Blog Post 9

What I've Learned This Year, by Mr. McClung, is an extraordinary example of how teachers can grow and learn as educators through self-reflection. Self-reflection is useful in many careers, but I believe it is mandatory for teachers to evaluate their teaching methods and strategies. Teachers must ask themselves everyday after the lesson, "Did I make this lesson meaningful and relevant for my students?, Were my students actively involved in learning?, and, Was the focus on my students during the lesson or myself? I also believe that teachers must ask themselves these questions while planning their daily lessons.

Mr. McClung's statement that teachers become centered in the delivery of the lesson and miss the most important aspect is an accurate observation, in my opinion. However, in a teacher's defense, they are often focused on Adequate Yearly Progress, AYP, and test scores which causes them to lose perspective, because they want their students to do their best during testing. Therefore, I believe teachers can get caught up in delivering the lesson rather than focusing on the student's participation in the lesson. It is a honest mistake on a teacher's part, but teachers must be mindful of this scenario happening, and be willing to change it.

I also believe that teachers must relinquish control of the lesson. Teaches must plan their lessons very well, but the students must be the ones in control of the production process for the lesson. This could take years of experience on the teachers part, but it is the key component in allowing students to be in control of their learning. Flexibility is an important ingredient in teaching. Teachers must be patient with their students and themselves. Every lesson does not go the way the teacher plans, no matter how hard they try. Being flexible and being able to adapt to change will enhance learning and teacher development.

Another point made by Mr. McClung is teachers need to be reasonable. There is nothing wrong with having high expectations for students. But the expectation must be for the student to do their very best not to be perfect. Teachers should focus on quality work by being a good example to their students. Furthermore, if teachers know their students, they will know if the student is giving their personal best. As teachers and individuals that is all we can ask and expect from students.

Communication is necessary to make the work place a positive, and productive place to be. It is essential to communicate with colleagues and parents in order to make your school the best place to learn, and work. Teachers must have good rapport and a professional relationship with other teachers, administrators, and parents in order to make the school and educational setting thrive. School is no place for "drama", unfortunately it does exist, but don't allow yourself to be a part of it!

Last, technology is the future of education. It must be accepted and embraced as a great and powerful tool for educating students. Teachers must be willing to learn as much as possible to prepare students for the future in our global community. The world has become a smaller place due to technology, teachers must be responsible for getting students ready for a competitive workforce and society.

Project #12 Skype Interview

Blog Post 8

This is How We Dream, Part 1, by Richard E. Miller speaks about the fundamental and incremental changes of this digital environment. He conveys that the goal of visual literary is to share dreams with others globally. The fundamental change he refers to in technology is that society has implemented computer skills for word processing and basic elements of technology very well, but this will not broaden the scope of computer literacy in our society. However, incremental changes will allow for growth and progress which will expand the usage of textual literacy. Writing is changing from reading/writing to listening /speaking in our culture, therefore we must adapt to these changes.

He brings up a valid statement about digital information changing and being updated constantly. Digital media will allow individuals to share knowledge infinitely, by composing with text, images, video,sound documents and visual documents in order to communicate in our culture. He states, "material is changing right before our eyes," which offers society a wealth of information to utilize for exploring knowledge and composing text.

Newspapers are embracing this concept out of necessity. I believe the educational environment must change out of necessity also. As our world changes our culture and society must change. Therefore, it is up to teachers to design and plan lessons that will meet the needs of their students and their academic success for the future.

This is How We Dream Part 2, is based on articulating a dream and sharing it with others. Composing material digitally by embedding blogs, starting conversation in order to push ideas forward is the future for our culture and our global community.
He believes ideas don't belong to us individually, they belong to our culture to share with the world. Composing digital material will allow us to push ideas into our culture. I believe that it will make the world a smaller place which will help on so many different levels.

Once again, in order for our students to be prepared for the future, educators have to change the way they are teaching students. These ideas and practices are rapidly being used and developed all over the world. So it is imperative that our society takes an objective look at our educational system in order to be able to compete globally.


Carly Pugh's Blog Post #12, is an example of the application process that Mr. Miller refers to in his video. She has taken the knowledge that she acquired from EDM 310 and applied it as a meaningful tool to educate herself. She utilizes the information on the web to gather information, synthesize it and produce it. Her research was totally web based with various multi-media, with Youtube videos being emphasized.

