Project #13

During project #15 our group used Skype,Google docs, and Google chat. We first started by agreeing to meet at a certain time of Skype. At first we had a little difficulty. Mary Angela and I were on but she could not hear me. We both got off and got back on. This time she could hear me but I could not hear her. We got off again and this time she called me and we could both hear each other. Kaitlyn joined us but for some reason we could not see her after the first few minutes. We discussed our project and agreed to use Google docs next. We agreed on the next time we would try to meet and talk about our project and what each of us would be working on. The next time we met was on Google doc. Unfortunately we had trouble to begin with so we were communicating by Google chat at first. Finally, we were able to all join in on Google docs. We talked about our project some more and what we were going to do and who was responsible for what. We agreed to meet the next day to put it together and to record it for project #15 and for our final project.
Below is a picture of our Skype interview and I shared out Google docs with edm310help.




Project #15 Skype meeting

My Final Reflection

Final PLN Report

I have used Twitter and my assignments to create my PLN. I have made valuable connections with teachers all around the world through Twitter. They provide encouragement, inspiration, and useful information that will help me through my teaching career. I have also found other people and information through the assignments given to us in class. Each time I found people I added them to Twitter. I would save all the information that I found to be beneficial in a file for later use. I have also created a PLN on Pinterest. This site offers a great way of storing files by headings. This offers a quick way of locating files that you need. I look forward to adding more and more people and information to my PLN.

Project #15

Smartboard Presentation Part 2

Comments for Teachers #4

C4T #1

My C4T assignment was Steven Anderson. In his blog post he shared his experience in Qatar at the WISE conference. WISE stands for World Innovation Summit on Education. It is a conference that joins over 1500 people from 100 countries together to discuss education and changes. During this 3 day conference they will talk about access to education, technology, sustainability of educational initiatives and more.  Mr. Anderson's shared in his post some of the highlights of the first day. The first day was focused on change and innovation. It started with her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser charging everyone to be proactive and to open their minds and voices to each other. She shared that  "we can all work better and smarter if we just listen to each other". 

Mr. Anderson stated that he was disappointed by the make up of the panel. Apparently it included people who represented businesses. Although he understood that they have a stake in education , he felt that it was hard to listen to them tell the educators what was wrong with the education system, when they really didn't know anything about the system. He stated the theme was clear. We have to do things differently. We are still conducting education in the same outdated ways. Because education changes so fast, we have to think about the future as if it is the present when we think about change in education.  

During the morning debate another emphasis was placed on the voice of the student. Educators from Estonia, Palestine, Jordan, USA, Australia, and more all agreed that the student's voice, no matter the age, level, or country was important.

Mr. Anderson also commented on the fact that it was very clear that connectedness was important. We have to be connected to the educators, as well as, the learners. In order to change education it has to be done together. Neither can do it alone.  The use of social media provides a great opportunity for students and teachers to connect and learn together. He gave the perfect example how he had conversations with educators from three continents on Twitter.

He closed by stating that along with all of this comes responsibility. We can't simply get together and discuss education and what is wrong with it. We have to take action to make the necessary changes. 

My Comment

I started by explaining who I was and my assignment. I started by expressing the excitement he must have felt participating in such an awesome opportunity. I explained that I had learned so much from my Edm310 class. I shared that before taking this class I really didn't understand the importance of technology in education. Fortunately, I have a much better understanding. I commented that I agreed that we can't continue to conduct education the same old way and expect different results. It is essential that we make changes to the way we view and conduct education. I also shared that I agreed that the student's voice was important. I closed by asking Mr. Anderson how do we get the people who make the decisions about education to realize all of this. I expressed my frustration in having learned the importance of technology, but knowing our educational system is in such a sad state. I enjoyed learning about WISE and how it is impacting education.

C4T #2

Things That Have Me Thinking.

Below are 4 subjects that has Steven Anderson asking questions.

Practical PBL: The Ongoing Challenges of Assessment-
The first subject is the practicality of public based learning (PBL). While PBL is growing, the challenges that teachers face when trying to assbess student participation still causes concern. In this article Steven says "While the article presents methods for assessing participation in PBL  he questions whether there are better ways."

The Art of Explanation: In this article Common Core is an example of how videos are used to explain web 2.0 tools. Mr. Anderson's question is "How can we teach kids to communicate better while still using social media and asynchronous communication tools?"

Six Tips To Help Teachers Move From TechnoPHOBE to Move to TechnoFAB: This article by Jennifer LeGarde Six Tips to Help Teachers Move From TechnoPHOBE to TechnoFAB.

Mr. Anderson asks "What are some other ways to help technology and technology professional development more approachable and what can I do to provide better technology for my teachers?"

Google Search Literacy Lesson Plans: He states that search is one of students' greatest weaknesses. They have difficulty finding information and determining it's validity.  Google offers a starting point by teaching people how to use proper search terms that eliminates mass confusion.  In this article Mr. Anderson wants to know "Why are we still not doing a good job of teaching kids where their information comes from and why we still are not doing a great job of teaching kids good search literacy skills?"

I thanked Mr. Anderson for sharing this information. I expressed how useful it was in becoming technoFAB. I mentioned that I might suggest to Dr. Strange to use Common Core in an assignment for EDM310. I also told him how much I enjoyed the article Six Tips to Help Teachers Move From TechnoPHOBE to TechnoFAB. I told him all of the information was very useful and I looked forward to hearing what he had to say when he answered the questions that he had. 

Comments 4 Kids November

11/6/2012

Mr. Boylens Class

C4K #8

In C.J.'s blog post she talks about how she is reading a book called Sounder. She says that it is good and that she can't wait to see the movie. She also like the book because it can help her pull her literature grade up.

In my reply I explain that I hadn't heard of the book but that it sounded like a really good book. I asked her what happened in the end. I explained that it sounded like a book that my son would like to read. I encouraged her to work on pulling her literature grade up. I shared I was excited that her class was blogging. I explained that my eighth grade son doesn't know what blogging is and that he attends a rural school where technology is not emphasized much. She had several mistakes, so I closed by telling her to read over her post before she published it. I also suggested that she might want to save it and reread it again later when she could see her mistakes more easily. 

