great success. 5.)Poll Everywhere was a little difficult for me to figure out how to text the answer. After I figured that out, it was a breeze! I could really see using this in high school classroom.

Replace your audience response

Group Collaboration Project #13 Part One

These are examples of our group collaboration at work. So far, we have used Screenr, Google Docs, and email to communicate effectively about our lesson plan. I really like Screenr and I am so happy to know that this is out there to use both professionally and personally.

Short Movie Project#11

The Networked Student by Wendy Drexler
The idea of networked students the way that Wendy Drexler presented is quite fascinating. My first thought went straight to my 6th grader, how would he handle something like this? My immediate answer was, like a pro! My son has always been intrigued by technology and has been far ahead of me for a long time (although, I am catching up a bit). There are certain students in our classrooms that would soar given this opportunity. Having a teacher arm them with the knowledge of where to look for resources, how to discriminate between what is a legitimate source and what is not, and the tools necessary to make it all come together would be a dream come true for those students. As I have said before, there are so many changes that must take place in the heart and minds of students, teachers, and parents before something like this would work in our schools on a permanent basis. We must take baby steps to begin the transition. We have courses that teach advanced technology skills and even some online courses. But to my knowledge, there is not a course where the teacher is in the facilitator role while educating students how to use Skype, Delicious, or their mp3 players to watch video podcasts of professors at real colleges, giving real lectures. In our small corner of the world, we are making baby steps by using laptops in the classroom and offering online courses through distance education. Even larger steps have been taken in Georgia where Mrs. Davis, the Cool Cat Teacher leads students to online collaboration and project-based learning utilizing all that technology has to offer in the 21st century. We are working towards this goal of the networked student. I am still not convinced that it is for everyone and would love to hear arguments from those that do see this as a viable option for all.


A 7th Grader's Personal Learning Environment

This is fantastic! I absolutely love Symbaloo! This student impressed me with her well thought out PLE and she was very articulate as she explained how to use it. How interesting that she said "because there is so much freedom, you have the inclination to be responsible" referring to her classwork. I like that the students check this upon arrival in the morning and use it throughout the day. Symbaloo organizes all of the websites needed for research, podcasts, and lesson development for teachers. I have been so encouraged by this wonderful find that I am now encouraging my son to organize one for himself. I know this will keep him organized and well prepared for homework and school projects.

1st Progress Report on PLN Project #10

I chose Symbaloo to begin my PLN journey. The website is very user friendly and even offered suggestions of various webmixes that I might like to include on my homepage. This will be a personal and classroom PLN for now. In the future, I am confident I will have different PLN's for my varied interests, but for now I will concentrate on just this one. I was so intrigued by the 7th Graders Personal Learning Environment that I am in the process of encouraging my 6th grade son to create his own. I spend a lot of time helping him find websites for homework and projects. I think this is a fabulous idea that would allow him to be more independent AND more responsible for his own research. Thank you for the post, Dr. Strange!

C4T #2, comment 2

Dragonsinger

I had the pleasure of exploring the dragonsinger's blog. Her name is Jo Fothergill and she describes herself as a teacher, mother, musician, sci-fi fanatic, computer geek, geocacher, blogger, and wannabe photographer. I think she is a very creative individual! In the first post that I responded to, Ms. Fothergill, posted a photograph of her mother as a 1st grade teacher with 38 students. That is quite a classroom! It is obvious that she is missing her mom and desires to be a respected educator in her community so to follow in the footsteps of her mother.
For the second post, I had to travel back in time to the last December post. This post was also a remembrance of her mother. During the holidays, the dragonsinger was thinking about all of the life lessons her mother taught her. I have included them below for you to stop and think about as well. It appears that her mother was quite an admirable woman. She earned her Bachelor's degree at the age of 62.
*You’re never too old to do something new
*Always try to do the thing or things you’re passionate about
*Don’t give up just because things seem impossible
*You don’t have to be young or a male to influence other people
*People aren’t important because of possessions or money, they’re important because they’re people
*Music is a universal language – you don’t have to understand the words to feel the emotion
*You don’t have to stop working just because the government says it’s time for you to stop
*Even if you can’t travel you don’t have to remain ignorant of other peoples and cultures
*You can’t judge something you have no experience of
*Rules made by men are not necessarily the same as what God would say
*You’re never too old to be a rebel
I do believe my favorite of her "mum's" life lessons would have to be that, "People aren't important because of possessions or money, they're important because they are people." Thank you, Ms. Fothergill, for sharing your mom's heart with us!

