Blog Assignment #16

Part 1: Final Reflection

After reviewing my first blog post of this semester, I have developed a better view of what my future classroom will look like. In my first post, I was uncertain as to what my future classroom would hold. I noted that I want my students to know that they are valued and that their thoughts, opinions, and experiences matter. In addition, I want to be able to instill self-esteem and confidence in my students. These things remain the same; however, there are additional things that I would assure my future Secondary Literature class will include.

In my classroom, I now know that self-learning, self-exploring, and self-reflection are all important aspects to learning that need to be included in any classroom. With these things in mind, I will utilize tools that the students are interested in, and I will use tools that are valid to their everyday lives. My students will be allowed the freedom to utilize tools of their choosing to explore and research topics being learned in the classroom. If I were to begin teaching today, some of those tools would include; Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google tools, Prezi, Skype, and a wide range of Apple applications. This list of tools is not conclusive, as our world is ever changing.

My classroom would be setup in a collaborative manner, instead of desks; I would assure there were accommodations for round table settings. I would assure there was appropriate access to the internet and tools needed to explore the subject matter in a personal way.

The activities in my classroom would include presentations by students showing what they have learned. The students would show how they were interacting with each other and students they have met through online collaboration. The activities would be a product of project-based learning, and each student would be able to display their learning in their own unique way.

My classroom would be ever changing based on the students’ needs and the changing environment we live in. The view of my future classroom has changed this semester in that I understand now that project-based learning is necessary to allow students to grow more fully and explore their passions in a unique way.

Part 2: Video Reflection

Blog Assignment #15

What Assistive Technologies Are Available To Us As Teachers?
Authored by: Secoria Burks, Jo Davis, and Lindsay Stewart

This blog post encourages us to find assistive technologies that are available for our use as teachers. There are many tools which can be utilized in the classroom that can assist us in providing enhanced curriculum to our students with disabilities. These tools will enhance participation and encourage interaction with our students’ peers and environment.

The Assistive Technology Blog
Authored by: Lindsay Stewart

This blog is a publication from the Virginia Commonwealth University. There are many links on the left side-bar that offer specific posts regarding Assistive Technologies (AT) in different areas. There are links for AT for Math, AT for Organizing, AT for Reading, AT for Writing, etc… I have chosen to focus on AT for Writing as I will be teaching Secondary English.

Panther Writer from Panther Technology on Vimeo.

One post in the blog highlights “Panther Technology.” Panther Technology creates Apps for use by students with disabilities. There are apps for math, reading, and other subjects; the app I found would be most useful in my future classroom is the “Panther Writer." This app has made it possible to have different layouts to the basic keyboard we are all so used to seeing/using. The Panther Writer has four keyboards; the basic plus, Tom’s keyboard, the vertical fall keyboard, and the high contrast keyboards. Each keyboard is enhanced by one-touch edit functions, accessible file management, and the ability to email and post to Facebook. Tom’s keyboard has a two layer keyboard; the first layer consists of keys that make up 95% of all keystrokes, and the second layer contains the infrequently used letters. This keyboard has the word prediction as well, making it an efficient alternative to the basic keyboard. The vertical fall keyboard features vertically stacked letters and function keys which can be chosen by running your finger along the base of the iPad and letting the letters come to you. This keyboard is great for individuals with very limited motor control. The high contrast keyboards assist individuals with diverse motor and cognitive needs with mild visual impairment. Each keyboard offered by Panther Technologies can be used in the high contrast mode.

Although there are numerous AT available to teachers to use in their classroom, I really love the Panther Writer as it can be used in combination with other applications. Its use on the iPad allows for more efficient use of technology, better note taking, and an opportunity for students with disabilities to interact more easily with their environment.

The Cook Special Education Blog
Authored by: Jo Davis

When you hear “assistive technologies” I’m sure the first thing that comes to mind isn’t gardening. I sure didn’t think so! But after reading an article on the Cooke Center’s website in which they used a gardening project as a teaching method for kids with learning disabilities I became very interested in it.

Food is very near and dear to my heart and I also like hands on projects so this drew my attention immediately. Although gardening isn’t “high-tech” it is still a high beneficial method of education that can be used to teach about health and science. Upon further research on the subject I found a page on farmtoschool that stated “Children with learning disabilities, who participated in gardening activities, had enhanced nonverbal communication skills, developed awareness of the advantages of order, learned how to participate in a cooperative effort, and formed relationships with adults.” I know this is a technology class but I really see this implementation of a class gardening project is really thinking out of the box and has proved to be very assistive! This project could also be greatly benefited by the supplementation of technology. Kids could research gardening techniques and important tips on their class iPads and even look up visuals of garden bugs and pests for quick recognition. I think it would also work out greatly if students could document their progress with the garden on a class blog. It is an extensive project that lends to documentation and plenty of visuals. This kind of project that is constant and requires diligence and patience could really prove to be a great assistive education method for special needs learners.

Again I know gardening itself isn’t a technology but I think it is a great project that calls on the use of many various technologies and really thinks outside of the box to assist the teaching/learning process.

ADDitude Blog for Teachers with ADD/ ADHD Students
Authored by: Secoria Burks

This site consist of blogs for and by people with ADD and ADHD, it is for adults and students in both professional and personal aspects of life. After scrolling through the tabs at the top of the page I found a page devoted to teachers. On this tab I found the blog “Teacher I Need Your Help”, it addressed some issues and concerns of students with ADD and ADHD. One thing that I noticed a lot of was the need for repeated instruction and to be reminded of the classroom structure. To me this equates to the need for assistance with organization and memory.

I found a site with tools for students and teachers with disabilities or challenges of any kind. In the category for organization, I found an app for Apple called iCommunicate, it offers visual schedules, choice boards, text to speech,and audio recordings. In a classroom setting this could be used to keep students focused on the assignments they have to do and keep them engaged. The only downside would be that it requires an iTunes account and there would be no way for students to interact with it on their own. However, a teacher could make an account for each class and students could participate in class assignments; this would keep students focused. It could be a daily reminder of weekly events and double as a visual calendar.

Blog Assignment #14

What Was Left Out?

This post asks for ideas on assignments that should have been included as blog post assignments over the semester; the assignment states that the suggestions should be within my area of speciality. As a Secondary Education/English major, the assignments this semester have all been interrelated with my field of study; each assignment required appropriate writing and appropriate use of grammar. In addition, most assignments used online tools or the use of Apple products to develop a lesson, make a video, interact with others, etc... While these assignments proved to be enriching, my thought was, "What about school districts within poverty areas? What do you do when there is not an iPad in every class? What happens when there is only one computer to utilize in your classroom?" These questions have been with me since our first video assignment requiring the use of iMovie. It was the first time I was without the tools needed to complete an assignment; fortunately, the university had the needed tools, but it did not stop me from thinking about my future students and the tools they would have access to. While many graduates may very well work in a school district with all the latest technology, some will be faced with challenges of low funding and families in poverty. With the aforementioned in mind, I have outlined a suggested blog assignment below.

