Final Blog Post: A Summary of What I Now Know 5.0

We covered so much this semester in such a short period of time that I’m almost at a loss for words when I click “View Blog” and see what I’ve really done. At times, I felt as though some of the blog assignments were going to result in a mass of students compiling a bunch of mainstream opinions in an effort to get a completed checklist. And here’s where I admit to myself that I was indeed wrong. I am NOT the person who is afraid to speak her mind. Debates with random strangers who happen to hear my voice of opinion are not unusual. In fact, I don’t feel challenged without a heated discussion every now and then. I thoroughly enjoyed reading comments made by other classmates that “got a rise” out of readers and even Dr. Strange from time to time. So here’s an overview of what I’ve learned just from EDM 310:

• It’s okay to have virtual friends, even if you’ve never met.
• Wikipedia is not the devil, but not a reliable or accepted source when writing a research paper.
• Powerpoint Presentations are not that boring. Yes, they can be when that is the only type of lecture your Biology professor uses but they are not just for lectures. I have learned that Power Point in Google is a lot easier for me to use than Power Point in Microsoft Office.
• Google Docs are so much fun! And oh so easy! I have had a Gmail account for nearly 4 years and I never knew that I could make a survey for friends and family to take at the convenience of a click of the mouse. I really like how many things Gmail has to offer. You can check your email, make a quick survey, work on a presentation for class, share pictures with family and friends on the web, Research using Google and receive e-mail updates from Blogger, Facebook, and many other social networks. I was really glad that I learned how many opportunities there were right before my very eyes while I was checking my e-mail.
• I did not explore Picasa in great depths but I do have almost all of my albums uploaded on Picasa and when I get some free time to update my pictures, I will check it out with an open mind.
• Comments 4 Kids was so special to me in several ways. I had no idea how much it would mean to these children that a complete stranger made a comment on their blogs. It was also really exciting to see how technology literate 6^th graders were becoming these days. Whew, they are waaaay past the skills I possessed back then. I am inspired and enlightened by teachers like Mrs. Yollis and Mrs. Goerand who have made it possible for students to begin building a PLN at such a crucial age in today’s technology world.
• The word Podcast was as unfamiliar as visiting a college for the first time. When I was first introduced to podcasts and our blog assignment that week was to “familiarize ourselves” with them, I was thinking ‘What about them?’ And until I recorded mine with two other students, I didn’t appreciate them. I had SO much fun making our first podcast. I am always the “talker” in conversations and I felt really comfortable taking the bull by its horns when we began recording. I have found many uses for podcasts in the future and will definitely be doing a few more of my own for more practice. Our podcast topic was to discuss the use of Google Earth and iTunes U in K-12 classrooms and this was a perfect topic because I was eager to learn the ins and outs of both programs. I will be using Google Earth in the classroom every day if possible. No matter what area of Science I am destined to teach, I see potential for Google Earth in every single subject.

Was I ever bored in this class? Not particularly. As I’ve mentioned before, there were times where I felt as though I really wouldn’t benefit from an assignment or project. I think it’s safe to say that I was wrong. There was never a time where I wasn’t learning something. There is nothing in this class that I have learned that I will intentionally or conveniently forget. I think that would be silly. Knowledge is power and who would want to loose part of something like power? Additionally, I do not feel like anything was incredible challenging intellectually however, I did have moments similar to “writer’s block” and those were times when I realized I needed to watch that video again. Did this class excite me? Yes. There were times when I wanted to yank my teeth out and throw them at Dr. Strange’s forehead, but I didn’t really want to do that. (I just thought about it) Hee hee. When I learned something in EDM 310 that I had tried to learn in the past but got frustrated and gave up, I got excited. I have become a lot more hopeful and confident in myself that I will succeed as an educator.

Project 7: Vocaroo/Voicethread

For Project 7, I decided to record a voicethread and post it as a comment for Rachel Hernandez from Class H. She and a friend made a video that demonstrated how to french braid hair. They did a wonderful job and were very clear and precise. You can listen to my comment below:

Week 15: Two Questions That Can Change Your Life, A 7th Grader's PLE

A 7th Grader's PLE

Whew! Did anyone else think to yourself, "there's no way this work was done by a 7th grader"? I did. I don't mean to discredit her by any means; I remember what knowledge of technology I had when I was in 7th grade and it was nowhere close to her wealth of knowledge. I am impressed, to say the very least. I was SO excited to see her strong interest in Science. That alone is VERY significant. I am a Secondary Science major and this young girl is the sole reason I chose to teach Science to middle school. A lot of girls this age loose interest in Science right around this grade in their education and it will be my job to prevent this from happening. This was so exciting for me to watch. I can't wait to start teaching!

Alright now I will focus on what I'm actually supposed to be blogging about. My PLN vs. her PLE: I will say that I have a way to go until my PLN will meet my own personal standards. I think that the most important thing in judging our Personal Learning Networks is that they are constantly growing and we are actively updating them. I have a ton of valuable resources spread all over my EDM Class Blog and when I look at everything I've done, I feel really proud.

What's my Sentence?

I always enjoy these short yet profound films that Dr. Strange chooses to share with us. I don't think everyone in this class this semester actually realizes how insightful most of our blog assignments alone really are. The best part about all of this is looking at everything in retrospect and experiencing mixed feelings of relief and appreciation for everything we've learned. It is rather refreshing, don't you think? I really like the idea of asking myself "Am I better today than I was yesterday?" Man, if that's not an inspirational question to ask yourself, then I don't know what is. I think the question alone speaks for itself. What does it mean to me? It means that I need to ask myself this daily. So far, I am better than yesterday. My attitude about the overwhelming stress that has "creeped" up on me this last week of school has gotten better. I don't feel as stressed because I am getting a lot closer to being finished with everything that has a deadline.

