Goodbye For Now

To my fellow classmates, I have enjoyed learning with you guys. It has been a fun experience. I have looked forward to this class every week. We have certainly learned so many things that we can take into our own classrooms. I hope to be teaching beside some of you elementary majors one day.

To Dr. Strange, thank you for broadening my horizons through technology. You have taught me many ways about how to teach and learn along with your students. This is something that many educators may preach but never lead by example and you have certainly done that this semester.

Project 11 on Glogster

For my collaborative project, I worked with three other classmates. We chose to do our presentation on Glogster. There are two different glogster websites. The one we used is strictly for education purposes. This is a very useful tool for the classroom. It is a great way to integrate technology into any lesson. Basically, you can have your students create a video poster to explain what they have learned or what they want to teach their fellow classmates. This website is free and allows you to add pictures, music, sound, and video clips to your poster.

To visit glogster click here.

My Personal Learning Network

Just a few short months ago, I did not know what a Personal Learning Network or PLN was or that they even existed. A PLN is something that you create on your own. It is how you surround yourself with knowledge for free. It is your very on support team. I have only just begun to create my PLN. I am following blogs and reading post and many different ideas from other educators around the world. I can now download podcast and videocast to use in my classroom. I know how to blog (which I might add, has been huge for me). This is such a neat way to connect my students with other teachers and students around the world. I know that I have only just begun but am so thankful to have been introduced to everything that I have been this semester. I had no idea that I would learn so much in this class. I really thought that we would be doing powerpoint and excel. I have had a whole new world of technology opened up to me and have found that it is just a click away.

What I've Learned in EDM 310

When I think of all of the things that I have learned in EDM 310 and how far I have come technologically speaking it is encouraging to me. I have really been challenged and sometimes overwhelmed but am better prepared to become a teacher because of it. The most significant thing that I have learned and accomplished is my blog. I have also loved blogging with other children and educators around the world. Comments 4 kids has opened up a whole new world for me as an educator. I have realized how important blogging really is in the elementary classroom. In doing my presentation in Google docs I learned that I don't have to use PowerPoint any longer. It is really great to be able to access my presentations from any computer anywhere. I also loved the simplicity of Google Docs for papers and assignments that I might have later in my college career.

I was pretty savvy when it came to downloading podcast, songs on iTunes, and watching videos on You Tube but had no idea that I could actually make my own podcast, video cast, and post it on You Tube. I am very proud of myself for accomplishing these task. On top of all of this I had no idea, until this class, that iTunes U even existed. It is a huge resource that I will be using in my classroom. Speaking of resources for my classroom. All of these things have become part of my own Personal Learning Network. This network is something that I did not know existed or that I even needed until taking this class. I now realize that there is a whole Internet full of support and people ready and willing to help me in the classroom.

So many things from this class are now on my desktop. I would not have known what any of these programs and free applications were a few months ago. I now have delicious (and I thought this is just what food is), all of my photos from my digital camera automatically upload through Picasa, and I even have an intellectual trail. I can google my name and my blog comes up. How neat is this?

Now back to my favorite thing about this class, my blog. You can look at it and see everything that I have learned. Everything that I am so proud of learning and accomplishing. I have taught my husband, son, and Mom so many neat things that I have learned in this class. I plan on teaching my student's these same things. I do realize that I have to keep learning because it is a year and a half before I graduate and begin teaching and I know technology will change drastically before I step into the classroom.

I really can't think of anything that I would have liked to learn about in this class but did not get to. I have learned about so many great things that I did not know even existed. Everything that we learned about was relevant in my opinion.

This class was very exciting to me. I loved blogging and skyping with teachers and students from around the world. Comments 4 Kids was so awesome for me. I loved being able to encourage children in classrooms around the world.

There have been some very intellectually challenging things for me in this class. The video cast that I created and project 11 were both very challenging for me to think about and then try to create my thoughts. This class has not ever been boring to me. I have always had plenty of work that could always be done or worked on.

I think that this course has been very fun but has been an experience that has better prepared me to teach the children of today. I feel somewhat technologically literate but realized that I have so far to go. I must stay connected to my personal learning network in order to keep growing and better myself when it comes to learning all I can about technology in the classroom.

Thoughts on Doug Johnson's "Seven Stupid Mistakes Teachers Make" and "Seven Brilliant Things Teachers Use with Technology" and "Classroom Rules"

When reading the "Seven Stupid Mistakes Teacher's Make", I thought that all of the mistakes mentioned were pretty important mistakes to avoid. However, the two that stood out the most to me were: 1) Not supervising computer using students. 2)Ignoring the intrinsic interest of tech use in today's kids. First of all, I cannot imagine letting any child be unsupervised on a computer. Even though many websites are blocked from classroom computers children today are very intelligent and computer savvy. They know how to maneuver around the internet much better than we give them credit for. With that being said, many children also would not purposefully log onto to an inappropriate site on purpose but by accident. It is my responsibility to protect any child under my watch and care. This also means monitoring them while on the computer. Secondly, children are growing up with technology in a much different way than we did. They are so interested in learning and collaborating with one another. Using technology while teaching is a great way to keep them interested in the materials being learned whether it is science or math.