For this assignment, students will need to imagine a world without immediate gratification. A world where Google will not give you the answer in .1 second. After achieving this mindset, students will create a project based learning plan without the use of the internet. This assignment can be presented with visual aids in the form of a poster, a written essay, or a picture collage.

Why would a class with an intention of teaching technology have an assignment where the internet is not used? The reason is to promote original and creative ideas. It is difficult to be original when the world around you makes it so easy to access another's ideas, another's thoughts, or another's complete resources. Would technology have advanced to this point without someone first having an original thought? This assignment will challenge students to use their imagination; furthermore, it will give students an opportunity to realize the vast advancements that have been made in the last several years regarding technology. An appreciation of technology promotes further learning.

After students have created this project, students will be given the same assignment a month later with the instruction to research using the internet and present the project in their chosen tool (Prezi, iMovie, Google Presentation, etc...). This will provide an opportunity for all to see the differences in a world where technology is not easily accessible and the world many of us have the advantage of living in.

Project #2 -PLN

My Personal Learning Network (PLN)

As a reminder to myself, I ask, "What is a PLN?" A PLN is a set of people and tools that I can rely on for collaboration, resources, and help when needed. My PLN has grown somewhat this semester; my social circle previously did not include many educators, as I am experiencing a change in careers. This semester has assisted me in networking in the educational realm. Through blog assignments, C4T, C4C, and C4K, I have found websites, tools, and individuals that I will call upon in the future to provide support. The most influential resource I encountered was people. Yes, people! I have gained the feedback of many educators in my own community by sharing the knowledge I have gained and asking for assistance from them on issues I do not understand. One teacher allowed me access to her classroom to utilize the Promethean board to gain a better understanding of this technology, and another teacher asked for my assistance in creating a picture slideshow for her class. I enjoy talking face to face; however, I did enjoy a FaceTime conversation with one educator who provided me with a better understanding of Common Core Standards.

While the people I have met this semester were extraordinary and professional, the tools I have gained are countless. This past summer, I had one web browser and one social networking site membership. Now, when I log in to my computer, I have a widget sidebar with quick links to my favorite sites, my Google Chrome browser has many shortcuts to educational applications that I have found useful, and I have more items in my "reading list" that I know will contain more resources.

My PLN will never stop changing, I have already "trashed" a few tools that I found unnecessary or not user friendly. I cannot wait to speak with more educators and gain even more resource; I know this is just the beginning to my journey, and I hope for many more years of learning.

Comments for Teachers - #4

Partnering with the Super City
By: Dorothy Burt

In this blog post, Dorothy provided details of the mayor's commitment of the Super City, Auckland, NZ to support the Manaiakalani Education Trust. This understanding means free internet for children, and completion of infrastructure to make this a reality. In the post, Dorothy also provided a video of the mayor signing the agreement and singing a song with the children.

In my response to this post, I expressed my excitement over the agreement that was reached with the mayor. I advised that this type of change is promising for our future and for our children.

Six Years of Film Festivals
By: Dorothy Burt

Dorothy provides and overview of the sixth annual Manaiakalani Film Festival. This year, the festival had two theaters being utilized and over 3,000 students attending the event. Dorothy linked some of the videos that were highlighted at the festival. I commented to Dorothy about the film festival. I advised her that I thoroughly enjoyed the post, and was excited to see that so many students were able to participate.

Project #12 - Part B

Project Based Lesson - Propaganda in WWII
Authored by: Secoria Burks, Jo Davis, Lindsay Stewart

In this Project Based Lesson, students will explore propaganda used in World War II. The lesson plan was presented via a SMARTboard lesson; please view the lesson below:

Blog Assignment #13

Ken's Top Ten
Authored by: Secoria Burks, Jo Davis, and Lindsay Stewart

Last week, we explored three talks presented by speaker, Ken Robinson. This week we had the opportunity to view additional thought-provoking presentations that Ken Robinson included on his “Top Ten List.” Ken’s recommendations are stimulating talks given by inspirational and world-changing educators and innovators. We dive into three of these videos in greater detail below.

What Do Babies Think?
Authored by: Lindsay Stewart

In this presentation, Alison Gopnik explores the decision-making and intelligence of babies. Alison seeks to answer why and how children and babies can learn so much so quickly. She suggests that it is due to the amount of time human beings spend being dependent on adults. Alison points out that the human species has the longest time for “learning” than any other species. In this “learning process,” babies and children are protected; this gives them time to learn and process all the information that their brains can handle. Alison states that babies are designed for learning; they are for learning, and their brains are one of the most powerful computers. Once the children grow into adults, all of the things learned can then be put into practice.

Alison shows us how children at the age of four can effectively experiment and form hypotheses; often we think children are “just playing around” or “not paying attention,” when in reality, they are experimenting. In one instance, a four year old was able to experiment with four different hypotheses in less than two minutes. Why are adults not able to do this? Alison suggests that it is because adults’ brains are like spotlights; they focus on one thing and block everything else out. Children, however, have brains like lanterns; they can analyze many different ideas from different places all at once. Children are unable to zero in on one idea, but the number of possible hypotheses is more numerable than an adults’.

Alison suggests that if we desire to become more open-minded and creative, then our goal is to become as children are. In this video, Alison’s research on the learning process in children and babies showed us that humans have a great capacity for learning, if we only stop and take the time to recognize it. Alison’s talk reveals that there is much to understand about the learning process, and there is much more to understand about our children. Overall, this video shows that it is vital to educate our children and give them all the tools necessary to become productive adults; it is our job to “water” their minds, and then watch them flourish in the garden called, “life.”

How to Use Videos in Education by Salman Khan
Authored by: Secoria Burks

Teaching through videos allows students to learn at their own pace. They have the ability to stop, pause, fast forward, or rewind if they need to. As far as flipping a classroom is concerned, videos can be vital. Mr. Khan also proposes the idea that videos can make a classroom more human, by using videos as an at home teaching tool. Classroom time can be used for practice, collaboration, and assessment; not instruction. Assessment is one of the topics his online school is attempting to change as a whole. He believes that a one shot test isn’t very productive. Students are taught a section and at the end they have a test. The score on the test indicates what they understood or retained, but no matter what the score, teachers move on to the next section. The Kahn Academy has created a system that prompts students to try until they master the skill.

