Goodbye, Everyone

To all my EDM 310ers, it has been nice getting to know you. I have enjoyed class with you and getting to read your blogs and watch and listen to your projects. Thanks to John and Ryan (and Todd) for being great project partners. And, thanks to Dr. Strange, for your willingness to help us in becoming better students and preparing to be even better teachers. I appreciate your zeal, honesty, and willingness to build personal relationships with your students. I have had a wonderful time and look forward to seeing you more as I progress through the College of Education at USA.

Looking Back at EDM 310 -- A Summary

From the moment I registered for EDM 310, I was excited for the possibilities of the course. I have always liked creatively working with computers. I suspected that by integrating computer technology with education, I would discover my perfect recipe to one of the most enjoyable classes I have taken at USA. After seeing Dr. Strange's emailed introduction describing himself and the course, I remember my wife saying, "You're going to really like that class."

The first day of class, Dr. Strange asked us whether we thought we were tech literate. He purposefully did not tell us how he defined being tech literate. I believed I was tech literate. I was partly right, but what I didn't realize is how much I did not know.

For example, what person, with any amount of familiarity with computers, would say he or she does not know how to use Google? Most would scoff at the suggestion that they may not know Google as well as they think they do. They probably do not realize Google offers various other search methods, several of which are features of a great site called Soople. I first heard about Soople in EDM 310 and was assigned to give a brief overview of it. In our class, we set out to utilize several aspects of Google. I believe the most useful Google tools I will be using as a teacher are the applications found in Google docs: creating and sharing presentations/slideshows and forms, and researching invaluable free online books.

But, let me go back for a moment. The most obvious new thing I have learned is what it takes to create a blog. Before this class, I had created a few church websites, but I had never blogged. Now, I have found that blogging is not only a good way to communicate thoughts, lessons, instructions, class projects, videos, etc., but it is also a good way to strengthen oneself personally. Seldom, I believe, do teachers insert themselves into the busiest avenues of communication with their students--technology. These teachers are missing out. As a teacher, I anticipate use of blogging in some capacity. I hope that the school environment in which I work will welcome integrating technology into the classroom through blogs and other means.

Here are some of my other EDM 310 firsts: my first use of Microsoft Movie Maker, my first web videos and posts to YouTube (group projects: Video Podcasting and the Classroom, Future of Print), my first use of Delicious (a more accessible way of online bookmarking), my first use of Twitter, my first time receiving RSS feeds (along with my first use of a personalized iGoogle page), my first Skype call (with video), and my first recorded Skype call (video/audio). There were probably many more, but there are so many it has been hard to keep track.

The class has caused me to think about some things. I might not have agreed with every assertion, I have been intellectually challenged. Discussions and assignments about the future of technology, written communication, the nature of the classroom, and teachers' uses of technology interested me. I don't see the classroom in nearly the same way. One group in our class used in their presentation a pie chart indicating what sorts of teachers use Smart Boards the most. I would have first assumed computer/technology classes, but they do not. What impressed me was that--if my memory is correct--English/Language teachers use it the most. After a few moments, I envisioned all the possible ways the Smart Board could be used in my future English/Language Arts classroom. It was motivating to hear English teachers often make use of the same things we had been discussing in our class. Even young school children demonstrated ways in which English/Language can be used in technology. In their class blogs, they read stories aloud, display their own illustrations, and publish their own creative writing.

In previous posts, I have mentioned in better detail other things I have learned: ACCESS, ALEX, intellectual trail, etc. I was introduced to Foliotek, but due to limited use of it thus far, I still lack an understanding of its positive traits. As a secondary education major, I know I will be using it much more and becoming better acquainted with it in the near future.

I do not believe EDM 310 could offer anything else that could add to the class or replace anything we did. In fact, I was glad to hear we would not be learning uses of Office programs. That would have been boring and, for most students, totally unnecessary. I have been using Office for so long that, while I may not know everything about it, a lot of it would be rehashing what I already know.

As a lifelong learner (another area of emphasis in EDM 310), I would suggest anything in the class was not conducive to enhancing my education. I learned from every discussion and every assignment. I remember my embarrassment when Dr. Strange Skype called me. I had not Skyped him yet. If there were something to forget...that would be it. Seriously, though, the joy of now Skyping family members in other states with my wife and children, to me, would itself have made this class a success.

One question asked about this class is, "Did you find anything in this class to be particularly 'intellectually challenging?'" Honestly, yes. I do not know how much others struggled to think of something useful to put into writing (of the blog posts), but I found it extremely intellectually challenging. Besides my inability, at times, to stop writing once I have started, I found it hard work to think of topics and ideas to discuss in a way that, if I were reading the post, I would want to read. This fits well into the "intellectual trail" reality. If one carelessly goes about his or her blog posts, site guests will find the blogger's disinterest evident. In writing my posts, if I would not have wanted to read it myself, I would not post it for others.

Now am I technologically literate? After learning my lesson on day one of EDM 310, I will not answer yes. Instead, I will say, I am more tech literate than ever before, but I'm still learning. I still have several semesters before I graduate. I have a lot of time to become more tech literate and think of useful ways to include it in my classroom. I will try to view Classroom 2.0 webinars and keep up with the latest approaches with which seasoned teachers, especially those in my PLN, are experimenting and recommending.

A Wordle of this Site

Learning about a PLN, then Determining How to Build and Use It

What is a PLN? That is what I asked the first time I heard our professor, Dr. Strange, mention it. It stands for Personal Learning Network, and I've since grown in an understanding of its importance. William Chamberlain offers some great advice about PLNs on his blog. Before the internet, people still had a circle of mentors, associates and friends from whom they could learn. For many, because of limited time and a smaller sphere of influence, the circle did not include many people. With the internet, people can accumulate an endless list of respectable resources and access anytime again and again.

Starting my PLN was the biggest hurdle to overcome. If one hasn't already established a relationship with education professionals or if he, like me, has not been exposed to names of those with strong credentials for offering insight, a few simple actions can go quite far. They did for me. Let me share what I have done to get started with my PLN, introduce you to some of the people who comprise it, and offer you some of my experiences along the way.

(1) Start with someone you know and respect. For me, I did not have many education professionals to consider, and I was not about to adopt advice or advisors blindly. Who better than Dr. Strange? Dr. Strange has an extensive PLN; some within his PLN -- like William Chamberlain, Michael Fawcett, Jarrod Lamshed, Joe McClung and Kelly Hines -- are named and linked on his personal website. Add Dr. Strange to this mix of professionals and you've already got a valuable PLN. Since everyone has their own preferences and their own contacts, one can add to his PLN by borrowing some of the individuals others recommend and use.

(2) Open a Twitter account. Regardless of whether you are fond of Twittering, there is no denying its potential for enlightenment and professional growth. Many education professionals use Twitter to post quotes and concise thoughts; others use it to recommend links to interesting articles and websites.

(3) Search for Education-related RSS feeds to add to your iGoogle page. I've got a few really useful feeds: NPR Topics: Education, Educational Technology and US Department of Education. Occasionally, I notice an article on one of my feeds that is about something we have discussed in our EDM 310 class (like Google and its many, many wonderful uses).

To date, I have within my PLN a hodge-podge of Dr. Strange's contacts and some of my fellow student-peers. After leaving comments on William Chamberlain's blog and writing about some things about it on my blog, Chamberlain left me a comment. I have to say, it felt good. It is much like the reassurance I get after my instructor reads my blog posts and comments. Although comments do not have to say much, the fact that someone I esteem as an education professional has taken time to read my perspectives and to provide some favorable insight, encourages me to learn more, write more, and grow more. Although my EDM 310 class is nearing completion, I have learned the value of a PLN and look forward to helping it grow in months and years to come.

