Final Reflection

Project 16

For our final project we were assigned to create an iBook in our groups. My group consists of Meagan McRae,Brittany Sparks and myself. Our theme for our iBook is Cars the movie and our title of our iBook is called "Cruising through EDM 310". Our iBook covers everything we have accomplished this semester. We began our iBook with a group picture and an audio below it. The rest of our iBook has chapters on all of the projects we have completed in EDM 310. Our chapters contain our sentence and passion videos, our technology tool video, the tools we chose were the SMARTboard, iPads, and an app for the iPad called Storymouse,our blogs that were critiqued by one another, individual pictures of ourselves and an annotated one, our book trailers, our video book conversation on Topic 5, our SMARTboard lesson plan and last chapter we chose three important topics to discuss and write about together. We chose the importance of blogging, iPads in the Classroom, and Project Based Learning.
In the end we finally made it to the finish line and we couldn't be more proud of ourselves.

C4T#4

Moving At The Speed Of Creativity: A blog by Wesley Fryer

C4T Comment 1
This weekend Wesley Fryer received an email from reader of one of his books asking for an updated list of educational blogs he reads and is subscribed to. Fryer included a list of blogs to which he is subscribed to using "Feedly". Fryer listed over 700+ blogs he is subscribed to. I skimmed over this list and clicked on many of the links. I recognized a handful of these blogs and familiarized myself with many I didn't know. I feel these blogs will be very useful while building my PLN. I wrote to Wesley Fryer thanking him for his knowledge of educational blogs. I left him my blog name and the url of our class blog and a little bit about EDM 310.

C4T Comment 2
In this blog Fryer gave options for uploading videos to YouTube with school filtering. I really enjoyed this blog post because this is something I find important. In a lot of schools the site YouTube is blocked. Fryer came across this one day while his students were creating narrated slideshows he wanted to put on YouTube. He gave two ways he has dealt with this problem and described them in great detail. While reading this I saved the web page for later view as a teacher. I wrote to Fryer how much I enjoyed this post and how I will recommend it to colleagues in the future.

C4K April

Week 1, Owen's Blog

Owen goes to a Pt England school in Auckland, New Zealand. Owen is in class seven. This week Owen learned about scales. Owen says "We have been learning how to use scales and I enjoy it." with this Owen included a picture he drew. I commented on how I remember learning about scales and how useful they are. To this day I use a scale at least once a week. I enjoyed his post and his drawing. I also asked Owen what he and his classmates weighed?

Week 2, Danielle's Blog

Danielle is in Mrs. She's class 18. This week Danielle's class visited the year 4 and 5 students who were camping at the school ground as part of the outdoor educational program. I told Danielle how I enjoy camping and roasting marshmallows for smores. I enjoyed her picture very much and asked her what she likes most about camping?

Blog Assignment #13

Instructions:
Goal Setting: How will you have your students set goals for themselves in your future classroom? Do you feel that goal setting is important? Why or why not?
Goal Setting in the Elementary School Classroom
An area of study educators often overlook according to Goal Setting 101 is teaching our students how to set goals for themselves. Teaching students to set personal goals begins with teaching them to believe in themselves. Many students start school with a very limited view of what they are capable of doing. Before I can teach them to set any kind of goal for themselves, I have to help remove those so called "limitations" from their thinking. It is so important that I teach my students to believe in themselves, because without that belief, they aren't likely to achieve their goals.
Secrets to Goal Setting According to "Goal Setting 101":
1. Write clear and measurable goals.
2. Create a specific action plan for each goal.
3. Read your goals daily and visualize yourself accomplishing them.
4. Reflect on your progress to see if you are on target.
5. Revise your action plans if needed.
6. Celebrate your accomplishments!
So, how can I encourage my students to remove limitations from their thoughts and start thinking towards high goals? I can first show my students examples of how others have overcome obstacles and achieved their goals. Seeking out inspirational stories of people who are relevant to my students' lives and sharing those stories will motivate my students to set goals for themselves. I could even have my students do a research project on someone they are interested in that has set goals and reached their goals. This person of inspiration could be a someone in their community, a family member, a famous athlete, a famous singer, etc. After completing this project, I would have my students set short-term goals (these goals could include making an A on their spelling test this week, behaving appropriately, making their bed every morning before school, etc) and long-term goals (these goals could include graduating high school, going to college, starting a business, etc). I would then have my students share their goals with their classmates, and then have my students post their goals on their class blog. I believe that if students share their goals, short-term and long-term, with an audience, they would be more likely to stay accountable in achieving those goals. I believe it is so important for students to set short-term and long-term goals for themselves. When I was in elementary school, I did not know what college was until I was in the fifth grade. I feel that it is important for students to set goals for themselves that can be reached inside their classroom, but also set goals for themselves that can be reached outside the classroom. When I was young, I had no clue what my future could possibly hold! I want to help my students in understanding that planning for their future inside and outside of the elementary school classroom is something great to do. In my adult years, I set goals for myself every week, even if it is to only complete all my homework before the weekend so I can relax and enjoy a couple of days to myself. I have long-term goals such as graduating college, getting a job as an elementary school teacher, and buying a home. I have always been a very determined person and I have had a very supportive family, but what if I wasn't a determined person and lacked support? Would I believe in my abilities to be able to reach my goals? Would I even set goals for myself? This is exactly why I want to help my students BELIEVE in their abilities to accomplish whatever they are passionate about.

Blog Assignment #12

What assistive technologies are available to you as a teacher?
iPad Usage For the Blind
In the video iPad Usage For the Blind, Wesley Majerus is a technology specialists who demonstrates how the blind can use iPads.
Technology is absolutely amazing and has opened up so many opportunities to the blind. For example, the iPad has several apps that provide great assistant to the blind. These apps can not only be downloaded on the iPad, but the iPhone as well. Technology is really changing the world by helping those with impairments. For example, the app called Ariadne GPS allows the visually impaired to take solo walks by themselves. The interactive maps make it easier to explore the world around you. Whenever you cross a street a signal vibration will automatically come on. This tool can even announce stops on a bus or train. The best part about the iPad is that it can read any form of text aloud to the visually impaired which makes learning less difficult for them. Without technology none of this would even be possible! It is simply amazing what obstacles technology can help people overcome. After learning about the app called Braille Pro I found this tool to be very interesting. This app allows you to learn Braille and translate English to braille. This tool would be great for parents learning braille with their kids. It would also be great for parents who need help creating their child's books in Braille. This is an excellent tool and I would definitely use it. I believe that iPad usage for the blind is wonderful. I hope that one day it could allow every visually impaired student to enroll in public education systems instead of having to go to a school for the impaired. In my future classroom, I would certainly use these apps if I had a visually impaired student. The iPad truly is a remarkable learning device!

