Final Reflection Post

Project 11 - Short Movie

Reading of The Very Hungry Caterpillar - Eric Carle

Project 15 - Book Trailer

The Very Hungry Caterpillar - Eric Carle

Project 14 - Teach Someone Something

Below are PDF directions of how to create a blogger account.
How to Create a Blogger Account

Special Metaphor Assignment (Blog Post #14)

1. Why did you miss the metaphor in Tom Johnson's post, or, if you "hit the nail on the head", why do you think you understood the metaphor and why do you think that others in the class missed the metaphor?
I think I missed the metaphor because I took what Tom Johnson was saying literally and I didn't realize the metaphor in it. Those of us who missed it probably missed it for this reason. The author wrote it so well and I just didn't understand what he was trying to say. Now that I have went back and read it again I understand it now.
2. What metaphors have you encountered since I asked you to create a log of them?
-Good as Gold.
-You can't have your cake and eat it too.
-You're as cold as ice.
3. What other things can we do as educators to help our students to understand and to use metaphors?
We can use metaphors often to help students be able to quickly identify them. First, you have to tell them what they are and then help them practice using them.
4. Why do we use metaphors?
We use metaphors to make things more exciting. Which sounds better? "You can't have everything you want," OR, "you can't have your cake and eat it too?" Using metaphors makes a big difference in the way you communicate with others.

Final Report on PLN

Since the last time I gave a report on my PLN, it has expanded quite a bit. I have learned a lot of new websites with great resources in this class as well as my other classes. As you can tell from the screen shot of my last PLN, this one has more bookmarks on it. I look forward to continuing to build my PLN.

Final Project #16

Blog Post 12

My Ideal Classroom

Watch this video My Ideal Classroom. This video was made by a student in her education technology class.

After watching this video decide what your ideal classroom would be. Now make a video showing what your ideal classroom would look like. Obviously, this is an "ideal" classroom meaning if you could have it your way, what would it be like.

I think this assignment would be great to do in EDM 310 because it would show what each student has in mind for their classrooms and if they had the chance, would they really implement technology or not.

Blog Post 13

ALEX - Alabama Learning Exchange

The ALEX website is for teachers and really anyone who wants to use it. It is for people to exchange information and retrieve resources that are useful in learning. Some of the options on the website are: courses of study, WEB links, lesson plans, a search bar, personal workspace, professional learning section, podcast treasury, and ALEXville. Under the courses of study link, it takes you to options for all subjects such as mathematics, language arts, history, science and many others. Take mathematics for example, when you click on the link for mathematics it takes you to another page that has listed all the areas of math: Algebra I, II, Precalculus and so on. Say you choose Algebra - it will then take you to an info page where you can find different operations with instructions of how to do them.
Another good section for teachers is Lesson Plans. You can find different lesson plans for almost any subject. The lesson plans are typed out with instructions and objectives for the lessons. The lesson plans have materials needed, planning and preparation steps and many more options. This website is really good for teachers to visit because there are many more interesting and helpful resources listed on here.

ACCESS Distance Learning: Alabama Connecting Classrooms, Educators, & Students Statewide

The vision of ACCESS is: The State of Alabama will provide equal access to high quality instruction to improve student achievement through distance learning. It is available to all public high school students and their goal is to provide high quality education to ALL students. Basically, they use technology to reach students and provide them with really good instruction. They want to provide 21st century learning to every classroom grades 9-12 in Alabama in the future. Students log in on the ACCESS website to complete their courses. The courses usually last 20 days and can be done in the summer and other terms too.

Both of these websites are good accomplishments for education in Alabama. They both provide students and teachers with really great information. If they are used together, one by the teacher and the other by the student, a positive change can be made in the classroom.

Blog Post 11

Ms. Cassidy is a first grade teacher at Moose Jaw in Saskatchewan, Canada. She uses the same kinds of technology in her classroom with her 1st graders as we use in EDM 310. Some of the things are blogging, wikis, skype, and Nintendo DS. Her kids made a video showing what they use to learn in their classroom. They love blogging their work so everyone can see it. Ms. Cassidy also has them use wikis to find out what things such as traditions and rituals are. They make videos showing what they learn and often do this in groups where they plan out their own videos. They also use skype to connect with other classes and teachers around the world. One of their favorite things to use is the Nintendo DS. One student said it helped them learn how to solve problems and share.
I think Ms. Cassidy is doing a great thing in her class by using all of these things. The first graders in her class seem to be really smart and they look like they are having a blast learning. I would use all of these techniques in my classroom. If there was one I would think twice about using it would be the Nintendo DS only because most kids are usually not playing educational games on there. Other than that I like all these techniques and think Ms. Cassidy is really making a difference in her students' education.