I hope my comments encourage them to keep blogging!!!!!

C4K #9

My C4K assignment was Nykeshia, a student a Robertsdale High School. Her blog post was an assignment about Napoleon Bonaparte's last days. This is what she wrote.

Napoleon's Deathbead

Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military leader who is associated with French Revolution. He was Emperor of France from 1804 to 1815. Later in his life Napoleon was sent into exile on the island of Saint Helena where he also died.

When historical figures like Napoleon Bonaparte die, people often wonder what their last thoughts were, what were their last words. Napoleon didn’t exactly lie down and wait to die on his deathbed. According to Norwood Young’s Napolean In Exile: St.Helena (1815-1821) while Napoleon was on his death bed he went over his will and his finances several times. According toMemoirs of the Last Two Years of Napoleon’s Exile, written by Francesco A. Antommarchi, for days Napoleon ate only fruit and biscuits and drank only wine.

Napoleon’s last days on earth were very painful. He had a violent fever that lasted for days, he had horrible vomiting fits and his pulse varied from 78-86 pulsations per minute. When his fever wasn’t active his body temperature was below the natural temperature. Napoleon had continued relapses, unquenchful thirst, pains in his abdomen, and nausea.Napoleon’s servants stated that while he was on his death bed Napoleon’s attitude was much kinder than usual, that he spoke gently and carefully to everyone. Napoleon was very aware that his time on earth was coming to an end and asked to be taken to his art room so he could think. Napoleon died on May 5 of 1821 of stomach cancer. Napoleon’s last words were “France, armée, tête d’armée, Joséphine’ which means ‘France,Army,Head of the Army, Josephine.’

For more on Napoleon, go to: http://www.napoleon-series.org/research/napoleon/c_greatest.html

In my response I explained who I was and started by saying that I enjoyed reading her post and found it to be very informative. I commented on the incredible pain that he had to experienced during his last days. I shared that I had thought about whether I would want to know that I was dying. I also asked what grade she was in and what were some things she enjoyed doing. I closed by encouraging her to continue her writing and to keep up the good work.

C4K #10

My C4K post was a video of the field trip to Montgomery. Below is the video and my comments.

Montgomery Field Trip Projects ( Rosa Parks)

Hey Kids,
I just watched the video of Rosa Parks. I find it incredibly fascinating to see how you are using technology. I liked how you used it to share with us your experience during your field trip. Did you record on an iPad? How do you like using technology? Do you think that you learn more by using technology? Do you think that technology makes learning more fun? I would like to know since I hope to be teaching in the near future. I had not thought about using an iPad to make a video about what my students learned during a field trip. Tell your teachers that you want to go to Saint Stephens to learn about Alabama’s first capital. I live in Saint Stephens and enjoy going to the park to learn about the settlement that once existed here. It is so amazing. You sounded really excited to meet Gov. Robert Bentley in the video. I look forward to seeing what you have to say in the future. I thought you did a GREAT job on your video.
Thanks for Sharing,
Stacy

Blog Post 13

Just imagine what the brain can do when it's connected and plugged in!!!

Back to the Future

Brian Crosby is a teacher at Agnes Risley Elementary School. In this video he started out by talking about his students. In his class 90% of his students are 2nd language learners that are at risk. On the second day of school he asked questions to find out the how much information they knew. He asked very basic questions and this is what he found out. Most of the students didn't know what city, state, and country they lived in. The didn't even know their address or phone number. Mr. Crosby knew that he had to teach them in a way that would be fun and interesting to their age group. He started out by showing us how he used the balloon project to teach the required curriculum, while also making the lesson fun and interesting. After they had read the lesson and participated in the projects, the students took a 25 question test. The learning didn't stop here. Now the students had to embed the videos of their projects into their blogs and explain what had happened and why. The learning didn't even stop here. Now the students used other tools available to go even farther. They were now creating their very own wiki and writing stories on Flicker. Their assignment for Flicker was to write a story as if they were the balloon and what happened from that view point. Mr. Crosby started with "in the box" learning and made it an "out of the box" experience. But the learning still continued on.  Next, they used free online tools to create book covers and stratas cards. These students were not only learning but they were excited about what they were learning. Not only were these students excited but other students who had learned about what they were doing also got excited. They even wanted their class to do these same activities. Students from Thailand, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and England were all commenting on their blogs. How exciting is that? But yet the lesson was STILL not over. The students were able to view from an attached camera what it looked like from the balloon. They also could track the balloon as it traveled into the earth's atmosphere. They used Google Map to monitor the balloons speed, altitude, and location.  Do you think the lesson is over yet??? NO, the students Skyped with students from New Zealand who had read about their experiences from their blogs. Through the skype interview the students were able to show off their knowledge they had gained. Mr. Crosby said in the video he wanted to empower the students to be learners, not someone to be taught. I believe that Mr. Crosby has succeeded. 

At the end he shared a story about a little girl that was added to his classroom. Unfortunately, she had leukemia and could not actually attend class. Mr. Crosby showed how Celest was able to interact with the students and be included into the classroom through technology. 

WOW!!! This is the type of learning that every student would LOVE to have. This is the type of learning that every student deserves. Mr. Crosby is a dynamic teacher who has a passion for teaching and kids. I find it amazing that these students went from not knowing basic information to being able to use technology to create blogs and write about their experiences. It goes to show that we don't give our kids enough credit. They will learn, if we will only teach them in a way that is fun, interesting, and inviting. I know that these students will take this learning experience throughout their entire life. It may even spark an interest in becoming a future teacher. I really can't say enough about this lesson. It makes me wonder that if every student got this type of education in every grade from kindergarten through twelfth grade, what kind of people would we be creating. I believe that we would be living in a much different world than we are today. A much better world. So once again I have to ask why isn't this happening? Where is the passion in teaching? How do we find or get it? Teachers like Mr. Crosby and Ms. Cassidy inspire me to create classrooms that motivate and excite the students. But what happens when I actually get into the classroom? There is so much technology that is free for the using, if we will only take advantage of it. But teaching is so much more than applying technology in the classroom. You have to have that passion for teaching and believing that you are making a difference. It also means fighting so that all students have access to quality teaching and the necessary tools. Thanks, Mr. Crosby, for showing me how to be a teacher that excites and motivates.  I look forward to applying your teaching methods in my own class one day. 