I've put a lot of thought into my sentence and here's what I came up with:

"I will strive to provide a female role model to encourage young women to pursue their interest in sciences and to discourage unbecoming stereotypes about scientists to help my students overcome negative perceptions of science education."

My PLN: Final Post

My Personal Learning Network has grown immensely just this semester. When Spring Semester 2010 began, my PLN consisted of social networking sites such as:

Facebook

MySpace

ScienceDaily.com

Dr. Juarez

EDM 310 is over and now I get to really see how much my PLN has changed. Looking back, my PLN was pretty naked. Here are just a few that I've added this semester:

Dr. Alice Christie's Blog

ALEX

ACCESS

Dr. John Strange's Blog

Twitter

Paula Naugle's Discovery Educator Blog

Mr. Chamberlain's Class Blog

Guru Articles

Technology in the Middle

One thing I've learned while building my PLN is that if I'm struggling with something, chances are someone else is too and seeing other people take risks helps build my confidence in taking them. Another great thing about my PLN is that if I need help or support, there is an online community always there to guide me along. All you have to do is click and ask!

Project 15: Interview with Amber Grace- "Incorporating Technology into Classrooms"

For Project 15, Amber Grace, also from Class D, and I interviewed each other through a discussion of technology in classrooms today and tomorrow. We also exchanged ideas on how to incorporate technology outside of the classroom for personal uses. I mentioned the use of Google Earth to find latitude and longitude coordinates in a previously taken Geography course at South. We also talked about the timeline toast and its many uses, in and out of the classroom for a wide variety of age groups. Amber shared with me a few projects her and her daughter were working on such as a Timeline of events in their lives. We both agreed that gaining the knowledge on how to make Timetoast Timelines would definitely come in handy later down the road. We discussed Vocaroo and Amber stated she has been emailing reminders to herself as part of her PLN. She and I really enjoyed Vocaroo because we each have a young child and they are really amused by hearing their own voices on a computer. I asked Amber Grace if and how she would be using Blogger/Blogging in her future Elementary classroom. She said it was a definite possibility and that she may set up an extra credit system in which her students may blog for needed points. Overall it was a great interview and I was glad and excited for our technology literacy expansion we have undergone this semester.

My Wordle

Project 8: Using Technology to Teach Something

I decided to create a Google Presentation that will help someone who has never used Windows Movie Maker and wishes to make movies. I was very pleased with the overall presentation and am excited to have it as a resource. I hope it is helpful, clear, and understanding. What do you think? Feel free to share opinions and/or offer advice for any changes you think I should make. Enjoy!

Project 14: Substantive Presentation

Project 12: Google Earth Tour

Project 10: Time Toast Timeline

Comments for Kids: 14

This week I commented on Mubasshira's Blog Post about Character Movie Day at her school, and her excitement for Easter. Here is a link to her Blog: Mubasshira PT ENGLAND SCHOOL

"Hi Mubasshira! My name is Ingrid W. and I am a college student from Mobile, Alabama. It is very nice to meet you! Did you have a good Easter? What's your favorite Holiday? Mine are Christmas and Halloween. How was Movie Character Day at your school? You and your friends from school look like you were ready to have some fun! I love dressing up as fun characters. You really did a wonderful job on your personal blog for your class! Keep up the good work!"

Week 14: Blog about Blogging

This week we were asked to select a topic that stems from our work in EDM 310. This semester was a completely new experience for me as a learner, future teacher, and mother. I have been introduced to a world of new tools and skills that will serve as portals for me to incorporate technology into my BRAIN and my classroom. I have never blogged about anything substantive until EDM 310. I will be honest and admit that I wasn't thrilled about spending even more time on my computer than I already did. It's not that I don't enjoy interactions on the web or the experience alone, it's mainly because my back gets tense easily and sitting in a chair for hours is a sure ticket to extra knots in my muscles. I know, it probably sounds silly. But I do a lot of lifting at my job and my 3 year old son isn't quite as light as a feather.
Okay, I'm getting back to blogging now. For the first couple of weeks in the class, my excitement about blogging with deadlines every week appeared to be nonexistent. I was more focused on the tedious assignments and wouldn't allow myself to just sit back and engage in the learning experience. Once I did so, I quit being irritated when it was time to read/watch and blog. I became excited and it wasn't forced excitement. I knew there was going to be a short movie that touched my heart or a life changing lecture (Thanks Randy Pausch) that brought tears to my eyes.
I also became grateful that we were assigned to blog about what we had read or watched vs. use a pen and paper to write about it. One good thing about online homework is I personally can type a WHOLE lot faster than I can write. It doesn't hurt my hand near as bad, either. I will continue to keep a personal blog after this class has ended and hope to keep in touch with classmates so that we can help each other along the way and share new, innovative ideas.

Comments for Kids: 13

This week I commented on Mrs. Barks' Blog post titled: "Peaceful Afternoon".