Mae Jemison: Teach Arts and Science Together
Authored by: Jo Davis

Mae Jemison: astronaut, doctor, art collector, and dancer uses this TED talk to stress the importance of teaching the arts and sciences in conjunction. With a focus on the future, Jemison states that science education needs remodeling. Right away Mae Jemison introduces an idea that we could all learn from. She explains that the driving force behind research and science is curiosity, and curiosity is born of creativity. Creativity is of course sparked by and nourished by the arts; therefore, science and the arts are intertwined. This school of thought that keeps the arts and sciences separate is damaging to progress. She gives the example of the shuttle used to fly her to space and the Buntu statue she brought up with her were both products of human ingenuity and creativity. This is truly an invaluable way of perceiving the world and the things we learn. She even provides the following quote from Albert Einstein to support her view, “The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science.” The mysteries of the world we live in invoke thought that leads to evolution in both art and science, so naturally it makes sense for both subjects to be taught in a way that expresses their mutual relationship. Jemison goes on to further explain how arts and sciences are not so different but the main point she stresses is how one is not more important than the other. Art and science alike are vital in composing and bettering the outcome that is the condition of human life. This disparity between the education of science and art in schools is detrimental to the learning habits of future generations. If only one thing was to be taken away from Mae Jemison’s TED talk it is the fact that the arts and sciences are both key to progress and must be regarded and taught as equals.

C4K Summary for November

No Justice for All
Authored by: Jacqueline

In her post, "No Justice for All...," Jacqueline highlights a Supreme Court case in which the court ruled that sentencing intellectually disabled persons to death row was "cruel and unusual," and these individuals should not be prosecuted as harshly. Jacqueline goes on to discuss a current case in courts; in this case, the defendant is being sentenced to death. The defendant registered an IQ of 71; therefore, the state of Florida does not consider this defendant to be "mentally-retarded" as his IQ is one point higher than what Florida considers intellectually disabled. Jacqueline pointed out that each state has different criteria, and this type of criteria is "not justice for all."

In my response to Jacqueline, I thanked her for highlighting this issue, as I was unaware of the court cases she wrote about. Jacqueline did an outstanding job of crafting her post, and I gave appropriate praise for her well thought out blog post.

Every Picture Tells a Story
Authored by: Brooklyn

Brooklyn tells a narrative story about a man and his brothers in this blog post. Brooklyn's story was about four brothers who were planting a garden, but they did not take care of it properly. Their father became upset because all the crops died due to improper care. In the end, the father and sons gave each other a hug. Brooklyn also graded herself on how well she did in writing the post.

I commented to Brooklyn that her story was enjoyable. I also advised her that the grading rubric was a good idea, and I stated the rubric was a good way to look back at the progress she was making.

I Can Write
Authored by: Loseti

In this post, a student named Loseti shows us how they wrote their name in the sand during a field trip experience. The students were enjoying a picnic at the river when Loseti wrote his name in the sand. In my response to this post, I told Loseti, that I like to build sand castles when I go to the beach. I also advised Loseti of the awesome job he did on writing his name.

Blog Assignment #12

TED Talks with Ken Robinson
Authored by: Secoria Burks, Jo Davis, and Lindsay Stewart

Ken Robinson is an innovator in education, and he pushes others to understand their students and their talents more fully. We listened to three videos provided by TED Talks in which Ken guides our thoughts into a direction away from the mundane, structural, and predictable educational system. He challenges us to question the current structure of our educational system and pushes us to encourage others in their creativity.

The Importance of Creativity with Ken Robinson
Authored by: Lindsay Stewart

In this video, Ken Robinson provides a profound case for the need of our educational system to nurture rather than undermine creativity. Ken’s talk is very entertaining, and he kept my full attention for the duration.

Ken explains that everyone has an interest in education; it is not only teachers or students that have an interest. Ken explains that education is meant to lead our children into the future. However, he also points out that the future is quite unpredictable, and how can we educate for unpredictability? Ken explains that we must begin with nurturing the innovation, talents, and creativity of others. He points out that our current education system stifles the creative minds of children; furthermore, Ken states that there is currently an academic inflation. There is a lot of focus on degrees and meeting education marks. Ken directs us to see that children are not, by nature, afraid of taking chances; rather, we are educating our children out of creativity. He argues that if you do not take chances and are afraid of being wrong, then you will not come up with anything creative and original; this is something that education takes away from children.

Ken is passionate about nurturing the creativity of others. Instead of squandering the talents of our children, we should embrace them. He shows us that degrees really are not worth much compared to the creativity we are stifling. We need to change our perception of human capacity, and we should use our gift of imagination wisely and encourage that gift in others. Ken’s talk on creativity brought to life again many points I have read and heard recently through the interaction in my EDM310 class. There are many passionate educators that want to see a change, and there are people that “really get it.” But how do we move from pointing out the issues to making the changes to put these great ideas into practice? There are many guidelines that educators must follow based on where they are employed. I would hope my classroom would be one that encourages all creativity, but I am concerned about my own limits as an educator. When will “those in charge” embrace the need to allow more imagination and nourishment of talents in our schools? As Ken says, the future is unpredictable; I hope the future includes many ideas I have in my own imagination.

Changing Education Paradigms
Authored by: Secoria Burks

In this video Ken Robinson addresses problems that we face in education so far. Education as it is alienates certain students, and marginalizes points of value in students. Current school structure was designed during the Enlightenment period and was based around economics and intelligence. This system has created the notion that there are smart and non-smart people and this is not only ineffective but creates unnecessary chaos. Another topic he discusses is the misappropriated use of prescription drugs on students and the effects they have on classroom participation. He explains how students of this age are the most stimulated in history. They are being stimulated by their surroundings and more and more by chemical substances.Both of these things make it hard for students to focus on what is usually boring student material. Instead of attempting to make the material just as stimulating students are often penalized for not being interested. The point he really works at is that students are being numbed to experiences that are supposed to make them feel alive. School structure is another big topic he discusses. He emphasizes the importance put on student age instead of ability. Also he elaborates on how schools are modeled after factories. There are ringing bells, separate facilities, subjects are divided up, and students are taught in batches determined by age. This is a form of educating that is only conducive to standardized learning. His final topic is divergent thinking, he begins by explaining that divergent thinking is an essential component to creativity and that as children progress in the current education machine they lose this skill.

