Blog Post 16

It's hard to believe that one day I will be in a classroom of my own where I can create an environment that invokes learning. I would love nothing more than to start my teaching career as a third grade teacher. Through my observations I realized that third grade is a very pivotal point in elementary students learning. I would be sure that my students succeed in every content area but mainly reading and math. I want to develop strong minds and confident students. Thankfully, EDM 310 has equipped me with new knowledge of technological tools that I plan to incorporate into my class.

In my first blog post I mentioned that I wanted my classroom to be technologically advanced and I still do. I'm just thankful that I now know how to utilize them effectively. I will definitely be incorporating blogging in to my classroom. I know for sure that I would like to have a class blog that my parents and students can follow and remain updated as well as supplying them with resources to help them study at home. For my students blogs, I think I will keep it very very structured. I want their posts to coincide with our reading units and to see how their thinking is developing. I will probably pose a question weekly and allow them time to answer not only in class but at home.

In addition, my students role in my classroom will definitely be increased. Initially, I only thought of my students role in the class as empty buckets that I had to fill up. Now, that is not the case what-so-ever. I to want my students to be their second teacher. Don't get me wrong, I will go above and beyond to teach my students but I want them to be fully engaged and knowledgeable and I plan to enforce this by implementing project based learning. While the activities we completed in EDM 310 were week long tasks, in reality, it is difficult to find that amount of time to devote to one assignment. Therefore, I will have to prepare very well to use my time wisely with my students.

Below is a video of my final reflection of EDM 310. Enjoy!

Project #12

Blog Post #11

I will be the first to say that I was skeptical about allowing children to use technology at such a young age. Not because I didn't think that they had to ability to, but because I would see it as more of a distraction to the students if it is not used properly. After viewing Ms.Cassidys video on how she incorporates technology into her first grade classroom, she proved me wrong. Her students were excited, engaged, and ultimately learning. I loved the fact that she allowed her students to comment on what they thought about their blogging experience and how it was helpful to them. In addition, I admire her internet safety with her students. Besides getting their parents permission, her students are aware of good internet behavior such as using only their first name.
One tool I want to use in my classroom is blogger. In my first year i'm sure i will be too busy getting into the groove of being a teacher but, I do intend to implement blogger along the way. I think it is so important for students to be conscious of submitting valuable work that they are proud of and that other can find helpful and useful. Moreover, as one of her students said, they can see the word they type, and see their thoughts in writing. I think that if you develop and nurture good writing qualities at a young age, students will not have as many difficulties with reading and writing.
Teachers like Ms.Cassidy give hesitant future educators like myself the encouragement to step outside of the box and reach every student. There is an app, program, tool, and technique for just about every content area and as teachers, we need to explore and not limit ourselves or our students to traditional learning.

Blog Post #10

TWO THUMBS UP & a round of applause for Randy Pausch. Pausch was a professor at Carnegie Mellon. Pausch received the news that he had about 10 tumors in liver & was told that he has 3-6 months of healthy life to live. After receiving this news, he was able to participate in a series at Carnegie Mellon called the Last Lecture.
Naturally, when I looked at the length of the video I thought, great, just what I need, to sit in front of the computer listening to a someone speak for more than an hour. Now, I do not regret a single minute of this video. I laughed, I smiled, I questioned things I hadn't before, and yes, I even cried. How many of us can honestly say that they received some less than exciting news that could threaten their life and turned it into a positive journey? Pausch did exactly that. He took the time to rethink of all the things he dreamed of doing and revisiting his childhood and incorporating all of that into his last lecture. It was a ery empowering and motivating speech.
What did I learn about teaching and learning? Pausch made mention to the importance of parents, mentors, and students working together. If you create a tight knit unit between your parents, students, and faculty, your classroom will succeed. In my opinion, one component does not work well without the other.As a unit, we can all learn from one another through suggestion, and trial and error. Pausch also spoke on his experience with a pilot program he was a part of and at the end of their assignments he would ask them to complete a survey. I think it is important as a teacher to get feedback, positive and negative, to allow room to make changes and become more effective educators.

Sweet Sixteen

Blog Post #14

One assignment that could be used in EDM 310 is to have students use find an app using an iPad that would be useful in a classroom and give a review on them. It is beneficial to know how to use a device and use it to its full potential. For instance, I would choose an app that is conducive to elementary students since I'm an Elementary Education Major. Personally I would choose an app for reading. One app that I found very resourceful was High Frequency words. This app uses the dolch words which is a compilation of words that are frequently seen in text. The app is completely interactive. The students can tap on the words and see them being used in a sentence. In addition to becoming familiar to the words, they can get familiar with the letter in the word and identify them as tall and short letters. This is a great way to help your struggling readers and to give them something different besides flash cards. I would rate this app on the scale of 1-10, a 8 only because some of the features aren't unlocked.

Blog Post 15

The video I watched introduced a device called The Mountbatten that is being used at The Florida School of the Deaf and Blind. The Mountbatten is an extremely advanced device that allows blind students to be involved in classroom assignments and to receive feedback from their teacher. As the student brailles, the machine says what is being brailled.

I think this is an amazing tool for blind students to utilize in the classroom as opposed to not participating in class discussions and not communicating their thoughts. This device has the ability to save files and transfer files. They is also a way for teachers to receive a translation of the braille writing.

It is important to be in tune with the new technological advances so that we can better our students learning abilities and that we cater to each and every student regardless of their disability.

Author: Lauren Patterson Teaching Mom What Her Deaf/Blind Child Is Learning On the iPad

This video was created by Denise Robinson to help parents understand how their children are using the iPad to learn. After watching this video, it really made me think about all the children, who cannot hear or see. It is very challenging, but having all these technologies that we can use is very helpful and touching.

The National Federation of the Blind, is the largest organization of the blind in America. It was founded in 1940, and has grown to include over 50,000 members. I was reading about it, and its amazing that these people are able to go to college, and become successful people. Sheila Koenig is a member of this organization. She teaches 9th grade English at Southview Middle School in Minnesota. She uses braille for seating charts or notes, and uses the computer for speech.

I think that it is extremely important for parents to learn what their children are doing in school. It will really help the parents get a clue of what they're learning in school, so that they can help them with there homework. or assignments. I will be using the computer as well as the ipad in my classroom.

This video by Denise Robinson was a very touching video. This gives you a great idea of why iPads are so important to have in your classroom. Children that are not able to do certain things in the classroom that most kids can, is now possible. Technology is making so many changes in our kids lives. Students are able to use these tools, to get the independent learning they need on their own.

I also found an amazing video on The National Federation for the Blind

Author: Claire Williams ----

This is a subject that is very dear to my heart. Children with special needs are so often discredited and not given the same opportunities as normal, healthy children and it simply isn’t fair. Although children with special needs may require special attention, they should still be treated the same, and given the same opportunities to learn and grow. It is important as future educators that we are well aware of the many different tools available to assist us in the classroom should we be fortunate enough to teach a special needs student.

Naturally I believe that teachers can make a huge impact on each student, but I believe there is even bigger potential to make a difference in the life of a special needs student. Not everyone is “cut out” to deal with special needs children, so before committing to the task, teachers should really evaluate themselves and determine if they are capable and ready for the challenge. It will take a lot of patience and compassion...but the reward is so much greater!

