Even though I have had iTunes for quite some time, I never knew much about Podcasts or even listened to one. After listening to these podcasts, I see how podcasts can be full of useful information. Some of the podcasts were better than others, but they all had something to offer. Some of the speakers were great and others were hard to understand and follow along with. It was sometimes hard for me to pay attention to the podcasts because there is only audio and no video, but that is a personal problem, I know. The podcasts resembled a radio show to me, maybe because it was only audio. I learned some things from the podcasts as well as how podcasts in general can be useful and sometimes not so useful.
The SmartBoard Lessons podcast was entertaining, though not as helpful as it could have been. I listened to episode 11 that talked about techniques to use for the end of the year. The people that were talking were funny and energetic and spoke clearly, but they got off subject a lot, which was not good. There were several useful things mentioned, though I thought they were more for elementary teachers. One idea was getting the kids to use iPod Touches because they have so any apps that are useful. I really liked that they read people's feedback about the podcast and they discuss the comments and questions that the listeners mailed to them.
The KidCast podcast was even better to me than the SmartBoard podcast because the speaker got right to the point. It wasn't as entertaining maybe, but it was more informative and saved time that the other took with jokes and stories. The man was comparing video podcasts and audio podcasts, which was very helpful to me because this is the first time I have been introduced to podcasts. The information he gave about what type of podcast you should use for different audiences was useful. I liked that he mentioned that you can save time by using video podcasts, but using audio podcast may make you a better speaker because you learn to use more precise, colorful language. There were several other informative tips and comments that will help me later when I have to make podcasts.
The Macbreak weekly podcast may have been useful to Mac users, but I didn't understand much of it. The speakers were very well spoken and they did not stray from the topics they were supposed to discuss. The This Week in Photography podcast was another one that I wasn't very interested in, but it was probably very helpful to people interested in photography. They discussed several different cameras and techniques, and they spoke very clearly. I listened to the EdTechTalk episode 162, and it was about voice thread in libraries. There was quite a bit of background noise that was distracting, and at times, the speaker was breaking up and pieces of words could not be heard. There was useful information, but that podcast could have been made better. I listened to the NPR Education podcast and I thought it was done very well. The woman talking spoke clearly and stayed on subject. They used several clips from outside sources to supplement their information. It was quite interesting to me. After listening to all of these podcasts, I know have a better understanding of podcasts.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Next Generation Learning reaction
The video showed me just how useful technology is in schools. Harry was so excited about going to school, which is something that I notice is missing in most of today's youth. The technology used at Harry's school got the students more involved in the learning process, and since education is for the students, I think that they should be more involved. The interactive white boards were a great tool for the teacher and the class. It saves time that it would take to switch between the computer and the whiteboard by combining the two. The voting systems were helpful, especially when the teacher needs to know where the class stands as a whole. Instead of just asking one student for the answer, the entire class can get involved and give their answers, which I think would better hold their attention. Harry also talked about the school's website and how he can do his homework and turn it in by using that. I think this would help students, especially the unorganized students that are always losing their homework or forgetting what was even assigned. Technology is not only becoming more useful to schools, but it is becoming very important.
Harry talked about how the students use Wii systems for academic and physical purposes. He said that "research has found that it improves concentration". I think it is great that his school is getting creative and using a gaming system, among other things, to help the students stay focused and have fun while they learn. Most of the schools in the area I am from have a strict no fun policy. They look at education as a serious thing, and the focus is getting your work done correctly and on time. I am sure that a Wii would never have been allowed in the school no matter what studies said that it is useful to the students. I think that it is great that some schools are open to trying new things, giving students more interaction in the classroom, and allowing students to have fun while they learn. I think that if more schools would encourage the students to participate in class and have fun while they learn, we would see lower drop out rates and higher success rates throughout school systems everywhere.
Harry talked about how the students use Wii systems for academic and physical purposes. He said that "research has found that it improves concentration". I think it is great that his school is getting creative and using a gaming system, among other things, to help the students stay focused and have fun while they learn. Most of the schools in the area I am from have a strict no fun policy. They look at education as a serious thing, and the focus is getting your work done correctly and on time. I am sure that a Wii would never have been allowed in the school no matter what studies said that it is useful to the students. I think that it is great that some schools are open to trying new things, giving students more interaction in the classroom, and allowing students to have fun while they learn. I think that if more schools would encourage the students to participate in class and have fun while they learn, we would see lower drop out rates and higher success rates throughout school systems everywhere.
Vicki Davis: Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts reaction
I think that what Vicki Davis is doing with her classroom is excellent! Coming from a rural town in southern Alabama myself, I am amazed at how she has connected her class with the rest of the world. I especially liked what she said about how you don't have to know everything in advance to be a good teacher. I think it is great when people have an attitude that supports a cooperative learning environment. I am going to be a science teacher, which means that as new discoveries are made, I will have to learn with my students. It is just nice to see that she sometimes learns with or from her students, and she has been so successful with that.
