Fellow classmates,
It has been wonderful with all of you in class and I had a great time exploring the world of technology with all of you. Good luck in your future plans and hope everyone has a safe and good summer!!! Class TT2 was the best class!!!!
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
EDM 310 Reflections
I believe that all of the tools we used and learned about during this semester will one day be helpful to us either as an educator or in life in general. I think the main thing that I personally enjoyed were the podcasts. I believe that this assignment not only showed us how the podcast technology worked, but it also taught use how to communicate with our peers. This is something that I find that our society is lacking. I thought that the presentations were important because they were a good tool to use to help introduce ourselves to one another. I also liked the blogs because I never realized how many people in the world actually communicate using that technological tool. I never really knew about Google Docs until I took this course, but I find it interesting how there can be several collaborators writing on one document at one time and they don't have to be in the same facility. I think that this tool can be useful as a teacher, because it allows teachers from the same school share ideas for programs without having to meet for hours during the day. It allows everyone to work on their own schedule. I enjoyed playing around on Picasa because I like taking pictures, but I don't think that I will use this tool with my students as a teacher. This class has really opened up my eyes to technology and all of the different tools that are available, for free, that I may and can use in my future classroom. I believe one thing that I would have liked to learn is a form of grading system or tool that could be useful in my classroom. I think right now I am against Twitter because the fact that everytime I try to explore it the site is over compacitated and I never can do anything. Like my group said in our podcasts, I believe there are better tools that can be used for education other than social networks. Overall I have learned a lot from this class and a lot of those things I will take with me into my future classroom.
Reflections on Communicating with Another Teacher
Throughout the semester I have been emailing back and forth with a teacher named Penny Ryder. I would first like to give you some background information about Penny as far as her educational experience. Penny Ryder teaches in the capital city of Australia, Canberra. Penny teaches in a government school system and they have rules for how often they have to move schools. A teacher will stay in their first school for four years, their second for six years, third for eight and then so on. They also have to change grade level, which is referred to as year in Canberra. I believe this is a good rule to have so teachers don't get burned out staying in one location for their entire career. She told me that she loved the diversity of teaching. She said that it stretches her mind and creativity. Penny also likes the fact that she gets to experience the learning alongside her students.
During our conversations I asked Penny what kind of technology does she use as a teacher and does she like the fact that there are so many technological tools. Penny likes the fact that she has access to a lot of different tools and she likes to explore how these tools can make her lessons better. Some of the tools she has access to for her classroom are an interactive whiteboard, four classroom computers, two digital cameras, a flip camcorder, an usb microphone, a class set of calculators, and they have access to the school computer lab one hour a week.
While thinking about technology and how much it has changed over the years, by biggest concern has grown into the fact that technology is going to change my relationship with my students. Therefore, I asked Penny Ryder if she feels that technology has changed the relationship of her and her students her answer was no. The reasons she gave me were because she cannot have online contact with her students, therefore her relationship with them is still face to face. She also told me that her role has a teacher may change due to technology, but she said that she has never seen herself as the "keeper of knowledge," but rather, I see myself as an experienced learner, learning alongside students and sharing the strategies that work.
I also gain some advice from Penny Ryder. She advised me to make a connection with the parents of my students the first time that I meant them. She told me that the key to working with parents was to make a positive start and a good first impression. She also told me to keep in touch with parents every week. In order to do this, she uses email and her blog to contact parents and for parents to contact her. She told me to always remember that if you have bad news to break to a parent to never tell them through email, always call or have a face to face appointment.
If you would like to view Penny Ryders blog, you can visit www.link4learning.blogspot.com or visit www.teachingchallenges.blogspot.com
Also, you can follow Penny on Twitter: pennyryder or Flickr: pennyryder
During our conversations I asked Penny what kind of technology does she use as a teacher and does she like the fact that there are so many technological tools. Penny likes the fact that she has access to a lot of different tools and she likes to explore how these tools can make her lessons better. Some of the tools she has access to for her classroom are an interactive whiteboard, four classroom computers, two digital cameras, a flip camcorder, an usb microphone, a class set of calculators, and they have access to the school computer lab one hour a week.
While thinking about technology and how much it has changed over the years, by biggest concern has grown into the fact that technology is going to change my relationship with my students. Therefore, I asked Penny Ryder if she feels that technology has changed the relationship of her and her students her answer was no. The reasons she gave me were because she cannot have online contact with her students, therefore her relationship with them is still face to face. She also told me that her role has a teacher may change due to technology, but she said that she has never seen herself as the "keeper of knowledge," but rather, I see myself as an experienced learner, learning alongside students and sharing the strategies that work.