Technology has come a long way. Whether the student is deaf, blind or has a physical disability, scientist are constantly inventing devices to assist those students in the classrooms. For instance, in the video, Teaching Math to the Blind, Professor Art Karshmer discusses a device called the 3M Touchpad that was designed and created to teach math to students who are blind. Those who are blind are taught how to read by using braille. This presents the main obstacle when teaching math to the blind, since math is not only linear. With this new device, blind students are able to place “braille dice” on a large electronic pad, and the coordinates are read aloud which then allows them to visualize the math problem and therefore work and solve the problems. Inventions of such devices to assist those with sensory impairments are allowing barriers to be removed and learning to flourish.

While researching more on this topic, I came across this website that list several useful assistive technology tools for the classroom. The one I found most interesting was the FaceMouse. This device allows students who have limited mobility to use head movement and facial expressions to navigate and perform tasks on the computer. For most of us, using a computer is second nature. However for a special needs student it could be another milestone that devices such as this are making possible to be accomplished. Once again….breaking down barriers!

With hard work and effort, teaching a special needs student can be such a rewarding experience for both the teacher and the student. Who knows, you could be teaching the next Beethoven!

Author: Hilliary Sanders

C4K November

The first student blog I commented on was Sisilias. Her post was a very descriptive story of her first day of school. Here was my response :
Hey Sisilia. My name is Lauren and I am a student at The University of South Alabama. I loved your post. Seems like you had a day full of excitement. I'm always nervous on the first day of school because you never know what to expect. I also liked ho descriptive you were. Keep up the good work and have a great school year.
The second blog I commented on was Riley's blog in Ms. Cassidy's class. Her post was of a painting she created. Here was my response:
Hey Riley. My name is Laurrn and i am a student at The University of South Alabama. I enjoyed your post. You definitely used happy colors in your picture. Keep up the good work !

Final C4T

Scott McLeod, an Education Leadership professional is the author of his blog dangerously ! Irrelevant. The first post I commented on was a photo of two grading scales and he posed the question of which scale is the fairest and which is the best. I personally felt that the curved scale is the best but it is not the fairest and it does not allow a parent, teacher, or student to really see what they're capable of doing. The second post I commented on focused on taking students voices. McLeod posted 2 excerpts about adults changing what students say and how that is taking their voice. I definitely agree because while a students verbiage may not be the same, their opinion and thoughts matter.

PLN Update

In the beginning I started using my symbaloo and I refer to it occasionally because it is an excellent tool to keep myself organized. I found it a little more useful for myself to create shortcuts on my iPad to my favorite educators and their blogs. I keep up with William Ferriters blog very often. I also follow a few individuals I found through Sir Ken Robinson. I definitely plan to use my symbaloo more but my twitter and the shortcuts to new blogs have been easier for me. 

Project #12

Blog Post #13

What can we learn from these TED talks?

Authors: Hilliary Sanders, Lauren Patterson, Claire Williams
In last weeks blog, we had the opportunity to watch several videos of Sir Ken Robinson from the prestigious TED Conferences. The speakers who are invited to the TED Conference are considered to be the leaders in their field and are well respected by their peers. We have each chosen a video to discuss. Here are our thoughts…

The video I chose to watch was Shane Koyczan: To This Day ... for the bullied and beautiful. His humorous and realistic approach to hopes and dreams was so captivating and moving. Even as a young adult, I can easily remember thing that classmates would say about me but thankfully, I was strong enough to know that no one else can determine my destiny but me. Koyczan’s spoken word poem addresses the reality of what children deal with on a daily basis. We often ask children what do they want to be what do they like, and what do they think but criticize and push our opinions on them. How can we tell student ‘you can be whatever you want to be’ but at the same time tell them, “that’s not what you want to do”, or “you can’t do that”. Especially as future educators we must always uplift and encourage students.

As a future educator, it just reminds me that children deal with bullying and tormenting in a different manner than adults do. The cruel and mean comments stick with children. For some, it may help motivate them and for others it could cause them to shut down and not try to achieve their goals and dreams. To hear positive encouraging words make a world of a difference. You must be mindful of the words you say to students and to help build their self-esteem.

I would encourage all of my colleagues to watch this video. While it doesn’t introduce new ways of teaching, it is an awesome reminder that bullying still exists, verbally and physically.

Author: Lauren Patterson

Salman Khan: Let's use video to reinvent education

Founded by Salman Khan, the Khan Academy is a fantastic tool that can be used in the classroom to boost students learning and allows them to go at their own pace. Khan spoke about the creation of the Khan Academy at the 2011 TED Conference in Long Beach, California. What started out to be a way for one cousin to help the other, turned into a multi-media, educational powerhouse used by millions of users each month.

So what exactly is the Khan Academy? Basically the Khan Academy is a resource tool with thousands of videos covering hundreds of topics. Teachers can create "subject" folders and invite students to participate in this unique learning experience. The site is integrated with a "gaming" type software that engages the interest of students and provides positive yet constructive feedback on their progress. Teachers are able to go in and see each students progress and address any issues the students are having on an individual basis. This advanced monitoring system also allows the teacher more time to address those problems areas instead of spending time on lessons that the students are grasping more quickly.

One of the many great points that Khan pointed out in his video what his thought that often so many students are taught a lesson, then tested and receive a passing grade of 85%, and swiftly moved on to the next lesson. What about the 15% they didn't comprehend enough to answer correctly on the test? In response to this the developers at the Khan Academy decided to integrate the before mentioned "gaming" software. The "gaming" or "testing" area is used to gauge students comprehension. The students are given a series of 10 questions and when the students are able to correctly answer all 10 correct in a row, they are given "badges". This fun, rewarding system keeps the students excited about learning and entices them to do better in order to move forward and receive a specific badge. The students in essence are mastering a lesson while having fun!

How can this be applied in my classroom? I really like to idea Khan mentioned where teachers are assigning the video lessons as homework and the students are actively participating on lessons in the classroom. The "flip" allows the teacher more time to interact with the students and gets the classroom collaborating and helping one another. Something else I think would be a neat idea is to after each lesson, divide the students in groups and allow them to create their own lesson video and present it to the class. This could be a unique way to grade students on a variety of subjects and provides more valuable time learning more about the various "tech" tools they will be using.

When used as a tool in the classroom, the Khan Academy can be extremely useful and is certainly a site that I anticipate utilizing in my classroom and would encourage all educators to check it out and see if it would be a good fit for your classroom as well.

Author: Hilliary Sanders

The video I chose was Teaching one child at a time by:Shukla Bose. Educating the poor is more than just a numbers game, says Shukla Bose. She tells the story of her groundbreaking Parikrma Humanity Foundation, which brings hope to India's slums by looking past the daunting statistics and focusing on treating each child as an individual.

