My Final Reflection for EDM 310

Final Project

Final PLN Report

Rather than give you a long drawn out version, I think that seeing is believing!

Summary Post C4K November and 12/5

11/7
In this week's post, I commented on Mr. McCafferty's class web page. This class is in New England. The template used for this page is Wellington 4.0. The post that I commented on pertains to the number of homework assignments that students have the option of doing. Depending on which assignment the students decided to do, they can earn anywhere from 5 to 15 points. My personal thought is that this was an excellent way for students to choose how much effort they wanted to put into doing the various assignments.

11/14
In this week's post, I commented on a little girl's blog by the name of Kayden. Kayden's post was titled "Zoo Break". Kayden's post talked about a floating zoo rather than one on the ground. Kayden then asked the question as to why the zoo was a floating one rather than being one on the ground. I relayed to Kayden that this was a very good question that I would love to hear the answer to.

11/21
This post that I commented on takes place in Philadelphia and is done by a student named Jarrell. His post comment was titled "The Giving Tree and Weeding". Apparently Jarrell had to read a book which told the story of how a little boy for years came to this tree in the woods and asked for the tree to grant his wishes. The tree always obliged. The little boy continued to ask the tree for favors until the tree gave him everything, including its branches and wood. As the boy became older, he one day visited the tree just to lean on its stump, to which the tree replied "I have nothing else left to give you". Jarrell's question was whether or not the little boy ever thanked the tree for everything that it had done for him. I let Jarrell know that I totally agreed with that question.

12/5
The comment that I made this week is on a little girl named Maja. In her post, she wrote about a little elf named Hannah. In her post, she described Hannah as a hardworking, loyal elf. She also posted a cute little picture of Hannah. I commended her on her post about the great job that she did in describing Hannah.

Summary Post C4T #4

The fourth teacher that I was assigned to comment on is Mrs. Caren Carillo. In order to comment on Mrs. Carillo's post, you first have to set up a posterous account which I did. The first comment that I made to Mrs. Carillo is in response to her post about how a teacher can use rubrics for any assignment in your class. In Mrs. Carillo's post, she stated how students can sometimes give an answer to a question, but not always completely answer the question. By using the rubric system that she posted, it can give the students a guideline as to whether or not they properly answered the question. I feel like this blueprint is one that really allows the students to evaluate themselves. The second post that I commented on to Mrs. Carillo is dealing with adding and subtracting negative numbers. In this post, she gave a really neat setup in the classroom where students can simply walk the lines to get their answer. She also give instructions on how to use this setup. Any elementary math teacher should really view this blog because I feel like this is a really neat idea in terms of getting your students to learn how to add and subtract negative numbers. Anyone who wants to view Mrs. Carillo's blog can do so at http://carencarillo.posterous.com/

Additional Assignment #5

Just Teach Them to Solve for X
First, I would have to say that reading any posts that relates to using metaphors seems to be challenging to me. Even after reading this post several times, I still have trouble trying to understand what point is being made, so here's my thoughts. As I see it, using metaphors in this situation has no relevance. Since I am a result oriented person, I would have to agree with the concept that it would be simple enough just to teach these students how to solve for X. In this post, it was stated that the instructor wanted the students to understand that X was not just a number, but an independent variable which can be used in a variety of ways. I agree with this assessment, but I feel that if one can master the basic principles of how to solve for X, then they can also apply them to other life situations.

When a Child Hates Pencils
After getting a better understanding of what type of poster Mr. Johnson is, it forced me to try and think a little more outside the box. In my opinion, Mr. Johnson is trying to bring forth the issue of labeling children and lowering your expectations of them. In many school systems, by the time a child has reached second or third grade, it has been determined whether or not a child can be successful in school. In this post, he talks about how this child has basically given up before he ever begins. This is probably due to the fact that this child has been conditioned to the fact that he will probably fail anyway, so what's the point of trying. I think the main lesson that I learned from reading this post is the fact that Mr. Johnson did something different with the child to change the status quo. I feel like his approach was effective because it showed the child a different view, which was the fact that all is not lost and the fact that it's okay to give an effort because everything is not based on burping back information for a grade. Sounds familiar!