Walk Like a Monkey Day and the Economy -- Any Relation?

Owen, in Mr. Goerend's Room 304's Classroom Blog, submitted a short post about a day called Walk Like a Monkey Day. He said it began as a day on December 10 and that it really caught on. It all started with Owen waking up with a hunched back. In my reply to Owen, I told him that if he ever visited my house, he would think, because of the energy of my two sons, that it was Walk Like a Monkey (or Act Like a Monkey) Day every day.

What does the economy have to do with walking like a monkey? Well, actually, not much; unless, one is reviewing two different blog posts for Comments 4 Kids. The second (and final) blog post I have looked at is a Global Economics Comparison on the Mr. McClung's World Blog. McClung makes available some of his teaching materials on global economies. It is good for students to consider the different types of economies prevalent in the world, and for them to brainstorm how America's economy could again build up and generate more prosperity across the nation.

Indicators of Intelligence

Project 5 was to create a form in Google Docs. I have just recently discovered that the form can be embedded into my blog, but given the dimensions, I just didn't get it done. But, I still have made a way for you do fill it out. Click here. Have fun with it.

The form is titled "Indicators of Intelligence." Its purpose is to discover what sorts of people, compared with certain others, are generally stereotyped as being more intelligent.

Stupid, Brilliant, Rules Lists

Okay, so the title is slightly indicative of what follows. I have reviewed three lists, so I want to share some of what I have found and offer what I find most important.

The first list is Doug Johnson's Seven Stupid Mistakes Teachers Make with Technology. To avoid regurgitating some of the previous comments I have made, I will forego offering my favorable support of Johnson's suggestions pertaining to teachers' need to implement technology in the classroom. Let's stick with the theme of protection. There are three "stupid mistakes" that leave teachers and students vulnerable to loss of data or reputation. (1) Teachers not backing up computer-stored information; (2) Teachers carelessly sending spurious emails and browsing internet sites about which they would prefer others not know; (3) Teachers not properly supervising students using classroom computers (there are all kinds of loopholes students may find to access prohibited materials and websites).

The second list is Johnson's discussion of the opposite -- Seven Brilliant Things Teachers Do with Technology. One of the biggest frets I have about working as a teacher is communicating with parents -- well, communicating negative things. But, waiting to continue my education till the age I am now (27) has actually helped me to appreciate this subject of my worries. I'm a dad, and though my oldest son is just in K4, I already value teacher-to-parent commu

nication. Johnson believes teachers should make conferencing real-time. There is no replacement for the face-to-face meeting of teachers and parents, but using all available methods will save time and keep parents informed, which could potentially avoid certain unwanted face-to-face meetings. Johnson suggests the use of email, blogs, and wikis to give updates about grades, projects, student progress, etc. Another brilliant thing teachers can do is delight in the discovery, newness, and the fun technology holds. This is great advice, not because it is a new idea, but because teachers, just like any other professional, tire from curriculum and teaching, in general, so it is good to be reminded that this stuff is fun -- teaching and learning are only as exciting as teacher and student make them!

The third list I visited is New Classroom Rules by Education Innovation. After reading and re-reading the list, during which I had to taking some calming deep breaths, I actually found some fairly interesting rules. What I had to overcome were some of the rules dealing with the students' use of cell phones, instant messaging programs, and other tech-gadgets traditionally prohibited in the classroom. I repeated to myself: "Cade, this is written to be humorous. It is not entirely serious." There is a place for most of the items on the list, even though a teacher would probably not want to give freedom for students to do as they please with them (like using their cell phones in the middle of a test). As a college student, I prefer this rule: "Come to class on time, or log into your online class anytime day or night, whenever it is most convenient for you." But, on a more serious note, technology can be problematic when people use it and put no effort into being respectful. Rule #10 states: "Be polite, courteous, and respectful at all times in both physical and virtual space." This is great advice teachers should follow. Don't forget that certain fonts and font sizes, punctuational inclusions or exclusions also send a message that may give the recipient/audience cause for an unintended negative response.

A Look at Me and My Family via Project 2

I completed Project 2 several weeks ago, but didn't upload it to my blog. I wish I would have, because I just realized a great feature of Google Docs. I assure you, it was definitely a "Eureka" moment. Anyway, the project was to create a presentation using Google Docs. Mine introduces the viewer to my wife and kids, and gives a chronological timeline of trips we have taken. As you view it, you will notice that, as time progressed (and kids were added to the family), our trips have become shorter and shorter in distance and time. But, regardless of being limited monetarily, we have always had a great time - whether in New England or at the local park.

Project 11 - The Future of Print Media

This is the video the guys of Dr. Strange's EDM 310 TT 2 class put together. It was produced by Ryan Rogers, John Harville, and me, with Ryan doing the work in editing and compiling our individual efforts. Before you watch, ask yourself, "What is the future of print media? Where will it be in fifteen years?" Then, watch, and enjoy (hopefully).

At the Teacher's Desk

Today, I get the opportunity to take a thorough look through the At the Teacher's Desk blog. Dr. Strange recommended we take a look at the site's gadgets, links, members, and more. To do so, I'd like to begin by highlighting an interesting post on the site that really relates to all of the above.

What does a blogger do to help his site thrive, get traffic, and keep it? These basic questions were asked by a student in another class at William Chamberlain's school, and Chamberlain, who is certainly qualified to answer it, gave four great tips in his post. Chamberlain gave these tips (in my own words): (1) Keep your site going, both to get practice and to allow time for your site name to get out. (2) Post regularly, so people keep returning. (3) Use clever post titles that will gain attention from search engines. (4) Comment on other people's blogs.

This post was a way of learning the pscyhology of Chamberlain and what he thinks about in his blog. What keeps people coming back? Here are just a few things:



Interesting videos. The most recent video is one from CNN documenting lead-contaminated soil in New Orleans. A project called the Fundred Project is raising awareness of the dangerous threat to the wellbeing of New Orleans natives. By creating Fundred Dollar Bills, fake $100s, students may participate in symbolically coming up with the funds to be able to support the project and, in doing so, aim to drum up adequate actual support to make a difference.

Great advice. Generally, Chamberlain's blog is about technology and, if you will pardon the redundance, it is about blogging. Whether one is a student or teacher, a education blogger or a blogger in some other field, Chamberlain's blog attracts everyone. His advice is not just to teachers, but to anyone who wants to find out more about blogging and tech literacy. In addition to some of the tips I mentioned earlier, he also made a good point, when he said that the best thing he could do in teaching students and teachers was not to tell them the information directly, but help them to build their PLN, their Personal Learning Network. As individuals grow in influence, particularly teachers, they do not have as much time to personally spend with others. This means they aren't able to do a lot of research for others, and they can't spend a lot of time explaining every detail of what they need to know. It's the old "Give a man a fish, and he'll have food for a day. Teach a man to fish, and he'll have enough for a lifetime."

