Thursday, February 26, 2009
Can Wikipedia be trusted?
In my opinion Wikipedia cannot be trusted as a source for any kind of information. Although Virgil Griffith created a "Wikipedia Scanner", people can still log on from a proxy IP address and change information. I believe that too many students, elementary to college level, depend on the internet for information, but that is how are society is today. In order to get accurate and true information, someone needs to either look it up in a book or find an internet site that is secure and not open to the public. Throughout my education, I know I have been tempted to use Wikipedia as a source, but my teachers made it clear that it is not an accountable source. I believe that every teacher should banned the use of Wikipedia as a source when gather information for a research paper, project, class dicussion, etc. Even though looking for information on Wikipedia is easy, it may not always be helpful.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Randy Pausch's Last Lecture
Randy Pausch's lecture is inspiring to anyone who listens to it. People can interpret this lecture on many different levels. Although he doesn't strictly outline techniques into one profession, all of them can be related to the professions around the world. As a future teacher, I will use the techniques that he talked about in my own classroom. Anyone who is a teacher or a future teacher would benefit from listening to this lecture.
This first point that Randy make in his lecture is that you can't change the cards you are dealt. As a teacher, you may be placed with a group of students that have the reputation of being the "worse students in the school", but you can't change the students you are given. One thing that you can change is the attitude in which you have and the attitude of these students. It is not the job of a teacher to blame others for these students actions, but it is the teacher's job to change these actions.
The whole lecture is focused on childhood dreams. In a classroom, teachers should encourage these dreams even is they are far fetched. Students need to have specific dreams of their own and not dreams influenced by their parents, siblings, peers, or teachers. We as teachers should be influenced by the dreams of our students and only help them to achieve these dreams. In order for any dream to come true you have to work hard and be determined to climb all obstacles.
Throughout life we are all faced with obstacles. As teachers, we don't want to be the obstacle of one of our students. We rather help these student face and climb over these obstacles. In Randy Pausch's lecture he talks about "brick walls." He states, "Brick walls are there for a reason; they let us prove how badly we want things." These walls are there to let people show their dedication and not to keep us out. As an educator, we should be helping these students face these brick walls and push them to succeed in everything they do.
The most important thing he talked about in his lecture was about "head fakes." His definition of a "head fake" is indirect learning. For example, he said that through football he learned the most valuable lesson of team work, not just how to do a three point stance. In a classroom "head fakes" can be used when working in group activities, working as a group to keep your area clean, learning a song that help with a specific skill, and many more. Many students learn better in a hands on environment.
Randy Pausch had many important things that I think are important for everyone to know. The following is a list that I feel will encourage people to reevaluate their life and/or profession:
1. Anything is possible.
2. Experience is what you get when you don't get what you want.
3. If no one is helping you when you mess up, that means they no longer care.
4. When you get pissed off or angry at someone, that means you just haven't given them enough time.
5. They way you say things can come across in either a good or bad way.
6. You can't get there alone, people have to help you.
7. Don't complain, just work harder.
8. Don't bail, the best gold is at the bottom of barrels of crap.
9. Find the best in everybody; no matter how long it takes them to show it.
After listening to this lecture, it has inspired me to want to focus on what is important to me as a person and as a teacher. It makes me realize that life is too short to worry about petty stuff and it that the way you live your life can inspire others. I think this lecture would be a wonderful tool to show students, teachers, future teachers, and anyone else who has a public profession. After all we are inspired by the people that come into our lives. The "head fake" of this whole lecture was: "It is not about how you achieve your dreams, its about how to lead you life. If you lead your life right, the dreams will come to you."
If you would like to watch this lecture please visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji5_MqicxSo
This first point that Randy make in his lecture is that you can't change the cards you are dealt. As a teacher, you may be placed with a group of students that have the reputation of being the "worse students in the school", but you can't change the students you are given. One thing that you can change is the attitude in which you have and the attitude of these students. It is not the job of a teacher to blame others for these students actions, but it is the teacher's job to change these actions.