The article by Doug Johnson titled, "Seven Brilliant Things Teachers Use with Technology" went along with many of the topics that we have learned in EDM 310. Dr. Strange has done a really great job of introducing each one of these topics to us. The two that really stood out to me and that I know I will continue in my own classroom were: 1) Put kids in touch with the world. 2) Accept the role of co-learner. First, putting kids in touch with the world is something that we have done over and over in EDM 310. We have communicated with children all over the world through Comments 4 Kids. This has been one of the highlights of this class for me. It has shown me how important and powerful technology can be in the classroom. Secondly, accepting the role of co-learner is very important for any teacher, especially when it comes to technology. Technology changes daily and to pretend that we know everything that there is to know about it crazy and would do nothing but make the teacher look stupid. We must learn and collaborate together as a class.

The "New Classroom Rules" were true but comical to me. They go against everything that we have ever been taught about the traditional classroom but, I like them. Classrooms are changing because of technology and the way that we teach should also be changing. We cannot expect our students to bring the outside world into the classroom. In my opinion this in another form of inclusive teaching. We should be inclusive of all of the resources available to help our students learn. My two favorite rules were: 1) If you need help raise your hand, but don't wait for the teacher get help from your neighbors and post your questions to your online personal learning network. 2) Use polite speech when speaking, blogging, texting, Twittering, instant messaging, etc. This rule is especially important when considering that we leave our tracks behind on anything that we do on the computer. Everything that be traced on the computer back to its original source.

My Google forms- Project 5

I created a form/ questionaire in Google docs. I sent it to my classmates via gmail and received 10 responses.

To view my responses click here .

At the Teacher's Desk

First of all, I would like to say that I love this blog. I am now a follower of this professional blog. It has so much useful and common sense information on it. There were a couple of blog post that really stood out to me. I love the common sense post by Mr. Chamberlain. He used Twitter to get ideas from other people/ teachers on what to do to fill in time and keep the students busy on his blog after they finished their test. He was helping another teacher who was out sick and needed some ideas to post on his blog for the students. He got a ton of responses from his network and didn't have to stress about what to do for them. He had it right at his finger tips. Another post that was so helpful and was also very common sense, was by Jarrod Lambshed. He posted a blog about ways to connect and make contact with parents. He gives out his mobile number, reaches them via twitter, and made a special facebook page just for his student's parents to respond to him. These are all really easy things to do it just helps to hear another educator tell you that it works and it is ok to give out your number to parents. I have had teachers in the past who did not want me to give out their number to other parents in the classroom. As the room mother, I always had the teachers cell # but was put in an awkward position when other parents asked me for it.

This collaborative professional blog is full of helpful information and tons of seasoned educators. I think that I will benefit exponentially by following this blog.

To read "At the Teacher's Desk" Click here.

Whatever

I understand where Michael Wesch is coming from in his ideas about the "American Idol" effect. On the other hand, I love the entertainment of it all. It does not scare me to have my videos on U Tube, why should it? I agree that some people just want to have a voice. I think that some of the media may link and connect us as a society. My math instructor has posted instructional videos on U Tube. These videos have helped students around the world pass their math class.

Are there some people out there that use media as a search for identity and recognition? Yes, I am sure of it. I think that we have to be careful what we fill our minds and thoughts with, "Everything with reservation". But, I totally agree that society has transformed a whole new language. It is the language of technology. I have seen "Charlie, bit my finger", and understand the "spoofs" of it. I think it is funny? No harm in that.....Whatever!


Click here to view the video by Michael Wesch.

Why is it important for students to blog their work?

Before taking this course, I really didn't understand the significance of classroom blogging. Now, I have a whole new world as an educator that has been opened up to me. I love blogging with students from around the world. Their is something so intriguing about learning what other teachers and students at other schools are doing. I think that children have the most genuine thoughts and answers when given the opportunity to express themselves. The three instances of blogging with students or other children that have really made an impact on me were first of all Kaia. This has been fascinating to me. I find myself so excited about skyping with her and her father. She is very fortunate to have a father that wants her to be exposed to so many different things in nature and people all over the world. Secondly, the little girl that blogged about her summer vacation. I loved reading her thoughts in her own words about her summer. This is just another example of her being able to express herself and get feedback and encouragement from family, friends, and people all over the world. Lastly, The first grader Evan, whom I really enjoyed. He is so little and yet he is blogging. Truly amazing.

Click here to go to Kaia's blog.

Click here to view Evan's blog.

Click here to view the blog about my summer.

ACCESS

ACCESS is an online center for courses taught by teachers and taken by students. I think that it is a much needed and effective method of instruction in today's technologically advanced world. Students will have the opportunity to learn from teachers they might not other wise have access to and material that might not be readily available to them at their current school. ACCESS is for students in grades 9-12.

This is such an awesome tool for high school students. I personally believe it could be the stepping stone for online high schools. So many students would benefit from these resources. I know personally that some students learn better at their own pace and on their own time. I wish that this tool had been available when I was in school.

To view ACCESS click here.

ALEX

ALEX is the Alabama Learning Exchange. It is a very useful and helpful tool for educators in and outside of the state of Alabama to utilize. The best thing about ALEX is that everything on the site meets the Alabama state standards and objectives for education within the state. The website has six main links: Courses of Study, Web links, Lesson Plans, Search Engine, Personal Workspace, Professional Learning, and Podcast Treasury.

All of the six links will be very helpful and key to teaching for myself. I won't have to worry about using any of the lesson plans because I can rest assured that they will meet the state standards and objectives for teaching. The other area of interest for me was the Podcast Treasury. This is a place where educators and listen in and let students listen in on lessons about topics being taught in the classroom. This would be great for students because they will get to hear another voice in the class and know that other students are learning the same thing that they are.

To log onto ALEX click here.