I also gain some advice from Penny Ryder. She advised me to make a connection with the parents of my students the first time that I meant them. She told me that the key to working with parents was to make a positive start and a good first impression. She also told me to keep in touch with parents every week. In order to do this, she uses email and her blog to contact parents and for parents to contact her. She told me to always remember that if you have bad news to break to a parent to never tell them through email, always call or have a face to face appointment.
If you would like to view Penny Ryders blog, you can visit www.link4learning.blogspot.com or visit www.teachingchallenges.
Also, you can follow Penny on Twitter: pennyryder or Flickr: pennyryder
Sir Ken Robinson's Lecture
I found that this lecture was very interesting and gave the listeners a look into other people's lives. At the beginning of his lecture he states that people do their best when they are in their element. When he talks about being in your element he means the natural feel. What a person can do natural without any struggles. Sir Robinson states that he believes that it takes more than natural ability to do your best, it also takes a LOVE for the task. I agree with this statement to the fullest extent. The reason why I agree with this is because someone can be good at something but if they don't have the passion for what they do then they will never strive to do their best. This can happen in any situation. He also stated, "Being good at something doesn't mean that you should do it."
The second thing that really grabbed my attention about this lecture is the part about the young boy who inspired to be a fireman. Sir Robinson discuss that education is taking students away from their talents. In the book that he is discussing, he talks about a man who is now a fireman and how he struggled with teachers telling him that he would never aspire to make anything of himself. Our education system is now trying to motivate students to go to universities. As Sir Robinson states, not all people need to go to universities. The fireman that is talked about in his lecture, saved the life of that one teacher that told him that he could not aspire to be anything. At this point he had proven that teacher wrong. In today's society adults try to show a linear line of education and they don't plan for the children to go away from that line. In order for a child to be in their element we need to allow them to be creative and make their own choices.
Another thing about his lecture was human creativity. Sir Robinson states, "Creativity is as important as literacy." I agree with this because if students don't have creativity then they will never have a chance to create their whole dreams. Another thing that he said was, "If you're not prepared to be wrong, you will not come up with anything creative." What I believe he means by this is the fact that our children will never think outside of the box for the fear of being wrong. If we teach them that it is okay to be wrong then we will be teaching them how to be creative with their work. We should teach them how to succeed in their talents, rather than telling them to sit down and do this worksheet.
The next thing that Sir Robinson talks about is his definition of intelligence. He said that their are three things that make up the definition of intelligence. The first part is that intelligence is DIVERSE. The second part is that it is DYNAMIC. The third part is that intelligence is DISTINCT.
I truly agree with the points that Sir Ken Robinson makes throughout his lecture. While reflecting back on the education I received, I can see the points that he makes. I really enjoyed this information and will keep it in mind while teaching my own classroom full of young minds.
The second thing that really grabbed my attention about this lecture is the part about the young boy who inspired to be a fireman. Sir Robinson discuss that education is taking students away from their talents. In the book that he is discussing, he talks about a man who is now a fireman and how he struggled with teachers telling him that he would never aspire to make anything of himself. Our education system is now trying to motivate students to go to universities. As Sir Robinson states, not all people need to go to universities. The fireman that is talked about in his lecture, saved the life of that one teacher that told him that he could not aspire to be anything. At this point he had proven that teacher wrong. In today's society adults try to show a linear line of education and they don't plan for the children to go away from that line. In order for a child to be in their element we need to allow them to be creative and make their own choices.
Another thing about his lecture was human creativity. Sir Robinson states, "Creativity is as important as literacy." I agree with this because if students don't have creativity then they will never have a chance to create their whole dreams. Another thing that he said was, "If you're not prepared to be wrong, you will not come up with anything creative." What I believe he means by this is the fact that our children will never think outside of the box for the fear of being wrong. If we teach them that it is okay to be wrong then we will be teaching them how to be creative with their work. We should teach them how to succeed in their talents, rather than telling them to sit down and do this worksheet.
The next thing that Sir Robinson talks about is his definition of intelligence. He said that their are three things that make up the definition of intelligence. The first part is that intelligence is DIVERSE. The second part is that it is DYNAMIC. The third part is that intelligence is DISTINCT.