The whole lecture is focused on childhood dreams. In a classroom, teachers should encourage these dreams even is they are far fetched. Students need to have specific dreams of their own and not dreams influenced by their parents, siblings, peers, or teachers. We as teachers should be influenced by the dreams of our students and only help them to achieve these dreams. In order for any dream to come true you have to work hard and be determined to climb all obstacles.
Throughout life we are all faced with obstacles. As teachers, we don't want to be the obstacle of one of our students. We rather help these student face and climb over these obstacles. In Randy Pausch's lecture he talks about "brick walls." He states, "Brick walls are there for a reason; they let us prove how badly we want things." These walls are there to let people show their dedication and not to keep us out. As an educator, we should be helping these students face these brick walls and push them to succeed in everything they do.
The most important thing he talked about in his lecture was about "head fakes." His definition of a "head fake" is indirect learning. For example, he said that through football he learned the most valuable lesson of team work, not just how to do a three point stance. In a classroom "head fakes" can be used when working in group activities, working as a group to keep your area clean, learning a song that help with a specific skill, and many more. Many students learn better in a hands on environment.
Randy Pausch had many important things that I think are important for everyone to know. The following is a list that I feel will encourage people to reevaluate their life and/or profession:
1. Anything is possible.
2. Experience is what you get when you don't get what you want.
3. If no one is helping you when you mess up, that means they no longer care.
4. When you get pissed off or angry at someone, that means you just haven't given them enough time.
5. They way you say things can come across in either a good or bad way.
6. You can't get there alone, people have to help you.
7. Don't complain, just work harder.
8. Don't bail, the best gold is at the bottom of barrels of crap.
9. Find the best in everybody; no matter how long it takes them to show it.
After listening to this lecture, it has inspired me to want to focus on what is important to me as a person and as a teacher. It makes me realize that life is too short to worry about petty stuff and it that the way you live your life can inspire others. I think this lecture would be a wonderful tool to show students, teachers, future teachers, and anyone else who has a public profession. After all we are inspired by the people that come into our lives. The "head fake" of this whole lecture was: "It is not about how you achieve your dreams, its about how to lead you life. If you lead your life right, the dreams will come to you."
If you would like to watch this lecture please visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji5_MqicxSo
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Fall 2008 Podcasts
The first podcast that I listened to was My Classes at South: How is technology used in them? I think this would have been a better podcast if they talked more fluently. The way they speak throughout the podcast makes it seem like they have a script sitting right in front of them. The students took turns talking, but you could tell they were waiting on each other to finish their sentences; instead of going with the flow. Although they had good points in their podcast, they sounded more like actors on a commercial. To make this podcast better they could have made it more as a conversation of them talking than every sentence being read off a piece of paper.
The second podcast that I listened to was Possibilities for Using Facebook in Educational Settings. The one thing that I didn't like about this podcast was that one person did all of the talking at one point and then the other one came in and talked strictly at that moment. I think one thing that they could have done to make it better would be to take turns talking, but not have it lined out that they come in at certain points. I believe that by mixing up the person talking, that your listeners would be more interested in the topic.
Now I am not an expert on podcasts, nor have I produced one yet. These comments and critiques are based on my personal opinion. I will soon be doing a podcast and then you can comment on how well I do. For the time being though, if you would like to listen to these two podcasts and many more from the 2008 Fall Semester please visit: http://edm310fall08podcasts.blogspot.com/
The second podcast that I listened to was Possibilities for Using Facebook in Educational Settings. The one thing that I didn't like about this podcast was that one person did all of the talking at one point and then the other one came in and talked strictly at that moment. I think one thing that they could have done to make it better would be to take turns talking, but not have it lined out that they come in at certain points. I believe that by mixing up the person talking, that your listeners would be more interested in the topic.