I Banned Pencils Today
After reading this post, here are my thoughts. I feel that Mr. Johnson is trying to make the point that there is more than one way for a child to learn, and I couldn't agree with him more. That's what made teaching my subject area so exciting, because my students were not just graded by what they wrote on paper, but also how they could apply what they learn to real life experiences. For example, while it was well and good that my students could recite all the measurements on a tape measure, I was more concerned whether or not they could actually take a piece of lumber and correctly mark off a measurement. If they could correctly do this, then that confirmed to me that they could apply what they learned to real life situations. While doing things the traditional way can be effective, we must also adapt to multiple and new ways of teaching because we all learn differently.

Blog Post #13

ALEX

Alabama Learning Exchange(ALEX) is a useful tool that all teachers in the state of Alabama can benefit from. First, in order to view this site, one should go to http://alex.state.al.us Once you are on this site life can get simple for a teacher, especially a new one. One of the first things that you will see on this site is a Course of Study. By clicking on this icon or link, teachers have the ability to choose their subject area. If there are any subtopics in one's particular area, this site basically lists them all. For example, if I was on this site I would click on career and technical education. At that point, nearly every subject area that is related to this particular field comes on display. All you simply have to do is to pick which particular field that you want to focus on and select it. It's that simple. This site also contains Web Resources for teachers, administrators and students. There is also a Personal Workshop icon which allows for the storage and submission of lesson plans and teacher web pages. Also included is a Professional Learning page which can be useful for any teacher or administrator who want some professional development training. Hopefully, anyone who reads this post will find this information useful.

Project #15

Form Project Summary

First of all, I would love to take the opportunity to give my appreciation to the 76 students who took the time to fill out my form to make it a success.  Since I am an avid college football fan, my form contained questions as it relates to college football.  Here are the results:  (1).  Who were the first two teams to play in a collegiate football game?  44 participants correctly answered this question.  (2).  Grabbing an opposing players face mask is what type of violation?  57 participants correctly answered this question.  (3).  What are your feelings on South Alabama having a football program?  51 of the participants say you that you love it.  (4).  How may hours per week do you spend watching football?  42 says 1-3 hours per week.  22 says 4-7 hours per week.  7 says 8-11 hours per week.  3 says 12 or more hours per week.  (5).  In what year did South Alabama play its inaugural football game?  60 participants correctly answered this question.  (6).  How many teams are there in the SEC West?  30 participants correctly answered this question.  (7).  In order, rank the following teams in recruiting according to rivals. 61 participants correctly picked to top team.  (8).  How often do you attend college football games?  34 participants stated that they don't.  14 participants says once a year.  13 participants says 2-5 times per year.  15 says more than 5 times per year.  (9).  As of 9/26/10, who is the leading rusher in division I college football?  11 participants correctly answered this question.  (10).  The last four national champions came from what conference?  70 participants correctly answered this question.  Conclusion:  There are some knowledgeable football fans in EDM 310.

Blog Post #12

Instructions: Go to google.com. Type in Doug Malloch. Next click on his poem "Be the Best at Whatever You Are" and read it. Comment on what you think Mr. Malloch is saying. Also comment on how you feel what this poem says can be applied to your own classroom.

Douglas Malloch: Be The Best of Whatever You Are
This particular poem by Mr. Malloch is one of the greatest inspirational poems that I have ever read. In my opinion, Mr Malloch is trying to get us to understand that we are all different and have different strengths and weaknesses. This particular poem can be a great asset for teachers in the classroom not only for the students, but for the teacher themselves. As a classroom teacher, I would personally give assignments and responsibilities to those students who are strong in a certain area. For those students who may be strong in a different area, I would do the same for them. In my opinion, not only does this build confidence in your students, but it also increases learning since collaboration will be taking place. In this type of setting each student will feel that their participation in the classroom has value, therefore motivating them to learn more because they feel a sense of belonging.

Project #14

Summary Post C4K

3-7
In C4K #3, I commented on a student named Sulieti at the PT school in England. He told a story of how fisherman catch fish in their big net. In C4K #4, Mrs. Miller's class went on their gold excursion where they talked about gold and bushrangers. In C4K #5, Miss W's class created a wordle that asked those who read it to take a guess on what the wordle was about. I guessed technology. In C4K #6, I commented on a student who goes by Conner P. In Conner P. post he talked about his favorite sport being football. In C4K #7, I commented on Logan's post. His post talked about how life has changed for him since the fourth grade.

