Arvind Grover has videos on his page that are educational to our world's issues that we go through today. I commented on his video of Jay Smooth, "How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Discussing Race." Jay smooth had excellent points on how racism affects the way people communicate. He used a metaphor about tonsils and prejudice and either you have them or you don't. There are so many mixed signals when conversations get heated about racism or someone being accused of being racist. Also, he said prejudice builds up a little bit a day just like plaque on your teeth. I am probably already seen as a racist just because I am Caucasian and these stereotypes is what affects our world. Judgment needs to be taken out of our minds in order for anything to change.
FASCINATING REIMAGINATION OF "THREE LITTLE PIGS" IN THE AGE OF SOCIAL MEDIA AND OPEN JOURNALISM Arvind Grover choose to post a video that was very deep and covered a lot of issues that occur in our world today. One main issue was the rights of protecting your property. If someone comes into your home and you feel threatened then you technically have the right to do what it takes to protect yourself in your home. But the bigger issue in this video is committing insurance fraud. It turns out that the wolf had asthma and could not blow down the houses, so it leaves the authorities to believe that the pigs couldn't afford their mortgage so the pigs were forced to take desperate measures. In the end this video brought to peoples attention the many problems that are occuring in our world. Who is to blame? Can we blame the banks for loaning to much money when they know we can't afford it. Or is it our own fault? Are we just like the pigs?
World Book Day: Sharing Our Favourite Books was the blog I luckily had the opportunity to comment on. Three students left a brief podcast on information of their favorite book and why they like it. I thought a podcast was an excellent idea for these young students to hear themselves talk and understand the process of speech. Betty, Paige and Dylan did wonderful jobs and they had many tweets of other students with their favorite books. Not only did these kids accomplish an assignment that is educational but they also had followers to add to it all. Class 12 is doing an excellent job with educating there young British students in the world of technology.
1. Richard Miller gave me a major eye opening video to watch. This Is How We Dream was just a brief video that covered many inspiring information that our world is investigating. Richard said, he wants to push ideas into our culture that will help our world advance. In part 2, he showed a building in which he works at but used technology to view a new and improved vision of what can be possible. The fact that these video's were made in 2008 blows my mind. Many people are getting ahead with technology and the the world isn't going to wait for you.
I do not feel prepared at all to write with multimedia. I have multiple things to learn and investigate. Collaboration is a word that I continue to hear and see as a way of communicating with others mainly through intellectual ways. Technology allows material to last forever and to never be destroyed. Computers allow us to still use our imagination. Idea's and dreams are the most important aspects that should be taken to the next level through technology.
It is hard to say if my students will be able to use technology but I would like to think it is a major possibility. Richard Miller said, "Idea's don't belong to us individually but as a culture and as educators we need to share our idea's freely." I appreciated all the thoughts that Dr. Miller put in my head about why the world wouldn't want to use the web to improve our culture. It only makes sense that we use technology to educate not only ourselves but others. Schools is where we should begin, so our new generations won't fall behind.
2. Carly Pugh is indeed a very smart and creative girl. It is extremely difficult to create an assignment that Dr. Strange could possibly add to his class assignments. I think all the assignments so far have been well thought out and useful for me. Dr. Millers view on multimedia is similar to Carly's thought on her youtube project. As a future educator it is important to contribute ideas that will further the understanding of the internet. Videos and podcasts alone can be the new system of learning and developing our brains. I especially enjoyed the video's that Carly made a link to from a British boy under the name nunsrule. He is not only creative but has a sense of humor and great acting ability that he created through youtube videos.
3. I don't think I would be interested in preparing any videos for this class just because I don't like acting. I might consider doing an interview on what I've learned or an instructional video on what I thought was difficult. The most challenging thing in this class is to not get distracted and off track of your assignment. Although, I do think it is important to explore new things to find ideas and have a vision of what else is going on in the technological world. But since I usually procrastinate it leaves me with little time to search all the different links and blogs that I could find interesting.
4. I agree 100% with all the arguments in the video, Learn to Change, Change to Learn. Every thing these educators said made logical points. Today the children in our world are definitely living in a different accelerated world. So, these kids need to be taught differently in ways they can communicate and use social networks to improve their resources. Technology is an amazing opportunity and experience that teachers should want to give to their students. As an educator I hope to develop my classroom into a multimedia learning center that focuses on the importance of understand technology.
5. Discovery Education's Web 20.12 website is a must need to search and explore because it is full of tons of tools that can be useful. Ning is a great tool that resembles Facebook is many ways. It is a website that allows you to create your own social network with over 80 different designs for you to choose from. Unfortunately, Ning cost 25 dollars a month to maintain and use but it can be a better way for a teacher or student to control a private social network. The basic version still allows you to upload your own photos and videos. also, blogs and forums are available and can be great additions to your personal page.
I would consider using this site in my classroom with my students because it has a privacy control that I find important especially for younger students. The internet can be a dangerous place if you are not careful and take the right precautions. Also, the fact that each individual can create their own design will allow me as a teacher to see each students creativity and imagination. Lastly, I like the group and chat feature that can become a project for the students to communicate while at home and learn how to accomplish things together through technology.
Animoto is a fun way to make a video filled with pictures or even videos inside the video. Animoto has many special features that you can choose for whichever one fits your occasion. A quick and easy video can be created by the website. Simply just upload one to five pictures and they can make the video for you in minutes. Also, I find it a little refreshing to just upload what you want and what music and then the website will create it for you and email it to you. Although this website isn't free it is just five dollars a month, so if making video's is your hobby this could be your match maker. Later I found a free version of Animoto called Smilebox. It can be good for scrapbooking, invitations, or occasions, I would recommend downloading it.
