My EDM 310 Blog Assignments are Now Complete

Good luck to everyone! It was a pleasure getting to know a little bit about everyone in the class!

EDM 310

We covered a lot in this class, and I learned a lot!

Blog--I really like the idea of using a blog when I teach. I had never blogged before, but I have come to really like it.

Presentation--I think that once I start teaching this could help my students get to know each other. I never knew that Google even had this program, and it was easy to use.

Google Docs--This FREE tool is very easy to use and neat. You are a little limited to what you can do with it, but it's free! I really like this.

Spreadsheets--I knew a little bit about spreadsheets because my dad uses them for his computer business, but I have never created one of my own for anything. I didn't realize how much you can do with them.

Picasa--I have used this before this class, and I really like it. It's fun to be creative with pictures to make them look better.

Podcast--The podcasts really made me think about the topics that everyone discussed. I learned a lot from everyone in their podcast.

Twitter--I really don't like Twitter mostly because I don't see how it can be useful to me.

Other Teachers/Students--It's good to know that there are so many helpful people out there that can give really good advice and provide great resources for teachers.

iTunes--I have used iTunes many times, but I had no idea how much was on there related to education. It's very cool and useful.

Professional--I am glad that we had to make a professional blog because I plan on using it when I'm ready to find a job.

Google Forms/Data Bases--These are both neat tools that I really feel like I can use as a teacher. The data base is an easy way to collect data like contact information for each student.

Google Earth--I knew about this and have played around with it before. I think it's a cool program.

Delicious--I really don't know much about this because I think I was absent for it, but I searched it on Google. I saw how it was showing the most popular bookmarks for websites I'm guessing...Seems somewhat useful...

ACCESS/ALEX--Both were very good resources that I know I will use when I teach. I would have never known about them had it not been for this class.

Foliotek--I have never used this before. It appears to be a modern way of keeping up with classwork. It looks hard to me since I have never used it, but I am sure it is easy for those that are familiar with it.



I have really learned a lot of valuable information in this class--the blogging idea is my favorite. I also enjoyed learning about everything Google has to offer because I had no idea. The iGoogle page is something I love, too.

I feel as though there are things I learned about that I will never use, but I am glad that I know about them. It's amazing how many resources there are out there if you just look!

Possibilites for Interaction

I went back and looked at the syllabus and realized I didn't follow directions with this assignment...I talked to a teacher in Virginia who actually used to babysit me when I was really little. She called to talk to my mom one day, but she wasn't home so I talked to her for 20 minutes and asked how she was using technology in her classroom. She listed the typical things teachers use: computers, laptops, and projectors. She mentioned how she uses the projector to show certain websites to her students because it seems to help them understand what she's talking about with certain subject material. She also said they have laptops for the students to use which has proven to be helpful especially when they're researching information. She said she was thinking about a class website, but she hasn't made one yet.

Twitter

To be completely honest, I didn't really do much to learn about Twitter. I have had an opinion on it since I was first introduced to it, and I've stuck with that opinion. It is hard for me to visualize how I can use this once I start teaching. I think it is too time consuming. I feel as though I just can't keep up with all of the tweets, especially with school and work. It's overwhelming how many tweets can been posted in just an hour, and if you aren't online, you miss so much.

I really haven't taken the time to get involved in twittering. I think I only tweeted twice. I am following quite a few people, and I read some of their tweets when I log on, but I still find it hard to keep up with everyone. I even added a Twitter gadget to my iGoogle page. I can never think of anything to tweet about or even who to direct the tweet to.

Twitter is also a little confusing to me with all of the different commands and ways to talk to a specific person or group publicly or privately. I know that I shouldn't have a negative attitude about something I really haven't even tried, but I just don't see how it can be useful to me. Who knows--maybe one day I'll be twittering...

Podcast Improvements

The podcasts we did in class were all great, but each and every one of them could be improved in some way or another. After listening to a few, including mine, I noticed a few things that could have been better and made the podcasts better than they already are.

The main thing that I think every group should have done was plan ahead and be more prepared. It is easy to see which groups practiced and which groups did not practice. Each member of the group should research the subject being discussed and really think about things to say.

I also think the groups should make sure they are speaking loud enough, clear enough, and just enough in general. Some podcasts had the same few people talking with other members not saying much at all. The podcasts are supposed to be conversational, so everyone should be involved. The groups need to make sure they aren't reading right off of their notes.