"Hello, my name is Ingrid W. and I am a college student at the University of South Alabama. I am a double major in Secondary Education and Biology. I have thoroughly enjoyed commenting on teacher and student blogs from all around the world. It is very exciting to see your class blog and I really like the "All about _____" section of the blog. It is very personal and reminds children that they are all individuals.
I really did feel like I was a part of your class's "Peaceful Afternoon" when I read your description of the trip you and your students took outside. You are a really good descriptive writer, by the way. I was a little curious when you mentioned the sound of cicadas. I knew I had heard the name before, but couldn't quite remember. I Googled it and discovered they are similar to locusts, but not the same as them. Do they make the same noise as grasshoppers?

Thank you so much for inviting myself and the rest of EDM 310 to collaborate with you and your classroom.

Sincerely,

Ingrid W."

Week 13: Dr. Seuss - The Zax & Elementary Students perform "Landslide"

Dr. Seuss says, "Don't be a ZAX! Adapt!"
I have a TON of Dr. Seuss' books in my son's library and my own personal library at home. This video was really cute and delivered it's message in a fun and unique way. As the world changes, we must change with it and adapt ourselves in order to survive. As fast paced as everyone and everything appears to be these days, it baffles me that people still fight the rapid growth of technology. Honestly, I think some people see no harm done by avoiding these kind of changes. It's sad, really. I've got a loooong way to go before I will feel completely prepared to convince anyone that I am technology literate. But, I am constantly teaching myself and that truly is the only way to keep up with it all. The first step is admitting that technology is expanding and we need to expand our minds with it. Secondly, we need to be willing to learn and change our "old school" ways.

PS22 Chorus of "Landslide" by Fleetwood Mac
This video was so sweet and instantly warmed my heart. I felt like these were my children singing to me. I think it is absolutely okay for students to post their work on the web. Should it be monitored by a parent and/or administrator at all times? Yes, indeed. As long as my son is living under my roof and under the age of 18, I will be keeping him as safe as possible on the computer. It can be a dangerous playground, but the horror stories we hear shouldn't convince a person to keep his children or student's work unpublished.

I think the comments for kids assignment we were introduced to this semester in EDM 310 was wonderful! I got to see how teachers were incorporating lesson plans while allowing her students to exhibit their work on the web. Teachers such as Mrs. Georend and Ms. Yollis did a wonderful job of monitoring the work and approving all comments before they could be published. This is a great example of how to ensure the student's safety while giving them creative opportunities to express themselves.

Comments for Kids: 12 (No Week 11)

This week I met Simon. He is 6 years old and a student in Ms. Jenny's class, Room 7, in Pt. England School located in Auckland, New Zealand. I included some art work Simon had displayed on his Blog. I wrote to Simon: "Hi Simon! My name is Ingrid and I am a college student at the University of South Alabama. My school is located in Mobile, Alabama. Although we are really far away from each other, i got to see your blog on my computer and am very excited for you that your Mom came to your classroom and got to see all of the wonderful pictures you drew for her! You are a wonderful artist. It looks like your teacher, Ms. Jenny, is a wonderful teacher and has many creative and talented students in Room 7. It was very nice to meet you, Simon! Great Job on your Blog so far!!"
Week 12: Dear Kaia

I can absolutely relate to Kaia's father and the experience he shared with her when they made her first photo essay. I especially enjoyed reading how Kaia's dad illustrated how something ugly can be seen as beautiful depending on the way you look at it. I have a three year old son named Zachary and he is fascinated with the camera alone. He enjoys watching slide shows of the pictures I take of him and our family. I have not introduced him to connections around the globe that I have began experiencing, but I must say I am inspired after "virtually" meeting Kaia. One thing that I find somewhat bothersome is the limited time that working parents are able to spend with their children. I know a lot of single parents who spend a sad 2-3 hours with their child/children a week. I know from personal experience how difficult it can be to attend college, work a full-time job, and somehow find time in between to have quality time with anyone for that matter. My son is 3 and anyone that knows me well will tell you that each and every moment of spare time I have, I spend it with him. I take day classes and try to complete all of my assignments in between them so that when I get home, the whole evening is devoted to him. I am often hit with the realization that my social life has become extinct. Am I totally fine with this? Absolutely. Kids are only kids for so long. The time I spend with him now is crucial; he is developing the skills and knowledge and every day life lessons that will impact his entire future. I can only blame myself if he isn't given opportunities (much like Kaia's) that have a profound impact him from this day out. With that being said, one of the reasons I decided to become a teacher was for this exact reason. A teacher isn't just a teacher for young children. We are a "parent away from home" and we must not forget this. A lot of parents don't get to spend the quality time their children need at home, and I truly believe it is up to us to fill in these gaps. Children look up to adults. We are creating the next generation each and every day we teach. If that doesn't give you chills down your spine and fill your soul with excitement, perhaps you should consider why YOU are becoming a teacher.