Summary Post C4T #3

Teacher #3
This particular teacher name is Kim Cofino, who teaches at Yokohama International School (YIS). The first post of hers that I commented on was entitled "The Self Study Opportunity". This particular study was dealing with the accreditation process that her school has to go through according to a set of standards set by COIS and NEASC. Her second post that I commented on was about finding inspiration and feature information about a speech that was given by Mrs. Jane Goodall at YIS. Mrs. Cofino talked about three things in Mrs. Goodall speech that stuck with me. First, encouragement is a very powerful tool. Secondly, one should follow their passion. Finally, don't be afraid to be a risk taker. Anyone wanting to view Mrs. Cofino's blog can do so at http://kimcofino.com/blog/

Blog Post #11

Ms. Cassidy's Class
This particular video in regards to how things are done in Ms. Cassidy's class is really impressive mainly because of her students. It has often been said that each new generation is becoming smarter by the day. Well, this video does nothing to dispute this myth. I find it to be amazing that students who are only six years old have such a grasp on how to use technology in the classroom. Anyone who views this video would be wise to acknowledge that it would be a good idea to become technologically literate. In Ms. Cassidy's skype interview with Dr. Strange, a couple to things stood out to me. The first is the fact that it was stated that technology is here to stay. The lesson to be learned in this statement is that every teacher should make an effort to learn how to use new technology in the classroom. The second thing that stood out to me is when one of Dr. Strange's students wanted some insight on collaborating vs. cheating. I've always believed that more learning takes place when we can share ideas. Years ago, this practice was called cheating, today its known as collaborating. I would imagine that if I was trying to incorporate new technology in the classroom, my main obstacle would be getting those on board who are not technologically literate. Change is hard and going into uncharted waters can be scary. As a teacher, I feel that it would be my job to insure others that technology is not our enemy, but can be our greatest asset.

Additional Assignment #3

Sir Ken Robinson "Changing Educational Paradigms"
This particular video by Mr. Robinson discusses a topic which is very much being debated as it relates to reforming education. The most important thing that I feel was discussed in this video is the idea of educating our children for today's world while not letting them lose their sense of cultural identity. Personally, I am a traditionalist and believe that our past cultures should be preserved. I also believe that it is equally important for students today to be prepared for this changing world or economy of which Mr. Robinson speaks. So, how do we merge these two principles together? In my opinion, I think it's quite simple. This process of understanding begins at home. As parents, we should explain to our children our upbringing and the challenges that we faced during those times. We should help them to understand where we come from and teach them to appreciate where we are today. What we must do is to educate them on how to hold on to the good values that we learned from our culture growing up while at the same time encouraging them to let go of those values which were not good ones. Once we get our children to understand this concept, we should then encourage them to embrace the changes of our world today. I feel that the key to success in merging these two principles is to have a great understanding of how to balance the way which we expose these two principles to our children. In other words, don't overexpose one of the principles and underexpose the other. If I had to do a presentation similar to this, I would probably have a role other that the ones listed on the class blog page.

Blog Post #10

Morgan Bayda
I really enjoyed reading this post by Mrs. Bayda. In my opinion, her post seems to offer some insight from her perspective on distance learning vs having a teacher in the classroom. Within today's educational system, the debate continues as to whether or not it is better to have a teacher present in the classroom. In thinking about this particular debate, I have two opinions. First, I feel that distance learning promotes a learning environment in which students will be able to become self motivated learners. Without anyone present to hold your hand per say, it forces one to be independent in terms of learning. Secondly, while I feel that distant learning can be great, I feel that a teacher in the classroom works better in terms of helping one to reach their learning potential. The key however is to make sure that there is sufficient collaboration going on among the students as well as the teacher. I can relate to the feeling of frustration when you know that you will have to sit and listen to a two hour lecture. In this instance, learning is not fun and it would be challenging for me to even stay awake, let alone learn something. The video that Mrs. Bayda posted by Mr. Brown really gives one something to think about. In one sense, it makes you wonder how one could ever maximize their learning potential by dropping out of any institution of higher learning. On the other hand, it makes perfect sense because if your learning environment is not one that you enjoy being in, then little to no learning will take place because there would be a lack of motivation.