A Vision of Students Today

In this video it starts by videoing a empty classroom. As the camera moves around the room, it focuses on things written on the walls and chairs. Each time it asks a question that really makes you think about how 21st century students are dealing with the outdated teaching methods provided to them today. One of the questions asked was "If walls could talk, what would they say?". Although the walls and desks can't talk the students can. Later in the video the room is full of students and each one has something they want to share. They talk about how they spend their time. Almost every student was using technology in some way. They were emailing, texting, and face booking, They talked about how they used their computers during class but not for school stuff.


This video shows just how bad schools and professor are out of touch with the 21st century student. At the beginning of this class I would have been surprised by this a little. After Edm310 I can see that students today have a hard time with the outdated teaching methods provided in schools when their brains have been exposed to a whole new way of learning. As so often stated, the times have changed and we need to be changing with them. Students no longer want to learn by the old form of teaching, but very few people really seem to be interested in what the students have to say. Unfortunately, this creates a losing situation for all parties involved.

As a university president or professor, I would have to say that I need to seriously consider getting on track with the 21st century. College is a student's last chance to learn the importance of technology before getting out into the world. Especially in a world where the knowledge of technology can have a huge impact. It can make a huge difference when it comes to the job market, employment, and salary. It also reflects on us as an institution. When we are producing students who can't compete with the world, we appear to the world as failures. I have to admit that I believe that our country, government, and schools are failing the majority of our students. We are not providing them with an adequate education to compete with the world. Clearly our emphasis is not on education. It would be my job to take every opportunity to educate those who make the decisions for our schools on the true condition of our education system. It would also be my responsibility to make sure that I listened to my students and provided a learning experience that taught, as well as, excited them to learn.

Progress Report on Final Project

Progress Report

Our group consists of Mary Angela, Kaitlyn, and Stacy.  We have been working on our final project for the past two weeks. We have most of the information gathered and all we have to do is put all the material together in our iBook. We first met to discuss what we wanted to do and how we wanted to do it. We looked at another iBook and got a few ideas. Last week we discussed what we needed to finish getting together, took our group picture, and recorded our most important technology tools for our classroom. This Tuesday we will meet and start work on building our iBook. Then Thursday we will finish our Smart Board presentation so we can add it to our iBook. I have to finish getting my pictures together for my family tonight. I have enjoyed getting to know my group members and working on technology. I look forward to the finished project.

Blog Post #12

Pinterest is one of the fastest growing social medias available today. Your assignment is to go to Pinterest and create an account. Find four different pinners that you can use to help you in your classroom. Find a particular item from each pinner and tell how it can be used in your future classroom. Then explain how you feel using Pinterest in the classroom and if you feel that these items are useful or not.

Ideas for ELAR

This is a worksheet that I can use in my classroom to teach contractions. I found this on Diane Dahl's page. She has many great ideas to use in the classroom. The students will cut out the contractions at the bottom of the page and glue them in the correct box.

A quick review for long division

Source: youtube.com via Stacy M on Pinterest

In this you tube video, Michael Kennelly demonstrates how to use long division. He starts out by explaining to us what divisor, dividend, and quotient is. Next he explains the 4 steps in long division. They are find, multiply, subtract, and bring down. To help students remember the steps he gave them the tip of the family. Father (find), Mother (multiply), Sister (subtract) and Brother (bring down). Next he demonstrates how to use the steps in long division by working out a problem. When he is finished he goes over the steps one more time.

Snowman Craft

Alison is the pinner who shared this snowman craft with us. In this craft you mix equal amounts of shaving cream and elmers glue. Create a snowman with the mixture on blue card stock.  Form the eyes, nose, mouth, buttons, hat, and arms with pieces of card stock. Allow time to dry. Adorable craft that is inexpensive and fun. This is a fun and creative activity that kids in many grades would enjoy doing. I would definitely do this with my students.

Cute Video to Teach Skip Counting by 5's

Source: youtube.com via Stacy M on Pinterest

Ashlee Rhoades shared this you tube video that uses music and movement to motivate students to learn to count by 5's. I could use this video in my classroom if I teach K-2nd graders. This activity would give my students as opportunity to have fun and move around while also learning how to count by 5's. I love to incorporate music into the classroom.

Pinterest is a valuable tool for teachers. Especially teachers that will be teaching in K-6. It provides a vast amount of information that teachers can use to help teach curriculum, make lesson plans, choose books, make bulletin boards, crafts, and party ideas. The list seems to be endless. These teachers share different materials that they created or found with other people/teachers. This can save a vast amount of time for the teachers. It provides unique and fun learning opportunities for the students as well. I have provided you with four easy ways to use Pinterest in the classroom. I would recommend that all teachers get signed up now and start pinning ideas for their future classrooms. I know that is will be a GREAT asset to my classroom. I look forward to using these ideas and making memories with my students.

Blog Post #11

First Graders in Ms. Cassidy's Class

In this video Ms. Cassidy's 2025 class from Moose Jaw, Canada invited us to see how they are using technology in their classroom.  In this classroom, Ms. Cassidy, their teacher is teaching the students how to use laptops to blog, build portfolio, make videos, and skype. The students stated that writing on the blogs made them better writers. They also explained how to properly comment on posts by saying nice things and not mean things because we could hurt someone's feelings. They demonstrated how to safely use the internet by only using their first name and not their last name. The students showed us how to use Wikis to find out information we don't know.  They even used Nintendo DS to play games while learning how to problem solve and share.

