Sunday, December 4, 2011

Summary for C4T

ebook on the ipad

My blog page was Langwitches Blog which has several different educators writing different articles about technology in the classroom. The first article I read was about ebooks on ipads. It explained how to use the ipads in the classroom. I really enjoyed this since I just recently purchased myself an ipad. I can not wait to incorporate some of these wonderful ideas into my classroom. Everyone had so many great ideas.

Learning about blogs for your students


Again I was assigned to Langwitches. The second article was learning about blogs for your students. This was a very thoughtful reflection on how to get started writing blogs. This could not have come at a better time since I am so interested in learning how to created a blog page. I really look forward on creating a blog for my own classroom. After taking this class I believe blogs can be very helpful and fun for the kids. They are an excellent way of communicating with other school, parents, and students.

Final Report of PLN

PLN


Honestly, I did not like the PLN. I honestly did not use it as often as I thought I would when we created it. It looked so neat and organized but, I was not successful with it. I wish I could be that organized. I would love to be a well organized person. I think I dropped the ball on this project. I guess I could sit on here and say oh it was great and I really use it but, I just could not get used to it.

Blog Post #14

Top 10 list


Top 10 Tips of Using Technology
The top 10 tips of using technology
1)Streaming- I will definitely use different videos in my class for educational purposes. I think YouTube is a great resource in some ways. I will carefully examine and research the video before showing it to my class. But, overall I think kids will relate and pay more attention to up to date videos.
2) Music- Like he mentioned in the video kids already have tons of music on their iPods, cellular devices, and iPads. So kids will seem to relate more and now kids start listening to music at younger ages. It is not just the older kids. It is always more interesting when you add music to a project. It catches your attention better.
3) Skype- This is one of the Internet tools I did not use before this class. I still am not too familiar with it. I feel as if I could really love Skype. I loved doing the Skype interview and thought it was great. I will need a little more practice on this one before I feel comfortable with it but, plan on doing a lot with Skype.
4)Interactive exercises- This is a good way to learn your students strenghts and weaknesses. The teacher I did my observation hours with did a lot of this on the Smart Board and ipads. She linked them together and the kids played games on them. They loved this. I was really amazed how good they were at this. Some were better than other with the iPads and Smart Boards so the teacher should have realized which students could use a little more time with this technology.
5) Smart Boards- Like I said in tip 4 the teacher used her Smart Board a lot. She pretty much taught her whole lesson off the Smart Board. This is another tool that I have not had and experience with before this class. I would have loved to get more one on one time with the Smart Board. I may go into one of the classrooms at school and try to educate myself more on this tool.
6) Podcast- This is another tool I had no experience with before this class. I would love to make a podcast for my class. I also would love to teach them how to make one. Great tool for learning.
7) Blog- Before this class I would not have thought to create a class blog. But now I feel like it is a must. If I don't have one I will feel left behind. This is a MUST for me!!!
8) Social networks- I am one of the ones who feels like this is not necessary. I do love facebook but, not for educational purposes. I really see no reason to have a facebook or twitter associated with my classroom or students. Maybe if I become more familiar with twitter I may see the reason but, as of now I do not.
9) Internet tools- The Internet has become pretty much a necessity to have in today's world. I could only imagine if were all the sudden cut off from it. There are so many Internet tools out there and I am sure I will use them.
10) Gadgets- OK it is no secret that most kids have iphone, ipads, ipods, or any electronic gadget. So make the best of them and teach them education purposes that the have.

C4K Summary Post for Nov.


Research Conundrum:Bias
My first article was Research Conundrum:Bias by Spencer. This article explains about how some people are bias and people interpret information differently. It shows two articles that have the same information but the words are worded different. It goes to show that sources are biased and raises the question "is it such thing and an unbiased source?"
Mrs. Yollis' Class Blog
This C4K was from Mrs. Yollis' class. This post was called Magnolia Tree Mystery. The class has been talking about magnolia trees. They used a magnolia leaf to do math word problems. The magnolia leafs came from Mississippi and South Carolina. The class examined the leaf and its seeds. They were amazed at its texture. They used the leafs for math problems.
Aldora
My third C4K was to Aldora @ PT England School. Aldora wrote a story called One Tree Hill and even drew illustrations for the story. The story was short and left you wondering what happened to her It was about her walking up a tall hill and slipped and fell down bumping into her friend. Left me wondering if she was OK or not. I am still amazed at how these students are so talented and able to do such a wonderful job on their blogs.

