"What I've learned this year" by Mr. McClung

Well, I can't imagine how my first year of teaching will be. Yet, I can say I will probably be really anxious and overwhelmed for the first couple of weeks. Even though I will also be young and inexperienced as well, I can learn with my students and vice verse for them. In my education for a diverse society class, I get the feeling of how easy it would be to be so focused on the lesson and yet not making the information focus on the students. I think Mr. Clung was right on his assessment that teachers need to be flexible, have good communication skills and not to be afraid of technology. Things are hardly ever going to go as planned in a classroom and you have to be prepared to suck it up and move on with a smile on your face. Students are observant of their teachers and can detect unpleasantness within the scheduling of work assignment and other things as well affecting the teacher.

I am glad Mr. McClung talk about not being afraid of technology. He equated that grown adults everywhere are afraid of computers like its a bad horror film and computers are trying to take over the world. I like his philosophy on the matter, yet I tend to think its more of the older adults that are afraid to learn and implement technology into their classrooms. We as future educators can forget what's its like to be student and the teacher is not listening to you. Most of all know how that feels and the hurt it can potentially cause. I agree with Mr.McClung that we will never stop learning in life no what your profession may be.

What I've learned this Year

NPR Wickipedia and Virgil Griffith Story

WOW. Wickipedia is not a reliable source. I have been using Wickipedia every since the beginning of 2004. This brings so many concerns from all of my previous research assignment I have used this source with. Why would someone come up with a something like this and name it an enclyopedia.I applaude Virgil Griffith for building a search tool that traces IP addresses of those who make Wickipedia changes. Frankly, I think only the site's administrator should be allowed to edit any information. This makes Wikipedia completely unreliable. Until doing this assignment, I probably might have never known about how unsafe and totally useless Wikipedia is. I am glad that Mr. Griffith has at least help with tracking those that aim to cause confusion or harm in terms of deleting or adding false information on the site.I encourage everyone to check out NPR blog on Wickipedia and this article about Mr. Virgil Griffith's search tool.This is a valuable lesson in how we as student and educators should more thorough with our research sites on the Internet.



NPR blog on Wickipedia

WIRED STORY

Randy Pausch's Last Lecture

Rand Pausch's Last Lecture talks about his childhood dreams, enabling dreams of others and lessons he has learned. My Pausch 10 tumors in his liver and has three to six months to live. Yet, he is living life to the fullest and still wants to enjoy life in a positive manner. He mentions that he is healthy and know one should pity him in any way. Pausch's mentioned that when your critics stop telling you are doing something wrong, that's when you are in a bad place. Your critics are those that really care about. He also said that one of the things being a instructor is you really need to have enthusiasm.The brick walls are their to show how badly you want something and its also for those who do not want it as badly as you do. This is for those times when you try really hard for something and yet it stills does not work out. Also he said that as instructors, you should always raise the bar for your teachers. Students at times tend to get too complacent with their current work and will always need a challenge.

One of the best gifts you can give someone is the gift of making them feel good. I think we as young adults do not quite grasp how wonderful and special that truly is to make some one else feel good about themselves. Another things is that when you pioneer something, be prepared for arrows to be throw in your back. Everything that will go wrong will but at the end of the road, it will all be worth it. Pausch said that one of the best gift an educator can give is to get someone to be self reflective. He mentioned some lessons learned; helping others, focus on others and not yourself and never lose the child-like wonder. I truly believe he is an example of those special individuals that when you really are faced with hard challenges, that's when you are at your best and the light will never go out.


Randy Pausch's Last Lecture

Karl Fisch: Is it okay to be a technologically illiterate teacher?