How to Escape Education's Death Valley
Authored by: Jo Davis

In this TED talk Sir Ken Robinson discusses not only the problems that have caused the dire state of education in America but also the problems with the solutions that have been proposed to fix education in America. Firstly he addresses the ironically named “No Child Left Behind” program and the harm that it has done for education and for the flourishing of students' minds. Sir Ken Robinson states that there are three principles that are essential for human life to flourish and that they are all three contradicted by the system of education at present. The first of the principles that Sir Ken Robinson reveals is that human beings are naturally very diverse and vary greatly amongst one another. This nature of diversity is directly contradicted by the No Child Left Behind program that places an extreme importance on conformity and standardization. The forced system of standardization narrows the field of education for students to a small group of subjects that have been deemed necessary. The subjects and material being taught are important but by themselves with all the focus only on these subjects it is simply not sufficient. As Sir Robinson says, a focus on the arts and humanities is an absolute necessity when it comes to a proper education. Along with the cherry picking of subjects, the methods of teaching and learning are also being stifled so all children must learn and do school work in a uniform manner, yet again directly contradicting the diverse human nature. The next principle that Sir Robinson addresses is the inherent curiosity of human kind. He states that children are natural learners and if educators can just light the spark of curiosity the children will learn so much on their own. He attributes part of this problem to the de-professionalization of the teaching profession. Teachers are not meant to only pass along learned information but to rather facilitate learning. Instead, the current system of education in America enforces compliance by having teachers teach and students learn only for the purpose of a standardized test. In this system the curiosity of the students is being quashed and learning is being impeded. It is crucial that this problem is rectified as curiosity is absolutely vital in education and learning. The last principle Sir Robinson addresses is that of the creativity of humans. He states that education has a duty to nurture creativity in developing minds. This is yet again being stifled by the culture of standardization. Sir Robinson compares this to the highly successful education system in Finland and states that the Finnish individualize teaching and learning, place a very high standard on the profession of teaching, and devolve the power and responsibility of teaching to the individual school level. These methods address the three principles Sir Ken Robinson spoke on to create what diverse, curious, and creative humans need to learn...and organic system of education! With such a system that can develop and aid students in learning, the current crisis in American education would be no more. So much can be learned from Sir Ken Robinson by taking these essential factors for the flourishing of the mind and using them to evaluate the state of education in America. All educators should take his points into consideration because as he stated,” No school is better than its teachers.” America is certainly in dire need of an escape from education’s death valley.

Project #15 - Lesson Plan #3

Add Your Own Chapter

In this lesson, students in the 11/12th grade Literature class will add a chapter to a book of their choosing. The book must be one discussed in class. Students will explore the author's style, diction, and characterization when completing their project. An overview of the project can be found here: Add Your Own Chapter

Project #10 - Interview

Conversation with Connie Nobles

Connie Nobles is a fourth grade educator at East Central Upper Elementary. The school is located in the Jackson County School District in South Mississippi. Connie is a graduate of the University of South Alabama. In this interview, Connie discusses the use of technology in her classroom, and she also shares comments regarding Neil Postman's book, "The End of Education." I am interested in knowing how teachers balance their personal and professional lives; Connie gives us insight into this as well.

Project #12 - Part A

SMARTboard Demonstration
video by: Jo Davis, Secoria Burks, and Lindsay Stewart

In this video, our group (Matisse), demonstrates the basics of using a SMARTboard.

Blog Assignment #11

Ms. Cassidy's Class

Ms. Cassidy is a first grade teacher that takes "technology in the classroom" seriously. This week, I watched three videos about Ms. Cassidy's class; the first video showed her students in action. This video gave an overall understanding of what is really taking place in Ms. Cassidy's classroom. The remaining three videos collectively (one, two, three)make up an interview with Ms. Cassidy where she discusses how she began incorporating technology into her classroom, and how she is continuing to learn new things regarding technology.

In the interview with Ms. Cassidy, she describes how she first got started using technology in the the classroom. About ten years ago, five computers were put in her room. At this point, she knew she had to put these computers to good use as effective learning tools. From this point forward, Ms. Cassidy never looked back. In 2005, she began having her first grade students create their own blog. Yes,I did say first grade! She states the students enjoy blogging and seeing new comments from family and visitors to their blogs. She also tells us that her students are learning and improving upon their writing and vocabulary skills by writing their blogs. The students not only have a blog, but they use other technology tools as well; some include Skype, podcasts, screencasts, Nintendo DS, and iPads. Ms. Cassidy also gives us some insight on providing safety for the students on the web. She states students use only their first names, and when she posts pictures, she never puts a name to a face. I believe these are necessary precautions to take in the classroom, especially with younger students, and I will employ this method in my own classroom where the Internet is used as a learning tool.

Ms. Cassidy talks about her hesitancy with new tools. Just like Ms. Cassidy, I am hesitant when it comes to new tools. I have never been a fan of Twitter, and I rarely use Facebook to share items. However, Ms. Cassidy shows us that we need only to take a tiny step into the new tools to be amazed by the benefits. In her latest blog post, Ms. Cassidy reveals her first experiences with Facebook. After receiving assistance from her daughter, Ms. Cassidy began a class page on Facebook where she would post a link to her class blog each time her students posted. This action resulted in increased parent participation as most parents have a Facebook account, but not all of them had Twitter.

Ms. Cassidy is what I would consider a pioneer in incorporating technology into primary classrooms. She reminds me that learning is never ending, and that technology should not be feared but embraced.

C4K Summary for October

Total Silence
by: Kevin

In his post, Total Silence, Kevin explains a challenge that was presented to his class. In the challenge, two partners had to solve a very confusing brain teaser without the use of verbal or written communication. Kevin explained how difficult and frustrating this challenge was, but he also expressed how much fun the activity was as well. Kevin then showed how this challenge was aligned with the book his class was reading; in the book, one of the characters could not talk. The challenge gave Kevin and his classmates the opportunity to feel how the character in the book felt.

In my comments to Kevin, I expressed how frustrated I would be if I were unable to communicate with words or writing; I advised Kevin there are other ways to communicate without using words. I also asked Kevin if he was able to successfully complete the challenge.

Out of My Mind
by: Amy

In Amy's post, Out of My Mind, she describes what service dogs are used for, and she gives a website that gives more information about the use of service dogs. Amy's post references a book her class read about a character that could not talk. Amy then asks questions concerning the book regarding how the main character would react to a new sibling or how the service dog would help the character.

In my comment to Amy, I expressed gratitude for the information about service dogs. I also added that the addition of a new sibling is most likely a difficult transition for all involved; however, adjustments are generally made in the household that make the transition quick and painless.

My Awesome Week
by: Sophia

Sophia's post, My Awesome Week, gives a review of what Sophia learned throughout the week. Sophia explained that on Monday she had a substitute teacher that took the class on a "road trip" via her social studies book concerning the different states. On Tuesday, Sophia and her class read a book and had Music for the first time. Sophia did well on her first "states" test, and she also said she had lots of homework.

In my comments to Sophia, I advised her that I am taking Geography and have map tests as well. I told Sophia that her "road trip" sounded like a fun assignment. I wished her luck completing all of her homework, and I let her know that homework could be fun especially when you get to learn new things.