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Additional Assignment 1

metaphors





Reading Tom Johnson's article I did understand that he was using a metaphor but did not clearly state it in my blog post. I did think what if he replace the word "pencil" with "computer" but, I guess wasn't 100% sure so did not post it. I think others myself and other are just to serious and took it literally. I should have took more time on reading it to be certain what he meant and went with my first instinct. I believe we use metaphors to get a point across. I really like using metaphors they can be funny and add excitement to a story. I really like it when others use metaphors also, it makes me laugh. I will defiantly be on the look out for metaphors now. Some of the most common metaphors I can think of I use regularly are:
Music to my ears
Jumping for joy
It's raining cats and dogs
Free as a bird
Easy as pie
Piece of cake
Slow as Christmas
I really could go on, these are just a few.

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Blog Post# 13



My Teacher is an App
I chose to read this article because I actually know 2 high school students that are attending Florida Virtual School this year to finish up their high school. At first when I heard about this I thought this is a joke school. But, come to find out this is actually a public school offered through the state of Florida that offers a valid high school diploma. I was amazed, this is not fair. We did not have this in when I was in high school. But, that is OK because I really enjoyed going into the "brick- and- mortar" school. I personally think that this should not be allowed unless unusually circumstances. It does children good to get out and socialize with others their own age. If they don't go to school they probably stay inside all day with not physical activity. Also, who is to say they are not cheating on their test and other work. Unless the child is very self-motivated they may choose not to do their work or have someone else do it for them. This could be a very bad thing if not properly monitored.

One the hand, the two high school students I know would have dropped out of school if not for this program. They are very beautiful children and not sure what happened to them in their high school years but, their older sister has already dropped out. They would be following right along her but not that Florida has the virtual school they are at least going to get their high school diplomas. One even wants to go to Univeristy of Alabama. This for them turned out to be a good thing but it hindering them from interacting with other peers.

Smart Board Presentation Part 2

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Final Project Progress

work in progress


I am getting a little excited about the final project. Not just because it is the final one it is a big one. My group and myself have been discussing ideas through email. We are currently brainstorming ideas to each other. As of right now we are going for doing a imovie of our experiences throughout EDM310. We will be talking about how we felt through out the course. Also, we will have clip in it our past projects we have done. As of right now that is about it. We plan on meeting this week in the lab to start on the interviewing of each other.

Blog Post #12

peer helpers
For this assignment I would like you to find and contact a former EDM310 student using the Student Link on the right hand side of the blog page. Try to contact them through email, Facebook, or twitter and set up a time where you could interview them. The interview can be done Skype, over the phone, or in person. I would like you to ask them about their experiences in EDM310, what is the most important thing they took from the class and have they used any of the ideas they learned in EDM310 in their Education journey. I would like the interview to be 5-7 min long. I also want you thoughts at the end. It is very important you interact with other students, they can be your best sources for new information. Each one of us may see things in a different light and it is important to help each other. I am sure the former students would not mind at all helping out.

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Ms. Yollis' 3rd grade class blog

Ms. Yollis' blog
Ms. Yolli's Blog

Ms. Yollis' is on her twenty fifth year of teaching. Ms. Yollis has taught a variety of classes over her years of teaching but, is currently teaching third grade. Ms. Yollis has just recently finished her master's degree in Integrating Technology. The more I read about her the more I admired her. She is a very intelligent woman who seems determined to be the best educator she can be. She has done some amazing things in life. She has even taught in another country. She also loves to travel and has recently traveled to many places throughout the country. Ms. Yollis' blog is awesome and she defiantly goes above and beyond to find new ideas for her students.

Ms. Yollis is very big on proofreading. She has a video that stresses how important to proofread your work is. She has turned away comments due to errors. The children are also learning how important to proofread is. Ms. Yollis has a visitor counter on her blog similar to the one Dr. Strange has on his blog. I was amazed that over 50,000 visitors has viewed her blog from U.S. That is amazing and must make the kids feel very proud.

What I really loved was Ms. Yollis' website. This is a wonderful tool for students, parents,and grandparents. Her web page has blogging tips, homework, spelling, and etc. on it. It is a really great tool to keep up with what your child is doing. Her web page also has a view counter and already has over 5,000 viewers to visit her web page. She is amazing and I hope to be just as dedicated as she is.

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Blog Post# 11

Girl on Computer

Little Kids...Big Potential
I was very impressed at the different technology they used in their classroom. The kids seemed to be excited about coming to school and learning new things. This is a wonderful way to keep the children engaged in activities. They really made it look like they were having fun while learning. They each really enjoyed writing in their blogs, and looking at their webpage. This video showed many different web pages they used. For example, they used wiki to figure out what thing were when they were not sure. They also made videos and put up on their blogs. I know the kids really enjoyed doing this. I was really amazed that they are using Skype at such a young age. I have never used skype (yet) in all my 29 years. I will be next week though. I thought that is was neat that they used the Nintendo DS for problem solving and also used it to learn to share. It was really cool to hear them speak of people from Alabama. That made me feel good.