Progress Report on Final Project

I am currently trying to find a partner to do the final project with. I have an idea of something to do and once I find a group/partner I will talk to them and see what they think. If anyone knows someone who doesn't have a partner yet, please let me know!

c4t summary

Summary of C4T #4

Mr. Georend teaches 6th grade at Waukee Middle School in Ohio. He teaches Language Arts to students and uses a class blog as a testimony of what is happening in his classroom and how he is really "putting his money where his mouth is as a life-long learner." He has some goals and hopes to accomplish them through this blog.
His goals are to:
1. Challenge and be challenged
2. Communicate with colleagues in our field as well as those interested in the growth of our children
3. Weigh my personal decisions and abilities as an educator with my short- and long-term goals
4. Gather resources to share with the education community.

Mr. Georend is doing a great job with his blog post and he seems to really be passionate about what he is doing. Check out Mr.Georend's Blog.

The first post I read, Zero? Really?, I mean Really?! was written by Mr. Georend to express how he feels about giving up on students who don't turn in their assignments. He doesn't feel you should give the student no credit for turning in a project late. I agree with him because you never know the situation with the student. There could be problems at home that prevent them from finishing their project. As long as the student is learning, then he or she should pass the class.

I commented on his blog and told him my feelings on this issue. I agree with him and think it was an excellent post. His blog is very cool, everyone should look at it.

On the second post, NPM 2011: Prompt 3 - Diddy he says the students are writing poetry prompts in response to "Bud the Teacher's work." They wrote a poem about "playing a little diddy."
I responded to this post saying how I thought it was great they were writing poetry together as a class. It is an excellent way for all the students to interact with the teacher and each other by doing something fun.

Mr. Georend is doing a great job with his blog and keeping it updated with the students' work. Keep up the good work Mr. Georend!

C4K Summary #7-10

Summary Post for C4K 7-10

C4K #7 - I was assigned to watch the Talent Show: Journey Sing-A-Long. I commented on the post by saying how I really enjoyed the video especially because I am a piano player myself and I love Journey. C4K #9 had two parts to it. One to review Ms. Yollis' blog and the other to comment on her post, Family Blogging Month. Ms. Yollis is a 3rd grade teacher in California that uses technology in her classroom everyday. She does things like blog, make videos, and skype with her students. Her blog has many resources for students, parents, and other students like us to see. One of links she has on her blog is a post about how to leave a comment on a blog. In her post she talks about proofreading your post, making sure you have correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation. She also has links and post about the other classes she and her students interact with online. EDM 310 is actually mentioned on there. She has a post entitled "Welcome EDM 310 Students from Alabama." In this post she gives examples, in the form of a screen shot, of former students from EDM 310 and their quality post.There are many other resources she post on there and it really is a great blog for the class.
Ms. Yollis' blog post about Family Blogging Month is so awesome. I like to see that she is encouraging parental involvement by letting the parents get involved with commenting on the student's blog. I left a comment on the blog post and expressed my feelings about Family Blogging Month. I really like to see teachers like Ms. Yollis' work, it makes me smile to think that there are some teachers who do care about taking learning to the next level by incorporating technology into the classroom! C4K #10 - I was assigned to Jaden in Ms. Yollis' class for this assignment. He wrote about his experience at the Clippers vs. Mavericks game that he went to. He told all about the score in each quarter and what the score was at the end. He asked his followers/blog readers if they had ever been to a Clippers game and if so, who they played. I commented on his blog telling him I had never been to a Clippers game but if I had the chance to go I absolutely would! I also told him how great of a job he is doing on his blog. This student really does write well and his blog is very advanced.

