A Short Video: Oh, the Places You'll Go
This was a lot of fun! Thanks to Elizabeth Brooks for helping with the funky computer I was using - it made me disappear a lot from the screen.
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Project #12: A Book Trailer
The Hunger Games Book Trailer
I found it hard to do a book trailer for high school students and have pictures that would capture their attention, so I used pictures from our nation's capital, the ruins of a burned building in D.C., pictures from the first movie of the trilogy and pictures that were distributed from a Hunger Games fan site.
Please excuse the wrong name that I gave myself in the opening credits. I was Mrs. Watts until my recent divorce and that is apparent in the final credits (where I give myself my rightful name). It was already uploaded to YouTube when it was noticed.
I found it hard to do a book trailer for high school students and have pictures that would capture their attention, so I used pictures from our nation's capital, the ruins of a burned building in D.C., pictures from the first movie of the trilogy and pictures that were distributed from a Hunger Games fan site.
Please excuse the wrong name that I gave myself in the opening credits. I was Mrs. Watts until my recent divorce and that is apparent in the final credits (where I give myself my rightful name). It was already uploaded to YouTube when it was noticed.
Blog Post #7
A Networked Student
After watching A Networked Student , I was interested in learning more about the concept of Connectivism – maybe due to my Liberal Arts influence. According to Connectivism: A Learning Theory for Today's Learner, Connectivism is a learning theory for the digital age. Learning has changed over the last several decades. The theories of behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism provide an effect view of learning in many environments. They fall short, however, when learning moves into informal, networked, technology-enabled arena.
Some principles of Connectivism are:
- The integration of cognition and emotions in meaning-making is important. Thinking and emotions influence each other. A theory of learning that only considers one dimension excludes a large part of how learning happens.
- Learning has an end goal - namely the increased ability to "do something". This increased competence might be in a practical sense (i.e. developing the ability to use a new software tool or learning how to skate) or in the ability to function more effectively in a knowledge era (self-awareness, personal information management, etc.). The "whole of learning" is not only gaining skill and understanding - actuation is a needed element. Principles of motivation and rapid decision making often determine whether or not a learner will actuate known principles.
- Learning is a process of connecting specialized nodes or information sources. A learner can exponentially improve their own learning by plugging into an existing network.
- Learning may reside in non-human appliances. Learning (in the sense that something is known, but not necessarily actuated) can rest in a community, a network, or a database.
- The capacity to know more is more critical that what is currently known. Knowing where to find information is more important than knowing information.
- Nurturing and maintaining connections is needed to facilitate learning. Connection making provides far greater returns on effort than simply seeking to understand a single concept.
-Learning and knowledge rest in diversity of opinions.
-Learning happens in many different ways. Courses, email, communities, conversations, web search, email lists, reading blogs, etc. Courses are not the primary conduit for learning.
- Different approaches and personal skills are needed to learn effectively in today's society. For example, the ability to see connections between fields, ideas, and concepts is a core skill.
-Organizational and personal learning are integrated tasks. Personal knowledge is comprised of a network, which feeds into organizations and institutions, which in turn feed back into the network and continue to provide learning for the individual. Connectivism attempts to provide an understanding of how both learners and organizations learn.
-Currency (accurate, up-to-date knowledge) is the intent of all connectivist learning.
-Decision-making is itself a learning process. Choosing what to learn and the meaning of incoming information is seen through the lens of shifting reality. While there is a right answer now, it may be wrong tomorrow due to alterations in the information climate impacting the decision.
-Learning is a knowledge creation process...not only knowledge consumption. Learning tools and design methodologies should seek to capitalize on this trait of learning.
Dr. Strange posed two questions:
1. Why does the ‘networked student’ even need a teacher?
2. Am I ready to be a networked teacher?
Why does the networked student even need a teacher?
I think the video offered an excellent explanation, and our answer is that she empowers their connection of learning, she helps the students learn how to use tools they have readily available, she teaches them how to build a PLN or a PLE, she helps them take advantage of opportunities, she offers guidance when the student gets stuck, she communicates how to properly ask for help or advice from experts, she helps students differentiate between good information and propaganda, she helps organize all the information, and she helps the student get excited about the finished product.
What I thought was the most profound statement in the video, was that they recognized that the teacher was also a student of Connectivism. I think it’s this statement that got me most interested in researching more about the concept. I found a very interesting site that explains and offers guidance to teachers as a student of Connectivism,MOOC. This site offers a lot of advice to teachers on an activity that is crucial to our role as the ‘filter’ – I hate the term, but it is a good descriptive title for the activity of ‘SENSEMAKING’. According to MOOC, sensemaking is an activity that individuals engage in daily in response to uncertainty, complex topics, or in changing settings. While I still feel that our role as a teacher still encompasses more than just being a ‘filter’, this is a concept that does require our knowledge of content area and being able to distinguish good information from false information.
While students today are more often aware of the technology that they are handed on a plate, we are still going to have students that simply lack motivation to use it to their full potential. I think that’s where our role as a teacher becomes more important. Yes, we are going to have students that are reluctant to any type of learning, don’t want to fully engage in their education, sleep during any type of instruction, are only their until they are old enough to withdraw, or want to do just the minimum of work to pass or stay on a sports’ team. How can we reach these students? What is they are reluctant to technology? What if they what to use it but are illiterate to the technological age? What if they don’t have full access to this cyber world? More importantly, what if it’s their parents that are reluctant to allowing them to use what schools have to offer?
Am I ready to be a ‘networked teacher’?
I think I am fully capable of becoming one of the best ‘networked teachers’. I am ready and willing to learn. I also accept that I am dumb to a lot of things I have available to better me, but I am continuously learning to better myself in this new age. I know the basics, and I am currently adding to my PLN on a daily basis. Bring it on!
I think an even better question to this shift in learning might be, are our school boards and schools ready to help us make this possible? Also, are the parents ready?
A 7th Graders Personal Learning Environment
A 7th Graders Personal Learning Environment was an excellent video. I watched it a few weeks ago to help start my PLN. I thought it was very informative, and this student is working well-beyond her level of thinking.
How does her does her PLE differ from my PLN?
I am also using SYMBALOO to develop my PLN, but I started with Twitter and Facebook to gather teachers past and present. I have also included my high school website, all three schools’ websites that I have taught at, ALEX, and several content related sites. I think her bookmarks are more student based – offering more advice and educational information on her level.
Overall, we both have similar tools at our disposal. We just have different levels of information. We both have access to knowledge at our fingertips and room to be continuous learners.
Extra Assignment: Thomas Suarez: A 12-year-old App Developer
While watching the video Thomas Suarez: A 12-Year old App Developer , I was amazed at the accomplishments and drive of this 12-year old young man. He reminds me so much of my young cousin, Griffin. Griffin attends a very prestigious school in north Alabama called Randolph School . Griffin amazes me every visit home. He is constantly coming up with new ideas that I think are far-beyond his true age, and he still maintains a starting position on the varsity football, baseball, and hockey teams. He’s fifteen now, but he has always amazed me with his genius.
What did you learn from watching this video?
That students and kids today are moving at a much faster speed than we did – I already knew this because of my daughter. She shows me so much! Thomas Suarez has already developed several apps, and he currently wants to develop more (he even wants to expand into Droid). Most of us came home, did our homework, went to practice, played outside, and maybe ended the night with some TV or play some video game. He’s gone way beyond anything we ever tried. He asked himself, how did I get here? Who made these games for me to play? How can I do it?
What does this video tell us about how the world of learning is changing?
It made it very apparent that kids today are interested in stuff that involve so much more than running or playing, they are interested in technology, they are interested in bettering themselves, they are interested in fitting into this new age. Technology is here. Technology plays a role in their daily life.
While Thomas speaks of creating clubs for students that share his interests, I found myself asking if his childhood was being cut short. Yes, this interests him and it’s fun, but doesn’t he need more to be a successful individual? It made me think if the movie WALL-E. What happened to all those passengers after they became too reliant on technology? I am not saying that computers will take over the world. I am just saying that there can be too much of a good thing – we become complacent, sedentary, and lazy. I don’t think this is the answer either…what is the answer?
How does this video fit with the others assigned for Blog Post #7?
Throughout the Blog #7 assignment, we have learned more about have content is becoming secondary to technology in the classroom. Thomas is an example of a student using technology to its fullest potential. I have my issues with this, but it is apparent that it has some relevance. Yes, students have all this information easily accessible and teachers need to be constantly on their toes to stay abreast with their students. In in reality, we are still going to have students that need us to be trained as teachers have always been – we are also a vessel of information. That should never be forgotten! I hate to imagine students typing in ‘classroom teacher’ into Google 100 years from now.
Download the Bustin Jieber App! I have wanted to whack this kid over the head for so long!
![Bustin Jieber]( "dailybreeze.com")
After watching A Networked Student , I was interested in learning more about the concept of Connectivism – maybe due to my Liberal Arts influence. According to Connectivism: A Learning Theory for Today's Learner, Connectivism is a learning theory for the digital age. Learning has changed over the last several decades. The theories of behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism provide an effect view of learning in many environments. They fall short, however, when learning moves into informal, networked, technology-enabled arena.