We as united states citizens, live in a country where education is a right, not a privilege. Every child in the USA has an education, no matter if it is public or private. If you stop to think about it, some small percentage of the country might not get the education that we do. We constantly see that you must have a college degree or higher to even be competitive in the adult job world. Shukla Bose, is trying to provide this for the children of India and in the process, giving them and their families hope for the future.
Shukla Bode, made an excellent point, by saying that not all children get the proper upbringing or chance to foresee their future. Building these schools in the poor part of India will deeply increase the results for learning and a better future for these children. Ms. Bose created this idea and giving these children hope. They are going to be challenged and have the opportunity like every other child to go to college and become successful. Some of the mothers were interviewed and gave insight on the change the school had brought to their children. Most children thought they did not have a future and felt basically hopeless. Now the children believe in themselves, and know that they will have a future just like everyone else. Ms. Bose has given the parents opportunities to be involved with their children. Eighty percent of the parents are actively involved in the schools and want their children to learn and be successful. It really touched my heart, that these kids are able to go to school and gain so much knowledge and when they get home everyday teach their parents.

It is truly amazing that Ms.Bose has come such a long way with these kids in just a few years. Her ultimate challenge is to make her kids strong and competitive in the economy and give them some kind of backbone in the real world. She not only teaches her kids english but teaches them to shoot for the stars and reach for their dreams. By these children achieving their goal, maybe this will end poverty and ignorance that holds people in a state of hopelessness.

Author: Claire Williams

In this project, students will observe the different cloud types daily and journal their findings. After completing a smart board presentation, the students, in groups of 2, will create their on clouds using materials provided by their teacher. Lauren Patterson Google Site

Blog Post #12

Sir Ken Robinson, PhD is an internationally recognized leader in the development of creativity, innovation and human resources in education and in business. He is also one of the world’s leading speakers on these topics, with a profound impact on audiences everywhere. The videos of his famous 2006 and 2010 talks to the prestigious TED Conference have been viewed more than 25 million times and seen by an estimated 250 million people in over 150 countries. His 2006 talk is the most viewed in TED’s history. In 2011 he was listed as “one of the world’s elite thinkers on creativity and innovation” by Fast Company magazine, and was ranked among the Thinkers50 list of the world’s top business thought leaders.

How to Escape Education's Death Valley

I couldn’t help but laugh as I started watching Sir Ken Robinson's video, "How to Escape Educations Death Valley". Sir Robinson made the most valid points about today's educational system in a light, humorous, and very informative manner. Sir Robinson believes that there are 3 principles that the human mind flourish from.

The 3 Principles are:

1. Human beings are naturally different and diverse: Sir Robinson stated that NCLB is focused on conformity instead of diversity. While math and science are necessities, a good and sufficient education gives equal attention to each and every content area. Students will forever be different and it is important to celebrate each child's talents and allow them to excel.

2. Curiosity: Once a teacher sparks the curiosity in a student, they will learn without any further assistance. Sir Robinson believes that a great teacher passes on information but also provoke, stimulate, evoke, and mentor students. If there is no active learning happening in the classroom, there is no education. Teachers must peak students interest and really show them how to learn as opposed to focusing on testing.

3. Human life is inherently creative: Sir Robinson believes that one of educations roles is to awaken and develop students power of creativity. With all of the standardized testing being used, it is safe to say that education has been geared towards testing instead of using standardized tests to help students.

Moreover, Sir Robinson believes that leaders, namely teachers, should create a climate of possibility. It all starts with a great teacher that motivates, and encourages true learning and understanding to take place. For now, education appears to be in its own death valley but, education just needs a revolution.

Author: Lauren Patterson

The Importance of Creativity

Is our educational system diminishing the individuality and creativity of its students? Sir Ken Robinson seems to think so! He believes we are providing an education for a future that we cannot grasps and feels that creativity should be as importance as literacy. Students should be praised for being different and thinking on their own, rather than being judged and grouped together based on standardized testing. I feel that I have a good understanding of the purpose of standardized testing, I also feel Sir Robinson has a point that creativity should be allowed to flourish, not be suppressed.

In his video, “The Importance of Creativity”, Sir Robinson shares a story about a woman who when she was a child in the 30’s, the educational system wrote a letter to her mother and suggested she had a learning disability because she could not concentrate and was extremely fidgety. Her mother took her to a specialist only to find out that she did not have a learning disability but rather was a brilliant mind that liked to dance and had to be moving to think. She became a very successful dancer who made a large fortune because of her creative ability to dance. More so today, doctors and specialist are quick to medicate children that are perceived to have a learning disability. Sadly enough, often times it is the parents who are requesting the medications because they do not understand nor have taken the time to get to know their children well enough and therefore become frustrated and no longer want to deal with a “hyper” child. I understand that there are some children who truly need to be on medications, but I tend to believe that there are alternatives to medications, such as specialized diets that limit the sugar and food coloring intake by children. There is no telling how many other brilliant minds doctors have suppressed for one reason or another. Ultimately it is the responsibility of the parents to make these types of decisions, but as an educator we should see each child’s individual potential and educate their “whole” being.

Another point that Sir Robinson mentions is how students are taught that making mistakes is the absolute worst possible thing. Now, I realize there are many different levels of “mistakes” and I’m certain he is referring to the low level, non-criminal sort of mistakes. We have to be cautious to not demean our students, but rather turn a mistake into a learning lesson. If students stay in constant fear of making a mistake, and therefore never make mistakes, how will they deal with the real world where it is inevitable that mistakes will be made? Students should feel comfortable and confident enough to know that when they do make a mistake that the right thing to do is to take responsibility for it, reflect on the issue, apologize if necessary and move forward. To simply state it, "If you are not prepared to be wrong, you’ll never come up with anything original” – Sir Ken Robinson

In my opinion, creativity plays a huge role in our students and who they will become. Each student is different and has different potential. It is our job as future educators to help find that potential and to see to it that each and every student grows and develops into someone who is smart, well-rounded, confident and eager to grow themselves.

Author: Hilliary Sanders

Changing Education Paradigms

In his video, "Changing Education Paradigms", Sir Ken Robinson asks the question, “How do we educate our children to take their place in the economies of the 21st century? Given that we cannot anticipate what the economy will look like next week”.

I enjoyed this video very much. It opened up my eyes to how public education became what it is today. It is truly amazing at how much has changed over the years. They were trying to alienate the past and move on quickly to the future. The problem with this, is that it is alienating the students, and making them not want to even be in school. If you look at a few years back, people were to be educated from kindergarten to senior year, go to college, and get a career. This is the routine that has always happened, and now our kids do not believe this. The current system was designed and conceived for a different age.It was conceived in the intellectual culture of the enlightenment and in economic circumstance of the industrial revolution. These students are defined by academic and non academic categories. They believe that if they do not make good grades then they are not smart. So they are prescribed medications to calm them down. We are giving our students drugs to get them focused, and this is not the answer. We should be waking them up to what they have inside of themselves. Ringing bells, divided subjects, age group, etc it is the same routine in every school but Sir Robinson asks why? Why put them together based on age?

Divergent Thinking is not Creativity, it is not a synonym; its the ability to see a lot of possibilities to a question. To be able to see multiple answers not just one. Divergent thinking is a great idea, it really involves the child creative wise, not just memorization. Sir Robinson tells a story about 1500 kindergarten children , who were given a test to measure divergent thinking. 98 percent of the children were put in the genus level. They continued giving this test to children as they got older, and the more students failed it. It really shows that as we get older our imagination and creativity with learning slowly fades. It really shows how students are learning and retaining information in the classroom daily. It really opens your eyes up to how it is going to be when i become a teacher.

