Project #12 Part A

Blog Post #10

Link to image: Here

In the first video we are introduced to Kathy Cassidy, a first grade teacher who uses technology in her classroom to aide her student's education. She has been using technology for 10 years beginning with her own webpage as well as establishing a class blog 5 years ago. Cassidy is adamant about using technology in the class room and believes that not learning and implementing such valuable tools in the learning process, teachers are not only handicapping the student's education but are also handicapping their own teaching skills. One particular tool, Blogs, she holds in high regard by its ability to give children a vast audience to show their work which may include their own parents who can check their child's progress regularly. Through her class blog, her students are met by different students from universities as well as elementary schools who Skype, post comments, and give feedback to a multitude of the students posts.
The second video begins by asking what technology is best to start with as a beginning teacher. Cassidy states that one needs to find the tool that they are most comfortable and proficient with. If a person is more comfortable using audio or video, then setting up a youtube account could be a valuable class tool. Also, Twitter plays a cool role in this video where Cassidy explains how this social tool is more valuable than it seems. I myself was under the belief that twitter was useless for any kind of important information; however, after listening to Cassidy about the important people that she follows and the links they provide, I can see that Twitter is more than just an "old person's Facebook".
In the final video, Dr. Strange lets his EDM 310 students ask Cassidy some prevalent questions concerning her teaching methods and use of technology. The first questioner is a physical education major which Cassidy provides wisdom on how technology could be used in their field of study. By using a blog or sending texts to students, the future educator will find that the technology makes sending information easier. The next question involved blogs possibly making cheating more accessible in the classroom to which Cassidy responds that it shouldn't. She states that it is up to the educator to develop an interesting lesson which the students can only provide quality and original work. The internet is becoming more of a collaborative tool for everyone to use so plagiarizing work should be kept to a minimum. A student also asks if Facebook can be used in the classroom, a question that I needed answering myself, which Cassidy replied that one could through the use of school Facebook accounts. Seeing how popular that this social media has become, implementing it into a lesson or project could be detrimental to a student's education. Another good question a student asked was how much does the classwork bleed into one's personal time at home. Cassidy says that is has become a day to day ordeal and that finding a good balance between the work and one's family time is key. I have to admit I also enjoyed the snow at the end of the video. Being raised down in the south for my entire life, seeing the snowbanks was very refreshing.
After watching all of these videos, the tools I will have available for me and my students is an astounding number. Now that I know that there are ways to use media sites that I use myself such as Youtube, Facebook, etc. I am much more comfortable with project based learning. Also much to my chagrin, I can also see how blogs can play a key role into a students education. I admit that I myself haven't been all that enthusiastic about having to write a post on a weekly basis, but seeing how Cassidy has used it to provide her students an audience not only far larger than just the teacher, but an audience that can provide feedback and resources that were not previously mentioned to them. By using this social media, I realize that I alone am not just teaching them but they are teaching themselves as well as being taught by the entire world. As an educator, I see my position is merely to open the door for the students to exceed their own potential.

Blog Post #9

Link to Image: Here

In the article The Seven Essentials for Project-Based Learning, the author mentions 7 criteria that are essential to a more effective project for a classroom. At first the article touches on what students need to know to understand what their project entail. The criteria supports opening discussion with videos or other uses of media to instill a different attitude towards the project rather than that of busy work. It is imperative to being the project with an entry event to allow motivation as well as critical thinking. The critical thinking is then put to a greater use with the second driving question, which is the driving question. The driving question is an open ended and complex thesis that will cover the over all main idea of the project. It allows the students a main point to work off of and keep their own projects on course. Other than this driving question, student voice and choice is also a key element in the process and drives the students interest and creativity. By allowing the students more choice, the project becomes more meaningful and personal rather than just creating a product for the sake of a grade. The bar is also set even higher as students get to choose how their project is to be presented to the class. These varying presentations are strengthened by their individual knowledge of key 21st century skills. With the effectiveness of the students organizational and oral communication skills, students are able to make their product more professional using tools that they will be using daily in future careers. Another criteria stated would be inquiry, which is not the driving question but more questions that the students come up with themselves. The students are able to search for answers to their questions and find entertainment in actually learning what they want to know about a specific topic. Lastly the article touches on feed back and public assessment. Students are more prone to provide quality work after assessment from their individual classmates and if they are going to allow others to view their work. After reading this article and seeing how a project comes together piece by piece, I can see how important it is for students to have more choice in their work and provide a means to show the work to others.

