Blog Assignment #8

This is How We Dream, Parts 1&2:           

In this video, Dr. Richard Miller gave a presentation on how technology is being used and how it could be used in teaching. Technology is getting more advanced every day, and it opens the doors for endless possibilities. Dr. Miller talks about paper and pens being eliminated and having the students complete all work online. There has been some college classes going green (including this one), but it is not so common in high school classes and younger. Not only has our writing changed from paper to desktop, but the way we research has moved from the library to the Internet. Using the Internet we have so much information at the click of a mouse.

Although the idea of eliminating paper and pen can seem overwhelming, it has many positive things to go along with it. There is an infinite amount of knowledge and only so much you can gain from the library. Researching the Internet opens the doors to even more information. Even with all the good information, you can also get unreliable information on the Internet. With all this technology we have to learn how to sort out the good from the bad.

I really enjoyed Dr. Miller’s presentation. It was interesting to watch him demonstrate all the possibilities that technology allows. I feel that it is very important to keep up with all the changes in technology and one day being able to bring it into my classroom.

Carly's Post

Carly’s idea was very creative. Her post is well written and it grabs your attention as soon as you start reading it. She made a play list of things that interest her and put them on a You Tube video. It’s a great way to use your mind and find out what really grabs your interest. I hope when I start teaching I can encourage my students to be creative and keep them motivated. I agree with Carly that you have to give kids a push to make them think and help them reach their full potential. When you work hard the world is full of endless possibilities that can open the door to many great things.

The Chipper Series and EDM 310 for Dummies  

I really enjoyed watching the videos. I felt like I could completely relate to how frustrated the girls were in the beginning of the video. The first couple of weeks of EDM310 I was very overwhelmed and skeptical about how I was going to figure out these assignments. Eight weeks later I have  a lot more self confidence in myself and I am finding that the class gets a little easier each week. The best part is I am learning how to do so much more.

If I had to make a video on EDM 310, I'd want to make a How to survive EDM 310 video. I would call it how to survive EDM 310 in five easy steps. I would give advice about blogs, projects, asking for help, and not waiting to the last minute to submit your work.

Learn to Change, Change to Learn  

The video started out by saying that education ranked lower than coal mining. Education has changed so much, and change is necessary to thrive in our environment. Children are more stimulated outside the classroom than they are inside the classroom. Email, social networking, and instant messaging is banned from schools, when technology is what stimulates these children. The purpose of going to school is to learn, and it is our job to teach them. It should be included in schools, so when they get to college classes like EDM310 wouldn't be so overwhelming. 

Scavenger Hunt 2.0

Using Discovery Education Web 2.0, we were assigned to do a scavenger hunt. Here is what I found;

1) We were asked to locate a tool that is similar to Twitter/Facebook and provides social platform for teachers, parents, and students. The website I found is Edmodo.com. Using Edmodo the teacher can post assignments, communicate with parents, students, and other teachers. If the student is out, or the parent is wanting to check and make sure their homework is completed they can check the teachers page. Parents can also check grades on Edmodo, so my opinion is that this is a very useful website, and the best part is it's free.

2) The second was to find a video tool that you have never used. The one that I found and really liked was Photopeach.com. it lets you upload pictures, embed them into your blogs, and create slideshows. I think it's really an awesome website.


3) The third tool I found was how to create a poll anytime or anywhere.



Poll Everywhere