An Open Letter to Educators

An Open Letter To Educators:

I am reading this post as an assignment for my EDM 310 class at the University of South Alabama. I am majoring in Elementary Education. This video was almost like a slap in the face. I mean, it's not like I wasn't aware of this information, but it's almost like i want to ignore it in a sense. If I really want to be honest the first time I have learned anything new in years is right now in Dr.Strange's micro-computing class. He has many doorways we can look through and gain knowlegde and information from. He doesn't baby us and he gets right to the point. Instead for standing up there and saying blah blah blah he gives us assignments like this one and it opens ours eyes. This is one of the best blogs I have read/listened to. It applies directly to my situation and every other college student for that matter. All I can say, is I can't wait for the classroom to go completely technical, and as far as books go...... we don't seem to need them. I have 4 different books and like you said I haven't crack one of them yet!

Comments4teachers: The Thinking Chick

Brilliance or blasphemy?
    Hi my name is May Krasovich and I attend the University of South Alabama. Our class blog is edm310.blogspot.com/. I am replying to your post as part of an assignment for EDM310 class instructed by Dr.Strange and Mr. Tashbin. I couldn’t agree with you more when you say that, “cell phones in the classroom is brilliance”. I myself being 26 years old can’t always seem to keep up with a notebook now that I have the option of using technology to keep track of my daily plans and lessons. With out my Blackberry or mac I would probably be lost.

However, as an educator I understand that we must keep a close eye on what the children are doing during a test or quiz, but it has always been that way. Cheating with a cell phone is no different that cheating with a piece a paper the kid made the night before. After thinking about about this I could come up with only one difference. That difference is they can put more information on a cell phone apposed to one piece of paper, but either way you look at it cheating is wrong and I don’t think a child having a cell phone in the classroom is bad a idea. I will be following you post for the next few weeks. You can contact me at:
krasovichmayedm310.blogspot.com

Access

ACCESS:

    What exactly is ACCESS? 

Well Access is something that will provide:

• Equal access to high quality instruction

• An infrastructure that delivers quality learning opportunities

• Greater equity for all Alabama public high school students through 21st century technology  

    With that said ACCESS is a distance learning plan that teaches material through a blending process if you will.  It will give a 21st century distance learning classroom for every Alabama high school which is grades 9-12. We as students, teacher and administators are no longer forced to rely on each other in person.  We can just turn on the the computer and get to work and well if we don't understand something we can find it on the web.  It allows people to work at their own level wheather they are at home, work, or on vacation.  We are no longer limited or depended on one indiviual. 

 

ALEX

ALEX: Alabama Learning Exchange

    ALEX is essentially a way to stay organized and on top of things as an educator.  It is divided into several different categories, which include:  Course of Study, Web Links, Lesson Plans, search, Personal Workspace, Professional Learning and Podcast Tresuary. Not only is it helpful for teachers, but it can also be helpful for administrators and students as well.  The site is extremely easy to navigate because everything is on one page.  It helps secure (for a lack of better words) that your lessons plans are on key and everything that needs to be taught is being covered.  I feel that one of the most important aspects of being a teacher is staying organized and (ALEX) can helps us do that with ease.  ALEX was created by the Alabama department of education to provide quality for learning.

Comments4Kids

Hi my name is May and I am student at the University of South Alabama. I am also a student of Dr.Stranges EDM310 class and was given a assignment to comment on this particular post. The exploding flower was great! I also took at look around my apartment and found tessellations on my floors and in the shower area (tiles). The video was very organized and easy to comprehend. If i didn't know what tessellations were before the video i would now! Great job.

Assignment 8

AchievingYour Childhood Dreams:

1. If you had one last lecture to give what would it be?
2. My childhood dreams
3. Enabling the dreams of others
4. Lessons learned.  How you can achieve.

Your dreams or enabling the dreams of others


    Mr. Pausch Made a great list of things to recognize in ones life.  I mean really, if you had one last lecture to give what would it be?  Now that's something to think about.  Well he decided to talk about his childhood dreams.  Although he didn't fill them as one would expect, but I don't think there are too many people who do.  He fulfilled them in the sense that he got a taste for each idea.  His number one dream was to achieve zero gravity and well, as we just saw he achieved it in his own way.