Skype
Ms. Cassidy Skype Conversation"

I really enjoyed listening to Ms. Cassidy's Skype interview. She had many great and interesting points. That would have really been neat to be there during the interview. She explains how 10 years ago she was given 5 computes for her classroom and really had no choice but to find out new ideas for 1st graders. This began her journey on becoming technology literate. She began a blog page for her students to blog on. I think I will defiantly be using a blog page. If I can't arrange it so each child will have their own. I will have one for me to post assignments, and changes, and other information for students and parents. I feel that is important for parents to have a way of getting in contact with the teacher on matters. If possible I would like for each child to have their own to post on at least once a week. I know with elementary school aged kids their blog post won't be long but, that is going to be fine. Ms. Cassidy also talks about how the children light up when they see the number of people that has actually viewed their blog. This will keep the children interested and want to do a good job. Even though Ms. Cassidy did not ever have a principal that was totally opposed to her blogging, some did not really help either. I hope to get a principal that supports the use of technology and allows me to have a blog. Technology is not going away so to be the best teachers we can be we must become computer literate. If for any reason but to collaborate with other teachers and educational professionals. We can learn so much from them. Blogs also have an audience and allow feedback with ideas and comments. That is a great way to keep on learning new things.

C4K Summary for October

Kids on computers


My first Kid for October was a 7 year old boy from Pt. England School named Liam. Liam is a wonderful kid who is very smart. He has a twin brother named Patrick. I told him that is very cool and he is luck to have a twin brother. Liam and Patrick are in the same class at school. They each have their own cat, Liam's cat is named Mikey and Patrick's cat is named Mily. He spends most of his free time on the PlayStation 3 and computer but, not all his time. He really likes sports and his favorite sport is soccer. He has several more he enjoys as well like football and cricket. Liam is very talented when it comes to playing music. He has learned how to play the guitar and flute. If and when Liam wants to relax he listens to music.



My Second Kids was Maia. Her class had a very cool wiki page. Her class was room 3 in Kids with a view. I was to tell Maia about something cool about the United State. I chose to tell her about our fairs we have. I really used the fair in Minnesota to tell her about. Even though I have never been there I read about it on the Internet and it seemed unbelievable. It lasted 12 days and over 1.6 million people attended. I went on to explain to her that this is a log of people. I just really can't get over how cool her classes page was.

robox


My third kids was Bryce. Bryce's blog was awesome. Maybe that's why the name of his page is Bryce's awesome blog. I read Bryce's post on his favorite game which is Roblox. Roblox is a virtual playground and workshop designed for children ages 7 and older. Bryce goes on in his blog on how the game Roblox works. Roblox users can create the places they have always dreamed of!Users have a choice of thousands of games to play, varying in design from what the game developers wanted to create. Types of places vary by the feature where the creator of the game can choose a genre.Players in Roblox have the ability to construct up to 100 places (depending on membership type), using an unlimited supply of virtual building blocks. Players can add as many bricks as they want. They can insert their own scripts to add functionality, or can use other player’s scripts, if that player has allowed it onto the public market. I commented on how neat I though this was. It is very interesting to know that a 7 year old can do something like this.

My fourth kid was Sydnie. Syndie was my randomly chosen kid by the machine that pick them for us. I was so glad that I was chose to read her blog because it was about why did we have to go to school on Columbus day. I have wondered this before, if all the banks, state, and federal offices are closed. Sydine seemed to clear this up for me. She goes on in her blog to talk about that Christopher Columbus did not really discover America. The Asiatic people who became Native Americans later on were defiantly the first to find North America. But we really don't know, it may have been found by St. Brendan, Basque fishermen, Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese, Africans, and even Carthaginians. Many of these could be true but we really don't know. Many schools think if Christopher Columbus didn't discover America, then why should we have a holiday about how he “discovered” America? Sydnie states that the school systems believe that America was not really founded by Columbus so chooses not to make that a holiday. But, she does say it would be nice to have the day off, I agree.

Another Kid I was assigned to was Hailey. Her blog post was story she wrote on her Let's Write a Story assignment. It was about her playing in a soccer game and she described it so great I felt like I was there. She explained how it was a cool night with the air blowing on her knees making them shake. I was really impressed on her writing. The thing is though in the story she explains how it is her against the goalie and she never tells the end of the story. I commented to her that I wanna know if she made it or not. But, I felt like she did.

My last Kid to comment on was Michael L. Michael actually commented me back and that was so nice to me. Michael, a student in room 10 at Pt. England school. He has several post that are labeled his animations that are really neat. It is so interesting reading/watching all his post. It is amazing how smart the kids are. I have really enjoyed reading all the post. Michael's post were called animations. They were pictures he has drawn and wanted you to guess what they were or looked like. He seems to be a very smart child. I really enjoyed his blog.

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Blog Post 10



Do you Teach or do you Educate?