This is a great example for teachers. We want our students to internalize information not just memorize facts. In order to do that, they must be in charge of producing the information just as Carly has done. Using a multi-media approach is the best way for students to accomplish this goal. Making the lesson meaningful will give the students the desire to go the extra mile, do the best they can, and produce quality work.

I especially like her playlist of Youtube videos. I think organization is very important for children in order for them to be able to manage their time wisely when researching information. This also gives teacher an opportunity to have access and immediate feedback from other professionals around the world. She did an awesome job!

The student produced videos that I watched were very creative. They both conveyed outstanding information that will help future students with EDM 310. Both videos seemed to be very well planned and rehearsed making them interesting, informative, and entertaining. This is just another example of students taking pride in their work because they have created it.

An idea that comes to my mind in creating a video would be an "Old school/New school" approach. The old tired looking teacher presenting material the same old way, students are inattentive, and classroom management and organization are nonexistent. Then the New School practice comes into place,(due to DEM 310), where students are engaged,and teacher are facilitators. The classroom environment is a pleasant atmosphere to be in because organization is upheld due to the convenience of technology and the elimination of paperwork. Classroom management is optimal because students are controlling their own learning. This is my vision at this point for a video.

The video Learn to Change, Change to Learn says it all. The title of the video does an outstanding job directing the issue at hand. A statement in the video that made me think was that students are receiving a stimulating rich environment outside the classroom, but not inside the classroom. This is so true, however, teachers can do something about it. There are many areas that teachers have no control over, but teachers can take charge of the planning, developing, and implementing technology in the classroom.

Another point, in my opinion, is teachers are not preparing students for careers relevant for today's society. Students do not need rote knowledge, they need to know how to validate, synthesize, communicate, collaborate, and solve problems with the information that they gain from using technology. This has to take place in elementary school, just as students are taught reading and mathematics skills, technology must be a vital implementation in the early grades.

The old saying comes to my mind, "If it isn't broke, don't fix it." Well it's broke(education)! So let's fix it. If the system was working, it may be more difficult to make an argument for the way we educate students, but it is not working, so let us try something new. The outcome just might surprise us all.

Project 11 Short Movie

Project 10 First PLN Progress Report

I found it very easy to use Symbaloo. It is well organized, easy and convenient to use. All of my social network sites are located on the PLN for easy access. I am in the process of adding more financial institutions. I think have weather and CNN will be beneficial. This is my preliminary run with this information. I am looking forward to utilizing this more.

Blog Post 7

Randy Pausch's powerful lecture is based on his journey through life, teaching achievements, and valuable lessons learned. The lecture was once known as, Randy Pausch's Last Lecture, but was renamed, Really Achieving Your Childhood Dream. Due to the fact the Mr. Pausch was struggling with Pancreatic Cancer, and he refused to be pitied, thus the title was changed.

I was simply in awe of this man's incredible strength and willingness to fulfill his journey in life until his last day. He made a huge impact in this world, and will be missed by many. After viewing the lecture, I took an opportunity to view some of the other video's on Randy Pausch. His genuine spirit and understanding of the important things in life really touched me.

Really Achieving Your Childhood Dream is something that we all strive for in life. Randy Pausch truly did fulfill all of his childhood dreams with the exception of one. He wanted to play football in the NFL. Needless to say, he was not an NFL football player, but he did play high school football where he learned fundamentals in sports and in life. He said, "Football got me where I am today." It taught him fundamentals and hard work. I really appreciated the comment, if people don't show an interest to think your good enough by telling you your doing something badly, that means they've given up on you.

I believe as an educator, his insight on football can help teachers understand and educate our students. I believe education comes first above sports or other extra curricular activities. However, I do think students need to be well rounded students, and football (sports) really promote self discipline (fundamentals) and hard work. These qualities will carry a student throughout their life.

He mentioned that at football practice the coaches were always telling him what he did badly which frustrated him. Then a coach told him, when your doing something badly, but no one tells you, that means they've given up on you. Football coaches have a different delivery when working with students, but the end result is the same goal, to be a winner. I do not ever want my students to think I've given up on them. Teachers need to reinforce concepts to students who are "not getting it." Praise and positive motivation goes a long way in achieving any goal.