Dairy Farmer
by: Ofa

Ofa describes the good, the bad, and the interesting things about dairy farming in her post, Dairy Farmer. Ofa made a chart of the many things involved in dairy farming. A couple of the good things were that you got to have a four-wheeler, and you get to have your own farm. Some things Ofa said were bad things are, getting up early and getting "squashed" between cows.

In my comment to Ofa, I explained that I live on a farm, but it is not a dairy farm. I advised Ofa that it is not too hard to get up early if you go to bed on time. I also told Ofa that having a four-wheeler is a really fun part of farming.

Comments for Teachers #3

C4T#3, Comment 1

Why Student-Centered Learning Can Change The World
by: Tina Barseghian

In this blog post, Ms. Barseghian highlights Juarez Correa's article, "How a Radical New Teaching Method Could Unleash a Generation of Genuises." Ms. Barseghian explained how Correa was bringing learning to the impoverished. She explained that Correa's story was highlighting the need for a, "new breed of educators inspired by everything from the internet to evolutionary psychology and neuroscience." She explained further that knowledge is not a commodity that's delivered from teacher to student; rather it is something that emerges from the students' own curiosity-fueled exploration. She stated teachers should provide prompts, not answers, and then they step aside so students can teach themselves and one another.

I commented on this post advising Ms. Barseghian that I enjoyed Mr. Correa's article. I explained that this line of thinking was right on track with the Project Based Learning that we are experiencing in our EDM310 course. I expressed my gratitude to Ms. Barseghian for sharing her own thoughts as well as Mr. Correa's.

C4T#3, comment 2

What Compels Teachers To Quit - Or To Stay?
by: Tina Barseghian

In Ms. Barseghian's post, "Quit or Stay," she brings the insight of Richard Ingersoll by linking an article referencing his research on why teachers stay or go. In this article, Ingersoll explains that he interviewed many teachers who had left the profession. Some top reasons include the wear and tear the after hour work puts on teachers and their families. He says also that the profession is not respected by parents and students, and the pay is not desirable. Ingersoll did find that schools where behavioral problems in students were adequately addressed had a lower turnover of teachers. Overall, Ingersoll gives us a glimpse into the world of why teachers quit.

Commenting on Ms. Barseghian's post was difficult, as her post referenced Mr. Ingersoll's article. I did however state that the turnover rate of teaching professionals could not be denied, and I added that the retention of teachers is an area that needs to have more scrutiny. I also expressed my gratitude to Ms. Barseghian for sharing Mr. Ingersoll's research.

Project #14 - Lesson Plan #2

Old English vs Modern English Reading of Beowulf

In this project based learning plan, we explore Beowulf and the literary elements involved. Students give a reading of an excerpt via podcast; and they learn differences in the Old English Language and Modern English. Explore the Learning Plan.

Blog Assignment #10

What Can We Learn About Teaching and Learning From Randy Pausch?

In his presentation, Randy Pausch gives us hope. It is the kind of hope not only in our students and their abilities, but it is also hope in ourselves. Randy roots his presentation in his own childhood dreams. He describes his dreams, and then he shows us how he achieved them or what he learned in his attempts to achieve them. Randy's story is inspirational, and as his audience, we are given a "head fake." A "head fake" as Randy describes it is essentially indirect learning. We learn valuable lessons in this presentation, and at the same time we are enjoying the light-hearted delivery and appealing story of Randy's dreams.

In listening to Randy talk about dreams, he gave us important lessons about teaching and learning. One important lesson came from his dream to play in the National Football League. Randy references one particular coach who held practice without the use of a football. In this one example, we learn that we must get the fundamentals down in any area; whether it is football or life, if we do not know and practice the fundamentals, we might just fumble when the ball is handed to us. Through his football dream, Randy learned the value of hard work, and he learned that when someone is riding you to do better it means that they care; so, never stop pushing your students to do more.

I found many quotes from Randy in the presentation that I will probably be referencing for years to come. One of my favorite is the brick wall quote. Often times, when I run into my own brick walls, there is a feeling that it was "just not meant to be," and I quit pursuing that goal. However, Randy tells us that the brick walls are there to give us an opportunity to show how bad we want something. This quote alone had the wheels in my head turning regarding how many times I let the brick walls in my life win. And what if our dreams will just never come to fruition? That is okay too, because we our told that we are going to get experience regardless; experience is what you get when you did not get what you wanted.

Analyzing in words what we can learn about teaching and learning in Randy's presentation seems to do Randy an injustice. We must experience the presentation for ourselves, and then we must live it out, only then do we see the value in Randy's words. However, there are some tips to consider on our life journey learning, inspiring and teaching others. Randy tells us that we need people to help us, because we cannot get to our goals alone. We must tell the truth, be earnest, apologize when we screw up, and focus on others, not ourselves. We also have to get feedback and actually listen to it and use it. We need to show gratitude, work hard, be prepared, and we must never bail on our goals; Randy says, some of the best goals are at the bottom of the barrel. One of my favorite tips is to always find the best in everybody; this requires patience, sometimes it may even take years. Randy teaches us many things in this presentation, but it is up to use to take our dreams and apply them. If you have not had the pleasure of listening to Randy's talk, do yourself a favor and take a listen.

Blog Assignment #9

What can we learn about teaching and learning from these teachers?
Authored by: Secoria Burks, Jo Davis, and Lindsay Stewart

1. Brian Crosby, Agnes Risley Elementary School, Sparks, Nevada, “Back To the Future”

In this video, Brian Crosby discusses how his class learns about hot air balloons and how his students took learning to a higher level. Mr. Crosby discussed the entire project of his students building and learning about hot air balloons. The project was an eye opener in getting students to be involved in the entire learning process. First, research was performed, then testing, after this, the actual building of the hot air balloon was completed. In each step, Mr. Crosby’s students are blogging, making videos, collaborating, and connecting and sharing their learning with the entire world. So, what can we learn about teaching and learning from Mr. Crosby and his class? Mr. Crosby shows us that it’s not about a race through learning or a race to get good test scores. He teaches us that learning enrichment is part of everyday learning, and through enrichment and project based learning, students learn in their own way the things necessary to not only improve test scores but to also obtain a first rate education. Mr. Crosby gave an interesting quote from a David Coen on the way schools now handle teaching kids “the basics.” Many schools just drill basics and then move on to enrichment learning afterwards. Using Coen’s quote to support his thoughts, Mr. Crosby says it shouldn’t be this way. “The basics” can be taught more discreetly, and the children learn better when taught through more meaningful experiences such as Mr. Crosby’s project. The students in this class thrived from the attention they received from comments and sharing around the world, and the video gave a clear picture of how students are more motivated to learn when technology and collaboration are part of the experience. Mr.Crosby does something in this video that we really admire. He addressed his students’ presumed handicaps; his students were impoverished and second language learners. They were largely disconnected from the environment they lived in. Making the point that if students do not understand their role in the scheme of things, that it would be hard for them to find that spark needed to imagine, be creative, and to be passionate. Our favorite project was “High Hopes.” This project directly targets the problem with the disconnect by asking the students to include their community and their passions. Another thing I learned from Mr.Crosby is that by building a large learning network students makes learning more interactive and more rewarding.

