My EDM310 Blog Assignments are now Complete!!! WOO HOO!!

Hey Class,
I have had a lot of fun with you guys in here this semester. I agree with Dr. Strange that we are definitely the most entertaining bunch! I hope you all have a great summer and now that this is sounding like a cheezy yearbook signature in 9th grade, I'm gonna get going! Thanks for a great semester!

Angela

What I've Learned

Wow, I can't believe this class is over! I came in here thinking I knew enough about computers to make it, but I learned so much!
1. I learned a lot about spreadsheets. They were completely new for me, and I'm glad I have that knowledge now.
2. I was very excited to learn how to create my own website. I had a lot of fun with that.
3. I even learned a few new things like symbols, and superscripts in Word that I was unsure about before.
4. I was made aware of all of the free programs offered by Google that I will most likely use again outside of this class.

Thanks Dr. Strange

Wikipedia

I have always been a little skeptical about the information on Wikipedia, and after reading these articles, I will be very hesitant about trusting it again. I realize the concept of Wikipedia is for it to be collaborative, and compiled of different sources, but I think there needs to be a screening process when people edit the information on it. I don't think Wikipedia should ever be used as the only source for anything important. It can only be trusted if it is compared with numerous other legitimate sources.
I think that, like most of the internet, Wikipedia has a lot of good information. However, I think people should be especially careful when using information from this site. Research should always have more than one source anyway, so using Wikipedia isn't all bad, if it is done along with other sources that could be considered more legitimate.

Mind Sets

I just finished watching the Standford podcast on "fixed" and "growth" mind sets. The experiment was to determine whether or not children that were taught growth mind sets did better in school. One group of students were taught only study skills throughout 8 sessions and they remained in the fixed mind set. They believed that their intelligence was badsed on inherited traits. They were very discouraged even in the activities they took part in, and they often were very concerned about failure. After the 8 weeks, that group showed no changes in their grades. Along with study skills, the other group were taught to have a growth mind set. They were taught about how the brain grows with hard work and passion. They were also taught how to accept their mistakes in order to learn from them and grow in knowledge. This group learned how to apply these skills to their school work and get better grades. At the end of the experiment, the teachers could pick out which students were in which program based on their work and having now prior knowledge of group members.

I could really use the findings of this experiment in my classroom to encourage my students to work hard and learn. They have to realize that education takes some work, and if they all put some effort into it, they all have the same opportunity to grow. I was quite intrigued by this experiment and the discoveries that were made. I plan to teach my students to all have a growth mind set and that if they want to, they can learn just about anything!

iTunes Podcasts!

Alright, I just got finished exploring the wonderful world of iTunes University and I just have to say that it might be one of the coolest things I have ever seen. I am just fascinated at how someone has turned what was originally meant to only provide hours and hours of pointless, brain draining entertainment into something educational. I watched the video about booming sands. I found it completely thrilling. All of these videos would be excellent supplements to lessons in the classroom. I know that I am a visual learner, and having something to watch and actually demonstrate what goes on in science helps me understand the concept so much better than some boring teacher lecturing straight out of the book.
I really think these podcasts are an excellent tool to use in the classroom. You can find a lot of really cool ones on pretty much every subject that is taught. Using technology in this way also makes the students pay attention more because they think it's really cool! We are fortunate in many ways to be teaching in a world with so many advances that make our jobs more thrilling! I just hope I can keep up!

iTunes University

I just spent a little bit of time learning about iTunes University. Personally, I think the idea is genius! Using technology that students are familiar with is a great way to get them motivated to learn. It also makes it more convenient for students to continue learning outside of structured class time. I, for one, absolutely hate textbooks and outside of class assignments. However, if my assignments and class lectures were available to me on my iPod, i would be much more willing to participate in learning outside of class. If this system catches on at universities around the country, I think it will see great success.

Free iPods Anyone?