Teaching Math to the Blind
In the video Teaching Math to the Blind, it was very interesting. It has never cross my mind about how blind people learn. Professor Art Karshmer introduces a system he created using blocks and grids to aid blind students in solving math problems. He stated that braille is not read in two dimensions, so were a seeing person can line an addition problem one number on top of the other, and add from right to left to solve problems. This is how the system works. the students scans the blocks with braille and a visual number on the front with a barcode scanner. Then the computer reads the number aloud. I found this system to be very educational. I like the thought that students with a learning disability can learn in the same way as we learn. It's just amazing to learn new things!! After watching that video, I decided to do some more research on assistive technology devices that's useful in the classroom. In my search I found a software program called FaceMouse . It's a software designed to assist people with limited movement. Students will use only their face and head movement. FaceMouse uses standard webcam to allow your face to control and move the computer's mouse point. It will control the mouse pointer by following your head movements, facial gestures, and any actions such as mouth opening, closing, and eyebrow movement. I have provided a video link to FaceMouse Overview so you can better understand the concept.I think that both of these tools are beneficial to the students and future educators. I have never giving thoughts about how I would student. These resources were great and helpful.

Project #12 Part B

Blog Assiggnment #11

Chloe Woodham:
In the video Back To The Future, Mr. Brian Crosby tells us about how he gets his class of multicultural and at risk students to learn how to use project based learning. He starts off by telling us about his class and how most of his students do not know what city they live in. Crosby uses technology to gain the interest of his class. The students use laptops to connect to different students around the world. Mr. Crosby collaborated with a local university to create a balloon that would carry a camera and microphone into the different layers of the atmosphere. By doing this, students were able to see first hand the journey that the balloon made. The students were able to create the payload of the balloon and take a hands on approach to this project creating a highly motivating learning environment. They were each asked to write a story about the balloons journey from the perspective of the balloon. These stories were then posted to a class blog along with photos and videos to be shared with the world in a project called “High Hopes”. The students made stratocards with the high hopes that they had for their lives and this also allowed students around the world to post theirs as well. This project also tied into the science atmosphere with cultural and language learning. In this way, children around the world were able to share ideas and information which makes the world a smaller, more neighborly place. What we can learn from this is that teaching is not about giving students busy work and hoping that they will grasp the concepts from that work. Learning is more effective when the students are captivated by the material. We think that teaching is about making the students learn for themselves and from their peers around them. We also believe that by doing projects this allow students to be interactive with each other. By motivating students with exciting projects they will actively absorb information and retain it for life. Mr. Crosby also showed us the value of public sharing when he was able to use technology to allow a young girl with cancer to be part of his class and participate with her peers instead of being homeschooled. That is a beautiful gift and he should be applauded for not allowing that girl to be isolated.



Paul Anderson’s Blended Learning Cycle. In this video, Mr. Anderson talks about his combination of blended learning and the learning cycle. Blended learning is a combination of online, mobile, and classroom learning. The Learning Cycle contains five key components: Engage, Explore, Explain, Expand, and Evaluate. He uses this system of learning to create his own unique learning style he names QIVERS`.Q: Question-Mr. Anderson begins each unit with a driving question about a subject matter the students are unfamiliar with. I: Investigate- he asks the students to hypothesize what they believe the answer to that question is. V: Video- he gives the students video links with instructions and information so that they can explore the subject matter independently. E: Elaboration- he then explains the subject matter and provides his class with more detailed information. R: Review- in this stage, he reviews with the students one on one to ensure the student understands the information. S: Summary quiz- he gives a quiz to evaluate the students knowledge. What we can learn from Mr. Anderson is a successful way to teach our students. His method allows students to be engrossed in the learning process. He allows them to question freely and learn why they are wrong or right. In this way, he is teaching science and how to be an independent learner at the same time.

Meagan McRae:
What can we learn about teaching and learning from these teachers?

The first video that I watched was entitled Making Thinking Visible, by Mark Church. In this video Church's students had watched a video the day before concerning early human beginnings. Church then had his students write simple one sentence headlines, in their small groups, to sum up what they had watched and present it to the class. At the end of the lesson Church plans on having them do this project again and discuss how the headlines have changed from the first day to the last day of the lesson. By just writing down a simple headline on a piece of paper, Church's students can see what they have learned and how their knowledge on this subject has increased. Students can then gain further insight from other students headlines through a class discussion. I believe this is a good exercise in the classroom since it is visually showing the students what they have learned over time as well as how they have adapted and changed their opinions.



The second video that I watched was Sam Pane 4th Grade. This was an extremely interesting video where Pane had his students create comic strips about internet safety. Since students are going to be using technology more in the classroom, they need to know how to be safe about its use. Each student created a comic strip that incorporated themselves as well as the super hero they had created. One of the subjects covered involved not putting your personal information into a site, while another discussed the importance of using safe search engines. The super comics that the students created were very clever and well done, and the students seemed to really enjoy the project. They enjoyed sharing the comics they had created with their fellow classmates as well as seeing what other students had created. I believe this is a smart way to go about teaching this topic to students. By making the lesson interesting, teachers can teach what may other wise be a boring topic and students can have fun while learning. Along the way students are being creative, enjoying themselves, and learning about a program that they might want to use for another assignment or free time project. Pane is a perfect example of using technology in the classroom effectively and having students really be engaged and active in the classroom.

Brittany Sparks:
The first video I watched was: Project Based Learning by Dean Shareski takes the viewers into a high school classroom in Canada. The students in this high school classroom do not learn segmented subjects. Three teachers have come together to combine History, English, and Information Processing. The teachers are embedding the principles of project based learning to create a better and different learning experience for the students. Research has proven that project based learning increases the amount of engaged learners and provides an opportunity for deeper understanding of the material. These teachers use technology in their classroom to enhance student learning. The first time they tried to use project based learning it was successful but, they knew that there was room for improvement. The students in their class room are getting excited about projects they are doing. They are extremely proud of themselves. Another important part of project based learning is it gives the students a chance to use technology to bring the content to life. The teachers in this class have also realized there is more time to give students feedback right away on a project or activity.

The sec video I watched was: Roosevelt Elementary's PBL Program

. This video describes how project based learning is a different style of learning. It is a different style because it is indepth learning. PBL is integrated thematic instruction and it is based on real world problems. Teachers provide resources for students. The students then work on a project or presentation. Another important part of PBL that was addressed in this video is the students have a choice. Meaning they are giving them an opportunity to make their own decisions. In a PBL classroom a person will see students learning 2lst century skills. The students will be able to use these skills in the future. The students are learning to work independently and in groups. They are also learning how to communicate with one another, solve problems, and support one another in the classroom. PBL is self motivating and the students at Roosevelt Elementary are truly excited to learn and show what they have accomplished.