Blog Post 6

Randy Pausch's Last Lecture
Carnegie Mellon Professor Randy Pausch gave his last lecture at the University on Sept. 18, 2007, before a packed McConomy Auditorium. He passed away from pancreatic cancer on July 25, 2008. Through the Last Lecture, Randy Pausch left each of us an insight into his professional legacy and, more importantly, his personal legacy. As he spoke to a packed auditorium about his professional career, and even though he was battling a horrible disease, he was filled with joy! For me, that is lesson number one: In everything you do have a joyful heart! We are on this planet for a reason, so while we figure that out why not be happy? As an educator, I think it is very important to show your students that you are happy to be there with them and thrilled to be teaching the class. Does anyone want to come into a classroom where the teacher/professor is filled with doom and gloom?

Which brings me to lesson number two: Bring enthusiasm to everything you do! I am a working mother of two boys, a college student, church volunteer, sister, daughter, friend and wife. The list of responsibilities could go on and on and the challenges are many, especially when children are sick, the plumbing goes out, and/or the car breaks down. However, when we step into that classroom where children are depending on us to set the tone, we have to set all of that aside and complete our tasks for the day with a smile on our face and joy in our heart. If you do not have a passionate desire in your heart to be with children everyday, to meet their needs, to create lifelong learners, and to be relevant, open, and honest in your profession, please, do not become an educator. Our children deserve better. Our children deserve the kind of passion that will make them want to learn and want to help others learn. We need to be excited about math, history, science, reading, and, yes, even technology so that they will be excited. Excitement and creativity creates a wonderful atmosphere for students to learn the hard things without ever knowing that is what they are doing. Like, Randy said, teachers can create a "head fake" for students. Make it fun and they will forget they are learning to program a computer or solve that difficult math problem.

It is our job to be joyful, enthusiastic, and to "enable the dreams of others"(my lesson number three) as Randy Pausch said in his lecture. What does that look like you ask? A student, no matter the age, has a dream they would love to have fulfilled. Maybe they want to be the line leader, sit by the teacher at lunch, or even bigger, to be the teacher one day. It is our job to find out what those dreams are, big or small, and make those happen for our students. Will we be able to fulfill every dream? No, of course not, but we can plant the seeds, water the soil, and provide as much sunshine as we possibly can before they leave us. We can also teach students to reflect on what they have learned, how it has affected their lives, and what they need to accomplish to move closer to their dream.

I have watched this lecture as a whole and in parts many times and each time I discover something new that I had not noticed before. Randy was a pioneer in the field of computer technology and education, but he was also a pioneer in the field of people. He truly loved discovering a person's gift and helping them meet their potential. Here are some of my favorite quotes from the Last Lecture which, by the way, I think should be on the walls of many of our classrooms:
Never lose your childlike wonder
Help others
Apologize when you screw up
Tell the truth
Be earnest
Focus on others, not yourself
Don't complain; just work harder

If only we all could have such a beautiful legacy to leave our children.
"It's all about HOW you lead your life." -Randy Pausch

C4K Summary for February

Sela - Pt. England School

Sela was celebrating her beach holiday when her February 7th post was written. Her blog is very bright, with colorful flowers. She appears to be very creative. Her blog had a lot going on and she seemed to make sure to record all of the school events going on around her. I especially loved the minute by minute information about exactly who was visiting her blog and where they were from in the world. In my comment to her, I told her about living close to the beaches here and I wanted to know if the ocean around New Zealand had many sharks. Her story was well written and very exciting to read.
Blake - Kidblogs

Blake made an animated movie where he interviewed Marco Polo. This was a cute and very creative way to provide information about a historical figure. In my post, I expressed how neat his idea was and that my boys loved his short animation about Marco Polo. Blake has not posted on his blog since December 6th so I do not think he blogs regularly. I will remember Go!Animate for future use in the classroom. Having students create a short animation about a historical figure, event, or short story would be a wonderful activity.