Plusses and Minuses of Blogs in a Classroom

After reading other classmates' blogs, I can tell that they learned a few new things by blogging just like I did. Before this class, I had never blogged a day in my life. I had really always been against the idea because I never really saw a point in it. I couldn't see how blogs could really be useful in a classroom, but after this class, I see that they really could be somewhat useful.

I have thought of a few positive things about blogs being used in the classroom. I think they are a good way for students to keep up with assignments. They may even be used for keeping in touch with the parents. It's also a way for students to learn new and interesting material. Students can also use blogs as a way to enhance writing, reading, and even computer skills.

There are also a few negative things about using blogs in the classroom, though. First of all, not all students may have a computer or have access to one. In my opinion, it would be kind of hard to use blogs in the classroom when teaching the youngest ones in elementary school: parents may not want their young child on the internet. Blogging may become a distraction for some, too.

I did, in fact, learn a lot from blogging in my EDM 310 class. I'm glad that I was introduced to blogging because it opened my eyes to new ideas when I begin teaching. I never realized how many resources there are out there for teachers.

Mindsets: Growth vs. Fixed

In this podcast found in iTunes, Carol is discussing the differences between children and adults with different mindsets. She talks about three different groups: kids in school, racing drivers, and businesses/managers. It's an interesting video that makes you think a little.

When she discusses kids in school, she mentioned how some believe that basic intelligence is a fixed trade which makes people like her who do research very concerned. She says that kids who believe that ask themselves "Will I look smart?" and they base activities on whether intelligence will be shown. Others think intelligence can be developed through studying and education. A study was done where they developed an eight-session workshop. 1/2 of the kids got study skills and a growth mindset, and the other 1/2 had just study skills. The results showed that the grades declined in the group with just study skills. Teachers could pick out the growth mindset group.

She also mentioned racing drivers. She researched to see if drivers can benefit from growth mindset. She talks about how races last for hours, and mistakes are inevitable. She says the difference with drivers who win and who lose is what they do with those mistakes. Drivers with a growth mindset are able to enter the zone and stay in the zone.

For businesses, she says flexibility of a growth mindset is essential to success. People need to admit mistakes and overcome them because they can't keep up with the changing world if they can't grow and learn. She feels that a person cannot be a good manager if he/she does not have a growth mindset. She says that some are curious to learn and some just want to feel smart.

I think it was an interesting podcast in the sense that it talks about something you wouldn't normally think about. As a teacher, it makes me realize I should try and make sure all of my students will have a growth mindset because you never really stop learning. Kids should want to learn and be interested in learning more.

Grades K-5 Video Podcast

I chose to watch a podcast from the K-5 section of WGBH podcasts. I watched a simple video explaining solar eclipses where I actually learned interesting information like how the moon is 400 times smaller than the sun, but 400 times closer which is why they look the same size from where we are. I also learned that those that are in the umbra see a total eclipse, those in the penumbra see a partial eclipse, and those outside the shadow see nothing.

This particular podcast could be very useful during a science lecture in the classroom. It seems as though kids like watching animations and get more interested as opposed to listening to a teacher ramble on about the subject. I think students would enjoy similar videos as an aid to the lecture.

Podcasts like this one can be accessed from anywhere, so it is good for the student because he or she can use it for assistance doing homework or studying for a test. It may also help the parent so that he or she can understand the material and help their child study. After watching so many podcasts throughout the semester, I have really come to like them and truly feel like I will apply them in my classroom.

Useful Podcasts

Two interesting podcasts can be found in iTunes: The Edible Schoolyard and A Night in the Global Village. The first one is about an outdoor classroom in California. The students are planting, harvesting, and eating organic food from their edible schoolyard. The garden and adjacent kitchen classroom are learning labs for social studies, math, science, and life. The teachers used everything including the water drops on the leaves to teach. It's an interesting approach to teaching kids. The other podcast is about students that are voluntarily trading their privileged status as Americans to stay in mock homes overnight that represent living conditions of other countries. It is part national geographic and part survivor. They are basically walking in someone else's shoes to open their eyes and see what's going on around the world.

