C4K March

Aycan

Wrote a beautiful poem about what friendship means to her.

If your friendship is a real one that means it will never ever die! I have a friend ship and this is what I will say to her, I will always be beside you, until the very end, wiping all your tears away, being your best friend. I’ll smile when you smile, I will always feel the pain you do! If you cry a single tear I promise I will cry too! That is how strong our friendship is AND IT ALWAYS WILL!

My comment to Aycan: I absolutely love this poem. Did you write this beautiful poem by yourself? I can feel the compassion and the love this poem has for a friend. I know this feeling as well. I have a friend that I have know since 1984, which is twenty-eight years. Her name is Cindy and she lives in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and is a paramedic. She has even saved my life. Aycan, I look forward to reading more of your poetry. Keep up the great work

100 Word Challenge

A photograph was taken in the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburg and you had to write a creative story in a 100 words that you might be linked to the photo.

This photo looks like a planet that collapsed under the force of the gravity of its core. The core itself became unstable and compressed all the mass of the planet into this round shaped ball. The round shape is because it uses the least amount of surface, as water would form a round bubble if you would pour it in outer space. The massive heat that the friction caused when the molecules got compressed causes the white color.

Blog Post #9

First Year

Mr. Joe McClung was an elementary school teacher in Noel, Missouri. This was his first year to teach and he wrote a blog post on what he had learned his first year as a teacher. He mentioned that he was mainly focused on himself as a teacher and he found out that the main concern should be the students. He had to learn to be flexible and realized plans are ALWAYS subject to change.

He also stated that communication is the best approach for all issues and builds a better rapport with fellow teachers and encourages practice to build better relationships with students and parents. To avoid disappointments ensure to set reasonable goals and listen to your students to get positive feedback.

Mr. McClung pointed out just as Dr. Strange continually states don’t be afraid of technology. Technology is learning process that can be continually learned through out your teaching career, because you never want to stop learning.
I was encouraged by Mr. McClung’s blog post because it provided the mindset of a first year teachers experience and gave words of wisdom through out the post. He let you know quickly that the students are our number one priority and that we need to listen, be prepared for the unexpected and to communicate with not only our students but to parents and fellow co-workers. Lastly he states don’t be afraid of technology in the classroom, which is pretty much what I have been experiencing because of learning new tools that I have never used before taking EDM.

Second Year

Mr. Joe McClung is in his second year of teaching and has moved to a different state and is now teaching three different subjects in a junior high school in Arkansas. He has to learn to adapt to not only a different audience but on classes he was unfamiliar with teaching. He is now teaching history and social studies along with science. Teenage students are more independent than the sixth grader he taught in Missouri. He was concerned that he would become a teacher he vowed he would not become teaching history, a ghost of history teachers in the past.

Mr. McClung advises to form alliances with experienced colleges to ease the pain of being in unfamiliar territory, mainly moms. He states that it is good to have someone that knows the ins and outs of the school. His teaching methods had to be altered because his audience had changed from elementary students to high school students. He had to basically be a salesman to sale his students what he was teaching that could normally be boring.

He had a difficult time this particular year but did not allow these problems to make him lose focus from the tasks at hand. Teaching his students. He is able to reflect on his strength and weaknesses and is able to work around them in order to accomplish his mission.
I agree that adapting to learning procedures are necessary in every day life including the classroom. Plans can go wrong and you simply have to move forward and continue to teach the

Project #13

Blog Post #8

Dr. Richard E. Miller

This is how we dream Part 1 and 2

These videos showed the difference between fundamental change and incremental change in the way we accumulate, process and share information. In earlier days to research you had to rely on books in the library and newspaper articles that were both reporting on events in the past. Furthermore, when you get a book from the library, the book is no longer available to other students. You also had to physically visit the library that could be a time consuming process. After all your research you were able to publish your work but at times some data you collected is no longer accurate.
New technologies change the way we research and structure information incrementally by for example increasing the speed we share information. There are no longer weeks or months between events happening around the globe and the time this information is provided to the user but thru websites, blogs, podcasts for example news can be shared instantly. Also research can be done online, accumulating data from current events and being worked by multiple users at the same time – compared to only one person being able to loan out a book at the library. Another big advantage is the physical independence of your location. In my opinion this is a big contributor to “flatten the world” because it doesn’t matter if you’re in Mobile, AL or New York City or in a remote village somewhere in the Middle East – you still have access to the same information and the same speed, this information is shared.
A fundamental change Dr. Richard E. Miller described was the new ways we not only gather the information but also share it. The world wide web allows us to use live data, from events that are currently happening and re-assemble it according to our desires. If you only are interested in certain types of news for example, you can filter this information and share it with others with the same interest. This structural change allows not only information to be shared rapidly but also the type of information that is shared. He described automatic bots, which are searching the internet for updates on certain topics, or certain areas (e.g. blogs) and then compile the output of the desired data. This fundamental change allows us to watch live election results on TV, while the data is coming in. You can comment instantly and share these results, or write an article on it and link to the live data. I agree that we’re on the edge of a new way of how we share and process information as a society and we can’t even imagine, what will be possible in the future.