Royce - 3rd grader from California
Royce has a fantastic blog! He is a 3rd grader from California who appears to love animals. He took beautiful pictures of deer walking around in his backyard. He also wanted to know if anyone had ever seen a "covey of quail" before. I had to admit that I had never seen a covey of quail. Royce made sure to explain what he meant by covey to his readers which I found most helpful. I responded in my post by telling him about the interesting animals we have in the South. I also told him to keep taking beautiful pictures and sharing them on his blog.

Jarrod from Leopold

Jarrod is a seven year old boy from Leopold who takes blogging very seriously. He participates in blogging contests and even has a page on his blog devoted to encouraging quality blog commenting. Jarrod is very enthusiastic about computer games, but especially loves Minecraft. He talks about playing this on the computers during lunch at school. I find that most interesting as I am sure there is not a school in Mobile County that allows computer time during lunch. I admitted to Jarrod that I am not much of a gamer but that my boys are and I would offer his recommendation of Minecraft to them. I really enjoyed learning about Jarrod and reading his blog posts and comments.

Blog Post 5

Don't Teach Your Kids This Stuff, Please?

Dr. Scott McLeod is a leader in the technological world who wants to re-shape the way many parents, teachers, and

administrators view and use the internet. In reading about him on his website, Dangerously Irrelevant, one thing was very clear, he is a very accomplished Associate Professor at the University of Kentucky who obviously wants to bring technological change to our nation. Using humor and sarcasm, Dr. McLeod makes sure his voice his heard. Particularly in Don't Teach Your Kids This Stuff, Please, there is never any doubt that he really does want you to teach your kids about the internet and how to use social media. I believe he sees the world evolving so much that one day there may not be a pen and paper used in the classroom. I can't say that I am 100 percent on his page yet, but I am getting there. Until recently, I was a stay-at-home mom who was happy to run PTA meetings and Cookie Dough sales. I have known life without a computer but my children have not. In 2000, when my first son was born and I left teaching, I had only kept my grade book on the computer for one semester. There were few classrooms that had more than two computers. Now, I am returning twelve years later and I feel like I have been asleep. I could definitely relate to Mr. Winkle Wakes! I want to read more that Dr. McLeod has published in books and on his website. For so long, I have been fine with keeping my head in the sand and wanting to retreat to some distant island where there are no computers or social networking. I know that is impossible, but more than that, I want to have the knowledge necessary to assist my students and my children to reach their full potential in our ever evolving technological society.

The iSchool Initiative
I feel even worse after watching this video made by a high school student. Not to imply that I feel worse because of this video, but because of my lack of knowledge of all things technical! It is so refreshing to see that he formed this idea while in high school and has stuck with it now that he is in college. That says a lot about his character and commitment to his idea. How do I feel about the iSchool Initiative? Well, as I stated in my Dr. McLeod post, I have a lot of catching up to do when it comes to technology. His presentation was top notch and I could actually see how this could revolutionize our education system. Unfortunately, my thoughts go straight to expensive electronic equipment being lost, sold, or stolen. We battle stolen cell phones at school on a daily basis. What is going to happen when you hand the iTouch devices out to students to use all of the time courtesy of the school system? We don't even trust students to take textbooks home in hopes of ever seeing them return. What about the rate at which students transfer in/out of our system, sometimes disappearing overnight? Who is responsible for the iTouch then? I do not like being a Negative Nelly, but these are questions our school would be faced with on a daily basis. So for me the question is, what do we do to prepare the hearts and minds of student's today to show them that education is more important than anything else in their lives right now? How do make that shift in our society? I believe that the iSchool Initiative is the future but in order to get there we must make changes in the hearts and minds of teachers, students, and parents in the present.