Comments for Kids:10

This week I commented on Andy A.'s blog post titled: "Michael Jordan." Mrs. Goerend assigned her class to write an opinion essay and in a way persuade the reader to agree or disagree. Here is a copied version of my comment to Andy in response to his blog post about Michael Jordan coming back and playing for the NBA:

Dear Andy A.,

Hello. My name is Ingrid Welborn and I am a college student at the University of South Alabama. My dad and I are both basketball fans and I can speak for the both of us in that we would love to see Michael Jordan come back and play for the NBA! I enjoyed reading your post because I can tell you did your homework and researched his past achievements to provide the reader with facts. One day not far from now, you will learn how to write a research paper and it looks like you've got a good head start. I did a little homework on Michael Jordan myself and I thought I'd share with you what I found:

A brief listing of his top accomplishments would include the following: Rookie of the Year; Five-time NBA MVP; Six-time NBA champion; Six-time NBA Finals MVP; Ten-time All-NBA First Team; Nine time NBA All-Defensive First Team; Defensive Player of the Year; 14-time NBA All-Star; Three-time NBA All-Star MVP; 50th Anniversary All-Time Team; Ten scoring titles -- an NBA record and seven consecutive matching Wilt Chamberlain; Retired with the NBA's highest scoring average of 30.1ppg. (but you already knew that!) I found this information from the following website:
http://www.nba.com/history/players/jordan_bio.html

However, his impact is far greater than awards and championships. He came into the league as a rookie and ended his career as a cultural icon. Great post, Andy! You do a wonderful job of persuading the reader by providing facts while simultaneously not insulting anyone to get your point across.

Ingrid W.
University of South Alabma, Student

Week 10: An Open Letter to Educators

I too have felt cheated at times throughout my education at USA. The funny thing is, I didn’t really feel this way during my first two years of college which I completed at a community college. The classes were smaller and believe it or not, my instructors knew my name. It seemed a lot easier to find one on one help from my professors there and I sure enough opened my textbooks more than twice in almost all of my classes.

I don’t, however, agree that we are still using a model of schooling created hundreds of years ago. I say this simply because hundreds of years ago there wasn’t blogging or virtual interactions between students. The class that I mentioned earlier, Micro-computing Systems in Education, has taught me several new ways to use the internet and there isn’t a textbook for this class so obviously we do all of our work on the computer. Given this video was rather short, I would like to know more about why Dan made the decision to drop out of college because his “schooling was interfering with his education.” Could Dan of done something to change his experience in college?

Project 6: Ingrid, Meet SKYPE:

I bought my first webcam the third or fourth week of class for EDM 310. I'm so glad I did because I have two sisters, one in Tuscaloosa and one in Massachusetts, and I've seen my younger sister Skype with her boyfriend before but it never occurred to me that the same personal experience they shared was only $34.99 away. I bought a Logitech webcam and it came with a headset/microphone. I bought a separate microphone so that I could easily record audio files for other projects- such as our group podcast. (At the time, I was unaware that we would be using Dr. Strange's super fancy mega sized microphone.) I have a three year old son, named Zachary, who misses his Aunt Marissa and Aunt Jodi very much. He sat in my lap the first time I Skyped with Marissa and it was really neat to see his reaction. She read him a series of bedtime stories and we even got to see her boyfriend's new cat, Charlie! My mom had never witnessed such an advancement in technology so she was probably more excited than my son. I'm really glad we were required to become familiar with Skype. I'm still trying to get my older sister, Jodi, to invest in a webcam.

Project 5: Create a SURVEY in Google Docs

I created a Survey titled "What Are Your Unhealthy Habits?" that consisted of 12 questions which were all in multiple choice and check box format. Click the following link to view and/or take the survey. Thank you for your participation.

What Are Your Unhealthy Habits?

Click here to view a Summary of the responses I've received thus far.

Comments for Kids: 9

"Nature of Wildworks Assembly"

On Wednesday, March 10, 2010 Mollie Hogan from The Nature of Wildworks brought her animal friends to visit these 3rd graders' school. Mrs. Yollis made a short video of Mollie and each of the 8 fun creatures she brought for show and tell. It looks like they had a fun fact-filled adventure right inside their school! I commented as follows:

Mrs. Yollis,

Hi there! My name is Ingrid Welborn and I am a student at the University of South Alabama, located in Mobile, Alabama. I am commenting on your video post of Mollie Hogan's visit to your school for a course I am taking called Microcomputing Systems in Education (EDM 310).
I enjoyed the variety of animal friends she brought for show and tell. I am familiar with the Macaw Bird because it is fairly popular. They are very big and loud birds and their favorite hobby is chewing! At this point in time, the only species of the Macaw that is not endangered in the wild is the Blue and Gold Macaw. This is true mostly due to deforestation.
Another animal friend I am strangely familiar with is the opossum. This little creature is the only marsupial mammal in North America. I live in southern Alabama and we see these "dead playing" tricksters everywhere, including my mom's front porch! They hide under the porch chairs and eat my cat's food in the middle of the night! Thank goodness they take off quickly and don't hang out and play dead all night. I loved the cute, fact-filled video you composed of Mollie's visit to your school. It looks like it was a fun filled learning adventure!

Sincerely,
Ingrid Welborn
USA- Secondary Science

Week 9: ALEX (Alabama Learning Exchange) & ACCESS (Alabama Connecting Classroom, Educators and Students Statewide)

ALEX
I have used ALEX in previous classes, specifically where I was assigned to examine lesson plans or make one of my own by using an example. I believe the site has been updated since last semester and it is even easier to navigate! I must say that ALEX will probably be one of the most helpful resources I will use when I begin teaching. I explored the Science department and was thrilled to find a link to Bill Nye the Science Guy! Although the show does not air on television any more, you still have access to previously recorded shows and even some new DVD's! I know I know, I might seem oddly excited about Bill Nye, but hey I learned from his show! Despite the corniness and predictable quotes, I was one of the Science geeks that thoroughly enjoyed movie day in Biology. There are also simple science experiments (with diagrams) for each lesson that are easy to view and print. I will definitely be using some of these in my future classroom.
I also stumbled across a link to National Geographic for Kids. I can definitely use this at home with my son who LOVES learning about animals. The link above will take you straight to the games and quiz section of the site, but check out the photography! Absolutely amazing. There are also a broad spectrum of podcast variety available for listening and/or viewing at ALEX. There is also a whole section where you can search for Alabama Course of Study Content Standards. This is a lot more convenient than flipping through a huge encyclopedia of standards to be met.