So I just read an article explaining Duke University's new plan to give all of their incoming Freshmen a free iPod. At first it sounds like a ridiculous gimic to somehow persuade students to go there. However, their motives and plans to use the iPods are quite interesting. Duke plans to give all 1,650 incoming Freshmen an iPod downloaded with event calendars, orientation information and even school related music. They are doing an experiment this year to see if it is worth it to bring iPods to an academic use instead of just another thing to use for personal entertainment.
Many of the classes are going to be enhanced with things the students can download onto their iPods to help them with the class. They can record class lectures to be able to play them back for study. For foreign language classes they can access recorded versions of the novels they have to read so they can hear the novels in the proper way. The problem, of course, comes in with students who might not know how to use such technology. I predict that Duke might find there are some students that are not as familiar with computers and such. There is also the problems to be faced with lost, stolen, or misfunctioning devices. There is a lot to work out, but I think it is an amazing theory using iPods in such academic ways, and I am interested in finding out more about how the experiment goes. Below is the link to the article i found on the subject. Check it out to find out more about iPods in the classroom....



Duke's Experiment with iPods

November 2007 Post: Is it an English as a Second Language World?

I read the post on The Fischbowl blog that got an honorable mention in November 2007. I found if very fascinating. It was about how people in the world who speak English as their second language out number people who are native English speakers 3 to 1. That is a vast majority! It talks about how all over the world people who are communicating are doing it in English which is not their native language. It also comments on how many business meetings are conducted in English and people get relieved when there are no native speakers present! That thought especially struck me as fascinating. The fact that so many other people are using our language and changing it so much concerns me a little. When will the changing of our language start to actually affect those who speak it natively?
Some of the comments on this post interested me too. She agreed that even as a native English speaker her language had altered to fit the form of English spoken in other countries. They used English as a working language but it was an altered form of English that she had to adapt to to understand! I thought that was very interesting.
I guess when you think about it, this really is an English as a Second Language World!

No It's Not Ok for Teachers to be Technologically Illiterate...

Ok so I just finsished reading the blog about technologically illiterate teachers and I just have to say that I agree with about 97% of it. I think his manner in delivering his thoughts might have been a little bit rude and inappropriate but I think his thoughts were absolutelty correct. I guess somebody has to be the one to say it and this guy did! I think that it should be required for all teachers to be at least somewhat educated in various technological areas. Whether we like it or not this is a technology based economy and we have to adapt. The purpose of educating students is to prepare them to be mature, responsible citizens of the world we live in and that just will not happen if they are not familiar with all of the technology that is in it!
So to reflect on the need for teachers to be technonlogically educated, I agree with this blog. I think if a teacher is having trouble they should not be ashamed to educate themselves. They should not be proud of what they don't know, they should aim to always keep learning. I am for sure not the most computer knowledgeable person but as a teacher, I will strive to always learn new things that will benefit my students in my classroom as well as in their everyday lives.

My Presentation!!

United States Class Blogs

I found a class of 6th graders in Georgia using blogs in their English class. The teacher's name is Ms. Osteen. Ms. Osteen has her class use blogs to review books they have read in class and write their own stories and journals. She leaves comments on their blog posts to encourage them to use their blog. I really enjoyed reading some of the posts made by her 6th graders. She also uses her blog to post homework assignments and links to other teacher's blogs at the same school. Below is a link to Ms. Osteen's Class blog:

Ms. Osteen's Class Blog


Another class blog I found in the United States was in Long Island, New York. Mr. Dugger's 4th graders use their blogs for communication and exploration of the subjects they are studying in school. He has his students use the science lessons he teaches in class and post blogs about where they see that lesson being used in the real world. The blogs about electricity are very interesting to read. He also has class notes and places the students can go to find other resources to further their knowledge. Below is a link to Mr. Dugger's Class Blog:
Mr. Dugger's Class Blog

Classrooms Using Blogs Internationally

I found a first grade class taught by Ms. Cassidy in Moose Jaw, Canada using blogs in their classrooms. Ms. Cassidy is teaching her students how to read and write and reinforcing that knowledge through blog posts. One child named Jasmine posted a blog about visiting her grandmother. Ms. Cassidy also uses the blogs to have "Getting to Know You" sessions. She lets the children chat through "Yak Packs" with other children around the world. Using these blogs, these six year olds can get education from all over the world, and show how much they can do to millions of people. Below is a link to Ms. Cassidy's class blog.