Well, I must say at first, I was thinking where is he going to go with this. Yet as he mention how he read another person blog about the a similar topic and having had a frustrated day,I understand where he is coming from. I can honestly say that one of my parents still does not know about email accounts and the general functions of computer such as using Microsoft PowerPoint. My parent barely knows how to even turn on my laptop whenever I go home. I really have to agree that it is unacceptable for educators and society in general for people not to know how use the basics of technology. Really how we as future educators supposed to be effective in teaching students without implementing technology with it. Seriously, we all learn by DOING. I n the long run, it would much more effective if the teacher was actually interested in learning about PowerPoint presentations, ipods and videocast while also introducing the technology to the students. This way both parties will be learning and working together.

I can remember how math is the essential, oh its okay that you don't math. I remember having those same thoughts back in middle and part of high school. Math is one of those subjects for some students that can be intimidating. Educators who refuse to get involve in the technology wave are simply preventing students to be prepared for this wave of technology that is coming. You can not simply keep just sliding by in life. You have to work at everything- that's important to you. No college, job interview, on job training skill session and social networking does not involve technology. Illiterate teachers who refuse to learn technology and teach there students about are simply leading their students to be slithered by technological advances that have ye to be even put on the market. Yet we all have to work at it, just like learning how to read and creating a facebook/ twitter accounts. Its a work in progress and educators need to engage in this learning experience.

Karl Hines

Check out my Class Blog Topics Gadget- Right side of my page For any links pertaining to my posted topics.

"Its Not About the Technology" by Kelly Hines

This by far, I would have to say is the third best blog assignment I have had since enrolling in this class. Ms. Hines put a different outlook as many people around me have been saying that we need embrace technology and bring head strong into the class room. I agree that educators must be teachers as well as learners. We all learn, teach and express ourselves differently. Therefore we must continue to have a passion for learning,even though most teachers go into a specialized of education. Teachers must continue to not let up and enforce the different frameworks that makes student do critical thinking and basically figure things out for themselves. This will help students out in the long run, just like Kelly Hines said. I also like the fact that Hines pointed out that most teachers with computers in their rooms only know how utilize them with games and word processors activities.

Yet, teachers are saying they want or need labtops, ipods and more digital video equipment. I think comments about we need to develop new ways of teaching the information to the students. If the student is not understanding/comprehending the information then no matter how times we go over the lesson, the teachers has not done all he or she can. I can remember back in high school, how one of my teachers would introduce a new lesson on Monday and by Wednesday if you have not understood then he was moving on and it was up too you to seek out help. Whats the point of schools buying the different updated material of technology if the instructor is not going to be willing to learn how operate it properly and then actually use it in the classroom.. Many teachers want the technology yet they do not want to take the extra time to attend seminars of such to help better learn of the use of the technology.

Ms. Hines Post Check out my Links List Gadget- Right side of my page

Michael Wesch: A vision of students today

My reaction to this video is a little bit of wow, I actually do spend than amount of time on facebook. some of the topics shown do or have depicted part of my college experience. Every time I enroll for a new class, I think how much will I learn and need for the real world. I don't even want to think let alone write down how much in debt I will be when I finish school. Its pretty much in your face when there are over a billion people making less than two dollars a day and yet I have laptop, ipod, cell phone and gadgets that the price of these would cover their expenses for a year or so. At times I have felt, why am I here, I should actually be out in the field, experiencing the concepts and applying them. This is we would really see the benefits of what we studied.
We as students spend on average doing majority of out class work and leisure time using technology of some kind. Technology as shown in the video, that is supposed to save us. I think technology can only take you so far. You will still have to rely on your self. To make the video more related to my experience, I could add more diverse students to be depicted. Give more statistics on what students experience outside of the classroom that does play an effect on their studies. From a video producer point of view, I would have less movement of the camera and better zoom footage in some areas.

Plagiarism and Copyright Rules/Regulations

What is Plagiarism? Plagiarism is borrowing, stealing, paying someone to write a paper,and copyin large parts of section. These are most commons types we as students know about. Common knowledge material does not need to be cited, yet if you are unsure about the material then it would be best to go ahead and cite the informaition. There are some practices that we as students should enhance our skills upon. Such as updating our techniques on direct quotations, note taking, writing summaries, revising and profreading a paper.(Purdue Owl) I really feel that if we as students upgrade some of our techniques list above, then it would seriously count down the chances of committing plagiarism.Basically to avoid plagiarsim you need to cite all words and ideas that did not come from you.