Tom Johnson's Don't Let Them Take Pencils Home
Very interesting post. In this this particular post, it sheds some light on what I feel is one of the main problems in today's educational system. As educators, we too often get caught up in what our students standardized test scores are like rather than if they are actually learning. This post reminds me of a referendum that was tried to be put into place in the state of Florida where teachers pay would be based on their students' scores on standardized tests. Now let me ask you this question: If you were told that your pay would be based on what your students did on a standardized test, would you be more interested in whether or not your students actually learned anything, or if they could pass that particular test? Hum, I'll let you think about that one for a second!

Two Questions That Can Change Your Life
This is a very interesting video. Throughout one's life, I would imagine that we always spend a lot of time reflecting about the numerous times that we have been fortunate or unfortunate enough to live through. This video asks one particular question that I often ask myself, which is whether or not I am better today than I was yesterday. With each passing day, I personally make an attempt to be a better person in every aspect of my life whether it be personally or professionally. It is my belief that if you are willing to listen and learn from others as well as be willing to apply some of those things in your life, then you can be better today than you were yesterday. Of course, the things that we attempt to learn from every day, we should do it with caution because every lesson that one learn is not a good one. After having giving this much thought, my sentence would be "he made a difference in someone's life".

My Smartboard Presentation

Skype Interview with Lisa Taylor

Wade's Short Movie

Blog Post #9

"What I've Learned This Year" by Mr. McClung
The first comment that I would like to make in response to Mr. McClung's post is that I totally agree with him. During my first experience in the classroom, I can recall having those it's about me feelings that he talked about in the article. My biggest fear as a new teacher was how would my administration perceive me as an instructor, mainly whether or not I was sticking to teaching the curriculum according to the state department recommendations. I also had to learn that if I just simply asked my students questions and listen to their responses, it told me a lot on how to proceed with my lessons. I can say however, that from the first day that I set foot in the classroom, I did not get upset with the students when they did not meet my expectations of what I felt was adequate, but rather picked them up and let them know that I had faith in their abilities. Mr. McClung also talked about communication. My thought on that is that within any school communication is vital to that school's success because at the end of the day, it's about the students and not the teachers and their egos. Finally, Mr. McClung talked about always being willing to learn and continue to grow. As educators, we should never be satisfied with where we are because there is always room for improvement.

Blog Post #8

This is How We Dream by Richard Miller
This particular video by Mr. Miller is one that made me think about my educational experiences growing up. When I was in Jr. High School, I can remember going to the school library and looking for books using the Dewey Decimal System. During those particular times in my life, if you wanted to find a certain book, you had to use an index card system that told you exactly where the print based materials could be found. Fast forward to today, you can now simply search for whatever print material that you want using a computer. I can also remember looking for certain print materials back then that I could not find simply because the information was deemed to be outdated, so it was tossed out. This particular story that I just told brings me to one point that really stood out to me in Mr. Miller video which is the fact that with the use of the internet and todays technology, no information will become outdated. Any information that is available today is infinite information because with the use of the web we can constantly share or collaborate anything that is available. Mr. Miller also talked about fundamental changes vs. incremental changes. When I thought about this particular point that he made, I compared it to using a navigational system in a car. Whenever you are going on a trip and you put in your destination, the navigational system gives you about three routes which you can take to arrive at your destination. Even though the route that you choose to use may be different from the other two, if someone else took the other two routes, they would arrive at the same place. Finally, Mr. Miller did get me to thinking when he talked about someone inventing a system in which all people can have access to different ways of getting print materials in the future. I think the challenge there will be how to make it affordable for everyone to have access to it.

EDM 310 is Different
In watching the two videos; The Chipper Series and EDM 310 for Dummies, I had to compose myself because because I nearly died from laughing at the humor in them. I would have to say that these two videos which were produced by our own students were well thought out. The Chipper Series talked about the slacker who was always looking for an easy way out. Chipper in this video always had a full proof plan on how she was going to be successful without actually putting in any work to achieve that success. In EDM 310 for Dummies, I can't speak for others, but I have definately had those feelings that were depicted in this particular video at one time or another. I can honestly say that EDM 310 is different from any class that I have ever taken. The point that I feel these two videos were making is that you must be willing to put in the time and effort to be successful even when you get frustrated or discouraged.