Sharing Experiences. I have quickly grown in appreciation for Skype. In the last couple months, I have convinced my parents in Indiana to purchase a webcam so they could begin Skyping with my two young sons. I'm not sure who is more excited about their newfound communication, the grandkids or the grandparents. Then, a brother-in-law of mine went out of the country because of job training, so I recommended to his wife that they Skype call one another while he is away. So, yet again, as a result, someone bought a webcam and made a couple simple downloads of Skype and within a short time, were able to communicate with one another on opposite sides of the earth. I appreciate Chamberlain's sharing experiences like a Skype call between one class at his school with a Spanish class in another school. He not only sparked ideas about what kinds of calls I could have my future classes make to others, but also recommended ways of recording the conversations. In reading the post, I was able to relate. As Chamberlain noted, CamStudio is probably the best means of recording a video conversation; the unfortunate fact is that recording the audio of the conversation (at least as far as I've found) requires using another program (I use a program called Pamela). But, it's not too hard to combine the audio from Pamela and the video from CamStudio using Microsoft Movie Maker.

Finally, allow me to share just a few good words about work done with collaborative blogs, such as At the Teacher's Desk. There may be some negatives in doing such blogs, but if there are, I haven't figured them out. Maintaining such a blog is conducive to developing a PLN. One doesn't have to always actively look in new places for sources of reliable information. Chamberlain's blog attracts other school teachers, including our college professer, Dr. John Strange. It seems these two gentlemen have been able to assist one another and neither necessarily was looking for the other (that I know of). "If you build it, they will come" is really the idea when building a useful, well-fortified blog. Beyond the PLN, collaborative blogs become useful to others, as well. In the case of teachers, many of the ones influenced are students and others teachers. Students can learn from the blogger, and because of the blog, teachers can learn to better teach other students who are ready to learn.

Toward a New Future of Whatever, with Michael Wesch

Michael Wesch's talk, Toward a New Future of Whatever (see below), lays out the recent history of the word whatever and discusses various changes in our culture that have caused us to rethink the ways we communicate and attempt to uniquely present ourselves in the world. He stated that in the 1960s whatever was as, "Whatever you say; I don't care." In the 90s, it became, "I don't care what you think, whatever." At the close of his presentation, he revealed the aim he believes whatever should have--to become, "I care. Whatever it takes...by whatever means necessary."

Wesch suggests that a certain evolution began with the invention of TV. Combined with the anonymity of calling the city home, working on an assembly line, or living in suburbia, individuals in society have lost a sense of self-importance. Individually, we feel replaceable and unimportant. So, we have sought ways to stand out, rising above the anonymity. Wesch used the example seen in the success of American Idol. The show has such a following because those who watch it feel they, too, can be somebody, and even if people really don't have talent, their desire to be someone special deceives them into thinking otherwise. YouTube and other podcast/vodcast sites, as well as the host of social networks, all serve as mediums by which we have been seeking to resolve the tensions built by a culture arguably cultivating anonymity. There are several ways my experiences demonstrate the truthfulness of Wesch's assertions.

Personally
I heard a ratio recently that says for every job for which a person applies, there are at least 5 other people being considered for the job. I have been looking for a part-time job recently, and this ratio seems too low. Other relatives of mine have also struggled recently to get hired. But, we have all have felt is that we are unimportant. How can one get a job when he or she is just as qualified or unqualified as the next person? I definitely often have the same feeling of anonymity described in the video.

But, I also enjoy connecting with people through social networking sites. They offer a means to communicate to others and for others to communicate to me. My wife and I have family and friends scattered across the country, with whom we would probably communicate much less (and possibly not at all) if social networking sites did not exist.

At School
Some of the personal aspects also relate to school life. College students generally have an awakening (albeit not always a good thing) when they begin school. It is a time for them to find themselves, solidify principles, and set goals. Clubs, societies, and various organizations on campus may help in setting some of these things in order for students. Meanwhile, however, today's students are interconnected with people around the world through the internet. So, while they do have more opportunities than non-college-students for personally based self-expression, they also are the generation which satiated through connecting with others globally via technological mediums.

As a Teacher
Wesch also suggests we are a society that has been fed incoherence and, thus, has turned to indifference. Where there is incoherence, there is a need for a teacher. People are more assertive today to expressing themselves, but they do so so narcissistically that they forget there is a lot for them to learn. In some of my experiences in education (both in being a student and currently being a substitute teacher), I have found students know abundantly more than me about phones, websites, and various other things. They get excited about them--so excited those same things become obstacles to their education. Teachers should seek to harness some of that energy their students have and direct them toward using it for something truly worthwhile, and introduce to them to productives ways by which they can distinguish themselves from the crowd and improve their self-importance.

Publishing Work to the Web

Should teacher and student work be published to the web? This is a question asked on one of the blogs of our instructor, Dr. John Strange. While some have their concerns about privacy and protection, it seems the acclamation associated with students' achievements outweighs the most legimate of worries. One might think the best result of publishing students' work to the web is what others get form having done so. I, on the other hand, would emphasize the feeling of self-accomplishment the students themselves would feel.

The example given on Strange's blog is that of PS 22 Chorus in New York City, an incredibly talented group of young musicians whose work has been published to the internet. The group has received national attention and has been commended by several famous musicians.

There are a lot of students whose abilities and successes are rarely noticed. Their parents just don't recognize them. Teachers ignore them. Society doesn't even know they exist. For such students, a teacher zealously promoting their students' work can give them a great sense of self-worth, a worth about which many others do not care. The teacher himself is thus viewed as inspirational to the movitated students. The students can hear back from others who've seen their good work. These are just a few of the great reasons teachers should consider posting student work to the web.

I also visited a few other websites on which teachers have posted materal online.

Mr. C's Class Blog is a blog done by Mr. William Chamberlain in Noel, Missouri. Chamberlain is an avid advocate of integrating technology in teaching. On his blog, he not only offers student work and pictures of special occasions in the class and school, but he also has animations and other projects he has personally created. Even more, the page has a live video stream of his classroom, so others can watch and listen in on his classes. Mr. C is also encourages his students take part in the Comments 4 Kids program, which allows his tech literate students to encourage others by leaving comments on other students' blogs around the world.

Mr. McClung is an 8th grade science teacher in Fayetteville, Arkansas. He also places student work and student-related work on his blog. He posts lab pictures of various objects placed on the microscope. He also teaches some social studies classes in which his students often submit work using Google Docs, a great resource about which many of us in our EDM 310 class just learned.

One other site to check out how to feature student (and your own) work is that of Ms. Cone at Hafford Central School in Saskatchewan, Canada (where according to the site, residents had a warm September at about 20 degrees--an interesting sidenote). This blog has student video (of simple footage while driving down a nearby highway), slideshows, Wordles, and more.

If you'd like to check out other blogs like these, you may search at http://www.edublogs.com/. Have fun.

ACCESS

In addition to just hearing for the first time about ALEX, I also have now reviewed another Alabama program called ACCESS (Alabama Connecting Classroom, Educators and Students Statewide). ACCESS is a distance learning initiative that began November 1, 2004. It offers access to advanced diploma courses in foreign languages, Advanced Placement and dual credit courses, remediation and supplemental resources, and much more. It is available to all Alabama public school students.

ACCESS is stimulating to both public school students and faculty and administration. It allows students in certain rural areas or underfunded schools to have the same opportunities for enlightenment as those who are in otherwise more privileged circumstances. Teachers and faculty love it because it broadens their students' opportunities to learn and, therefore, extends the their abilities to educate. It also allows them to utilize new, exciting ways of reaching students, through rapidly evolving technology, like web-based teaching and teaching through video conferencing.

The ACCESS site's Resources page also links to other useful Alabama education websites that are valuable to teachers.

Like ALEX, ACCESS would be challenging and fun to explore and use as a means of educating students. It seems to be a wise financial investment by our governor and other state officials.