ACCESS
This was my first time taking a good look at ACCESS and what it has to offer students and educators. Here's an overview of what I found in my research: The Alabama ACCESS Distance Learning Initiative was launched on November 1, 2004, with funding of $10.3 million startingOctober 1, 2005. The distance education initiative was the culmination of research and planning by Governor Bob Riley’s Task Force on Distance Learning. In Year One, the central vision of the Task Force was to "provide equal access to high quality instruction to improve student achievement through distance learning opportunities."

(http://accessdl.state.al.us/ACCESSPlanSept2006.doc)

Objectives two through five will concentrate on continuing to meet objectives of year one, increasing the accessibility of ACCESS Distance Learning to all public high schools in the state. This objective will strive to provide access to Advanced Placement or dual credit courses, remediation and supplemental resources, advanced diploma courses targeting foreign languages, and to provide teachers with additional multimedia and technology tools to enhance instruction.

I did a little research on the concept of ‘Distance Learning’ so that I could break it down for myself and for someone reading this that may be entirely unfamiliar with ACCESS. Distance learning is a system and a procedure that connects students to distributed learning resources. Although distance learning can take a diversity of forms, all distance learning is characterized by (a) separation/distance of place and/or time between instructor and learner, amongst learners, and/or between learners and learning resources; and (b) interaction between the learner and the instructor, among learners and/or between learners and learning resources conducted through one or more media. (Learning without Frontiers)

The remainder of the twelve objectives (objectives six through twelve) consist of developing proper professional development for those individuals involved in ACCESS Distance Learning and cultivating a blended representation of distance learning that focuses on the needs of the individual student to ensure the success of all students.

Throughout my research, I read that this plan will “deliver a broad range of courses to students statewide, including Alabama’s hardest-to-serve areas.” So with that being said, I challenge myself and my readers to ask ourselves, has this been accomplished?

Comments for Kids: 8

This week I was assigned to read a post by a student on a class blog titled, 'Borman Blogging'. One girl named Cristal wrote a post about how her parents treated her. She said that sometimes she gets mad because her mom works all week and can only clean the house on Saturday and requires that Cristal help her out. She also said she gets frustrated when her dad asks her to bring him a cup of water or a hammer when he needs one. I reassured her that they loved her very much and one day she may need the same kind of help from her own children.

Week 8: Achieving Childhood Dreams with Randy Pausch

I knew this video was either really important and crucial to obtain an A in this class or it was inspirational and would aid me along my journey as an educator. The good news? Randy Pausch's Last Lecture was just that and even more. He is very funny and a sense of humor is always a great way to capture your audience even if whatever you're going to say is worse to listen to than hours of recorded elevator tunes. I watched this video twice and am really glad it was a required assignment because otherwise I would of never found it.
"Experience is what you get when you didn’t get what you wanted." This is one of the first quotes in Randy's lecture that captured my attention. He also said to cherish feedback, because when people are no longer helping you figure out how to do something better, they have just given up on you. This is especially important to me because if I, as a Secondary Science teacher (teaching Science itself is crucial all by itself) all of a sudden stop responding to my students, they will stop responding to me. And I'm sure all of you reading this can imagine how awful and frightening the thought of muted students sitting in your classroom- brains turned off. That most definitely scares the heck out of me.
Before watching this video, I had no idea who John Snoddy was.. then I googled him. And here's what I found: Jonb Snoddy is a seasoned entertainment executive with uniquely broad experience in entertainment technology. His phone number was even listed under his picture. And since I had to ask myself whether or not I was inserting links into my profile/blog posts, here's a link to John Snoddy's phone number. I didn't check to see if it was a working number, that ball is in your court. Randy Pausch said at one point in time Mr. Snoddy told him, 'When you’re pissed off or angry at someone, all that means is you haven’t given them enough time. Just wait, and they will surprise and impress you.' I like this quote so much that I'm going home to write it on the dry erase board that is stuck to the refrigerator. The reason I say this is because I moved back home last September and my mom is angry at me at least every other day. She probably has a reason to be but perhaps this saying will help her calm down before she addresses me. I also really like it because it applies to the relationship between a teacher and his/her student. Sometimes it can be easy for a teacher to loose patience with a frustrated student, and frustration can develop into anger in a split second. I'm not saying it's normal for teachers to be angry at their students. But I can understand being angry with yourself if your lesson plan fails and your students are stuck in the same mud that you are.
'Brick walls are there for a reason: they let us prove how badly we want things.' As a sentence, this is such a simple statement. However, it can be dissected so deeply because it is a fundamental element in achieving our dreams and helping others achieve theirs as well. If you want to accomplish something so badly, a brick wall is just a metaphor- not an actual barrier that stands between you and a dream. It's an obstacle that you push through because you want something so badly. I am a single parent, a full time student, and I work part time. You best believe I wouldn't be taking 16 hours a semester if I didn't really want to become a teacher.
Randy Pausch's method of teaching is exactly how I envision my approach to teaching. I will strive to 'find the good in everyone' as he advises his audience. No matter what bad word your student shouts out loud during a lesson or how many times he gets sent to the office, I will find the good in the "bad student" I was warned about. Children are a lot like monkeys to me-- and not in the sense you are probably thinking of. They see, they do. We can't blame our children and give up on them ever changing or learning to do the right thing. We are going to be educators, and that means being a second parent away from a child's home. We have to set examples even if the ones that have already been set are bad ones. I thoroughly enjoyed Randy's speech and I think it was exactly what I needed for an inspiration boost. Thanks Dr. Strange, for making us do good homework.