C4T #3

C4T#3, Comment 1: " May the force(s) be with you"
This C4T I was given the blog "PRPRN" this stands for Physical Education Practitioner Resource Network. The aim of this blog is to bring together physical education teachers, coaches, physical activity leaders, volunteers and university practitioners from around the world to talk about practice, young peoples’ experiences of physical activity, and research. The leader of the blog is Ashley Casey.
This week’s blog looks at the inherent difficulties of pedagogical change and of stepping away from the “traditional way” of teaching physical education. It asks how we might be increasingly aware of what we can and cannot change in the short term with regards to teaching and learning in PE and how we might know the difference. It also challenges us all to adopt a critical approach to teaching that is grounded in theoretically informed practice or praxis. We learn how to behave in different situations and at different times. I believe We learn when ‘lines in the sand’ might be crossed, should be crossed or must never be crossed. In sport we learn where the hard and fast rules lie and where the grey areas exist. Once we learn these ‘rules of the game’ we then discover how and when we might push the boundaries, perhaps to stretching point while avoiding the breaking point. For example, you only have to listen to the television pundits talking about what happened ‘off the ball’ to realize what a player can get away with and what they can’t. In other words we are socialized into the things that we do through observing and listening to others.

C4T#3, Comment 2: " Knowing the difference between changeable and unchangeable practices"
This week’s blog explores the notion of socialization and asks how much of what occurred to an individual, both before and during a career as a teacher, impacts on the decisions that they make and the practices they hold dear. Drawing on a seminal paper in this field the blog asks us to consider the multiple forms of socialization that shape and meld the teachers that we eventually become. Furthermore it asks us to be more aware of the different (and ongoing) ways that people learn to be teachers. I believe we talk a lot of change in Physical Education, of moving away from the 'traditional methods' and of using new methods. But what if the traditional ways work, what if they do present students the opportunity to progress and get results year on year, why do we then need to 'change' the ways we teach? There needs to be more of a concern about becoming the type of teacher you want to be, of trying new ideas and focusing on your teaching, whether that be as an 'new idea' or 'traditional approach' than bringing about change. By being the teacher they want to be and changing their classroom there is an opportunity to open discussions and doors to change for others. Even though change in others may not be readily seen it is not reasonable to suggest they are unwilling to change their practice or develop their classrooms, it could be considered that they do not feel it necessary to label their teaching, as they do not fit into just one category. After all teaching is not a one-size fits all approach.

C4K March Summary

Week 1, Meliana's Blog

This week I had the opportunity to visit Meliana's page on Mrs. She's class blog site. This week Mrs. She's class was learning to write explanation stories. I was able to view Meliana's video on 'What is a Good Friend?'. I told Meliana how important it is to know the qualities of a good friend and that i thought she listed some great qualities in a friend. I told Meliana that i think we would be good friends because we both know how to be a good friend. I also told Meliana that i have a lot of good friends and they are very important. I am fascinated by the use of technology from the second graders in Mrs. She's classroom. I only wish I had the tools and resources when I was a student in elementary school. I also informed Meliana that I am looking forward to watching more of her videos.

Week 2, Jordan's Blog

This week i had the pleasure of viewing Jordan's blog he is a year 7 student at Pt England School in Auckland, NZ. He in Class 2 with Mrs Lagitupu. This week Jordan introduced his readers to a new game he has been playing online called Free Rice. This game lets you donate real grains of rice to poor families in South Africa who go hungry. Jordan has already donated 1000 grains of rice. Jordan explains the rules and that when you get an answer right the United Nations World Food Program donates 10 grains of rice. Jordan includes a warning that "This game may make you smarter and improve your speaking, writing, thinking and grades.

Week 3, Nathan's Blog

Nathan is a Year 8 student at Pt England School in Auckland, NZ. He is in Class 5 with Ms Paget. This week Nathan discusses what his class is learning in science. They learn science for 5 weeks, this week they learned about solids, liquids and gases using eggs. I told Nathan that I am in college and I still learn more about solids, liquids, and gases. The experiment they tried sounded fun and I would like to try it in my classroom one day.

Project #10 Interview Movie

Blog Assignment #10

What I learned from Sir Ken Robinson
There are two types of people in this world: People who enjoy what they do and endure it and people who love what they do and speak to their authentic selves.
Education keeps people from their natural talents. Talents must be searched for because they will not be lying on the surface. In education we need change. We need a revolution - it needs to be transformed into something else. Abraham Lincoln is quoted saying "We must rise with the occasion; not to it". I like this quote because he is saying we must be engaged. Ken points out that most teenagers don't wear watches because adults grew up in a time when if you needed something you wore it. Kids these days are growing up in a digitized world - the time is everywhere. Life is not linear it is organic. By linear, Ken means we are on a track that we follow and if we follow it correctly we end up set for the rest of our life. By organic, Ken means we create our lives symbiotically as we explore our talents in relation to circumstances they help to create for us. He says the pentacle for education is getting into college, although not everyone needs to go to college. The heart of the challenge is to reconstitute our sense of ability and of intelligence. He discusses the fact that parents are competitive and kindergarteners are being interviewed these days. It is a bit ridiculous that such young children have to compete for a place in kindergarten. Human talent is tremendously diverse. People are often good at things that they don't really care for. Passion is to love the things you are good at. Ken says that we need to understand that learning is an organic process. The outcome cannot be predicted.

Lesson Plan Project #15

In this lesson, second graders will learn about the components of a habitat. The students will create a drawing of the habitat they would like to visit and present their creation to the class. The student will have to clearly identify the habitat chosen and state why they would like to visit this habitat. The students will play fun and interactive educational games online that will reinforce the components of habitats. The students will also become familiar with a poem about habitats. Clink the link below to take you to the Animal Habitats Google Site:
Project base learning Project 15

SMARTboard Project #12 Part A

Blog Assignment #9

Little kids.. Big potential
In Ms. Cassidy's video called Little Kids...Big Potential her first graders use blogs, webpages, wikis, video, Skype and Nintendo DS to share, collaborate and learn in their classroom. I was completely shocked after watching these first graders and learning how technologically literate they were. This was absolutely amazing because when I was in first grade I did not have this advantage. These children were so excited about blogging and becoming better writers. They were educated on how to properly comment on other people's blogs and knew not to say mean things. They even used Skype to talk to other classrooms and experts. Ms. Cassidy's class is an amazing example on how to use technology successfully in your classroom. This inspiring video made me realize as a future educator I have to always incorporate new teaching techniques in my lesson plans and take advantage of technology.

Skype interview with Mrs. Cassidy


The first interview video I watched talked about how Ms. Cassidy got so involved into technology. She said ten years ago she was given five computers in her classroom and she started on her technology journey. She was able to get some release time and funding to assist her in this journey. She started to work on web pages and get involved in blogging. Her journey turned out to be a wonderful success because she now has a tremendous support system behind her. Ms. Cassidy states, "Technology is not going to go away, it is here to stay." She believes that every teacher needs to be technological literate to be adequate for students. She leaves off with the statement that "We have to keep learning." We have to stay in touch with technology and find out what way works best for us. In the second interview Ms. Cassidy tells people where to begin with technology. She says to begin with what your interested in. For example, if videos interest you then sign up for a YouTube account. Everybody is different and their is no specific method to follow. You simply have to find out what way works best for you and keep exploring till you find that method. The last interview video that I watched involved the EDM310 students asking Ms. Cassidy questions. One of the first questions was asked by a physical education major who asked, "How often do you use blogging in your classroom?" She answers by saying it depends on the time of year, but typically twice a week. Another question was "Do you fear that access to the internet increases cheating?" Ms. Cassidy said she does not feel like this is an issue. She says the educator needs to ask specific questions so cheating is not possible. However, she also states that the internet helps you to collaborate and "piggy-back" off of others work. This is not cheating and is actually beneficial. The questions that the students asked were great and Ms. Cassidy answered them very efficiently.