    If i had to think about one dream that I had as a child it was to be a teacher.  I think everyone wanted to be a teacher at one point in there childhood.  As children we  look up to our teachers because we know that they are there to guide and teach us the right way to do things.  Not only do teachers teach the curriculum, they also teach manners.

Another dream he had was becoming a Disney imagineer.  After going in circles with several people he was finally able to get a shot at it.  He landed a spot with working on the Aladdin Project for Disney.  He  describe being able to work on the Aladdin project as a once in 5 years opportunity, and he's right.  That kind of opportunity doesn't just happen you must be determine and work hard.  One lesson I learned from this speech, is never take no for an answer.  Do what ever it takes to get to your goal (well, within reason that is).  What I'm trying to say is don't take one persons word and ride on it.  Find a second source and moat of all pick and choose the words you use in a conversation.

After working with them for six months they ask him to stay.  He continued to explain that he loved being an imagineer with all his heart, however he was not willing to give up teaching.  He also stated at the same time that "if" they told him that, if he decide not to keep the job then he was never allowed to step foot back in the building that he would be willing to give up his teaching career.  However, that's not what happened.  They opt to let him have his cake and eat it too.  He could keep his teaching career and work as an imagineer one day a week.  what more could you ask for?

Comments4Kids

The child that i was assigned to comment on was A.J from Mrs. Goerend's 6th grade class.  This is what I said, "I am a student at the University of South Alabama. I was assigned by my teacher Dr.Strange to comment on your post. I must say I don't know much about basketball. However, it seems like you know the ticks. Your paragraphs and choice of words were very well put. Keep up the good work A.J!"

Comments4Kids

I was assigned to comment on xochitl from Avoca School District 37.  This is what I said, "  Hello, my name is May and I attend the University of South Alabama. I am reply to your blog as a pat of homework assignment for Dr.Strange’s EDM310 class (Micro-computing). I’m glad to hear you enjoyed playing around with some of your pictures and to only think you have only skimmed the top of what you can do with pictures. Technology is an amazing thing, isn’t it!!! In fact, as soon as I’m done replying to your comment I’m going to work on editing a few of my own pictures from my trip to Kentucky over my 4 day weekend. I’m sure you will continue to learn how to edit and have fun with different photo tools and programs but I really hope you continue to not only do it at school but bring you knowledge home to your parents. If you would like to contact me my blog address is :
Krasovichmayedm310.blogspot.com

I feel that commenting on children's post is a very positive thing for them.  Not only is it positive, but it encourages them to do better and do more than just enough.

Assignment 7

This Is How We Dream: Writing With Multimedia 
    Reading and writing is not longer only about pen and paper but about technology as well.  Teachers and not look toward technology to help improve and motivate their students to learn the information that needs to be taught and learned.  Todays world like Dr. Richard E. Miller has said, "Has also gone completely virtual".  This semester I only had to buy one book which wasn't so cheap.  It was about $100 and I have only opened it twice since this semester has started.  However, I can't complain but in pervious semesters I was having to buy 4 and 5 books at almost the same price.  Books are now downloadable from the internet and the price is cut in half if not free many times.  
    The fact that we have become such a technologically enhanced society we no longer have any limitations of what we can access.  Writing a paper is something you can do without leaving you home.  Therefore, if you get sick or your child gets sick you can still manage to do you work at home without a problem.  There is not such thing as a closing time.  The internet is always open.  Anybody and find anything.  What more could we ask for as a student, teacher or just a person in general?  Not only can we find whatever we need to put together a project or learn how to do something, but we can also make whatever we want.  Presentations, movies, slide shows, recordings, and the list goes on.  Pen and paper is not in the past but we are no longer restricted to it!


The Networked Student:
    What is connectivism?  Connectivism is a theroy that presumes that learning occurs as part of a social network of many diverse connections and ties.  In other words, we learn from the ones around us.  A lecture is no good if your not understanding or retaining the material.  Although many people learn differently I haven't heard of too many people not learning something from hands on, and that's exactly what technology is.  It is a constant hands on learning experience.  With technology a student can find what helps them the most and stick with it.  Once again we are no longer limited to what we can find or do in order to learn.