An In-Depth View of Mr. McClung's World

Special Assignment: Mr. McClung's World

1. What do you know (or have you found out) about Mr. McClung that is reflected in the way he has constructed his class blog?
He is a very dedicated teacher and obviously goes above and beyond what the normal teacher would do. This is reflected in his blog post and all of the effort he has put into making it so nice.
2. Comment on what you would say about Mr. McClung as an educator.
Mr. McClung is a very effective educator. He uses technology to its full potential in his 8th grade classes. If he were my child’s teacher, I would be very pleased.
3. I asked above that you read Mr. McClung's "rules" and think about them. What do they say about Mr. McClung, his teaching, and his connection with his students? What is your reaction to these rules (and guides) as a student and as an aspiring teacher?
Mr. McClung is very interactive with his students and his rules really prove that. My favorite rule of his is, Class-Yes. It is a very creative way of getting the class’ attention. Surely, a day in his class can’t be too boring, it seems like there is too much going on to have a dull moment. This says a lot about him as a teacher because he has put so much effort into making his class more than a traditional classroom.
4. What was the first thing under Everyone needs? Why do you suppose that is the first requirement?
The first thing under EVERYONE NEEDS is a supply list. I think this is the first requirement because it is important to have the proper materials needed for class and assignments.
5. Note the penalties for being late (under Homework). Compare them with my penalties for being late. Comment.
I think the penalties for being late in Mr. McClung’s class are similar to the ones in EDM 310. However, at least in his class it is definite what letter grade you will make if you turn in your assignments late. In EDM 310, you just know that you will be penalized if they are late but you are not told how much. I think it is because Dr. Strange doesn’t like to give grades.
6. Read carefully his paragraph about what he hopes to accomplish with his blog. Comment and apply to your own aspirations as a teacher.
I like that he wants to keep parents, teachers, and other people in the school involved with what is going on his class through his blog. It says a lot about the kind of teacher he is because he is proud of what he does and he wants to let everyone know how he is doing and how the students are doing.
7. I asked you to review at least two Useful Links in depth after reviewing all of them. Which two did you review in depth? Describe each of the two. How might each be used? Why do you think each made Mr. McClung's list.
Convert PDF to Word was one of the useful links I reviewed. I think this made it to his list because it is important to know how to do this. The link takes you to a website that will convert the PDF to a Word Document for you. All you have to do is enter in the links to which you want to convert and then click “convert.”
Plagiarism Checker was the second link I reviewed. This is a great tool for students to make sure they aren’t plagiarizing and also for the teacher to make sure the students are plagiarizing. This is so important so that everyone is safe and no one can get in trouble for taking someone else’s work as their own.
8. Under Internet Safety I asked you to read carefully the rules Mr. McClung sets forth for safely using the internet. Comment on these rules. Are there any you would add or subtract?
I like all the rules Mr. McClung has put in place for his students and their blogs. There are no rules that I would subtract. This is extremely important in terms of making parents feel comfortable with the things they are doing in class. Also, it keeps students on their best behavior while on the internet at school.
9. In the C4K part of this blog I asked that you look carefully at one of the categories under which you assigned post was filed. What did you find? Select one of the posts in the category and review it for me.
I was assigned to the Talent Show category. This category was a list of videos of the 8th graders performing their talent. There were a couple videos of students playing instruments and singing and one of a student doing a hip-hop dance. There is a lot of talent in the 8th grade at this school.
10. Mr. McClung uses Edublog as his blog host. In some ways it may seem more "advanced." But Blogger has many abilities that we have not covered in EDM310. This leads to this question: Is there anything (or things) that Mr. McClung can do with his blog that you would like to do in Blogger?
I really like the “search” option on Edublog. Other than that, there is nothing else I would want to do on Blogger.
11. In what ways does Mr. McClung make his blog useful to parents, teachers, administrators, students like you, and others?
Mr. McClung posts progress reports, deadlines, and updates on his blog. He also has sections where he talks about himself, his class, and what goes on his class. Basically, anyone around the world can know what he does in his class.
12. How does Mr. McClung's 8th grade blog differs from other blogs you have visited including other 8th grade blogs? Why the differences do you think?
Mr. McClung’s blog is very advanced compared to the other blogs I have visited this semester. I think there is such a difference because he I such a dedicated teacher and he is passionate about doing this in his class.
13. I really appreciate Mr. McClung’s blog and think he is doing a great job. I know if I were an 8th grader I would definitely want to be in his class.

c4k 6 summary

C4K 4-6 Summary

For the C4K #4 post, I was assigned to a student named Denim in Room 19 at Pt. England School. This student was year 7/8 and he wrote on his first blog, "I am in Room 19." I responded to him telling him my name, where I went to school and that I was happy to have the opportunity to be able to connect with kids like this around the world. I also asked what they were learning in class right now. However, I did not get a response from him.

C4K #5 post, was Donny at Pt. England. He drew a picture and put the caption, "I am ready to play the Pt England way - playing sensible games. What a beautiful sunny day to play." In this class the teacher interprets the students' thoughts onto their blog. I responded to him and said how I liked the picture he drew and told him about myself and where I went to school.


C4K #6 was a student in room 14, 5th and 6th grade in Tauranga, NZ. The students post was about integrity. There were many people from the school who held up signs with their meaning of integrity written on them. I left a comment saying who I was, where I was from and said how awesome it is that they get to do that and keep up the good work.

Summary of C4T #3

Learning is Messy
Leaving Their Mark - Redux
Mr. Brian Crosby is an upper elementary teacher with 29 years experience. He uses technology to "help his class leave a legacy." He truly believes that through his teaching and the learning the kids are doing in his class that they are leaving their mark in society. I agree because these kids are doing the same thing we are doing in EDM 310 and they are anywhere from 10-30 years younger than some of us. Mr. Crosby had the same class for three years in a row, from the time they were in 4th grade through 6th grade. During that time he has opened the door for these kids to be able to blog everyday, use skype, talk to the mother of Grace Corrigan and have a Q&A session, and he takes them on field trips. For this particular class he took them to the zoo and they created a wiki page for people who wanted to learn more about the animals. In the fifth grade his students did more skyping and skype even sent out a film crew for his class to take part in their "Inclusion" video. They also got involved with Ms. Parisi's class in New York in which they did group projects via skype and Google Docs.

The students in Mr. Crosby's class have an awesome opportunity to be able to take part in these things at such a young age. These are the kinds of classes that will shape the future into the technologically advanced society that we will have to be.

I left a comment on Mr. Crosby's post saying who I was and where I was from. I told him how much of a good job I thought he was doing in his classroom by letting these kids experience all of these wonderful tools.

On the second post I read of Mr. Crosby's,So Simple A Child Could Do It? Or, It Doesn't Have To Be Hard To Be Good he told about one day in his class when four students stayed in from recess to skype with a 1st grade class. These students were so excited to do this and couldn't wait to comment on their new 1st grade friends' blog posts.