Getting to Know ALEX

The Alabama Learning Exchange (ALEX) website offers educators multiple resources to help them succeed in the classroom. Linked sites and detailed lesson plans are available for every discipline and every grade level K-12. There are also pages intended for use by not only teachers and administrators, but students.

ALEX is a communal database, connecting teachers across Alabama, and giving them a means of methodically and substantively comparing the work of fellow educators and enhancing their ability to teach most effectively. Teachers themselves have the opportunity to post their lesson plans for review by other statewide teachers.

When I begin teaching, I undoubtedly will find ALEX and other such sites useful for equipping myself to construct exciting lessons plans on par with more experienced instructors, but also for challenging myself to imaginatively create plans uniquely mine. A teacher must always be ready to teach, but he or she must also always be ready to learn. It will be great having a vast network of educators at my internet-browsing fingertips.

Within Months, More Impact than Imagined

A 3-year-old named Kaia has become the talk of several tech-literate classrooms. Her father, Jabiz, in reading an inspiring book, was motivated to help his daughter become more acquainted with the outdoors. So, he took his daughter outside and allowed her to take pictures with his camera. He helped her create a video slideshow of her pictures with her comments added using a voicethread. You can visit Kaia and her dad's blog here.

Kaia's dad described his daughter's moderate fame as having started with that one video. He shared information about it to his Twitter followers, then within a few months, started receiving comments from students in a school in Missouri. Those students were in the class of William Chamberlain, a tech-literate teacher whose efforts have been noted by teachers and students of all ages and tech-literate-levels. The only thing, Kaia can't read yet, so her dad requested those Missouri students that they reply not in written comments, but in video or audio comments. They did so. It goes to show that there really is no limit as to whom can utilize and enjoy technology.

Now, we students at USA have learned of Kaia and her story is a lesson to us.

New Media Literacies Project

We've been asked to find information about the New Media Literacies Project (NML). Another assignment given was to comment on a short New Media Literacies video. According to newmedialiteracies.org, NML is "a research initiative based within MIT's Comparitive Media Studies Program."

NML identifies three challenges: the participation gap, the transparency problem, and the ethics challenge, and names several skills as necessary to helping people have "the social skills and cultural compentencies" (http://newmedialiteracies.org/about-us/) necessary in our media-enriched age.

Because technology is changing so quickly, people are just as quickly adjusting and acclamating in order to live happily and succeed socially, educationally, and occupationally. It is great that schools and organizations are conducting such research as this so that they may share it with the rest of us.

The New Media Literacies

The New Media Literacies video describes the 21st century skills many believe are needed to become effective artists, citizens, and workers. It's a short video, yet it addresses eleven different skills. Because of the brevity of the video, I watched it a second time to see if I'd learn anything I missed the first time.

In case you haven't seen the video yet, the skills highlighted are judgment, negotiation, appropriation, play, transmedia navigation, simulation, collective intelligence, performance, distributed cognition, visualization, and mult-tasking. The first four are defined for the viewer, but the rest were just listed. I'm not sure whether the producers of the video thought the audience would already be familiar with their list or if their purpose was simply to name them and not discuss them, but I was interested in what they were saying and wanted to see if my presumptions of the terms were the same as their defintions. But, being a life-long learner requires, I believe, learning all that I can from what information is provided me. So, I must ask myself, what did I glean from the video?

First, of the terms themselves, I agree that several of them are important aids in being able to become more successful in life. Many of the skills relate to acquiring useful information and using it properly, but others deal with the handling of resources and responsibilties in a controlled, concentrated way. Multitasking is probably the most common skill discussed in today's fast-paced society. Regardless if growing personally or reaching out globally, most, if not all, of the skills mentioned are important.

I know I possess some of the skills mentioned in the video. This class helped me in some of them also. Judgment, negotiation, and transmedia navigation are probably the three with which i feel most comfortable. I am (and probably will continue for a while) working on the others. Some require someone teaching them to me. Others require exposure to circumstances or events that will enable me to develop them.

The video prefaced the skills by suggesting our culture has always emphasized sucess from the perspective of being consumers and that people should now be more concerned about being producers. Some of the people interviewed in the video emphasized our need to be good citizens and act globally. This is a fine notion, but it made me think. Is a person inferior to others for happily wanting to narrowly communicate within his own culture? Does all the focus on extending our interpersonal skills internationally cause some to overlook the important need to develop important skills personally, domestically or locally? I'm not suggesting that one or the other should be preferred, but instead that we must consider both of equal importance. What good does it do if one can compile information and replicate it ad infinitum, but can't look someone in the eye and speak comfortably and intellectually in a job interview or in an advising or counseling session?

How can a two minute video inspire philosophical thoughts? I don't know. I guess I have concluded that people who only look within their bubbles and people who only look outside their bubbles, in the end, lose out on knowing some of the most important things that could help them be more successful in the world and the workplace. Be balanced. Learn many skills.

The Networked Student

The Networked Student is a video depicting a project done by Wendy Drexler and a group of high school students. I have been taught to learn and to know as much I can, but I've always been encouraged to be ready for circumstances in which I may not know the answer to a question or how to address a problem. In such situations, it is important to know where to find the answer or needed information. It's a real life Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? scenario. Everyone needs to have a network, the equivalent to phoning a friend, polling the audience or narrowing down the choices.

With the use of internet search engines, RSS feeds, bookmark sharing programs, wikis, free web video conferencing, iTunes, and much more, students have access to endless amounts of useful educational materials which serve as a large part of their networks. In the video, the question is asked about whether teachers are even needed anymore. Teachers are needed to carry on traditional instruction, but even more, they are needed to be able to guide students, advise students about building networks, teach to communicate properly, vet a resource, etc.

The video offers some great advice for students conducting research. Check it out!

Richard Miller's "This Is How We Dream"

In a video posted on YouTube, Dr. Richard Miller of Rutgers University presents his vision of The New Humanities. While one usually would say he used a video to supplement his speech, it is arguably more appropriate to say the opposite. With the technology available today, the speech is capable of being more of a multi-dimensional experience. Literacy, according to Miller, has never seen a better day than today. Reading and writing have gone from books and libraries and pens and paper to a collaboration of various forms of media. He describes our time as transitional. Exploratory methods are gaining ground, but they have not reached their potential. While many perceive global communication as posting class lectures on YouTube, he says they just don't get it. The speech itself doesn't give the effect of which it is capable if the teacher overlooks spending considerable time integrating important post-production methods.

It is overly ambitious, I think, to anticipate that most teachers will be able to write with multi-media within the next ten years. Some will. But, several factors must be considered. The nations' newspapers have just begun using some of this technology--offering their print articles online, in addition to videos, audio, shared documents, archives, etc. While watching Miller's presentation, it is easy to dream, but envisioning teachers having the financial resources to write with multi-media, which appears to require complex software (but I could be wrong), is aspirational, but not very realistic. However, if schools begin providing these resources for their teachers, then it could be possible sooner than I think.

I am certainly interested in writing with multi-media. I believe a big part of our country's success has been the freedom that has encouraged exploration, creativity and innovation. Public demand for multi-media has already increased. This is why advancements have already been made.

I remember when plasma TVs were very expensive. But, LCDs and other similar HDTVs started becoming available and prices have since fallen greatly. Over time, people have also become familiar with their benefits and uses. Writing with multi-media may be very similar. Costs associated with it will decrease with its increased popularity and availability; meanwhile, users will be more familiar with how to do it and interest in writing with multi-media will snowball.