Copyright is a form of protection provided by laws from the is United States(title 17US code) for authors. It is illegal for anyone to violate any copyright law provided by the owner. Copyright protection is held for any original work created after January 1978. Titles, names, and slogans are just a few of the items listed that are not protected by copyright.(Copyright.gov) The symbol with the letter "C" in a circle, or the word copyright usually indicated that a particular works is under copyright protection. The 1976 copyright act gives the original author the right to tell how it will or will not its work to be published. At the beginning of a book, many will say that non of the material may be used in way without expressed written consent from the author. If would like more clarification about copyright rules and regulations, then here is the website

Various tools used for web browsing

Mr. Stephen Sullivan (lets tech talk presentation)
I had no idea that there were so many enhance adaptive software for people with low vision and blindness.There is also voice recognition for those who can not use their hands, such as some one who is quadriplegic. There is even screen reader software that reads the screen and provides navigational instruction through speech. Sullivan's Principle of Adaptive Technology has seven principle's that educators and others assisting with the disable in any way should take a closer look at these.Some user agents for the disable are portable data assistants,alternative web browser and refreshable braille display. All of these software, agents and Sullivan's principles have help to make information through the internet for the disable more ABLE for them. They can see and hear what we see. Its another way of how technology has helped so many individuals have a little bit of normalcy in their lives.

WEB accessibility
There are browsers that are developed specifically for people with disabilities. To name a few,BrookesTalk, EAID,and Marco Polo help the disable individuals with touch screen interaction,speech and auditory icons. There are even web browsers used for general use but can also be used to give enhanced accessibility with particular adaptive systems to be used for some one with special needs. LYNX and Netscape Navigator are two of the web browsers are used for general use that you may have heard of. Last but certainly not the least there are voice browsers such as Conversa Web, which is voice-activated browser allowing spoken selection of links using "saycons".

Producing a Podcast / Benefits of having Podcasting in the Classroom

Producing a Podcast
This post was more on the technical aspect of podcasting. Initializing more whether or not there was interest and enthusiasm in the students voices. Was learning and pride there as well. This post was experimenting with the different types of recordings would work best with different age groups. Such as scripted recordings, unscripted recordings,individual recording and portable mp3 recorder just to name a few. This post also showed that there is a lot that goes into making a successful podcast. You have to come up with theme,prepare the students, sound equipment and transitions. This is a minimal look at the different strategy's that goes into place.
.

Benefits of having podcasting in the classroom
This video was very helpful in showing the positive of having podcast in the classroom. One effective way is if a student is sick and has an test coming up and can't go to school, then the teacher could upload the study guide to iTunes to listen to. Also, I think in history class,things for students could be at times a little boring. A teacher could assign certain history events that took place and have the students interact the events via podcast and then allow to be played for the class.This way the students are engaging in new technology and being interested in an event that will be memorable and learning at the same time. Also through the use of podcast and videocast parents can see what their children are involved in.

ipod

Podcast from previous students

This podcast had a lot of movement going in the background. The microphone was picking up different volume levels. The students lack any excitement about the use of iTunes. I could really tell they were reading exactly off paper and not initializing any conversation dialogue to be generated through listening. The students also were breathing too close to the microphone. I would have definitely practice a lot with my group and use note cards instead of having large sheets of paper around. I would have been more up beat about my subject in order to gain a real interest in my podcast for others.
I think it would also be best to not use words such "um" and others when talking. We could offer links to get further information from our topic. My group also could pick a suitable person with a good personality that would like to take the lead. The would ensure that everyone had an equal or size able time to talk as well. Basically,we would need to have practiced and try not to be so nervous. These suggestions I think will really help out when its my turn to create a podcast/videocast.