Some principles of Connectivism are:
- The integration of cognition and emotions in meaning-making is important. Thinking and emotions influence each other. A theory of learning that only considers one dimension excludes a large part of how learning happens.
- Learning has an end goal - namely the increased ability to "do something". This increased competence might be in a practical sense (i.e. developing the ability to use a new software tool or learning how to skate) or in the ability to function more effectively in a knowledge era (self-awareness, personal information management, etc.). The "whole of learning" is not only gaining skill and understanding - actuation is a needed element. Principles of motivation and rapid decision making often determine whether or not a learner will actuate known principles.
- Learning is a process of connecting specialized nodes or information sources. A learner can exponentially improve their own learning by plugging into an existing network.
- Learning may reside in non-human appliances. Learning (in the sense that something is known, but not necessarily actuated) can rest in a community, a network, or a database.
- The capacity to know more is more critical that what is currently known. Knowing where to find information is more important than knowing information.
- Nurturing and maintaining connections is needed to facilitate learning. Connection making provides far greater returns on effort than simply seeking to understand a single concept.
-Learning and knowledge rest in diversity of opinions.
-Learning happens in many different ways. Courses, email, communities, conversations, web search, email lists, reading blogs, etc. Courses are not the primary conduit for learning.
- Different approaches and personal skills are needed to learn effectively in today's society. For example, the ability to see connections between fields, ideas, and concepts is a core skill.
-Organizational and personal learning are integrated tasks. Personal knowledge is comprised of a network, which feeds into organizations and institutions, which in turn feed back into the network and continue to provide learning for the individual. Connectivism attempts to provide an understanding of how both learners and organizations learn.
-Currency (accurate, up-to-date knowledge) is the intent of all connectivist learning.
-Decision-making is itself a learning process. Choosing what to learn and the meaning of incoming information is seen through the lens of shifting reality. While there is a right answer now, it may be wrong tomorrow due to alterations in the information climate impacting the decision.
-Learning is a knowledge creation process...not only knowledge consumption. Learning tools and design methodologies should seek to capitalize on this trait of learning.
Dr. Strange posed two questions:
1. Why does the ‘networked student’ even need a teacher?
2. Am I ready to be a networked teacher?
Why does the networked student even need a teacher?
I think the video offered an excellent explanation, and our answer is that she empowers their connection of learning, she helps the students learn how to use tools they have readily available, she teaches them how to build a PLN or a PLE, she helps them take advantage of opportunities, she offers guidance when the student gets stuck, she communicates how to properly ask for help or advice from experts, she helps students differentiate between good information and propaganda, she helps organize all the information, and she helps the student get excited about the finished product.
What I thought was the most profound statement in the video, was that they recognized that the teacher was also a student of Connectivism. I think it’s this statement that got me most interested in researching more about the concept. I found a very interesting site that explains and offers guidance to teachers as a student of Connectivism,MOOC. This site offers a lot of advice to teachers on an activity that is crucial to our role as the ‘filter’ – I hate the term, but it is a good descriptive title for the activity of ‘SENSEMAKING’. According to MOOC, sensemaking is an activity that individuals engage in daily in response to uncertainty, complex topics, or in changing settings. While I still feel that our role as a teacher still encompasses more than just being a ‘filter’, this is a concept that does require our knowledge of content area and being able to distinguish good information from false information.
While students today are more often aware of the technology that they are handed on a plate, we are still going to have students that simply lack motivation to use it to their full potential. I think that’s where our role as a teacher becomes more important. Yes, we are going to have students that are reluctant to any type of learning, don’t want to fully engage in their education, sleep during any type of instruction, are only their until they are old enough to withdraw, or want to do just the minimum of work to pass or stay on a sports’ team. How can we reach these students? What is they are reluctant to technology? What if they what to use it but are illiterate to the technological age? What if they don’t have full access to this cyber world? More importantly, what if it’s their parents that are reluctant to allowing them to use what schools have to offer?
Am I ready to be a ‘networked teacher’?
I think I am fully capable of becoming one of the best ‘networked teachers’. I am ready and willing to learn. I also accept that I am dumb to a lot of things I have available to better me, but I am continuously learning to better myself in this new age. I know the basics, and I am currently adding to my PLN on a daily basis. Bring it on!
I think an even better question to this shift in learning might be, are our school boards and schools ready to help us make this possible? Also, are the parents ready?
A 7th Graders Personal Learning Environment
A 7th Graders Personal Learning Environment was an excellent video. I watched it a few weeks ago to help start my PLN. I thought it was very informative, and this student is working well-beyond her level of thinking.
How does her does her PLE differ from my PLN?
I am also using SYMBALOO to develop my PLN, but I started with Twitter and Facebook to gather teachers past and present. I have also included my high school website, all three schools’ websites that I have taught at, ALEX, and several content related sites. I think her bookmarks are more student based – offering more advice and educational information on her level.
Overall, we both have similar tools at our disposal. We just have different levels of information. We both have access to knowledge at our fingertips and room to be continuous learners.
Extra Assignment: Thomas Suarez: A 12-year-old App Developer
While watching the video Thomas Suarez: A 12-Year old App Developer , I was amazed at the accomplishments and drive of this 12-year old young man. He reminds me so much of my young cousin, Griffin. Griffin attends a very prestigious school in north Alabama called Randolph School . Griffin amazes me every visit home. He is constantly coming up with new ideas that I think are far-beyond his true age, and he still maintains a starting position on the varsity football, baseball, and hockey teams. He’s fifteen now, but he has always amazed me with his genius.
What did you learn from watching this video?
That students and kids today are moving at a much faster speed than we did – I already knew this because of my daughter. She shows me so much! Thomas Suarez has already developed several apps, and he currently wants to develop more (he even wants to expand into Droid). Most of us came home, did our homework, went to practice, played outside, and maybe ended the night with some TV or play some video game. He’s gone way beyond anything we ever tried. He asked himself, how did I get here? Who made these games for me to play? How can I do it?
What does this video tell us about how the world of learning is changing?
It made it very apparent that kids today are interested in stuff that involve so much more than running or playing, they are interested in technology, they are interested in bettering themselves, they are interested in fitting into this new age. Technology is here. Technology plays a role in their daily life.
While Thomas speaks of creating clubs for students that share his interests, I found myself asking if his childhood was being cut short. Yes, this interests him and it’s fun, but doesn’t he need more to be a successful individual? It made me think if the movie WALL-E. What happened to all those passengers after they became too reliant on technology? I am not saying that computers will take over the world. I am just saying that there can be too much of a good thing – we become complacent, sedentary, and lazy. I don’t think this is the answer either…what is the answer?
How does this video fit with the others assigned for Blog Post #7?
Throughout the Blog #7 assignment, we have learned more about have content is becoming secondary to technology in the classroom. Thomas is an example of a student using technology to its fullest potential. I have my issues with this, but it is apparent that it has some relevance. Yes, students have all this information easily accessible and teachers need to be constantly on their toes to stay abreast with their students. In in reality, we are still going to have students that need us to be trained as teachers have always been – we are also a vessel of information. That should never be forgotten! I hate to imagine students typing in ‘classroom teacher’ into Google 100 years from now.
Download the Bustin Jieber App! I have wanted to whack this kid over the head for so long!
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
C4T #2
I have been reading and commenting on John Mikulski's blog, A Classroom in the Cloud, this week. I love this blog! He is so informative and interesting.
Should Teachers Assign Homework
His blog begins with a discussion about eliminating cheating in the classroom. He had recently read about ways to eliminate cheating in the classroom - one of the suggestions was to stop giving homework. He believes that meaningful homework has a place in the classroom, and I couldn't agree more. I commented that homework had been the bain of my existence the entire time I was teaching (and also as a parent), and I always got my feelings hurt when students simply did not do their homework. In a recent assignment in EDM310, we read the importance of teaching our students time management and responsibility - I wish I would have thought about this more as a new teacher. I fully intend on doing this in the classroom. I see nothing wrong with giving students their assignments at the start of a chapter and having them turn it in prior to a test (and going over it as a review the day before a test). I included my plans in my first comment.
How Do We Fix the Outdated Education Model
I loved this blog! Mr. Mikulski used our 'outdated' classrooms as sort of a metaphor for everything that is 'outdated' in education. He included pictures of a modern classroom and compared it to a picture of a replica of Jimmy Carter's sixth grade classroom. Guess what? It hasn't changed much. Big surprise, right? In my comment to this blog, I wrote about the video we watched on 'flipping' the classroom. I fully intend on doing this, when I start teaching again.
I am now following Mr. Mikulski on Twitter. Part of my PLN?