After watching each individual video I really learned a lot from Ms. Cassidy. She really puts a lot of time and effort into her lesson plans for her students. Being an educator is not always easy, but it is well worth it. She really makes a great point when she states that technology is never going away and we need to learn how to use it. This statement could not be more true and she does a great job in her classroom. I still cannot get over how much her students use technology and they are only first graders. Ms. Cassidy is a very motivational person and her hard work clearly inspires education systems worldwide. I look forward to using technology in my classroom and I will definitely be a blogging teacher. I want to allow my students to sample as many technological tools as possible. I want my students to be technologically literate so they will be better prepared for the real world.

C4T #2

C4T #2, comment 1:

For my C4T#2, I was assigned to a teacher’s blog called “Concrete Classroom”. The author of this blog is Mike Kaechele from Grand Rapids, Michigan. Mike is a concrete artist turned teacher and a certified new tech trainer for Project Based Learning. The post I decided to comment on was his “New Rule”.


When Mike developed this new rule him and the students were still getting to know one another, but he felt something needed to be done immediately. He had a problem with his students constantly asking him for permission to the restrooms or to get a drink. He informed his students that he did not like this at all and that if they have to go to the restroom or need a drink, to go ahead and do so. Mike believes in trust, respect, and responsibility with his high school students.
Comment 1:

To begin with, I really enjoyed reading this blog post. I think the new rule for Mike’s classroom will be helpful in many ways. It will help develop better trust and respect with his students. When I was a grade school student, my teachers never had a rule like this. I really wish they did. Asking to go to the restroom or to get a drink actually took up time from teaching and learning. I agree that it would save a lot of trouble by letting the students go to the restroom by themselves. I am considering adopting this rule for my future classroom. I thanked Mike for sharing.

C4T #2, comment 2:

The next blog post of Michael Kaechele that I commented on was the “Dark side of MLK”. Michael discussed how he was assigned to a group during orientation. He likes to introduce himself and the class with some research. Michael had the students to look at the site http://www.martinlutherking.org/ . Next, he had them answer questions on a google form. Some students took it seriously and some just answered quickly. Some groups questioned the validity of the information.
These groups were asked to find evidence that this information was “fake”. Students began to evaluate the sources and soon found out that the site was created by StormFront, a white supremacist group. They also looked up one of the experts and discovered he was a former Grand Wizard of the KKK. This new found information led to a class discussion about bias. Students thought this site of information was legit and were very surprised. Michael left his students with the thought that they should doubt and test everything. He told them, “If your mother says she loves you, ask for her sources.” At the beginning of the year, Michael likes to set a tone of critical thinking and questioning in his classroom.

Comment 2: I really enjoyed reading Michael’s post. It teaches a valuable lesson to not believe everything you read or see on the internet. I will be sure to share this concept with my students in the future. Validity is really important when it comes to information. It is always a good idea to research anything you find online before using it. I liked Michaels what he left his students with: “If your mother says she loves you, ask for her sources.” I thought it was very humorous. To conclude my response, I thanked Michael for sharing this post.

Lesson Plan Project #14

This weeks project was to do an individual project-based learning lesson plan. My lesson Plan is for students to research and create a Google Slide on a previous President of the United States This lesson plan is geared toward 2nd grade history students and can be viewed in the link below.
Project based lesson plan Project 14

Video Book Conversation Project #9

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Blog Assignment #8

Khan Academy is a site that teachers and students can use to help enrich the learning experience. Khan Academy is basically a site students can go to and receive extra practice on certain concepts that are provided by the teacher.
Teachers start by creating a class, I titled mine Math, then they invite students to this class using their email or Khan ID. The students can also join the class by using a code given to the teacher upon creation of the class. Once the students are part of the class they can start by completing practice worksheet and taking pretests on a number of topics. Khan automatically generated the first few for the class I created, such as, reading line charts, reading bar charts etc.. The students then complete the short tests as extra practice on that topic. When taking the test the site even offers them a scratch pad. As a teacher you can then see the results of each child's work. This gives you a better understanding of what each child is struggling with individually as well as what they struggle with as a whole. You can then focus your lessons around these problems to help your students better understand.
I think this kind of site is an excellent tool to use in any classroom setting. It allows the teachers to give students extra work, a way to practice on their own time, and a way to gauge their knowledge. It also allows the students to focus on a particular topic they may have been struggling with. You could use this site with any grade level or subject and it be beneficial. I think that as educators we have a responsibility to try every outlet available to us. This site may not work in every classroom and in every subject, but it may work in just one. In my opinion, one is enough. If I can engage one more student by using this tool or any other for that matter, I think I have upheld my responsibility as a teacher. I want every student sitting in front of me, every year, to leave my classroom knowing they are the best they can be. If it takes hundreds of trial and errors on my part, and numerous late nights changing lesson plans because something did not work, then so be it. Teaching children and helping them understand and grow as people is my passion and I will use this tool, as well as all the others I can get my hands on to make sure it happens!

C4K February Summary

Will K.'s Blog
Week 1, Will:

Will is a 4th grade student in from Mrs. Geldes class in Nebraska. This week Will explained and showed how to add fractions with unlike denominators. Will used very specific directions and also had pictures demonstrating the steps. It is great when a child knows a subject so well they can teach others, and include technology!

Tyson's Blog
Week 2, Tyson:

Tyson is a student in Ms Scott Lindsey's class. Tyson's informative post is directions on how to fail in minecraft. I had never heard of Minecraft before Tyson's post and I assured him I would give it a try now that I knew what to avoid. In three simple instructions Tyson shows personality and sarcasm, it is a great thing to see in a young child.

Will K.'s Blog
Week 3, Will:

Will is a 4th grade student in from Mrs. Geldes class in Nebraska. This week Will learned about birthstones. His birthday is in January and birthstone is garnet. He used an avatar video to discuss celebrities with his birthday, the cost of garnet, and the story behind the stone.



Dalton's Blog
Week 4, Dalton:

Dalton is in 7th grade at Bode Middle School in St. Joseph, MO. This week Dalton's assignment was to write a poem based on a paint color chip. He then picked his favorite color, started drafting and made a final draft.