I truly agree with the points that Sir Ken Robinson makes throughout his lecture. While reflecting back on the education I received, I can see the points that he makes. I really enjoyed this information and will keep it in mind while teaching my own classroom full of young minds.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Twitter is a new social networking tool used by many people today. I had never heard of twitter until Dr. Strange told us about it in class. After that point I heard about twitter everywhere, on morning talk shows, the news, the radio, and other people. I have an account on twitter, but I only check it for class. I have a facebook account and I barley have enough time to check that. I have looked at some of the features of twitter, but right now twitter is a growing community and every time I try to do something it always tells me that it is "twittered-out." I believe that there are better forms of technology to use in the classroom other tan social networks that may cause my students to get side tracked.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Spring Podcasts Review
I have just recently listened to several podcasts from a set of podcasts that my EDM 310 class put together as an assignment. I listened to the following podcasts:
A Discussion of "Did You Know? Shift Happens"
Technology in the Classrooms at the University of South Alabama
ACCESS- Distance Learning in Alabama High Schools
Facebook: It's In Class! But Can It Be Useful in Class? Pros and Cons
The Economic Crisis and How It Affects Alabama Schools: An Interview with Dr. Harold Dodge
After listening to these podcasts, I found a few improvements for future podcasters. I want to start first by saying that all of the podcasts that I listened to provided me with excellent information and some new information. I know from experience that some of us don't have that natural ability to talk into a microphone, knowing that millions of people could one day listen to it. One of the main things that I found while listening was that there was always one main talker in the group. As Dr. Strange told us before we started the podcasts, make it conversational. That was one tip I found that would help improve future podcasts.
Another improvement I found was that we all really didn't know how much sound that microphone could pick up. Trust me I didn't. In a few of the podcasts, including my own, a listener could hear paper shifting and people whispering. I know that this is one thing that my group and I talked about before our podcast, but we still shifted the papers. I believe next time I decide to do podcasts, I will try to limit my notes to one page so that I don't have to move the papers around.
Th last thing that I would like to touch on is the fact that we have to remember that we aren't just talking to the Mobile area. Therefore when we give out information about places we need to go into detail to give our listeners a good set of mind where we are talking about. That can even go for when we talk about different websites. I remember Dr. Strange tell us that we need to explain what certain thing are before we discuss them, because who knows who our listeners are. They could be learning about the Internet in the way that we are learning about podcasts, by doing hands on activities.
These are the few improvements that I found that could be useful for future podcasts. I enjoyed listening to all of the podcasts and I hope to hear more. If you would like to listen to the podcasts please visit: http://edm310pocasts.blogspot.com/
A Discussion of "Did You Know? Shift Happens"
Technology in the Classrooms at the University of South Alabama
ACCESS- Distance Learning in Alabama High Schools
Facebook: It's In Class! But Can It Be Useful in Class? Pros and Cons
The Economic Crisis and How It Affects Alabama Schools: An Interview with Dr. Harold Dodge
After listening to these podcasts, I found a few improvements for future podcasters. I want to start first by saying that all of the podcasts that I listened to provided me with excellent information and some new information. I know from experience that some of us don't have that natural ability to talk into a microphone, knowing that millions of people could one day listen to it. One of the main things that I found while listening was that there was always one main talker in the group. As Dr. Strange told us before we started the podcasts, make it conversational. That was one tip I found that would help improve future podcasts.
Another improvement I found was that we all really didn't know how much sound that microphone could pick up. Trust me I didn't. In a few of the podcasts, including my own, a listener could hear paper shifting and people whispering. I know that this is one thing that my group and I talked about before our podcast, but we still shifted the papers. I believe next time I decide to do podcasts, I will try to limit my notes to one page so that I don't have to move the papers around.
Th last thing that I would like to touch on is the fact that we have to remember that we aren't just talking to the Mobile area. Therefore when we give out information about places we need to go into detail to give our listeners a good set of mind where we are talking about. That can even go for when we talk about different websites. I remember Dr. Strange tell us that we need to explain what certain thing are before we discuss them, because who knows who our listeners are. They could be learning about the Internet in the way that we are learning about podcasts, by doing hands on activities.
These are the few improvements that I found that could be useful for future podcasts. I enjoyed listening to all of the podcasts and I hope to hear more. If you would like to listen to the podcasts please visit: http://edm310pocasts.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Positives and Negatives of Blogging, Related to Education
This is my first time experiencing blogging. I think that there are many positive and negative aspects to blogging that could be useful in the classrooms. I recently read all of the posts of one of my fellow classmates. After viewing her posts, I realized that there were key elements in some of my posts that I left out and maybe some important factors, to me, that she left out. I think that blogging is an innovative way to communicate with your students.
The following are some of the positives that I found about blogging, as related to education:
1. It connects all your students, even if the are not in the same classroom.
2. Students can learn from other students blogs, because one student may find something out from an assignment, that another student missed.
3. It excites students to learn, because they are dealing with technology.
4. It can produce so accountability and responsibility for students.
The main positive that I would like to talk more about is the fact that blogging can connect your students with others at any point of time. In our society today, many people have different schedules and never sit down to do work at the same time. Therefore, with blogging students can communicate with each other or their teacher on their own terms. I love the fact that we can write our own assignments when it is convenient for me. I think that it is also important for students to comment on each others work because two people can view an assignment differently, but both can be right. Those are a few of the positive aspects about blogging that I found.
The following are a few of the negatives I found about blogging, as related to education.