On this post I let Mr. Crosby know how much I appreciated his efforts to make his class successful in this world being overtaken by technology.

Blog Post 10

Morgan Bayda posted a link in her blog, An Open Letter to Educators. The link was to a very enlightening and interesting video by Dan Brown. In his video he gives his reasonings for dropping out of college and why he thinks educations needs to be changed. I really enjoyed his video and strongly agree with what he had to say. Education is essential, and today we are taught institutional education. This means we all go to these "hubs-" universities - to get out education. This is the old way of doing things. The new way is by using the technology we have right at our fingertips for our education. This information on the internet is free for us. Every thing has conformed to this new age technology. Businesses and government have both fallen into the technology world. Actually, most every entity but education has conformed. As Dan Brown says. "Educators don't need to change - you need to understand that the world is changing and if you don't change with it, you will realize the world doesn't need you."

I agree with Morgan and Dan both. I do believe that we are being cheated out of our education if we are just fed facts and statistics about something and expected to "burp" it back up on a test. I have learned a lot in EDM 310 because it is so interactive. It is a lot of work and I don't like being overloaded with assignments but I know they all have a purpose and they are all teaching me something that I will use for the rest of my life. It is good to have classes like these and I think there should be a lot more of them in colleges today.

Blog Post 8

This is How We Dream
In David Miller's Part 1 and 2 of This is How We Dream he expresses his ideas of how much writing is changing with technology. We basically moving to a paperless world. Before computers and other electronics every one used pencils, paper, and books to write research papers. Now, most every one who needs to research goes straight to Google and a word processor on the computer. It is not a secret that technology is quickly taking over the old fashioned way of doing things.

While there is a lot of advantage in using technology there is also some disadvantages. It is important to know how to use technology and take advantage of the many great things it has to offer. However, paper books should not be done away with completely. There should be a balance between using the internet and using books to do research.

The Chipper Series
This video is about a student, Chipper, who lives by the quote "the future is the present," she is a major procrastinator and she wants to be taught so she doesn't have to learn. This video defines what has went through my head throughout this semester. It has been the toughest semester yet because of all the work from ALL of my classes. I have procrastinated some but I don't want to be "taught" so I don't have to learn. I like the way we do work in EDM 310, I just wish it wasn't so much! Having the attitude that Chipper has will definitely gear a college student towards dropping out.

EDM 310 for Dummies
This video is basically an advertisement for EDM 310 for Dummies. It tells you the important things to use in EDM 310 for example: Blogger, Twitter, Delicious, and YouTube are a few examples. It is also important in EDM 310 to follow educators on Twitter for important information for advancing your education. This video was great to watch at the beginning of the semester. I do not think it should be optional at the beginning of the semester, it should be one of the first required assignments.

Learning to Change, Changing to Learn
This video really attacks the way the classrooms are today. It is sad that a lot of the new ways of learning such as email, twitter, and texting are banned from the classroom. If we want our kids to evolve in the new technologically advanced world then we have to let them use the things that will benefit them with their education.

The Secret Powers of Time
Mr. Zombardo begins by explaining how people perceive their past, present, future. I like the way he explains them and agree with him also. It is sad how in our schools today a young male drops out of school every 9 seconds. This needs to change. Mr. Zombardo believes that this happens because their minds are rewired by playing video games all the time. It is true that video games to have an impact on how well a student does in school if there is not a limit on how much the student plays. As parents and teachers we should make education interesting enough so that kids actually want to study and do their school work.

Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us
In this video, David Pink talks about how most people believe the higher the reward, the better performance. Of course, this is the case for a lot of people. If they know they are getting a good reward they will be more likely to do well on something. However, he found that when the reward was higher, the performance wasn't as great in some situations. As teachers, a reward and punishment system should be in place. Students should be rewarded for the good things they do and punished for the bad. It is good for students to have something to work for.

Blog Post 9

What I've Learned This Year by Mr. McClung

There are a lot of neat things I took from Mr. McClung's post. I think he has a lot of great advice for teachers. In his post
What I've Learned This Year, he talks about how his first year as an elementary school teacher was an eye-opener for him. There are several things he mentions in his post that is great for all teachers to learn things from. A quote I really liked from his post is "No lesson is ever perfect. The lesson you teach and the one you plan are always different." I've heard my own professors this semester say similar quotes to this one. Obviously, based on what I've heard from many teachers, there will always be change. He also stresses the importance of communication which I strongly agree with. I think it is one of the keys to success as an educator, you must be able to communicate with your students, the parents, and your colleagues. He also encourages us to be reasonable, listen to our students, and do not be afraid of technology. The last piece of advice Mr. McClung gives is to never stop learning. This is another thing many of the teachers' post we've read this semester said. I believe if I've taken anything at all from this class and the things I have learned in here it will be to never stop learning. It has been stressed so many times throughout this semester about how important it is to stay up-to-date with the newest technologies so that we can be the best teachers to our students.

I agree with everything Mr. McClung has to say, I think he brings up some great points. He is definitely someone that I would want more advice from in the future. It is great that there are teachers out there who will share important things like this with us as future educators.