Project #13 Lesson Plan

This week we were assigned to make a group lesson plan. This group consisted of Brittany Sparks, Meagan McRae, and myself. We chose second grade science. Our topic was The Solar System. Below is a link to our Lesson Plan:

Project Based Learning Lesson Plan #1

Blog Assignment #7

I watched Randy Pausch’s last lecture video as well as read the official transcript on his lecture. This way I was able to have a better understanding of what he was discussing. I really enjoyed the lecture that Randy gave. He opened his lecture with a great attitude and audience engaging humor.

He talked about how you should always be a Tigger in life. By saying this, he meant to never loose your childlike wonder and to have fun with every aspect of your life. Although Dr. Pausch only had three to six months to live, he didn’t let that stop him from living his life to the fullest. By him keeping a positive attitude and having his childlike wonder, he was able to keep his dreams alive and strive forward to the things ahead. For children, they believe they can do anything and set their goals as high as they can imagine. We should always try and let the child inside of us come out so that we don’t set limits to our dreams. Pausch taught a class at Carnegie Mellon University that was a project based learning class. He said that "The best way to teach somebody something, is to have them think that they're learning something else." I think this is a great view for teaching students.


In Dr. Pausch’s lecture, he also spent a lot of time discussing dreaming. Everyone has dreams, especially when we were younger. Dr. Pausch never gave up on his dreams, though. By bringing in life stories, Pausch was able to keep the audience interested in what was being said. He describes all the dream that ran through his head as a child such as: Being in zero gravity, playing in the National Football League, authoring an article in the World Book Encyclopedia, being Captain Kirk, winning stuffed animals, and being an Imagineer.He stated that it is important to have specific dreams to go after. He continued to reach for them until he experienced each of them in a way that satisfied him. When you have a dream, you have to have the mindset that one day they will actually happen and you must keep striving for them, even when the going gets tough. As a teacher, we will have students come to us with dreams that only they could imagine. We must encourage them to never stop chasing their dreams and to never give up on them. When assisting students in reaching their goals, we are helping them take knowledge outside of the classroom and chase their dreams in the real world. We can help them to turn their dreams into reality. Dr. Pausch also talks about a “head fake”. This is the concept of teaching you students a certain game or activity, but in reality they are learning life lessons from it. In these situations, the task is not really about the activity but more about learning teamwork, social skills, or anything else that could be helpful to a child as they grow up.

I learned a lot from Randy about teaching and learning. He let his students create and learn in a way that they enjoyed what they were doing. He gave his students an interesting project and let them be in control which lead to amazing results for the projects. We must learn from our failures and mistakes in order to learn to do things correctly. One example in doing this would be to learn to take criticism well and improve with the advice that is given to us. As teachers, we have to know the right way to give criticism so that it still encourages our students to improve. I thought Randy Pausch did an excellent job delivering his lecture by keeping the topic light and by keeping the audience interested in what was being said.



This lecture was very inspiring to me as a future teacher. In my life, I have had several teachers, friends, and family members encourage me to never give up on my dreams. Without them, I wouldn’t be here at the University of South Alabama on my way to becoming an elementary teacher. We have to teach our kids to follow their dreams and allow them to learn by doing fun tasks that let their imaginations go wild. Dr. Pausch reminding me how important it will be as an educator to do the same for my future students. This lecture was given on September 18, 2007 and he lost his fight to cancer in July 2008. He gave so much encouragement through this lecture and will continue to make a difference in peoples lives through it.

Blog Assignment #6

PLN stands for "Personal Learning Network". A PLN allows you to have fast access to tools or people that could be of help to you. Symbaloo is one example of a PLN in which you can organize what you as an individual use online most often. This website allows you to add links such as social media websites, blogs, and any other type of informational website you visit most often. On my personal PLN to the far left I have links such as social media websites, youtube, pinterest, email links, google app links, and Prezi. In the top center I have links to my EDM310 blog, the EDM310 class blog, and blogger. The top right contains any teacher blogs that I have visited and enjoyed. I plan to add more as I comment on and visit more teacher blogs in the future. In the bottom right I have a link to google, the weather, an encyclopedia, and the University of South Alabama website. As I come across other interesting websites or blogs I will continue to add to my PLN. It has been fun adding to my PLN the stuff that is important to me and that I visit most often. This is a very convenient tool.

Project #8 Book Trailer

Blog Assignment #5

Project Based Learning Part 1: Experiences of a 3rd Grade Teacher
Anthony Capps is a third grade teacher at Gulf Shores Elementary School. He was also a professional lab assistant in EDM310. When Dr. Strange asked Anthony how to approach being a project based learning teacher, Anthony stated that his ideas on project-based learning are always evolving. Anthony says the goal now with project-based learning is a means to get students to learn something while doing it. Students are creating a project of some kind as they discover the knowledge of a topic. As a teacher, you have to create a project for the student to do that needs information. So the students have to learn certain information to create this particular project. Project-based learning is driven by content. As teachers, you are given content from the state, so we have to create a project that uses the content that the students are required to learn. One example of a project Anthony did with his class was have his third grade students write a letter to congress. This way he met writing standards, reading standards, and social study standards with one project. They talked about equality and used iCurio to find historic figures that demonstrated success. They could use this information to write to congress and state their opinion on if women should be allow to fight in open combat or not. This was interesting to them because each student knew of someone who was in the military and were able to have conversations at home that dealt with the specific learning topic. He had 28 kids but only sent in eight letters after reviewing. The students used peer review to decide on which eight of their peers’ letters was written with best quality to send to congress. In project based learning students have to be able to revise and reflect on their work.


Project Based Learning Part 2: Experiences of a 3rd Grade Teacher
Another tells us in this video that some projects go very well, others do not go well. You have to respect the wishes of parents in your classroom when it comes to certain assignments. Sometimes you can give alternative projects. Anthony has given projects where the kids loved the assignment and the parents were impressed with the information gathered as well. Everything students do in the classroom is meaningful with project-based learning. The administration in the school knows that when students are engaged, they are learning. Anthony states to never limit your students. You should always create an opportunity for them to go beyond what you want them to do. Project-based learning involves a lot of planning and hard work. Even if the project as a whole comes out as unsuccessful, there was still learning in the process. Each and every student is a “learner” and when working with project-based learning, the student is engaging in learning. It’s that simple. Anthony gave an assignment where the students read a story and had to create a sequence chart. This chart had six spaces and the students had to tell six important scenes in the story, then they had to choose the three most important ones out of the six that gave the most detail about the story. Then they chose one scene that had the biggest effect on the stories outcome. They got to go online and create a comic strip to recreate the story as a comic. Sometimes things do not go as planned, and the printer wouldn’t work and they couldn’t print off the comics. He had a last minute change of plans and had to tell the students to write an essay instead and then paint a picture of the most important scene. Each student had different scenes because different points of the story stood out to them. They had watercolors and created stories. When students learn about project-based learning, they are excited to tell about it.

iCurio with Anthony Capps
Anthony teaches in Baldwin County and the teachers there us iCurio. This online tool allows students to save research, images, and websites. Students and adults seem to have a hard time staying organized and iCurio helps to manage the struggle. iCurio allows the user to practice organization by using folders saved online. Once you are logged in, iCurio will save everything for you to come back at a later time. Inside the search engine of iCurio, the student and teacher both are taken to appropriate sites unlike what google could lead you to. When a lunch bell rings or there is an interruption in class, the user that is logged in can simply save their work and come back to it later. iCurio has a feature called “Timeline” so that you can search on certain criteria. The user can search for certain time periods, people, and events. It also has a directory with historical figures and you can choose the topic, gender, and race of whom you wish to search for. Anthony tells us it is useful for any grade level, as long as the teacher allows their students to search the web. One feature that is neat is the “read-out-loud” feature for students with disabilities.