Author: Claire Williams

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BP Twelve - Collaborative Assignment

October C4K

In response to his teachers questions about the novel they had been reading, Ben made a post and observed that service dogs are helpful to people that need extra help. In reference to a character in the story, he said that having a new sibling in the house would be an adjustment and I couldn’t have agreed more.
The next students blog I commented on was Calvin who is a student in Mr.Somerville’s 6th grade class. His blog entry was a story of a robbery and it was a cute mystery story and I encouraged him to keep up the good work. I love to see kids imaginations at work!
The last blog I commented on was Ryann’s. Ryann gave his closing thoughts on the story “Out of Your Mind” they had been reading. I was happy to see that he understood that we should treat everyone equally. It was a very very well written post. Additionally, I hope that he will apply these lessons to real life situation

Blog Post #9

Within the walls of a school, students should not be the only ones learning. In order to keep up with the ever evolving tools, programs and techniques used to teach students, teachers need to be in a constant state of learning themselves. Whether they are learning by browsing the web for new ideas, attending workshops or seminars, it doesn’t matter...as long as they are learning and growing! This is something that we as future educators need to keep in mind.

One of the great ways for teachers to learn is by connecting with their peers and finding out what is working for them, and applying it to their own classroom, as they see fit. This week, we had the opportunity to watch 3 videos made by teachers. In their videos, they are detailing what they are doing in their classrooms and describing how it is working for them.

Here is a summary of what we learned...

First we watched a video by Brian Crosby Back to the Future. Brian discusses his fourth grade class and everything that they have accomplished throughout the year. He talks about projects involving the community and making sure that it is technology sufficient. Brian believes that there is no narrow curriculum at all. Curriculums should expand and not be such a basic idea. Imagination and creativity should make up the majority of the teaching

The students were given an assignment called "High Altitude Balloon Project". The students were to pretend that they were the actual balloon and had to talk about their experience of being shot off and fired up. As a balloon, you had to describe every detail about what happened from the second you were on air, until you were way up in the sky. Brian said that the students had a great time doing this, and learned from it. They remembered everything, and were able to learn from each project their teacher made them do. It is so important to be able to provide projects like this as a teacher. Especially with fourth grade, their attention span doesn't last very long. Providing activity projects such as the Balloon project, or the air pressure from a coke can project, are great ways for students to successfully learn.

Brian Crosby talks about the Language Intense and what all students get from being active and independent learners. The students are able to...

• Read and Write to Learn Content
  
  
• Write to Clarify and Share
  
  
• Write to Tell a story; Creativity and Imagination
  
  
• Feedback
  
  
• Articulate Orally
  
  
• Connect Globally
  
  
• Authentic Audience
  
  
• Remember Audience
  
  
• Remember the science, high hopes art

Brian discussed a lot about how active learning is the key. Empowering students to become independent learners and learn on their own. He is a great motivator as well as an educator to really get his students involved in their learning. He makes it fun and memorable.

Brian Crosby decided by using these projects, it helped his students learn to be independent learners. Technology has made a huge leap in the education world. A girl in the fourth grade class was very sick. She was not able to physically be in the classroom, but she still got her education. We were so enthused to see that Mr. Crosby let this little girl still attend his fourth grade class, but not actually be there. It was a very touching and great thing to do for a child who cannot do everything other kids can do. To be able to still get her education through the use of technology really shows us, that anything is possible through successful learning.

In the next video, Blended Learning Cycle, Paul Andersen, a teacher from Bozeman, Montana shows us how by utilizing his PLN (Personal Learning Network) he was able to come up with a new technique to use in his AP Biology class. The “Blended Classroom” is the idea of utilizing more online and mobile resources with the 5 E’s of the “Learning Cycle”; engage, explore, expand, explain and evaluate. Combined together, Mr. Andersen refers to this as “QUIVERS” which is an acronym for,

QU- Question
I - Investigate and Inquire
V - Video (podcast)
E - Elaboration
R - Review
S - Summary Quiz

In his classroom, Mr. Andersen prefers PBL (Project Based Learning) plans, so this “blended classroom” works well for his students. His unique approach to teaching provides his students with an alternate way to learn that peaks their interest and promotes their eagerness to learn.

The last video we viewed featured Mark Church, the author of Making Things Visible. Church presented a new topic to his class and asked them to create a headline based on what they thought of it. After teaching the topic in depth, he asked the class to re-evaluate their headline and to see if their opinion changed.

We all agree that Church did a wonderful job engaging his students in the new lesson by allowing them to pre-teach themselves and grow throughout the lesson. Also, going back and seeing how much more you know is always exciting and for students, it is fun to see whose prediction of a particular topic was mother most similar to the true facts.

Authors: Hilliary Sanders, Lauren Patterson, and Claire Williams

C4T #2

William Ferriter, an author, teacher, blogger, and professional development provider, has an amazing blog titled The Tempered Radical. The first post I commented on was titled Have We Made Things Too Easy For Kids. He begins by refelcting on on of his previous teachers that was the teacher every student dreaded. Shemade the kids responsible for their work whic made Ferriter pose the question of, have we made things too easy fo students. Here was my response to his post as well as his reply:

As a student and future classroom teacher, I think it important to instill some responsibility in students. While learning should not be a consequence, I think teaching, now, is too focused on entertaining students and making sure they ‘like’ the way the material is delivered. In addition, parents EXPECT teachers to practically give their child a passing grade although they do not put in the extra time with their child at home, check their planner for homework assignments, or communicate with their teacher. Mrs. Meanie Morosini may have seemed to be tough in your eyes but i’m sure you can agree that she instilled some good habits into you and your classmates.

September 30, 2013 - 7:41 am Bill Ferriter
Lauren wrote: In addition, parents EXPECT teachers to practically give their child a passing grade although they do not put in the extra time with their child at home, check their planner for homework assignments, or communicate with their teacher. - – - – - - This is the big difference for me, Lauren — and it’s probably MORE important to me than the conversation about students who need second chances. I’m all down with helping kids who need help because they come from struggling circumstances at home. What I’m not down with is helping families who couldn’t be bothered with school to begin with. When I was a kid, school was the number one priority. Period. End of discussion. Today, it seems like many parents see school as a nuisance that gets in the way of the rest of life while simultaneously expecting their kids to learn more and achieve at higher levels than ever before. Those dual expectations can’t coexist with one another. Any of this make sense? Bill

The second blog I commented on had a picture attached of an interactive white board that had words flipped every which way. Bill made a valid point by saying that until teachers, principals, and others that work for the school system learn what a highly engaged classroom looks like, there's no need to continuously waste money on pricey gadgets that are not benefitting the students.

Blog Post 8

Technology is an essential part of everyday life for many people, including today’s students. It’s time to start incorporating technology in the classrooms, so we can help our students become more comfortable with using technology and keep them interested in learning. Here are some great tools that can be used in the classroom...

Wiggio



Wiggio is an amazing site to use when working on assignments and projects collaboratively in groups. The makers of Wiggio decided to develop this program because they became frustrated with sending emails back and forth trying to collaborate, and it became very difficult to have meetings that were convenient for everyone due to their busy schedules or illnesses that wouldn’t allow them to physically meet. Wiggio was the answer to these problems!

