PLN Summary Post

As i have begun using my PLN, I have learned a lot. In using this program I have been able to organize all of my favorite sites in one location. I am saving myself from carpel tunnel for I do not have to do so much Google search for I have collaborated my wedding planning sites, my Facebook, my pictures, my twitter is always on hand, and quick ease of not having to log on to my g mail every time I need to just check in. I also can keep a good eye on the weather which is always dependent on what my weekend plans will be, thus I can move from the weather to my personal checklist of spare time (which became a counter idea for me after using the Google checklist for this class) I feel this approach is more beneficial than having to keep track of events on a paper calendar. Not to mention I have added many useful education sites for constant tracking of up to date events and newbies on the what is current and useful in the classroom. I being a TV nerd have also added a short cut to top rated shows on youtbe and a movie review site. I feel that having everything right here where you need it is a good thing, but in telling my father about this new site he was suspicious because he felt all this is just a free data mining for some unknown person to be able to collect information every time I click my mouse..hmm ANY comments??

Blog Post 6

The Networked Student: Wendy Drexler
In watching this very creative video, I found the information we have been tinkering with through EDM is purposeful. We are the Educators who must navigate our students minds through the use of technology, thus our students can exceed our learned knowledge for their own success. As this video stated there are various ways that technology is being used in this day and age and not knowing what it entails is the important thing, what is important is DO WE KNOW HOW TO USE IT? CAN WE TEACH IT TO OTHERS? IS TECHNOLOGY BENEFICIAL TO OUR LIVES AS EDUCATORS? Yes to above!
With technology we can organize our tiny little lives on a mass data base that will spread globally to the rest of educators and to future learners. We will build our techniques to better fit what the human mind is capable of and with our students as our vessels will continue the age of growth to create even better ways to beat out the old traditions of paper and pencil. By people learning how to interpret the technology whether it be through the endless opportunities of Google or by communicating a sure genius idea over their wiki page, things will change. Some people find themselves opposed to the idea that technology is the new leader, but I feel this is only because they are uninformed of the vast possibilities available.
Do the social networked students still require a instructor- Why of course they do. Children do not motivate themselves to learn usually this occurs in the right environment with the correct amount of motivation the children receive. The ambitious are few and the smart are close, but without the right person in front of them showing them that Education is not solely based off books and pencils and a stinky classroom, the more willing they are to allow education in. I feel in order to be a success with our students we have represent an imagery that can reflect to our students of why progression is so important and that progression is relying more so on technology usage.



A 7th Graders PLE:
Wow, well this is a new proposed idea for me. I have not heard of these PLNS you speak of before watching this video. They do look very elaborate so that frightens me a small bit. I though overall what this student had going on what very savvy to the technology age and I want to be there as well, because like they said in their presentation, You sometimes can get a sense of being overwhelmed on the internet because of the unlimited access you have to anything at any time!


Smart Boards are they beneficial or a money sucking disaster?
I personally feel that after reading up on the smart board that they are a useful tool for the classroom if and only you know how to use them correctly, otherwise they can become a pain in the behind! They offer many great uses and yes one said that they can do the same thing just as a screen shot etc, but a screen shot is a single action movement where as a smart board can do multiple things at once! I guess it all comes down to who you ask and what day you ask them! Given the price of these smart boards is considered outside of the budget most schools have, the only question I leave with you is aren't these smart boards all in a matter of how you navigate through one? Technology in general can be a hassle if the user is not correctly informed on how to use it....
Here is a link that I think will be interesting to those wanting to see some positive attributes of the smart board at its best
Click here
As well as a video for ease of use!

Timetoast Timeline 9a

View Timeline here!

Project Podcast

This is a podcast from Group 3 of the EDM 310 class of Spring 2011. View the Podcast here

C4K 1-3

In doing my comments for kids, #1 I was assigned to Mrs Crozets 4th grade class, and more specifically assigned to Jessica W's blog. I read through a couple of them and found that Jessica really enjoys animals and that I found a similarity between the two of us as different as we are, there still was one thing we found in common. I have not yet had a response to my comments or a visit from her onto my class blog--still waiting. For when I do I will have the proper information to re-inform you of this student.

#2: For my second comment for kids I was assigned to a far from here place NEW YORK STATE, more specifically to Terryville Elementary to the 5th grade class of Mr. St Pierre. There I found many creative things that the class had done and it was quite obvious that this teacher had a growing interest with technology and using this beneficially in his class. His students are up to date on their blogging skills and Briana, has a creative niche for poetry if I do say so myself. I was entertained by her unique poetry and the formality they had. I have not yet heard back from her yet, but am still waiting.