Now I am not an expert on podcasts, nor have I produced one yet. These comments and critiques are based on my personal opinion. I will soon be doing a podcast and then you can comment on how well I do. For the time being though, if you would like to listen to these two podcasts and many more from the 2008 Fall Semester please visit: http://edm310fall08podcasts.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
The Best of the Fisachbowl Part 2
I have just recently viewed the February addition of The Best(?) of The Fischbowl 2007. The February post was titled "A Formula For Success?" and the topic was focused on math assessments. Every past, present, and future student knows that there is only one "right" answer to a math problem. We are faced with it everyday in the classrooms. Karl Fisch puts math assessments into a different perspective for all of his readers. He acknowledges that math skills are important, but the way they are presented makes the students feel like they are useless to them. Every student at one point in their life as said "Why do I have to do this? It's not like I will ever use it again." and I am also guilty of this same quote. Throughout this blog post you will find a better understanding of how math assessment questions should be presented.
In Karl's post he ask four simple questions for everyone that has graduated high school to answer. They are as followed:
1. Write down the quadratic formula from memory.
2. Assuming you were able to complete number one, explain what a, b and c stand for in the quadratic formula.
3. Assuming you were able to complete both number one and number two, explain –in detail - when, why, how and for what you would use the quadratic formula in a math class.
4. Assuming you were able to complete numbers one through three, now explain – in detail – when, why, how and for what real-world situation you would use the quadratic formula.
He asked these four questions to prove that not every math skill will be carried with a student throughout their lifetime. I completely agree with Karl when he says that we need to apply math problems to real world experiences. To finalize what his whole post is about, we as educators need to think of new ways to present problems to students. These problems need to associate with the "real-world" and not just with the next section or chapter in math. They need to be carried throughout the chapters of a thing we call life.
If you would like to read Karl Fisch's full blog post please visit: thefischbowl.blogspot.com/2007/02/formula-for-success.html
My answers to the four questions were are followed:
1.
2. They are the coefficients of the polynomial function y = ax^2 + bx + c
3. All it is used for is to find the roots of a polynomial equation of the form y = ax^2 + bx + c, when it can not be simplified.
4. You can use it how to find the trajectory of a projectile while its in the air which is y(t) = vt - 1/2gt^2.
In Karl's post he ask four simple questions for everyone that has graduated high school to answer. They are as followed:
1. Write down the quadratic formula from memory.
2. Assuming you were able to complete number one, explain what a, b and c stand for in the quadratic formula.
3. Assuming you were able to complete both number one and number two, explain –in detail - when, why, how and for what you would use the quadratic formula in a math class.
4. Assuming you were able to complete numbers one through three, now explain – in detail – when, why, how and for what real-world situation you would use the quadratic formula.
He asked these four questions to prove that not every math skill will be carried with a student throughout their lifetime. I completely agree with Karl when he says that we need to apply math problems to real world experiences. To finalize what his whole post is about, we as educators need to think of new ways to present problems to students. These problems need to associate with the "real-world" and not just with the next section or chapter in math. They need to be carried throughout the chapters of a thing we call life.
If you would like to read Karl Fisch's full blog post please visit: thefischbowl.blogspot.com/2007/02/formula-for-success.html
My answers to the four questions were are followed:
1.
2. They are the coefficients of the polynomial function y = ax^2 + bx + c
3. All it is used for is to find the roots of a polynomial equation of the form y = ax^2 + bx + c, when it can not be simplified.
4. You can use it how to find the trajectory of a projectile while its in the air which is y(t) = vt - 1/2gt^2.
Monday, February 2, 2009
The Best of Fischbowl- September 2007
After reading this blog post by Karl Fisch on Technologically Illiterate Teachers, I agree completely with his statements. During his post her refers to reading and writing as the skills needed in previous centuries and in today and future times he refers to technology as the most important skill to be successful. I can see the aspect that he is referring to because everything in our world is technology based. If you plan to be successful in years to come, you can't be technologically illiterate.