Critiques of Smartboards

There were two articles that we had to review for this particular assignment. The first is by Michael Staton and is titled "Why Smartboards Are a Dumb Initiative", and the second is titled "Why I Hate Interactive Whiteboards" by Bill Ferriter. Both articles seems to be saying the same thing which is the fact that Smartboards are only expensive pieces of equipment in the classroom that is a waste of money. In looking at this topic further, I found two post that disagreed with these two gentlemen prospective on the use of smartboards. The first is by a 3rd year math teacher in Ohio whose link is bdiehl001. Mr. Diehl made two arguments against the article by Mr. Staton. First, he argued that smartboards allows you to save all your work and allows you to be able to print them off to your students who were absent. Secondly, he argued that it keeps the students engaged in the lesson. In the article posted by Mr. Ferriter, Patrick Ledesma who is a School Based Technology Specialist for the Fairfax County Public Schools made an argument that I totally agree with. He argued that smartboards can be a great tool to use. The key is that the instructor who will be using it must be willing to gain knowledge on all of the advantages that the smartboards have to offer. Mr. Ledesma page can be view at www.edtechbytes.com. Just this week, I was having a conversation with a local Middle School Principal about the use of smartboards in the classroom. The thing that he said that really stood out to me is the fact that when used properly, smartboards allow for the students to be interactive within the classroom. It has been eight years since I was last teaching in the classroom, so I have never used a smartboard. I do realize however that when I am fortunate enough to return to classroom, it would be beneficial for me to learn all that I can about the many uses of smartboards before I return to the classroom.

timeline

Additional Assignment #2

Sugata Mita: The Child-Driven Education
This particular video was one that I feel is very informative and reaffirm some of my beliefs as it relates to learning. For starters, I feel that before anyone can reach their maximum learning potential, they must be motivated. That's not to say that an unmotivated person will not learn, I just feel that they will not maximize how much they learn. I feel that a motivated learner will go the extra mile to get the most out of their educational setting, even if that means teaching themselves. Even though the use of computers and having access to the internet can be a great tool, I feel that a teacher who is present will play the most important role in helping a child to learn. Within this video, Mr. Mita talked about a couple of instances where he did a learning experiment with school-aged children. After listening to the responses from the children, it is apparent that not only are kids able to learn, but when they are motivated, they are more than capable of teaching themselves. One of the questions that I'm suppose to answer in this blog post is: How do you motivate someone to learn? After I really thought about this question, my answer would have to be that there is not one single method that one can point to as an answer. Since we all learn differently, we must use multiple methods when trying to get a group of people to learn. As it relates to children, I feel that allowing them to interact with their peers is very effective in terms of getting them to learn. Personally, my motivation for continued learning comes from my desire to become a teacher who can make a difference. In order for me to do that, I must be competent in what I'm going to be teaching my students.

Summary Post C4T Teacher #2

Mrs. Jen Deyenbery is teacher #2 on my blog post list. The first blog post that I commented on was using the Nintendo DS for Vocabulary by using the my word coach function. I definately learned a thing or two from this article because I had no idea that you could perform this task on a Nintendo DS. This is another tool that I can encourage my daughter to look at when she is playing her DS. The second post that I commented on was how her class did their science experiments via video conference. Within the last few weeks, I have discovered that with the right technology, we can reach into areas that I would have thought would be impossible to reach.