The Digiteen project mentioned is such a positive thing for those students. Through that program, they are learning things from people all over the world. They are sharing ideas and working with other students as well as seeing other people's opinions and points of view. I think that when you have a group of students that are able to interact with people from different places that lead such different lives, that makes for a better, more well rounded individual. Also, the Flat Classroom project is a great way to teach students because it is hands on learning. Most students find it easier to learn by practicing, and this allows them to "study and experience" the concepts. Vicki Davis applies technology in her classroom very successfully, and I think her students are more successful because of that.
The Digiteen project mentioned is such a positive thing for those students. Through that program, they are learning things from people all over the world. They are sharing ideas and working with other students as well as seeing other people's opinions and points of view. I think that when you have a group of students that are able to interact with people from different places that lead such different lives, that makes for a better, more well rounded individual. Also, the Flat Classroom project is a great way to teach students because it is hands on learning. Most students find it easier to learn by practicing, and this allows them to "study and experience" the concepts. Vicki Davis applies technology in her classroom very successfully, and I think her students are more successful because of that.
Importance of Creativity reaction
After watching Sir Ken Robinson's talk on creativity, I must agree with everything he said. In my opinion, he hit the nail on the head when he was talking about the education system of today suppressing the creativity of the students. He made a comment about children being afraid of being wrong because that is the worst case scenario in the classroom. I never thought about how much emphasis educators place on getting everything right. There is no room for mistakes, and certainly no room for getting creative and finding other ways of doing things, when students are only at school in order to train to become a part of the future work force. Also, he talked about how arts are at the bottom of the list of priorities in schools, and he is right. In my high school, we didn't have theatre, art class, or dance class even as an extracurricular activity. However, there were some people that I am sure would have flourished in the arts, had they been given the chance. In such schools as mine, students are being stripped of the possibility of becoming an artist, a dancer, an actor, etc. I think that when students are not allowed to tap into their creativity in school, they could become uninterested in education altogether. Also, they become distracted and create distractions, just like in the the Gillian Lynne story he told.
I think that schools should stop assuming that the core subjects like Math, English, Science, and Social Studies are so much more important than the arts that we can forget about the arts altogether. Some students thrive in the arts even more than in other subjects, and I think they should be given the opportunity to study theatre, dance, art, music, and other arts classes. Just as there are future scientists or mathematicians in a classroom, there are future actors or dancers as well. Why should students not be allowed to get creative, when that may be their best means of thinking? I agree with the speaker that by suppressing the creativity of the youth, we are hurting our future. I also agree that the education system needs to reform its priorities and place less importance on only supplying students with skills that they need for their future jobs and place more importance on a truly well rounded education.
I think that schools should stop assuming that the core subjects like Math, English, Science, and Social Studies are so much more important than the arts that we can forget about the arts altogether. Some students thrive in the arts even more than in other subjects, and I think they should be given the opportunity to study theatre, dance, art, music, and other arts classes. Just as there are future scientists or mathematicians in a classroom, there are future actors or dancers as well. Why should students not be allowed to get creative, when that may be their best means of thinking? I agree with the speaker that by suppressing the creativity of the youth, we are hurting our future. I also agree that the education system needs to reform its priorities and place less importance on only supplying students with skills that they need for their future jobs and place more importance on a truly well rounded education.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Did You Know? 3.0 reaction
After watching the Did You Know? 3.0 video, I feel a little disappointed. The part of the video that said that said that India has more honors kids than we have kids as well as the comments on the other countries advancing in technology made me think about just how far behind America is. There are bigger countries than us, yes. However, I feel like we are not making the most of what we have. I am also a little disappointed by the fact that we are allowing technology to take over the world. We put all our trust in the Internet. We ask the Internet all of our questions. We communicate with each other as well as share pictures and videos via the Internet. We are spending too much time with the computer and not enough time with each other, in my opinion. Human to human interaction is disappearing, which seems quite convenient to some people. I know I use the Internet to talk to people, such as facebook. However, that is for leisure conversations. I do not like the idea of the computer becoming my primary source of communication for important conversations. I like to read the other person's facial expressions when I am talking to him or her because that impacts both of us. I think that if we stop talking face to face with one another, we will completely stop caring about other people's feelings and become even more selfish than we already are.
Having said those things, I also realize that technology is helping us. Certain technological tools are saving lives in the medical field and helping teachers in the education field among other things. By taking advantage of the Internet, we can all learn many important things that people before the age of technology could not imagine learning. I know technology is making life easier, and I am grateful for that. However, as a future teacher, I am not taking kindly to the idea of learning from a computer someday. That leaves no opportunities to interact with others, to help others, to discuss different view points with others. I am trying to picture a classroom with computer teachers, and I cannot help but associate robotic students as a product of that environment. I have mixed emotions about technology. It is a useful tool and a great help in our daily lives, but I feel as if we are getting too obsessed with it and letting too much of a good thing take over our lives.