#3 For my third comment for kids, I was assigned to Lukis of the PT England School in Auckland New Zealand. Lukis is in room 15 and Mr. Marks is his teacher. The most recent blog post he published was about his trip to the fun festival where it was obvious he had a wonderful time riding all the rides and eating up all the food, the only negative thing he had to say about his experience were the ridiculous lines! After reading some of the schools page I learned that the PT England school is working on a new program "Pt England Primary School in Auckland, New Zealand, has an enthusiastic group of students producing a weekly podcast they call KPE - Korero Pt England.
The producers of this podcast are aged from 9 -11 years. They are working with their teachers on a project promoting reading in their classrooms. They are reading lots of books written by New Zealand authors. Their podcasts are an opportunity to let people know about these books and about life in New Zealand." This sounds like some of things we have read up on what teachers within the elementary level are doing with their students as well, obviously it is a growing trend. I am very excited to read up with this class and cant wait for a response from Lukis!

Project 3 C4T #2

COMMENT FOR TEACHER #2
The second blog I visited for my C4T was Mr.Robinson who is a Physical Education Teacher. In his most recent post I watched a video on how to video tag. Very neat demostration. I felt that using this method with a PE class would be very beneficial in ways that students and visually understand methods of exersise,streching, weight lifting, running techniques etc. that can sometimes be hard to explain to your students through verbalization. I also commented to him that in using this method it would be fun for the kids to be able to record themselves and go back and look at how they can do better! I enjoyed this blog very much so! He seems to have a good grasp on innovations of technology into the classroom!

Blog post #5

Podcasting for assignments with students obviously shows positive learning experiences as well as cool way to present the students learned success in the classrooms. Teachers are becoming more interactive with their students by captureing the attention of them through technology..who would have thought! I feel that viewing the different blogs listed in our instruction manual to learn of how podcasting is useful in the classroom, was a learning experience. For in our class we have learned how to podcast, but seeing it used for educational matter sets a realistic example for us to refer to. This will help as a references for once we do enter our own classroom to better our brainstorming with how to keep our students interested. I am learning that podcasts, blogs, and video presentations are the way to go, its new innovative and the students seem to respond with passion and a deeper understanding of what subject material is being presented, thus no longer will it be suitable in a classroom enviornment for the teacher to propose knowlegde input output methods--can it be true EDUCATION vs SCHOOLING-- education is finding its way back into our teachers methods!!
Here is a cute video presentation on Edgar Allen Poe's The Tale Tell Heart--This I found on Langwitches Blog!

Porch Lies St. Elmo Movie Trailer

Project #6

Blog Post #4

Scott Mcleod: He is a an associate Professor with his PHD in the Educational Administration Program at the University of Iowa State University, as well as the Director of UCEA Center for Advanced Study of Technology Leadership in Education, the Co-director of the video DID YOU KNOW and has received multiple awards for his accomplishments. I feel that in Scott's video he made very good points, but one thing that stood out to me as to why this would be a hard task to accomplish with students, is that we are in the technology age! How do you stop the inevitable? I want to protect my children one day, but learning in school that I must consider the use of technology in my classroom with my students so would I not give my children at home the same benefit? Overall great blog post!

ISCHOOL:
In watching this video I became very interested in this kids idea of the intergration onto the ischool system. It would be very useful for the funding of schools seeing as how it is already lacking. The teachers I think would also find that their capabilities through the ischool system would be very helpful in their organization, resources, class materials as well as a communication base for teacher to parent conversation and teacher to student communication and portrayal of information and needed documents. If we want to integrate technology into the school system I feel this is the way to do it. It would be sucessful, parents would be happy, teachers would loose the weight caused by paperwork off of their shoulders and all at the same time children would be learning how to use technology for the good.
The usefulness of the ischool system is flawless. I feel that with all of the provisons we have been working towards moving green...this is the solution "or at least a start" if the ischool can really become apparent in schools then it must be compatiable with other businesses and much much more! This was a wonderful presentation of information and what a brillant proposal it was!

LOST GENERATION:
This video was a very creative, informative peice. The creator really put effort into making this video, with the reveresal was a new meaning of the entire peice. Genius!! I thought that what she was portraying in this video is that things are stated to be destined for our generations to encounter, but with the right guidance and motivations things are only as we see them to be. She talks of family, divorce rates, poor employer to employee relationship and work ethics. Things that are big parts of each humans life. Each one holds a different postion of how strongly we feel of this and thats.
We all want to be different, but in trying to be different we find that most of us are actually all the same. We are taught virute and morale according to what those before us feel important, and only sparingly do we as individuals get the oppertunities to make a change and it be apparent. I feel what she had to say in this video some of us at one point of another have thought ourselves. What can change and what will change end up on different spectrums of our time constraints. I myself felt this video spoke to me! Great choice!