His profound statement, Brick walls are there for a reason, they are there to let us prove how badly we want something. Brick walls are there to stop people who don't want it bad enough. Brick wall keep those people out. This statement hit me deeply on a personal level. My late brother-in-law who suffered from viral encephalitis, did not let brick walls stop him. He had severe seizures on a daily basis, and sometimes multiples in one day. But he was passionate about becoming a lawyer. Through very hard work, determination, and motivation, he succeeded. He did not let a brick wall stop him, he proved how bad he wanted to become a lawyer.

I mention this because, as teachers, we must not stereotype students. Teachers must always encourage and be uplifting to students. The self-fulfilling prophecy is not something that we want our students to be stigmatized by. Displaying negative thoughts and attitudes toward our students, will limit their progress and achievements in life. In relation to this, Mr. Pausch made the statement, "wait long enough, people will surprise and impress you. Sometimes we just haven't given them enough time.

I really enjoyed the part about his mother and father. After listening to him speak about his mom, I thought no wonder he was such an inspirational speaker. His mother obviously had many great qualities, like putting things into the proper perspective. I laughed about the comment when he was stressed about earning his PHD, and his mom says,"remember dear, when your father was your age he was fighting the Germans. As a military wife, I cannot fathom how after fifty years, she did not know her husband had received a bronze star. What a humble and brave man! I will say, "I think Randy Pausch came from good stock." I think when his parents allowed him to paint his bedroom the way he wanted, and it still being in his parents home, was a very meaningful experience for him.

I hope as a teacher, I will give my students the freedom and creativity to explore without in such a meaningful way. I wish I would have done more of that with my own children. Other profound statements that struck me were the following:

Sell something worthwhile like education

Learn from our students

Tell them about having fun. Keep having fun, there is no other way to play

Help people

Loyalty is a two way street

Can't get there alone, you will need help

Don't bail! The best gold is at the bottom barrels of crap

Do the right thing and good stuff will happen

Listen to your feedback loop-cherish it- use it

Show your gratitude

Don't complain, just work harder

Be good at something it makes you valuable

Find the best in everybody-No matter how long you have to wait for them to show it

Be prepared, "luck" is where preparation meets opportunity

As a teacher, the statement about preparation and opportunity are right on target. When teaching young children, I believe, through my life lessons, hard work, and desire to help children learn, I hope to enable the dreams of my students to come true.

Project 8 podcast

C4T #2

Mathew Needleman's, Creating Lifelong Learnings,is a wonderful resource for educators to use for professional development. Mr. Needleman teaches K-5th grade. He integrates technology in the classroom with the primary focus being on digital film making in the elementary classroom. He teaches traditional and new media literacy. He also appreciates students individually by valuing their culture.

The first article I reviewed was Higher Level Technology Use. The overall summary of the article is that teaching should always be student centered, not teacher centered. Mathew Needleman believes that teacher should not be the only one incorporating multimedia in the classroom. He states, higher level engagement happens when the technology is turned over to the student.

Teachers should be the guide to help students produce their own content and influences outside the classroom. Students must be engaged in the process. The student should make the blog, podcast, or participate in video conferences. Students learn best when they are the ones making or composing the assignment. If teachers give students clear, precise, expectations, about the movie making and their behavior, students will create and take risk that will immerse them into lifelong learning.

I like the way Mr. Needleman uses movies to introduce the lesson at the beginning to give students the background knowledge they need. Rather than watching the information or movie at the end for pleasure. He as a teacher uses this opportunity to teach his students by being actively engaged while the moving is showing. He states, the teacher should be viewing the movie with the students with the remote control in hand in order to stop the movie for discussion. The teacher should not be at the desk grading papers. In addition, he requires the students to evaluate the movie.

Being able to relate to the ESL student is an important element that all educators should consider in the classroom. Looking at the situation from that ESL student's perspective is key to helping them reach their full potential. I like the way he told his ESL students to write down any information they did not understand, and he will stop the movie to explain.

The second comment that I posted is on RTI (Response to Intervention) A complete Apple Workflow. RTI makes the presumption that there will be students who do not master a concept during a whole group lesson. RTI assumes that there will be students who need additional time and intensity/ intervention to master the concept. The information stated suggest that educators teach everyone the same material, the same way, and expect everyone to get it. If students don't understand after the material has been taught, educators then think something is wrong with the student.

RTI focuses the particular skill. The intervention will target the specific skill rather than the general skill. For example, targeting intervention for fluency is vague, but if teachers target the specific skill, such as, short vowels, progress can be made in the area of fluency.