2. Mr. Paul Andersen, high school AP Biology teacher in Bozeman, Montana. “The Blended Learning Cycle”

Paul Anderson talks to us about the “Blended Learning Cycle” in this video. Mr. Anderson begins by showing us blended learning combines online, classroom, and mobile settings. He then presents the learning cycle with these steps: engage, explore, explain, expand, and evaluating at all points. Mr. Anderson combines the blended learning atmosphere with the learning cycle to illustrate the complete “Blended Learning Cycle.” In the complete cycle students will do the following steps concerning the science lesson/project: 1. Question 2. Investigate 3. Video 4. Elaborate 5. Review 6. Summary Quiz. He summarizes this process with the helpful acronym QuIVERS. In each of these steps the students explore in depth the lesson being presented through working hands on and learning via the web. Mr. Anderson gives examples of some of the questions he poses to his students and how they work through them using the “Blending Learning Cycle.” What can we learn from teaching and learning from Mr. Anderson? It is good to have a process to use on different lessons/projects, and a way to mark learning via the summary quiz. The “Blended Learning Cycle” is a tool that can be used in lesson planning to assure use of all resources available. We can learn from Mr.Anderson that a good way to start any lesson is to pose a question. Or that it really doesn’t have to be a question, it should just produce a conundrum for the students. Another thing we can learn from Mr. Anderson is seen in the beginning of his video. He addresses the fact that he evaluated his teaching methods from the previous term and adjusted them according to his desires, values, and inspirations from other educators. The willingness to consider your own work and change it is an incredibly important thing to consider.

3. Mark Church, “Making Thinking Visible”

In this video Mr. Church challenges his students to create a headline for what the search and puzzle is of the question, “What is human origin all about?” The students are put into discussion groups to come up with headlines for the question, and then each group creates their headline. The headlines are displayed in the classroom, and then after learning about the search for human origin the headlines are reviewed a second time. What can we learn about teaching and learning from Mr. Church? We learn group work and collaboration brings out different points of view, and displaying the headlines helps to create a visual of the learning that is taking place. This collaborative thinking Mr. Church had his students do is a fantastic exercise in critical thinking. Analyzing and thoughtfully discussing with others in this fashion is a great facilitator of learning. Mr. Church employed another great technique when he had the students go back and consider their headlines again to see how and if their thoughts/feelings/ideas had changed. These methods lead to more actively thinking students. This is a great example of how allowing students to independently explore becomes a necessity. Mr. Church proposed a fairly vague and open question. The students had to decide what was important to them and what they wanted to gain from this section.

Project #9 - Podcast

A Conversation on Mark Prensky's "Teaching Digital Natives"

Blog Assignment #8

Learning Tools for the 21st Century
Authored by: Secoria Burks, Jo Davis, Lindsay Stewart

This week, we explored tools that we could use in our future classrooms; we have listed a few here, and will describe in detail our favorites. Grockit gets your students connected in study sessions on a social site. Schoology is another site where teachers can connect with other educators as well as their students to stay connected. Funbrain is a site with educational games, and Knewton is an adaptive learning site that personalizes the students’ learning experience based on their individual needs. Quizlet is a great tool where you can make your own flashcards, or teachers can make flashcards and share them with the class. Glogster is a site that helps you gather all data about a topic on an interactive, multimedia poster that can be shared publicly. Evernote is a useful tool that helps you organize all of your resources in one place. Diigo is another tool that assists in organizing all of your tools and resources; you can collaborate with others, highlight important information and keep everything in one place. There are three more tools that we found very useful; we have described them below.

Edmodo- “Where Learning Happens"
Authored by: Lindsay Stewart

Edmodo is an awesome resource that can be used in any classroom. Its interface reminds me of Google in the way that is structured. Teachers can create a virtual classroom for their students by creating an account and providing group codes to each participant. After the students sign up, they are brought to their personal page that is not only functional but very appealing to the eye. The site feels like a combination of Google and Facebook (and what student does not like Facebook?). Students can comment on others’ posts and vote on questions posed by the teacher. The teacher can share documents and keep track of the progress their class is making. Overall, Edmodo would be a useful tool in any classroom, but it would certainly be a great addition to my high school literature class. I cannot wait to use it with my own students soon. The video below shows an example of how you can use Edmodo in your Language Arts classroom:

Digital History- "Using new technologies to enhance teaching and research”
Authored by: Jo Davis

When I first stumbled upon Digital History while looking for online history sources, I almost dismissed immediately as boring and generic. But something about the big empty timeline of the webpage intrigued me. As I investigated the site more I realized it is a fantastic, unique, and easy to use tool. As previously stated, the site at first seems to be nothing more than a large empty timeline of America from pre-1492 spanning into the 21st Century. But upon further investigation i realized that the empty tiles of the timeline were not merely empty tiles but cells functioning as links! On the top of the timeline there are dates and in the background are images that correspond with these dates (which is very visually appealing), and on the left side of the time line are four rows reading: media, documents, textbook, teaching. You use the timeline to find the desired period and then click the cell under the date that corresponds with the medium that you are seeking. Digital History provides an amazing amount of resources on every period available. Having the resources separated into media, documents, textbook, and teaching makes this an immensely useful tool. I will undoubtedly be using Digital History as an aide in the near future.

Timetoast
Authored by: Secoria Burks

Timetoast is a tool that allows teachers and students both the opportunity to build interactive timelines. Since I plan on teaching history it is comforting to know that I have a tool to help organize and present large spans of time. When first engaging Timetoast, you have to set up an account, there are plans you can pay for, or you can use the free one. To get a better feel of the site, I signed up for a free trial account; I began making my own timeline. This site is great for PBL or anything that requires research. In order to make an accurate and interesting timeline you would have to find precise dates and try to get as many details as possible. Another feature to this site is the ability to view timelines that have already been made by category. You can add groups to your dashboards and interact with them or even collaborate on timelines. While I was not able to use all the features of this site (due to my subscription status) I can say that this site is a wonderful tool for teachers and students of History, Literature, Art, and Science.