Where do I begin?  I am utterly and completely amazed and astonished. I am also amazed and astonished that these 1st graders are so far ahead of the majority of junior high and high school students. As exciting as it is to see these kids learning technology at an early age, it is also very embarrassing that they are so more advanced than even most college students. It makes me really think about my stand on technology in the classroom and how much more I need to know to be a successful teacher in the 21st century. I must admit I have a lot to learn. It also makes me very angry in some ways that we are not teaching more technology in all of our schools. It even makes me sad to think about the students that we are sending out into the world each year. We aren't even giving them a fighting chance!!!!! So how do we change this terrible travesty? Is it realistic to think that one teacher can really make a difference? It's time we get our heads out of the sand and start making the necessary changes to equip our students for the real world. I love Ms. Cassidy's approach to using technology in the classroom. I would love to have my students blogging. Who knows they might even be involved in a skype interview with future Edm310 students and Dr. Strange. I would also like to have blogging partners, so that my students would get plenty of feedback and comments on their blogs. I think that would be very important. I guess my biggest concern would be that the administration would not see the importance of technology and therefore feel like I wasn't using my time appropriately. Another concern I have is that there is no money to assist in equipping my students with the necessary technology. I really don't know exactly how I would address these issues. I guess I would first talk with the principal or technology coordinator (if there is one) and discuss what my options are. I would possibly put a tweet out asking for any information on how to get grants for technology. I'm sure that if the administrators are willing to work with me, we can get something worked out.

Skype Interview with Ms. Cassidy

The Edm310 class got to enjoy a Skype interview with Ms. Cassidy. In this interview Ms. Cassidy stated that she has been involved in technology for the past ten years. She became involved because five computers had been donated to her classroom and she was trying to find out how her students could use them. She started first with a web page and eventually began blogging. At the time of the interview she stated that she had been doing videos for two years. Ms. Cassidy mentioned that she had received some federal funding and received some professional development to help on her journey to becoming technology literate. She also stated that her technology coordinator had also been very beneficial on this journey. Ms. Cassidy explained that each student was required to have a form signed allowing the students to participate. She also does not put last names of the students or their name with their picture for safety purposes. Parents and kids love technology being used in the classroom. The parents are able to monitor what their child is doing in the class and to see their progress in writing. The students love working with technology and the fact that they don't have to "power down" when they come to class. In the interview Dr. Strange expressed some of the students' opinions about technology and it's necessity. Ms. Cassidy was quick to say that they are wrong if they think they don't need technology in the classroom. She explained that the world is changing and we are only "handicapping our students and ourselves" when we don't use technology in the classroom. When Dr. Strange asked her if blogging was making any differences in learning, she explained that the students love to blog because they know that they have an audience. There is someone, other than the teacher, to read what they have written. She shared that often her students will have 100+ views. Not only do they know others will see it, but they also get comments about what they've written. When she was asked about other teachers at her school using technology, she said that there were some that saw the need to teach technology, but there were also those that didn't. Ms. Cassidy suggested to the class to start by developing their own PLN. She mentioned they needed to find a network that represented their interest. After Dr. Strange finished asking his questions, he allowed several Edm310 students to ask Ms. Cassidy questions. One question that I liked was the one that asked about blogging be too accessible for cheating. She explained that really that was the professor's responsibility to be creative in their assignments to deter cheating. She also mentioned that often it provides opportunities for others to piggy back. She stated that she didn't consider this to be cheating but rather a collaborative effort. At the end of the interview, Ms. Cassidy showed the class her back yard which was covered in beautiful, white snow.

I just have to say "You Rock Ms. Cassidy"!!!!! I want to be just like you when I become a teacher. I just can't find the words to describe how amazed I am that she has first graders using technology in such a powerful way. A true example of how it can be done, if we will only make the effort. I am so glad that she has people who have supported her. I have to admit that I am concerned that I may not have that support when I get my teaching position. With funding in education being so tight, is there money available to use for training in technology? I'm not even sure if most schools even have a technology coordinator. In the school that my 8th grade son attends, they barely have enough computers for his online course. Even those computers are in bad shape. I guess what I am trying to ask is .... What do we do when we see technology as necessary, but we are placed in a school where either the administrators don't think it's necessary or there is no money available for technology? I find myself torn on this subject . In some ways it makes you wish you didn't know how crucial technology is for the students to succeed, if only to find out that there is no way to provide it for them. I am so excited that Ms. Cassidy's students are getting this awesome opportunity. I just wish that it was being provided to all kids and unfortunately that is not the case.
I also wonder how these students are affected when they learn how to use technology in first grade, but have teachers in the next few years who don't teach technology or allow them to use it.

Special Blog Assignment

In With The New

Out With The Old

In the article, A World Where Grades Will Be Left Behind, Sebastian Thrun talks about a revolutionized education system. In this new system "learning is free, no one is late for class, failure is not an option, and lessons look like Angry Birds". Where do I sign up? Who wouldn't want a class like that?  Sebastian Thrun, a very successful 45 year old, taught an online class about artificial-intelligence. This experience affected him in such a way that he felt he could no longer teach in a traditional classroom. The result would be the creation of, Udacity, an education company. Thrun created Udacity because he felt the current education system needed a complete make-over. This is not the first attempt at changing the traditional education system. Thrun's friend, Sal Kahn, created the "flipped classroom". In this system students use computers at home to obtain prior knowledge about the upcoming lesson. When the students return to school the next day, they already have some knowledge about the lesson and the teacher spends less time explaining the information and more time on the application process. Thrun emphasises that he has no desire to completely do away with the schools themselves. He just wants to change the ways the students learn.

I personally do not believe that I will see a education system "where grades will be left behind". At least not one where the vast majority of students attend. This theory might work in a system like the one Thrun created. However, I also believe that too much emphasis is placed on grades today.  I don't really understand how practical a school system like Udacity would be for the majority of people. I understand that there are some professions where this type of education system that promotes creativity could be beneficial. However, as Thrun stated there isn't a class or education system where "one-size-fits-all". Where this education style might be beneficial to some professions, I don't believe that it can be applied to all. Where this style of teaching could be beneficial to some students, it isn't for all students. I agree that the education system that exists in most schools today needs a make-over. I like and understand the flipped classroom. I think that it would be much more practical for the majority of the schools.

