My Sentence Video

Blog Post #5

The iSchool Initiative
After watching this video, made by Travis Allen, I am thoroughly impressed by this young man's "go-getter" attitude. He saw a classroom that needed to be re-vamped and created a way to make it happen. He points out that America has an education problem and even says his high school is experiencing the effects of it with:  massive budget cuts, teachers are being let go, and class sizes are getting larger. Mr. Allen has a solution; he wants to introduce technology into the classroom by using the iPod Touch. He shows the many benefits of using the iPod Touch such as: no need for papers, notebooks, copiers, or even pencils. He explains that there are many apps you can use to help the students not only learn, but interact with education. He also shows that the use of the iPod Touch would help with the budget crisis. This video was made in 2009 and the first thing I thought of when watching this was "Why would he rather use an iPod Touch instead of the iPad?" I honestly don't have the answer to that, unless it's because of the price. I still believe, however, that he this is a great idea and whether it is an iPod Touch or an iPad he is going in the right direction.

Also, another video of Travis Allen's I watched was this one. This video was made in 2011, about two years after his first video, and shows where he is now. He has now formed the iSchool Initiative and even has a team of about 25 students who travel the country "inspiring schools to embrace mobile learning." I must say, I am shocked that a 17 year-old, now 20 year-old (at the time of this video), has taken a simple idea and created a whole initiative. He has been recognized by CNN, The Huffington Post, and San Francisco Chronicle; keep in mind that Mr. Allen went to high school in Georgia and now has popular newspapers and outlets talking about his initiative!

All of these things are great ideas, but I do feel that there are some oversights with this initiative. I feel he does not take into account that writing is a very important part of growing as a student and person. Yes, there are more computers and iPads than ever in the classroom right now, but one thing I do not see changing in the near future is the use of standardized testing. When a student applies for college, they have to take a standardized test. Whether it's the ACT or SAT, colleges are starting to require their students to take the writing portion of those tests. How will a student be able to write effectively if they learned how to type before they could even write? Would a student feel comfortable picking up a pencil and be able to put their thoughts together on paper within a time limit? In my opinion, papers that you have to write in class are much more difficult than papers you type with the use of a laptop or iPad.

Another problem I have with the aforementioned video is that he says you can easily take notes on the iPod Touch using the notes feature. One problem that I have experienced with that, is that trying to type quickly enough to take notes on a touch screen can be very difficult. If all the students had to take their notes that way, then wouldn't it slow down how fast a teacher could cover information? And if that's the case, the teacher would more than likely just share their notes vie email. If they did that, then wouldn't a student never learn actually how to take notes? I think that this initiative is a great idea and I am glad to see that it is growing across the nation. However, I think we need to blend it into the education system and not make it the only part of the education system. When a pencil meets paper, or when fingers meet the keyboard, magic happens. And if we don't teach both, then the students we teach will not be very well-rounded.

Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir

Just wow. Please make sure to watch this video because it is pretty darn awesome. The fact that 185 people can come together, virtually, and sing any song is just amazing to me. It really shows how, with the use of the internet, this world of our's is now becoming even closer and tight knit. Not only is technology in the classroom changing how teachers teach and students learn, but technology in the world is changing how people communicate and share their experiences in their daily life with each other.

Teaching in the 21st Century
In Kevin Roberts video, Teaching in the 21st Century, he shows many ideas about what teaching will be like in the future and the role that technology will play in it. I admit, I was a bit overloaded with information after watching this video, but the one major point that I took out of watching was that: teachers are no longer the main source of information anymore and we, as educators, must adapt to that. Teaching in this environment, students have many different ways to obtain information, and it is our job to be their "filter." A student can learn many different things these days inside and outside of the classroom using tools such as Google, Wikipedia, Facebook, iPods, Twitter, and much more. I believe that Roberts hits the nail on the head with this stance and I also believe that teachers need to evolve with this technology. We need change from just giving information, to now helping students learn how to use that information to the fullest.