SMART Project

SMARTboard Presentation



After the lesson, the students took a test on the information presented in the lesson. The students did very well as you can see on the summary .

I enjoyed using the smart board when doing this project. It was actually my first time using one. I think the articles saying that smart boards are a complete waste of time and money is not true. From my experience as a college student, I feel the lessons I've seen on a smart board are more appealing than those on a regular power point presentation.
To me, the smartboard is a very useful tool in the classroom but you have to have an educator that knows how to integrate it into the classroom lessons for it to be effective. That is why I am glad we have classes like EDM 310 to teach us these things.

Blog Post #7

Randy Pausch's Last Lecture
This lecture by Dr. Pausch was by far my favorite. I laughed and cried throughout the video. I put it off all week because I didn't want to watch a lecture that was over an hour long. However, I am so glad I got to watch this video.

Dr. Pausch was a professor at Carnegie Mellon University when he gave this last lecture on September 18, 2007. He had tumors on his liver and was not given much more time to live but his attitude was absolutely stunning. He was so positive about his situation and he told his audience not to feel sorry for him because his health was just as good as theirs if not better!

In his speech he talked about three things: his childhood dreams, enabling dreams of others, and lessons learned. Dr. Pausch had six childhood dreams and they were -

1. Zero Gravity

2. Play in the NFL

3. Authoring an article in the Encyclopedia

4. Be Captain Kirk

5. Win the big stuffed animals

6. Be a Disney Imagineer


Of these six childhood dreams he accomplished all of them except playing in the NFL. Even though he didn't get to play in the NFL he learned some of his greatest lessons from his football coach when he was a child. When talking about his football experiences he said "Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted." I love this quote because it looks at the positive side of a situation and it means you may not have what you wanted but you got experience from it and you know what to do next time. Dr. Pausch got to experience Zero Gravity by becoming a "web journalist" almost overnight because teachers were not allowed to attend with the students but a media journalist could. It was pretty funny to hear him tell the story about that. He was also asked to write an article about Virtual Reality and it was published in the encyclopedia. Even though he didn't get to be Captain Kirk, he got to meet him and he was interested in what Dr. Pausch was doing in his own lab. He was really excited about that and he considered his dream accomplished. He won several stuffed animals at theme parks and such and he had them brought out on stage during his speech. Finally, his last dream was accomplished but it took a lot of hard work to get there. To become a Disney Imagineer, he had to try several times and get the help of more than one person. After he was in, they wanted him to stay but he didn't. From this experience he learned that brick walls are there to stop people who don't want it badly enough.

The next thing he talked about was Enabling Dreams of Others. Throughout his years of teaching, Dr. Pausch had the chance to help many of his students accomplish their goals and dreams. One student he talked about was Tommy, who wanted to work on the next Star Wars movie. He worked under Randy for many years and Tommy ended up working on all three of the Star Wars movies. Another way he helped others enable their dreams was by starting this class called "Building Virtual Worlds." He took 50 students each semester and all they did was create these different projects using the virtual world. The class become an instant success and most of the students were given jobs and internships before they even took the class just because they were going to take it.

The last thing he talked about was His Lessons Learned. He talked first about his parents being very important in his life and also his teachers, friends, mentors and colleagues. One person he really focused on was Andy van Dan who was one of his mentors. With his help, Randy got really far in his career. Some important things to take from Dr. Pausch's last lecture are: brick walls let us show our dedication, the best gold is at the bottom of the barrels of crap, get a feedback loop and listen to them, show gratitude, don't complain, just work harder, be good at something and you will be valuable, find the best in everybody, and be prepared luck is where preparation meets opportunity.

Dr. Pausch tells us his two "headfakes" at the end of his lecture and they are:

1. It's not about how to achieve dreams, it's how you lead your life.

2. This talk was not for us, it was for his kids.


Less than a year after giving his last lecture, Randy Pausch passed away from his liver problems. Even though is he not here he obviously has made a huge impact throughout his life and his teaching career. We can learn a lot from his video and I am so glad I got to watch it!

Summary of C4T #2
This week the teacher I was assigned to was Ms. Edna Sackson from What Ed Said. Ms. Sackson's most recent post was titled Change Isn't Easy. Ms. Sackson made some really good comparisons of things a teacher may have to change about her style of teaching but it is all for the good of helping the students learn more. On point she made in particular that I really think wouldn't be easy was "working in a closed classroom to sharing a flexible open environment." For me, this would probably be hard because once I am used to something, I don't like for it to change much! But, I know it would be for the best of the students. That is the point I made when I commented on Ms. Sackson's post. I also mentioned that change could be very difficult for some and even more difficult for others. Once a person is set in their ways, it may be hard to change them. I also mentioned that some of the things she was talking about changing were some of the things I am learning in my classes this semester.