Blog Post #7

Randy Pausch's Last Lecture
Where do I begin? I would have to begin by first saying that this is one of the most inspirational stories that I have ever heard. In my opinion, this story is not inspiring just because of the message that is given, but also the attitude with which it is given under the circumstances. It is human nature to just give up when things are not going well in our life. It seems that the time we as humans face adversity, we begin to feel sorry for ourselves. Mr. Pausch is so inspiring because despite the hand that he was dealt, it never discouraged him from living his life. Outside of Mr. Pausch's courage, his last lecture also had a purpose. What I learned from this lecture is that one should always strive to achieve their goals and dreams despite the obstacles that you may encounter. As Mr. Pausch said in his lecture: "A brick wall will not deter those who truly want to succeed, but it will deter those who do not." Also in Mr. Pausch's lecture he spoke of the opinion that other people previously had of him in thinking that he was arrogant and smirky. What he later relized is the fact that we make mistakes in our life. The key to rectifying our mistakes is to first acknowledge that you made one. Secondly, we should apologize to those whom our mistakes have hurt. Finally we need to find out how we can make the situation right with those who have been hurt by our mistakes. Outside of this lecture Mr. Pausch did a couple of television interviews that were also inspiring. In these interviews, there was footage of him and his children having some quality time together. Despite his circumstances, he appears to be living a normal life. Often many times, people can wear their problems on their sleeves. In Mr. Pausch's case, he appears to be one of the happiest people that you will ever see. For those of you who are reading my post, let me ask you this question: If you were diagnosed with an illness and only given six months to live, how would you live your last six months? Hopefully we can all find the inner strength of Mr. Pausch and live all of our remaining days to the fullest. One thing that this lecture has taught me is that no matter how bad you feel your situation is, there is someone else who would love to change places with you. What we sometimes see as a major problem, is a mere inconvenience compared to others and their problems. We should all live each day to the fullest because tomorrow is not promised to anyone.

C4K 1 and 2 Summary Post

The comments that I made in the two posts were for a young man named McCoy. In reading his about me post, I discovered that we are both a lot alike because we both love our families. I thought that his manifesto was well written. Maybe I'll even take his advice and try to get to bed at a decent hour.

Blog Post #6

The Networked Student by Wendy Drexler
With our society constantly changing, I often find myself wondering how difficult will it be for people to continue making a living. Take the post office for example. Because of the advances that we have made in terms of delivering mail, todays mail man as we know him(or her) seems to fading out. As we begin to educate ourselves more and more by networking, one has to wonder about the future of having a teacher actually in the classroom. Of course, this video did make a good point when it stated that someone has to be responsible for actually correcting the students even if they are educating themselves through networking. The message here seems to be that as a teacher, you must prepare yourself for this type of change.

A 7th Grader's Personal Learning Environment
What I have learned from watching this video is that a 7th grade student's learning environment is very much similar to the one that I learn in today. I can remember what the learning environment was like for me as a 7th grader some 20 years ago and I must say, I never would have imagined how much technology has effected the way we learn. Some twenty years down the road, today's 7th graders will probably be thinking the same thing that I am thinking today. One thing that you can probably be sure of is the fact that more changes are on the way in regards to what the learning environment is like today. It is for this reason that we must continue to educate ourselves on current technology.

The Machine is Changing Us by Michael Wesch
This was a video that I really enjoyed watching. For those of you who grew up watching TV shows in the 80's you can relate to what I'm about to say. TV shows in the 80's always seemed to have some sort of theme behind them with a lot less commercials than the ones that are on TV today. When watching a TV show today, it is difficult to leave the the TV set just to get a drink of water because if you do, you are subject to miss something and it becomes difficult to follow the show you are watching. As a young boy growing up, I enjoyed watching wrestling. Today, you could not get me to watch 15 minutes of it because to how different it is portrayed. I also am not a fan of reality TV shows. You Tube is very intersting to me because it seems to be a great tool that teachers can use in the classroom. Students who do projects in say Australia can be viewed by students around the world. In this instance, we can gain prospective on how other students view various topics.

Blog Post #5

The Benefits of Podcasting in the Classroom by Joe Dale
This particular video is one that I found to be interesting. One particular thing that stood out to me in this video is how the little girl was at home sick, but was still able to keep up with what was going on in class. With technology like this, one can no longer use the dog ate my homework excuse!
100 Ways to Use Your iPod to Learn and Study Better
This particular article was very informative. It explained a lot of things to me about how to do just the basic things with your iPod. This article also reminded me of how much more I have to learn as it relates to technology.
The Education Podcasting Network
In this article, the most unique thing about it that stood out to me, is the fact that the information is shared by actual teachers. I've always believed that two heads are better than one. Getting another person's perspective on any subject is always a plus.