Eric Whitaker's Virtual Choir
I did appreciate the fact that these singers had never met nor rehearsed together and sounded absolutely beautiful! I am interested to know how this was put together. Were the individual singers recorded and then dubbed together using the computer? I learned, while visiting the Virtual Choir website, that there was a second Virtual Choir of over 2,000 singers and even a third is in the works for an April 2012 release. The composer/director, Eric Whitacre, offers online master music classes to those who will participate in the Virtual Choir. This was an amazing use of technology that allowed 185 people from all over the world to sing together without ever boarding a plane. I am a very emotional person, who often is moved to tears by beautiful vocal performances, and for me, this did not have the emotional side to the performance. I found it difficult to feel the music because there was no interaction of the performers. Below is the second performance by the Virtual Choir. I felt so much more connected to the performance this time. It was absolutely breath taking!

Teaching in the 21st Century
In some instances, Mr. Roberts wants teachers to change how they teach, but in others he wants to change what they teach. He believes that teachers are no longer the only source of information for students. They can find information anytime, anyplace, and anywhere thanks to the internet. In other words, teachers are no longer the "end all and be all" to their students. I have often wondered why there seems to be so many disrespectful students in high school. I believe there is rarely a reason to be disrespectful to a teacher or an adult, but I see it everyday from students. I think it is because of this change in hierarchy, if you will. Students no longer see parents, teachers, or administrators as "over them". They feel, thanks again to the internet, that they have just as much knowledge as we do and in some cases, more. Sadly, in a lot of classrooms, they are justified in their reasoning but not their actions.
Mr. Roberts and I are on the same page regarding teachers changing the way in which they teach. Just like I need to educate myself so that I can show my son that I DO know more than he does when it comes to the iPod. Teachers need to educate themselves about Google, Facebook, Twitter, Blogger etc. As well as, the meaning of plagiarism, pirating, and copyright laws in today's digital world. We need to be able to be a source of vital information once again for our students. The questions our students need answered to assist them on their educational journey have changed and so should we. Once that change takes place and our students can see the value in our words to them, then we can take it to the next level and really see significant changes in student learning and participation. What would our school look like if our students were 100 percent engaged in the learning process all of the time?

Reading Rockets

I must say that I agree with Mr. Capps that this is the most thorough reading instruction website I have come across to date. To begin with, the layout is easy to follow and there are no glitches. All of the tabs and links work properly. I clicked on the tab for teachers and immediately found more than I could have expected. Right there in front of me was practical advice on how to help a child who was performing below grade level in a specific area of reading. Not only was there advice for the teacher, but also advice for the parents and students. With every new click came additional, helpful information. The webcast and podcast page offered more indepth exploration into reading and the various skill levels. I watched several of them, but the one that impressed me the most was the Impact of Educational Programming. I have always been a believer in shows like Sesame Street and Reading Rainbow. I can honestly say that these shows helped my children develop their reading and language skills at a very early age.
The video that had me enthralled for more than an hour, was the Tale of Two Schools. If you think your school system has issues, watch this video and you will have renewed appreciation for your school and your paycheck. Morgan Freeman is the narrator and captivating as always. The stories about these two school systems in Texas and Mississippi were eye-opening! The funding issues, personnel issues, and the low test scores puts the schools on the federal watch list of school improvement. What surprised me were the ordinary people who stepped up to make a difference and made huge personal sacrifices to get the job done. I don't know why it surprised me, because that is what happens in our schools everyday. Teachers who make sacrifices to educate the future of our nation. There is no technology that can ever replace the power of a giving heart.

Project 9b Instructional Timeline

Project 9a Individual Timeline

Project 8 Podcast

Blog Post 4

Langwitches

Ms. Silvia Rosenthal Tolisano is a very fascinating individual as evident in her blog. Langwitches offers so much information to teachers and to parents. The way she explains why she does podcasts with the students, especially the PURIM podcast, is excellent. She wants to motivate students "to create and be creative." These are the things she considered to be the most important when working on the PURIM Podcast: writing a script, listening, comprehension, speaking skills, and fluency all in the native Jewish Language.  I had a "eureka" moment when I finally connected that because the students of today have never known life without a computer, we must use the technology available to us as building blocks for their future. As with any other skill in education, if we start early and give them the foundation needed, they will be able to adapt easily as the technology inevitably changes.