Having said those things, I also realize that technology is helping us. Certain technological tools are saving lives in the medical field and helping teachers in the education field among other things. By taking advantage of the Internet, we can all learn many important things that people before the age of technology could not imagine learning. I know technology is making life easier, and I am grateful for that. However, as a future teacher, I am not taking kindly to the idea of learning from a computer someday. That leaves no opportunities to interact with others, to help others, to discuss different view points with others. I am trying to picture a classroom with computer teachers, and I cannot help but associate robotic students as a product of that environment. I have mixed emotions about technology. It is a useful tool and a great help in our daily lives, but I feel as if we are getting too obsessed with it and letting too much of a good thing take over our lives.
About Me
Hi fellow classmates! I am Hannah Cooper. I am currently a Sophomore and will be a Junior in the Spring. I am from Hartford, Alabama, a very small town in the southeast corner of the state. It is not quite 30 miles from Dothan, which some of you may know as the location of the National Peanut Festival. I was the valedictorian of my graduating class in 2007, which consisted of 47 people, and that should tell you just how small Hartford really is. I then attended Enterprise-Ozark Community College in Enterprise, Alabama (about 30 minutes from Hartford) for two years. The University of South Alabama was not my first choice of schools, but it is where my journey led me. My boyfriend of 6 years moved here in May 2008, and I visited every other weekend for a year. South became more and more appealing not only because my heart is in Mobile, but also because Mobile is a beautiful place, and it would give me the opportunity to get out of Hartford for a little while and experience new things and meet new people. I am really enjoying it here so far. I have wanted to be a teacher for as long as I can remember. I used to teach my stuffed animals when I was little. Other ideas have come and gone, but teaching just feels right to me. I love to learn, which is why I chose to teach science. There will always be new discoveries and changes to learn about. I believe that an education is one of the most important things that a person can have, and it is one thing that no one can take away from you.
I have quite a few interests. My biggest interest is in music. I listen to all types of music, and I cannot pick just one favorite artist or genre. I know how to play the flute, though I rarely play anymore, and I can play some things on piano but I am nowhere close mastering it. So for now, I just let the radio or the iPod serenade me. Also, I love to read. My current favorite series of books is the Twilight saga, but Nicholas Sparks' books run a close second with the Harry Potter series not far behind. I really enjoy watching movies. Comedies are my favorite, but I like all types of movies except the scary ones. I like to scrapbook, although I rarely have time, or make time, for it. If I had the money, I would love to travel the world. My father is a radiological technologist/cardiology tech, and he travels all over the country doing contract work for hospitals. I have been to quite a few places to visit him, the farthest being Sacramento, California. My mother and little brother moved to Sacramento (for only six months) to be with him, and my boyfriend and I took the three day road trip with them. The scenery was incredible, and it made me want to go to many other places and see the amazingly beautiful world we live in.
There are a few other things that make me who I am, and everyone who knows me, knows these things. I am not OCD, but I love organization. I like to have a plan most of the time, but I also like spontaneity sometimes. I think Post It notes are one of the greatest inventions, and I have covered my boyfriend's vehicle with them 3 times (that's 350-500 post it notes, in case you were wondering). I like sports, but I love football, especially when Alabama is playing. Roll Tide! I am firm believer in "everything happens for a reason". I think that, with the right attitude and enough will power, anything is possible. There is much more, of course, but these are some of the more important things. I hope I did not put you to sleep. Best wishes to you all as you pursue your degree! And when times get tough remember: "Do not to be afraid of pressure. After all, pressure is what turns lumps of coal into diamonds."
I have quite a few interests. My biggest interest is in music. I listen to all types of music, and I cannot pick just one favorite artist or genre. I know how to play the flute, though I rarely play anymore, and I can play some things on piano but I am nowhere close mastering it. So for now, I just let the radio or the iPod serenade me. Also, I love to read. My current favorite series of books is the Twilight saga, but Nicholas Sparks' books run a close second with the Harry Potter series not far behind. I really enjoy watching movies. Comedies are my favorite, but I like all types of movies except the scary ones. I like to scrapbook, although I rarely have time, or make time, for it. If I had the money, I would love to travel the world. My father is a radiological technologist/cardiology tech, and he travels all over the country doing contract work for hospitals. I have been to quite a few places to visit him, the farthest being Sacramento, California. My mother and little brother moved to Sacramento (for only six months) to be with him, and my boyfriend and I took the three day road trip with them. The scenery was incredible, and it made me want to go to many other places and see the amazingly beautiful world we live in.
There are a few other things that make me who I am, and everyone who knows me, knows these things. I am not OCD, but I love organization. I like to have a plan most of the time, but I also like spontaneity sometimes. I think Post It notes are one of the greatest inventions, and I have covered my boyfriend's vehicle with them 3 times (that's 350-500 post it notes, in case you were wondering). I like sports, but I love football, especially when Alabama is playing. Roll Tide! I am firm believer in "everything happens for a reason". I think that, with the right attitude and enough will power, anything is possible. There is much more, of course, but these are some of the more important things. I hope I did not put you to sleep. Best wishes to you all as you pursue your degree! And when times get tough remember: "Do not to be afraid of pressure. After all, pressure is what turns lumps of coal into diamonds."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