This video was very inspiring. The music was a great touch to capture the attention. I feel the words can be used synonymously. The video showed more impact on Educate and all the cool terms were use with it. But, I don't feel like an Educator and a Teacher is much different. I want to be a Teacher that will educate the students the best I can. To teach means to show and explain how to do something, encourage someone, and give information. The video show the words that describe Educator here are a few; enlighten, empower, mentor, shows the way, and trusted advisor. I want to be all of these plus the definition of Teacher and I do believe that is possible. It all has to do with educating the student. That is the goal we as Teacher/Educators have and we all work toward that goal. Call it what you like,it is Education which is the kindling of a flame.



Tom Johnson's Don't let Them Take Pencil's Home!
In this blog the message to me was Educators get too caught up on the outcomes of test scores they lose focus on having the student learn. They need to be more focused on a solution to problem and not just the problem. Some teachers do not really look at the problem correctly becasue they are so caught up on test scores and that is their main focus. Even though test scores are important and measure how well a teacher is teaching learning is also very important. To me test scores are not a correct measure of a teachers ability to teach. Some student do not take these test very serious and cause low scores. Students seem to learn in a more creative environment. I think Gertrude is too caught up in having high test scores , that is does not matter to her what the children are actually learning. As long as their test scores remain high she does not want to change anything. I guess you could really substutue the word "pencil' with any educational word like computer, textbook, or worksheets. Focusing on test scores is becoming a main focus throughout schools today.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

C4t Summary 3



What did you do during the great occupation of twenty-ought-eleven?
I was assigned to a blog of 19 educators called Cooperative Catalyst. The most recent blog post was by an educator Brent Shavely called "What did you do during the Great Occupation of twenty-ought-eleven? Brent believes that all of life is a learning experience. I agree everyday is a learning experience for me. Each day brings up new questions and answers. Students may ask questions we may not know the answers for but, we must find them we then learn new material. He also believes that individuals worked there entire lives seeking out "new things" to have and to do. Well again I agree because I feel like that is what I am doing. I am seeking an education to have a better life for me and my family. In his blog he goes on to talk about how learning experiences occur at all times and under all circumstances.



Challenge schools to change
The second C4T was also on the blog Cooperative Catalyst. This time is was an educator named Chad Sansing. The title of his blog was "Challenge Schools to Change".Chad Sansing is a humanities teacher at a charter school. He believes that a simple truth lurks behind our schools: we built them to keep our kids apart. Chad's blog talks about how each child deserves a personally meaningful education and a community of learning that includes ,involves, and inspires him or her. It is about creating a new public education system that recognizes and values a broader definition of learning than that accounted for by test. Chad's goal is to influence federal and state education policy so that meaningful work of lasting value stands in place of high test scores.

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Blog Post #9



What I have Learned this year (2008-09)
What I have Learned this year (2008-09)
I wanted to read Mr.McClung's first year (2008-09) and third year (2010-11) to see if his attitude has changed any.
When Mr. McClung first started out he was so worried and caught up in pleasing his superiors he lost touch with his audience. Mr. McClung felt like he was trying to control things way too much. I can see how this would happen on your first year as a teacher. He would beat himself up over activities that did not go well. He needed to get over that and I feel the same way. We are all human and not everything is always gonna go as planned.

He also states how communication is key. I strongly agree with him on this. Communication is the best way to learn, solve, and respond to an issue in the workplace. He also mentions "don't be afraid of technology." We as EDM students have learned how technology can help you as a teacher. Don't be afraid of it, it is our friend. Lastly, never stop learning. It is never to late to change something. Students deserve the best we can give them.

What I have learned this year (201-11)
What I have learned this year (2010-11)
Know who your boss is
I really loved Mr. McClungs statement about we are here for the kids. Don't get caught up in any other drama at the school. Focus on what you are there for, the kids. Students should always be the primary focus. Even though administration is important you are there to serve and teach the kids. Mr. McClung is an optimist and tries to maintain a positive attitude when it comes to things such as change. I really think this is important. Change is not always a bad thing. Change is good. I hope I am just as optimistic as him. Mr. McClung states "don't be afraid to be an outsider". That is something that I am afraid of. I am not saying I want to be in others business and drama. I surely don't want that, I just want to feel welcomed and not have to worry about not fitting in. I think it is important to have good relationships with other co-workers. I really enjoyed reading his post and hope I have the same look on teaching as he does.

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Project 12 My Book Trailer

Blog Post #8




This is How We Dream Part 1&2

Richard Miller's presentation is a great way of showing how multimedia is used in the classroom. The computer/Internet is the most useful source for information. I could not tell you how long it has been since I have been to the library. Several years ago I would have gone to the library at least once a week. That is really changed with the evolution of the Internet. I still do love books but, it is so convenient to go to the Internet at home or school and get the information I need.