Comments for Kids in October

C4K # 4


USHRS

My C4K assignment was to comment on a USHRS blog post. The author is Noah and he is a part of a group called USHRS. This stands for US History Research Seminar. The Quad103 group is made up of students from Portland, Oregon; Baltimore, Maryland; Iowa, and France. In Noah's post he states that his group has been working on a project. In this project they are to answer questions about American Identity and to report to the class. His group decided to do a documentary style video of interviews. Noah explains that in the past he has been a procrastinator and that this year he decided that he wanted to change. So when his group started to meet about the project, he expressed firmly his desire to work really hard to get things done early so they wouldn't have to be rushed and stressed at the end. By the first weekend of their three week period, Noah and this group had already gathered all the video interviews they needed for their project. Noah had figured that it would take four to five hours of video editing max. to produce a seven to ten minute video. However, it took one whole hour just to produce the first thirty seconds. He could have completed the project in the time he had allotted but it would not have been the quality video he wanted. Noah said that he learned two lessons from this experience. First, always allow yourself  extra time  and second, figure out how much time you think you need and double it. 

In my comments I explained who I was and where I was from. I commented that I was surprised that he was concerned with changing his bad habits in the 11th grade. I explained that it took me a little while longer to figure that one out. I also told him that I wished I had figured it out earlier so that I wouldn't be 41 years old and still in college. I told him that I thought this project was a wonderful way to gain learning experiences. Noah and his group would be learning time management, teamwork and organization skills. I told him that I was having to work with two groups here at school, and that I was lucky because both my groups work together well. I knew that not all groups were so lucky. I praised him for his decisions and commitment. I also encouraged him to continue and reminded him to don't let up.

C4K#5

You can’t expect it…it just comes

You can’t expect it…it just happens

You can’t expect it…it just starts

Whether a teacher tells you, or a parent tells you, you may never know when it happens.

For this so called thing that I am talking about could be a phone call, or maybe a visit from a friend.

But what I am talking about, does not have anything to do with a phone call or a visit from a friend.

What I am talking about, is RAIN

The above is the post from my C4K . Her name is Hannah and she is in the 5th grade. I started out by asking her if she was sure she was in the 5th grade. I thought she used a lot of thought when preparing her post for a fifth grader. I agreed that rain is so unpredictable that even weather men can't predict it correctly sometimes. I shared with her that my kids like to get out and play in rain when it is not thundering and lightening. I told her that I like to take a nap or read when it rains. I asked her what she liked to do when it rains. I told her that I don't like the thunder and lightening. I encouraged her to keep up the good work. I complimented her on her creativity. 

Hannah

I wonder what pets think about and how there perspective is to the world. Do they have the same thoughts as us?  Do fish and  hamsters think we’re giants? What do they think about us walking on 2 feet? They’re probably like, “Wow, are those creatures weird. Why don’t they walk on 4 feet instead of 2? I mean, it’s  just creepy!” But they could always think different about that and wish they could do it all day.  Do they ever wish they could find out how to make a vacuum be quiet? Well, to them it’s probably just a really big   thing that makes a scary sound. Do they ever wish that they could open a refrigerator and take all of the delicious food and eat it behind their owners backs? I think it would be really interesting to find out what they think. That’s why I sometimes wish to be an animal but I would be able to turn back into a human whenever I wanted to.
I also commented on another post of Hannah's. I expressed that I thought her comments were very creative and thoughtful. She really puts a lot of thought into her writing. She thinks about things that I haven't really given much thought about. I asked Hannah if she thought that animals ever laugh at humans. I also asked her what animal would she choose to be. I explained to her that I would have to think about that one a little while longer. I closed by encouraging her to keep up the good work and that I looked forward to hearing from her again. 

C4K #6

Canadian Grace

My C4K is Brianna and she didn't write a post but had created a slide show on Animoto. The pictues in the slide show were amazing. I explained that I had also completed an assignment using Animoto. I asked her if she had ever used Prezi. I told her that I wished she lived closer because I might could use her to help me get my project done. I asked her if she had ever been to Montana since Alberta, Canada is not too far from Montana. I encouraged her to give a little more details about her pictures on her next slide show. I closed by encouraging her to keep up the good work. 

She responded by saying that she had not heard of Prezi. She also shared that she liked learning about technology. She answered my question by saying that she had not been to Montana but would like to go there one day. She also explained that the pictures in her slide show were just some pictures that she liked. She closed by thanking me for commenting on her post. 

C4K #7

Ireland in October

It simply stated that the blog had been set up to allow us to follow their journey through Ireland during the month of October.

I again explained who I was and what I was doing. I looked over the other posts and saw some amazing pictures they took as they traveled. I shared that when I first saw the post St. Patrick, that I automatically thought of the holiday. I now understand there is so much more to the name. I expressed my desire to be traveling with them and learning about Ireland's history. Learning things that I wouldn't forget about in a weeks time. I closed by thanking them for sharing their journey with us.

Comments for Teacher # 3

Learning with Robots

C4T#3

Steve Wheeler

My teacher to comment on this time is Steve Wheeler. In his post he starts out by referring to his previous post, Learning by Making. In this post he discussed the theory of constructionism. This theory promotes student learning by students placing themselves in and with different situations. This allows the students to learn in their own unique way. He also mentions Seymour Papert who created the Beebot. The Beebot is a floor robot that students can program to follow simple instructions. This tool is effective because students love robots and it's use of technology. He states that it encourages them to experiment, learn from their mistakes, and develop higher cognitive process.  

In my response to his post I explained who I was and what I was doing. I expressed that I thought the video was amazing and how I would have loved to had a Beebot when I was in school. I also commented on how I thought technology was a great and fun way to teach students. I stated that I was learning about technology in my Edm 310 class. I said I couldn't imagine all the technology that is available to use in the classrooms. The tools are limitless. I shared how this was my first time to see the Beebot and how much my little girl would love to have one. I asked him if they were available and how much they cost. I warned him that I would continue to follow him so I could learn more about technology. I can use all the help that I can get. 