Data must be collected in order to determine if the interventions are working. Apple technology allows teachers to monitor progress of the students so data can be recorded. Intervention is an ongoing process, therefore, continuous information must be gathered on the student's achievements.

Teachers can record students doing Reader's Theatre and then the students can add photos. The use of ipods with voice recorders are beneficial to students. Comprehension projects will emphasis unit themes and non-linguistic representation.

The most outstanding indication that this type of intervention works, is because behavior improved tremendously. Office referrals were almost eliminated by allowing students to be active participants in the movie making projects.

Our goals as educators is to help our students become lifelong learners. Using these intervention strategies will ensure that students are engaged in learning. The focus is on student learning, not teacher teaching. Students learn best by doing. Teachers must allow their students to take risk and make mistakes which is part of the learning process.

Project 9B Timetoast

Blog Post 6

In the first video, The Networked Student by Wendy Drexler, a new type of learning strategy is being used. It is referred to as Connectivism, which essentially teaches students how to build their network and take control of their own learning. When this type of learning takes place, the teacher guides the students to help them build or design their connections. There textbook is a virtual textbook which allows students to organize different types of mediums to explore their topic or objective. This type of teaching model would allow student to be in the classroom 3 days a week and out of the classroom 2 days a week to work online. This will allow students to structure their own learning path.

Now the question is, Why does the networked student even need a teacher? The networked student will definitely need a teacher to help build their network, manage and organize information,guide the student when they need help, and they will help the students respectfully ask for information from professionals in the field of related study. Teachers will be able to help them properly communicate their ideas. Most importantly, they will help students learn how to use the information properly,being able to distinguish good information from propaganda.

I am not sure that I am ready to be a network teacher. I do not feel that I have enough background knowledge on the subject at hand. Nonetheless, I want to continue this process of learning a new way of teaching. I believe that this concept is the future of teaching, therefore, it is mandatory that I continue to grow in this field.

A 7th Grader's Personal Learning Environment or (PLN), helped me better understand the connection of everything that I have learned in EDM 310. Network learning will be the style of learning in future classroom. Many students have a great foundation on which to build this technique. Therefore, it makes great sense to have a Personal Learning Network in order to have a successful network of learning.

I really like the information that the 7th grade student provided on her PLE. Glogster was something that looked interesting that she made reference to. She utilized video conferences, peer review, emailing professionals and experts in the subject being researched. The insightful 7th grader also gave an overview on network learning. She says network learning is not an open ended way to learn whatever you would like, it simply gives freedom on how to do it and when to do it.

Why Smartboards Are A Dumb Initiation? By Michael Stanton is an eye opening discussion on why this is the least effective way to improve learning. He complains about the high cost of the smartboard as well as they do not change the way learning takes place. Teachers are still in control of the content. Teachers stand in front of the class to present the lesson, although, the lesson may have more appeal to students, the lesson is not student directed.

The smartboard is an outrageously expense device that will captivate administrators, and school districts, however, most of the time, the smartboard is nothing more than an overhead projector. The smartboard only allows a single students to a few students to actively participate in the learning situation. Michael Stanton believes that there are more cost effective methods of improving education .

Bill Ferriter's, Why I Hate Interactive Whiteboards?, conveys the same attitude toward these devices. He says without proper time and training whiteboards are nothing more than expensive overhead projectors. He says that 6 ISB's are $18,000, that is a lot of money, and they do not chance the vision of instruction. He believes that it is an example of careless decision making and wasteful spending.

In addition to being very expensive, he say schools purchase whiteboards without having a way evaluate the progress of such an expensive purchase. School systems will spend thousands of dollars, but they do not follow up to see if the desired outcome was achieved. Change cannot be bought. He believes if we turn control over learning to our students, we would see motivation and academic growth thrive. Classrooms should be a place where all students would like to be an active participant. Whiteboards do not provide an opportunity for this type of learning to take place. Overall, the cost does not justify the means.

Kevin McLaughlin states, in Better Educational Interactive Tools, occasionally, teachers are using their whiteboards as an interactive learning tool , creating content that engages their students, however, this is not the norm. Training is a cost and a time factor. It is also expense to fix or repair devices on these boards that break easily.

I thought it was extremely interesting about the responses given about these whiteboards by students. They never get to use them, boring waiting for a turn, and they are fun, but only a small group of students get to use them. They all said that if they had a choice, they would like to purchase something else.