Should Teachers Assign Homework
His blog begins with a discussion about eliminating cheating in the classroom. He had recently read about ways to eliminate cheating in the classroom - one of the suggestions was to stop giving homework. He believes that meaningful homework has a place in the classroom, and I couldn't agree more. I commented that homework had been the bain of my existence the entire time I was teaching (and also as a parent), and I always got my feelings hurt when students simply did not do their homework. In a recent assignment in EDM310, we read the importance of teaching our students time management and responsibility - I wish I would have thought about this more as a new teacher. I fully intend on doing this in the classroom. I see nothing wrong with giving students their assignments at the start of a chapter and having them turn it in prior to a test (and going over it as a review the day before a test). I included my plans in my first comment.
How Do We Fix the Outdated Education Model
I loved this blog! Mr. Mikulski used our 'outdated' classrooms as sort of a metaphor for everything that is 'outdated' in education. He included pictures of a modern classroom and compared it to a picture of a replica of Jimmy Carter's sixth grade classroom. Guess what? It hasn't changed much. Big surprise, right? In my comment to this blog, I wrote about the video we watched on 'flipping' the classroom. I fully intend on doing this, when I start teaching again.
I am now following Mr. Mikulski on Twitter. Part of my PLN?
My PLN Progress #1
I had no idea where to go with this. I am an avid Facebook user, and I thought I would start there, but I decided that I didn't really grasp the concept of Twitter. I thought maybe I should change directions and start there - maybe it would help me learn more about how to successfully use Twitter. After reading information that Dr. Strange provided us and watching several videos/podcasts about establishing a PLN, I started exploring a few different areas. I decided to being building by researching people in the History field of teaching and those involved in Technology. I found that Beth Still offers a huge avenue of teachers and programs that can help build our PLN. I have started following numerous suggestions that I found on her website. I have also included professors at the The University of Alabama and The University of South Alabama - some I have taken classes from and some I have not. Teachers from my high school, Virgil I. Grissom High School, Murphy High School, Alma Bryant High School, Shades Valley High School are all represented in my PLN - these schools are very important to me, because I either went to school there or taught there. I am going to use my Twitter account to keep up with the people that are a part of my PLN. I know I will never stop adding to my PLN, but my next step is to create lists in my account that will allow me to easily follow my PLN and get the most from it. WE ARE LIFE-LONG LEARNERS!
L.A.'sSymbaloo
Shouldn't this blog be part of our PLN?
L.A.'sSymbaloo
Shouldn't this blog be part of our PLN?
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Project #9b
My First Prezi: Who Was Not a Member of Hitler's Master Race
I would use this to introduce my class to our WWII Unit.
THIS WAS NOT FUN! IT'S VERY COMPLICATED!
I would use this to introduce my class to our WWII Unit.
THIS WAS NOT FUN! IT'S VERY COMPLICATED!
Blog #6
I Have had a Deathbed Conversion. I Bought a Macintosh.
After reading Randy Pausch Last Lecture: Achieving Your Childhood Dreams, I was both inspired and saddened. Following Mr. Pausch's advice, I will go ahead and announce the elephant in the room. Mr. Pausch's battle with pancreatic cancer truly is a loss to us all. He really knows how to reach a audience and make them feel close to him. I've enjoyed all the videos I have watched of him online in this course, and the videos that I have watched without being assigned. I don't think I can watch him without crying.
Following Our Dreams
Randy discussed the importance of following our dreams, but he also said that the dreams we don't accomplish are are the ones we learn from the most. He listed several of his childhood dreams. He accomplished many of his childhood dreams, but two of his dreams stood-out in his lecture. Although he was in obviously good physical health despite his cancer, he never quite met the physical requirements of playing in the NFL. The other dream he discussed and fulfilled was becoming an Disney Imagineer. He worked on the Virtual Reality Aladdin ride at Disney. He said that it was after this that he began questioning how he could help students/others accomplish their dreams. Tommy Burnett, a student, came to him wanting to join his academic team but also with a dream to work on the Star War's films. By creating a virtual reality course at Carnegie Mellon University, he helped Tommy and many other students reach their childhood dream.
Our students have dreams! It's our job as teachers to help them realize their dreams and help them strive to meet their dreams. It might be something as small as making a B in math, when they had barely passed the previous year. It might be getting accepted into an Ivy League college. Whatever their dream is, we need to help them figure out what they are. We need to emphasize the importance of trying to make these dreams come true. We also need to explain that all dreams may not be met, but show them how they can learn from what they don't reach.
But just having dreams aren't enough....What else can we do as parents, teachers, and mentors?
Where to Place the Bar (to strive to reach)
After his first project that he assigned his students, the students came back with work that was so excellent that Mr. Pausch had know idea of what to do next. He received work that was beyond his expectations, and he consulted his mentor about what to do next. He decided not to set a bar - there are no bars for the greatest expectations. They ended up putting on a show at the end of each year of all their work. It became an extremely popular class and gave the students a sense of pride and excitement.
Kids can do amazing things, and they often don't know their potential. Never allow them to think that mediocrity or just reaching the bar is enough. Extra Credit? Yes, it's extra points, but what else can they learn from doing an extra assignment, reading a book that supplements a lesson, etc. Show them the way to realize that this benefits them too.
But what else can we do?
The Dream Fulfillment Factory
Through teamwork and hard work, Randy and a colleague created Alice. It was a way of teaching children a concept through something fun and creative - they were creating games and movies but secretly learning to do computer programing. He calls this a headfake.
A good example of a way that we can help them learn a lesson in the classroom through something fun is a topic we have already discussed in EDM310, Peer Editing. Yes, it is a way for their writing to improve and they are completing an assignment, but they are also learning new ideas from other students, they are learning that other peoples' opinions do matter, and they are also learning what they can do to be a better student.
Is that enough? No.
Lessons Learned: Roles of Parents, Teachers, Mentors, and Students
If your kids wants to paint their bedroom, let them. Don't worry about resale value of the house. -Randy Pausch
We should leave a legacy for them. It's not enough to just give them a lecture, give them an assignment and hand them a red-inked grade. Why did we do it? Why is it important to us? Did we let them know their work meets the requirements but they can do better? Did we help them realize their dreams? Did we do EVERYTHING we could to help them reach their goals? Did we set a good example for them to follow?
These are all questions we should ask ourselves as parents, teachers, and mentors. If we aren't answering these questions with a positive response, then we aren't doing our job - it is OUR job.
I listened to Randy Pausch Last Lecture: Achieving Your Childhood Dreams while driving to class on Monday, and I had a blow-out on the i110 bridge in Biloxi, Mississippi. It was one of the scariest accidents that I have ever had. I finished the lecture on my way home that night, and the irony of the whole thing is that I know I am not doing what I can as a parent and a teacher. I plan to take his words to heart and use them everyday.
For more information on Randy, please take a look at Randy'sLecture.
And you can also find more information about how to support the Randy Memorial Bridge at Randy'sMemorialBridge.
After reading Randy Pausch Last Lecture: Achieving Your Childhood Dreams, I was both inspired and saddened. Following Mr. Pausch's advice, I will go ahead and announce the elephant in the room. Mr. Pausch's battle with pancreatic cancer truly is a loss to us all. He really knows how to reach a audience and make them feel close to him. I've enjoyed all the videos I have watched of him online in this course, and the videos that I have watched without being assigned. I don't think I can watch him without crying.
Following Our Dreams
Randy discussed the importance of following our dreams, but he also said that the dreams we don't accomplish are are the ones we learn from the most. He listed several of his childhood dreams. He accomplished many of his childhood dreams, but two of his dreams stood-out in his lecture. Although he was in obviously good physical health despite his cancer, he never quite met the physical requirements of playing in the NFL. The other dream he discussed and fulfilled was becoming an Disney Imagineer. He worked on the Virtual Reality Aladdin ride at Disney. He said that it was after this that he began questioning how he could help students/others accomplish their dreams. Tommy Burnett, a student, came to him wanting to join his academic team but also with a dream to work on the Star War's films. By creating a virtual reality course at Carnegie Mellon University, he helped Tommy and many other students reach their childhood dream.
Our students have dreams! It's our job as teachers to help them realize their dreams and help them strive to meet their dreams. It might be something as small as making a B in math, when they had barely passed the previous year. It might be getting accepted into an Ivy League college. Whatever their dream is, we need to help them figure out what they are. We need to emphasize the importance of trying to make these dreams come true. We also need to explain that all dreams may not be met, but show them how they can learn from what they don't reach.
But just having dreams aren't enough....What else can we do as parents, teachers, and mentors?
Where to Place the Bar (to strive to reach)
After his first project that he assigned his students, the students came back with work that was so excellent that Mr. Pausch had know idea of what to do next. He received work that was beyond his expectations, and he consulted his mentor about what to do next. He decided not to set a bar - there are no bars for the greatest expectations. They ended up putting on a show at the end of each year of all their work. It became an extremely popular class and gave the students a sense of pride and excitement.
Kids can do amazing things, and they often don't know their potential. Never allow them to think that mediocrity or just reaching the bar is enough. Extra Credit? Yes, it's extra points, but what else can they learn from doing an extra assignment, reading a book that supplements a lesson, etc. Show them the way to realize that this benefits them too.
But what else can we do?
The Dream Fulfillment Factory
Through teamwork and hard work, Randy and a colleague created Alice. It was a way of teaching children a concept through something fun and creative - they were creating games and movies but secretly learning to do computer programing. He calls this a headfake.