This is how he responded and the link to purchase a Beebot. I thought the price was really reasonable. 
Hi Stacy, and thanks for commenting. Bee bots can be purchased from Amazon for about £50 http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bee-Bot-Programmable-Floor-Robot/dp/B001CVKYAW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1351057475&sr=8-1

Digital Learnscapes

Nov. 6, 2012
In this post Steve is talking about the Pelecon (Plymouth Enhanced Learning Conference) that is held each year in April at Plymouth University. He expressed how successful this past year's conference was and that they were working on the one for 2013. The Pelecon conference is used to energize delegates and challenge perspectives on education, learning and development, and the role of technology. He also stated that the Pelecon provides the best atmosphere of informal debate over major issues concerning technology. This conference attracts teachers and learning professionals from all over the world. 

In my response I talked about the success of the last Pelecon and how exciting the next one would be. I stated that I would love to be there to witness all of the teachers from all over the world discussing the future of education and how technology is being used. I know that there would be some great information that I could apply to my future classroom. I thanked him for sharing the information and wished that one day I could be a part of this amazing opportunity.

This was his response to me.
It was indeed Stacy - and we are really looking forward to hosting Pelecon 8 next April. We have some very exciting things planned for the event next year, and some world class speakers too! Would love to see you and the rest of your group at a future Pelecon, and you can also visit the original Plymouth Rock, where the Mayflower and the Pilgrim Fathers set sail from in 1620 - so one day .... who knows?

Blog Post #10

I'm a Papermate. I'm a Ticonderonga

Well, I must say that I was a little confused to begin with. I am only familiar with Papermate as a pen. I had no idea what a Ticonderoga was. I now know that Papermate makes pencils also. I also know that Ticonderoga is a brand of pencil. After reading the comments listed on the post, I now realize the comparison of the two is "a mock of I'm a PC and I'm a Mac."  I would guess that the point would be ..... what is the purpose of spending less money on a PC plus the cost of repairs when you could have spent the same amount to begin with and bought the MAC. Or you could say "you get what you pay for".
So spend the money and buy the MAC!!!!!!!!!!

NO GAMES! NO GAMES! I don't care if your students are learning the objectives. 

Why Were Your Kids Playing Games?

In the post Tom, a teacher, was getting questioned by his principal, Mr. Brown. Apparently Tom had used The Factory Game as a method of getting his students engaged in the curriculum he was trying to teach. Mr. Brown, however, felt that this method was inappropriate. He had a strict "NO GAMES" policy. Tom fights for his methods by comparing them to how soldiers and doctors use simulation and games to prepare them for their jobs. Mr. Brown still would not allow the use of games, but did suggest using worksheets and algorithms. After going back and forth and discussing the matter for a few minutes, Tom figures out a way to incorporate the worksheets and algorithms while also using "The Factory Game".

I found the post to be very typical of the classroom today. Often teachers are criticized for their teaching methods without any regard to the students' learning. I know that you have to be careful because many teachers use movies and games to fill their teaching time. Often these games and movies do not teach the curriculum. I feel, as long as the teacher can show how the games/movies are being used to teach the curriculum and the students are learning, the teacher should be allowed to use those teaching methods. I know that, as a visual learner, I often learn better when I can see it. Recently a teacher showed the movie The Alamo. I'm sure that some teachers would find that completely inappropriate. I enjoyed it because it was a visual picture of the events in the history book. I am more likely to remember the events, because I watched the movie  not because I read about it in a book. I commend Tom for fighting for what he knew to be a useful and engaging teaching method while also trying to abide by the rules. Often we try to fight for what we want without any consideration for the reasoning of the other person. As future educators, it is essential that we are willing to work with principals, teachers, students, and parents to reach an agreement, if at all possible. We will be better teachers if we are able to compromise and work together.

The Con Academy
In this post Mr. Johnson, a teacher, is being encouraged to use a flipped method in his classroom. But this is not the flipped classroom where students use technology at home to prepare for the next day's lesson. The principal and salesman want Mr. Johnson to buy into this program where the students get to choose their worksheets and activities. Mr. Johnson knows that although this method might sound good, in actuality, it's not worth much.

Again, I agree that this is typical of the education system today. There are many people making decisions about education that have absolutely no idea what happens in the classroom. And we wonder why our education system is so messed up. Often things sound good until you try to put it into practice.

Don't Teach Your Kids This Stuff. Please?

In this post Mr. Scott McLeod was using sarcasm to make his point. He started out by saying that we shouldn't allow our students to use technology because of cheating, sexting, cyberbullying, porn, and predators. Which also denies our students the ability to create, share, think, and learn using technology as well.  Then at the end he stated that he was going to let his students use it and see who's students were better prepared for the future.

Once again I have to say that I understand the importance of technology. I have learned that this semester if I haven't learned anything else. Most students know far more about technology than I do. Much of that is because they grew up in a time where computers are easily accessible and I did not. I want to use technology in my classroom. I also think that students are more willing to learn when technology is being used. However, I also have to say that I also believe there are real threats associated with technology. Cheating, sexting, cyberbulling, porn, and predators are real concerns. These threats can have life altering effects when technology is used inappropriately. I strongly feel  when we, as teachers, choose to use technology in our classrooms, we are also responsible for what our students do with it. If we are able to monitor and guard against these threats, then I am completely for technology being used in the classrooms.

Project #14

My Smart Board Presentation

Project #11

Green Screen Project

Project 10

My PLN




  I have been building my PLN for the past few weeks using Twitter. At first, I had a hard time making comments because I didn't feel like I knew enough about technology. I didn't want to make comments for fear of sounding stupid. Instead I would look at the different comments and just read what they had to say. As my knowledge of technology has grown through Edm310 and reading twitter, I will now make some comments. I have found several people who have been very supportive and encouraging. When I find a tweet that I think will be useful for future references, I will save it to my favorites. This past week there was a tweet about some of the best children's books. I used that list to choose my book for my trailer. As I comment on blogs for teachers and kids, I will add them to the people I am following. I will continue to build my PLN.