Another note, this video has awesome music. Major props. :)

Flipping the Classroom

The concept of "flipping the classroom" was started by Dr. Lodge McCammon as seen in this video. Flipping the classroom concentrates on the art of applying lessons rather than lecturing. The problem with classrooms today is that teachers spend about 90% of their time lecturing and teaching students and only about 10% of their time is actually used for applying that information. If you were to ask any adult who their favorite teacher was in high school you will probably get an answer telling you how the teacher inspired them to learn. For instance, I want to be a teacher because of my high school history teacher. He made things about a lot more than just information in the book. He took that information and put it to life and made it more of a story than just the regular stinky dates and events. By making things into a story, the students were more interactive and he managed to take his lecturing time and turn it into and application time. The point of flipping the classroom is to inspire kids to learn and to be able to use 90% of the time in the classroom helping the students to apply the information rather than just giving it.

I must admit, it is a really cool concept and I'm sure as the years go on more and more kinks will be worked out. The problem a school, or teacher, would face using this way of teaching is that maybe the technology needed to use it is that maybe the students do not have the means to access the information needed. I do think, however, that this technology will be available to all students eventually. I most definitely plan on using this style of teaching when I get a classroom of my own. I am very excited about this type of teaching because it is a completely different experience for the students and I believe will really help the students learn in a completely new way. This style of teaching, in my opinion, would stop "burp-back" education once and for all. I'm positive Dr. Strange would be overjoyed if that does happen.

Project #5 Presentation

C4T #1

Post #1 - September 9, 2012 - Roald Dahl's Birthday
I was assigned to Kelly Hines' blog, In the Trenches, for the C4T assignment. In her September 9th post, she talked about Roald Dahl's Birthday. If you are not aware, Roald Dahl is a wonderful author of books such as Matilda, The Twits, and James and the Giant Peach. We often hear of Dr. Seuss day but never hear about Roald Dahl Day, celebrated on his birthday, September 13. Both are great authors and offer great reading for young and old alike. Roald Dahl's books entice reluctant readers, are great for read-aloud books, and bring parents and children together through reading great heartwarming and quirky stories.
In my comment on Ms. Hines' post, I agreed with her that Roald Dahl needed his own day just like Dr. Seuss because they are both great authors. They both effectively capture a reader's interest and imagination. Hopefully, Roald Dahl Day will soon have the same popularity as Dr. Seuss Day in elementary schools across the nation.

Post #2 - September 15, 2012 - Non-Fiction Graphic Organizers
Kelly Hines shared a wonderful graphic organizer resource in her September 15th post. She teaches 5th grade students and uses these graphic organizers, from the Center of Urban Education, to assist them in comprehending non-fiction texts. Ms. Hines mentioned using the graphic organizers not only for reading, but for videos on United Streaming. This allows the struggling readers to learn the comprehension strategies before applying them to difficult non-fiction texts. She loves these graphic organizers because they are simple and be drawn on notebook paper by elementary school students.
In my comment on Ms. Hines' post, I thanked her for sharing the resource with her blog followers. Although I will not be teaching elementary school, I noted how I could use the graphic organizers in my History classes. My students will not be learning the comprehension strategies, but using their previous education to assist them in comprehending the history textbook and any other texts assigned to them. I know this is a great resource because they are simple and allow the students to draw their own graphic organizer, or download it and insert text, saving the teachers' paper and copies, and possibly going completely green though the advancements in technology.

Blog Post #4

Langwitches - Flat Stanley Podcast

This first podcast was from a first grade class that just finished reading "Flat Stanley" by Jim Brown. The class then made their very own Flat Stanley's and sent them to friends and family around the country and received stories and images back. After the students saw the world-wide success of this podcast they decided to make their own.
The students and teacher both brainstormed about a story line so that they could all be a part of the new podcast. The students were then assigned homework. The students had to pick a destination and then borrow a book from the library and research that place. After they researched the destination, together with their parents they read the book and wrote a short script. The script had to include: the location, the way that they got there, what they did when they got there, and of course how they got back home.

