Blog Post 7

Randy Pausch
Pausch begins by telling what his childhood dreams were. He says that it is very important to have specific dreams. One of his dreams was to be in zero gravity and he got to experience that with a group of students of his that won a contest. At first NASA wasn't going to let him participate but he negotiated with them. This is important because one of his themes is to always bring something to the table, people will be more welcoming that way. Another dream of his was to play for the NFL. He never got to play but he said he got more out of not achieving that goal than he did when he achieved his other goals. He learned that whenever someone is doing poorly and no one comes to correct you, that is very bad. Critics are the ones that still care about you. Being Captain Kirk was another dream of his. He learned that you don't have to be the smartest to have great leadership. There are more dreams that he talked about but he kept bringing up "brick walls." Those are there to show you your dedication.

He always wanted to push his kids to the best of their ability. Like whenever he was first teaching his VR class, the kids stumped him when they turned in their first assignment and he didn't know what to do next. So he told his students that they did good but he knows they can do better. Each time, they kept impressing him. He would take his students out to field trips and everything they did was project-based. He believes that the best way to teach someone something is to "head fake," making someone think they are learning something they aren't. His techniques were never lose the child-like wonder, help others, have loyalty to others, and never give up.

Pausch has such an amazing way of putting words together. He can make an hour long lecture so interesting. I do believe in everything that he has said. Never losing your child-like wonder can go for not only me but my students. I've always wanted to help someone and being a teacher just fits me so well. I want to show my kids that they too can achieve their dreams. Helping others will come easy to me because I will be in a field where I always help someone. But I think Pausch wants you to go above and beyond to help someone. Loyalty to others will pay off in the end. If you show someone that you trust them an put your faith in them, they will in return have loyalty for you. Never give up, Pausch didn't get into Brown or Carnegie but he kept pushing on.

In the end, Pausch showed his methods of teaching and they were be good at something, it makes you valuable. You can't be good at everything but if you channel one thing then eventually you can help others. The next method is work hard. Make people ask you "what's your secret?" Hard work pays off. Another method is find the best in everyone; no matter how you have to wait for them to show it. Not everyone is going to get it right away but if you wait long enough, they will impress you. This can go back to me teaching in the classroom, not every student is going to understand the first time. But if I wait, they will surprise me. Lastly, be prepared.

Progress Report on PLN

When first developing my PLN, I was overwhelmed with all the tools of technology that I had to download. I still trying to get a grasp of everything, such as my twitter. I never had a twitter before coming to this class. But each time I use it, I become a little more knowledgeable. I still believe that a PLN should be for an older kid or adult and not for elementary students. Having my own PLN has showed me to not wait on a teacher to tell you what to do or when to do it, I have figured things out on my own and taken responsibility for my work.

C4K Summary Feburary

Madison
In Madison's blog post she talked about how Paris tried to build a mock-paris in order to avoid getting destroyed. Before the plan could be acted out, WW1 had ended.

AngelirisSapia
Angeliris blog was not that long, it seems like the classroom is working on story problems. She asked the question to make up a number sentence using the numbers 85 and 56.

Gloria
Gloria's blog post was about playing a game called Touch. In this game you have many obstacles that you have to do with your team as you are partnered up as well.

Miranda
This week, Mrs Millers' class is reading about The Scarlet Letter. Miranda had an analysis about how Hester has changed throughout the book. She starts off by telling her readers that Hester has been outcast by the town. And by the end of the book the town has come to accept her and she helps people out whenever she can.

C4T Summary

Kathleen Morris
This week, Kathleen Morris has tips on starting classroom blogs for new blogger. Her tips were basically, start small, don't start with making long blogs. Her next tip was to blog on a regular basis so you can get familiar with the blog. Her tip for teacher wanting their students to eventually having their own blog was to first start off with a class bog so that the students can get used to commenting and the blogging world. All and all, keep it going and don't give up. Blogging gets easier the more you do it.

Michael Vaughn
Michael was discussing the new free apps available on an iPad for students. The new app is called inClass. InClass allows students to organize and keep track of the notes they take in class. It also has built in calendars and schedules for reminders. Michael prefers to use Evernote because it allows you to integrate with different networks.

Project 10

I really enjoy the idea of a Promethean board. This technology that I would want to use would be a CPS Chalkboard but for all of the children. I'm not quite sure if more than one can be hooked up to the Promethean board. If not then I will stay like to have it and it will be something that can be passed around for each kid to use or many a group of kids to do. What a CPS Chalkboard is, it allows to to use any program on the internet and draw or illustrate on the Promethean board without actually going to the front of the room and writing on it. I like hands-on working so this would be something that all the kids can do hands-on. It will be fun for the kids.
The link to information on a CPS Chalkboard: http://www.slideshare.net/tilt79/examples-of-technology-in-an-elementary-school

Blog Post 6

The Networked Student

The Networked Student by Wendy Drexler posted on the EDM301 Class blog, starts off by explaining there is a student studying American Psychology, there is no required text book and the teacher never does lectures. His teacher uses connectivism, which means learning occurs within a social network of many diverse connects and ties. It helps students connect with others around the world, the connects are better than the tools itself. In order to do connectivism, the student has to create a Personal Learning Network. He looks up things on Google scholar and reads other peoples blog and then he forms his own opinions on his own blog. They explain that on iPods, iTunesU contains lectures from professors all over the world. He also posts his knowledge on wikisites so that other people can learn from it as well. Teachers are needed for this because teachers show students how to use this network. Teachers also show guidance when students get stuck, how to communicate properly, and ask respectfully for help from others.
Call me old fashion, but I still believe in teachers teaching students in person, in a classroom. I don't believe students should learn from a computer. The way the world is moving, teachers will be rare to none because everyone is learning from a computer. I believe that it is important for students to know how to efficiently research but for them to completely learn from the computer is absurd! Information that a student can get from the internet, a teacher should know. As for the networked student, the lectures that he is listening to on his iTunesU should be the lecture that a teacher should do in a classroom. I don't think connectivism is a complete waste, I think it should be used as a project. Like a final project, that you've had all semester to do.