Comments for Kids: 7

This week I commented on Jack G.'s post on "Mrs. Goerend's Students" Class Blog. They were assigned to choose a topic and then state an argument. Viewers were to decide if the arguments were reasonable or not. Jack argued that the Beetles are the ultimate greatest rock band in history. And me being the Beetles fan that I am, I had to agree that his argument was absolutely reasonable. I commented that it was refreshing to see young people like himself show some love for Classic Rock music.

Week 7 Richard Miller, Networked Student, Toward a Future of Whatever by Michael Wesch

Richard Miller: "This is How we Dream Parts 1 & 2

Part 1
Ahh, good ole books. Riches of the world, as he refers to personal selections of virtual books. Will we always have access to public libraries? Will they always be here for us to use for knowledge deposits? Today everyone is advocating virtual information as a primary source for research and if you aren't embracing the endless possibilities Google search results, you're being enlightened and persuaded to. Dr. Miller mentioned his clear understanding of the problem of ‘accessibility and difficulty’ of making an educational system like the one he described generally available.

Part 2
Whenever a discussion of such relevance is provoked by classmates/friends, etc., I tend to surface the obvious barrier between learners of today’s society and such an educational system. The barrier between the two is limited and available resources. And of course the difficulty in transitioning information as a whole from shelves to desktops. Don’t misinterpret my statement as meaning anything more than an expression of concern for the low-income families that will be sending their children to my classroom. Sure, I’d love to buy each and everyone of them a computer after I file taxes but is this realistically attainable? Absolutely not. Is Dr. Miller's dream attainable sooner than we anticipate? I will agree in that it already has begun. Teachers like myself are not yet inspired to create this kind of pedagogy. I just taught myself to Skype two weeks ago. Although I am thrilled about using fun and creative forms of technology such as Google Earth in my classroom, I am not nieave enough to believe this system will be utilized in every school. In response to the questions posted in this week's blog assignment, I am going to be ready to write Multimedia.. and so will my students.

The Networked Student by Wendy Drexler
Before commenting on whether or not I am prepared to be a teacher of a networked student, I will tell you that I feel a little more organized and confident in creating a PLN. The rapid dialogue was probably frustrating for some to keep up with, but thank goodness for pause and rewind! I made some notes on Microsoft Word while I watched and listened to the video a second time. I noted every step (in order) the paper cut-out student took to compose his 'virtual textbook.' We all learn differently and for whatever reason, this particular video helped me break down the steps I need to take to begin my "PLN journey".
To be frank, I am not fully prepared to be a teacher of a networked student; but if I'm not learning from my students... then I'm not teaching my students. So in a sense, I consider myself to be a pencil that needs sharpening.

Michael Wesch: Toward a New Future of Whatever
Every generation then, now, and to come will exhibit narcissistic tendencies and who is surprised? For a long time now we have questioned the ability of man to commit an unselfish act. This is almost as debatable as conflicting religious beliefs. What is unselfish about gratitude? I will stop there about that so I won't get an "irrelevant to assignment" grade for this comment. Speaking of irrelevance, the comment he made: "99% of statistics are irrelevant to you" stuck out to me as I watched the video. Whether you are a shy, quiet type or a loud mouthed extrovert, at some point in your life you felt good when you received attention. I am in agreeance with Dr.Wesch in that no matter how many views/comments your own personal homemade video has posted underneath it, the creator gets a sense of confidence and approval from society as a whole. Because you don't have to audition with the fear of rejection to post a video on YouTube. You just need the desire to express or share something... and sometimes all you need is to know yourself a little better.

Project 2: "About Me"- Google Presentation

Comments for Kids: 6

This week I commented on Michael's self-portrait that he posted in a blog post. I told him I enjoyed painting but wasn't as good at drawing portraits. I asked him if he enjoyed art outside of the classroom and whether or not this particular assignment was difficult for him.

Week 6: Dr. Christie, iTunes University, Duke iTunes

Dr. Christie
I chose to explore two different sections of Dr. Christie's site. The first section I browsed was titled "Google Earth." Dr. Christie had a very extensive description and layout for Google Earth and its functions. I am a Secondary Science major and this is probably why I was influenced to check out this section first. I have used Google Earth maybe two or three times in the past year- mainly for latitude and longitude assignments in Geography courses at USA. When I first discovered the contents and availability within the download, I was very excited to incorporate it into my classroom and teaching approaches.
Dr. Christie highlights the gadgets and gismos from the geographic web to points of interest. I personally enjoyed the videos she complied to illustrate the varieties of readily available information Google Earth has to offer. I personally would be happy teaching any subject of General Science, but have a bigger desire to teach Earth/Physical Science and/or Physical Geography and this is one tool I imagine to be quite resourceful in my classroom.

iTunes University
I really like the concept of iTunesU, in that I enjoy an audio recording of information because of two reasons. I don't seem to get much reading done if the source is only available online. My head aches and my vision seems to get progressively worse as the reading pile grows. Secondly, I can burn an audio podcast or in this case, track to a compact disc and pop it in the CD player on the way to and from school. This is convenient because I have a very verbal 3 year old at home.
I also like the Videocasts of class sessions at different Universities offered on iTunesU. My friend attends a community college and I think it would be neat to show him what taking a class at a major University would feel like compared to one at a CC. I know I will be using iTU as an alternative to Google, etc. I like the fresh ideas and new resources I will soon discover using iTU.