A good example of a way that we can help them learn a lesson in the classroom through something fun is a topic we have already discussed in EDM310, Peer Editing. Yes, it is a way for their writing to improve and they are completing an assignment, but they are also learning new ideas from other students, they are learning that other peoples' opinions do matter, and they are also learning what they can do to be a better student.
Is that enough? No.
Lessons Learned: Roles of Parents, Teachers, Mentors, and Students
If your kids wants to paint their bedroom, let them. Don't worry about resale value of the house. -Randy Pausch
We should leave a legacy for them. It's not enough to just give them a lecture, give them an assignment and hand them a red-inked grade. Why did we do it? Why is it important to us? Did we let them know their work meets the requirements but they can do better? Did we help them realize their dreams? Did we do EVERYTHING we could to help them reach their goals? Did we set a good example for them to follow?
These are all questions we should ask ourselves as parents, teachers, and mentors. If we aren't answering these questions with a positive response, then we aren't doing our job - it is OUR job.
I listened to Randy Pausch Last Lecture: Achieving Your Childhood Dreams while driving to class on Monday, and I had a blow-out on the i110 bridge in Biloxi, Mississippi. It was one of the scariest accidents that I have ever had. I finished the lecture on my way home that night, and the irony of the whole thing is that I know I am not doing what I can as a parent and a teacher. I plan to take his words to heart and use them everyday.
For more information on Randy, please take a look at Randy'sLecture.
And you can also find more information about how to support the Randy Memorial Bridge at Randy'sMemorialBridge.
Monday, June 18, 2012
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Project 9a: My TimeToast Timeline
The Life of Lindsay Ann Parvin
This was a lot of fun! I can really use this in a history class!
This was a lot of fun! I can really use this in a history class!
Blog Post #5
The iSchool Initiative
Travis Allen's arguments are both motivational and compelling. His primary arguments for the iSchool Initiative economical, connectively, interdisciplinary, and futuristic. It's all very exciting, but I need to first explain my history with Apple. Over the course of my three years at USA during undergrad, I accumulated four iPod Shuffles. The iPod touch was available, but I refused to abandon my small, light-weight jukeboxes for this new-fangled contraption. After four years of college, a car that I had used since my sophomore year of high school, a 3.9 GPA, two full-time jobs, and numerous academic scholarships, my parents bought me a "new ride". It was just a newer model of my run-down VW Jetta, but I couldn't wait to get in and drive! After I got in the car and acclimated myself to the new settings, I adjusted everything and got ready to explore. I started to adjust my radio (I had yet to put my c.d.'s in the car, and I noticed a long cord coming from my middle compartment. I then looked to my right in the passenger seat, and I noticed a little extra surprise. My Dad had purchased a new iPod Touch. He was excited. He quickly exclaimed that I could put all my music on one device. Oh, the joy...I had something new learn. I responded the same way to my iPhone. I couldn't begin to understand why anyone would want to have their music interrupted with a phone call. This is still a problem for me, and I am quick to yell at anyone that interrupts Scarlet Begonias. I had a similar argument when I purchased my iPad. Why do I need a smaller laptop? I will admit that I have had mine since Christmas, and I haven’t really used it – I have recently learned the joys of this beautiful creation because of EDM310...iMovie? Yeah, that app ROCKS!
With all that being said and teaching experience, I can begin explaining the value I found in Travis Allen’s dreams for an iSchool. This is where I see the most value for technology in the classroom. The iSchool Initiative will financially benefit both the students and education systems – there will no longer be a need to purchase paper, writing utensils, ink, printers, etc. The money usually put towards purchasing these materials can be spent elsewhere. It will also allow the students to only carry a pound or so to school – no more aching bodies from all those books and notebooks. Very cost-effective! The iSchool Initiative will also allow for better connections to be made – connections can be made from teacher to student, student to teacher, parent to teacher, teacher to parent, and student to student! It would be one of the first successful attempts at really connecting the parent to teacher….no more missed phone calls, ‘misplaced’ notes home, lost report cards, etc. It will also offer a wider range of curriculum to students. Mr. Allen discussed many applications that could be used: An app entirely devoted to our presidents, an app for searching the stars, and I noticed a little girl learning basic mathematics in the second video. Teachers would also be able to include interdisciplinary lesson plans with ease with all these applications. We’ve already discussed earlier this year the importance of preparing our students for the future. We may not see the jobs they will working, but they will. We should prepare them for the future now!
Now, I wouldn’t be Lindsay Ann, if I didn’t find a counter-argument somewhere. Of course, I have one despite my enthusiasm stated above. With all the advancement in technology, the applications, and emphasis placed on independent learning, might we be on a path to eliminate some of the more important aspects of learning? The teacher? Social norms? That should also be addressed and never forgotten, but I am all for the iSchool Initiative!
Virtual Choir
Many thanks to Jennifer Chambers! I had never seen this. Although I have never posted to youTube until recently, I am an avid stalker of a few channels. The work they did was beautiful, and it was amazing that the members had never met. I think the amount of time, talent and technology that went into it is amazing, but I have some reservations about the use of it in education. I think the project is beneficial from a technology standpoint - it would be of great interest and value in media classes. However, I am not an advocate of this use of technology in the Arts. While it can be a learning tool and very enterprising for any group that could pull it off, I think that choir is a class that needs to meet in a live group setting. It's one of the Arts!
Teaching in the 21st Century
Wow! I have a headache. There was so much information in Mr. Robert's video that this should be a blog assignment all to its own.
Mr. Robert's suggests that our role as an educator is changing, and I am not sure I agree with his opinion. While his description of becoming a "filter" for our students seemed glorified with all the information he was throwing at us, I still think that our job description is more than merely a "filter" to our students. It appeared that our role as an actual educator of content material was lessened and that can never happen! A teacher has always been a guide. While we need to act as a moderator in what our students are learning, we can't forget what we are there to do. Some students can't learn independently. Some students need instruction. We must also provide the material - everything else is secondary.
I'm afraid that I did not agree with this video, and I found parts to be insulting. I understand the importance of preparing our students for there future, and technology is the future. I just don't agree with handing them an idea and letting them run with it. There's so much on the Internet that has not been "filtered" - much isn't true. We need to provide them with the facts...filter what else they find.
A Flipped Classroom?
I really enjoyed these videos and the concept of "flipping the classroom". I have used something similar in my classroom, and I learned it from my high school Geometry teacher, Adam Williamson. "Flipping the Classroom" isn't really new or all about technology, videos, websites, blogging, etc. While I may not have had the knowledge or use of technology to flip my classroom, I did it numerous times a semester when I had difficult material to teach. For example, when it came time to teach about the reasons for the Protestant Reformation, I sent home an assignment with the students to be signed by a parent that was aware of our studies. They had an intense note-taking assignment three days before starting the unit to be completed at home. I made it a test grade, so they were more willing to complete the assignment. When we started the unit in class, they had a good knowledge base of the material that we were learning about. We had more time for explanations and discussions about the material. While videos would have made this more teacher directed, they still benefited from the reinforcement and application. I never thought of a seating chart that would help me effectively reach students at different levels of understanding. This is a great idea! I will surely use this method! I am excited about this!
![]( "Martin Luther, the Protestant Reformation alt=")
Travis Allen's arguments are both motivational and compelling. His primary arguments for the iSchool Initiative economical, connectively, interdisciplinary, and futuristic. It's all very exciting, but I need to first explain my history with Apple. Over the course of my three years at USA during undergrad, I accumulated four iPod Shuffles. The iPod touch was available, but I refused to abandon my small, light-weight jukeboxes for this new-fangled contraption. After four years of college, a car that I had used since my sophomore year of high school, a 3.9 GPA, two full-time jobs, and numerous academic scholarships, my parents bought me a "new ride". It was just a newer model of my run-down VW Jetta, but I couldn't wait to get in and drive! After I got in the car and acclimated myself to the new settings, I adjusted everything and got ready to explore. I started to adjust my radio (I had yet to put my c.d.'s in the car, and I noticed a long cord coming from my middle compartment. I then looked to my right in the passenger seat, and I noticed a little extra surprise. My Dad had purchased a new iPod Touch. He was excited. He quickly exclaimed that I could put all my music on one device. Oh, the joy...I had something new learn. I responded the same way to my iPhone. I couldn't begin to understand why anyone would want to have their music interrupted with a phone call. This is still a problem for me, and I am quick to yell at anyone that interrupts Scarlet Begonias. I had a similar argument when I purchased my iPad. Why do I need a smaller laptop? I will admit that I have had mine since Christmas, and I haven’t really used it – I have recently learned the joys of this beautiful creation because of EDM310...iMovie? Yeah, that app ROCKS!