• The location (City, State, Country, and/or Continent)
• How did they get there (transportation)?
• What did they do at that location?
• How did they get back home?

I would definitely recommend listening to this podcast. It was a great idea by the teacher and of course hearing first graders read is really cute. Go listen to it here!

The Benefits of Podcasting in the Classroom by Joe Dale

Podcasting is a very effective way of interacting with students outside of the traditional classroom. In this video commentated by Doug Saunders, posted on this blog by Joe Dale, he touches on some great ways to use podcasting and the benefits of it. Mr. Saunders tells us how podcasting is beneficial to "Millenials," which are considered babies born after 1980. These students have not experienced, essentially, any part of their life without technology. Podcasting teaches students higher order thinking skills and develops a more in-depth learning experience. Podcasts can also be beneficial to students who are forced to miss school for being sick, or other reasons. The student could download any lecture from their teacher in a podcast form and listen to the lecture. Students could learn at home and in bed, while eating a bowl of tomato soup! 

Judy Scharf Podcast Collection

Ms. Scharf's first post on her blog is titled What is a Podcast?. It is a cross between a "broadcast" and "iPod." It is a radio-style talk show and can be downloaded using iTunes or any other podcast hosting service. Podcasts can cover many different information from humorous to educational. It is very easy to do your own podcasting. All that it requires is a microphone, a computer (which you obviously have), and software, which can be easily downloaded for free. If you have any questions on how to create a podcast I recommend you watch this short 4:00 video on how to get started. 

Also, one other note. I work a full-time job and during the day I spend probably up to 4 hours listening to different podcasts. They are really a great listen and once you start listening to a podcast that you find you like, you'll be hooked. I promise. Take a visit to the iTunes Store and get started!

Blog Assignment #3

After Reading Paige Ellis' Blog Assignment #12
As Paige suggested, I watched this video on peer editing and came away learning a few important details when it comes to editing my fellow classmates' work. The narrator in the video pointed out three steps to peer editing.

1. Compliments- There is one important rule of peer editing and that is to stay positive. You can do this easily by starting your edit using compliments. Always make sure to tell the writer what he/she did well.
2. Suggestions- This means to give writers specific ideas on how to improve their writing. Whether you suggest different word choice, the use of more details, for the writing to have better organization, for the writer to have varying sentence length, or that the writer needs to stay on topic better. And just like compliments, always stay positive when making suggestions.
3. Corrections- When making corrections make sure to check for: punctuation, grammar, sentences, and spelling. 

When peer editing, make sure to follow these three steps, be positive, and be specific.

Also, another nice article to view on peer editing is this one. This slide show covered the three main points that were pointed out in the first video I discussed. However, it went into much more detail such as:

1. Compliments- Use sentences such as: I really liked your topic, I think you used a lot of good details, This was really fun to read because..., etc. These suggested sentences are easy ways to give good compliments
2. Suggestions- The overall theme of peer editing is to stay positive. So, instead of saying "It doesn't make sense,"  try saying, "If you add more details after this sentence, it would be more clear." The point of peer editing is to help the writer, so try not to use words that have a negative connotation.
3. Corrections- This is probably the only slide in the whole slide show that is essentially the same as the video from above. 

I highly recommend this slide show because it goes into further detail on how to give better compliments, suggestions, and corrections. It also gives you an example of writing that needs editing and walks you step-by-step on how to edit it properly.

Another video to watch is titled Writing Peer Review TOP 10 Mistakes. This humorous video is done by 4th and 5th graders showing you how to not peer edit. They use terms such as Picky Patty, Jean the Generalizer, Speedy Sandy, and seven others. The video shows Picky Patty as a girl who just "nit-picks" at a students paper by pointing out small things that are not that important. She points out things like a period that looks like a comma, a half a centimeter of the title is not underlined, and many small things like that. Jean the Generalizer shows a student who when critiquing her peers paper just generalizes the mistakes and never points out any specific examples. The video shows Speedy Sandy as a girl who points out her peers' mistakes but is only focused on finishing the assignment and not genuinely editing the work for her fellow classmate.