The Benefits of Podcasting in the Classroom

Mr. Joe Dale's presentation on the importance of podcasting in the classroom made me think of why our podcast should be important. As a student with so many assignments due and deadlines to meet, it is easy to slip into what I like to call "just get it done mode". We are all familiar with this attitude. What is the minimum I need to accomplish to get the assignment turned in and receive a passing grade? To this I say, WHAT?? Is this what we, as educators, want our students to do? How would we feel if our students felt that way about an assignment that we had meticulously thought out for their benefit? Mr. Dale helped me realize that if I want to use this technology in the classroom (and I do), then I need to understand why it is important and how to use it effectively. What better way to do that than practice with my own podcast? Is it intimidating? Yes. Does collaborating with others take me out of my comfort zone? Yes. But how lucky am I to be able to practice this with colleagues rather than a classroom full of students looking to me for direction and sometimes even perfection?

 
Judy Scharf Podcast Collection

This Podcast Collection by Judy Scharf provided information on the nuts and bolts of podcasting. There are even discussion topics listed to help students get started. This information inspired me to think outside of the box and be more creative. The instructional video on Teachertube was helpful as well. Her enthusiasm about the importance of podcasting is evident in the abundance of material she provides those who visit her website. Here is an example taken from the website about how to be successful with your podcast.
  Tips to Succeed 
  
 1. Make sure you spend enough time learning Audacity (or the software   you   use) to feel comfortable with it.
                                       2. Give students a choice of topics
                                       3. Let students pick the people they want to work with
                                       4. Have some exemplary podcasts for them to listen to
                                       5.  Include a list of criteria for research
                                       6. Allow plenty of time to complete the project.
                                       7. Everything takes longer than you think it will!
                                       8.  Invite the principal, department chairperson, or some other person come in and see the presentations.                       
                                       9. Students will be very proud of their work.
I plan on following these valuable tips when working with my classmates on my own podcast. 

My Sentence Video

Google Presentation Project # 5

Blog Assignment 3

Technology in Special Education

As a special education teacher who has not worked full-time in the classroom for ten years, there have been so many changes. Technology, in particular, has completely changed the face of special education. In today's regular education classroom there are special education students with varying needs and abilities. The teacher in this video showed us how technology affects her student's lives on a daily basis. Chris, for example, is able to use his laptop to communicate with his classmates and teacher. An iPod Touch is used for a student who, previously would have gone outside in the hall with an assistant to have a book read aloud to him, can now manage his own assignments. Thus, creating independence and decreasing the stigma of having to leave the classroom to complete an assignment.
How will I utilize this technology for special needs learners in my class? I will work to make sure my classroom and my students have the benefit of the latest technology available. There are so many apps available on the iPad to assist nonverbal students as well as those with hearing and vision impairments. I will utilize Smart Board technologies to aid in student learning and development by creating engaging and visually stimulating lessons.

Apple Apps
I am so amazed at the apps available on the iPad for special needs students. The app I chose to discuss is the Choice Board-Creator by Techno Chipmunk. This app allows nonverbal students the opportunity to communicate what they want or need. Gone are the days of sticky notes and laminated pieces of construction paper! With this app, I could take pictures of food choices, classmates, academic activities, and areas of the school to present a choice to the student. Not only will this be a faster and more efficient way of communicating, but it will allow the nonverbal student a much better stimulus in order to elicit a response.

Gary Hayes Social Media Count
To actually see how many times per second or minute social media changes is fascinating. I think about how many Youtube videos are posted, text messages are sent, and Facebook pages read and I become a little overwhelmed. I must admit that social media has not been my strong suit. I do not have a Facebook page, never tweeted before this class, and only began texting two years ago. I was completely content to be in social media darkness until my son became a tween and I started a new job at the high school level. Now, it is most important that I adapt to new technology and to social media outlets.
As an educator, it is intimidating to start from scratch with new technology. I have learned more in the last six months about the importance of technology than I have in the last ten years. I know that in order to engage my students who are inundated with technology everyday, I must keep the classroom exciting. After viewing the various blogs from teachers and students, I can see how excited the children were, how engaged, and how they took complete ownership of their projects. We, as educators, must challenge ourselves and our students to stretch our minds and see all of the possibilities using technology in the classroom can offer.