If a teacher can write with multi-media, a student could. I've been told that one of the greatest joys a teacher could have is to see a student outperform him or her. It is usually no fault to the teacher, but a credit. It's possible that students could do surprise their teachers, but as Miller notes, before writing with multi-media can become commonplace among teachers, there must be a growth of dedication among teachers and expanded availability of resources.

Catching up with Comments4Kids

I've visited some great posts given as Comments4Kids assignments recently. The first is a video by Ashlee at Port England School in New Zealand. In it, she gives a short retelling of the fairy tale, Little Red Riding Hood. That mean ol' ugly witch found her way into the story, instead of the traditional wolf about whom we usually hear. She did a great job.

The second post was a new one by a student in Ms. Hudson's class. Her students are just getting started in blogging, so in stopping by this new blog page, I encouraged the student to have fun blogging and requested that he or she stop by my blog sometime.

iTunes University

In a recent video podcast project collboratively done by three other students and me in my EDM 310 class, we highlighted a few websites on which teachers can post video (vodcasts) and/or audio podcasts. That video, which includes a portion on iTunes University (iTunes U), may be viewed here:



I'm still very new to iTunes; however, it has not been difficult familiarizing myself with its uses and navigating its many features. ITunes U can be used as a great tool for both teachers and students, even if they have no intentions to ever publish their own podcasts. There are many colleges and universities that issue their own regular podcasts. Some share specific lessons, others provide general information about the universities themselves or the respective colleges comprising them. For example, the dental school at the University of Michigan has its own podcast.

David Hopkins created a presentation about the uses of iTunes. For the teacher and student, who both are known for their financial deficiences, iTunes is great because it is all free; that's right, free. So, while attending school, or long after completing school, at iTunes U everyone can access academia freely--just without all the homework.

Using iPods in Instuction

It seems everyone has an iPod these days. Not long ago, I assumed iPods were beyond my price range. But, I found out that many iPods are as affordable as most portable CD players (does anyone use those anymore?).

At first, I only heard of iPods being used for music. But, now I hear of them being used for many other purposes. I mentioned in one of my first posts that I am also a preacher in a local church. I have come across a lot of other preachers in the churches of Christ who use podcasts and vodcasts as an avenue by which they present Bible lessons or offer information about the church of Christ. In my studies as a college student, I have found that they also have great uses in the school classroom.

As a part of the Duke Digital Iniative, iPods and other devices are being used to connect students to their school's instructors, services and special events without being physically with them. It is part of an effort to support teaching and learning, their website says. In an online publication dated April 2005, Duke announced they had given iPods to incoming freshman (more than 1600 the first year). Fifteen classrooms immediately incorporated the iPods into their curriculum. The publication lists some general uses of the iPods: (1) course content dissemination tool, (2) classroom recording tool, (3) field recording tool, (4) study support tool, and (5) file storage and transfer. IPods offer a host of benefits, from convenience and accessibility to greater student engagement and interest.

Alice Christie's Tech Know-How

Dr. Alice Christie is Arizona State University President's Professor Emeritus. She is a self-proclaimed "lifelong learner." Her website offers extensive resources that enable teachers to learn many ways technology may be utilized in the classroom. The site provides her opinions and strategies, but it also gives examples of material she has produced and links to sites with material offered by others.

Christie recommends teachers create digital portfolios (e-Portfolios). The intended audience of the e-portfolio may vary, but it is basically an online collection of artifacts a teacher or other professional uses to describe his or her accomplishments and goals, as well as provide resources he or she has created (websites, blogs, documents, presentations, etc.). Christie provides an example on her site. Although our teacher, Dr. John Strange, does not refer to his website as being an e-portolio, it seems very similar to Christie's. The primary difference appears to be that Christie's is aimed toward associates who may have an interest in knowing her professional biography, while Strange's is intended primarily for the college students. If one of the two were to be the pattern for teachers who would like to use an e-portfolio as a tool for students, it would be Strange's.

Another tech project Christie recommends is the use of GPS and Geocaching. Before I read the information she's provided, I had never heard of using GPS as part of a curriculum. She suggested teachers could have projects in which students use a GPS device to seek strategically placed geocaches (earth containers) that have subject relevant artificacts enclosed. This is a way to transform the classroom from being teacher-centered to student-centered, a change many educators believe facilitates greater learning.

Christie has accomplished much throughout her career. She said she was first introduced to technology with the Apple II computer in the late 1970s, and she had two added to her classroom. It seems since then she has never tired in learning more about how technology can benefit the classroom.

Learning from What He Learned

Mr. McClung offers a great post at the At the Teacher's Desk blog. His perspective especially interested me because of his freshness in the field of education. The post was written at the end of his first year in the classroom. I noticed another EDM 310 class blogger offered thanks to McClung for his "humble" advice. It took me a few moments to consider what about this writer demonstrated humility. Then, I realized it.

It is easy for anyone, especially someone young or new in a field, to think he or she knows all. There are many teachers who, when students don't learn, blame the students for the various alleged reasons they don't get it. Such teachers never take a moment to consider they could be partially or totally to blame. From the outset, McClung suggests there were many times he was hard on himself for not presenting material as well as he would have liked. He honestly said there were times when he taught without being audience-centered. It takes a humble person to admit errors and acknowledge areas of needed improvement. Even more, he does this on a public blog, into which any of his adminstrators might stumble and see the points in which he views himself as previously inferior. As he said, "[the students] are not perfect and neither are we."

Why else would we in an EDM 310 class like McClung? Could it be because he is an advocate of technological literacy among teachers. He said,

Grown adults everywhere are afraid of computers like it's a bad horror film and computers are trying to take over the world. Technology is our friend and is essential to living in our microwave society of today. We should not become overwhelmed by technology and simply give up before we start.

As the primary aim of his post, McClung gives several tips based on lessons he learned in his first year teaching in an elementary school. They are: (1) Know how to read the crowd, (2) Be flexible, (3) Communicate, (4) Be reasonable, (5) Don't be afraid of technology, (6) Listen to your students, and (7) Never stop learning.

Interestingly, McClung recorded lessons he learned, and I was reading his blog to learn what he learned. No matter what part of life is under consideration, everything we do is about learning what others learned what others learned, and so on. Someone else might read this post and learn what I learned from what Mr. McClung learned. It may be confusing, but it's certainly true!

Writing Non-Anonymously on Wikipedia

Just in case it's in question, I am submitting this post. There's no one altering the words contained in it. There's no one ambiguously logging into the blog and fixing my grammar or punctuation. No one is inserting subtle adjectival modifications to make me look better or worse. It's me.

I've read two NPR articles (1,2) and listened to an NPR report on Wikipedia, the online "free encyclopedia that anyone can edit." To the typical college student, it is nothing new to hear warnings about relying on Wikipedia entries for supplemental facts to be used in essays or presentations. Because anyone is able to alter Wikipedia material, it is prone to misinformation based on malignance, arrogance, or just plain ignorance. To NPR's credit, the abovementioned reports are relatively unbiased. Democrats and republicans, according to one article, have altered Wikipedia entries to opinionatedly label one another. Businesses, like Wal-Mart, have altered images of themselves. Thanks to the inventor of the Wikipedia Scanner, Virgil Griffith, Wikipedia edits now can be traced to an IP address; this means we can generally know from where (what businesses or individuals) alterations are being made.

But, don't be too quick to judge my reaction to this news.

At first, I was somewhat bitter. It may have been because of a deeply-pitted preference within me for Wikipedia. I've found a lot of useful information on Wikipedia that is well-documented. Endnotes provided typically link to factually based reports and studies produced by credible institutions and individuals. Is every post reliable? No. So, you have to proceed with caution; however, yes, one can find credible and factual information.