Towards A New Future Of Whatever:
    My goodness... I couldn't imagine going back 25 years.  Im 26 years old now and when I was about 8 I can remember a "dinosaur" sitting in the living room.  That thing that I call a "dinosaur" was a computer, this computer was weird looking back now.  I mean the print was green and there was no changing that, and forget about signing on the internet because I think that was still being created lol.  
    As I write this post I am listening to Michael Wesch and he has made many good point just within the first 10 minutes. Why do all these people want to be stars and why do they think they deserve to be a star? Well, like Mr. Wesch says this is the self help generation. Multimedia allows everyone to be their own person and express it though technology. Technology has changed all of us. We as people not robots need to know ourselves. We must take the good with the bad.

PLN (Personal Learning Network

PLN:  Personal Learning Network
So what is a PLN I ask myself?  Well, for all of those out there that are just hearing about this don't feel bad because I said the same thing.  A PLN is a Personally Learning Network (twitter, blog etc.).  It's about staying in sync with people around the world with the same interrest.  For me that would be staying up to date with other educators.  PLN is a great way to get ideas and opinions from other teachers.  I have recently created a twitter account which will allow me to stay in touch and learn from other educators because their is always room to learn.  I have added Dr. Strange and Mr.Tashbin along with few others but and still learning what twitters is all about.

My Life As It Is

Assignment 6

Dr. Christie: Electronic Portfolio

I'm sure their are many people in my present EDM310 that know and understand what an ePortfolio is. However, last semester was the first time that I had ever heard about it, and that was only because I have to have it for EDF315/211. My instructor gave a quick overview about it, but it clearly wasn't enough to actually understand what it was or does. So here I am now in EDM310 searching around on Dr. Christies page and ran right into it. Great! I find Electronic Portfolios can be extremely useful to me as a future teacher in several ways.

First off they can turn their homework on the portfolio apposed to having to manual turn it in. It saves time for the most part and it's extremely convenient. Next, I get to know my students better because their is a profile sitting right in front of me if I can't put a face with a name. Last, but not least I can also post grades for them oR keep in close contact just incase they need help with their homework. If anyone else besides me was slightly confused on just exactly what an ePortfolio (efolio) is you should visit this site:

http://www.alicechristie.org/edtech/efolio/index.html

iTunes University:

iTunes University is located in iTunesU. I've been using iTunes for several years now and still haven't figured everything out. For me it's the best and safest place to acquire music, movies and podcast. Now iTunes has a place called iTunesU. I'm slowly, but surely learning as much as I can with it. So far I have found that the iTunesU is directed towards college students but is not limited to just college students. People are able to see what different universities value and teach apposed to the college that you might attend, and well, as we all know that is how information is past down and around these days. The wonderful life of the World Wide Web. What would do without it now?

Duke University's Use Of iPods:

Well it seems as though Duke University is definitely advancing in the use of technology to further their student's learning ability. In the fall of 2004 Duke University gave their 1,650 incoming freshmen a free ipod as part of an initative to foster innovative uses of technology. The iPod was given to them in order to conduct research and keep track of that research. It seems as though they went over and beyond to accomendate their students in more ways than one. If you would like to read more on this experiment you can visit:

http://www.wired.com/entertainment/music/news/2004/07/64282

Assignment 5

Wickipedia:

Wickipedia is the most unreliable website to get information from! I have been aware for several years now that anyone has the ability to change the sites definition of a word or phrase to basically suite their own personal opinions. However, we as users of wickipedia also have the ability to look up and find out exactly who has edited the websites information. Ever since I can remember I have always been instructed to NOT use wickipedia for any type of research or even for personal use. The information on this website is not as legitimate as people previously thought and many still are not aware of this. Therefore, if you hear of someone using wickipedia please be curtious and pass the information on them.

"What I've Learned This Year" by Mr. McClung:

Mr. McClung has done a excellent job with giving tips to future educators. I agree with just about everything he said, but one of my favorite lines was when he said that lessons should be student centered, not teacher centered. I'm sure we have all had a bad teacher at one time or another and maybe some of us do right now. We all know that it's not any fun and now that we are a bit older I would say that alot of that bad teaching could be chalked up to lessons not being student center but teaher centered. It takes more time to have a student centered lesson plan apposed to a teacher centered lesson, but if you want your students to learn then your going to have to exccept the fact that it takes time and most of all patience.