Duke on iTunes
I can only imagine how many dreams of attending Duke University are not attainable in today's economy. The University's site on iTunesU is ready to fulfill the hungry appetite for learning many young adults carry with them today. I noticed the personal and professional level the site achieves with its vast variety of educational tools from basketball players to graduate students. I am personally excited to expand my educational growth as I continue on down this "Intellectual Journey."

Comments for Kids: 5

This week I watched a video called 'Mac vs. PC" that was published on YouTube on "Cinema Owl's" channel. I think it's a little comical that so many people have made videos in response to this commercial and in a sense, most of them are just mocking it. Competition has been around since Darwin days and why people feel the need to waste time arguing about what kind of computer they use, is unclear to me. It was a funny video nonetheless.

Week 5: NPR, WIRED Story, What I've Learned This Year

The NPR News Blog
The first paragraph on the homepage of this site reminds the reader that what you read on Wikipedia cannot be trusted. I agree! I rarely use Wikipedia as a source of information and in most cases my professors have advised me to use anything but. It is entirely collaborative and anyone can edit any topic any forum. I enjoy reading different perspectives from around the world but there are many online social sites that provide the same opportunity without publishing misconceptions about historical facts.

What I've learned this Year
I loved this! He emphasized the importance of many things in his post but the first one I noticed was 'Communication.' Last semester, I learned that communication has to have a sender and a receiver (Thanks Ms. Danneker). I also liked the point he made about teachers being more focused on perfecting their lesson plans that it fails to teach a lesson at all. Part of the reason I want to become a teacher is for the students who don't have anyone at all that listens to him/her. Some children (guaranteed every teacher will have them in her class at one point in time) come from broken homes and estranged families and may need me to be more than a lady who writes on a chalkboard. Being a teacher is so much more than teaching 2+2=4. I really believe your heart has to be in it to be a teacher... I look forward to writing about what I learned each year as an educator.

Week 4: Langwitches & Judy Scharf's Podcast Collectiobn

Langwitches Blog: Pod casting with 3rd Grade
My initial reaction to the first paragraph on the Langwitches blog was, "Wow!" I don't know why I am still so surprised to hear about 3rd graders owning iPods, but I am. I suppose I am also a little intimidated with what the future holds in store for my three year old son. I can hardly afford to keep myself up with the latest gadgets, much less my child's technology expenses. Nevertheless, I was impressed with the assignment described on the homepage of this site. 3rd graders were researching different animals online using links provided by their teacher. They used Audacity to record their class podcast and learned how to record, pause, edit clips, move tracks, and import audio files. I sure as heck don't know how to do anything other than press record, stop, and play in Audacity so I must admit- I was slightly jealous of these 3rd graders and their knowledge on endangered animals in Florida! Who knew!

Judy Scharf's Podcast Collection
I found the link to a YouTube video on "How to make a Podcast using Audacity" to be one of the most helpful resources for myself personally. I particularly enjoy these kind of videos (on YouTube) to sort of guide me through the first step of downloading a program to actually applying myself by using the program. I am a visual learner so sometimes I find it difficult to teach myself by simply reading instructions written in the Syllabus. I plan on searching for more of the same type of videos on YouTube to help me throughout my Intellectual Journey in EDM 310.

Comments for Kids: 4

I read a poem titled "Campfire" by a sixth grader named Katie in Mrs. Goerand's sixth grade class. Katie did an excellent job creating a wonderful visualization of the perfect camping experience. She used "sizzle" adjectives that made me wish I was sitting by the campfire and thinking 'I'm right where I ought to be.' (That was her ending line in the poem.) Hopefully my comment gave Katie the praise and inspiration she needs to keep up the magnificent poetry!

Week 3 Assignments: Getting familiar with Podcasts

Prior to these assignments for our class, I had never listened to an audio podcast before. The name 'Podcast' sounds like something I would be intimidated by, but after listening to one of many by Ben Hazzard and Joan Badger I was put at ease. However, I was a little confused about what the hype was all about concerning podcasts in general. Ben Hazzard used a lot of terms I was not familiar with at all and navigating through the different recordings was slightly challenging because I couldn't jump in half way through and say "Oh I know exactly what they are talking about." To be honest, I still have no idea what I was supposed to learn from these podcasts. I am hoping it was just to get our feet wet with an introduction to making podcasts.

Week 2: It's Not About the Technology, Vision of Students Today, Okay To Be A Technologically Literate Teacher?, & Social Media Count

It's Not About The Technology
I particularly enjoyed this article because since the time I decided I wanted to become a science teacher, I have often found myself wondering what in the world I'm going to teach my students without the most up to date technology in my classroom. Then I remind myself that learning was pretty basic back in my mom's day (and my day too, of course). But the technology didn't integrate itself into every classroom. Not every single teacher uses smart board and has access to computers in his/her own classroom.
I liked how one person commented "The tool doesn't make the teacher." I couldn't agree more. I do not expect to know everything much less know everything before my students do. I expect to learn a lot from my students and if I don't learn anything from them, trust me when I say I will be worried. I think that some educators rely heavily on technology itself to teach the objectives. We've let our minds get lazy while our fingers are busy.