Using the same amount of money, students would be able to get so many other useful devices for the classroom. It seems like a simple economic lesson to me. Everyone wants the most for their money. School systems all across the country are in financial crisis, therefore, it is my opinion that all school systems should carefully weight the benefits of purchasing such an expense tool for learning. Schools must use their money wisely, they must consider whether or not the purchase is the least cost effective way to educate our students. Perhaps lowering student teacher ratios in order for teachers to allow student centered instruction to take place would be more beneficial.(?)

While looking for blogs to support the use of whiteboards in the classroom, I was not very successful. I found a few great ideas for using whiteboards in the classroom, but I did not find any arguments in direct support of using whiteboards. The items that I found were useful, but I would not say, they were totally student centered.


Being a teacher of elementary school children, I think you should give young student various methods of learning. I think students should be active participants in order for them to truly engage in instruction. I also feel with younger students, teachers will play a bigger role and focus on the learning process.

Special Assignment 1

The assignment is to compare information from Wolfram Alpha and Google squared. I have never used or heard of these search engines, but I am very interested in learning more about them. Wolfram Alpha is a long-range project that organizes data, computes information, and organizes it into graphs and charts to be able to summarize and analyze the information. I feel that this way of helping individuals interpret and organize data will be useful for many skills. Some examples would be financial computation, color computation, and mathematical step by step instructions.

Google squared helps to organize facts about topics, and it creates tables and charts to process the information. Google squared takes messy data and places it into simple tables. The information can be processed and searched more deeply.

I was asked to compare the United States population to China and India. China is 338.6% larger than the United States, and India is 293.4% larger. This information was easily accessible with Wolfram Alpha and Google squared. The information in itself is staggering, but the data analysis is quite amazing.

I will use both these search engines in my classroom. I did find Wolfram Alpha easier to use and read. These will both be great resources for classroom students. It will also help parents work with their children at home on skills that they may need to review. This could take a lot of stress out of homework for many parents.

Blog Post 5

The Eagle's Nest Radio podcast is a ongoing production by a third grade class. Each podcast utilized various subjects that the students were learning about in social studies and science. Each podcast was well prepared and researched. Each podcast required research on the particular subject at hand. Each student actively participated in the podcast, therefore, they all researched and acquired the necessary knowledge in order to report on the podcast. I believe using a podcast in the classroom will give students an opportunity to work collaboratively with one another, it will also allow students to become more confident in their speaking abilities. Students used facts for their podcast, vocabulary, books, and interviews to make a production on the various topics given. The podcast was also enhanced with music which makes the podcast more interesting.

I think there are many ideas to extend this project in other areas. I would probably allow student to document their podcast with a timetoast timeline throughout the year. I really like this idea on so many levels. The students will have to use their imaginations to picture the images that are being discussed.

A group of first graders create their own read along audio book, in Langwitches. I believe this is a great way to give students and audience. Each member of the project is actively involved which allows students to learn and be creative. Students will also build confidence as they record their own voices. Audiobooks allow students to have voice in their own education. This is another strategies to use for different types of learning styles.In the video, Benefits of podcast in the classroom, there are many great reasons to advocate podcast in the classroom. Some benefits are that it allows students to interact with students outside the classroom. It focuses on project based
learning, accesses higher level thinking skills, and promotes creativity. There are so many benefits of podcast in the classroom. Students will be motivated and interested in learning. Students will create projects that they will be proud of. In addition, parents can see what their children are learning, and they will also be proud.

The Practical Principals with Melinda Miller and Scott Elias, is just another useful example of podcast being an essential part of education even on a professional level. It is a wonderful resource for educators throughout the country to network and share ideas on technology and podcast. Using audio or video updates whenever there is new content.

100 Ways to Use your iPod to Learn and Study Better is practical and beneficial to students and adults. This will give students on all levels of learning tools that can guide them through instruction. This will be extremely helpful for helping students when it comes time to do homework. It will also help parents assist students at home for additional tutoring.iPod learning can be a guide for students to use when they need additional resources for learning. Spark notes, flash cards, audio downloads for subjects, and a guide for learning another language.

I believe that this is the beginning of the change that is needed in the way we educate children. Podcast will be a great form of technology that I will definitely use in my classroom. I like all the ideas presented, and I will make good use of them. Students will really be able to create something that is meaningful to them which will allow them to fully comprehend the content in which they learn.