PLN Progress

Progress of my PLN

It has taken me from the beginning of the semester until just now to really figure out how to do a PLN. I think I have it figured out now and above is a picture of my PLN so far. It still needs a lot of work and especially more websites. I have organized my tiles to have the ones I use the most being in the middle around the Google search field. Mostly all of these are used for EDM 310 because before this class, my pages were limited to facebook and the South Alabama website with a few others. By the end of this class I expect my PLN will be a completely full page of bookmarks that I use all the time. I think PLN's are very important and I'm so glad I have been introduced to them in EDM 310. I will definitely use it after this class and in my classroom as well!

Blog Post #6

The Networked Student
Wendy Drexler did an excellent job with this video. It was very creative how she used artwork to illustrate her video.
I think after this class I will be more prepared for the networked student. To be an effective teacher of the networked student you must be there to teach them about personal learning networks, help them build their own PLNs, encourage them when they find something good, and help them put their information together to use properly. There are also other things a teacher must do to like help the student distinguish between good information and bad, give them guidance and show them how to communicate properly.

A Seventh Grader's Personal Learning Environment

I was really impressed with this 7th graders PLE. For only being 12 years old she has already learned a lot about the use of technology in her science class. It is good to see the teacher has integrated this into her classroom and the students are able to make their own PLE's. After looking at her PLE, I realize I should expand my PLN more. I think I have a pretty good one but I know it could be better. I'm glad we get are able to do things like the PLN in EDM 310.

Critiques of Smartboards
In the first post,"Why Smartboards Are A Dumb Initiative", Mr. Staton talks about the reasons why he thinks smartboards are a waste of school money. He explains that it is a way to make administrators look good and make their whiteboards look more attractive. He says it doesn't involve students anymore than normal, it doesn't reduce the workload of the teacher, and it is a waste of time and money. I find it hard to take his opinion seriously when he is not even a teacher. I have not had much experience with the smartboard, only the things we have learned about them in this class and also seeing a few of my other teachers use them. However, they do not seem like such a complete waste to me. I find them to be very interesting and I think there are a lot of interactive activities you can do on the smartboard with students.

The second post "Why I Hate Interactive Smartboards," is written by a teacher who also thinks smartboards are useless. She says she was only able to create two or three "neat" lessons on her smartboard while using it for a year. She basically says the same thing as Mr. Staton does except she seems more passionate about it.

A post I found that is opposite of the two above is a blog from Langwitches called Using Our Smartboard . In her post, Ms. Talisano says how the smartboards have been a success at her school. The teachers and students are impressed with them and seem to really like them. They had a teaching day before school started and they learned things from there but they also use Teachers Love Smartboards, which is a blog site that provides more advanced information to teachers about smartboards. Ms. Talisano explains in her post what she has learned from the site and ends with this "Introducing the SmartBoards have been a great success so far, exceeding expected teacher AND student involvement, engagement and interest." It seems like the people at her school have a different experience with SmartBoards than those teachers mentioned above.

Project 9b Educational Timetoast Timeline - Richard Nixon's Life

Summary of C4K 1, 2, & 3

I really enjoyed commenting on these first three kids' blog post. The first week, I read Madison's post from Vancouver Island. Madison is in middle school in Comox Valley which is a small town in Vacouver Island. Madison loves living in the country, she does not like the city. Her nickname is Muffy and all of her friends call her that. She has only lived in Comox Valley and she was born on the warmest day of the year there. She wants to do something with children when she gets older. Her three career choices are a kindergarten teacher, a daycare worker, or a pediatrician. I told her I thought it was great that she loved kids so much and told how I do as well. Madison's passion is art. She loves to draw and decorate. She had a post asking what colors she should do her room in and she showed a picture of her idea and asked people what they thought. I shared with her about my passion, playing piano, and also told her a few things we had in common. Madison's blogs were really interesting and she is a very smart young girl.

The next student's blog I read was Robert's at Pt England School. Robert was so excited because they had just received their netbooks at school that day. The kids had to sit in a session first where they were taught how to use them. Robert and his other classmates use their netbooks for emailing, blogging, playing games, and using Google Docs. I let Robert know how fortunate they were to get the chance to have netbooks because there are a lot of school who do not have them!

The last C4K post I read was from Mr. Wolfe's class in Birmingham, Alabama. She posted a picture (to the left) and said she hoped it brightened everyone's day and that we should share joy, love, peace, happiness, friendship, and loyalty. I told her who I was and where I went to school and that I really liked her post and the picture she put on her blog!

Project 9a - Timetoast Timeline

Blog Post #5

Eagles' Nest Radio Episode #3
It is really cool that these 3rd graders are doing educational podcast. I am excited that one day I will be able to do things like this with my class. I am really surprised at how well this podcast is put together. The students did really well! I think the music in the background really added some cool effects. That is an idea I will keep in mind for future podcasts.

The Benefits of Podcasting in the Classroom
This video brought up some good reasons why we should do podcasts. For example, they are more easily accessible. You don't have to have a screen in front of you to listen to them which is more practical when you are riding in the car or somewhere that a screen is not available. However, you can do podcast which requires a screen which are really cool too because you actually see who you are listening to.
One thing that is so good about a podcast is that is allows the parents to see what their children are doing in school. If I were a parent, I would love to see the things my child was doing in the classroom and actually be able to hear or see them. Another good reason for podcasting is if students are absent, the material can be easily sent to them and they will not be behind.
There are many reasons why podcasts should be used in the classroom and I really like the idea of using them in my classroom one day.