Has NPR tracked down instances of misinformation provided on major TV networks? What about prominant newspapers? Let's not be so quick to universally condemn Wikipedia for its open-editorship (which doesn't break any rules or laws) when bias exists throughout reliable news networks. In one comment on the NPR blog, a person said the author was reinventing the wheel. We know Wikipedia's weaknesses. But, there are also, arguably, a lot of strengths. For example, suppose someone has placed false information in an entry. An informed person may replace it with fact. Or, consider an instance in which a legitmate institution is unjustly attacked in an entry (e.g. a business). Because of Wikipedia's policy, that business may rightfully change the content to properly maintain its good image.

The NPR articles and audio were certainly informative. Check them out for yourself. Now, go and write or speak, but don't yet substantiate your points with Wikipedia without the permission of your professor. And, by the way, the NPR commentators said a lot about other institutions improving their images by changing their Wikipedia entries. I wonder if anyone at NPR has ever edited its entry.

Randy Pausch's Last Lecture

Click here if you'd like to watch Randy Pausch's Last Lecture. Prompted by saddening news of his diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, Pausch presented this powerfully presented talk about what he would say if it were his last lecture. He died in 2008. From that time since, it has been viewed by more than 10 million people on YouTube.

We've been asked to comment on Pausch's teaching methods. While the presentation itself was not aimed at dissecting his classroom environment and giving all of his standard methods, he still casually addressed them. But, before enumerating upon them, I'd like to note that Pausch's teaching style is partly seen in the techniques which he employed in the speech. He drew audience interest by keeping the atmosphere light. He began by stating there were some things about which he would not be speaking; therefore, he realized that some things would not be profitable for that audience and/or that some things would not be interesting enough to maintain the audience's attention. For being a virtual reality expert, one might have presumed his visual presentation would have been more elaborate or complex. Instead, it was quite simple.

As I already mentioned, Pausch covered a lot of other things about which I will not comment, though they are very interesting. Throughout the part of the video that discusses the ways through which he enabled others to reach their dreams, he stated several teaching methods he employed as a professor. I may have missed some of them, but mostly, they are:

(1) If your students do well--even better than expected--tell them they did well, but that they can do better. Earlier in his talk, Pausch said he had been taught an important lesson. He said most people see a brick wall and assume they must stop and turn around. He suggested the brick wall, rather, is there to cause one to demonstrate how badly he or she wants something. This teaching method fits well with this concept of the brick wall.

(2) Start with the fundamentals. One of Pausch's dreams was to play in the NFL. Though he did not make it as a professional athlete, he said that not all dreams can be expected to be fulfilled. Instead, aiming for those unfufilled goals itself has its edifying qualities. Pausch described one of the football coaches of his youth. The man was, as Pausch called him, "old school." The coach didn't bring a football to the team's first practice, asserting there are 21 others players on the field while one holds the ball. In other words, he wanted to impress upon the players that fundamentals came before special plays or awesome skills.

(3) Encourage sharing accomplishments. Pausch reminisced of a class he had taught that did great work. They did so well that their roommates, parents and others were coming to the class to observe what they were doing. He encouraged them to share their accomplishments because they were noteworthy and because others could be benefited by them in a positive way.

(4) Involve the audience. While this was not mentioned as a part of his classroom experience, it seemed to fit as a teaching method he would have employed. While working in visual reality, there were great opportunities he sought to allow audiences to do more than just view the scene, but to participate in it. Involving an audience excites them more, which often leads to more learning and a better perception of the material.

(5) Allow your class to bond. Pausch said his best classes/groups were those who were the closest to one another. They could stand close to another, laugh, discuss, etc. The more they would bond, he said, the better the work they'd produce. As a part of this method, he also alluded to the notion that he prefers that students work in groups.

(6) Give students freedom and field trips. The more space you give a student to work, the better, Pausch would suggest. Shortly after mentioning freedom, he also mentioned field trips. The "hands-on" experience is a proven means to enable better learning.

(7) Be glad others reach dreams because of you. Pausch did not present himself as arrogant. He was happy to fulfill his childhood dreams, but as a teacher, he seemed even more accomplished for having helped others reach theirs. He gave the example of Moses--that Moses got to see the promised land, but he was not allowed to enter in. When teachers help others reach their goals, they should be content. It isn't always about receiving credit; it's about working together to further a cause, to better a field, and to benefit society.

(8) Entertain students. This was certainly no surprise--a virtual reality expert promoting the use of video games and virtual reality in education. Pausch saw great benefit in keeping students purposefully entertained.

Hopefully, this gives you some idea of Pausch's teaching methods. Crafting just a few of these would greatly benefit the classroom. Developing all of them in some way would nearly perfect the classroom.

Comments4Kids

This week, I reviewed a post titled, Our First Walking Field Trip. Several students submitted input to the post. They visited a nearby cemetary and observed names and lifespans of people buried there. Their trip both enabled them to learn more about local history, but one of the students noted they learned about cemetaries, in general (what a headstone marks). Another said he learned about the Eddie family, for whom the cemetary appeared to have been established. Some sad things loomed over the cemetary, though. An infant child of the Eddies died at only one day old, and was buried there. Also, several slaves of the family were buried there, but unfortunately their names were not recorded. If one can get past the obvious gloomy side of cemetaries, there is actually a lot one can learn about history by visiting them. Well, if you want more details, visit their blog. It's a great post!

Did You Know? No, but I figured!

The latest Did You Know 4.0 is available and we've been asked to comment on it. Like its predacessors, there are a lot of statistics given in it pertaining to the rapid progress technology has made. While the statistics are remarkable and sometimes, even, jaw-dropping, I can't say, having watched one or two Did You Know videos previously, that I didn't know what to expect (hence, the title of this post). Am I disappointed? Slightly. But, that doesn't mean the video didn't interest me or have value.

Most people have either witnessed or heard about society's technological advancements. We still have a generation amongst us who tells us about the days when they and the people in their neighborhoods first purchased black and white TVs. Many are aware of the fact that the first computer was as big as a room. Most know that the majority of people today own cell phones. We've seen the news reports about the financial failings of newspapers nationwide, who've struggled, in part, due to increased demand for non-printed material. These statistics didn't effect me. I don't want to be pessimistic about the video, so please don't misunderstand. I was impressed by several other figures, but for the most part, it didn't introduce me to anything that I didn't already know or assume.

Thankfully, what videos like this do (or should do) is serve as a humbling reminder that when we think we've advanced, we really have not seen the half of what humans will discover or accomplish around the corner--and that is not even a smidge, if we were to continue at the same astounding rate, of what will become reality 20, 40, or 80 years from now. So, while we older (yes older, even though I'm only 27) folks remember what it was like without the internet, cell phones, and iPods, at least there are still reruns of Saved by the Bell, with Zach and his seemingly 30 pound car phone, to serve as today's youth's crash course in What Things Used To Be Like 101 (well, it at least gives them a slight picture).

Go, check out the Did You Know Videos. Even if you already do know, you'll usually find them quite enlightening and, sometimes, entertaining.

A Vision of Students Today

I just watched a video by a digital ethnography class at Kansas State University. Overall, I thought the video was good. It's designed to make people think about the nature of the traditional classroom and compare its advantages and disadvantages to the expanding world of contemporary, technologically-equipped classrooms, many of which aren't even classrooms at all, but small spaces on the internet. I'm convinced that the statistics and opinions given in the video truly represent many colleges and students across the US. What supported this conclusion was the information given at the beginning of the video that suggested several hundreds of students collaborated to gather the thoughts expressed.