A Vision of Students
I think this video does portray some college students but it does not speak for all of us. I do not bring my laptop to class for one reason: I don't want to be tempted to surf the web while I'm in a lecture. I am going to be paying back Student Loans for the next 30 years so my idea of going to class does not consist of Facebook and virtual card games. I liked the way this video was made but I think it could of been more positive about experiences a college student could expect to have.
This movie captured a small fraction of my experience thus far in college. I have bought textbooks for hundreds of dollars that I never opened. However, I didn't open them just because I had piles of Calculus homework sitting on my desk. . I have often had instructors who stated that what they taught couldn't be found in the book and to close the book during lecture. I have also had college instructors made the class inevitably passable without even taking the plastic cover off of the book. I hope that I never make my students feel like they will learn what is intended by listening to the sound of my voice. This alone tells the students that you know everything and that is exactly what the big misconception is all about in today's classrooms.


Gary's Social Media Count
Wow. What does the social media count mean to me? Well it means the same thing that most of these other videos mean. The rapid growth of technology ... I am surprised at the numbers, but then again I'm not. I honestly must say that if I re took the survey that was given to the class during the first week of school, I would admit that I wasn't technology literate. I had no idea how many possibilities existed through the use of a computer. Although I am a little nervous that I won't be prepared for my students and the knowledge they bring to my classroom, I am however eager to learn. Thank God for EDM 310, right?

Week 1: Did You Know, Mr. Winkles, Ken Robinson, Vicki Davis

Did You Know? 3.0

After watching "Did You Know?" on YouTube, I almost felt as if I had a revelation. When I completed the questionnaire in today's class session, I answered "yes" to whether or not I felt every teacher should be technology literate. I considered myself to be entirely technology literate, until watching this video. Although I am not as computer illiterate as say, some of my family members, I am definitely not as educated as I claim to be. I liked how the video was made with speedy, flashing images because that is after all the concept of the video itself. I cannot fathom how many babies were born during the 5 minutes I spent watching this video.

I was a little surprised that China will soon become the number one English speaking country in the nation and that India has more honors students than the United States has children. I honestly know very little about Bermuda, so to learn it is the #1 ranked country in Broadband Internet Penetration is absolutely news to me. As an educator I feel it is vital to update myself with the rapid inventions technology has to offer this generation of students and their classrooms.

Mr. Winkle Wakes

"Mr. Winkles" is indeed a wake up call for educators, children and their parents at home. I believe this video was one of many attempts to enlighten future and present teachers who live in the year 2010, still maintain an "old school" classroom, literally. Mr. Winkles seems to be frightened of the technology he experiences after his 100 year slumber. This is exactly why some people in today's society just don't want to convert his/her old ways. Technology is rapidly growing in and out of the classroom and as an educator myself, it is important to understand it's not just trendy to have the latest gadgets and gizmos but these very things are becoming the foundation for education in many generations to come.
I am extremely grateful for having the opportunity to gain the knowledge in EDM 310 to succeed in my profession at South Alabama. As an educator, I will be responsible for learning and then teaching what I learn to hundreds of children. I want to provide my students with several options and opportunities to exploit their knowledge and understanding of the lessons I present to them, so having the necessary experience in technology will hopefully do more than allow me to do so.

Sir Ken Robinson: The Importance of Creativity

I really enjoyed this particular video of Ken Robinson's discussion about a problem in today's classrooms that far too many educators either plead innocent or simply ignore it. It was enlightening and rather funny at times. Robinson stated that "intelligence is diverse." I agree with Ken Robinson in that children are afraid to think outside the box. They are not afraid because thinking creatively gives them an upset stomach, but because someone has made them afraid to use their imagination.

I feel as though I am well prepared for the inevitable cultural diversity that will come pouring out of my students from the first day of school. I will strive not to hover over the children while they are working and watch their creative impetus bury itself and hide. Many educators don't even recognize when this is happening to their students. There is too much evaluation and not enough praise.
Mr. Ken Robinson made a reference to a little girl who was drawing a picture and when her teacher came up and asked, "What are you drawing?", the girl replied "God." The teacher tells her that no one knows what God looks like and the student told her "we will when I'm finished." That was a perfect example of what not to do when your student is engaged in creative thinking. As educators we must remember not to put restrictions on activities and choices we give our students but instead, let their passion lead the way for explorations and experiments.

Harness Your Students

At the end of this 4 minute and 49 second video, I had a desire to be inside her classroom. She is phenomenal at educating students with the technological resources we have access today. Curriculum Director Betty Shiver states that they are in an area that is "about as rural as you can get". I think it's great that a school in such a rural district has these available resources. It appeared as though every single student had his/her own personal computer. Although PC's are about as common as blenders in the average household, there are still a lot of families who do not own a computer. I think it's fantastic that each student can still gain the knowledge, even though he/she may not have a PC to use at home.
I also liked how she acknowledged that teachers do not have to know everything about something before they can teach it. She is an advocator for empowering students to share with one another all around the world. Vicki Davis incorporated fun into education in her classroom. I loved how she pointed out that "Children have trouble where children only have paper and pencil, and that is where only certain types of children will learn and succeed." She understands diversity in learning and encompasses it to the absolute fullest.