With all that being said and teaching experience, I can begin explaining the value I found in Travis Allen’s dreams for an iSchool. This is where I see the most value for technology in the classroom. The iSchool Initiative will financially benefit both the students and education systems – there will no longer be a need to purchase paper, writing utensils, ink, printers, etc. The money usually put towards purchasing these materials can be spent elsewhere. It will also allow the students to only carry a pound or so to school – no more aching bodies from all those books and notebooks. Very cost-effective! The iSchool Initiative will also allow for better connections to be made – connections can be made from teacher to student, student to teacher, parent to teacher, teacher to parent, and student to student! It would be one of the first successful attempts at really connecting the parent to teacher….no more missed phone calls, ‘misplaced’ notes home, lost report cards, etc. It will also offer a wider range of curriculum to students. Mr. Allen discussed many applications that could be used: An app entirely devoted to our presidents, an app for searching the stars, and I noticed a little girl learning basic mathematics in the second video. Teachers would also be able to include interdisciplinary lesson plans with ease with all these applications. We’ve already discussed earlier this year the importance of preparing our students for the future. We may not see the jobs they will working, but they will. We should prepare them for the future now!
Now, I wouldn’t be Lindsay Ann, if I didn’t find a counter-argument somewhere. Of course, I have one despite my enthusiasm stated above. With all the advancement in technology, the applications, and emphasis placed on independent learning, might we be on a path to eliminate some of the more important aspects of learning? The teacher? Social norms? That should also be addressed and never forgotten, but I am all for the iSchool Initiative!
Virtual Choir
Many thanks to Jennifer Chambers! I had never seen this. Although I have never posted to youTube until recently, I am an avid stalker of a few channels. The work they did was beautiful, and it was amazing that the members had never met. I think the amount of time, talent and technology that went into it is amazing, but I have some reservations about the use of it in education. I think the project is beneficial from a technology standpoint - it would be of great interest and value in media classes. However, I am not an advocate of this use of technology in the Arts. While it can be a learning tool and very enterprising for any group that could pull it off, I think that choir is a class that needs to meet in a live group setting. It's one of the Arts!
Teaching in the 21st Century
Wow! I have a headache. There was so much information in Mr. Robert's video that this should be a blog assignment all to its own.
Mr. Robert's suggests that our role as an educator is changing, and I am not sure I agree with his opinion. While his description of becoming a "filter" for our students seemed glorified with all the information he was throwing at us, I still think that our job description is more than merely a "filter" to our students. It appeared that our role as an actual educator of content material was lessened and that can never happen! A teacher has always been a guide. While we need to act as a moderator in what our students are learning, we can't forget what we are there to do. Some students can't learn independently. Some students need instruction. We must also provide the material - everything else is secondary.
I'm afraid that I did not agree with this video, and I found parts to be insulting. I understand the importance of preparing our students for there future, and technology is the future. I just don't agree with handing them an idea and letting them run with it. There's so much on the Internet that has not been "filtered" - much isn't true. We need to provide them with the facts...filter what else they find.
A Flipped Classroom?
I really enjoyed these videos and the concept of "flipping the classroom". I have used something similar in my classroom, and I learned it from my high school Geometry teacher, Adam Williamson. "Flipping the Classroom" isn't really new or all about technology, videos, websites, blogging, etc. While I may not have had the knowledge or use of technology to flip my classroom, I did it numerous times a semester when I had difficult material to teach. For example, when it came time to teach about the reasons for the Protestant Reformation, I sent home an assignment with the students to be signed by a parent that was aware of our studies. They had an intense note-taking assignment three days before starting the unit to be completed at home. I made it a test grade, so they were more willing to complete the assignment. When we started the unit in class, they had a good knowledge base of the material that we were learning about. We had more time for explanations and discussions about the material. While videos would have made this more teacher directed, they still benefited from the reinforcement and application. I never thought of a seating chart that would help me effectively reach students at different levels of understanding. This is a great idea! I will surely use this method! I am excited about this!
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Blog #4
Judy Scharf offer’s a very brief but detailed description of what a podcast entails, and I was pleasantly surprised at how direct she was. Although our class survey changed my self-definition of being technologically illiterate, I am familiar with the Podcasts I have downloaded for my iPod and iPad. I am afraid that it wasn’t until my recent return to school that I have used them for educational purposes. I have sadly only downloaded Podcasts from A Prairie Home Companion and some by more liberal poets. I enjoy listening to them on long drives (my kids hate this part of my iPod) and to decompress after a long workout. I recently downloaded several using iTunesU to help refresh some parts of history to help me on the Praxis. I plan on using Ms. Scharf’s link on how to use Audacity to help with my Podcast for EDM 310.
My group met today to work on Project #8 for EDM310. For Project #8, we have to create a Podcast using an assigned reading from Rafe Esquith’s book, Teach Like Your Hair’s on Fire. We were free to take the project any route we wanted, but we had to use our assigned reading. After reading about how the first graders created their own read-along book using a Podcast, I felt so silly for feeling so inadequate today. If first graders can do it, we can do it. While I think my group may have taken the long road in creating our first Podcast (we should have sucked it up and just filmed ourselves, instead we created a Google Presentation with voice-overs), I think it will be beneficial for the end of this class. I loved that the first graders created their own read-along book! It replaces the monotony of books on c.d. – I often find my ADHD-self drifting off into dreamland while participating in these kind of activities. These children are creating their own work, and the teacher is using it to reinforce what they have learned. It’s also incredible that the kids are learning so quickly what intrigued me earlier today in the lab. I played with changing my voice several times – it was so much fun!
Listening-Comprehension-Podcasting was very interesting and insightful. Can we use this technique in EDM 310? Maybe if I use iMovie 70 times in one sitting, I can become more proficient in making a Podcast. Just kidding. It’s common knowledge that repetition is key to our students learning, and through this project the kids are getting to use THEIR creativity to help each other and their parents. I really liked that they edited their work using a SmartBoard in class. The SmartBoard wasn’t available to me the first time I took this class, and every classroom didn’t have one in the schools that I have taught. I am extremely excited about getting to learn this tool. I think it is something that would help me greatly in the classroom.
My group met today to work on Project #8 for EDM310. For Project #8, we have to create a Podcast using an assigned reading from Rafe Esquith’s book, Teach Like Your Hair’s on Fire. We were free to take the project any route we wanted, but we had to use our assigned reading. After reading about how the first graders created their own read-along book using a Podcast, I felt so silly for feeling so inadequate today. If first graders can do it, we can do it. While I think my group may have taken the long road in creating our first Podcast (we should have sucked it up and just filmed ourselves, instead we created a Google Presentation with voice-overs), I think it will be beneficial for the end of this class. I loved that the first graders created their own read-along book! It replaces the monotony of books on c.d. – I often find my ADHD-self drifting off into dreamland while participating in these kind of activities. These children are creating their own work, and the teacher is using it to reinforce what they have learned. It’s also incredible that the kids are learning so quickly what intrigued me earlier today in the lab. I played with changing my voice several times – it was so much fun!
Listening-Comprehension-Podcasting was very interesting and insightful. Can we use this technique in EDM 310? Maybe if I use iMovie 70 times in one sitting, I can become more proficient in making a Podcast. Just kidding. It’s common knowledge that repetition is key to our students learning, and through this project the kids are getting to use THEIR creativity to help each other and their parents. I really liked that they edited their work using a SmartBoard in class. The SmartBoard wasn’t available to me the first time I took this class, and every classroom didn’t have one in the schools that I have taught. I am extremely excited about getting to learn this tool. I think it is something that would help me greatly in the classroom.
Sunday, June 10, 2012
C4C #4
Jay and I have a few things in common. We both love music and our families are important to us. He's going back to school to get his teacher's certificate, but he's been teaching in private schools for sometime. I totally agreed with his summary of Randy Pausch's podcast - procrastination will get you nowhere in EDM310.
Jay didn't complete Blog Post #2 and there wasn't a lot of substance to the first part of what he wrote. Maybe it's his comparison of Global Climate Change to Education, but I couldn't relate. I'm afraid that I am dumb to the article he mentioned and to a lot of environmental. He didn't explain either, and I wasn't able to make a educated connection. He did point out some of the more interesting facts from Did You Know? 3.0- A John Strange Version. It intrigues me that by 2025 the number of Chinese speaking English is predicted to outnumber the combined total of native English speakers worldwide.
Jay didn't complete Blog Post #2 and there wasn't a lot of substance to the first part of what he wrote. Maybe it's his comparison of Global Climate Change to Education, but I couldn't relate. I'm afraid that I am dumb to the article he mentioned and to a lot of environmental. He didn't explain either, and I wasn't able to make a educated connection. He did point out some of the more interesting facts from Did You Know? 3.0- A John Strange Version. It intrigues me that by 2025 the number of Chinese speaking English is predicted to outnumber the combined total of native English speakers worldwide.