Discovery Education
Anthony stated, “If a pictures worth a thousand words and then a video is worth a million”. With discovery Ed you can find several video resources for science and social studies. This site offers great resources for teachers and students. One could be to research plants. This website will take the student beyond photographs and offer them videos to help them learn as well. Discovery Ed enriches the research experience because of all it has to offer. People will remember what they hear, remember more of what they see, but remember most by watching the process of something happen. The videos that Discovery Ed has will help students to learn by watching steps and processes of certain topics. Dr. Strange talked about how students nowadays listen and watch more than read and write. This is all dealing with project-based learning and allowing the students to do more hands on activities in order to learn for a lifetime instead of memorize for a moment.




The Anthony-Strange Tips for Teachers- Part 1

Through the Skype video between Anthony Capps and Dr. Strange, future educators such as myself get to learn many different useful tips for our future classrooms. The first thing I learned by watching the video is that as an educator, we are constantly learning. Our whole life revolves around school, and we end up modeling this behavior for our students. Some people may think that revolving your life around work is a bad thing, but it is just the opposite. For example, I have not even started to teach yet, and I pin future projects that I could use in the classroom off of Pinterest. It is just something we love. As an educator, we are constantly on our toes, and by that, I mean that we have to prepared for anything. You never know what is going to happen that could cause your plans to go completely haywire. Also, reflection is the key to teaching! We are constantly trying to improve all parts of our teaching including our lesson plans and the end product we hope to see from our students. In education, we are consistently thinking ahead, and this changes the way we see our work. It is no longer a job; it is a lifestyle.



Don't teach tech. Use it.
Technology shouldn’t be taught; it is natural for kids and everywhere in their lives. Kids are going to like to use technology to prove they are learning. Anthony used an example of Discovery Ed. The first week of school you could use Discovery Ed to teach your students a certain topic, the next week you can have the students use a video portion of iMovie to create a reflection or summary on a story you have read in class. Dr. Strange asked Anthony if his third graders have had any problem using iMovie or learning how to work it and he said absolutely not. They could use research tools and video tools to create a project requiring a movie component to it. Eventually the students will be able to combine all the skills they have learned. At first, you need to choose one technology at a time and focus on it. Make sure the students learn it and are able to use it to the best of their ability before introducing them to a new program or website. Using technology allows students to express themselves and has several benefits. Anthony mentioned that most programs are free and if they do cost it is normally only a one-time fee for membership. Technology doesn’t need supplies and doesn’t have to be cleaned up after, such as messes and spills. The tools that students will be learning in the classroom today will help them to learn the new tools that will be created in their futures. As a teacher, Anthony suggests you to scaffold the learning and let them use one tool at a time. They can share what they are doing with people from all over world and be excited about doing the work. As a teacher you cannot expect perfection, your students are going to make mistakes with their first research project. This is when you set aside a time for reflection to fix those mistakes and the next week those mistakes will be fixed and they will be ready to move a step ahead. The students will love being able to share what they have learned and accomplished while learning new tools. If you are worried about how a certain project is going to work out, do the project yourself first. If any questions arise in class, you will have already done the project and will hopefully be prepared to answer any questions. If neither of you know the answer to a question, this can teach the child problem solving skills and you can work together as a class to overcome the obstacle. In order to learn, questions must be asked.


Addition thoughts about lessons.
How do we as teachers create an effective, successful lesson plan? Anthony explains in this video that developing a successful lesson requires four components. These components are year, unit, week, and daily plans that require the skills of time management and abundant planning to construct. The first, year plan, is to decipher how the lesson will fit into the year and making sure all the expected common core standards will be met and accomplished. Next is the unit plan. The unit plan can be formulated by asking and answering the question, "How will I unfold the unit so that it's relevant and all information and standards tie in together with the unit?" This concept involves beginning with an aspect and continuing to develop the material as time progresses so that by the end of a unit students should be able to accomplish the outcome expected. Next is the weekly plan, in that time must be managed in order to get everything that needs to be done, complete. This involves planning what will transpire through the week, what projects will be constructed, and assessing the student's accomplishments in the short time period of a five day week. The final component of the four, would be the daily plan. The daily plan affects how you deliver information to your students on a daily basis. Being flexible and observing what is working and what is not is key to daily planning, in that you'll know how to plan for the next day, and the next, and so forth. You must hook them, meaning you must obtain their attention with elements that interest them, keep them engaged while delivering content, and then offer entities afterwards to determine and record what they’ve learned for that day so you'll know where to begin the next day. All these components must be equally performed for the outcome of a successful lesson to transpire.

C4T#1

Denise Krebs' Blog


December 11, 2013
"Creative and Authentic – That’s What Parents Save"

Denise's blog post titled "Creative and Authentic – That’s What Parents Save" was such an inspiring read. Denise is on the countdown for her move in 12 days. They have sold there house and are now going through belongings, specifically school work from K-8 of Daughter #1. She easily threw away test results, report cards, Accelerated Reader certificates, and worksheets.
She says "It doesn’t matter if a student is a high achiever or a low achiever, no parent wants to have years worth of test scores and reports cards that give little information about who their child really is." She realized report cards were just meaningless letter grades and worksheets were wasted time that her child wasn't deeply invested in. Denise says "Teachers didn’t understand that what makes a child proud is not papers marked with 100% or “Great Job.” Children are proud when they invest in authentic work and do an excellent job because they are passionately involved." In the end Denise had fun reading her daughters beautiful poetry and the personal experience narratives that made her laugh and remember times.The things she did on her own that we're authentic and creative is what she saved.
I enjoyed reading this post because I am one that says everything from school. I love looking back on my past work, but the ones that stand out are my personal opinion pieces or creative artwork. I agree with Denise because those kinds of assignments show who you were and how you became who you are.

January 14, 2014
"What Changes"

Denise is experiencing major life changes. She has moved from the USA to the small island nation of Bahrain in the Middle East. She is now experiencing a whole new culture. She has taken on the role of an English teacher of two kindergarten classes. She has 50 students in all. She says "The students are beautiful, loving, fun, and I am fully charmed." Denise is learning to eat her words, manipulate her teaching style and is putting all of her trust in God to fill the gaps. Denise inspires me when she says "I am a lifelong learner", I also believe we as people will be learning until the end of time. I look forward to following Denise on her journey and I know this is just the beginning.