All three of these links that I discussed were very helpful and I recommend watching/reading them. Make sure when peer editing to always stay positive, be specific, and use the three steps. No one likes a Picky Patty or Speedy Sandy so make sure to avoid those examples. When peer editing, remember you're trying to help the writer become a better writer and the best way to do that is by lifting them up.

Issues Related to Adaptive Technologies
Technology in Special Education is a video made by a special needs teacher that shows the success of using technology in the classroom. Many students, who were shown in the video, had trouble learning and communicating before bringing laptops into the classroom. The technology used by the students kept them engaged in the lesson and also gave them a sense of independence.
The use of technology was not just limited to using laptops. The teacher showed one of her students, Corbin, who had trouble reading and, before technology, required someone to assist him in reading. Now though, Corbin no longer requires a teacher to assist him. He uses an iPod Touch to listen to an audio-book while reading along with it and is no longer required to go outside during silent reading time in the classroom. The next student shown in the video is Kris. Kris has trouble communicating, so the teachers rely on the laptop that Kris uses in order to communicate with him. Before he was using a laptop, Kris would have to use a communication board in order to complete his classwork.

Communication Board

Now, however, Kris uses a laptop to communicate and complete his classwork. Having Kris use a laptop allows him to have a sense of independence and I'm sure makes Kris proud he does not need special attention from the teacher in order to communicate.

With the use of technology, the special needs student is no longer at a huge disadvantage in the classroom. Any student, special needs or not, can benefit from using technology in the classroom. Whether using an iPod Touch, a laptop, or by using slideshows during a presentation, a teacher can now keep a child's attention and help those that are willing to learn.

After searching through the Apps Store in iTunes I would definitely use the app Proloquo2Go. Proloquo2Go is a full-featured augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) solution for people who have difficulty speaking. One of the most important things for a classroom is communication, without it teachers would never know if the information they are teaching is being learned. I would use this app in order to help communicate with a special needs child. I would also use it to help teach them that they can be an independent individual. Many kids/adults want to be independent in life, and this app would meet that want for a special needs individual.

Vicki Davis: Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts
Make sure to watch this video because it shows how teaching is changing with technology. Vicki shows how, in her classroom, not only does she teach her students, but they also teach her as well. The video shows her students not just teaching each other, but connecting with others around the world. The use of technology in the classroom encourages students to share information with each other and offers a new way for students to learn new material.

We, as students, should look at ourselves not only as just a student, but also as life-long learners. Being a life-long learner means that you are never satisfied with the knowledge that you have and are willing to continue learning new things everyday. With the rate that technology is improving, it is necessary that we are open to learn about these technologies and how they can be used to teach students effectively.

Project #2 Wordle

Blog Assignment #2

Did You Know? 3.0 - A John Strange 2012 Version
After watching Dr. John Strange's video titled Did You Know? 3.0 - A John Strange 2012 Version, it really opened my eyes to truly how much the world advances by leaps and bounds almost by the second. We (the U.S.) must be careful and stay "on top of our game" before we get left in the dust by other countries (in terms of education and the use of technology). Also, the video shows the explosive use of technology in the world today through the use of such sites as YouTube and Google. I highly recommend to watch this video before reading the rest of this post because it also hits on other points that I do find very interesting.
One of the first points brought up in the video is that 25% of the population in India with the highest IQ outnumbers the entire population of the U.S. Man is that scary, and should really inspire everyone to really step their level up and push harder to be a better student and/or worker. The U.S. is supposedly the most dominant country in the world, but if we do not progress we will soon lose that title and be stuck here wondering what happened.
In the time that it's taken you to read this, there has been over one million YouTube videos watched and over 48 hours of video has been uploaded to YouTube. So that cool new video you watched the other day is going to be forgotten before you realize it. Yes, some videos are just dumb and not worth watching, but there are some videos out there (like the one I am discussing here) that contain great information and can really make a difference.
Google has also seemed to have taken over the world. I know many times when I don't know an answer to a question that someone has asked me and I've just responded with, "I'm not sure, let me Google that." We all have, and what is insane is that over 1.3 million people Google something every minute.