Ms. Cassidy's Class Blog


I also found a class blog of 2nd and 3rd graders in New Zealand! Mr. Nelson's room 9 class blog features writing blogs, photo blogs, and reflection blogs as well as artwork done by the students. These students blogs are a little more developed than Ms. Cassidy's because they are older and more capable of using the computers. I think having the children post blogs daily on a number of subjects is a great way to help them become technologically literate as well as spark interests in many other fields. Below is a link to Mr. Nelson's Room 9 Class blog:

Mr. Nelson's Class Blog

Access

The ACCESS program being started in Alabama is a wonderful way for high school students to receive education in areas that they would not have had the opportunity to learn in previously. Governor Bob Riley saw this plan as a great way for students to get high quality education that is not currently available in Alabama high schools. The ACCESS program works both through approved internet courses and certified E-teachers online who provide instruction teachers in the schools cannot.

The biggest advantage of this program in my opinion is the fact that it gives all school participating in it the opportunity for it's students to receive college credit through dual courses. I was lucky to attend a high school that offered such courses with I took advantage of to put me an entire semester ahead in college before I even graduated. Giving this opportunity to students who do not attend schools with teacher qualified to teach dual classes is a wonderful thing.

Overall, I hope this program has great success and I will support it in anyway I can. I look forward to being a part of such a wonderful program, and I hope it can be used in my classroom one day.

John Strange Web Site

Using ALEX in my classroom!

As I said before, I am very glad to have access to this website. The standards of the new Alabama Course of Study are now so specific that I sometimes find them hard to follow. ALEX makes it very clear what the standards mean and for what subjects they are meant for. Using ALEX in my classroom when I begin to teach will help me stay on track with what I am responsible for teaching my class.
Lesson planning is very important for teachers. Being required to teach all of the courses of study outlined in the ALCOS can be confusing and difficult. Having example lesson plans for each standard will help me greatly in making sure I am teaching material that is appropriate for my grade level and standard. I am grateful for the creation of this website and I feel quite certain that I will use it often when I begin to teach.

My thoughts on ALEX

Alabama Learning Exchange (ALEX) is a website that gives people access to the different standards of the new Alabama Course of Study. In my opinion it is a very useful website because it breaks the standards down by course of study. Not only is it broken down by course of study, but it is also broken down by grade level. This saves time for someone who is looking for a specific standard for a certain grade because you get to choose what you are looking for.
Also provided on this website are links to other helpful resource websites dealing with the Alabama Course of Study. Having all of these websites located in one place is a very good thing for teachers who do not have a lot of time to search the entire internet for what they are looking for. Lesson plans are a big part of teaching. ALEX provides example lesson plans for each course of study and each grade level. This is very helpful for teachers who might not know exactly what each standard is meant to teach the classroom. Overall, ALEX is a very helpful tool for teachers and I am very glad it is available for use.

Random Blog Post

so, this is my random blog for the day! I am looking forward to taking a nap in about 2 hours, other than that, I have nothing to say for today!!! Thanks for visiting!

The Fisch Bowl

After watching this presentation I was quite concerned about the growing technology in the world today, and my own ability to participate in it. The world has changed so much in just 10 years and I, for one, can't even imagine where it will be 10 more years from now! I fear that I will not be able to keep up with the advances technology is making in all aspects of life today.
The fact that over 60,000,000 people used Myspace in 2006 is quite disturbing to me even though I am one of those 60,000,000 people. What happened to playing outside and doing things that do not require a remote control with a million buttons and an instruction manual. Technology is taking over the world and it is quite scary to think of what it might accomplish in years to come. I think technological advances have set the world at a faster pace and made it very hard for some people to even keep up. The children of this generation better be very well prepared for a world of computer generated information that will change faster than their brain can even process it.
I realize that I sound old fashioned but excuse me for being a little freaked out that a man-made machine will soon surpass the capabilities of that same man's own brain. Don't get me wrong, I am thankful for the knowledge of these machines and some of the things they have made possible, but I think without proper supervisions growing technology could potentially cause enormous trouble.

My very first blog post!

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