This is the world we work in today, a digital environment. There is an unlimited source of information on the Internet. As classroom teachers we must understand and accept how fast the world of multimedia can and is changing. The Internet is a great way to keep in touch with people all around the world. It has become so easy to stay involved in something while half way across the world.

Am I prepared to write with multimedia in the classroom? I really want to be, I will definitely use it in my classroom. I think it is a great way to teach. The kids seem to enjoy using all the technology out today. I am excited to learn how it all works myself. There is so much to learn and I am eager to learn and teach it. It will be a great way to incorporate different ideas into the classroom. My students may not be ready themselves but, with my help and help for others they will be. We must teach and learn together. This is a very creative way to lean. It is awesome to view your final project online once you have completed the project.

Carly Pugh's Blog Post 12

In Carly's blog post she talks about how you can be a better teacher by creating a YouTube play list. After reading and viewing all the videos my thought was "WOW". This is great and would be a great source to have as a classroom teacher. I have never created a YouTube play list and at first seemed like it would be a little time consuming but, after I read on it seem simple. She really had some great videos on her play list and gave me some great ideas to use in my future classroom.

Chipper
The message from the two videos was you should always do your work on time and do not procrastinate. If you wait until the last minute to do your work it will get very stressful. EDM310 can be overwhelming but, if you just give yourself time to do the work you should be fine. How funny was the part when "Chipper" said that Dr. Strange was not doing his job because she just wanted to learn and do no work. Take on EDM310 as a fun experience and not all just work and no play. If you have fun and actually learn it will be such a better experience. I felt like Dr. Strange wants us to succeed but, also wants us to do the work instead of looking for ways out. The video shows how if you do not do your best at your work you may be without a job. Procrastination is not a good thing and if you want a little less stress in your life, learn to better you time and do not procrastinate.

Learn to change, Change to Learn
This is a powerful video about learning in education. It states that education is different now, more people seem to care about their culture. As a classroom teacher we must know how to find information and communicate that info. "Death of education, dawn of learning", this is what the last speaker on the video says. With everything changing so rapidly now everyday there is something new to learn.

Sunday, October 9, 2011

TimeToast Timeline Instructional Project #9b

Short Movie Project #11

C4T Summary 2

Computers and Kids google.com

Nancy's Imaginary Line
1) I had the pleasure of being assigned to a blog "Connected Principles". I read a blog post titled Nancy's Imaginary Line. This was an interesting story of a teacher who took her students out for an exciting outdoor activity, which turned out to be so much more. He little group was restless so she took 2 pylons and told the kids to stand behind the "imaginary" line. Well the kids minds started to turn. The students walked over to the imaginary line and had many questions.
1."What color were the lines, can mine be pink"?
2."How thick are the lines"?
3."What does and imaginary line really look like"?.....
These were just a few of the questions the student asked. It goes to show how each student thinks differently and how smart they are. Their minds were really focused on the imaginary line. The teacher was a little thrown off course. This was a good lesson in imagination and creativity for the students.



Pause Before You Post
2)This article was about technology bullying. October is Anti-Bullying month. The reason a month is dedicated to anti-bullying is to help cut down and eliminate the number of students being bullied through computers. Many people think it is OK because they hide behind a computer and are not face to face. Students are actually committing suicide due to bullying. We as teachers must learn to recognize bullying and put a stop to it. My teacher that I commented on is a strong believer in social media but, feels that it has became easier for cyber bullying. I agree I also love all the social networks sites as well but, we need to teach children to be more careful in what they post. Ask them..Would you actually say that to their face? So for the month of October.."Pause before you Post".

1st Progress report on my PLN

As of right now I am very new to creating a PLN and still have a lot of work to do on it. As of right now I have 27 tiles on my symbaloo. I have a variety from craigslist to my favorite search engine Google. My PLN will help me have a set of people and websites tools that I can call upon for help, consultation, collaboration and other assistance. I have added some lesson plan sites as well, I have found them to be very helpful this semester. Even though I am just starting out I plan to add more as I come across helpful websites. My PLN will always be a work in progress.

Saturday, October 8, 2011

Blog Post #7





Randy Pausch: Achieving Your Childhood Dreams
Randy Pausch is an amazing man, he has done so many amazing things in his life. He has had several experiences he shared with the audience of how he has fulfilled his childhood dreams. He goes on to tell about his accomplishments and experiences he has had. I would also like to mention how sad I was to hear about his health issues. It was a shock, I would have never guessed it based on his attitude. Everyone has childhood dreams, he shows there is a way to make those dreams come true. He also explains that there will be brick walls. Some of those brick walls are made of flesh, is a statement he used that I like. Brick walls are there for a reason, to stop the people who really do not want it bad enough.

Another statement he talked about was if you are screwing up, and no one is telling you anymore that is a bad thing. That means they have given up on you. So criticism is not always a bad thing. Be glad someone cares enough to tell you.I really enjoyed his speech, he has so many little saying that really made sense after thinking about them. "Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted" is another I liked.