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Blog Post #3
Peer Editing: One of the Most Useful Tools I Learned as a Teacher of High School Students
Working with each other to improve our class blogs and assignments in EDM310 is both beneficial and fun! Just imagine what it could do for your students! Not only does it help us check grammatical and spelling errors that we might miss, but it can help us get a better grasp of writing about something that is of interest to the greater majority of the class. I have been a stay-at-home mom for the past five years. There have been days, weeks, and months that I have felt that I have been on the same intellectual level as a preschooler, elementary student, or young teen - I am sure that I have become dumb to my once very picky writing skills. It's bothersome to me, because I was a really profound and colorful writer once upon a time. I was also one of those teachers that most students and parents hated - cross-curriculum was one of my specialities. I taught World History, U.S. History (both parts), Government, Economics, and Remediation for the AHSGE (this was my favorite class to teach). No paper was turned in with grammatical or spelling mistakes! I tired to incorporate as many of the other core curriculum classes as I could. Peer Editing was beneficial to my students, and it gave us time away from the monotony of our typical classroom schedule. I know...I was the Devil. I loved this blogging assignment! I welcome anyone to correct what I feel I have abandoned, but let's try to follow some of the most important rules! I had four rules, and three were in the videos we watched.
Ms. Parvin's Rules
1. Take the time to really read the other student's work - A lot of times people don't take Peer Editing seriously, and this can lead to students being off task and feelings getting hurt. People put a lot of time and effort into their work, and we should be able to show them that same amount of respect.
2. Make suggestions, don't demand they change the assignment to your way - This is someone's work. It means something to them. However, it may not be a topic that they know a lot about and you do. Your knowledge could be helpful in making more sense of their assignment. Sharing knowledge is a great learning tool.
3. Provide accurate Corrections - I had students that would turn in peer edits on peer edits. I always found that comical. I always told students to be sure of their corrections. If they were unsure of an error, then they should consult their book first followed by me. It could always make the difference in a A+ and an A.
4. STAY POSITIVE AND CONSTRUCTIVE - This was my most important rule, and I save it for last. I stressed it over and over again.
I always gave the students a rubric to follow and an evaluation to follow at the end of the peer editing assignment. I tweaked it a couple of times to see what worked best. I found it more beneficial with my 9th graders to rotate each group after one editing: no two students edited each others paper. I often found that the other student would try to retaliate a bad peer review with another, and two wrongs never make a right.
I really enjoyed the kids video on the top ten mistakes with peer editing. It was really cute, and I am sure the video helped them all become better peer editors. This is a great video to watch for educators and students. It hits all the high notes involved in peer editing.
A positive attitude and making students feel comfortable is one of the most fundamental and important parts of teaching on any level. If a student doesn't feel comfortable in any realm, then it will make for an undesirable environment for teacher and student.
Adaptive Technology
Technology in Special Education
I think it's wonderful what technology is doing for students with special needs. When the government implemented No Child Left Behind, a lot of teachers were faced with students in our classrooms that we had no idea of how to reach. I remember in high school that students in Special Education were completely isolated from the rest of the student population, and I also remember the first day that I had a student in my classroom that couldn't hold a pencil or book in their own hands. I sat on both sides of the fence with No Child Left Behind. While I wanted the special needs students to have a fair and equal education, I often found myself wondering if it really made education fair and equal to my regular students. I taught high school, so I had no teacher's aides in my classroom. I went home at night and pondered ways to reach my specials needs students without burdening my regular students.
If I would have had the proper technology that each of my special needs students needed, then I think all of my students would have benefited from my lessons on a daily basis. While having the technology for each of my students to engage in the same lesson would was impossible, but just having the equipment for those in need would have opened so many doors.
How the iPad Works with Academics for Autism and iPad Apps
This touches close to home. I have two friends that have kids with Autism and a cousin that has Aspergers. I have recently participated in two groups on Facebook that have raised money to buy iPads for these two children. The first time we created a Facebook group in September. My friends son was diagnosed with Autism in July, they are dual household with both parents working full-time civil jobs, and they had little money to buy extravagant things. After hearing about Apple's launch of programs to help special needs children with iPads and Rudy's recent diagnosis, we reached out to our Facebook community. We asked each friend to donate a dollar to our PayPal account and to invite their friends to join. By Thanksgiving, we had the money to purchase Rudy an iPad and $300 worth of iTunes cards to install applications. We have since started one for my friend's son, Chase. We hope to have his by his birthday in October. Rudy is loving her iPad and functioning at a much higher level than doctor's predicted.
The steps that Apple is making to improve education for special needs children is amazing, but the iPad can also be used to capture the minds of every student. I am afraid I have fallen in love with GeoBee. It's a Geography application. Students can visit places all over the world, it gives them facts and figures about thousands of places, and offers quizzes to help them retain the information they have learned. I probably would have had this blog completed three hours ago, but I have been entranced with this application.
Harness Your Students Digital Smarts
Wow! I learned so much and want to implement so much! Terraform, Wiki, Digital Citizenship, OpenSimilator....all terms that I was unfamiliar with before tonight. A historical simulator where my students could create avatars to fight at Bunker Hill, witness the signing of the Magna Carta, or walk through Checkpoint Charlie would be an amazing tool to help them understand the more boring and complex pages of history.
Students 'learning how to learn' would also help a great deal in classroom management. I am all for independent learning, but it is a common obstacle in the core subjects from what I learned as a teacher. Having students actively participate in creating their learning environment would enrich my classroom and many more. I have had students "larp" in the past at events focusing on the Renaissance and different American Civil War battles, but this would give them more opportunities to explore more than just one era in history. My only concerns are with meeting the state objectives and having the time to create these virtual worlds maintaining these objectives.
![www.larp-weekly-roundup]( "Larping, Interactive battles that Students can Get Involved in Could be Replaced with The Same Concept Online")
Working with each other to improve our class blogs and assignments in EDM310 is both beneficial and fun! Just imagine what it could do for your students! Not only does it help us check grammatical and spelling errors that we might miss, but it can help us get a better grasp of writing about something that is of interest to the greater majority of the class. I have been a stay-at-home mom for the past five years. There have been days, weeks, and months that I have felt that I have been on the same intellectual level as a preschooler, elementary student, or young teen - I am sure that I have become dumb to my once very picky writing skills. It's bothersome to me, because I was a really profound and colorful writer once upon a time. I was also one of those teachers that most students and parents hated - cross-curriculum was one of my specialities. I taught World History, U.S. History (both parts), Government, Economics, and Remediation for the AHSGE (this was my favorite class to teach). No paper was turned in with grammatical or spelling mistakes! I tired to incorporate as many of the other core curriculum classes as I could. Peer Editing was beneficial to my students, and it gave us time away from the monotony of our typical classroom schedule. I know...I was the Devil. I loved this blogging assignment! I welcome anyone to correct what I feel I have abandoned, but let's try to follow some of the most important rules! I had four rules, and three were in the videos we watched.
Ms. Parvin's Rules
1. Take the time to really read the other student's work - A lot of times people don't take Peer Editing seriously, and this can lead to students being off task and feelings getting hurt. People put a lot of time and effort into their work, and we should be able to show them that same amount of respect.
2. Make suggestions, don't demand they change the assignment to your way - This is someone's work. It means something to them. However, it may not be a topic that they know a lot about and you do. Your knowledge could be helpful in making more sense of their assignment. Sharing knowledge is a great learning tool.
3. Provide accurate Corrections - I had students that would turn in peer edits on peer edits. I always found that comical. I always told students to be sure of their corrections. If they were unsure of an error, then they should consult their book first followed by me. It could always make the difference in a A+ and an A.
4. STAY POSITIVE AND CONSTRUCTIVE - This was my most important rule, and I save it for last. I stressed it over and over again.
I always gave the students a rubric to follow and an evaluation to follow at the end of the peer editing assignment. I tweaked it a couple of times to see what worked best. I found it more beneficial with my 9th graders to rotate each group after one editing: no two students edited each others paper. I often found that the other student would try to retaliate a bad peer review with another, and two wrongs never make a right.
I really enjoyed the kids video on the top ten mistakes with peer editing. It was really cute, and I am sure the video helped them all become better peer editors. This is a great video to watch for educators and students. It hits all the high notes involved in peer editing.
A positive attitude and making students feel comfortable is one of the most fundamental and important parts of teaching on any level. If a student doesn't feel comfortable in any realm, then it will make for an undesirable environment for teacher and student.
Adaptive Technology
Technology in Special Education
I think it's wonderful what technology is doing for students with special needs. When the government implemented No Child Left Behind, a lot of teachers were faced with students in our classrooms that we had no idea of how to reach. I remember in high school that students in Special Education were completely isolated from the rest of the student population, and I also remember the first day that I had a student in my classroom that couldn't hold a pencil or book in their own hands. I sat on both sides of the fence with No Child Left Behind. While I wanted the special needs students to have a fair and equal education, I often found myself wondering if it really made education fair and equal to my regular students. I taught high school, so I had no teacher's aides in my classroom. I went home at night and pondered ways to reach my specials needs students without burdening my regular students.
If I would have had the proper technology that each of my special needs students needed, then I think all of my students would have benefited from my lessons on a daily basis. While having the technology for each of my students to engage in the same lesson would was impossible, but just having the equipment for those in need would have opened so many doors.