Blog Post 9

Version 4 Post (2011-2012)

In this post, Mr. McClung decided he didn't want this end of the year post to be the same as all the others. Instead, he would share the two themes that continued to nag him. In his first theme, You Gotta Dance With Who You Brought to the Dance, he brought out how he had struggled with peer acceptance. In the past this had not been a factor. But for some reason this year he agonized over who he was as a teacher and what his colleagues thought about him. Somewhere along the way he discovered that what his colleagues thought was not nearly as important as what his students thought. So his #1 rule was making sure that his students were having fun. After all, aren't they the ones that truly matter? Instead of changing dance partners in the middle of the dance, continue to dance with the one that made you want to dance in the first place. The second theme was Challenge Yourself.  During the course of the past couple of years, Mr. McClung had taught the same subjects. He had fallen into the same old routine and realized that his creativity was quickly disappearing. He also noticed that he had become comfortable and lazy. Even worse, he realized that his students weren't enjoying his class. At the same time he was offered a new teaching position. He knew that this opportunity couldn't have come at a better time. He realized that sometimes if we aren't careful, we can become creatures of habit. As he embarked on this new journey, he understood what had taken place and chose to use this opportunity to start over.

What I Learned This Year (2009-2010)

In this post Mr. McClung had been teaching for 2 years. This year he had to experience several challenging changes. Through these changes, he learned how to ADAPT.  During his second year of teaching, Mr. McClung was faced with several first time experiences such as: teaching Jr. High, teaching social studies and history, teaching at a large school district, and teaching 3 different subjects. He had to leave his comfort zone (teaching science in the 6th grade) and adapt to a whole new environment. This was a huge difference in many ways. But the most important difference was the fact that Jr. High students loved their independence. Because he had experience in science and was comfortable with the material, he was able to provide a fun and enjoyable learning environment in science. Unfortunately, because he wasn't comfortable teaching history he wasn't able to provide the same environment in history. In return, the students were not learning very much and certainly was not having fun. So, Mr. McClung decided he needed to make a change. He started looking for different teaching styles that would fit both him as a teacher and his students. After implementing the new teaching style, both him and his students were happy. Another lesson he learned was to Find Your School Mom. Mr. McClung found other teachers who had more experience to guide him in the correct way of doing things. He referred to them as "school moms". They were there to guide him and give him sound advice when he didn't know what to do. He encouraged all first time teachers to find someone and adopt them as their school mom. The next lesson that he learned was to Check Your Ego at the Door. Since he had already established his #1 rule (make learning fun), he knew that he'd have to create embarrassing moments for himself. Which meant he had better check his ego at the door. There were also the lessons of The Path Least Traveled and Don't Be a Control Freak. In the lesson of the path least traveled, Mr. McClung wanted to teach the students how to become "independent thinkers". Often this concept goes untaught because teachers are so busy being "Control Freaks". They don't want the students to think for themselves. Instead the teachers want to control every little detail that goes on within the classroom. In his post he talked about sharing classroom duties with the students so that they created a win-win situation. The students learned responsibility and independence while it also eliminated some of the pressure for him.  Another lesson he learned was Scope and Sequence. In this lesson he noticed that the subjects he liked the most were the ones he spent more time and depth on. The subjects he liked least, he spent less time and depth on. In turn the students were not learning key information. During this time he received adversity from his colleagues. The advice given to him from another colleague was to "shut it down". Fortunately he realized that his students were the most important thing. If he chose to "shut it down", the students were the ones who lose. Lastly, he learned the lesson that It's What You Learn After You Know It All That Matters. During this lesson he realized that although he was progressing, he still needed to make improvements. He warns not to get the "BIG head" because something always comes along to humble us. We can always use advice of the more experienced. Our work is never done, we should always be learning and growing. 

I am glad that Mr. McClung made these end of the year posts. I am especially glad that he was willing to share them with us. There are many valuable lessons to learn from his experience. I am sure that I will be facing some of the exact dilemmas in my future teaching career. I believe that there are many teachers who care too much about what other teachers think and forget about what the students think. I have experienced this before when I have been a substitute teacher. I hope that once I get my teaching degree that I will always do what is best for my students. After all, it is about making students want to learn. I hope that I can be bold enough to stand up for myself and my students if the need should arise. I can also understand how teachers can become lazy and too comfortable being in the same grade and teaching the same subject for so long. I know now that as I begin teaching that I need to be cautious about letting this happen to me. We are crazy if we think that it can't happen to us. We need to challenge ourselves to grow and learn every single year. In Mr. McClung post ADAPT, he explained how he had to adapt to many different situations. I know as I enter into the classroom there will be plenty of opportunities for me to ADAPT. Heck, I'm still having to ADAPT in Edm310. Adapting is a part of life. The sooner we learn that the better off we will be. I have also learned through substitute teaching how important it is to connect with those who are more experienced . These people as he referred to are "school moms". These "school moms" can be so influential during our first years as a teacher. We just need to make sure that we choose our mentors carefully. I am looking forward to becoming a teacher. The thing I love the most about small children is the fact that you can act just as crazy as they do and it doesn't seem to matter. We all laugh together and move on. Thank you Mr. McClung for sharing with us. Hopefully your experiences will help us to become better teachers. Maybe by some chance, we will not make the same mistakes because he was willing to share.  

Project 12

Project #9b

Learning about Nouns on Prezi

Comments 4 Teachers #2

I am driven by two main philosophies, know more today about the world than yesterday. And lessen the suffering of others. You’d be surprised how far that gets you.

-Neil Degrasse Tyson

I’d like to think that this is the underpinning of modern public education. Some days, I witness that everywhere.

Too often, I see people who are motivated to achieve for the purpose of getting more for themselves.

Learn and work for others. That’s education.

Posted on September 30, 2012 (1 Comment)

In my post I introduced myself. I explained that my assignment was to to comment on the post today and again in two weeks. I told him that I agreed with his quote. I explained that I wanted to get my teaching degree because I wanted to make a difference in the lives of the students. I told him that I knew how children had to face so many difficulties that were way beyond their understanding. I stated that I was  passionate about my students knowing that someone cared.

I knew exactly what I had to do. It might cost me my job, my career, and my reputation, but following your heart doesn’t really make allowances for such paltry concerns.

