Thursday, December 4, 2008
My EDM 310 Blog Assignments are Now Complete!!
To my fellow classmates the time we shared together is now at a end I wish everyone success and a great teaching career. Some of y'all I will see again and some i will not but keep pushing forward dont let anyone say you cant you made it to far to turn back much love to you guys. see you when I see you holla.
What I wish I would have learned
I really can not think of anything more I could have learned in this class. I thought we were doing simple stuff but the things we did was difficult but I couldn't imagine having a better teacher to go through this class with thanks Mr. strange you are amazing.
What I learned in this class
1. How to create and manage a blog
2. How to do ALT and TITLE modifiers so that someone visually impaired can "see" my pictures
3. All the free tools Google has to offer (I thought it was simply a search engine)
4. Wikipedia isn't always a trustworthy sight
5. How to create an IGoogle page
6. How to use ITunes
7. How to find educational podcasts and videos on Itunes
8. How to make a podcast (and what they were)
9. About ALEX and ACCESS
I also learned that computer are not that bad if you learn how to properly work them Mr. Strange opened my mind a lot when it comes to computers. I learned how to do a power point on my own that was pretty cool.
2. How to do ALT and TITLE modifiers so that someone visually impaired can "see" my pictures
3. All the free tools Google has to offer (I thought it was simply a search engine)
4. Wikipedia isn't always a trustworthy sight
5. How to create an IGoogle page
6. How to use ITunes
7. How to find educational podcasts and videos on Itunes
8. How to make a podcast (and what they were)
9. About ALEX and ACCESS
I also learned that computer are not that bad if you learn how to properly work them Mr. Strange opened my mind a lot when it comes to computers. I learned how to do a power point on my own that was pretty cool.
Access lab visit
I really enjoyed visiting and learning about the ACCESS lab at Daphne High. I met with Mr. Roh who talked to me about the pros and cons of the ACCESS program then gave me a tour of the lab. The concepts of the programs are great and once all of the logistics and kinks are worked out I think it will be a program that will really benefit the state of Alabama. As of right now they are the only one that is fully working and running in the Baldwin County school system but a few other schools have the equipment but have yet to have it in use yet.. I believe that all the schools will have it up and running by next year. But with this technology Daphne high school is able to offer a vast variety of courses that they would not otherwise be able to offer. They can even take foreign language classes like Chinese, because there is a high school teacher in Northern Alabama who is offering the class online. So the student just has to sign up for the online course and are able to take the class with other classmates all over the state of Alabama. I think that is so incredible!
Blogging
After taking this class, I am convinced that teachers should use blogs in their classrooms. There are limitations to that statement though. A lot of students don't have regular access to the internet at their homes, so blogs should not be used as a primary way of giving information. They should act as a reinforcement for material covered in class. You could supply links to websites that might help the students figure out their homework. An idea that would appeal to parents is blog for the parents to read about what their children are doing in class and how they're doing.
Older students will enjoy participating in creating blogs. They can include their ideas on books, have a message board for peer help with homework or even display projects on a blog. There has to be a block on computers in the classroom in order for students to stay on track. If you allow them to freely surf the net, the blog will never have any attention paid to it. Some entries that I encountered this year are time consuming, so the teacher must keep that in mind when giving students a blog topic.
Older students will enjoy participating in creating blogs. They can include their ideas on books, have a message board for peer help with homework or even display projects on a blog. There has to be a block on computers in the classroom in order for students to stay on track. If you allow them to freely surf the net, the blog will never have any attention paid to it. Some entries that I encountered this year are time consuming, so the teacher must keep that in mind when giving students a blog topic.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
The edible Schoolyard and A night in the Global Village
today I watched the movie in itunesU entitled A night in the Global village. I watched as these young teens went out on this large farm that used to teach the kids about what other countries are like and how language barriers can be such a problem. The biggest thing though is that in our society today we do have to struggle as much for the things that we need. It shows these kids that not everyone is as privileged as we are. Nothing compares to actually experiencing what 3rd world countries are like, but if you can not experience it then this place is close to it. The heifer farms also raises cattle to send to foreign countries. Cattle and other animals are staples of like to those people.
I also watched The Edible Schoolyard. This was amazing. The art of gardening is being lost now that supermarkets provide so much that people don't have time to farm and grow. they grow their gardens and then they take these foods and they make things in the kitchen with them. They have to actually plant and build it themselves. These were middle schoolers who were doing this and they were so proud of what they had accomplished at the end of the semester. What these kids were learning was what families used to teach generation after generation to their children but now our society is slowing leaving that behind.
As a teacher i would love for students to be this hands on. To see what is like and experience the need for adequate shelter. The idea of not knowing if food will be readily available tomorrow. To put themselves in someone elses shoes. Growing and harvesting and working for you need.
these podcast are an excellent source for teachers to pull up in the classroom and show kids. They can learn from watching but experiencing hands on would change the way they think about how that salad got on the table for supper.
I also watched The Edible Schoolyard. This was amazing. The art of gardening is being lost now that supermarkets provide so much that people don't have time to farm and grow. they grow their gardens and then they take these foods and they make things in the kitchen with them. They have to actually plant and build it themselves. These were middle schoolers who were doing this and they were so proud of what they had accomplished at the end of the semester. What these kids were learning was what families used to teach generation after generation to their children but now our society is slowing leaving that behind.