The Teacher Desk Website:

Technology becomes a tool for shcool and life in general more and more everyday. I believe 100% that blogging and podcasting should be integrated into all classrooms. It takes limitations off of a student. With podcasting and blogging a student can really express themselves and that's the way it should be. Putting technology of this calliber in classrooms will not only keep your students interested but it will also encourage them to learn.

Assignment 4

The Benefits of Podcasting in the Classroom

The benefits of podcasting in the classroom are endless. Children in Elementary school today are able to download certain podcast and carry them around (on an ipod mp3 etc.) They are able to refer back to these podcast at any given time if need be. Although I have access to podcast today I really wish that technology was this advanced when I was younger. The amount of technology that children have today is out of this world.

If a student misses class they are no longer subjected to have to depend on fellow classmates or their teacher. They now have the option to know what work is due the following day or week for class. Not only do they know what's due for the present week, but if they know they are going to have to be absent in the future that can start working on those assignments. Podcasting can make a teacher and students life easier than ever imagined. The social networking and media world has grown so fast and is only going to continue to get bigger and better.

Podcasting delivers radio quality instruction and content that can be accessed at your connivence, it trains the mind for higher ordered thinking skills , allows differentiation and project based learning, last but not least it promotes and encourages creativity and innovation as well.

Assignment 3

Media literacy in the 1st Grade:

These children who are 6 years old and in the 1st grade are more technologically advanced than most people I know in college! That alone says that we as future educators are going to have to be well rounded not only in reading, writing and math but also in the world of technology. I am 26 years old and I am just now learning how to blog, make movies on my computer and well, the list just seems to go on. Not to mention next weeks assignment for my EDM310 class is learning how to make a podcast. The terms alone (blog, Facebook, podcast etc.) can be confusing for someone like me. Yeah sure I hear these terms on a daily basis, but it wasn't until now that I am actually starting to learn and really understand what it's all about.

I was fully aware that choosing education as my major would consist of teaching your normal everyday subject, but now we have added technology to the ever growing curriculum, in order to prepare our students for the future. The teachers of 2010, and on are required to teach much more than just basic academics. If you do decide to become a future educator, you must realize that you are going to take on much more of a challenge than educators in the previous years.

Little Kids... Big Potential

Mrs. Cassidy's little kids from Moose Jaw, Canada most certainly do have big potential! They will be the graduation class of 2025. They are using blogs, wikis, webpages and Skype to further their learning. Not all children learn in the same manor or time span. Now that children have access to such tools they are no longer limited to relying on teachers who are only available monday-Friday. Children can now go home and take it upon themselves to learn material that they might have not understood they way they teacher taught it.

I can clearly remember being in elementary school and coming home with homework or projects that were do over the period of a weekend. The problem was I didn't always fully understand how to go about doing it. Thankfully I was lucky enough to have my father around when I needed help with that sort of stuff, but in this ever so modern world that we live in many parents don't have the time to help their children, or may not understand the subject matter themselves, so with that in mind technology can actually serve as a teacher. There's only one condition, and that is, the students must understand how to navigate a computer. Learning how to work with a computer is just as important as any other subject if not more due to the fact that with out it they may not be able to get help until after their homework is already late.

Iphone used by 1 year old baby

Who ever believes that they are going to be a successful teacher without being technologically advanced is in for a rude awakening. Going through life without learning or wanting to know how to use technology is crazy. Hello, toddlers are more advanced than some people today. Why people are proud of being technologically illiterate is beyond me. There is nothing to be proud about if you are technologically illiterate. Some people might say, "oh an IPhone is easy to use, all you have to do is swipe across the screen." The point is he knew exactly what he was looking for. Can you imagine how advance technology will become within the next 10 years? I believe that it will be out of this world.