A 7th Grader's Personal Learning Environment

That student was basically learning from the internet. I still don't like that students are learning from the computer rather than a teacher. Having a PLE, a student will never need a teacher expect for showing them how to start it and if a student gets stuck. I just think that this is the world becoming lazy and relying on the computer to teach today's children.

My Sentence Video

Blog Post 5

If I Built A School
Krissy Vensodale is a Gifted Ed Teachers and I can tell by her blog that she loves colorful things. In her blog about "If I built A School" she explains that if she had a school she would love to have a huge sign that said "Welcome: Now Entering an Innovation Zone." She goes on to say that there would be colorful walls, comfy seating for kids, and a treehouse in the library. She wants to have a brightly painted bus that teachers could take their students on field trips any time of the day. She wants the building to be full of wonder and to not have any state tests. If I were to build a school, I would probably build one like the Elementary school I went to. Expect I would have every wall in the hall wall full of bright colors. The teachers would be able to decorate their room any way they would want to. The bathrooms would constantly have bubbles everywhere, because I love bubbles. The cafeteria would have a wide variety of foods to choose from and the tables wouldn't be those hard uncomfortable tables. I would have couches and comfy chairs and bean bags, because kids love bean bags.



Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir
Technology continues to surprise me everyday. This virtual choir is amazing! Who would have every thought about doings this. Everyone's voices go so well together and it's mind blowing because they have never met each other before. Such wonderful sounds are being made. You never know, but this maybe how music can evolve in the future.

Teaching in the 21st Century
What Roberts means to teach in the 21st century means that students nowadays can look up anything they want, any time of the day, anywhere they are. So what are teachers here for? He believes that teachers should be the one to filter and show students how to properly use google, twitter, and all the other expanding technologies. He wants teachers to teach about plagiarism and copyrights because students don't know what that is. I feel that Roberts is coming from a very logically stand point. The world is evolving fast and kids can now look up anything and so why do they need teachers? He is right that teachers can show students how to properly use the technologies in the world. If by chance he is right and the world catches on to this video, then teachers teaching reading, writing, and arithmetic will be no more. Schools every where would have to have computers so teachers can show their students how to use a computer to benefit them later on in life. By getting the students engaged and not entertained, by what Roberts said.

Flipped Classroom
I believe that flipping the classroom is for older kids. Not for kids in elementary. If I were to teach secondary education I could see how this would be useful to me but I want to teach elementary level so I think just teaching the regular way would be great for me.

Project #5 Presentation

Blog Post 4

Langwitches
The first article that I read was the listening-comprehension podcast, the main objective that Ms. Tolisano was getting to was not for her students to have fun with the garbagband tool, but to able to listen, comprehend, use speaking skills, and critically think about the stories. She said for kids to learn new vocabulary words, the students has to hear the word at least 70 times. Podcasting is a great way to hear the word used in different ways and different sentences. Watching the benefits of podcasting in the classroom , really opened my eyes to what I can do whenever I become a teacher. It can help the students relate to learning in more of a relevant way. It can help my students use higher thinking skills that they can use in later in life. Using my own podcast this semester, can help me later on in life because I can use it in the classroom when I become a teacher. Jody Scharf Podcast Collection really helped me understand what exactly a podcast is. I was really unsure of what a podcast is and what you have to do. This helped clarify what I have to do when I do my Podcasting project.

Special Blog Post 1

WolframAlpha Search
The WolframAlpha search proved that the United States population is much lower than China's and India's. China's population is 1.35 billion, India's population is 1.21 billion people, and the United States population is 209 million. My next search was the comparison of the number of cell phones used in the United States and in China. My results were that based in 2011, China used 968.3 million cell phones and the United States used 331.6 million cell phones. My last search was the comparison in infant birth rate to the United States to the infant birth rates in Canada. My results were the United States have 4.29 million infants a year and Canada have 335216 infants a year, these results are based on a 2008 data search. Using the WolframAlpha Search can help not only myself but my students too because it can help compare different things throughout the world. Compare different countries, see how different each country is, and how each country lives. It can also help by showing how much the United States has changed in the past 5 years.

Gary Hayes Social Media Count
In Gary Hayes Social Media Count, it showed the many different social, mobile, games, ect., numbers that are constantly moving. For example, it showed how many likes and comments were being posted to Facebook every second, or the number of app being downloaded every second. Watching those number move so fast put reality on how fast the world is moving. I already knew that the world was moving fast but I never realized how fast it is actually moving. For me and my professional career, it shows me that all the technologies and gadgets I use now may not be available or may be outdated by the time I'm a teacher. Or that the techniques that my teachers used to teach me, will probably not work for my future students.