Michael Wesch: A Vision of Students Today
This video was recorded at Kansas State University and speaks volumes about University classrooms today. I would even venture to say that it could apply to many high school classrooms as well. Very simple in nature, the message behind this video is a cry for help in the area of education. I realize there are classrooms on college campuses across our nation where the professor has not bought into the idea of using technology to engage the students. However, I also realize that there are students who have not bought into the idea that they are responsible for their education and life long learning. I have recently been in both types of classrooms and can say without reservation that there are some students, like those in the video, who would rather be on their Facebook page or texting than contributing anything worthwhile to the learning process. Why? Maybe some of our advice to the University presidents should be for them to find out why these students come to college and what can we do to help them engage?

C4T #1, comment 2

Speed of Creativity

Dr. Wesley Fryer is a very accomplished educator whose website offered so much information on technology, social media issues, and even keeping our children safe. My first blog post was in response to his presentation of MinistrySafe. The husband and wife lawyer team of Gregory Love and Kimberlee Norris founded this safety and sexual abuse prevention system. MinistrySafe provides sexual abuse awareness training and assists child care entities and organizations in the implementation of safety systems which reduce the risk of child sexual abuse. Child predators have gotten smarter over the years and churches as well as other youth organizations need to become smarter too in order to protect our children. The team of Love and Norris explained the in's and out's of the legal system regarding child predators and how these predators maneuver their way right past us and into the places where children are the most vulnerable. This was a very valuable post by Dr. Fryer and a much needed reminder to all of us to be more aware of our physical and digital surroundings.
My second post on Dr. Fryer's blog was in response to his post regarding Legal Issues and Tech Administration. Dr. Fryer brought so much information to light from the Oklahoma Technology Association's 2012 Media Conference regarding the legal ramifications of using your personal email for business. I was intrigued by the notes he took regarding no right to privacy on school district owned email. My favorite were his notes from the presenter who said that he encourages his staff to "vent into the air" because it does not create a public record.

Project # 12 Book Trailer

Blog Assignment 2

Did you Know? A John Strange 2012 Version

There were a lot of almost unbelievable statistics in this presentation. Some of these facts and statistics were easier to grasp than others. The easier ones had to do with the number of You Tube videos watched and the amount of Google searches made per hour. The more difficult ones for me to grasp were those related to India and China. The population of these two countries are in the billions. According to the latest census information, China has the largest population. India is second and the United States in third place (Wikipedia, 2011). India's exact population is 1,210,193,422 people as opposed to the United States with only 312,899,000 people. After researching this, I am no longer surprised that India has more K-12 honors students than the U.S. because their population is much larger. Working in a high school guidance office, I also completely understand that what makes an honors course in one country or state does not necessarily translate to the new country or state. Therefore, in order to be completely convinced that there is a larger population of honors students in India than in the United States, I would need to compare the standards of each honors program to see who comes out on top. India or the U.S.?

The numerous facts and statistics on cell phone usage and text messaging is, I believe to be, spot on. I work at the high school level and can not think of one student who does not have a cell phone. Not only do they have a cell phone, but one with all of the bells and whistles! What is my role, as an educator, in light of all this information? I believe I must be a life long learner. I must stay informed and ready to embrace new technology. Not just embrace it, but be ready, willing, and able to use it in the classroom. I also believe that it is so important to help students realize what they are most passionate about and then find a career to match that passion.

Mr. Winkle Wakes

Mr. Winkle wakes by Mathew Needleman is a wonderful cartoon with a very interesting underlying meaning. Mr. Winkle awakes from a 100 year slumber only to find that the world, as he remembers it, is no more. He does not recognize anything around him. There are huge buildings, cars speeding by, and a hospital where people are kept alive by machines. Mr. Winkle becomes overwhelmed and discouraged by all that is unfamiliar and so he begins to walk. He stops when he discovers a school building. Upon entering, Mr. Winkle feels the familiarity he once knew return. The school feels like home. The students are sitting in desks listening to their teacher's lecture. Everything in school is just as he remembers it to be.