Sampling the best ways through which to reach students is important for teachers to do. Utilizing the best means to inspire them to read their textbooks is encouraged. But, as a student, let me just say, students are equally accountable when it comes to learning. The classmate who never shows up or the person who never reads his or her assigned book has no right to make excuses. Pardon the seemingly obvious truth: Work is work. For whatever reasons, some people won't do it. If some of those people won't do it because they rather be playing video games, should we make relevant video games to teach them? If some of them won't do their work because they like to play sports, should we somehow create a new sport that will incorporate subject matter into their preferred interests? If it's because they have an addiction to cooking and can never pull themselves from the kitchen, should we offer classroom instruction through some cleverly crafted recipe? If I mess up, I mess up. It's not because someone didn't incorporate the best methods to reach me.

Should we completely dismiss the discussion about the need for technology in the classroom? Absolutely not. But, conversely, in failing systems in which technology is not advanced, we mustn't only focus on correcting the methods of teaching; it's quite likely there is also a need to address the proper methods of learning.

Strange Fische Thoughts

Read Karl Fisch's thoughts about technology and teachers. I noticed this post by Fisch grabbed the attention of the EduBlogs awards in 2007. Sounds exciting, but if you think that just because Fisch received an award for the best blog post in 2007 that it means his ideas are right with regards to the subject discussed, don't be so quick to judge. Do you really think that an organization that judges the quality of blogs is going to esteem another's post which says technology is not important? Such a post is itself a contradiction of the argument it makes; one went online (a place for the technologically literate) to write about the unimportance of being technologically literate. I digress.

It seems that Dr. Strange and Karl Fisch are in agreement, hence the effort on my part to incorporate a creative title to this post. As I mentioned before, I'm not sure I see tech or no tech as the discussion here. Technology enhances teaching; it doesn't replace it. Fisch's points are relevant and very good. He stirred my thoughts when he compared tech illiteracy to actual illiteracy. One can variably exhibit progress in life without the other, but true success is usually found in no longer crouching in inferiority over not being technologically literate. It's found in technological discovery and application.

Can I Agree to Both?

It's difficult to say I disagree with Kelly W. Hines' comments about teachers and technology. I know it's not typically appropriate to agree to two opposing sides. Part of me says, "Pick one." Should teachers or shouldn't teachers, as one of their first objectives in teaching, be familiar with creative ways by which their students may learn? Hines' basic point is that classroom learning may be lost before technologically innovative ways are even introduced and, in such cases, the complications began at a teacher who has himself or herself lost interest in learning.

I, then, am slightly torn. Ideally, I agree with Hines. But, practically, I believe in the argument which favors teachers needing to be tech literate. So, though it's a politically correct approach to expressing my opinion, I see both sides of this issue as having good points. What good can $1 million do if one just takes it and hides it in the backyard? Technology has potential, but only if used with purpose and proper instructional reinforcement in the classroom. Burying everything else and merely putting children in front of a computer screen do not produce desired results.

More Comments4Kids Comments

AQ wrote a great description of a book titled, The Ghost, the White House and Me. It is a book about a fictional first family whose children have curiosity and/or concern about the ghost of Abraham Lincoln roaming the rooms. The student displayed excellent writing skills for a 4th grader.

I'm also providing my review of a couple students' blog entries, which, after viewing them and commenting on them, I learned were not actually my Comments4Kids assignments for this week (there was a new column on the assignment page I didn't see).

The first was dsfa14's post about a science fiction story titled, Ender's Game. The student did a great job sharing certain details of the story, including that monitors were placed on all the young children's heads for others could watch and understand everything the child does. Yikes.

The second was a post titled, Hugo's Yesterday, at Moturoa's blog. In a previous post, Hugo posted a picture of his grandfather's watchmaking and jewelry store. What a neat piece of history he chose to share. In the latest post is a picture of his great, great grandfather's clock face that his grandfather is going to make into a working clock.

Kindergartners Not Novices

Wow. The teacher of the Kindergarten class who produced the Brazil podcast on this page must be proud. I got to learn a little about Brazil and a lot about kids' abilities. I've got a smart 4-year-old son. Earlier today, I let him Skype-call a friend of mine in California. He gets so excited (and unnecessarily silly) when he can see his picture and hear another's voice on the computer. If he can enjoy that, he'd love being involved in podcasting like the kindergartners featured on the Langwitches Blog.

The kids start off with a "Really, believe us. We're kindergartners," then proceed with all the details of their study of Brazil. The podcast was interesting because segments were short, speakers changed and content was simply introduced so that the listeners could easily follow along. I also liked the Latin filler beats placed between the segments. This podcast was much better than others I've heard that were produced by people with bigger budgets and more professional perspectives. They may be kindergartners, but they're certainly not novices!

In addition to the interesting podcast, I also found on the Langwitches site tips on producing a podcast. This is a checklist, of sorts, that would be great for someone just starting out in podcasting.

Tech Literate Teacher Vidcast

In a previous post, I commented on a podcast about podcasting and vidcasting. The presenter suggested that vidcasting is not a natural next-step to podcasting. He gave several reasons, but I recall him pointing out the versitility of podcasting--that it can be listened to anywhere, especially in a car. By the fact that someone does vidcast, he or she believes video enhances the material being presented--something would be missing without it. The presenter also said there is a lot more pressure in vidcasting than in podcasting. In addition to being concerned about the way one sounds, special emphasis must be placed on the way one looks, and how one's surroundings appear.

Okay, I'm through with my preface. Now I'd like to comment on the vidcast (Tech Literate Teacher) published to the web by a former EDM310 class. What would I do to improve this vidcast? The subject matter, of course, interested me. But, what could have been done to make it better? Again, the fact that it is a vidcast suggests that it should be appealing to my eyes, not just appealing my ears.

Possibly, the presentation could have used more graphics (like at the beginning). I like the beginning; the plain way in which the words were shown, along with the piano music playing in the background, reminded me of the introduction to the TV sitcom, Frasier. In fact, like Frasier's format, I believe breaking the presentation down into segments would help it. For example, between discussion topics, consider using a transitional screen that displays the next topic to be discussed, and don't forget to play the piano music in the background with it!

There were times when it seemed the speakers could have been less-obviously-reliant on notes (flipping through them, etc.). Note cards might have improved the appearance, instead of letter-sized pages. As a viewer, I would have been more interested in the content if the speakers would have addressed both Dr. Strange and the audience to intermittently acknowledge they were being watched. The camera angle was decent, but I wonder if elevating it some would have been better (showing on the screen less table and more people).

Again, I'm no expert and am, in assignments like this, experiencing first-hand the important lesson of this class: ALWAYS BE LEARNING. That, I am. Thanks, Dr. Strange.

First Comments for Comments4Kids

The class began the Comments4Kids project today. Our assignment is to comment on blog posts of K-12 students around the world. I was given three blog posts to review: (1) kpfa14 insightfully posted on a reading of the first chapter of The Lord of the Flies; (2) Diamond's post was a fantastic creative story about a curious stroll to the end of a road that led to a magic pond; (3) Moturoa posted a video of her students, each individually embedded into historical scenes through the use of a bluescreen. Each of the posts came from different blog sites representing Virginia, Australia and New Zealand.