He also spoke of an 2 week assignment he assigned to his students and was completely blow away by their work. He needed a little advise on what to do so he went to his Mentor for advise. His mentor told him to go to class the next day and tell the students good work, but you could have done better. That was the perfect advise he explained, his students just kept climbing in performance. Toward the end Randy stresses how important it is to have fun while learning. Turn an assignment into something fun,have a "child like" behavior.

Sunday, October 2, 2011

C4K Summary 1

Kids


My first student was David a student at PT England School in Auckland, NZ. David is a amazing 7 year old young man. His favorite subject at school is Physical Education because he loves to play a lot of rugby. He has a really cool blog and is a very interesting young man. I think it is awesome all the things he is doing. I really enjoyed reading his blog. He even commented on my blog and google presentation. David really enjoys playing rugby and you can tell by his blog.

My second student was Tina she also is a 7 year old student at PT England School in Auckland, NZ. She again has a really cool blog. For a 7 year old student this is awesome. She writes about her day and what she has done in class along with class projects. She even posted some of her favorite poems that I loved reading. Tina also is a big fan of rugby and enjoys playing it. One post she posted was about her getting a vaccination. She explained how she was so scared. I would love to keep in contact with these amazing children.

St. Elmo Explores was my third blog post for kids. This is an amazing program that was able to come together by the donation from Ms. Lucy Buffet. The kids all wrote thank you letters and put it in a google presentation on their blog. This program takes place at St. Elmo Elementary school. The students are being introduced to ipads and all kind of new technology. This is an awesome program. Thanks Ms. Lucy Buffett!

Blog Post #6




The Networked Student

This class is a lot like EDM. This video shows how many tools are out there for research. It mentioned about blogs, and they are a good source to read other opinions of students. It was a great example of how we connect with people all over the world. This video explains the purpose of technology and how students and teachers can use it. The Networked Student sounds like a very smart, technology literate student. Even though the student is already educated in technology it will still have question and need help learning all this.
This is where the teacher comes in. The teacher of the Networked Student will help with guidance and questions the student may have. The teacher will also help organize and differentiate between information. So, the teacher is just an important as the technology out there.

Welcome to My PLE!

This video is of a 7th grade student telling about her Personal Learning Environment. This video was very informative, and I think she did a great job on explaining step by step on how to use and generate any information you need from a click of a button. She was so organized. I just learned what a PLE was and really need to create mine. The student was polished and professional. I wish I had her organizational skills. This is a wonderful idea and would help students keep on track with what all they need to learn.

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Holly Fore's Timeline

Blog Post #5



Don't teach your kids this stuff. Please

I had to read Dr. McLeod article a few times to understand it. I now understand that he means if you don't let your kids use all the new technology out there they will be behind. I do agree with that statement. There will always be people out there misusing technology, by looking at sites they should not. But, if we teach our kids the right way to use it, then technology can be very helpful and almost a necessity. It will only hold our kids back from learning it we try to keep them from technology. I did a little research on Dr. Scott McLeod and found out that he is an Associate Professor of Educational Leadership at the University of Kentucky. Scott McLeod, J.D., Ph.D., is widely recognized as one of the nation’s leading academic experts on K-12 school technology leadership issues. Dr. McLeod is an Associate Professor of Educational Leadership at the University of Kentucky. He also is the Founding Director of the UCEA Center for the Advanced Study of Technology Leadership in Education (CASTLE), the nation’s only academic center dedicated to the technology needs of school administrators, and was a co-creator of the wildly popular video series, Did You Know? (Shift Happens).

The ischool initiative

This sounds like a great idea and could be. But there are also like some downfalls to this. What if for some reason the internet is down somewhere or a student can't afford to have internet at home. Also in schools today some are receiving mac books which is great, but what if one is stolen form a child's home. That is a possibility that could happen in today's time. I myself think it is great but, you have to look at the picture at a whole. My son would love to do all his homework on my ipad he probably would enjoy doing it then. He already spends hours on it. Would it really save money in the long run? I think yeah it could but what about fees associated with updates, virus protectors, and internet cost. Don't get me wrong I love the idea but is it a reality "yet". Also, i would never want to think that computers, ipads, iphones, and etc. would ever replace actual teachers. That is a little scary.
The only down side I can to see this is the financial state of the student at home. Also is children do not have proper supervision and support at home this could be a bad thing. But I love the idea of bringing all this technology to children.

Eric whitacre's Virtual Choir

Wow this was an eye opening experience for me. I am really impressed at this video. This is a prime example of how amazing the internet is. For these people to have never met and made such beautiful music is really cool. Also, if you look at the video while listening the music the people's heads are lined up like in a real choir is really shows how amazing technology is.

