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.