Podcasts

I must say i have found my adventure with podcast very confusing! There have been several occasions that I have looked up a podcast that was related to certain radio stations that I listen to religiously. I listen to streaming radio often and saw a tab for there podcast, but i must say I still don't quite understand what the point of a podcast is. Of course it's made for staying posted on certain topics but I have always read or watched the news.

The one podcast that I could relate to was kidcast, because it was set up much like a radio station. It discussed how podcast can be used as and educational tool in the classroom which I most definitely agree with. Im sure as I listen to more and more podcast I will learn to like them more than I do now.

Assignment 2

Micheal Wesch: A Vision of Students Today
I watched this this video for my EDM310 class at the Univ. of South Alabama. This video is what puts my thoughts into words. I have e-mailed this video to both of my parents, because it's almost impossible to explain to people who are not in school what it's like these days to be a student. This is my life summed up in four minutes and forty five seconds. It was absolutely amazing.


"It's Not About the Technology" by Kelly Hines
First and foremost, I could not agree more with Kelly when she says"Technology is useless without good teaching." I feel that this holds true for any subject whether it be English, Math, or technology.

Many educators do not see themselves as learners. Some teachers feel that are there to teach. They did not go through four years or more of college to be taught or as they might feel "insulted" by their students, but rather to teach their students. However, if these teachers would "really" listen to what some of their students are saying, then that's just more knowledge that they can pass down to their future students, or even friends and family. Lets face it, technology is growing faster than we can learn it.


Fisch: Is It Okay to Be A Technologically Illiterate Teacher?
I must say that Mr. Fisch post was rather extreme but true. Technology is no longer used just for fun, but as a part of everyday life. If you choose to be technologically illiterate you are only crippling yourself. However, if you choose to be technologically illiterate as a teacher you are crippling our future.


I really appreciated the comment Mr. Fisch made on people being proud of their ignorance with technology. On all honesty, what kind of message does that send to people around them? It sends the message that it's acceptable not to care or bother learning today's world. Learning technology today is not any different than learning how to read, write, add and subtract. It's just part of life. How can we expect children to want to learn the world of technology if we as future teachers do not want to learn? Children will mock what they see, and if they see that we don't care then they aren't going to care either.


Gary Hayes Social Media Count
The unimaginable amount of people twitting, blogging, using face book and watching YouTube videos on a daily basis means that as a future teacher i will have to have a web enhanced classroom and stay current by any means possible. I am do to graduate in 2012 with a bachelors in Elementary Education, and at the rate technology is growing I know that I will have to work even harder to stay ahead of the game. I want to be the kind of teacher that is able to send students home to teach their parents. I feel that as a teacher if you are behind, then so is your classroom. That will do nothing more but make life harder for the student and their next teacher. Life isn't about catching up, but rather staying ahead.

assignment 1

Mr. Winkle Wakes

I am watching this video for my EDM310 class at the Univ. of South Alabama. I thought this video was short and to the point. Although technology has come a long way there are still many schools and children that are as just behind as Mr. Winkle was when he woke from his 100 year sleep. Technology is growing faster than we can learn it. However, it seems to portray the need for schools to be just as technologically enhanced as a hospital or business office, which does not seem to be the case.

Did you Know 3.0

This video is another selection that I must watch for my EDM310 class at Univ. of South Alabama. This was a exceptional video to watch for future educators. It conveys a strong message that teachers are going to be expected to not only teach academic skills and lesson but also technology skills. This puts a bigger challenge on future educator than ever before. Not only are you going to be teaching your students, but also their parents. What children learn in school they bring home to teach their parents. Because lets face it, children are much or technologically fluent compared to most adults these days. The statistics were amazing!

Sir Ken Robinson: The Importance of Creativity

I watched this clip for my EDM 310 course at the Univ. of South Alabama. I have to say that I agree 100% that school takes away creativity. Creativity is what motivates young children to want to learn. Like Ken Robinson says, “Creativity is as important in education as literacy and we should treat is as the same status".

Vicki Davis: Harness Your Students’ Digital Smarts

These are the skills that children of today’s world should be and need to be learning. If more teachers would do what Vicki Davis has done, I think that more students would excel in school and at home. Many teachers take corrective criticism as an insult, when they should be enlighten that their student's are one step ahead of the program.