Project #3 Presentation

Blog Assignment #4

On the Teaching Reading website, their article on strategies for “Asking Questions to Improve Learning” , suggests that when planning your lesson you should go ahead and come up with specific questions. By doing this, you will already have few questions brainstormed for your exams or paper assignments. A few strategies to responding effectively include: do not interrupt students’ answers, develop responses that keep students thinking, always show interest in a student’s answer even if it is incorrect, wait for students to think and formulate responses. This website also gives you twelve objectives to “Why ask ‘open’ Questions?” It gives sample questions for each scenario.


When reading the article “The Right Way to Ask Questions in the Classroom” by Ben Johnson, he states that the most important question we should be asking is "What does a teacher asking questions of a class expect the class to learn from the questioning process?" Some teachers say that the reason questions must be asked is to see if the students understand what is being taught. Teachers often ask the common question, “Does everybody understand?” This question has become useless because it is said so often, even when teachers can look at a student’s facial expression and see the confusion written all over it. Sometimes when a student doesn’t understand, they do not know what questions to ask in order to have a better understanding so they remain silent. In order to truly ask questions that will really tell a teacher if students understand or not we have to be specific. Ben goes on to talk about the fact that students who don’t know answers to questions, will often tune out the smart kids who answer all the questions all of the time. They are perfectly fine with someone else volunteering an answer and them not have to attempt an answer themselves. If a student is not called on to answer a question, they are too busy thinking, “I’m glad she didn’t call on me” to really be thinking about the answer and to learn. One simple, effective approach to this is to ask a specific question and then pause for a few seconds. This way, no student knows who is going to be called on and they should all be brainstorming for an answer.

In the video, “Asking Better Questions in the Classroom” by Joanne Chesley, she starts off by saying how a lot of times teachers notice that students are unresponsive in the classroom. We fail to realize we are getting the responses that we ask for. When we are not detailed with the question, the students are not detailed with their answers. She tells the difference between an open and close-ended question. An open-ended question lets the student think more and come up with more information. This lets the student come up with a variety of responses and allows the student to think through the situation. A close-ended question can simply be answered with a yes or no response. Our goal as teachers should be the ask as many open-ended questions as possible in order to get the students interested and thinking about what their response could be if called on to answer.


“Three Ways to Ask Better Questions in the Classroom” by Maryellen Welmer is very short and to the point. The first word of advice is to prepare questions. Maryellen states that for most of her career she spent time preparing content and not questions to use while teaching. Writing out a question in advance helps you to make sure it is clear enough for the students to understand. It helps you to plan things such as, when does the question need to be asked? This way it fits into your lessons and relates to concepts you are talking about right then. The second word of advice is to play with questions. Playing with the question in this sense is meaning to maybe leave the question unanswered for a little while. This way the students stay engaged in the topic and are continuing to think about what the answer could be. You as the teacher could write the question on the board and not discuss it until the period is over. The students could write down their ideas and share with the class their suggestions. The last word of advice is to preserve good questions; good questions can always be kept. It could also be good to write down and keep students questions that trigger the rest of the class to start thinking. It is important for teachers to ask good questions so that students can learn that questions are important and help us learn and to think critically.

Blog Assignment #3

From watching the videos "What is Peer Editing", "Writing Peer Reviews Top 10 Mistakes" and viewing the slideshow "Peer Edit with Perfection Tutorial," I have learned several things about peer editing. In the slideshow and in the video, “What is Peer Editing,” they both pointed out that there are three steps: compliments, suggestions, and corrections. All three of these steps are important when assisting a fellow peer. It is also important to stay positive and encourage peers to improve and fix errors. This humorous video that described different characteristics of peer editors had one example named “Pushy Paula”. This character stood out to me because it is a common problem when it comes to peer editing: It’s hard to help others when each of you think you are correct. It is important to make suggestions instead of demanding a person make changes to their work. Helping people can be frustrating because you may both believe you are correct, but in reality one of you is wrong. We must always consider other people's advice and get other opinions before making a final decision. In the first video, it describes what peer editing is by stating "working with someone your own age to help revise and edit his or her writing”. Note the phrase "working with someone". Peer editing can be a group effort, including the author. This way everyone is working together in order to help out an individual peer.

Getting help from others is important. It helps the both of you to learn from your mistakes and receive advice on how to improve your work. I think it is better to correct your peers publicly; this is the way I have chosen when helping my peers. This way, other students can look at your advice and it could help them improve. If you happen to be wrong, others will be able to give their advice if you review it with others. When working alone, you only have one point of view.

As a teacher and correcting your student, I think it depends on the personality of the specific student. Some students get very discouraged and embarrassed when being told they have made mistakes. Some may see the teacher as embarrassing the student by announcing in front of a class they have made a mistake. Considering the points listed in the video (compliments, suggestions, and corrections) is very important. Having a positive attitude while following these steps will help improve peer reviewing and the student's writing.

Blog Assignment #2

Flipping the Classroom
I had never heard of "flipping the classroom" until watching this video, and I dont know how effective it would be. The concept of flipping the classroom is to have teachers record their lessons and have children view them at home. Not all students learn at the same pace and some get left behind along the way. Flipping the classroom allows students to have the ability to pause, rewind and rewatch the lecture at home. In the classroom the students will know the content before hand and have class time to do hands on activity. I have many concerns for the "flipping the classroom" strategy. I feel this method may be too technology challenging for level 1 students and what about the children that do not have computers. Also, students are at school 7 hours a day and then to go home and complete multiple classes or subjects online may be to much for them. I would like to consult a teacher who has used this logic before to see how they have benefitted from it, or try it out for myself.

Professor Dancealot
When the video begins, Professor Dancealot introduces himself and the purpose of the class from a power point. While he’s going through the power point he does demonstrate the dance moves presented on the slides, but there is a large podium and desk right in front of him preventing the class from being able to see what he’s acting out. One student actually attempts to stand, watch the professor’s feet, and carry out the presented dance move, but the professor commands him back to his seat. He assumes every student understands what to do, so he proceeds to the next lesson without further explanation. His students were falling asleep, and by the end of the semester the class has decreased triple the amount. When the class reached the final exam, which was not a paper and pen test, everyone meets in the ball room and Mr. Dancealot turns a video camera on, tells them to start dancing, and he leaves. The students' cannot even imagine how to begin because they weren't shown basic skills in the classroom.
This video shows why it is important to have hands on learning not just lecture. A teacher is supposed to teach how students can best learn. The conclusion shows the extent of
When a class as a whole does not understand a concept, this should let the teacher know that something needs to be done differently for positive results to occur. There is always a way to get students “hands on,” involved, and up and moving in the classroom, especially in a dance class. Teachers must be willing to discover different learning styles and carry them out. Learning in different ways ultimately aids in students being engaged in what they’re doing and helps them to actually learn and remember the material for future use.