Mr. Winkle Wakes
This video titled Mr. Winkle Wakes was originally made by a professor to use as a conversation starter to discuss the use of educational technology. It begins by showing Mr. Winkle (Rip Van Winkle) waking from a hundred year slumber and discovering a new world and his first day in the "new world."
The first place Mr. Winkle goes to is work. He is amazed how people can print off pictures onto a sheet of paper and how people can communicate with each other half way across the world by just using a computer screen. It weirds Mr. Winkle out so he decides to go to the hospital since he is not feeling good. There he sees many different machines that are keeping people alive and realizes then that even the hospital has advanced so much that it makes him feel uncomfortable. Mr. Winkle decides to leave from the hospital hoping to find somewhere that is familiar. After walking for a little while he stumbles across a school. The sights he saw were very familiar: the students desk in lines, the teacher lecturing, the students taking notes. After spending the day in the classroom, he did notice one of those machines that he saw at work and the beginning of the day and also at the hospital, but he wasn't worried about it because it was in the back of the room and had dust all over it.
This video was made to start a discussion about the use of educational technology. In my opinion, I think this video is already out of date. It was made in 2008 and since then there have been multiple schools go to more technology based education. I am not currently in any class where it is not required for me to have a computer, and I'm sure it is that way for many college students. The use of technology in education doesn't stop at the college level, however, it is also starting to take hold in grades K-12. Education is constantly evolving, but the problem is that it just seems to be evolving too slow.

Sir Ken Robinson: The Importance of Creativity
Sir Ken Robinson is a very entertaining and insightful speaker. After watching Sir Ken Robinson: The Importance of Creativity I have a different view of the education system as a whole. Sir Robinson brings up the point that educators today are teaching students with the idea that the students would one day become professors. This thinking, Sir Robinson says, takes away from a student's creativity.
I definitely agree with Sir Robinson in this video. He says that all education systems are the same way with  arithmetic and language being the most important thing we study and arts are on the bottom of everyone's list. An education system made that way does limit a person's ability to be creative. The reason that the education system was created this way was because the point of education was for students to have a job once they graduate. Well, now and days there are many different types of jobs offered. This world is no longer limited to desk jobs and their is no need to teach like it is.

A Day Made of Glass 2
All I can say about this video is wow. The future of education and medicine is certainly a very bright one. Please take time out of your day and watch this: A Day Made of Glass 2 made by Corning. The days of just lecturing students and them taking notes will soon be a thing of the past. Like I said earlier, classes are moving towards using technology more in the classroom. This video not only uses technology in the classroom, but it pushes towards interactive technology in the classroom. Students do not just see a color grid and how colors mix to make other colors, but they can physically mix the colors together using an interactive table. A doctor in this future can communicate halfway across the world by just standing in a room with a glass wall.
In all these videos that I've watched today their has definitely been a theme. That theme is technology can and will be shaping education in a positive way and we as future educator's need to embrace it. Dr. Strange's video touched on the fact that technology is absolutely booming and is available for many different people. Mr. Winkle Wakes showed the fact that many classrooms, as of 2008, were an "old school" type of setting and how education needs to embrace technology. Sir Robinson's video made sure to point out the fact that the way we have viewed education in the past needs to be changed, many jobs require creativity these days and we should encourage students to pursue that creativity. Lastly, the video A Day Made Of Glass 2 was certainly mind blowing in terms of technology but also shows that there is a future for technology like that in the classroom.