Project 9 (Individual) Timetoast

Blog Post 4

Scott McLeod is a professor in Educational Administration Study of Technology Leadership at Iowa State University. He is the director of UCEA, Center for the Advanced Study of Technology Leadership Education (CASTLE). His mission is to promote educational proficient in the field of learning technology. He coordinated the ISTE Conference on What Does It Mean to be a Tech Savvy Principal? He is also co-creator of the video, Did You Know?(Shift Happens). In addition, He wrote, Don't teach your kids this stuff. Please? He uses his writings and videos for thought provoking discussions. His sarcasm in his writing allows individuals to think critically about issues in technology. Most people in our society have formed their own opinion on this topic. It is as if, people are for or against teaching technology in our schools. I believe,like anything, common sense and providing a balance in utilizing educational strategies should be a priority. Just as I believe there can be many forms of media in our lives that are misused,this can happen with television, telephones, and note writing for students. Schools have educational campaigns to make students aware of appropriate behaviors especially in elementary school, I believe if this is taught at an early age, less problems will arise from the misuse of technology. Our educational security should no be based on "what if." Technology is part of our society and life, not only in our nation, but in the world!

Above,I included a pie graph that represents teachers opinion's on technology in the classroom in relationship to classroom behavior. I thought this was an interesting chart to gain some insight on the way teachers view the technology discussion.

The iSchool Inituative is brilliant! I think he is onto something. It makes financial sense, it will better prepare our high school students for college, and I believe, students will have higher academy success. I do believe that future generations will be taught using this type of program or something very similar. As an Elementary Educator, I believe our roles in technology will increase to prepare students for this new way of learning. Although, I feel that classroom teachers need to be technologically literate, I feel technology specialist should play a greater role in the early grades in order for students to be prepared for this type learning to take place as they advance to higher grade levels. The key element in my opinion is school reform.

I really liked the video, You Can't Be My Teacher, by Darren Cannell. Sometimes in life it takes a young child to get our attention on ideas that are so obvious before we get it! I have taught young children for many years, not all in the educational setting, but children say exactly what is on their mind, and most of the time they are right on the mark! Teachers must listen to their students. Often, teachers don't realize the knowledge gained from a student's perspective.

After viewing, Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir, I thought, it really is a small world with the advancement of technology. As Jennifer Chamber's mentioned, when watching this video, at first you don't realize what is taking place. When you think about that many people creating such a beautiful performance and never meeting or practicing, it took my breath away. It makes me think of all the possibilities for the future in our "small world."

Teachers in the 21st Century, What Does It mean to teach in the 21st Century? Teachers are no longer the primary source of knowledge. I believe that this should be part of our educational revolution or reform. Not just teachers, but education needs to take a new role for our future generations. In kindergarten to mid-second grade, students are learning to read. By the end of second grade students are reading to learn. Technology should be thought of in this manner. Teach students how to use technology in lower grades for students to be able to use technology to learn.

The material and information that I have learned in EDM 310 has given me a different mindset. I never really thought about many of the issues in the way they have been presented to me. The question asked is, What Does It Mean To Teach? It means, as an educator of young children, I must implement technology into my life. It starts with me, learning and progressing in this area, taking more risk in technology, and gaining knowledge to be proficient in teaching my students with technology. Technology is the future of our world, and teachers want their students to be the best in the world!

My Sentence Video

Blog Post 3

In Michael Wesch's: A Vision of Students Today,I believe the video displays a pretty accurate scenario of a typical college classroom. I believe the collegiate classroom environment has changed in many aspects, but it also remains the same in some areas. I definitely believe that a student's way of learning has changed. Today, many college courses are blended courses or hybrid. Students depend on laptop computers for learning on a daily basis. Using the computer is second nature to young adults who enter college. However, depending on the size of the University, class sizes for lower level courses are usually large,books and tuition expensive, and it is up to the individual to gain a quest for learning and knowledge. In my opinion, that has not changed. To imply that technology will put an end to the struggles of educational institutions, would be optimistic.

I believe if it were that simple, the issues would not still exist. I believe self-motivation, and desire play an enormous role in education, especially on the college level. Although we have unlimited access to laptops and computer labs in college, there are still many individuals who misuse them during class. As I noted in the video, some students bringing laptops to class, but do not use them for class. They are often used for facebooking friends during class. Although we are discussing technology, students who are motivated to learn will learn!