The flipclass on NPR
Brian Bennet is a high school teacher who has a different outlook on education to help teach the 21st century students. His students are learning graphic design and many more computer aspects to help them further their education. This new way of teaching is known as a flipped classroom. It simply just means that these teachers are trying to let technology be a new way of learning. The post I commented on Mr. Bennet's blog of when he went on a radio show with The Trend to talk about his aspect of teaching. He has been teaching for 25 years, but yet still has a new view on technology instead of strictly just text books. He teachers freshman the aspects of technology in a way to use computers to engage in projects.
Flipclass chat starts with a bang
The flipped classroom has become a major hit through Brian's network of sites. He had almost a thousand tweets with comments and remarks on the flipclass chat. As soon as I began following Brian on twitter, I immediately found many more teachers with creative tweets about the classroom that are useful. I left a brief acknowledgement on his page that I am following him and enjoying all the feedback that his chat was receiving. The flipclass chat is becoming a weekly event on Monday's, so anyone is free to join. I will continue to follow Brian because he is a smart educator, who understands the concept of technology in the classroom.
Wendy Drexler made a fun interesting video that was both enjoyable and educational. Many great points were introduced about a connectivism course where there is no textbook or lecture. More and more courses are becoming this way which can be a great thing for students who can research and do things on their own. The main question at the end was why is a teacher needed for a network course. A few examples were mentioned in the video about the teacher still being a guide and mentor. Students still need to be directed in the right direction with guidelines and criticism that are from the teacher who prepared the course.
The wonderful opportunity of technology in the classroom is definitely expanding in the 21st century and it still needs to advance drastically. Wendy is going to experiment this learning technique with middle school students, which I think is a fantastic idea. Some may wonder what even gives me that thought, but to me this video showed me one students creativity. I don't know what the assignment was but I'm assuming it didn't have many rules and it was left up for the students imagination.
Imagination and creativity have been neglected in the classroom more and more. Technology gives the opportunity for these important aspects of learning back into the classroom. It was mentioned that the network student had to learn how to do their own research and establish his own personal learning network. A little guidance into which direction to head can lead to many great things that a teacher can not teach. Browsing and finding information that will help you and further your knowledge is all up to the student.
Before I become an educator I have many more things to learn about the technological world of learning and teaching. Mrs. Drexler has taken that step into the world of experimenting with technology on her students and that is all it takes. Experimentation is one of the ways to see what works in the classroom and for your students to get the most out of it. Learning and blogging about what you want to try might be an easier step before actually taking it to the classroom. It all starts with doing your homework first, so you can be prepared for the test.
A 7th graders Personal Learning Environment video was a great guide into how easy it can be to organize and develop a PLE. I can barely compare both of our Personal Information Networks because hers seems further developed. Although, she has classes and information to simply upload an assignment on her page and I am searching to find some useful teacher blogs and websites to help me further develop as a future educator. It takes time to develop and research, soon my PLN will be created and useful.
A Personal Learning Network is very important to further the knowledge and understanding of teaching. I need to develop a better network of my personal information and Symbaloo is a great start to manage it all. I was impressed by the 7th graders Personal Blog, she did an excellent job establishing it and making a powerpoint. If she can figure it out and make a great symbaloo, then I can most definitely accomplish it.
Browsing through the Development of a PLN in EDM310 link, I found multiple links that allowed me to go through an endless search. Richard Bryne was one of the first links I followed which had a powerpoint of many great ideas and information that I found very helpful. Research, it seems like such a simple word but I could search for days finding thousands of informative information that will further excel my Personal Learning Network. I hope to find some teachers that will help me with questions and direct me in the correct things I should add to my PLN. Everyday this class takes me to new levels that exceed my expectations, I am glad I am getting this opportunity.
Randy Pausch is a brilliant man who uses his brain in many great ways. His lecture was long but very enjoyable. He had a few idea's that really caught my attention. Brick walls show our dedication. This is not only short and sweet but very true. A lot of people stop when things get tough and you think you can't get around your problem. This would be my main goal in a classroom is to help my students realize that there are other ways around the obstacle rather than giving up.
"Find someone better than you" or even better teach so those who learn can exceed your expectations. Randy had multiple points on how important it is for your students to love what they are doing. If the students are learning and figuring material on their own then your methods of teaching are successful. This concept would be the reason on why I will be a different teacher. I want to fill my kids up with assignments they can figure out on their own. It's important to allow your students to solve the problem on their own or they will easily forget the solution if it is handed to them.
Don't shoot down your child's creativity. Let them live a life with independent thoughts. Some things aren't worth the fight, argument or disciplining. Fun is the most important priority in life. Believing in your students is the key to their success. He couldn't have said any of these things any better. A teacher's goal should be to further your students mind into something they never knew they could achieve. Don't give up on what you believe in. Most of all don't lose faith in a child.
Money isn't the solution. Get out, live life and have fun. Live up to your full potential and that is what I would like to get across to my students as a teacher. To dream and have goals for your life and its not about reaching every single goal exactly as you may have planned but learning and experiencing along the way. It was obvious to not complain, work hard and be prepared. All of these are the right things and as Randy said all the right things tend to lead to good things happening.