 Project-Based Learning for Teachers

This video is a brilliant advertisement showing the benefits of Project-Based Learning in the classroom. It touches on the key elements including the 21st century skills such as communication and organization. I would definitely recommend this video to those who have questions to what Project-Based Learning actually entails.

Project Based Learning and Physical Education
In this article, the author presents a class project concerning subject matter in Physical education. I myself had never even considered the idea of the range of Project Based Learning. However, after seeing the author use the 7 essential criteria in the article above to show a step by step process of the project, I can see a much broader application of projects in all subject matter. Technology is definitely helping in all aspects of education in this day and age, and it seems that even physical education is not an exception.

Highschool Teachers Meet the Challenges of PBL Implementation

This video entails the process of completely reformatting a school wide curriculum into Problem Based Learning at the Summamish High School in Washington. It is a 5 year process which includes over 30 courses in the school. The teachers in the video begin by touching on subjects that are difficult to adapt such as Math, Literature, etc.For the case of Literature, teachers want to be able to explore important philosophical questions while also letting students produce their own questions. This lead to teachers having students read texts, and then applying the text using skills prevalent in the field's career. For example, after letting a student read a text, perhaps use a project that allows the students to create their own text using the same themes or subject matter. Being a future educator in Language Arts, I found this video to be quite beneficial in developing future projects.

Ten Sites Supporting Digital Classroom Collaboration In Project Based Learning
This page alone provides very useful resources when considering Project Based Learning in the classroom. It begins with the website Titanpad that is free to use and provides a more simplified version to that of the other free to use website Google Docs. Also sites such as Wall Wisher and Corkboardme allow teams as well as whole classrooms discuss their ideas and collaborate on their projects. However, Today's Meet I found to be very useful in its ability to produce a digital classroom that an be used inside and outside of class. I myself can think of many ways to use these tools for my future lesson plans.

Project #9 Video Book Commentary

Blog Post #8

Randy Pausch's Last Lecture

After watching Randy Paucsh's video, I couldn't feel anything but more inspired and reverent of the field of study that I have chosen to make a career out of. Here we have Randy, an individual who is diagnosed with cancer and accepts that there isn't much that can be done to prevent it. However, this unfortunate ailment does not prevent him from doing what he likes to do. In his last lecture Randy provides 3 main points that he touches on: his childhood dreams, helping others fulfill their own dreams, and how to achieve the dreams.
For most of his life he seeks out his dream of working for the Imagineering team at Disney, but alas when the time comes he chooses instead to follow his career of being a professor. Here is a once in a life time chance for an individual that everyone dreams of and instead of working his dream job, he chose to educate students and tap into their own childhood dreams. For example, he showed a student he had that dreamed of working on future Star Wars movies, which the student did achieve shortly after graduating.
 It was inspiring how much joy he found in inspiring others even until the last of his days. The innovative ways that he found to make learning the hard stuff fun was ingenious and showed just how important and enjoyable he found in teaching. I found his takes on education to be quite refreshing and enlightening as soon I myself will be educating youths how to follow their own dreams. It would be nice one day to look back at not only my accomplishments, that the ones of so many others that I had helped pave the way for by introducing an innovative and entertaining education.

Project #13

Link to Image: here

BL Social Studies Grade 2

Rubric

Implications and Teaching Opportunities for Camera Use in Teaching and Learning.

Link to Image: Words by Nowak

Part A

 Zoby Analytical Study
1. 87% say their smartphone never leaves their side.
2. 80% say the very first thing they do in the morning is reach for their smartphone.
3. 78% say they spend 2 or more hours per day using their smartphone.
4. 68% say they would prefer to use their smartphone instead of their laptop or personal computer for personal use.
5. 91% say that having a camera on their smartphone is important (61% very important)
6. 87% say they use their smartphone camera at least weekly. 59% use their smartphone camera at least every other day. 44% use their smartphone camera for still or motion picture taking every day.

As this study suggests, it is now near impossible to get students away from their phones. Data suggests that in the near future every student will have a smartphone on their bodies at all times regardless of rules and regulations. Social media has allowed social cliques of those few friends one had in high school to become a plethora of friends from around the globe.  Now that it is to the point where their morning routine is to wake up and check their smart phones, educators will have to find a way to use them in their lessons.

It seems that every smartphone since the first has been fitted with a personal camera. These cameras allow anyone to upload personal images to a variety of social media on the web including Facebook, Tumblr, and Flickr. With almost 50% of students taking photos everyday, the camera element could and should be used in the classroom as a way to bring relevant information with a tool that students use on a daily basis.