"It's Not About the Technology," by Kelly Hines, I feel it is true to some extent. She bring up a great point, learning and teaching are two different things. She says, and I agree, technology is an innovative tool and in the hands of an innovative teacher, amazing things can happen. Teachers must be invested in their profession. I believe when teachers are invested in learning and helping students explore and progress, technology will be part of the plan. Unfortunately, when anything is misused and there is no clear, precise, objective, technology will be nothing more than entertainment to pass the time. Teachers play a tremendous role in the learning process for students in education. It is up to the teacher to evaluate the objective of each lesson. " What do I want students to learn?" Teach with a purpose which allows students to explore critical thinking skills, and technology is a great way to implement these higher level thinking skills that students must achieve.

I believe that technology is essential for the classroom teacher to target all types of learners. As a fourth and fifth grade teacher, I observed students struggle in Science and Social Studies. Most of the time, it was because these students were not reading on grade level. The reading content was too difficult. However, implementing technology for these student will be so important, because my objective is Social Studies or Science not reading. I firmly believe it would build that student's confidence and self- esteem which would give them the desire or motivation to learn.

Karl Fisch: Is It Okay to Be A Technologically Illiterate Teacher? This discussion really made me do some self analysis. I am a very competitive person, and I strive to always do my very best. Unfortunately, I have neglected this area of my life. I never fully interpreted this view in such a way. After reading, Is It Okay to Be A Technologically Illiterate Teacher?, I have an entirely different view on technology. Not just in the classroom, but also applying it to my personal life on a daily basis. I can do better, I want to do better, and I will do better. Thank you for such an extreme view, I needed a good dose of motivation. In addition to that, I believe we are all unique individual who offer different strengths to the teaching profession. Teachers must collaborate with one another for the greater good of educating young children.

The Social Media Count, by Gary Hayes was amazing and overwhelming. Thinking about those atistics are hard to comprehend. The fact that the numbers changed every second is truly staggering. As I watched the numbers streaming by at such a fast pace, a bit of panic come over me. It was like I was running a race in my head, I almost felt a rush of adrenalin pump through my veins due to the numbers going so quickly. It is difficult to believe that something can change so fast! The message that I take away, from this is that change is inevitable! Technology is changing so fast, we must change the way we teach students, and be flexible enough to keep up with the constant changing pace.

Project 5 Google presentation

C4T #1

The message or overview of Creating Safe Learning Environments, was to get students ready to learn.The classroom environment must be appropriate for learning to take place. A students environment creates the mood and is a prerequisite for learning. The atmosphere of your classroom must enable students to create and explore learning. Students must feel comfortable in their surroundings in order for them to progress while learning. Parent involvement is also key to the environment of a classroom. The classroom should be a place for both student,parents, and teachers working together during the educational growth and development.

In my first comment, I stated that I was an edm 310 student from USA. I strongly agree with Creative Safe Learning Environments for your classroom. I feel like this will help me as I prepare for my teaching career.

The next post emphasized continuous education for teachers. Teachers must continue to grow and learn in order for the classroom environment to be conducive for learning. Furthermore, when teachers and educators come together for learning,there are new ideas, strategies,and techniques e created. When this occurs excitement and passion for learning takes place for teachers and students. It is invigorating for teachers to gain new knowledge on the same concepts that are taught year after year.

My comment left for this post was also favorable. I believe that teachers must be passionate about teaching. I think when teachers are working together to learn new ideas, it creates excitement that overflows into the classroom.

Blog Post 2

In the first video that I viewed, Did You Know? by Karl Fisch and Scott McLeod, the information changed so rapidly, it was difficult for me to keep up. I believe the authors intended that idea as part of their message. The world and technology is changing at a great rate of speed, and the US should keep up with the global advancements taking place. The authors pointed out, change is taking place so rapidly, information doubles every two years. Unfortunately that means if an individual enrolls in a two year technology program, the material or information will be obsolete when the individual completes the program.
The authors presented statistics and facts indicating our nation is falling behind other countries. The message that I take away from this video is that America must evaluate our future in this changing technological world in order to remain a leading world country. America must educate society about technology in order to compete with other nations. Therefore, that process should begin even earlier than Elementary school.