Teaching in the 21st Century
By Kevin Roberts

Kevin Roberts' Teaching in the 21st Century is very clear that the future of education is changing dramatically. Pencil and paper are now considered “old school,” while laptops and iPads in every classroom is becoming normal. The world is constantly changing around us and with it, education. Students are no longer satisfied, if they even ever were, sitting still and quiet at their desks while completing in-class work sheets that relate to the topic of the day. Engaging students in current technology and information by teaching them how to use it properly and effectively has incredible results. Teaching them how to, in Roberts’ words, “remember, understand, apply, analyze, evaluate, and create.” If teachers are not open to endless possibilities that technology can administer, such as a enormous variety of information through blog posts, Twitter and Facebook discussions, which betters student’s communication skills, Google searches, Youtube videos, Skyping with other students around the world to learn different cultures and ethnicities, constant current events at their fingertips, and so much more, their students are going to miss out on numerous opportunities to learn skills that are essential in applying to real life situations. Learning is not memorizing facts in a textbook to be able to record those temporary memorizations onto a written test. Roberts emphasizes that “Teachers are no longer the main source of knowledge, we are the filter.” Students have the means to search for anything they desire and at the press of a button it is instantaneously in front of them.

Curriculum should be centered on skills rather than facts and content. Teaching them also, the dangers of plagiarism, pirating, copyrights, and what to do when certain problems arise. Technology haters often bring up the fact and question of how to control misbehaving students who bring laptops, iPads, and cell phones to school. Roberts says, “The tools provide temptation, but they are not the source of negative behavior.” Students only lack creativity when you rob it from them. They should be challenged to get up out of their seats and learn in new ways using new tools, while the teacher monitors whether it is relevant, challenging, and engaging. Another argument is that students should not need to be entertained constantly. Entertainment indeed should not be the goal, but rather, engagement should be the focus. Students get enough meaningless entertainment throughout their lifetime without us adding to the madness. Engaging students is the key to long-term skills that stick. It is the way in which we will provide students the opportunity and skill to learn and think for themselves.

The Networked Student
By Wendy Dexler
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XwM4ieFOotA&app=m
A network student is one who utilizes the internet to learn about a particular topic. This type of student doesn't just use the typical search engine though, this student has subscribed to blogs, uses google scholar and is in contact with other students and professionals that blog, write, lecture or work in the particular subject of interest. Being networked helps students to learn on their own. Subscribing to blogs and other websites and using an RSS feed and a PLN, a personal learning network, to stay organized, helps the student to stay up to date with any new information on any topic.
In this video, the question "Why does a networked student need a teacher?" is asked. Simply put, the teacher is the student’s guide. While there are no textbooks and lectures in a classroom based on networked learning, the teacher is still a necessary tool. A networked teacher guides the students through the creating of their PLN. The teacher also gets the students started in their networking by linking them with people he or she may already know. While the teacher doesn't actually teach the students about the topics of interest, she does teach them how to find that information.
I personally would like to be a networked teacher. I enjoy being hands on with the students and teaching them everything I can, including how to use different resources. When I hear this topic I automatically think of the extreme of students sitting at a computer, never being in a real classroom environment, but I know it goes way beyond that. I am all for adding new resources to the classroom, and using computers appeals to me.

Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts
By Vicki Davis
In South Georgia, Vicki Davis writes a popular blog but her main focus is teaching full time. She believes every student can learn but its harder for some with just paper and a pencil. This IT director uses every kind of technology to connect her students to the world. Vicki accomplishes curriculum while customizing the classroom with each students strength and interests. Vicki uses a program in her classroom called “Open Sim”. This program lets students host a virtual world. The students taught themselves and each other how to work this program better. There is also a project called “Digi Teen”. This allows students to post about different topics for other teachers and students to look at it blog about it. There is also the “Flat Classroom Project” this lets students interact with other students all over the world. In January 2009, Vicki and some of her students traveled to the Middle East to attend the “Flat Classroom Project” conference. She believes the idea of empowering students to share with one another can create a better classroom. I agree with Vicki on many levels, I believe anyone can learn and we never stop learning. Allowing students to communicate with students all over the world allows students in her class to learn about new trends and culture in other places.

Blog Assignment #1

EDM310 is always the talk on stressful students minds in the halls of UCOMM. Coming into EDM310 I had heard many things: "Its time consuming", "Don't take with other classes that will take up your time", and "You learn more in this class than all four years of high school". My fear about this class is that I will fall behind, and not be able to juggle all of my classes this semester. A fear is just an unpleasant emotion,and will not become a reality unless I make it one. It is difficult to compare this class to others because everything about it is different. I have never had a teacher expect so much of their class and have faith that all of the work can get done in a timely manner. What stood out to me the most was the grading aspect, I have never heard of a teacher till now of grading replaced by self reflection. I think the most difficult thing will be the learning and grasping the concepts of so many different new programs. I can over come this difficulty by putting more time and effort into learning these programs and use them more on a daily basis.

Practice Post

My name is Chloe Woodham. I am 19 years old and a junior here at USA. I was born and raised in Spanish Fort, AL which is where is currently live. I attended Spanish Fort High School. I am engaged to Randy Black and our wedding is planned for October 2015. I was proposed to in front of the Eiffel Tower on our trip to France and Spain over the summer. Traveling is something I love to do and will continue in the future. My fiancé and I have a 2 year old pit bull named Molly that preoccupies our spare time.I started my first semester of college at Faulkner State Community College the summer of my junior year when I was 16. I continued to take classes through high school and was a sophomore by the time I graduated high school. I am now aiming for a Bachelor Degree in Elementary Education and one day would like to get my Masters and Ph.D.I have been a part-time hostess at the Islamorada Fish Company inside of Bass Pro Shops, in Spanish Fort for 2 years. Before being a hostess I worked 2 years a staff member then manager at Kangarooz Family Fun Center in Spanish Fort, AL. I worked both of these jobs at the same time for a year until I started USA.Besides my family with my fiancé, I have a mother and father that have been married 25 years. I have a sister named Allison who is 23 and graduated from USA May 2013. My parents have 2 West highland White Terriers named Sophie and Bella, and my sister has a beagle named Ellie. We also have 2 cats named Midnight and Boomerang, one which lives inside in a giant kennel.In my free time I enjoy watching college and NFL football with my fiancé and dog. Before bed every night I must watch an hour of Gilmore Girls and read for 30 minutes. I always try to find time on weekends to bake although I am not very good.

Since I was a little girl I have always wanted to be a teacher. When playing a game I was always the leader and showing everyone a better way the game could be played. Growing up, being a teacher always stuck. Today I enjoy the look on children's faces when something just 'clicks', and being able to give them the praise they deserve. Both of my parents had full time jobs while I was growing up, so I was left with a babysitter every summer. My mother used to tell me that during the summers I would say that "One day I will be a teacher so I can be with my family during the summer". I am excited to one day have my own classroom and influence and educate our future generation.

Test Post

Testing 1, 2, 3