Wiggio is a virtual meeting site where you can create and maintain projects. Group members have the ability to create and share documents, and upload additional files. The site was designed to be easy and straightforward, even for someone who is not computer savvy. Wiggio provides everything that you need to work productively in your groups, without having difficult unnecessary features. Wiggio is a solution offered by Desire2Learn, a global leader in cloud-based (SaaS) learning solutions. Desire2Learn enables clients to deliver a seamless, personalized experience using technology that inspires users to connect, collaborate, and engage in ways that reflect their unique needs. Also because Wiggio is web-based, collaborating is extremely convenient.

Wiggio would be a great way tool for students to use in the classroom. Students will learn how to collaborate, and learn how to do it on the computer. I think using this also in EDM310 would be very beneficial. Instead of having to meet in the lab every week, we could use Wiggio from the comfort of our homes.

Lauren Patterson, Hilliary Sanders and Claire Williams


Edomo



With all the extra paperwork, meetings, and workshops teachers have to juggle, any resource that helps them manage their time and still be an effective teacher is alright in my book. Edmodo is a safe social learning platform for teachers, students, and parents. Through Edmodo, teachers can post additional lessons, assignments, and quizzes for their class. They can also grade the assignments through Edmodo.

For the students, it is a great way to communicate with your classmates about assignments, or even just to share photos for fun. One upside is that students get the perks of "social media" but it is monitored by the classroom teacher. In addition, Edmodo is mobile phone friendly. Students can not only access Edmodo from iPads, smartphones, and tablets but they can receive notifications about updates that their teacher posts to the site. Parents also have the opportunity to access their child's classroom information through Edmodo. This is one innovative way to keep parents involved.

Edmodo is considered the Facebook of education and we all know how often users check in just to see what's going on. Edmodo practically can function in that same manner for students, parents and teachers. From getting clarification on an assignment, collaborating with fellow classmates, to checking grades, Edmodo should definitely be implemented in classrooms to keep everyone in the loop.

Lauren Patterson


Socrative



As an educator, it is our responsibility to find new and fun way to engage our students. Especially if you are teaching the higher grades in elementary schools. Most fourth thru sixth grade students have very active “tech” lives outside of the classroom. These students are browsing the web, texting or using Skype to communicate with their friends and playing video games. The are bored with the typical classroom where the teacher presents their lesson, passes out worksheets for the students to complete, then administers tests to judge the students understanding. So what can we do to relate to this generation of students? One way is by utilizing new technologies in the classroom such as Socrative, which is a great tool for quizzing and testing students.

Socrative is a free web-based platform that can be accessed on any PC, iPad, iPod or smartphone device with internet connection. Teachers has the flexibility to create a custom True or False, multiple choice or short answer quiz for the students to take by themselves or a quick quiz question announced out loud. The teachers can also group the students together and have a “Space Race” between the groups. Space Race is a fun way to engage the students, assess their understanding and help build communication skills through collaboration with other students. Immediate feedback will be sent to the teacher to record the results. There is also an “Exit Ticket” feature that allows the students time at the end of the day to reflect on what they have learned that day.

Another great feature of Socrative is that the students are not required to sign-up for an account to participate. Each time a quiz is being administered, the teacher will be assigned a “Room Number” for the students to join. Also because Socrative is a web-based program, other than an internet ready device, no other equipment is needed.

Socrative is a great way to facilitate discussions and assess student learning. This easy and fun student response system is sure to grab the attention of your students and keep them interested and excited about learning.

Hilliary Sanders


Popplet



Popplet is a big pinboard you can put Popples onto. It takes graphic organizers into the digital age by allowing users to not only organize words, but they can link to pictures, YouTube videos and Google maps. Students remain engaged while organizing their content. Students and teachers can also collaborate on a Popplet by inventing other Popplet users to work on their projects.

Popplet is a great thing for students and teachers to have. This tool allows you to look up certain materials or items and get feedback on each subject. You can also post your own stuff on your own Popplet. It is very similar to Facebook and Twitter. I researched and Mrs.Pazos class is using Popplet for an assignment on world cultures. Each student must explore and explain the rights and duties of citizens. Popplet is a great tool to use for assignments such as these, because it involves students mentally and physically. The advantages of Popplet is that students can sign up without emails, and collaborate together. The disadvantage is that students can only make 5 total Popplets with one free account.

Popplet is a very useful and beneficial tool, and I think all students should give it a shot. As a future educator I will be using Popplet in my classroom. It is a very fun and easy tool for students to use. Collaborating is very important for students to get used too, because you work as a team with any job you get.

Claire Williams

Project #9

Blog Post #7

Experiences of a 3rd Grade Teacher

After listening to Anthony Capps conversations, in his Project Based Learning Videos Part 1 and Part 2, it is clear that Project Based Learning is the key to successful teaching and fun learning. He talked about several projects that he did with his class that really gets you thinking. Doing these projects showed each student what they have achieved, but also what they’ve learned. One of the projects, the students had to write letters to Congressman, Joe Bonner. They wanted to give their opinions as to how they felt about women being allowed to fight in combat. The kids were so excited to do this project. Some students had family members in the military, so they each could connect in a special way. This project made the students feel involved and accomplished. The projects Anthony chooses for his 3rd grade class are great projects that we could use as teachers. The students have fun, they want to learn, and they go home feeling achieved and happy. Project Based Learning is a learning and planning experience. It takes a lot of work but, in the end, you come out successful. Not all projects are perfect, but you as a person feel successful. You can always improve to become better.

In another video, Anthony also discussed iCurio, and how much he uses it in his classroom. It allows students to safely search websites pulled from online. Whether it is pictures, audio, video etc., iCurio allows teachers and students to store content they find valuable. Students using iCurio will get used to making folders and completing assignments online. This is also a great way to keep the students organized. iCurio is kid friendly, and having this in classrooms will be a great use. Students will learn how to be technology sufficient and gain knowledge each day. Anthony did yet another video about Discovery Education, which is another website that he uses with his students. Discover Education deals with science and social studies. Students used this when discovering many things, such as plants and people in history. As a teacher you are bringing these texts to life, and making the students feel like they are in the book. Students see it and watch it in progress, and most kids would rather be watchers compared to reading and writing.

The videos we watched were very helpful, and gave many good tips to our future teaching. We believe that everything he talked about will really help us in our own classrooms. Project Based Learning, iCurio and Discovery Education are great ways to benefit kid’s lives and make sure each child gets the attention they deserve. With Project Based Learning students have a better chance of becoming successful, as well as better learners and observers.

Authors: Lauren Patterson, Hilliary Sanders and Claire Williams

In the video of Anthony Capps, he made it plain and clear that teachers should use technology in their classrooms. I can definitely say I'm hesitant when it comes to incorporating new ideas and components simply because there's a chance that students may not understand. Anthony made a very good point in saying that we should not teach technology to our students. Instead, we should just allow them to use it. Don't get the wrong idea though. Yes you have to give the students directions but, setting aside 30 minutes a day to teach students how to work a program isn't necessary. Using technology comes natural to just about every child so inadvertently , they will be able to navigate through websites and programs without a great deal of prior knowledge.