The next video, Mr. Winkle Wakes by Matthew Needleman is a witty video about Mr. Winkle who wakes after 100 years. He finds the world around him has changed and there is nothing that is familiar to him. He is confused by tall building with lots of people. In these building there are boxes or machines that have pictures on them from people all over the world. He was very overwhelmed, he felt sick so he goes to the hospital thinking that would be a familiar place. He finds odd things going on there as well. People attached to machines, lasers in the operating room. Finally, he finds a school and everything is just as it was 100 years ago. Desk in familiar single file rows while listening to the teacher lecture. However, they did have one of those machines in the back of the room collecting dust and never being used.
Although this video was silly, it brings to attention aspects that are very true. Teaching and school for the most part has not changed over the years. The world around has changed so much, but the way we teaching school has remained dormant. I believe that unless our nation wants to be like, Mr. Winkle, teaching and educations will have to change.

Sir Ken Robinson: The Importance of Creativity, is a comical video presentation that encourages creativity in the classroom. Sir Ken Robinson says that schools kill creativity. He says that education and creativity must go hand and hand. He also believes that creativity is as important as literacy. He points out that there are some misconceptions about creativity, such as only certain people are creative. He disagrees with individuals that believe you can't learn to be creative. He believes that intelligence is a diverse process of making sense of the world around us, and education must balance Science, Art, and Technology when teaching children.
I really enjoyed this video. I agree with his position on creativity. However, I believe that it will be a challenging area for me to implement in my classroom. This concept is very different from the way I was taught, and taking that "risk" will be difficult. Fortunately, I am willing to explore new possibilities in education, and using creativity in the classroom will only enhance the learning experience.

Last, Vicke Davis: Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts, believes that teachers should be customizing their curriculum. The overview is that every child can learn, if you provide many forms of teaching, such as technology and arts. If you are only teaching with pen and paper, only one type of student is learning. She believes in turning schools upside down, empowering students, and connecting to the world. She believes that students learn how to learn. Therefore, teachers must teach students how to learn how to learn. If this takes place in the classroom, everyone learns, including the teacher.

I believe that if the issues in each video are addressed and teachers really practice and follow through on these ideas, all of our students will be as bright and articulate as Cecelia Gault in the video. Utilizing many techniques of teaching will give all students an opportunity to learn.

Wordle

My Wordle!

Blog Post 1

    My name is Regina (Gina) Sawyer.  I grew up in Mobile,  Alabama,  and attended USA after graduating from high school.  While attending the university,  I met my husband at the beginning of my third year of college.  He had just graduated from Auburn University,  when we were introduced to each other.  It was truly "love at first sight",  and we married a year later.  We then moved to Enterprise,   Alabama in order for him to attend flight school for the Army at Fort Rucker.  I completed my degree in Elementary Education at Troy University.  I always knew that I wanted to be an Elementary School Teacher.  I have always worked well with young children from babysitting to coaching sports.  Therefore,  my decision to become a teacher was an easy choice.

    I have lived in many different areas of the world due to my husband's military career. Our favorite duty station was Germany and Italy!! During this time,  I was fortunate to be able to stay at home with my young children.  My family and I have great memories,  met many wonderful people,  and made life-long friends during this time of our life!!

    When my youngest child entered K4,  I eagerly began my teaching career.  I taught school for 5 years until a business opportunity became a promising idea in order for my family to relocate to Baldwin County.  I have co-owned and operated a successful gymnastics school for ten wonderful years.  Due to the sluggish economy, and my desire to get back into the classroom,  we sold our business this past year.  Therefore,  I am ready, and excited to resume my teaching career.

    As I have mentioned,  I am blessed to be married to an extraordinary man.  He is a Pilot for Net Jets, Inc.,  and he is also a helicopter pilot in the Army National Guard.  He is currently activated for deployment to Iraq.  He is completing training at Ft. Hood, Texas and will leave for Iraq in June for a year long tour.   I also have a beautiful daughter who is a sophomore at the University of Alabama.  I have an amazing sixteen year old son who will be a junior next year at Daphne High School.

    It is probably quite obvious that my passion is my family.  I  enjoy traveling and spending quality time with them.  It is extremely important to me to make our family experience, and the time we spend together a priority.  I am a very active, energetic person.  I am constantly "doing" something.  I prefer working out, walking on the beach,  maintaining my yard and home, rather than sedentary activities such as watching television.

    I am looking forward to  taking EDM 310.  Participating in this class will be an awesome challenge for me, but I am prepared to devote my time to this class for personal growth and development.  I believe that this class will give me the learning tools that I need to implement into my classroom in order for me to be a successful teacher.