How the iPad Works with Academics for Autism and iPad Apps
This touches close to home. I have two friends that have kids with Autism and a cousin that has Aspergers. I have recently participated in two groups on Facebook that have raised money to buy iPads for these two children. The first time we created a Facebook group in September. My friends son was diagnosed with Autism in July, they are dual household with both parents working full-time civil jobs, and they had little money to buy extravagant things. After hearing about Apple's launch of programs to help special needs children with iPads and Rudy's recent diagnosis, we reached out to our Facebook community. We asked each friend to donate a dollar to our PayPal account and to invite their friends to join. By Thanksgiving, we had the money to purchase Rudy an iPad and $300 worth of iTunes cards to install applications. We have since started one for my friend's son, Chase. We hope to have his by his birthday in October. Rudy is loving her iPad and functioning at a much higher level than doctor's predicted.
The steps that Apple is making to improve education for special needs children is amazing, but the iPad can also be used to capture the minds of every student. I am afraid I have fallen in love with GeoBee. It's a Geography application. Students can visit places all over the world, it gives them facts and figures about thousands of places, and offers quizzes to help them retain the information they have learned. I probably would have had this blog completed three hours ago, but I have been entranced with this application.
Harness Your Students Digital Smarts
Wow! I learned so much and want to implement so much! Terraform, Wiki, Digital Citizenship, OpenSimilator....all terms that I was unfamiliar with before tonight. A historical simulator where my students could create avatars to fight at Bunker Hill, witness the signing of the Magna Carta, or walk through Checkpoint Charlie would be an amazing tool to help them understand the more boring and complex pages of history.
Students 'learning how to learn' would also help a great deal in classroom management. I am all for independent learning, but it is a common obstacle in the core subjects from what I learned as a teacher. Having students actively participate in creating their learning environment would enrich my classroom and many more. I have had students "larp" in the past at events focusing on the Renaissance and different American Civil War battles, but this would give them more opportunities to explore more than just one era in history. My only concerns are with meeting the state objectives and having the time to create these virtual worlds maintaining these objectives.
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
C4T #1
Blogging About the WEB 2.0 Connected Classroom
The teacher I am following this Summer after my first attempt failed is Steven Anderson from North Carolina. He holds two degrees: one in Secondary Mathematics and a Master's degree in Education in Instructional Technology. He travels around the country speaking to schools and districts about the use of Social Media in the classroom.
His latest blog is about a contest for the Top Ten Livebinders of 2012. What are Livebinders? In Mr. Anderson's words, Livebinders are a virtual three-ring binder that you can put pretty much anything in. Webpage, PDF, image, video, text, they all can go into a page organized for you, and each item can be on it's own tab or you can further organize by using sub-tabs. I took a few minutes to explore his blog some more, and I found several examples of Livebinders. He offered examples in the use of Twitter, Staying Safe Online, and An Overview and Guide to Google Reader.
Mr. Anderson has recently been nominated for the Top Ten Livebinders of 2012 with his Livebinder, An Educator's Guide to Twitter. While his nomination was fun to read about and I am sure is very exciting to him, I found his Livebinder about Twitter (which I had access to) to be most valuable to me. I have had a Twitter account for a few years, and I haven't used it until I started this class. He offered several definitions of what Twitter is, how to implement it in the classroom or education institution, and pros and cons to Twitter. It was very informative, and it helped me a great deal. I wish I could have the opportunity to show it to everyone in class.
I also explored the 'About Me' section on Mr. Anderson's profile, and I am now following him on Twitter.
The teacher I am following this Summer after my first attempt failed is Steven Anderson from North Carolina. He holds two degrees: one in Secondary Mathematics and a Master's degree in Education in Instructional Technology. He travels around the country speaking to schools and districts about the use of Social Media in the classroom.
His latest blog is about a contest for the Top Ten Livebinders of 2012. What are Livebinders? In Mr. Anderson's words, Livebinders are a virtual three-ring binder that you can put pretty much anything in. Webpage, PDF, image, video, text, they all can go into a page organized for you, and each item can be on it's own tab or you can further organize by using sub-tabs. I took a few minutes to explore his blog some more, and I found several examples of Livebinders. He offered examples in the use of Twitter, Staying Safe Online, and An Overview and Guide to Google Reader.
Mr. Anderson has recently been nominated for the Top Ten Livebinders of 2012 with his Livebinder, An Educator's Guide to Twitter. While his nomination was fun to read about and I am sure is very exciting to him, I found his Livebinder about Twitter (which I had access to) to be most valuable to me. I have had a Twitter account for a few years, and I haven't used it until I started this class. He offered several definitions of what Twitter is, how to implement it in the classroom or education institution, and pros and cons to Twitter. It was very informative, and it helped me a great deal. I wish I could have the opportunity to show it to everyone in class.
I also explored the 'About Me' section on Mr. Anderson's profile, and I am now following him on Twitter.
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Blog Post #2
Did you know?
After watching Did You Know? 3.0 – A John Strange Version 2012 and the original version by Karl Fisch and Scott McLeod, I was amazed at all the numbers that appeared in these videos. I was unable to read the recommended reading on ‘Writing a Quality Blog’, because my computer refused to open the link – so I hope I can correctly write this blog. Although I felt that the information should be common knowledge, it did reiterate the importance of staying abreast of today’s latest technology. I easily related to the statement about the ‘Top Ten Jobs of 2012’ not existing in 2004. I took this same class roughly six to seven years ago, and so much has changed in the field of Education (I quit teaching about four years ago). There are so many new advancements that we as educators can implement in the classroom that I know there has to be a wide-variety of new jobs in Education just based on the new technology. I am ecstatic about learning these new tools that I hope to implement in graduate school in the Fall and as a counselor in my future.
Mr. Winkle Wakes
I laughed so much during the brief three minutes that I watched ‘Mr. Winkle Wakes’ – I found myself relating to Mr. Winkle and wanting more YouTube videos by Mathew Needleman. Mr. Winkle’s reactions to the ‘new’ office that he encountered, and it made me remember how I felt when I got home from our first class last Tuesday. I have always considered myself technologically literate, but the past few days I have realized that there’s a lot I have to learn. Keeping myself well-informed of the latest trends on the Internet means nothing, if I don’t know how to use it. The conclusion to the story was so true! Our schools will always be a place of learning, but we need to be sure to keep the learning environment equipped with the latest technology and be sure out educators know how to use it!
The Importance of Creativity
“If you’re not prepared to be wrong, you’ll never come up with anything original.” - Ken Robinson
Ken Robinson was very informative and entertaining – I thoroughly enjoyed the British farce. Mr. Robinson spoke about the importance of creativity. He says that in education creativity is just as important as literacy, and I whole-heartedly agree. He quoted Pablo Picasso in saying that, ‘All children are born artist’, and he poses the question of how adults can find a way to remain creative. I only taught school for three years, but I found myself disagreeing with his views on what qualifies as creativity. He said it must have value. Maybe I misinterpreted his words, but I don’t think it must have value to a whole. Something that might be valuable to me might not be valuable to Dr. Strange. Creativity is really does ‘lie in the hands of the beholder’, and I think he hints to that towards the end of his speech. His comments about Julian Lynn hit close to home. I was a child that was placed on medication to calm me down in the classroom. If I would have had the opportunity to be on the field or the studio during my education, then I might have exceled more in the ‘classroom’. I was kinetic learner. He was extremely head-on with our job as educators. We might not see the future for our students, but they will. It is our job as educators to be sure to fully prepare them for every possible aspect of their careers and be sure we encourage the path they choose to reach their goals.
I would like to thank him for his acknowledgment of women being able to multi-task! It isn’t very often our strengths are recognized.
Classroom Disruption
I think I would say that I have been in both classrooms. I would prefer the classroom that was more technology based, but I do think some educators are going overboard with the technology movement. I still enjoy the older methods of teaching, but maybe it’s because I am not a member of the technology generation. I would say that the class without the technology is more representative of the classes I have taken throughout my lifetime. The techniques of the two teachers are obvious: one is more technically literate in the other teacher is ‘old-school’. The main objective is learning, but it’s obvious that the classes are history and economics – two completely different classes with different objectives. I don’t mean to sound bitter, but in reality, we will not have a computer for every student in every classroom for some time. I still feel that there are some things best left to teach the ways they always have been. I also feel that a class entirely dedicated to teaching via computer removes some intimacy with the student/teacher relationship. I think it all depends on how comfortable the teacher makes the student feel. I feel that I still want to use both methods of teaching. In order to make my classroom more futuristic, I will need to learn how to create devices, websites, blogs, etc. to maintain a successful classroom and keep in touch with today’s computer-based generation. I do feel that this video was unrealistic in many aspects, and that an Education Media class should inform their future educators of the problems that do exist in public education. The post was about classroom disruption, and I would like to pose one question about classroom management. In a public school class of 30+ students with a computer, do you not think that one or more students will find a way to become off-task on the computer? Are we not creating more ways for disruption?
Kids are smart. I guess giving each student a computer is just fostering their creativity, and that is what Mr. Robinson said part of our job required.