After watching the two podcasts The Edible Schoolyard and A Night in the Global Village, I realized that I could find other similar podcasts to use as a resource tool for when I begin teaching. These two podcasts were very interesting because they introduce creative ways of teaching kids that will create lasting impressions. They show that you can really get your students involved if you can find unique ways of teaching them.

iTunes University

iTunes University is an interesting idea. I found a few key facts about iTunes U: it contains over 100, 000 educational audio and video files, it is the engine for the mobile learning movement, and the information provided comes from top universities and museums. By using this, you can learn from the world's leading thinkers. It is easy to find because it's part of the iTunes store. Topics are separated into categories to make it easier to find something specific that you may be looking for.

iTunes University can obviously be helpful to students and teachers. For students, using such applications are familiar to them because they are always up on the latest gadgets like iPods or other mobile electronic devices that will play stuff found on the iTunes website. Students can learn anytime, anywhere at their own pace. For teachers, it is useful because they can create customized educational materials, such as language lessons. They can also do presentations and lectures that can be downloaded for the students to have. In my opinion, the iTunes University is very useful in both positions.

http://www.apple.com/education/mobile-learning/

Using iPods in Instruction

After reading some research done about using iPods as an instructional tool in the classroom, I really like the idea. The site explains how a lot of professors are experimenting using this method and are having positive results. It also mentioned how it could be used in the K-12 classrooms as well. iPods are mobile and can hold a lot of information. Prerecorded lectures and lessons can be loaded onto it and used in class and at home.

It also mentions how students with ADD or ADHD seemed to do much better because they are not so easily distracted because all other noises are blocked out by the headphones. It says that it is good in that those who want to learn can really pay attention and do better by having all of the resources. I personally like the idea and found the article interesting.

http://www.principalspartnership.com/iPods.pdf

Dr. Christie's Site

Dr. Christie's website seems very resourceful for teachers and future teachers. It is stated on there that the site was created to share some of what she has learned being an educator herself. Just by looking at the navigational bar, you can tell how much time and work she has put into creating a useful site for those interested in expanding their knowledge and using technology in the classroom.

There are a lot of interesting things on the site. For example, there is a list of search engines for teachers and students to use when searching for something online. Sometimes it is hard to find useful websites for the classroom, and she provided a list of them. She also talks about how you can digitally enhance photographs which may interest some students and make them want to be more creative. I can see myself using this site when I start teaching because any free advice or help is always welcome, of course.

Wikipedia

Wikipedia is basically an online encyclopedia that anyone can make changes to. Depending on what I am writing about or researching, I may or may not use Wikipedia. It usually has a lot of information on particular subjects, but you never really know if the information is accurate or not. In my opinion, you really cannot trust using the information on there because it is most likely false or exaggerated. Sometimes it is okay to use when researching common topics that many people already know a lot about. It's best just to use your own judgment and find plenty of other sources.

My Thoughts on 'The Last Lecture'

I really enjoyed watching Randy Pausch's last lecture. The lecture was about achieving your childhood dreams. It was very moving because he mentioned how he only had months to live, but he seemed as though he found a way to accept it. He said that you can't change the cards you are dealth and that you can only change how you play the hand.

In the lecture, he gives advice on how to achieve career goals and personal goals. He spoke about his childhood dreams in the lecture and how you can not only achieve your own dreams, but how you can enable the dreams of others. He was very humorous when he spoke about his own dreams which included being in zero gravity, playing in the NFL, authoring an article in the World Book encyclopedia, being like Captain Kirk, winning stuffed animals, and being a Disney imagineer.

I liked how he brought up the fact that there are always going to be brick walls and that they are only there to show how badly we want something. He told the audience how he learned from someone he admired that if you wait long enough, people will surprise you. It's an interesting statement to think about. Randy made it a point to say how you say things makes a difference in how people react to you and what you said. He also referred to having a mentor, which I think is interesting because everyone could use someone to look up to and be able to talk to. He said to be dedicated, don't bail, do the right thing, get feedback and listen, be good at something, find the best in everything, and be prepared.

All in all, I really liked the lecture. It was interesting to say the least, and I feel as though I'm taking some valuable information from it. It made me really think about how you should never take anything for granted, and you should appreciate everything you have and be happy. You should always go for your dreams and do whatever makes you happy and helps you succeed. You should achieve what you can, but as he said, "It's not about how you achieve your dreams, it's about how you lead your life."