Moreover, Anthony reminds us to scaffold the information we give our students and to build upon the prior skills they've already learned. You can't expect our students to produce a perfect product the first try but the following week, they can perfect the previously learned skill and add on the new component.

All in all, Anthony made some very valid points during his video and it's great confirmation for apprehensive individuals like myself that students will be able to grasp on to the new and innovative ways to learn and they will be excited to do so.

Lauren Patterson

The "Anthony - Strange" List of Tips for Teachers

Anthony Capps is a former student of Dr. Strange in EDM 310 at the University of South Alabama. Anthony is now a 3rd grade teacher at Gulf Shores Elementary School. The duo discusses several important aspects of being an educator in the "Anthony-Strange list of Tips for Teachers" video.

Before we move to the list, I think it's important to mention that Anthony Capps is not your ordinary elementary school teacher. In Capps' classroom, he is using technology to assist his students with many of their assignments. He incorporates the use of iCurio and Discovery Education in his Project Based Learning lessons. His style of teaching accomplishes many things including keeping the students engaged by using tools they find interesting and fun while growing their ability to collaborate successfully. His teaching style is the new 21st century classroom! As mentioned earlier, Dr. Strange is an Educational Media Instructor at the University of South Alabama. His vast knowledge of the wide array of tech tools and programs for the classroom is invaluable. These two are definitely on top (and ahead) of the game. For these reason, any advice offered from these gentlemen should be taken, and applied in your own classroom.

Now, the list…

Be a constant learner yourself
Part of being an educator is to not only teach lessons, and classroom standards, but also to be a positive role model for your students and others around you. If we are interested in learning, they will notice and hopefully be interested themselves. It is clear that the methods of teaching are evolving, and we must keep up. We must continue to learn new techniques and programs and come up with our own new ideas on how to incorporate it all in the classroom.

Teaching never ends, It is hard work...But very rewarding
Anything worthwhile, is worth the time. We all want our students to learn and succeed so they can be productive and valuable members of society. In order to help them succeed, we must take steps to make ourselves valuable. One way to do that is by seeing teaching as not only a job, but as a hobby. By doing this, we spend much of our personal time working on our “craft” and growing our techniques and ideas for the classroom. Our efforts will pay off when we see that our students are growing and learning.

Be Flexible...The unexpected will happen!
The idea behind this tip is to to be flexible by having a back-up plan. Things may not always go as planned, and you do not want to be caught off guard. So when creating your lesson plans, make sure you think of everything. This would be especially true if you plan to use computers, iPads and such as learning tools in the classroom. Say the school lost power and/or internet connection, what would you do? It’s never a bad idea to have an alternate plan, just in case.

Start with a Goal
I’m sure every teacher starts the school year with boosting themselves up, and giving themselves a pep talk about how this year is going to be the best and every student is going to do well and pass on to the next grade level. This should be every teacher’s goal. But how do you guarantee this happens? Kids like to have fun, so make learning fun for them. Find new unique ways to keep the students engaged, and eager to learn. For instance, using podcast is a easy and simple way for students to listen to a lesson, and yet it seems fun to them. It somewhat relates to back to their second tip, on how we are to make teaching more fun for ourselves. If you are having fun, it doesn’t feel like you are learning.

Engage 100% of your Students, 100% of the Time, in 100% of Their Projects
It is important to keep students interested in learning. This can be accomplished by making learning fun to them. One way to do this is by using programs such as iCurio and Discovery Education. These sites are safe for use in the classrooms and offer new, unique ways for the students to learn. In particular, Discovery Education offer interactive books, which makes reading fun. You can also engage your students by challenging them to find fun and interesting facts about another country by using iCurio. Students typically thrive on order and routine, so it is very important to be consistent. Try to always incorporate these types of learning tools in every assignment. Remember, if you are having fun, it doesn't feel like you are working and learning. So make it fun!>

Reflect, Revise and Share your work with an audience
Their last tip is probably the most important one of all. Being a teacher takes a lot of time, and we must also have it in our minds to do our best and produce the best learning environment for our students. We take the time to create great lesson plans, and decorate the perfect classroom, so it shouldn’t be difficult to take the time to step back and reflect on what we have done, to see if there is room for improvement. There may not be any need to improve, but taking the time to observe and reflect will keep your mind growing for the next phase.

This list has certainly been insightful and very useful. The main idea that I take away from this list is that we should always strive to be the best all around teacher possible. Be the teacher that inspires her students to want to learn, because she exhibited a learning spirit. Be a teacher that is resourceful and knowledgeable. And finally be the teacher that your students will want to come back and visit, or one day write about on their personal blog because you were their inspiration.

Hilliary Sanders

Additional Thoughts About Lessons by:Anthony Capps

A lesson, provides framework that guides class instruction. It is based on student needs in terms of the curriculum, and unit of instruction. Lessons often reflect the interests and needs of individual students. Anthony Capps added his additional thought about lesson plans. They must be made up of four components in terms of being four layers thick. Being a teacher, you must be able to come up with a year plan, unit plan, week plan and daily lesson plan. When you think about it, it seems tough, but it helps you stay extremely organized and prepared. Lessons not only help the teacher stay organized, but it helps the student as well. Students can prepare what they have learned over the course of time, as well as gain knowledge.

With the year plan, you must think about how it fits in with your entire school year. This is extremely important and crucial because you have to make sure that it fits in perfectly with everything you do. The unit plan is the second layer. It is for devising projects, hands on activities, group projects etc. You must start with an aspect or approach. You cannot rush the unit and say “We are going to learn this today, and you must know all of it by tomorrow”. Rushing is not the key, You must casually progress it overtime. When the students start with an aspect they should be able to master the outcome in 6 to 8 weeks. The third layer is the week plan. Several questions come about with this. How are you devising your week to get everything done? Are you going to get the goal for the week done? What is your Monday through Friday goal? The fourth layer is the daily lesson plan. The daily lesson is something you do daily with each child. Delivering to your students, you must get their attention properly and have them engaged in their learning. Having something afterwards, to see what they have learned, and to where you can pick up the day. If not you will not be successful in lesson planning period.

The four components we have here, are very crucial in having an effective teaching method. Without these four components, teachers would be out of sorts, and wouldn't have a clue of where to begin. Anthony Capps did a wonderful job explaining the lesson in layers. It is like an onion, you peel one layer after another. The four ideas are a fantastic way to have a phenomenal lesson in your classroom. As a future teacher, I will be using this method in my teaching.

Claire Williams

Don't Teach Tech. - Use it

Project # 13 PBL #1

In this Project Based Learning assignment, students will pair up and together read the story of Little Red Riding Hood. The students will use iCurio to determine the capitol of states listed and the distance between each capitol. They will track her journey to Grandmother’s house using worksheets provided. They will also present a fun fact to the class about a city / town of their choice. And finally the students will tally the miles traveled by Little Red Riding Hood to Grandmother's house.