Carly Pugh Blog Post #12

Carly Pugh Blog was very interesting and seemed slightly confusing to me but after reading it a second time I could begin to see the similarities between what she was doing and Dr. Millers hope for the future. Carly was incorporating several different videos to help students realize that sources can come from several different areas not just from a book. People who do not have the same passion as Carly in reading books can now watch videos with the same information than reading. Some people are more receptive to videos than written words. The video I was touched by was disabilities with possibilities and the video on the Carly’s blog. If a picture can paint a thousand words, how many words can a video say? Great work Carly!!!!!!

EDM 310 is Different

EDM 310 for Dummies

EDM 310 is a useful tool that all students are able to utilize things such as twitter, youtube and blogs. If a student is willing to learn the methods taught in the class a student will be a better teacher because of all the resources taught in the class.

The Chipper Series

The point of the video is that steps and deadline set by Dr. Stange are necessary. This was a something that had to be pointed out to Chipper through out the video but in the end she came to her senses and went back to school to continue her journey in education.
I think since this is a class that meets once a month on average how come that class cannot be completely virtual. Can the class be taught via computer using youtube videos, skype, or even something like a video class? The advantage would be one class that can have several hundred to be given information via the computer. You tube videos can be watch several times if a student doesn’t understand a project and every student can learn at their own pace. For example, a mastery type class, where a student has to master a certain task in order to move forward

Learn to Change, Change to Learn

I agree that the classroom environment has to do a lot of catching up in order to adapt to the latest changes in technology and how the students learn. Students are no longer relying on just the teacher when it comes to studying a specific subject, for example a traditional history teacher will work with students provided in a history book. However, another way of involving in a history subject would be visiting a museum and research information to the specific item of exhibition on their mobile internet device (e.g. cell phone) while passing through the building. This shows the more involved the students are by the way they’re learning and the more freedoms of their tools of choice they have, the more engaged they would become. Technology is advancing every day and our children are already using it, its just a matter of the teacher keeping up with students.

Web 2.0 Scavenger Hunt

My first adventure was to find a tool that is similar to Twitter/Facebook. I found Edmodo. Free membership is offered, which is great for any NEW teacher. The handling seems to be intuitive and easy to maneuver through. There is a lot of functionality integrated, even google docs. As a teacher this could be used in a classroom environment to schedule tests, share certain documents with certain groups of students as well as using it for posting and sharing blogs and articles among students and teachers. You’re able to use it as a mobile app for posting information during a project or scavenger hunt for the students. You can launch surveys to get instant feedbacks for school related topics and this tool will allow you to manage the information flow between the users and manage special projects.

Second I found a new video tool that I have not used before. Its name is Photopeach. You are able to create a video or slideshow using photos that you can either upload or taken a trip in a museum that you would be able to make a presentation to teach students about any topic. You will be able to add text, music and other special effects. This is somewhat similar to a power point presentation but a whole lot simpler. As a teacher this would definitively save time when sharing information with your students and not just simply talking to them about a subject

Lastly I was to make a comic and post so here is my first comic.

Project #11

Project #12

C4K #1

Yesenia

She is an eight-grade student in Noel, Missouri. Yesenia wrote a very creative story about her and a friend named Martha, who found themselves in an unusual position. Nicki Minaj and Bruno Mars who were zombies were following them. The girls were frightened and began running away. The girls then notice the sun was coming up and the zombies were no longer following them. Yesenia and Martha both knew that when the sun went down the zombies would return but this time they would be ready.
My comment to Yesenia was that she had written a very creative story that I enjoyed reading. I asked her if she enjoyed writing scary stories and would enjoy reading more of them.

Samantha J.

She is a high school student who enjoys writing and has an interest in keeping our earth clean as well as the importance of recycling. Samantha’s blog was about the reasons zebras have stripes. She had a couple of theories on why the zebra has stripes. First, she states that zebra’s stripes are used to confuse their predators. It confuses them from pin pointing one single zebra. The second theory was to distract horse flies. She states that researchers in Sweden and Hungary show that the horsefly is less attracted to the zebra’s strips versus a black or brown horse. This study however was not done in Africa so the study was still ongoing.
My comment to Samantha was that she raised a interesting question. I stated that the camouflage and light reflection theory sounded logical and made sense. I also stated it is amazing how animals have adapted to their surroundings. I did receive a thank you response from Samantha.

Tessa

She is a sixth grade student at Denneth Elementary in Massachusetts. She had made video to say thank you to her teacher, Mr. Avery. This was a very creative and thoughtful video.
My comment to Tessa was that Mr. Avery must have loved the video versus a regular thank you card. Tessa has several pictures of turtles on her blog and I asked if she owned any turtles herself. Tessa did respond to my comment and unfortunately does not own any turtles.

C4T #2

Remember the renegades. . . and be their friend. Their creativity, their thinking, their pushing the envelope just may change the world. - Paula White

Reflection of the TZS Teacher

When kids write because they want to…..