As a teacher i would love for students to be this hands on. To see what is like and experience the need for adequate shelter. The idea of not knowing if food will be readily available tomorrow. To put themselves in someone elses shoes. Growing and harvesting and working for you need.
these podcast are an excellent source for teachers to pull up in the classroom and show kids. They can learn from watching but experiencing hands on would change the way they think about how that salad got on the table for supper.
A Variety of Podcasts
After listening to six different kinds of podcasts, you can really see a lot of similarities as well as a lot of differences in the ways people choose to present their podcasts. I found some podcasts to be more pleasing to me personally just based on the way they chose to present their information. I think it is important to consider your audience when deciding what sort of podcast you should do in order to gain the best results. However, they all did have positives to them.
I found "SmartBoard Weekly" to be a pretty interesting podcast. It revolves around using the SmartBoard Interactive Whiteboard which I had never heard of until now. I thought it was a very intriguing product I would like to learn more about. As for the podcast itself, I really liked the way they did it. It was a man and a woman who were just discussing things in a very informal a light-hearted manner. They were often humourous and they had a good repertoire with one another. They presented different ideas for using the SmartBoard, many of which I would consider using in my own classroom. I thought another podcast I listened to, "Podcasting for Teachers (Techpod)" was pretty similar to the former. It used older hosts, a man and a woman, who were established teachers as well as educational technology experts. They discuss the revolutionary changes that technology is having on education and the ways teachers can integrate it into their classrooms and curriculum's. They have special guests on the programs who present the new ideas and technologies that are constantly being developed.
The second podcast I listened to was "Kidcasting". This was the only one I listened to that had only one host. That was one aspect I did not like about it. I think having more than one person if very beneficial because they can talk off of each other and make what I think is more effective conversation. From what I listened to, the host mainly talked about different techniques that can be used in the classroom, including using podcasting. I think his ideas were pretty good, but I thought the presentation left something to be desired.
"Ed Tech Talk" consists of a few hosts and weekly guests. The interesting thing about this podcast is that it is interactive. The entire show the hosts and guests are actually testing out the techniques they are talking about and listeners can participate as well. On their website, www.edtechtalk.org, you can visit a chat room where you can post questions and comments which can be answered on the air.
I think the last two podcasts were probably my favorite. "MacBreak Weekly" and "This Week in Photography" both used a very informal method of discussion which is appealing to me. I really enjoyed "MacBreak Weekly's" podcast. They seem to use different hosts but you see the same people appearing on the show, just in different combinations. I found the show to be very funny, with four or five guys cracking jokes while talking about all things Apple. I also found it very informative. I have a lot of Apple products so it was interesting to get their perspectives on the good and bad of the companies products. I also enjoyed listening to "This Week in Photography". Though I am not a professional photographer by any means, I think even amateurs could benefit from this program. Again, I liked the very informal back-and-forth of the two hosts and the wide range of information they provided. I think this show would be interesting to professional photographers as well as just people taking family photos.
There are so many different ways of disseminating information through a podcast. Choosing the correct way of presenting your show will have a big impact of who will listen to it. I learned the type of show I prefer to listen to and the types that I am not as crazy about. But they all present a great way of getting information out to the masses.
I found "SmartBoard Weekly" to be a pretty interesting podcast. It revolves around using the SmartBoard Interactive Whiteboard which I had never heard of until now. I thought it was a very intriguing product I would like to learn more about. As for the podcast itself, I really liked the way they did it. It was a man and a woman who were just discussing things in a very informal a light-hearted manner. They were often humourous and they had a good repertoire with one another. They presented different ideas for using the SmartBoard, many of which I would consider using in my own classroom. I thought another podcast I listened to, "Podcasting for Teachers (Techpod)" was pretty similar to the former. It used older hosts, a man and a woman, who were established teachers as well as educational technology experts. They discuss the revolutionary changes that technology is having on education and the ways teachers can integrate it into their classrooms and curriculum's. They have special guests on the programs who present the new ideas and technologies that are constantly being developed.
The second podcast I listened to was "Kidcasting". This was the only one I listened to that had only one host. That was one aspect I did not like about it. I think having more than one person if very beneficial because they can talk off of each other and make what I think is more effective conversation. From what I listened to, the host mainly talked about different techniques that can be used in the classroom, including using podcasting. I think his ideas were pretty good, but I thought the presentation left something to be desired.
"Ed Tech Talk" consists of a few hosts and weekly guests. The interesting thing about this podcast is that it is interactive. The entire show the hosts and guests are actually testing out the techniques they are talking about and listeners can participate as well. On their website, www.edtechtalk.org, you can visit a chat room where you can post questions and comments which can be answered on the air.
I think the last two podcasts were probably my favorite. "MacBreak Weekly" and "This Week in Photography" both used a very informal method of discussion which is appealing to me. I really enjoyed "MacBreak Weekly's" podcast. They seem to use different hosts but you see the same people appearing on the show, just in different combinations. I found the show to be very funny, with four or five guys cracking jokes while talking about all things Apple. I also found it very informative. I have a lot of Apple products so it was interesting to get their perspectives on the good and bad of the companies products. I also enjoyed listening to "This Week in Photography". Though I am not a professional photographer by any means, I think even amateurs could benefit from this program. Again, I liked the very informal back-and-forth of the two hosts and the wide range of information they provided. I think this show would be interesting to professional photographers as well as just people taking family photos.
There are so many different ways of disseminating information through a podcast. Choosing the correct way of presenting your show will have a big impact of who will listen to it. I learned the type of show I prefer to listen to and the types that I am not as crazy about. But they all present a great way of getting information out to the masses.
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