Teaching in the 21st Century
Technology in the 21st century is definitely different when I was in school. It is still based on the core subjects of maths, sciences, and languages just different how you can find the answers. Several years ago you could go to actual books for information now it is all the internet. There are so many ways of finding information now through twitter, google, youtube, and other search engines. But, like the video said "who is going to teach them how to google?". That will be teachers in the 21st century.

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Blog Post # 4






The benefits of pod-casting in the classroom.
Pod-casting is an effective way of interacting with students outside of the classroom. Podcasting allows some students who will not be able to make it to class due to illness to listen to their lectures that teacher can upload. I am new to pod-casting and found this article to be very informative. I will use the tip to make my pod cast as interesting and creative as I can. I will try to do my very best.



Judy Scharf What is a Podcast
The term "podcast" is a cross between "broadcast" and "ipod". It is very east to do and cost very little. That is a very good reason for doing a podcast very cost efficient. Students love to watch and hear other students and I think it is a great way to learn. I will make sure I spend enough time learning the material and how thing work before beginning my podcast. Allow plenty of time to complete the project is also another tip I will use.


1st graders create their own read along audio book.

This is a very neat article to read about how a class of 1st graders made their own podcast. This class read the book chapter by chapter recording themselves until complete. The class then played it back and listened to it following along with their fingers on paper. This is so amazing and shows how children love to learn and listen to their own voices. I really look forward recording my own podcast to experience what these first graders experienced. I know I will probably be re-recording myself several times before I get my voice "just" right just as they did.

Sunday, September 11, 2011

C4T 1 Summary

geocaching boy

I had the pleasure of reading Ms. Jen Deyenberg's blog on geocaching. I was very interested in this blog due to the fact that I have several friends who play this game in their cars and I have never really understood it. I was able to understand it more after reading her blog and seeing ways to incorporate it into the classroom. It gave me many ideas to use after I graduate and become a classroom teacher.

10 ideas for my 10th year in the classroom
10 ideas for my 10th year in the classroom was awesome. It had some great ideas on incorporating new games with technology in the classroom. I would have never thought of some her ideas on my own. Even though I have played most of these games never thought of them as classroom games but, they were great.

Google Presentation

Blog Post #3


                              It's Not about the Technology by Kelly Hines
I agree with Kelly Hines article. As teachers we must be learners as well. Learning and teaching are not the same thing. As educators we must be able to do both. How important is technology if there is no one there to teach it. Technology is useless without good teaching. I could not tell you how many times I have heart teachers say" I don't know why these kids don't get it." Teachers may have to look at their teaching methods and "learn" different way to teach. It is the teachers responsibility to reach out and learn how to better teach the students in their class.
Kelly state "It's Not all about the Technology" and I do agree. You have to have well educated rounded teachers to teach the children. It is not always necessary to have a computer if front of a student to teach. I am not saying computers are not important just that good teachers are more important. I think that is what she meant by "It's Not about the Technology" it is also about the teachers.
         
             Is it Okay to be Technologically Illiterate Teacher? by Karl Fisch
Teacher's today should  know as much as possible about technology. It is very important in today's society to be literate in technology. I really liked the comment "In order to teach it, we have to dot." How can we teach our children if we aren't literate in technology ourselves? A very good question that I am asking myself. My goal is to learn as much as possible about technology so I can be the best teacher I can be and able to answer questions that students might have.
I think is could be Okay if a teacher is not completely technology literate but, it is very important to have the basics down. Most teaches today are computer literate to a degree but if they are not it does not necessarily make them a bad teacher. They may just have a different way of teaching and maybe it works for them and their students.

                                            Social Media Count by Gary Hayes
Amazing! I always knew the numbers were large but did not know that large. The statistics changing every second. These numbers will only increase over the years with all the new technology coming out. Everyone pretty much (except me) has Internet on their phone and is constantly updating status, or checking someone else's status  out. Email has really came a long way, now that seems to be the easiest way to get a response back now .
Okay, has anyone ever chose a place to eat because it had Wi-Fi? I know just the other morning I did, I needed it and was only gonna eat their if they had it. I have been quality of that a time or two. Soon I believe it will be everywhere.

                                          A Vision of Student Today
This video was so true. This is the typical college student problems they have to deal with. Text books too high, 2 or 3  part time jobs, and still in debt. I myself have to work full time and still will be in debt when I graduate. Students have their laptops in class and teachers allow it because it seems normal these days. Even though they are more than likely on facebook.
How can technology save us? I don't know if I agree with that statement. If anything it may be hurting us in a way. Cellular phone bills are now on average running anywhere between 100-150 dollars per month. I have know people who have choose to pay their cell phone bills over utilities. That just happened this week to an individual I know. I it eliminating jobs with all the automated systems now. I just hope it doesn't get out of control and take over people lives.