Approaches to Podcasts

Have you ever podcasted or at least followed or listened to a podcast? Before this assignment, I could have counted on one hand the number of podcasts I'd ever heard. I reviewed several podcasts to prepare for this post and hope you find my findings useful. Each of them was centered on education; some discussed technology in the classroom, while others specialized in English and/or literature. In no special order, here are those to which I listened: Smartboard Lessons (Lesson 129: Gaming); KidCast (video podcasting); Teacher Created Materials (Episode 1: Fluency); Class Acts: Ideas for Teaching Reading and Writing (#3, Teaching Vocabulary in Middle and High School); EdTechTalk (Conversations #45); and English Teacher John Show (#66: Advertising and Marketing). All are available for free on iTunes.

Just like radio programs, podcasts differ in many ways, from style and content to organization and effectiveness. Just from the above podcasts I heard, I easily recognized those which were done professionally and those that were amateurish (or at least those which sounded so). English Teacher John claims to have a low-tech studio, but he still makes use of humor, music (which somehow also sounded unprofessional, but interesting) and introduces his material well enough to keep the audience's attention. Occasional sound effects (like a gong) also spruced up the show as he segwayed to another part of the program. Another program, EdTechTalk sounds more like it should be professionally done, but its intro music is loud and the speaker is difficult to hear over the music. I wasn't very interested at that point. To provide further agony before the show really begins, they seemed careless about the material to be presented--very disorganized.

SmartBoard Lessons was by far the best quality program I heard. It has a great introduction, good use of music, and very useful material. I thought KidCast also was great, though its usefulness was primarily in its thoughtful content. The speaker made some really good points about how that vodcasting is not necessarily the next step, developmentally, to podcasting. He said each serves its respective purpose. He also said that podcasting is terrific for people because it, unlike vodcasting, does not require perfected technical and presentational skills. Audio is easier to edit and the voice (over one's total appearance) is better at keeping someone's attention (over distracting someone's attention to something else).

Format also differs podcast to podcast. Is it better to just speak into a microphone and share information, without accompanying music, sounds or people? Or is it better to interview? Should someone introduce the speaker? Or should he or she introduce self? All of these have advantages and disadvantages. The Teacher Created Materials podcast had interesting material, but very little introduction. In this instance, it would enhance the podcast to better introduce who the speaker is and about what he is speaking. However, this podcast was audio of the speaker speaking to a large audience that occasionally applauded, a feature that supports the reputation of the speaker and the quality of speech he presents.

Many podcasts--all with the same general theme--yet all are very different. So, I didn't know much about podcasting. I became frustrated, figuring out how to download them, but I acclamated quickly, and now I'm ready to listen to more. Even more surprising, I'm increasingly excited about producing my own podcast. I just hope others aren't as critical of mine as I have been of others'!

Video in the Classroom

I found Matthew Needleman's Video in the Classroom Introduction quite intriguing and, by the end, downright humorous. We all know the younger generations surround themselves with computer technology and that they're getting away from reading and writing as much as previous generations, but Needleman's findings were that many students would not engage in writing unless their curiosity was technologically provoked. It's great people like Needleman are discovering such truths for those of us who will soon be entering education.

Let's Call Blog Roll

The only roll most old school teachers would have ever thought of calling was the class roll, but now many have turned to the blog roll. According to one video, Vicki Davis, a teacher in rural South Georgia, has been a leader in technological interaction in the educational environment. A few years ago, the creative ideas linked to her computer savvy would have typically only been from those who specialized in computer technology. At first glance, Davis is just a typical teacher and her class just typical teens.

The speed of communication today is remarkable. People in Small Town, America are capable of connecting with others throughout the world for the sake of web classrooms, virtual discussions and research. Davis' example proves that through dedication to teaching, loving learning and caring for students, typical teachers can do some previously unseen things, assisting students in broadening the scope and level of their education by training them in the various methods technology makes available to us.

Schools Kill Creativity

I just watched an interesting talk presented by Ken Robinson. His premise is that schools kill creativity. According to Robinson, creativity is "the process of having original ideas that have value." By giving various humorous, yet provocative, examples, he illustrates the overbearing, restrictive nature of the public school system as channeling young people to think a certain way and to direct their lives in a certain direction. Not only is creativity lost, but so is uniqueness and individualization, as proven by the massive shift from most employers once esteeming a bachelors to now hiring with limitation only those with a masters.

Robinson made an analogy between stripmining and education. With all the work put into it, its purpose is to only search for certain commodities. Teachers look for certain traits and instill certain knowledge with the intent to eventually send the students into the real world marketplace. Creativity is not necessarily directed, and it is certainly not restricted. It is, arguably, not something that can taught at all. It comes naturally, from one's inclination toward useful ideas and innovation, but a great deal of freedom has to be provided for this to occur.

I must admit, I had not put much thought into this allegation until this video. Robinson builds a good case. Teachers, take notice.

Unbelievable Progress?

I just watched two videos: (1) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpEnFwiqdx8 and (2) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lm1sCsl2MQY. Both were about the twitter-paced technological advancements made over the last few decades to beyond the last century. They were both interesting and, for the most part, their statistics and the implications thereof indubitable, yet a certain uneasiness rests in me as to whether all this progress is really progress at all.

The first video, titled, "Did You Know," gives scores of statistics which the viewer is left to assume have been traced to truth. Regardless, the startling information gets one's attention. It's hard to believe India's honors kids number more than the total of America's kids. It's difficult to think the jobs with the highest demand did not even exist in 2004. It's also strange to think half of what a tech school student learns in his or her first year will be outdated by the third. Several statistics seemed random and disconnected. The last frame of the video asks the questions, "So what does this all mean?" That's what I thought, too. It suggests America is not only being outgrown numerically, but also educationally. Yet, Google, Facebook and iPod, all hailed by the video, were created by Americans. So, while I do agree with the premise that America is digressing intellectually, it might not be as bad as some describe it. On a similar note, criticizing America in one area and exalting another country in the same does not prove that that country is overall better than the United States.

There is nothing inherently good or bad with technological progress. I like it. I've got a computer and a cell phone. If I could afford more tech gadgets, I would probably buy more. But, if we've made it so far beyond Shakespeare as to have five times more English words today, then why do most young people struggle to read his? Computers are great, no doubt. Will we have a computer in 2013 that has the intellectual equality of a human brain? Will there be a computer in 2049 that will exceed the computational abilities of the human species? I don't know. Here's one thing, though--no matter how great computers become, they will always be inferior to the humans who create them.

Video 2. This video, "Mr. Winkle Wakes," pokes a little fun at the idea of progress. Our great-grandparents and great-great grandparents, if they returned today, would be shocked. It's funny to think that almost everywhere Mr. Winkle went, he was intimidated and uncomfortable. Yet, in his day, like our late relatives in theirs, he was smart and confident. But, don't worry Mr. Winkle, most people today don't know how TV or radio or internet works. They just know it does.

Of both videos, I appreciate the message of the second the most. Our young people need to be taught technology; however, we cannot stop teaching them much of the same standard curriculum that has been taught without tecnological assistance (computer or calculator) through the years. Mr. Winkle was happy to be at school, where things hadn't changed too much over time. Thankfully, this progress has not yet gotten us away from things not worth changing.

About Me

So, who am I? I'm a 27-year-old sophomore Secondary Education/English major. I'm originally from Tipton, Indiana, located in a rural county just north of Indianapolis. I've been married for five years to Amy, and I have two sons, Evan (4) and Lucas (1). I work as a preacher for the Bellingrath Road Church of Christ. I like sports, especially basketball (I even referee), football and running. I also do a little web-design. I'm at USA, first, to enhance my current career, and secondly, to enable me to teach high school English. Now, hopefully, you know me a little more than before.