Langwitches
I like Ms. Talisano's ripple effect idea. I agree that there must be a ripple effect created by podcasters and bloggers to get teachers on board with it. To do this we have to share the information with others and encourage them to use this technology. I really like Ms. Talisano's blog page. She was the first teacher I had to comment on for C4T in EDM 310. She seems to really be on board with the idea of technology and education.

Podcast Project #8

This Is My Sentence

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Blog Post

Don't Teach Your Kids This Stuff, Please?

Scott McLeod is an Associate Professor at Iowa State and the Director of CASTLE. He focuses on technology leadership issues in his work. He has received a lot of awards and been recognized nationally for his work. He is a blogger, catalysts, agitator, solution builder, and an idea generator. A quote from his website is "If leaders don't get it, it's not going to happen."

On his website, in which he discusses issues about technology leadership, there is a post named "Don't Teach Your Kids This Stuff, Please?" In his post, he writes why kids shouldn't be taught technology. He says "block it all, lock it down, keep it out it's evil, you know there's bad stuff out there gotta keep your children safe." As he writes this, he is being completely sarcastic, of course, and it is quite humorous. He ties it together as he writes "'cause I'm doing all of it with my kids, can't wait to see who has a leg up in a decade or two. Can you?" This is simply his way of trying to communicate that he does want kids to be taught and be advanced in technology.
He brings up the fact of who will be one leg up in a decade or two. This is something to really think about. If we do not teach our kids this stuff, it could be detrimental to their future. It is possible that we already have a computer that is as smart or smart than a human! It is very important that we learn technology because it is quickly taking over.

The iSchool Initiative

Travis, a seventeen year-old high school student from Georgia has come up with an idea to save schools money, save our environment, and integrate technology in the classrooms. By using technology we already have today, the iPhone , we could do away with all the paper, textbooks, and some problems in the classroom. There are already applications on the iPhone that can be used as substitutes for textbooks, paper, and even pencils. Email could be used as a communication tool between teachers and students and to transfer assignments. Applications such as the notepad could be used for taking notes and the calender could be used for taking attendance and as a planner for students. There are applications for math, science, history, library books, and a scientific calculator. The calculator app alone could save students over one-hundred dollars!
The iSchool has the potential to save money for students and schools as well as save the environment. Travis says it could save at least $600 a year per student and the iSchool would only cost around $150 per student. The thought of it seems wonderful but surely there are some disadvantages. Being the owner of an iPhone, I and everyone else knows that there are some major glitches. It is not uncommon for my iPhone to freeze up and not function normally for five to ten minutes at a time. If school work is based solely on this kind of technology, there should be some major improvements to them. I think if all of the glitches and bugs could be worked out and a backup plan was created if one did crash, it would be a great educational tool.

The Lost Generation
I think this is one of the most creative videos I have ever seen. What's even more amazing is that it was made by a high school student. The first time through the video, is a prime example of things we are told by people today. There is such a negative and materialistic view about our lives. We need to change this or it will be the outcome of our lives. It is sad that things are perceived like this.
As teachers, we should teach our kids to be world changers in all aspects of their lives. We should teach them to not "float the mainstream."
The second part of the video is how we should strive to live our lives. We shouldn't be just another statistic or live like everyone else. We should strive to be better! This video is probably one of the most unique and creative ones I have ever watched.

Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir

WOW!! I love this video! It is so amazing what can be done with technology today. And if this can be done now, there is no telling what we will be able to do with technology years from now! I am absolutely amazed at this video.

Teaching In The 21st Century

This video was really long but good information. Some of the main things that were pointed out in the video was that 21st century teachers are not the main source of information anymore. Students have access to so many more sources for their information. As the author of the video showed, we must be filters. We have to teach our students how to take the information they are finding and use it to their advantage. We must encourage them to create things as well such as posts, podcasts, tweets, and other things we do in EDM 310.

I never knew how much technology had an influence on the classroom until this semester. I guess that is because this is the first class I have actually put all this technology to use. All of my other classes have been normal, old fashioned class rooms. This class really makes me think and I have learned so much already. Classes like EDM 310 are the ones we need to model our own classrooms after one day. I hope that I am able to allow my students to do blog posts, smartboard activities, podcasts, and videos in my classroom.

Project #5 Google Presentation - My Life As Courtney

Blog Post #3

A Vision of Students Today

The video, "A Vision of Students Today," didn't surprise me at all. I am not shocked that most students pay for books they never open, pay for classes they never attend, and graduate with $20,000+ in debt. Until this semester, I was the student who hardly studied, didn't open a book, and definitely did not spend time outside of class working on homework. I relate to this video in that I am on facebook more than I study, and I complete 49% or less of the readings assigned to me.
I think this video accurately predicts a lot of students' college experiences. We need more technology in the class room other than the chalk board. Class is a lot more enjoyable when there are presentations and interactive activities to participate in.