1. It disconnects a student from their peers and their teachers. (You lose the one on one relationship.
2. Some students may not have access to the internet or computers.
3. May cause students to do assignments late, because it is on the computer and not just handed in to a teacher.
The one negative that I believe that is very important in society is the one on one relationships you develop with other people. By creating a blog, a person may lose the relationship aspect of communication because you are not talking face to face. It is important to establish a good relationship with everyone of your students, as a teacher. If we only communicate through the internet, I have no idea if that student is really doing the work. If I don't know the student behind the work, how am I suppose to establish good relationship with that students. These are just a few of the negatives that come to my mind when thinking about blogging for educational purposes.
All in all, I believe that blogging is a good tool to use in a classroom. I strongly believe that it should not be the only form of assignments a student should have in the class.
The following are some of the positives that I found about blogging, as related to education:
1. It connects all your students, even if the are not in the same classroom.
2. Students can learn from other students blogs, because one student may find something out from an assignment, that another student missed.
3. It excites students to learn, because they are dealing with technology.
4. It can produce so accountability and responsibility for students.
The main positive that I would like to talk more about is the fact that blogging can connect your students with others at any point of time. In our society today, many people have different schedules and never sit down to do work at the same time. Therefore, with blogging students can communicate with each other or their teacher on their own terms. I love the fact that we can write our own assignments when it is convenient for me. I think that it is also important for students to comment on each others work because two people can view an assignment differently, but both can be right. Those are a few of the positive aspects about blogging that I found.
The following are a few of the negatives I found about blogging, as related to education.
1. It disconnects a student from their peers and their teachers. (You lose the one on one relationship.
2. Some students may not have access to the internet or computers.
3. May cause students to do assignments late, because it is on the computer and not just handed in to a teacher.
The one negative that I believe that is very important in society is the one on one relationships you develop with other people. By creating a blog, a person may lose the relationship aspect of communication because you are not talking face to face. It is important to establish a good relationship with everyone of your students, as a teacher. If we only communicate through the internet, I have no idea if that student is really doing the work. If I don't know the student behind the work, how am I suppose to establish good relationship with that students. These are just a few of the negatives that come to my mind when thinking about blogging for educational purposes.
All in all, I believe that blogging is a good tool to use in a classroom. I strongly believe that it should not be the only form of assignments a student should have in the class.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
"Growth" vs. "Fixed" Minds
In this video podcast, a Professor of Psychology named Carol Dweck discusses the difference between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset. Mrs. Dweck explains that a fixed mindset is when a person believes that their basic intelligence is a fixed trade. These people worry about if they are going to look smart or be smart before they complete or start a task. They base their activities on whether or not their intelligence will show. People with growth mindsets believe that their intelligence is something they can develop through passion and studying.
Carol Dweck developed a workshop for students, where they we placed into two different groups for eight sessions. One of the groups learned study skills and the other group learned study skills and a growth mindset. The students that were placed in the study skills group, their grades just declined because they had no motivation. On the other hand, the group that was taught the study skills and the growth mindset showed improvement in their grades. The growth mindset sessions included teaching the students that their brain develops everyday and were taught how to apply it to their school work. Even their teachers could tell the difference in the students that were placed in the growth mindset, but the teachers had no idea that there was two different groups.
In my future teaching I believe that I could use this video podcast in many ways. The first would include the mentor part. This would help me become a better teacher because I am a mentor to my students. They look to me for advice and confidence to succeed in the classroom. I will teach my students that same things that were taught to the students that were part of the study skills and growth mindset group. I believe that in our society that the people with the "fixed" mindset have the toughest times, especially in a classroom. There are many activities in a classroom that deal with speaking in front of the class and if my students have the "fixed" mindset, we would get no where in these class discussions.
Carol Dweck developed a workshop for students, where they we placed into two different groups for eight sessions. One of the groups learned study skills and the other group learned study skills and a growth mindset. The students that were placed in the study skills group, their grades just declined because they had no motivation. On the other hand, the group that was taught the study skills and the growth mindset showed improvement in their grades. The growth mindset sessions included teaching the students that their brain develops everyday and were taught how to apply it to their school work. Even their teachers could tell the difference in the students that were placed in the growth mindset, but the teachers had no idea that there was two different groups.
In my future teaching I believe that I could use this video podcast in many ways. The first would include the mentor part. This would help me become a better teacher because I am a mentor to my students. They look to me for advice and confidence to succeed in the classroom. I will teach my students that same things that were taught to the students that were part of the study skills and growth mindset group. I believe that in our society that the people with the "fixed" mindset have the toughest times, especially in a classroom. There are many activities in a classroom that deal with speaking in front of the class and if my students have the "fixed" mindset, we would get no where in these class discussions.
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