Why Wireless?

I think having a wireless internet connection on a school's campus is a good idea. Being a college student, I find it very useful to have access to the internet while I am on campus. There have been several times when I have needed the internet in between classes or even in class for school-related information. Some teachers post class notes and handouts online, and it is beneficial for students with laptops to be able to log in and access these materials.

Some professors and teachers may be concerned about students becoming distracted by the availability of the internet at any time during class, though. I will admit that I have used the internet while in class for purposes other than accessing school-related materials. I feel as though I should have a choice as to what I am using the internet for while I am in class, though. Students that are using it for educational purposes shouldn't lose privileges if it is benefiting them in any way.

Previous Podcasts

After listening to a couple of the podcasts from last semester, I noticed a few things that could be improved on to make our podcasts a little better this semester. They were both good, but I noticed in the first one I listened to that they weren't really having a conversation about anything: it sounded more like they were reading notes and being strictly informational as opposed to discussing the topic. In the second one I listened to, it seemed like they were really nervous and were speaking very softly.

When it comes time to record our podcast this semester, I am hoping that my group will be a little more conversational instead of just telling facts. I don't want to start talking so much that it becomes boring. People want to hear something interesting that isn't monotonous. I also hope that we will be loud enough and speak clearly. Overall, the podcasts done last semester sounded good, and I am hoping that ours will, too.


The two podcasts that I watched were Useful Websites for Elementary Teachers done by Shyane Fant, Erica Sledge, and Ashley Cleveland, and Possibilities for Using Facebook in an Educational Setting done by Allison Midgette and Shaundretta Bethel.

Technology and Illiteracy…

Technology has become a major part of our society, and it is only expanding and becoming an even bigger part of everyday life. I remember being in elementary school where most of the daily "chores" teachers were required to do such as taking attendance were done on paper. In my first year of middle school, I noticed that the teachers no longer used the same ways of taking attendance: everything was being done on the computers and had to be sent in by a certain time. A lot of teachers complained, and those were probably the ones that weren't very familiar with technology...
In my opinion, it is not okay for teachers, especially nowadays, to be technologically illiterate. There are way too many changes being made from pen and paper to computers for a teacher that doesn't understand how to do it properly. That doesn't mean that a teacher should know how to do everything on a computer, but basic skills should be understood. Many new software programs are available now, and a lot of the information would be beneficial to students, but if a teacher doesn't get technology, it's unfair to the students. All teachers should make it a point to understand technology.

Podcasts

Podcasts are becoming more and more popular here lately with many people getting involved in podcasting. They are a modern approach to getting ideas or information out to the public for useful purposes. Podcasts can be fun and full of information or interesting thoughts. I have never really been into podcasts, but I have learned that there really are a lot of interesting ones to see or hear.

SmartBoard Lessons focuses on using interactive whiteboards in the classroom. There are two people discussing subjects and new information about particular subjects. It was easy for me to be distracted while listening to the different episodes, but all in all, they were very descriptive and helpful.

KidCast is a companion to a book. It is just one person talking that basically gives recommendations for better teaching skills in some of the podcasts. Others were informative on different subject material.

EdTechtalk was like a live, interactive webcast constructed like interviews. There are numerous guests to discuss different topics of choice. It is interesting because listeners can interact with the people in this podcast by commenting or joining live chats.

Mr. A's Geometry Podcast are done with the intention of helping students enrolled in geometry courses. It is very helpful because he states that he is willing to do instructional videos upon request for concepts a student may not understand.

MacBreak Weekly is basically a big group of people discussing Macintosh Apple and giving their thoughts about it and sharing information related to it. Some of the same people involved in MacBreak Weekly are involved in the podcast called This Week in Photography. They discuss techniques, technology, and news related to photography. It seems to be very useful to someone interested in photography.