In today's times, many things are technological. For example, I am a student at the University of South Alabama and all of my classes are web-based. This means that I have to be technologically skilled in computer skills or I wont be successful in my classes. There are many other things that are based off of technology: paying bills, communication, banking, traffic lights, all restaurant orders, and many other things. Just like Karl said in his post, if we don't practice these skills and do these skills, how are we going to teach the kids. This is why I agree completely with Karl in saying that teachers can't be technologically illiterate, because if they are who is going to teach the young minds of the children?
In today's times, many things are technological. For example, I am a student at the University of South Alabama and all of my classes are web-based. This means that I have to be technologically skilled in computer skills or I wont be successful in my classes. There are many other things that are based off of technology: paying bills, communication, banking, traffic lights, all restaurant orders, and many other things. Just like Karl said in his post, if we don't practice these skills and do these skills, how are we going to teach the kids. This is why I agree completely with Karl in saying that teachers can't be technologically illiterate, because if they are who is going to teach the young minds of the children?
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Podcast Review
I enjoyed viewing all of these podcast because they all had important information that can help teachers in a wide variety of areas. While searching through iTunes for these podcast, I realized how helpful podcast can be. There are podcast on many different subjects that will be useful in the classroom. Below are a few of the podcast that I visited to help be with this post.
The first education podcast I listened to was Smartboard Lessons. At the beginning of this podcast, the podcasters were talking more about where they were and the weather, instead of the topic of the podcast. Once it started though, I had good points that can be used in the classroom. The second one I listened to was Kidcast. This site got straight to the topic which was good. I really thought how he was explaining how to integrate podcast into the classroom will be helpful to any teacher. The next site I visited was EdTechTalk, which was very interesting because it had many different people informing you on the topic. I liked it the most out of all the podcast because I got to hear the view of more than one person.
After I finished searching and listening to the education podcast, I then listened to the MacBreak Weekly 125. This podcast talks specifically about Macintosh systems. Some of the topics they talked about was iLife '09, Steve's health, laptops, you-tube hd, and a lot more topics. I enjoyed this podcast because it brings you up to date about electronic stuff. The nest podcast I listened to was This Week in Photography. During this podcast they were talking about being a photographer at the inauguration of President Obama. This was an interesting podcast because it kind of puts you there with them as these men were taking the photographs.
This is my first time listening to podcast. I really enjoyed being introduced to podcast because this is a way for someone to gather the perspective of others without a formal interview. I also find them interesting because even though some of the podcast have a number of people on them, they don't all necessarily have to be in the same place. If you have never viewed a podcast before, take my advice and listen to one.
The first education podcast I listened to was Smartboard Lessons. At the beginning of this podcast, the podcasters were talking more about where they were and the weather, instead of the topic of the podcast. Once it started though, I had good points that can be used in the classroom. The second one I listened to was Kidcast. This site got straight to the topic which was good. I really thought how he was explaining how to integrate podcast into the classroom will be helpful to any teacher. The next site I visited was EdTechTalk, which was very interesting because it had many different people informing you on the topic. I liked it the most out of all the podcast because I got to hear the view of more than one person.
After I finished searching and listening to the education podcast, I then listened to the MacBreak Weekly 125. This podcast talks specifically about Macintosh systems. Some of the topics they talked about was iLife '09, Steve's health, laptops, you-tube hd, and a lot more topics. I enjoyed this podcast because it brings you up to date about electronic stuff. The nest podcast I listened to was This Week in Photography. During this podcast they were talking about being a photographer at the inauguration of President Obama. This was an interesting podcast because it kind of puts you there with them as these men were taking the photographs.
This is my first time listening to podcast. I really enjoyed being introduced to podcast because this is a way for someone to gather the perspective of others without a formal interview. I also find them interesting because even though some of the podcast have a number of people on them, they don't all necessarily have to be in the same place. If you have never viewed a podcast before, take my advice and listen to one.
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