Blog Post #4

Don't Teach Your Kids This Stuff. Please? by Scott McLeod
Dr. Scott McLeod, who is an Associate Professor in the Educational Administration Program at Iowa State University and also the Director of the UCEA Center for the Advanced Study of Technology Leadership in Education(CASTLE), posted very interesting comments in this blog.The first reaction that I had when I began to read this post by Dr. McLeod is whether or not he was serious. Then, I began to think that there had to be a message in the end. I was correct. The way that Dr. McLeod began this post definately got my attention because of the way it was worded. But in the end, his point is well taken. I agree with what he was trying to say because I believe that as parents and teachers we must expose our children to all walks of life, good or bad. It is our job to monitor the good and bad while explaining the differences.
The iSchool Initiative
The student in this video makes some very compelling arguments. One good point that he makes in this case is how cost effective using this iSchool program would be. In today's economy, saving a little money can go a long way in terms of how families live. For those who are enviromentally conscious, he also makes a good argument on how using this iSchool will help to preserve precious resources.
However, I also believe that using this iSchool program can have its challenges. For starters, I believe that this program will cut down on the amount of teacher/student face to face interactions. Since we all learn differently, many students perform better when there is personal interaction between the teacher and student. Also, I believe that another challenge that would be faced in this type of schooling is the parental support because in many areas, the parents would be unwilling to learn this type of technology.
The Lost Generation
This particular clip contains a message that I totally agree with. In my opinion, the simple message here is that the life that you live will be based on the choices that you decide to make. You can either accept what the world say you should be, or make the decision to be what you want to be.
Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir
This is really amazing. I am in awe of how one can choreograph a performance by so many who live so far apart. Technology is alive and well in this world.

ADDITIONAL ASSIGNMENT #1

Before this particular assignment, I had no knowledge of google square and wolfram alpha searches. I must say that this particular assignment opened my eyes to something new. As far as the educational implications of these searches as I see it, we as a country must pick up the pace in educating ourselves before the rest of the world pass us by. After doing this assignment, it confirms what I always believed, which is the fact that sometimes statistics do not always tell the whole story. Using sports as an example, I have always believed that a quarterback who throws for 350 yards in a game with three turnovers and his team loses the game, is not as valuable as one who throws for 200 yards with no turnovers and his team wins the game. To a person who is simply caught up in statistics, the quarterback who threw for 350 yards would be considered the better quarterback even though his team lost the game.
Food For Thought
My response to this article is that looks can be deceiving. Never make any assumptions about anything.

Google Presentation

C4T Summary Post

I was assigned to read posts by Mrs. Ann Camevale. The first post of Mrs. Camevale that I commented on, was in regards to bookmarking. Mrs. Camevale gave some very insightful information as it relates to bookmarking a certain page in a pdf file. Anyone who gets frustrated with trying to remember what page certain items are one when going through a pdf file should probably reading this post.

Mrs. Camevale's second post that I commented on, gave some tips on how teachers can save money when going on vacation. In today's economy, saving a few dollars here and there can go a long way. Anyone who is interested in reading Mrs. Camevale's posts can view her blog at http://anncamevale.edublogs.org/

Blog Post #3

Michael Wesch: A Vision of Students Today
This particular movie has a lot of information that relates to my college experience. After ten years removed from being an undergraduate student at my first university, I see that not a whole lot has changed in terms of what students views are as it relates to college. I often found myself wondering how some of the courses that I was taking was going to benefit me in the real world. As far as the point goes of leaving college in debt, I feel that the reward of getting a good job after college outweighs the risk of being in debt. In contrast to this video, my first college experience only had approximately 30 students per class instead of 115. The only addition that I would make to this video, would be to discuss why textbooks cost so much and you get so little when you resell them.
"It's Not About Technology" by Kelly Hines
In this review by Mrs. Kelly Hines, it confirms what I believe about teachers in this ever changing world. Teaching students today is much different than thirty years ago. As times change, so do the students and the things that they are exposed to. I can recall being a high school student 15-18 years ago and never having a thought in the world about owning a cell phone. Today, it is nearly a must to own one in order to communicate with students via texting. As a person who loves college football and follows recruiting, a coach who is not technologically advanced is usually behind when it comes to recruiting top athletes. As educators, we must be willing to not only learn about new technology, but also how to apply it in the classroom.
Karl Fisch: Is It Okay to Be A Technologically Illiterate Teacher
This article by Mr. Fisch is one that I think will cause a lot of conversations in the teachers' lounge. In this article, Mr Fisch pointed out one main fact that made a lot of sense to me. When he stated that we should be preparing the students who will enter the real world in the year 2020 with the year 2020 type instruction, I totally agree with him. As teachers, we must keep up with the changing times while still enforcing the basic principles of teaching. In my personal opinion, I feel like it is okay to be technologically illiterate. The problem arises when a teacher is technologically illiterate and refuses the necessary instruction that it takes to become technologically literate. If we as teachers have a willingness to continue learning new technology, then we are capable of teaching it to our students.
Gary Hayes Social Media Count
Wow! It is often said that no one has any privacy in their life anymore. With all of the various social outlets out there today, anything that you post about yourself can be seen by many in a matter of seconds. As a teacher, I would have to say that it is probably a good idea to stay educated in the technology field. In other words, don't post anything about yourself that you would be ashamed of when other people read it. Heeding to this advice will probably ensure that you have a long career in education.