Comments For Teachers #2

C4T#2, comment 1

I was assigned to read Mark Presnky's blog; Mr. Prensky's blog is essentially videos where he answers questions posed in an interview format. In the first video conversation with Mark Prensky, he talks about teachers and whole nations letting go of the reins on students’ learning, and he discussed how this action would promote further learning. The conversation went on a direction towards overall thought processes in the educational system regarding the ways we help our students learn. The main idea remained the same in letting our students truly experience learning rather than the experience they typically receive in a traditional classroom; it also included using technology to make learning cheaper and merging the formal and informal parts of learning. I commented on this conversation advising of my agreement in having teachers let go of the reins; however, a gradual approach to this may be needed.

C4T#2, comment 2

In this conversation with Mark, he discusses getting students to answer more questions by using clickers or cards. I learned from this conversation that it is okay for students to be wrong sometimes, and the important thing is to have students take risks. And if the student fails, we can show them that they can get back up and proceed again. We can encourage this through games or getting students to be in front of a camera and learn what is appropriate and what is not appropriate. I commented on this conversation that we do not allow our students to be wrong enough, and that researching and coming up with the wrong solution often leads us straight to the correct answer.

Blog Assignment #7

Conversations With Anthony Capps
Authored by: Secoria Burks, Jo Davis, and Lindsay Stewart

Project Based Learning, Part 1
     Anthony Capps provides us with guidance regarding Project Based Learning. In the first video, he gives us an overview of this type of learning. Anthony tells us instead of assigning a project to summarize a lesson that we need to use project based learning as part of the actual lesson. He states he follows the ACCRS standards to assure his project will meet curriculum needs. Anthony also explains that getting others involved (family, community) will bring a learning based project full circle. He provides very useful examples such as peer-editing and peer-selection as an exercise in classroom democracy that truly lets the kids be a part of the whole experience. This very involved form of learning is extremely beneficial in the learning process. In addition, we get an example of how Project Based Learning will benefit the teacher as well and grow our knowledge.

Project Based Learning, Part 2
     In this conversation with Anthony, he gives us another example of using Project Based Learning. In the project, Anthony wanted his students to provide a narrative from the perspective of living in Afghanistan. He explained that the outcome was phenomenal; students focused on food, clothing, and other cultural elements. Anthony had one parent who did not agree with the project assigned, and that child was allowed to do a project on a different topic. This showed us that we can make adjustments to our learning plan if needed, as long as the standards are still being met. In this particular project, the results were shown to a group of parents, and the parents were in awe of the abilities and skills shown in producing the projects. And with this, Anthony gives us the tip to never limit our students, because often they will go above and beyond the expectations, and we will be amazed. He also states that his students enjoy Project Based Learning, and he looks to their feedback to shape his future lessons. In addition, Anthony has the backing of his administration in using Project Based Learning in his daily lessons, and he is currently helping to develop a Project Based Learning template to use statewide.

iCurio
     In this video, Anthony talks about the iCurio website and how he uses it in his classroom. iCurio is a curated website that his students use like a search engine to find approved content that meets ACCRS standards. Although he is a third grade teacher he made it clear that iCurio would be useful to all grade levels and subjects. He stated his students use iCurio to organize their data as well, and this allows the students to practice using online storage tools so that once leaving the classroom they will have a new skill of using online organization tools. The iCurio site is a safe site for students, and it has many resources including accessibility options. Anthony gives us tips on how to search in iCurio as well, and he explains how the directory in iCurio makes it easier for students to search for the specific information they need.

Discovery Ed
     The Discovery Ed video shows us the importance of using Discovery Ed. Anthony tells us Discovery Ed has almost everything you can think of in terms of resources for Science and Social Studies. The videos found on Discovery Ed allow experts to deliver information to the students, and these videos enhance classroom learning and keep the students engaged. Accompanied with reading, the videos and resources found on Discovery Ed increase the students’ understanding of what is being studied. The aforementioned videos give us an overview of Project Based Learning and some of the tools/resources we can use to enhance Project Based Learning in our classroom. The real-life scenarios and experiences that Anthony gives us will assist in our own formation as a teacher.

Don’t Teach Tech - Use It

Authored by: Lindsay Stewart

     Technology in the classroom is still controversial, but it is vital to the learning process. Anthony tells us how to incorporate technology into our lessons without “teaching” technology. There should not be a checklist for technology lessons; rather, technology will be used in each subject, and the use of different technologies will assist students throughout their learning process. Anthony teaches us that scaffolding the use of technology can be beneficial to the students in gradually becoming experts on using different technological tools. The advice Anthony gives regarding technology is valuable and should be considered by all teachers. Technology is not going away, and we need to embrace it in a way that our students see the value for themselves.

Additional Thoughts About Lessons

Authored by: Secoria Burks

     In general I have enjoyed all the conversations between Dr.Strange and Mr.Capps. In this video Capps breaks lessons down into a matryoshka doll. Your lesson plans should ultimately fit into your year. How do you go about making sure this happens? First plan your curriculum year, so when you are making lesson plans you can make sure you’re going to hit all the marks on your map. Next, divide your goals into units. This will allow the lessons to flow in a more coherent way. Then, plan your goals for your week, try making every day functional so that your weekly goal will be met. Finally, you plan your day, how to get kids hooked and how to measure the improvement.

The Anthony- Strange Tips for Teachers Part 1

Authored by: Jo Davis

     Dr. Strange returns with his good friend Anthony Capps in this video to discuss things that are vital for a teacher, especially a new teacher. I found this video very interesting and Dr. Strange and Anthony Capps together constructed an excellent list of factors that teachers should most certainly take into consideration. They ultimately ended up with a list a little something like this:
               1. Work hard
               2. Be a learner
               3. Have fun doing it
               4. Be flexible
               5. Know the importance of Review

     These were the main points Dr. Strange and Anthony Capps discussed and they went into some depth on why each of these were key for teachers. I really liked how they were sure to hit on the fact that it is vital for a teacher to be open for the ongoing experience of learning. I believe this is very important and we all must certainly realize that teaching is itself a great learning experience. I also thought the importance they placed on being flexible was fantastic. Being flexible is essential to successful execution as of course things will never go the way you plan it exactly, and it’s foolish to operate on such an assumption. Dr. Strange and Anthony Capps cover these points and even more in the video, and I would definitely suggest that anyone interested in education should check it out.