My Presentation

International Blogging: Example 2

The second example of international blogging is a blog in Australia. It's interesting because they have a lot of neat gadgets on there like a little map that shows locations of people that have visited and a counter of how many people have visited the blog. This blog also has a lot of links to other blogs in the U.S. and some other international bloggers. It also has a little world time map on there: if you hold the cursor above a country, it will tell you what time it is there. This is the most interesting one I found.

http://classblogmeister.com/blog.php?blogger_id=98041

International Blogging: Example 1

The first example of international blogging is a blog being used in Canada. It states that its purpose is for the students to communicate with others all over the world, and for the students to be authors for others to read anywhere on the planet. There are assignments and student entries. Many have commented on the blogs. I personally like this one because I have a lot of family in Canada, and it's good to see that they are communicating with students all over.

http://classblogmeister.com/blog.php?blog_id=298804

Blog in U.S. Classrooms: Example 2

The second example is a first grade class using blogs to interact with other students and to do assignments, too. There are a lot of videos and pictures of the students using the blog and actually meeting other students using blogs. Each student has a link to his or her own blog, and they have all of their assignments on there. The teacher also has a website with a link to the blog and different activities the students can do for educational purposes. This one was my favorite.




http://www.classblogmeister.com/blog.php?blogger_id=51798

Blogs in U.S. Classrooms: Example 1

The first example is a 5th grade class that is using the blog approach to expand their writing skills. The teacher puts assignments up, and the students post blogs. Their blogs show the teacher that they understand the concepts she teaches like capitalization, for example. Each student has a link to his or her own blog where their assignments are located. It's an interesting idea to use blogging as a way of a type of homework assignment.



http://classblogmeister.com/blog.php?blogger_id=149466

Did You Know?

I visited The Fischbowl blog for the first time. The video on there was very interesting to me: it was like reading an interesting facts book. It had stuff on there you would never even really think about. Some of the facts were shocking and just unbelievable. I was actually kind of disappointed that it was over.
It is hard to believe the differences in the numbers over the years. Technology has grown so much, and the Internet is so widely recognized and used now compared to even just a few years ago. Things like texting have also grown tremendously. I know a lot of people that are texting now that weren't this time last year: it almost feels like a must-have thing these days.
The facts about college graduates also surprised me. I had no idea that other countries had that many more college graduates than the United States has. It's amazing how times have changed.

ACCESS

The ACCESS website has a PowerPoint presentation that provides useful information about the program. I learned a lot about what ACCESS is and their goals and visions for improving student achievement. According to their presentation, ACCESS provides high-quality classroom courses and teachers, via technology. It recognizes that limited course offerings is a problem: it is a barrier to improvements in education in the state of Alabama.
ACCESS uses distance learning--teachers and students are separated and do everything online through a web-based style of learning and technologies such as video conferencing. The presentation points out how the online approach is beneficial in ways: it extends resources, professional development, and the professional community beyond the local school. There are pilot sites available to provide feedback or suggestions for improvements.
In my opinion, this is a good program because it extends possibilities for those students really interested in excelling. It may have some disadvantages, but it seems as though the advantages outweigh them. As a future teacher, I would like to see some students become interested in such programs.

ALEX

I did a search in Google for the Alabama Learning Exchange (ALEX) website, and I'm already interested in it. The site seems very helpful from what I've seen so far.
On this site, you can search courses of study like mathematics, science, English, social studies, or even more detailed searches to find exactly what you're looking for. Once you find the course you're looking for, you click on it and choose the grade of the subject you want to examine. It lists several objectives almost like a guideline to teaching, and each one has links to lesson plans. Some even have web links to helpful related websites. Some have a lot of lesson plans to view and offer possible demonstrations that may be beneficial to the students. The lesson plans can even be saved to your computer.
I have already saved this site to my favorites because I plan on using it. I've been looking at each subject's lesson plans and web links. There are so many possible ways to provide useful information to kids. The demonstrations sound fun, and I think kids would enjoy learning. I can't wait to start teaching. I hope to find similar sites to help me out.

About Me

My name is Michelle. I'm a pharmacy technician at Winn Dixie. I'm majoring in elementary education, and I'm hoping to be done in 2011. I come from a family of 5. My brother just graduated from South in December, and my sister is going to school at MGM. I love spending time with my boyfriend: he means the world to me. We have been playing a lot of Rockband 2 here recently. Just like anyone else, I love music. My favorite bands are Metallica, Tool, and Lifehouse. I have seen Tool and Metallica in concert twice, and I've seen Lifehouse 4 or 5 times and have actually met them several times. My best friend and I even ate lunch with 2 of the members. I hate college and work and wish I could be lazy all the time. I can't wait for the summer break so that I can be at the beach...

Back to school

I already miss the break from school. I miss getting up late...