This short video begs the question, why do schools seem to remain the same even when the world around them changes so rapidly? I think I may have some insight to this. In my opinion, the answers for our local system are money and change itself. Our local system is always strapped for cash. We are a very large system trying to provide services for so many students. If technology is outdated every two years, than how will our system ever keep up? There is not enough funding to update technology that often. The second reason is because change is difficult. This is especially true for teachers who have been teaching a certain way for twenty years. Why change now? Of course my answer is always why not? I try and relate it to your personal life. Do you have satellite television, a smart phone, blu ray player, or flat screen television? If so, then you have updated your personal life why not update your teaching? Students are inundated with and respond to technology everyday. Shouldn't we do the same in our classrooms so that we might be able to get and hold their attention?

Sir Ken Robinson: The Importance Of Creativity

Sir Ken Robinson uses humor to convey a very important message. He believes that creativity is as important as literacy in our world today. Sir Robinson sees today's education system as educating only from the waist up, focusing on the brain. He believes that we should teach dance just as we do math. To demonstrate this point, he tells a story about a little girl who could not focus in school and was thought to have an attention disorder. However, her mother, with some assistance, realizes that her daughter is a dancer. Once she is able to dance, everything else falls into place.

Although, I do agree with many of his points, I am not convinced that we should teach dance as we do math. Do I believe creativity is crushed sometimes in school? Most definitely. Do I think more time, energy, and effort should be focused on music and art? Positively, yes. However, just as we have students who are creative and need that outlet, we have students who feel very much at home with their math problems and would be mortified if made to dance in school. Maybe the answer is develop those skills and present more creative opportunities at the elementary level. If younger children are encouraged into these creative areas before they reach the age of understanding fear or feeling embarassment, than maybe there is a chance more kids will learn to use creativity in a variety of settings throughout their life.

A Vision for 21st Century Learning

My initial response to this short video is Wow! What an innovative idea to help students learn. I have two boys, ages 10 and 12, and they love video games. I am sure they would play the video games all day if we allowed them to. I can see the potential this 3D immersive learning environment could have for so many students. I do believe that some of the classes students are subjected to are filled with rote memorization of dates, places, and people without any regard for whether or not the students have retained the information. I also see how these classes could eventually have a negative effect on the student's life. These types of classes could benefit a great deal from the 3D technologies. Rome is the example used in the video to demonstrate how incredible this technology is. Imagine students using computers to study Rome, Egypt, Australia. Students love to use computers. Why not use this technology to aid them in learning the material and not just memorizing it?

Having said that, I also believe there is nothing that can take the place of hands on learning. The feeling of success from building your first working volcano or sticky glue fingers from creating a log cabin out of popsicle sticks is like no other. Those things should never be replaced. Immersive technology is an amazing technology that is of great benefit for any school and any student but is not meant to replace the entire school day.

Vicki Davis:Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts

There are so many things that impress me about this short video produced by Edutopia. What impressed me most is that Vicki Davis is a teacher first. She works very hard educating her students, her peers, and the world with the latest technology available. Her blog, Cool Cat Teacher, has won many awards and is nationally recognized. She has single handedly opened the world's doors for her students in rural Georgia. Mrs. Davis makes a point to say that she sees herself as a "teacherprenuer". She sees herself as a facilitator and readily admits that she does not have to be in the front of the room all of the time. Mrs. Davis will introduce new vocabulary to her class but not define it for them. She expects them to google the terms and find out what the words mean.

I visited Mrs. Davis's blog to learn more about her and the technology she uses in her classroom. I was even more impressed with her resume and teaching style after reading her blog. She seems to be very technology driven yet down to earth at the same time. She has taken students to the Middle East to meet and collaborate with those students whom they have worked with on Digiteen. Mrs. Davis did not enter the teaching field through the traditional route. She was a business major from Georgia Tech with a seriously diverse resume before entering education. Her very first blog was created out of tragedy when a terrible tornado struck her community. She says it was then and there she realized the worldwide importance of blogging. It is this enlightened view of technology she brings to her teaching career and to her students.

My first Wordle