Ms. Paula White is a teacher who writes several blogs. In her blog post “When kids write because they want to….” she emphasizes the importance of providing feedback to her students not only regarding the style of their writing but also the content of their texts. She feels teachers are so consumed by preparing their students for testing that teachers are overlooking the creative side of the students’ ability to write. In order to encourage her students she feels that the students have to be confident to write freely so that the students will want to write.
My comment to Ms. White was that I enjoyed her post because she encourages her student to write. I also agreed that when students are solely critiqued on their writing abilities that it can take away from the students’ creative ability and discourages them because they feel that the content of their writing is irrelevant.

When Is Listening Not Enough?

In this post Ms. White describes the importance of students being able act upon their beliefs but are unable to because of their age. She experienced the more actively her students were able to use modern technology to share their opinion and have an audience the more engaged they want to become with a certain subject. Her students are using wiki, blogs and conversation calendars to voice their opinions on such items as saving the rainforest, endangered species and being humane to animals.

Ms. White states, “We’ve simply got to find ways to validate their feelings, empower them to act, and not just listen to what they say”.

Project #10

My Personal Learning Network currently is my bookmark on my computer. However, since watching the video from a 7th grader though I am started to experiment with symbaloo in order to organize my information. I have found several resources to use because of the projects, blogs and activities Dr. Strange has assigned. I have included sites such as Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, and Teachertube. I will continue to work and develop my resources so that I will be able to utilize them through out my career as a student and when I become a teacher.

Blog Post #7

Wendy Drexler: The Networked Student

Wendy Drexler asked in her video, why does the networked student even need a teacher? A teacher is still a valuable asset to a students learning. A teacher is one who has the ability to guide the student through a jungle of information that can be found on the internet. The main challenge is to filter through a variety of different sources available and structure the information accordingly. The teacher has to play an important role in this process. Not only can a teacher help a student to sort through the information but also to communicate properly with others. Somebody else may have already invented the wheel before and it’s just a matter of sharing the information with others.

The advantages of being networked are that you can communicate with a great number of resources than you could in a conventional classroom, as well as the convenient of being independent at what time you receive and share the information. Your location is only an issue when you need to access and upload information from the internet. The downloaded podcasts and RSS newsfeeds can be access offline as well for example. Students expenses are very minimal regarding podcasts, for example you don’t’ have to be a student at the University of Berkley and pay tuition to gain access to certain information that professors publish online.

In my opinion, I agree with most of the information provided on this video. Children today are in a technological advanced world. The success of our students will depend on the ability of the teacher teaching the children the correct guidance of utilizing the information with the tools described in the video. The disadvantage is if a student misuses the tools if not properly educated on how to use them. There is a lot of methods on the internet that is available to students, but it takes a teacher to show students how to find, filter, structure and share the information.


A 7th Grader's Personal Learning Environment (or PLN)

This student uses symbaloo, which is a web site that can be accessed from any computer. She is able to store and categorize her links according to her needs. She emphasized her independence of the tools she is able to use in her science class. I on the hand continue to use my bookmarks as well as my top site functionality of my browser. I find it more convenient since I have my computer constantly with me. The disadvantage to this for me is if I don’t have my computer or I have to use another computer. I have however experimented with symbaloo and I am still trying to work out the kinks to better utilize the program.

Project 9b

Blog Post #6

Randy Pausch’s Last Lecture


“Brick walls are there for a reason: they let us prove how badly we want things”

In this video, Dr. Randy Pausch discussed several methods of teaching. At the beginning, he mentioned getting the fundamentals done first. Students need to understand that learning can be fun even though it is hard work. A student needs to learn his alphabet before he learns how to read or they need to know their numbers before they can do math. Teachers need to provide students with necessary tools to encourage learning and allow students to unleash their learning potential. Dr. Pausch stated on how to accomplish this is by choosing indirect learning or “head fake”. This method can be applied in projects that students can do in small groups. Where the main focus lies not on the project itself but on the teamwork. As a teacher creating a solid foundation is essential for continued success in a students development.
Secondly, Dr. Pausch focused on the importance of feedback. Corrective criticism is necessary to allow students to identify areas of improvement and apply corrective measures. Dr. Pausch stated, “When you see yourself doing something badly and nobody's bothering to tell you anymore, that's a very bad place to be. Your critics are the ones telling you they still love you and care”. This is an area where as a teacher you are able to provide guidance and encouragement for students to succeed in reaching their goals.
Thirdly, Dr. Pausch encourages us to be patient. As a teacher, a student’s individual needs vary from one student to the next. Allowing students more time to accomplish a certain project may surprise you. Focusing on others, the students, and not yourself will allow the students to achieve more positive results. By setting the standards high for accomplishments makes the students aim for the stars in order to reach the sky.
This video was very encouraging and informative. It contains several good teaching methods as well as quotes. My favorite quote that Dr. Pausch says is, “Brick wall are there for a reason: they let us prove how badly we want things”. I liked this particular quote because I can relate to it, in the sense that I am coming back to school after being out for a extended period of time and it seems that a wall can be an obstacle that I continually have to knock down. It is unfortunate that Dr. Pausch has past away and I am seeing him for the first time. With over 14 million views on you tube I am sure his legacy will continue to influence students in years to come.