Blog Post #2

Did You Know 3.0 by: Karl Fisch
This short movie clip was one that contained many interesting facts. I find it amazing how our world changes from day to day. My personal belief is that learning is always continuous, and the facts presented in this short movie supports what I believe. Just the mere thought that nearly all of the technology that we learn about today will be obsolete within a few years is frightening. As educators, we must meet our everchanging world without fear. In this world, things will never stay the same. Either they will get better or they will get worse. The bottom line is that change is going to happen and we must adapt to it.
Mr. Winkle Wakes by: Matthew Needleman
This particular movie clip addresses a problem that many people throughout the world have today. Mr. Winkle, who is the character depicted in the short clip awakens one day to a world that is different from the one that he is familiar with. Just like many of us today, Mr Winkle is not thrilled with change. As humans, we have a tendency to stick with things that we are familiar with. Personally, I am one who believes in upholding tradition. However, I also believe that one can stay grounded in their traditions while changing at the same time. Keeping up with changes in this world can be frightening, but also rewarding. As educators, we must be willing to step out of our comfort zone for the advancement of our students.
Sir Ken Robinson: The Importance of Creativity
In this movie clip, Sir Ken Robinson gives us what I feel is a different approach to how children can reach their full potential. In most educational setting, children learn by listening to lectures from their instructors. Even though I feel that giving students lectures is a tried and true method of teaching, it is also my opinion that it can cause students to become complacent and uninterested in what is being taught. I feel that by allowing students to be creative in the educational setting, their hidden potential can be unlocked. I also believe that by allowing students to be creative, their self-confidence will increase dramatically. As educators, we need to be open-minded and not so quick to judgement just because an idea seems to be different from what we believe.
Vicki Davis: Harness Your Students Digital Smarts
This particular movie clip is one that I can relate to. Growing up in a small rural town, I understand firsthand the challenges of having access to many different kinds of technological advances. These challenges are caused more by economics than by having proper instruction. One thing that really stood out to me in this clip is the fact that the teacher is willing to instruct her students while at the same time learning from them. Often too many times, we get caught up in titles and having authority. I feel that in order to teach others, you must first be willing to learn from others.

my wordle

Blog post #1

My name is Wade D. Bias.  I was born on November 30, 1976 in Livingston, AL(Sumter County).  I am the fourth child of seven children born to my parents Ollie M. Carter and the late R.J. Bias Sr.  My family consists of my lovely wife: Chante' M. Bias, and my two beautiful daughters Madison C. Bias and Morgan W. Bias.  I am a country boy at heart. I enjoy the outdoors and love to hunt and fish.  As often as possible, I make my way to Livingston just to enjoy the country life and the peace and serenity that comes with being outdoors. 

When I originally started my college education at Alabama A&M University in Huntsville, AL, I was a forestry major.  After just one year, it became clear to me that I wanted to do something that would make a difference in someone's life.  This led me to change my major to education.  As I stated in the above paragraph, I am a country boy at heart so I decided that my particular area of education that I would pursue will have ties to agriculture and being able complete tasks using hands on methods to achieve a goal.  After teaching for two years(which I loved doing by the way) I got into the automobile industry where I have worked for the past eight years.  It has always been my desire to get back into the education profession, so I am now working towards regaining my teaching certification so that I can do what I really love doing; teaching.