After watching Did You Know? 3.0 – A John Strange Version 2012 and the original version by Karl Fisch and Scott McLeod, I was amazed at all the numbers that appeared in these videos. I was unable to read the recommended reading on ‘Writing a Quality Blog’, because my computer refused to open the link – so I hope I can correctly write this blog. Although I felt that the information should be common knowledge, it did reiterate the importance of staying abreast of today’s latest technology. I easily related to the statement about the ‘Top Ten Jobs of 2012’ not existing in 2004. I took this same class roughly six to seven years ago, and so much has changed in the field of Education (I quit teaching about four years ago). There are so many new advancements that we as educators can implement in the classroom that I know there has to be a wide-variety of new jobs in Education just based on the new technology. I am ecstatic about learning these new tools that I hope to implement in graduate school in the Fall and as a counselor in my future.
Mr. Winkle Wakes
I laughed so much during the brief three minutes that I watched ‘Mr. Winkle Wakes’ – I found myself relating to Mr. Winkle and wanting more YouTube videos by Mathew Needleman. Mr. Winkle’s reactions to the ‘new’ office that he encountered, and it made me remember how I felt when I got home from our first class last Tuesday. I have always considered myself technologically literate, but the past few days I have realized that there’s a lot I have to learn. Keeping myself well-informed of the latest trends on the Internet means nothing, if I don’t know how to use it. The conclusion to the story was so true! Our schools will always be a place of learning, but we need to be sure to keep the learning environment equipped with the latest technology and be sure out educators know how to use it!
The Importance of Creativity
“If you’re not prepared to be wrong, you’ll never come up with anything original.” - Ken Robinson
Ken Robinson was very informative and entertaining – I thoroughly enjoyed the British farce. Mr. Robinson spoke about the importance of creativity. He says that in education creativity is just as important as literacy, and I whole-heartedly agree. He quoted Pablo Picasso in saying that, ‘All children are born artist’, and he poses the question of how adults can find a way to remain creative. I only taught school for three years, but I found myself disagreeing with his views on what qualifies as creativity. He said it must have value. Maybe I misinterpreted his words, but I don’t think it must have value to a whole. Something that might be valuable to me might not be valuable to Dr. Strange. Creativity is really does ‘lie in the hands of the beholder’, and I think he hints to that towards the end of his speech. His comments about Julian Lynn hit close to home. I was a child that was placed on medication to calm me down in the classroom. If I would have had the opportunity to be on the field or the studio during my education, then I might have exceled more in the ‘classroom’. I was kinetic learner. He was extremely head-on with our job as educators. We might not see the future for our students, but they will. It is our job as educators to be sure to fully prepare them for every possible aspect of their careers and be sure we encourage the path they choose to reach their goals.
I would like to thank him for his acknowledgment of women being able to multi-task! It isn’t very often our strengths are recognized.
Classroom Disruption
I think I would say that I have been in both classrooms. I would prefer the classroom that was more technology based, but I do think some educators are going overboard with the technology movement. I still enjoy the older methods of teaching, but maybe it’s because I am not a member of the technology generation. I would say that the class without the technology is more representative of the classes I have taken throughout my lifetime. The techniques of the two teachers are obvious: one is more technically literate in the other teacher is ‘old-school’. The main objective is learning, but it’s obvious that the classes are history and economics – two completely different classes with different objectives. I don’t mean to sound bitter, but in reality, we will not have a computer for every student in every classroom for some time. I still feel that there are some things best left to teach the ways they always have been. I also feel that a class entirely dedicated to teaching via computer removes some intimacy with the student/teacher relationship. I think it all depends on how comfortable the teacher makes the student feel. I feel that I still want to use both methods of teaching. In order to make my classroom more futuristic, I will need to learn how to create devices, websites, blogs, etc. to maintain a successful classroom and keep in touch with today’s computer-based generation. I do feel that this video was unrealistic in many aspects, and that an Education Media class should inform their future educators of the problems that do exist in public education. The post was about classroom disruption, and I would like to pose one question about classroom management. In a public school class of 30+ students with a computer, do you not think that one or more students will find a way to become off-task on the computer? Are we not creating more ways for disruption?
Kids are smart. I guess giving each student a computer is just fostering their creativity, and that is what Mr. Robinson said part of our job required.
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Parvin, Lindsay Ann Blog Post #1
A Bit About Me
My name is Lindsay Ann Parvin – most people call me L.A. or Lindsay Ann. I am USA Alumni, class of 2005. I currently live in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. I have degrees in History with an emphasis on German History and Secondary Education. I also have minors in English and Sociology. I have taught at Alma Bryant High School in Irvington, Alabama, and Shades Valley High School in Birmingham, Alabama. I have taught both ends of the spectrum from I.B. to remediation for the AHSGE. I have also coached volleyball and softball at both schools. After moving to Birmingham, we discovered I had a blood clotting condition that caused me to suffer a pulmonary embolism and heart failure. My husband and I decided the best place for me was at home with our children. After being a domestic goddess for five years and completing a recent divorce, I have decided to go to graduate school at USA. Before I can be admitted and start my program, I have to get my teacher’s certificate reinstated. I sit for the Praxis next weekend! I hope to start my graduate studies in the Fall. I look forward to everything new I have to learn!
My hobbies and interest include my children, History, making jewelry, reading, Theatre, and sports. My children are my life. I have full custody of my five year old daughter, Caroline, and my twin stepsons visit me twice a week. Caroline loves school, playing guitar, and video games. The twins are sixteen years old, play football for Ocean Springs High School, and want to attend the University of Alabama. I found my love for German History the summer after I graduated high school, when I backpacked much of Europe. I hope to retire to Rothenburg ob der Tauber one day. While WWI and WWII spark most peoples’ interest, my fascination lies with Bismarck’s reign. I have my own small business in Ocean Springs. I make jewelry with glass beads and sell to many local stores. Pleasure reading is scarce these days, but I am currently reading Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. Theatre is a new passion of mine. I have most recently been seen in the Biloxi Little Theatre’s production of Cabaret, and I am currently helping with their summer production of Dog Sees God. I don’t get to play sports as much as I used to, but I play a pick-up game whenever I can. I am also an avid University of Alabama football fan – that’s where I went to undergrad before South Alabama. I have many hobbies and interest, but I love them all!
I really hope I watched the right video, because the link on the EDM310 Class blog wouldn’t work. It would not allow me to open it. I couldn’t remember the man’s name that led the video discussion. I did watch a four minute video on YouTube entitled, Randy Pausch on Time Management – I would like to thank my fellow classmates that had already blogged today and were practicing great time management for giving me his name. I am not a procrastinator, but I would love to rid my life of stress. I am afraid I don’t meet Mr. Pausch’s definition of most Americans – I am great with time management and very poor at dealing with money as a commodity. I guess I should set some monetary goals.
My name is Lindsay Ann Parvin – most people call me L.A. or Lindsay Ann. I am USA Alumni, class of 2005. I currently live in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. I have degrees in History with an emphasis on German History and Secondary Education. I also have minors in English and Sociology. I have taught at Alma Bryant High School in Irvington, Alabama, and Shades Valley High School in Birmingham, Alabama. I have taught both ends of the spectrum from I.B. to remediation for the AHSGE. I have also coached volleyball and softball at both schools. After moving to Birmingham, we discovered I had a blood clotting condition that caused me to suffer a pulmonary embolism and heart failure. My husband and I decided the best place for me was at home with our children. After being a domestic goddess for five years and completing a recent divorce, I have decided to go to graduate school at USA. Before I can be admitted and start my program, I have to get my teacher’s certificate reinstated. I sit for the Praxis next weekend! I hope to start my graduate studies in the Fall. I look forward to everything new I have to learn!
My hobbies and interest include my children, History, making jewelry, reading, Theatre, and sports. My children are my life. I have full custody of my five year old daughter, Caroline, and my twin stepsons visit me twice a week. Caroline loves school, playing guitar, and video games. The twins are sixteen years old, play football for Ocean Springs High School, and want to attend the University of Alabama. I found my love for German History the summer after I graduated high school, when I backpacked much of Europe. I hope to retire to Rothenburg ob der Tauber one day. While WWI and WWII spark most peoples’ interest, my fascination lies with Bismarck’s reign. I have my own small business in Ocean Springs. I make jewelry with glass beads and sell to many local stores. Pleasure reading is scarce these days, but I am currently reading Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. Theatre is a new passion of mine. I have most recently been seen in the Biloxi Little Theatre’s production of Cabaret, and I am currently helping with their summer production of Dog Sees God. I don’t get to play sports as much as I used to, but I play a pick-up game whenever I can. I am also an avid University of Alabama football fan – that’s where I went to undergrad before South Alabama. I have many hobbies and interest, but I love them all!
I really hope I watched the right video, because the link on the EDM310 Class blog wouldn’t work. It would not allow me to open it. I couldn’t remember the man’s name that led the video discussion. I did watch a four minute video on YouTube entitled, Randy Pausch on Time Management – I would like to thank my fellow classmates that had already blogged today and were practicing great time management for giving me his name. I am not a procrastinator, but I would love to rid my life of stress. I am afraid I don’t meet Mr. Pausch’s definition of most Americans – I am great with time management and very poor at dealing with money as a commodity. I guess I should set some monetary goals.
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