-Terry Fallis in Up and Down

How easy it is to mistake what’s easy for what’s right.

At the end of the day or the end of my life, I will be that which I believe. I hold my heart in  highest priority. Why do we shy from that?

It is often the hardest steps that are most worth making.

Blog Post #8

This Is How We Dream Parts 1 and 2

In Richard E. Miller's presentation, he discusses how our methods of writing has changed. It has changed how we write, where we write, how we research, and where we publish. He first talks about how we write. We use to write with pencils and paper, but now we use computers and programs. Next, he talked about where we write. We use to write in libraries because that was where all the books were. Now we can write practically anywhere because we have laptops. He also spoke on how research has changed. Where we use to use books, we can now find any information we need within seconds using the web. Last, he spoke on where we publish. In the past we published everything by print. Most of this information was trashed at some point or another. When we needed that information again, we couldn't find it. Now information is published both in print and on the web. If the material on print is thrown away, we can find in on the web. It is easy to access. Miller stresses that this is a "increment change" and not a "fundamental change".

In part 2 of the presentation, Miller talks about how fast information changes. It can be difficult to keep up with how fast it changed and all the information available. He also shares that he believes that academic information should be shared with the world freely. That these ideas should not belong to individuals. When people started using iTunes to share academic lectures, many people were surprised by how successful and popular it was. When using the web there are no limits. The only limits are the ones we place on ourselves. He also admits that there are problems with the use of the web.  Two problems that he mentions specifically are access and educational system availability. He stated that they were currently working on composing a digital material. He finished with saying that there are still some things that he can't imagine.

I like what Mr. Miller had to say. How we communicate through writing has definitely changed. I believe that it has changed in a good way. I like that I can write at home, using my computer to find information easily and within seconds. I also like the idea that information can be published in print and on the web. I like to have a physical copy, but if I can't find it, I can also locate it on the web. I believe that it is important to share information with the world freely. I have used other's information and ideas to complete several of my assignments. I couldn't have used that information, if they had not shared that information or I had to pay to use it. I would also agree with Mr. Miller that there are no limits when it comes to working with the web. Unfortunately, that is also a BIG problem. People can access and write anything they want. Sometimes it can be very difficult to determine whether the information is valid or not. Even more difficult to keep students from accessing material that can be very harmful. The web is like everything else. When it is used correctly, it has many benefits.

Blog Post #12 by Carly Pugh

In Carly's post, she talks about an assignment that she thinks Dr. Strange should assign to his EDM310 class. In this assignment, Carly wants the students to create a YouTube playlist that contains 5 of the 10 topics that she provided. The assignment must also contain at least 10 videos. The playlist should reflect our teaching philosophies and what we have learned in our EDM310 class. She also included her playlist as an example and a visual tool. Carly assignment is an example of how modern technology can assist in education. There are so many resources available on the web. It shows that technology can capture the attention of our current technological generation.

I really like Carly's assignment. It makes you really think about what exactly is my teaching philosophy. It also gets you to use technology to find information to incorporate in your playlist. This assignment is similar to what Miller believes. They both use technology to share information with others. It is a collaboration of images and videos. It shows how technology is being used to in the classroom to teach the students. We are presenting information in a new and exciting way to the students. The students are important in the assignment because it will be about them and it will be created by them.

The Chipper Series and EDM310 for Dummies

The Chipper Series is a video of a girl who doesn't like to put forth any effort. She doesn't like the EDM310 class. She thinks that her personal life comes before her assignments and  Dr. Strange should teach her instead of having to teach herself. She continues to carry these twisted ideas into other areas of her life that always result in failure. At the end, she finally realizes that there are no shortcuts in life and the best way to succeed is to put your best effort forward.

In the EDM 310 for Dummies video, the students are advertising a book called EDM310 for Dummies. This book has all the important information to complete EDM310 without becoming stressed. The students were able to get the assignments completed and enjoy learning in the class.

I think that the two videos were trying to teach us that we will get out of our class and life what we put into it. The habits that we create now will also be habits that carry over into our personal lives. By now we should all know what to expect in our EDM310 class. If we will only start our work early, we should have plenty of time to get our assignments completed. I only wish there really was a book called EDM310 for Dummies. I would like to do a podcast in my classroom with my students.

Learn to Change, Change to Learn

In the video Learn to Change, Change to Learn, the speakers talk about how the world has changed but the classroom has stayed the same. The video states how students are using technology everywhere but in the schools. One speaker said "technology is not a choice". A new environment has been created. In this new environment, technology is crucial if you want to be successful in college and life.  The teacher and classroom is no longer the main source of learning.  Students are learning more from technology and their outside environment. Unfortunately, today's education focuses on standardized test. These tests have no significant barrings on today's jobs. Today's jobs don't require decision making that standardized test promote. To be successful in today's job market, students need to be learning key ingredients such as: finding information from the web, determining validity of information from the web, problem solving, and collaboration. In order for technology to be taught in the classroom, teachers also need to be trained. They need to know how to use and teach technology in the classroom.

I agree with everything that was said in this video. Students today are learning more through technology outside of the classroom. Unfortunately this is very sad. I also believe that technology is no longer a choice. And I also agree that if teachers are expected to teach technology, then they should be trained. Most importantly, I agree that the focus is on standardized testing. We need to teach these students the skills that are necessary for them to be successful in life. Each school should be required to have a project based class.




Discovery Education Web 2.0 for 2011

In this assignment, I was suppose to go on a Scavenger Hunt at WEB 2.0 Tools.  I was to complete 3 of the 5 tasks listed.

#1.  Edmodo.com is a the tool that I found that is similar to Twitter/Facebook. This tool allows me to communicate with my students, parents, and other teachers. It also allows me to use mini-lessons in my classroom. I can create quizzes and a calendar with this tool. It also has a grade book. All of these functions will be useful in my classroom.

#3  I also made a comic strip using makebeliefcomix.com.

#4 Slide Share This tool can be used to create smart board presentations in the classroom. I plan to teach K-6 classes. I know the smart board is used for their reading program. I can create fun and interesting presentations that my students will love.