VIRTUAL CHOIR:
This was breath taking! I enjoy singing in my car, in the shower, in my head, recording myself etc.! If only I could have been invovled in such a beautiful composition! There were so many people from all over the world doing what they love under the control of Eric Whitacre all on video chat! Now this is good use of technology! The skies are the limit!! THUMBS UP and once again thanks Jennifer for finding this!!


Teaching in the 21st Century:
well.. it seems to me that we have a world of reform heading towards the old school systems. All the talk of how to engage your students interests into their school work, well this is a big start. Any child who can learn something such as the use of technology for school work I feel would find it fasinating. The use of technology has no limits and it is definatley a continuation of learning both for the student and the teacher. My research and analysis has already begun, for when I started into this class, I was far behind in current findings of technology. I think this video as well as the other video's we have watched reccently will show us the way to sucessful EDUCATION vs. SCHOOLING. This is a major topic we have been discussing in my EDF 315 class and schooling is what bores a child to sleep and unmotivational thinking. If we can stay up to date on what is current and incorporate that into our EDUCATING I think we will find that it is something that will spark students attentions and efforts! Very good video!!!

Google Presentation

Blog Post 3

A vision of student's today: Michael Wesch
In viewing this video I felt as if I were there too. These students did a great demonstration of the problems that we student's face. There are a lot of problems in my schooling which make me feel like I am on the 7 year plan. Three times since I have started at South my course requirement catalog has changed. Classes that I had already PAID and PASSED are no longer accepted for my degree. And never once when these changes were made did I get a choice to modify or even be informed of these changes. Its disheartening to put so much effort into graduating only to have it postponed or delayed because some one of the university feels that this class would be better suited to me if I re-took it. Money has been sunk into my college degree mainly from PACT which allows a student to be able to graduate without student loans knocking our their doors, now having 5 semesters until I graduate PACT will only pay for one more.... My parents are tired, my brain is tired and I am ready to graduate. I wonder how and if a projected graduation date is even to consider? For when I enrolled into the Education programs I had dreams of success and the ability to do so. Now I dread a graduation knowing that I will at least have three semesters of student loans to pay off. I understand that all of these changes are good changes and probably were overdue, but the people who make and establish these changes I feel do not take into consideration a good student such as me.
ALSO...with the new changes to the program of education, I was advised to quit my job, thats fine so I quit. I now find myself dwelling as broke college student on how much money I will have to subtract out of my not so high yearly pay, to pay back for my education to be able to educate. Michael Wesch I feel took these good student's into account and published this video for hopefully these course requirement modifiers to see and understand where we student's are coming from. He did a great presentation on many current issues that are being overlooked and if not overlooked than out right ignorned. I give this video a thumbs up and I hope that by it being incorporated into our universities viewers that some one out there listens to their students!!!




It's not about technology By:Kelly Hines
In reading Mrs.Hines blog post, I became reassured about the integration of technology in the classroom. She was very informed of how to actively use technology for good. She voiced an opinion that I could not help but agree with when she said that as educators we should not just use technology to make our jobs easier to but widen the limitations we have had in resources. I explained to her that I am myself still conformiing to all the aspects of using technology to benefit me as a teacher. She discussed that teachers are not teaching if they themselves are not perpetual learners. Which i agree with because teaching requires your passion and full efforts to be sucessful. She talks of how our jobs are changing from traditon to technology but thus this change can only be beneficial to future educators if we use technology for good. Hines recommends preparing our students for the future by teaching them the usefulness of technology, therefore we as the teachers must understand it's usage as well. I thought this was great post for us to read on and I feel I have taken in a lot from her.



Karl Fisch: Is it okay to be a technologically illiterate teacher?
This blog post was very interesting in more ways than one. Firstly, I was impressed of the manor in which he decided to write about his sucess. Not boastful, more concerned on how and why he would have been chosen for a best blogger award. I too was a little confused until I went on to read a few other posts he had made and then it became apparent. I enjoyed this post because I at first glance thought I myself could be a technologically illiterate teacher....wrong!!! But like the life long moto says "never judge a book by it's cover" Technology is like a book I had previously glanced into but never taken the time to read into. Once I read into it I became attached in wanting to know how it ended. But what is even better about technology in comparison to a book is that it has no end, it is a continuation of learning and discovering how to use it to aid to your wants and needs. Karl's blog will be one to continue to visit for he has such a crafty way of stateing his opinons!! I give this a thumbs up!!




Gary Hayes' Social Media Counts:
This was very informative. Seeing how much of an impact that technology has made and continues to make in just the few minutes I was viewing the counter. Social networks are in works of becoming a professional aspect,when they were first beginning it was only considered appropriate to be used a fun communication method. Now schools are including many of these technologies to make the classroom communication more wide-spanned. I am enjoying the new innovations of technology being used in the classroom and getting to view other teachers and students around the world~!