Blog Post #8

This is How We Dream
Technology allows us to visually see things that are occurring right now across the country. You no longer have to explore the world in order to view it. There are so many items shared online that are simply a click away. People compose and share things on the internet. They can share as little as text filled with valuable information to live streaming video of an adventure or documentary.
This allows us to explore our world in ways that were not available previously. Videos can be shared with millions of people. Statistics, graphs, or plots of information can be shown as they rapidly change. The amount of information you can find is phenomenal!
The world around us is rapidly changing. This allows us to actively participate in these changes. We can also, as educators, show and educate our students about how the world has developed into the technologically advanced world it has become.

Carly Pugh's Blog Post
Carly's idea of an assignment was an excellent idea for any grade level! It can be altered to accommodate different grade levels. What I love most about this is it allows students to be creative and use their own personal preferences. Even if the student is indecisive or unorganized, this assignment could work out perfectly for them. Youtube can be suitable for any age group as long as the student is monitored by an adult supervisor. That may be one issue with incorporating youtube videos off of the internet. All in all it is a fantastic way for students to show their individuality or even teachers to show what traits aspire them to be educators and what ideas or practices they would like to follow and incorporate into their own classrooms curriculum.
She comes so close to Dr. Miller's desire for multi-media in the classroom by incorporating student research to collectively bring together videos which they find useful to their personal needs or desires.

Chipper Series
I actually laughed a lot during this series! "I want you to teach me so I don't have to learn…. I'm doing all the work!". I love this. Students literally have the mentality that it is your job to force feed them information and basically wipe their butts for them as well.
Chipper wanted to change the definition of "procrastination" on Wikipedia so that she could turn in her work late and it still count. But there is a reason why a deadline must be met. You must have a reachable goal that still challenges you.
She then creates a school where the student is free to decide when they come to class, how long they stay in class, and how they interact in the classroom. To say the least, her school fails.

EDM310 For Dummies
This made me laugh! This basically tells you how to survive EDM 310 account. It shows the students at the beginning of the course when they are very frustrated with the course load and how unfamiliar they are with each of the different websites and programs associated with the class. "I feel like my 8 year old!"
Once the students worked through the class and became familiar with the different sites and programs they used in the class, they love them. This class introduced them to things they can incorporate into their education careers that are free and quite useful.

Learn to Change, Change to Learn
Students have become so involved with technology outside of school but these specific methods are banned in schools. Students can not email, blog, instant message, or use social networking sites in most schools. This discourages student learning because it takes away from the students desires. It is less student focused which is a deterrent to student learning.
Student's jobs are not to weed out the wrong answer and produce us with the correct one. They will not be given a "vending machine" type test on their job. It is economically incorrect and inadequate. Scavenger Hunt
1. For my social media type tool I decided to use Edmodo. Edmodo is great for sharing resources with other teachers, students, and parents. It is a social networking site and is practically set up just like Facebook with a newsfeed and all. Instead of just statuses and pictures, you can post assignments, alerts, and even notes so everyone or just your parents can see. It is a very useful website and can be used for a plethora of educational ideas!

2. A tool i've never used before would be Smilebox. Smilebox allows you to take your pictures and form sldieshows, collages, scrapbooks, and more! You can make comics for your students, coloring sheets, and invitations. You can even add music!
3.My first poll : My Live Poll