Little Red Riding Hood - Lesson Plan
Created by: Lauren Patterson, Hilliary Sanders and Claire Williams



Project Thirteen

My Personal Learning Network

My personal learning network is a fairly new idea to me. I'm slowly learning how to incorporate it and make it as useful as possible. As an educator you will see the acronym PLN often and it's a great way to share information and stay in touch with the social communities that you are. Part of. For starters, I'm refining who I follow on twitter and who I am friends with on Facebook. There are so many wonderful pages that share useful tips that are readily accessible. By far my favorite is Pinterest. Especially for quick and easy crafts or even bulletin boards, Pinterest is amazing. Recently I created a Symbaloo to help organize all of my favorite sites that I can access with ease. As EDM continues, I plan on expanding my Symbaloo.

September C4K Summary

The first students blog I had the pleasure of commenting on was a boy that wrote about his summer vacation to New York and his trip to a huge Toys R' Us. He and his father went into the store prior to going to go see The Lion King on Broadway. His post was very detailed and well written for an elementary student. I commented and praised him for his post and that I was slightly jealous of his family vacation.

The second students blog I read was probably my favorite of the month simple because I love music. The young lady expressed her passion for music and writing her own music. While I don't write music, I was in band for 9 years. I encouraged her to follow her dreams because there are so many opportunities for young musicians. I thought it was great that she has a positive way to express herself. I could tell through her post that she was excited to share her idea of music. She genuinely understands and appreciates all aspects of music. I hope she continues to write music and follow her dreams that hopefully include her passion, music.

The third students blog I read was a girl who made a video of how they used hexagonal learning in the classroom. I was so intrigued because I had no idea what hexagonal learning was.she and a classmate created a poster describing how to use a math method with hexagonal learning. It was simple and neat. After watching her post, I decided to look up some ways to use hexagonal learning. It's important to use different methods of learning with students and I thought this was a very unique method.

The last post I read was by Kevin in Mrs. Ripps class. She had given them an assignment to solve two brain teasers without speaking aloud. This assignment was in reference to a book titled "Out Of My Mind" by Sharon Draper. The main character of the story has cerebral palsy and can't speak. Kevin's post expressed that it was frustrating to not be able to speak and got your point across. I applaud Mrs. Ripp for the assignment. It's important for kids to value the small things they don't normally appreciate.

Project #8

Blog Post #6

Who, What, When, Where, Why, How?!
We all know what a question sounds and looks like but, what is the purpose? All day long students are lectured and drilled with new information and the teacher always ends with, "does anyone have any questions"? The silence following that question has to be the quietest 5 seconds in a teachers classroom. All teachers hope that each student understands the material presented and the reality is, some students have no idea what is going on. So what do you need to know about questioning to be a more effective teacher?

Ben Johnson, a high school principal, consultant author, and instructional learning coach seemed to hit the nail on the head in his blog post The Right Way to Ask Questions in a Classroom. Some simple and innovative ways to make sure students not only pay attention but make sure they understand is to ask a question to the entire class, wait a moment, then call on a student randomly. This gets their brains working and processing to come up with an answer just in case they are called upon. There will always be the outspoken students and the students that sit back ad allow others to answer every question thrown out during class discussions. As a teacher, you should want to keep every student involved and to create a comfortable environment where not only will the students answer questions but they will ask you valuable questions.

For Elementary teachers, individual white boards should be their best friends. While it may be hard to keep their little eyes from wandering onto their neighbors board, it will allow you to teach as a group, extend a problem or question and each student give an answer at the same time without the loud outbursts.

Questions give clarity and sometimes demand students to think critically. It's one thing to recall information but it takes learning to a new level once a student understands and can expound on a simple topic. When asking a question, I think it is important to get the child to explain how they got the answer, what helped them come up to that conclusion, or to ask an if then question. In the video,Questioning Styles and Strategy, there was a constant dialogue between the teacher and the class. From applying concepts in the text to real life, to drawing what they imagined to be in the story, each student was able to recall facts from the text. A good technique seen in the video was having the student restate the question. That is one habit I will truly try to form with my class so they can understand what is being asked.

As long as you ask questions that allow the entire class to start thinking,and not just the usual over achievers, you can really get your students brains moving.

My Sentence Videos

My Sentence is



My Passion is

Blog Post #5

Blog Post 4

What is podcasting? What is the purpose of podcasting? A podcast is a ready to download multimedia file that becomes an MP3. For most students it may be the best thing that has happened to them. Focusing on your teacher talk about one topic longer than 15 minutes can get a little on the boring side but, being able to listen to a lecture again, or hear a story being read by your peers could help jolt your attention. In addition, podcasting is extremely effective in allowing the teacher and students to stay connected outside of the classroom as well as the parents. Podcasts allow students to be creative and innovative and think critically if used in the right manner.

The idea of recording 1st graders in effort to create a script that they could follow along with was an eyebrow raiser. I thought that was a cute way to not only get the children involved as well as helping those struggling readers see the more difficult words that they would normally mumble through. I must say I looked at podcasts as merely just a recording but after reading the post by Langwitch, I actually understand how having students create a podcast allows students to work on such skills like listening, fluency, story telling, and presenting. Those are just a few concepts podcast touch on. More than anything, children learn better by doing and creating a podcast requires lots of hands on work.

Project #3 Presentation

C4T#1

The teacher I was assigned is Mrs. Angela Maiers. Maiers is a teacher, educator, author and consultant. Her passion for innovative education has made her an author of The Habitudes and The Passion Driven Classroom. She believes that this is the time to lay the foundation for a new vision literacy education and that technology will aid in the success in schools and beyond. I think i'm going to enjoy reading her blogs even after I complete EDM 310 because she spotlights others and the way they utilize her text in their schools.

The first that I read of Maiers was titled Using Art to Teach Habitudes. Hough Street School in Barrington, IL were studying Maiers book, Classroom Habitudes, and were focusing on how to incorporate the phrase "We Matter" in their classroom and with their students. The artwork chosen to be displayed was the perfect choice. It consisted of 3 open hands of three different skin tones, that had bracelets that exhibited the 6 habitudes. Personally, I think they conveyed the message they intended to perfectly. The hands are open to show we need one another, the different skin tones show diversity, and to grab the students attention they chose to list the habitudes on wrist bands.

The second post by Maiers was titled Where Mattering is on the Schedule. Tim Chace, a principal from East Greenwich High School in Rhode Island, implemented a simple form on Google that allowed his staff to give their colleagues positive feedback. I truly applaud Mr. Chace for even understanding the daily pressure placed on classroom teachers and staff. I'm sure teachers get ridiculed for all the small things that they do wrong and it could truly turn a teachers day around receiving a message from one of their co workers. With all the other paperwork that teachers have to complete, the form is short and to the point so it doesn't intrude on the little time they do have to themselves.

Blog Post #2

Mr. Dancelot
Authors: Claire Williams, Hilliary Sanders, Katie Nelson and Lauren Patterson
Mr. Dancelot, have you seen it? To understand the craziness we are discussing, you must watch this video.