Friday, September 2, 2011

Blog Post #2

                                                                 

  
                                        Did you know?
After watching this movie my initial thought was "WOW! I know technology was evolving fast but didn't really never think about the actual numbers. It is really amazing how far we have came in technology. I could only imagine all the technology out there. This is coming from a person who does not own a smartphone, does not have a facebook and just now created a twitter. So you can only imagine how amazed I am. I have been out of high school for about 9 years and remember not having computers and we managed just fine. Today, it would be so difficult to manage without a computer.
After watching the movie I sat back and started to think about the last 10 years and we really have came so far in technology. It is kinda scary how much we rely on technology these days. I do believe it is a good thing and very important in the education field. I just hope it does not start replacing humans in some jobs.

                                                      Mr. Winkles Wakes

When Mr. Winkle woke he found himself in a totally different world and I can see why he was a little scared. He was very behind on the technology world . All the technology change was a little overwhelming for him and would it be for you also. I could only imagine how the world would be 10 years from now with how fast technology grows. Even though technology is growing everyday we still will need great teachers to help teach our children. That is one thing that I hope never changes.

                                               The Importance of Creativity

This video was actually a lot more interesting that I thought it was going to be when first starting it. I was actually amazed of how good it was, it kept my attention the whole time. I agree with Mr. Robinson about creativity disappearing in the school system. Schools do tend to put arts and music at the bottom which could be a bad thing for those students who excel at those subjects. As soon as a school starts to talk about budget cutting and cut backs usually the arts and music subjects are the first to go.
Even thought I am not really a arts and music student and person in general it is very important. I have a child who loves art class and also takes a music class as an elective. He is very into it and makes him so happy. Creativity in general makes people happy, I love that Mr. Robinson said that creativity is just as important than literacy.

                                                        Scholastic Article

During the interview Sir Ken Robinson stated that there need to be more of a balance between Arts and Sciences, I agree completely. I believe if a person is an artistic person they should be able to express it even in school. They may not be the  best at the Maths and Sciences but a least there will be something there that they are good at. It is not fair that some schools put away the Arts to do this, that and etc. I am not saying Math, Science and other subjects are not important, because they are. I think there should definitely be a balance of Arts and Music in there.
                                     
         Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts

No Pencil and Paper scares me. From watching the video that is the way the world is going. I love learning about new technology even though is it a little complicated. Today's kids don't seem to have a problem catching on the new technology at all. I know my 2nd grader will love this way of learning. We already use a computer game to help him with his spelling words and it seems to work for him. He is 7 and last Christmas received an laptop and this Christmas wants an ipad....really! When I was 7 I wanted a Barbie. Thing are really changing so fast. Children get excited when able to use a compute to do projects and they have more fun that just reading a book and writing a report on it. That seems like it is becoming a thing of the past.

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Project #2 Wordle


Blog Post #1

Hello Everyone my name is Holly Fore and I am 29 years old and currently live in Atmore, Al. I have a wonderful 7 year old son named Andrew who is in 2nd grade. I really enjoy spending most of my free time doing activities with him. We love to do pretty much anything outdoors such as swimming , sports, riding ATVs, and horseback riding. I just recently bought him a miniature horse which he is learning to ride. I transferred to USA from Faulkner State Community College in the fall and hope to graduate in Fall of 2013 with a major in Elementary Education. I am really excited about taking Education classes, doing field experience and other activities involved in the Elementary Education field. I love working and being around children. It was a long journey getting here at USA but I made it, due to the fact that I have to work full time while going to  school. I went to Faulkner State mostly part time while getting my prerequisites for South. I currently work at Ashley Furniture Homestore in Mobile and Spanish Fort, AL. I have been with them now for 5 years as an Interior Designer. I have really enjoyed working for them and love my job but, I believe my real passion is teaching. I have always wanted to be a teacher since I was a little girl playing school. I believe EDM310 will be a great class to take and I will learn a lot when it comes to all the new technology out there now. I am a little nervous about this class because it take me a little while to figure out all this cool new stuff. But overall I am very excited about this class learning new things, and getting to know involved in the same journey I am in.

After watching the video of  Dr. Pausch I will now start doing some time management techniques to see if it will help me with managing my time more wisely. Dr. Pausch had very many  great tips such as making a to do list and getting the harder items done first. I am going to apply many of his tips to this class as well to see if it will help. I need all the help I can get with time management. I am a big procrastinator and really have to do better this semester. Also, having a plan is a great thing to have and you always can make changes to your plan just have to have one first.

I read the articles on Penn States website and feel it was very helpful. I have a really big problem with time management at home. At work and school I pretty much get done what I need to get done but when I get off and home things are different. I have a lot of distractions that are going to have to change. I am going to start using my planner more often and sticking to the plan as well as schedule as much as I can.  Organization also plays a big role in time management for me. If I feel like I am organized I can work better. So this semester I will try to use my planner, make designated time schedules for my work , and stay more organized.