"It's Not About the Technology"
I really appreciate Kelly Hines' blog post, "It's Not About the Technology." Yes, it is very important for us to be up-to-date with current technology but in order for us as teachers to really make a difference, we must change our mindset. In her post, Ms. Hines says 21st century teaching is working harder, not smarter. The new technologies are useless without good teaching first. We must know where our children are coming from. If a student has not learned, no teaching has been done.

The most important thing we can teach our students is critical thinking skills. This is called be a 21st century teacher without the technology. If we can do this, we are teaching our students something that is more important than anything we could teach them about technology. Ms. Hines says "The lack of comprehensive and curriculum related professional development for teachers is why schools have thousands of computers being used as game systems and word processors." We MUST be ready and willing to learn new technologies and concepts in order to be effective teachers to our future students.

Karl Fisch: Is It Okay to Be A Technologically Illiterate Teacher?
I found Karl Fisch's post to be very thought provoking. I probably wouldn't have made the correlation of teachers 30 years being illiterate with teachers today being technology illiterate. I liked this post because there is truth in it. At the rate technology is being developed and put to use we will most definitely have to being technology literate. If we are not, what is the point of teaching at all? We wouldn't be teaching our students skills they would actually use in the future world.
I did find Mr. Fisch's post to be extreme. However, I think of it as being extreme for the "better." Sometimes we have to be extreme to get our point across and I think his point is one we should stress to future teachers.

Gary Hayes Social Media Count
This is ASTONISHING!!! It really brings things in perspective. I mean, 29 iPads sold in 45 seconds? For us as future teachers, watching this social media count should put into perspective for us just how important it is to learn new technologies. Even after we graduate and think we know a lot of what there is to know, there will still be more to learn. This social media count proves it! Researching and reading will be detrimental for us to keep up with all the new technological advances being revealed.

Blog Post #2

Did You Know?

I found the video "Did You Know?," by Karl Fisch and Scott McLeod to be so fascinating. I had no idea about most of the stuff that was presented in the presentation. It is amazing how far technology has come even in the last ten years. Obviously, our future is going to be consumed by technology.
It is apparent that technology will soon take over the way we function in day to day life. It already has made such a huge difference in the way we communicate and do many other daily routines. I know there is not one day that goes by that I am not communicating with people by text message or email. It is amazing to think where technology is going to take our generation.

Mr. Winkle Wakes

Mr. Winkle Wakes was a video about an old man who woke up after a hundred year slumber. He was amazed to see all of the new things that had come about in the world. He couldn't believe that people communicated through screens on their desk. Even at the hospital, he couldn't believe machines kept people alive. He then went to the schools and saw a place he could relate to, it had no technology.
I thought this video did a good job portraying the way schools are today with no technology. Clearly, you have technology at work, at home, and hospitals but when it comes to schools, there is no advanced technology. Schools are suffering from not having enough technology and the kids are missing out on a lot.

The Importance of Creativity

Sir Ken Robinson is very entertaining and has a lot of great insight. I strongly agree with him that kids should be encouraged to be creative. You never know who the child may become one day. It is so important as teachers to bring out the creativity in our students.
I found his video to be educational and it gave me things to keep in mind for my future students. My goal is to be a teacher that does not put off my students' creative actions off as them being bad or having "ADHD." I want to encourage them to show off their talents and creativeness.

Cecelia Gault
I found Cecelia Gault to be a very intelligent student. She was very mature for her age and her writing skills are phenomenal. I want to make sure the Cecelia Gault's in my classroom have as good of an education by integrating technology into my lessons and encouraging the students to be creative while using the technology.

Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts

Ms. Davis' approach to education with technology is really cool. I think I would have loved to have had her as a teacher in middle or high school. What she does in her classroom seems similar to what we do in EDM 310.
The students really seem to enjoy her class as well. As one student mentioned, her favorite project involved interacting with other students all over the world. This video really inspires me to research and learn new technologies so I can pass my knowledge on to my future students.

Wordle

Blog Post #1

My name is Courtney Starkie, I'm 20 years old and live in Semmes, Alabama. I've always lived in the Mobile area and I think the farthest I would ever move away would be Daphne or Fairhope because I don't like to be far away from my family. I have quite a large family, there are a total of six girls and three boys. However, I only have one biological sister. My family is the most important thing to me, I love spending time with them. I think having a strong support system, such as your family, will help you through life. I don't have much time outside of school and work for hobbies but when I do find time to do things, I usually spend as much time as I can with my dogs, hang out with my other half and play the piano, or go shopping. I love music, it moves me and of course, the piano is my favorite instrument. John Mayer is my absolute favorite artist. His voice serenades me and when I am having a bad day I listen to him.
I chose to come to USA because it was the closest college to home. I enjoy it here but I'm too excited to be done with college. I chose Elementary education because I love children. I believe it takes a special person to be a teacher because children are precious and should be treated like they are important. My goal as a teacher is to make a difference in children's lives. I want to be one of the teachers that my students come back to many years later and say that I had a major impact on their life.

Practice Post

My first post