Odd, right? We all agree that this video is certainly strange. Our main question was “How, and why in the world would a professor think teaching a dance class in this manner would be beneficial and effective?” The teacher made several mistakes in this video. He did not know the material or how to teach it properly. There were several mistakes, mainly unprofessional teaching skills. There are a lot of teachers that eat, sleep, and breathe powerpoints and are truly convinced that the students are being taught. In certain content areas, powerpoint presentations are appropriate but in this case, a dance class should be hands on. The teacher verbally taught the students how to move with diagrams and note taking, which is pointless! When you think of dance class, you think of music, beats, and rhythm. Dance class is meant to be a physical sport, not verbal. Learning to dance takes practice and time. By not demonstrating the dance, the students were unable to retain any of it. You have to literally be involved. The students were unable to understand the concept of the Foxtrot, because you have to be practicing and moving in order to learn the dance. There is no way that the students in this class could possibly grasp every concept without being able to visually see how the moves are done as well as practicing. The class would have been more successful and the students would have had a better chance at making a good grade if the professors teaching method were different. We realize this video was an exaggeration. So we have to stop and think, What is the point of this video?” We concluded that the point is that as an educator, you are responsible for determining the best way to engage your students and help them succeed. If you are not presenting lessons in an effective manner, not only will your students fail, it will be your fault!

Teaching in the 21st Century
WOW! This video, Teaching in the 21st Century, made the most valid points in regards to teaching students today. Roberts believes that teaching in the 21st century should be more about ENGAGING students than ENTERTAINING them and once they are engaged they are bound to enjoy what they are doing. With the all of the new emerging devices and expansions in technology, teachers have no option but to educate themselves and keep up with the trends. One thing Roberts said in the video was as teachers we are the filter. In essence, we have to justify, correct, and validate facts and stories that children hear via internet, social media, and magazines. I think we’re all guilty of immediately going to ‘Mr. KnowItAll’, Google, for answers. Whether it’s for school work, defining a term, or looking up symptoms, google has an answer. In essence, Roberts says that in order to be an effective teacher today, you must be able to keep up with the way children learn but who says it has to be filled with gadgets and gizmos and every electronic device we can get our hands on? The same way teachers have gained control of their classes with electronics is the same way they can control their class with a textbook. It is all about presentation. As an educator, I will always try new and innovative ways to effectively teach my students and there are a million and one ways to help children understand concepts whether its from short clips online, manipulatives, interactive games or traditional flash cards & worksheets, I will find a way to reach every child.
Author: Lauren Patterson

The Networked Student by Wendy Drexler
I watched a video called The Networked Student. The 21st century high school student is studying American Psychology in his Contemporary Issues class. He attends class three days and the remainder is done online. The student does not have a textbook and does most of his work online. The teacher rarely lectures in class and when they do, the students are taught how to utilize social networking. The entire video educates one on connectivism. Connectivism is a learning theory which emphasizes the role of social and cultural context. The student uses a personal learning network to research and find sources of information for this topic. He also uses social bookmarking which enables students to edit, add and share bookmarks of documents; Blogs to read peoples opinions, and get ideas as well as audio and video podcasts that require the student to listen or watch things on the topic presented. The outcome for the 21st century high school is going to change most of the learning and teaching. Wendy Drexler points out in the video that technology is becoming the basis of education. The 21st century high school student network has a wide range of connections, and is presenting ideas as well as new opportunities. Information management is collecting and distributing information to one or more places. RSS solves problems for people who use the web. It helps you stay aware and gets information on the latest content from the websites you are interested in. Synchronizing communication tools is where you can connect with people at the same time anywhere. Contacts meaning you can access new contacts as well as the ones you already have. Which EDM310 is very similar to this video I watched. It teaches you how to be an independent learner, find information on your own, and learn how to be technology sufficient. The question is though why does the networked student even need a teacher? The student needs a teacher for many reasons. The teacher will provide guidance when needed. Show the student how to properly build a network, and motivate the student to learn new things. Teachers will also show the student how to properly communicate with other people, and help the student demonstrate between good information and bad. After watching this video I realized that having a teacher is not only a good idea, but a safe idea. Technology is valid but not always reliable. Sometimes technology will have its faults. Power issues could occur, or their could be a crash in the system. I think that their needs to be a teacher, because without the technology there would be no way the student could learn or be educated. A teacher is their not only to educate students, but to be there for questions that need answered. They are the building blocks of learning, giving students the determination and ability to learn new ideas.
Author: Claire Williams

Flipping the Classroom - 4th Grade STEM
Let’s face it, the world as we know it is constantly changing. With the implosion of Apple products, most are changing their cell phones and laptops annually to get the latest and greatest. Whereas in the past, you would upgrade these devices every 2 - 4 years. Technology is taking over and we can either get onboard, or stand still and fall behind. I recently watched a video about a school system that is thinking forward, and utilizing technology to assist in the classrooms. Sure we all know most classrooms have Smart Boards and computers, and in some cases iPods and iPads. But its not only what they are planning to use, but how they are going to use it. Flipping the Classroom is a project that takes the classroom home. Initially, the only subject will be math. With plans to add other subjects provided, the students will respond well to this new program. Here’s how it will work. From the comfort of home, the students will have the ability to review the following days classroom work. They will have reading materials, problems to solve, and will be asked to come to class prepared, and ready to ask questions. The idea is to prepare the students ahead of time so that teachers can focus more on advanced learning. Sounds great, right? Possibly. In theory, this is a sensational idea; provided every student had access to a computer and was disciplined enough and/or had the support of parents to make sure they completed the assignments. Unfortunately, this is not the case in every home in America. In many cases, elementary aged students are home with older siblings while their parent(s) work. And while I’m not 100% certain it couldn’t work out to where the older siblings are helping their kid siblings, it’s very doubtful. Considering they will more than likely have homework of their own to do. In addition, not every student has access to a computer with internet, and you have the core foundations of the program crumbling. The program did allow time for the students to complete the assignments at the beginning of the school day. Also for those who were not able to do them at home. To me, that defeats the purpose. With a little more planning and working through the logistics, I feel this program has the potential to be a fantastic learning experience for students. In time, a program like this will free up for the teachers so they can focus more on other aspects of teaching and learning in invaluable. Forward thinking…..the future depends on it!
Author: Hilliary Sanders

Harness Your Students Digital Smarts
The video Harness Your Students’ Digital Smarts,was a interesting video on technology and how teaching is changing yearly. The world changes dramatically every year. More things are coming for electronic and through computers. Everything we do now is used through the internet. If you’re going to be involved in today’s world get with the program and join the internet a little more. Technology is a big part of the world and changes yearly. Teaching children through the web is such a great idea, it’s not only keeping children up to date and teaching learn the computer system a lot easier, it’s helping improve their grades, it’s hard to leave a child behind through internet. If they have a question, they can email you right then and there. The smallest things matters, such as that simple email about a question. It’s a good way to keep children close their teacher/professor. Pencil and pen gets old and you can easily use it, emails are always there, and you can even see what time they submit it. The blogging is even much better. Blogging is a good way to communicate and keep up with everyone, not only for school work but for any sort of communicating. I believe teaching through blogs and emails makes it 10 times easier on children and the teachers. Of course teachers are needed still thought this internet teaching, students need guidance and reinsurances. Students need to be pushed and motivated as much as possible. It’s the teachers responsibility to teach a student and make sure they get the information they are suppose to get. Every teacher has their unique way to teach, be creative is a good thing and helps out in many ways.
Author: Katie Nelson