Project #13

Project Based Learning Plan #1

Created by: Secoria Burks, Jo Davis, and Lindsay Stewart

For Project #13

Project #2 - Personal Learning Network

Personal Learning Network (PLN) Growth Progress

When beginning this class, EDM310, I was honestly a little skeptical about signing up for Twitter, Skype, Google+, and YouTube even. However, after a few short weeks, I quickly learned that there is nothing to fear about using these types of technology. I have found great resources that I am adding to my PLN. Twitter is a great place to quickly see what others are thinking and how individuals are learning in any given moment. I personally like Google+ and the resources I am gaining through the people and communities I am following. For example, Google Apps in Education provides me with instructions on using Google Apps in the classroom, and Education Revolution seems to have daily updates of resources to follow. I am still learning how to best use Google+ as well as Twitter and other resources, but I can already see the benefits. Another site that was introduced to me was iCurio, this website it essentially a curated search engine that will allow me to find learning material for my students that follows the ACCRS standards. The resources on this site seem to be endless, and I enjoy exploring the information found here.

While my PLN is certainly growing, it has not reached its fullest potential, and I doubt it ever will, as you can never stop growing a PLN. I do hope to continue conversation with some of the teachers and children I have encountered through our C4K and C4T assignments.

C4K Summary for September

This I Believe by: Bamaboy98

Bamaboy98's blog post, This I Believe, provided insight into a topic he was passionate about: construction. Bamaboy98's blog showed the importance of construction in today's society. Bamaboy98 pointed out all the benefits of construction, expressed his interest in this field, and how he is learning more about construction from his father. I commented on this post regarding the impact it had on me. I explained that sometimes we forget the importance of jobs in certain fields like construction, and I expressed my gratitude to him for showing such passion.

Skype by: Jero

Jero's blog post, Skype, revealed a love for "skyping" with another country, and Jero also expressed the enjoyment received from creating a "dot." I advised Jero that Skype is a great tool to utilize in our educational journey. In addition, I advised Jero that the comment made about creating a "dot" caused me to research further as to what this entailed. I learned a lot from my research, and I was grateful for the information provided.

Hexagonal Learning by: Ana

Ana's blog post, Hexagonal Learning,was a video showing her group's project using hexagonal learning. Personally, I had never seen or heard of hexagonal learning, and I shared this with Ana. I advised Ana of other techniques I had used similar to hexagonal learning, and I informed her of my intentions to use hexagonal learning in the future.

Blog Assignment #6

What Do You Need to Know About Questions to be an Effective Teacher?

“Judge a man by his questions rather than by his answers.”-Voltaire

Voltaire was certainly on to something there. In reading Ben Johnson's "The Right Way to Ask Questions in the Classroom", Mr. Johnson appears to be "on to something" as well. Mr. Johnson gives us an overview of the mistakes teachers often make when asking questions. Then he describes Mary Budd Rowe's research on questioning strategies. Mr. Johnson explains that simply asking a question, then pausing for a short time, then calling on a student is an effective strategy that we can use in our classrooms. He states it's effective because it causes all students to engage in the process; the students do not know if they will be called upon. Therefore, each student is thinking of the answer during the pause provided. This seems to be a perfect solution to get all students involved in the critical thinking process. However, what are the questions that we should ask?

Dr. Maryellen Weimer gives us advice on how we can structure and prepare our questions in her article, "Three Ways to Ask Better Questions." She recommends three actions that can improve our questioning. The first is to prepare our questions by asking ourselves; "Is this the question that needs to be asked?", "When is the best time to ask the question?", and is the question clear enough? The second action is to play with the question; Dr. Weimer suggests that after asking the question, it should be left unanswered for some time. This allows the students to thoroughly think the questions through. The third action is to preserve good questions. You could hold a question for a different class, or revise and refocus a question based off the feedback you received from students.

The aforementioned articles contain great information to consider when asking questions in our own classrooms. How can we start asking good questions today; why wait to practice until we have our own classroom? I have found asking open-ended questions is a great practice to get anyone's wheels turning. Paula Denton models the use of open-ended questions in her article here, "Open-Ended Questions." Paula gives us a real life example of the benefits of using open-ended questions in the classroom, and we can use these same tips in everyday conversation. Learning about the strategies of asking questions has led me to understand that there is no right way or wrong way; rather, there is a perfect way for each teacher, and we each need to find what works in our classroom for any given student.

Project# 8 Book Trailer

"The Tale of Peter Rabbit"

Blog Post Assignment #5

Using iCurio and Discovery Ed to Enhance Your Classroom



*For a better experience, utilize the full screen option when viewing this presentation.

My Sentence Videos

My Sentence Is...



My Passion is...

Blog Assignment #4

Why Podcast?

Podcasting can be an effective teaching tool that encourages students to actively participate in the education process. Langwitches –Podcasting with First Grade opened my eyes to the talents of our young students. In this post, first grade students “interview” characters from a chapter book series being read in their classroom. The students asked questions concerning the book, and their questions, along with answers were written into a script. Later, the script was used to assist students in recording the information; the recordings of all the students were then combined into one recording to make their class podcast. The students were excited, cooperative, and attentive throughout the process; they learned many skills including listening, speaking, presenting, technology, comprehension, and oral fluency. I really enjoyed this presentation, and I now have a new appreciation for podcasts. After reading about this project, I can see how beneficial it is to get students involved in project-based learning. The students learned so much more doing this project as opposed to simply gaining additional reading comprehension skills. I also learned that an audience is important at any age! The students appear to have been excited by their audience and the feedback they were getting. In addition, this was a great way to actually present their knowledge with the entire world. I will take many lessons away from this, but most importantly I will note that all of our students have a voice and want to be heard.

The Flat Stanley Podcast was very inspirational. I had never heard “Flat Stanley’s” story before, and the podcast gave me a very energetic presentation of who Flat Stanley was. The students then illustrated their own “flat adventure.” I was amazed at how the students narrated their journeys. Everyone who participated in the project truly researched the place they visited; using their words and my own imagination, I had a wonderful experience. This project awesome! The students not only learned about new places, but they also learned about the use of technology. From this project, I learned students are more likely to participate in the learning process if they have a “choice and a voice;” this is classic project-based learning. This is a great example of how we can get our students involved in the learning process, and I have bookmarked this project for future reference.

The Benefits of Podcasting in the Classroom was a presentation that showed me how I could use podcasting in different ways, including real life situations. For example, it showed how to use podcasting when students are out sick, and it also showed how parents can view their child’s progress as well. This presentation also showed the reality that students are already familiar with technology and how to use it, and with minimal guidance on tools they already have access to, students can easily excel in creating podcasts. I personally enjoyed this presentation, and I particularly love the idea of using podcast for students who are absent from class. This ensures that students do not miss out on classroom discussions, and it keeps everyone connected. Podcasts are not a foreign concept to me; however, I have always been hesitant to try and create my own podcast. The presentations listed above have made me a believer in podcasts, and I cannot wait to create my own. So, why do we podcast? To enhance our learning and then share that knowledge with the world in an engaging way. How do we do a podcast? With the right software, we simply record what we have learned and wait for the world to respond!