Part B

By using their own personal smartphone camera, students can take pictures of relevant images or ideas to a subject. As an educator, someone could make a class blog post where the student must post a relative image or images to a topic and post to the blog, either by their own blog or in a comment. This would provide not only a real world application on the subject but also build on the students research skills at the same time. One might also think about using the camera to take personal videos of students giving reviews on literature and other text. Going into Language Arts myself, I can see the proper use of the camera to allow students to post or send pictures and videos of what they have read providing summaries, favorite moments, or possibly pointing out literature mechanics in use.

Other than just using the camera, the smartphone itself is a great tool for the classroom. After stumbling upon a website called poll everywhere which allows a creator to make a poll question that sends text to various phones for a poll, I can see where a daily quiz question could be implemented by use of the smartphone.

Project #6 C4K Month of October

1. Auriana
Auriana's Blog

Link to Image: Auriana

My first week of October I was assigned Auriana from Mrs. Morgans class. I was surprised to see her blog is covered with her own personal drawings which I found to be quite creative and colorful. I gave her information on the artist Pablo Picasso who was also colorful and used peace signs in his art as well. Also, in the comments were other students from other universities who had come to comment on her blog. I can imagine the joy she must feel acknowledging that college students are  looking at her blog "art gallery".

2. Kenadee
 Kenadee N.'s Blog

My second week of October I was given the blog of Kenadee N. of Mrs. Ripp's 7th grade class.This is a remarkable young student who finds enjoyment in going to class, as well as softball and volleyball. I posted a comment on her blog concerning certain ways she would like to changer how her classroom operates. She touches on key points such as seat assignments and having phones in class. I couldn't help but think of the blog post Dr. Strange had made considering the use of smart phones in class. Furthermore, now that I see this as a common problem for children coming from a child's perspective, I can't help but think of more ways to use these devices properly in the classroom for a more productive education.

Link to source: here

3. Hallie
Hallie's Blog

On my second week of class I surveyed Hallie's blog. She is a 1st grade student in Mrs. Philipenko's class and had just developed her first blog. The classes first assignment is to develop a test post merely saying "I like school". I was again astonished for it was not but 8 weeks ago when I made my first test post myself, and here a first grade student is already doing it. The knowledge that children are obtaining at their age level is far surpassing my expectations, as well as my future students.

4.Mubashir
Mubashir

My in my final week of October  I visited the blog of Mubashir. He is a 5th grade student in Mrs. Jacobsen's class in Auckland, New Zealand. His post was a free writing blog post which he chose the 2015 Cricket World Cup has his subject. Compared to myself his blogging abilities surpass my own knowledge, however I am gaining on him though. I have no idea how to play cricket or even where to play cricket. It is awesome how I get to experience speaking with students from opposite sides of the globe and actually help with their education.

Blog Post #7

After watching these videos, i couldn't be more proud of how much more advanced the children are becoming in their education by use of technological tools. Astonished would not be the correct term to describe my emotion when hearing that a kindergartner is achieving at the same assignments as a college curriculum. Albeit, I understand that their grammar and and comprehension aren't as refined quite yet, but still they are implementing these tools at a very early age and accessing skills they will need in their adult life.  

Link to Image: Alabama Virtual Library

After considering how well these students are at engaging these new technological devices, I am concerned about my own strengths on the matter. These students are progressing at such a fast rate, and much more than I will have ever given them credit for. I understand this weakness that the students will most likely be more knowledgeable than I considering the current technology at hand. However, after watching We All Become Learners, by letting myself become a leaner with my students I will be able to be educated by them so the classroom will all be learning together.

 A strength that I have acquired naturally, that I am definitely sure will come in handy with my profession, is my patience. I am and have always been a very patient individual, whether it be learning a new subject myself or trying to educate someone else in a subject that they aren't quite grasping. With the steady rise of technology in the classroom and how the students are reacting to it, I am assured that this patience skill will be quite useful and implemented on a daily basis.

It is just a little frightening that classrooms are being transformed in a way that I had never seen when I was in grade school myself. With iPad's in class to use iMovie and Poplet projects and using the Alabama Virtual Library, I will definitely have to prepare myself in using this technology in relation to my course of study. It is evident that these tools are stimulating to young students and motivates them to provide more input, therefore not considering to use these tools in the classroom would be a waste of good resources.

How to make an audio QR code
iPad Reading Center
Poplet with Ginger Tuck
AVL and Kindergarten Student Center
Tammy Shirley Discorey ED Board Builder
Mrs. Tassin 2nd Grad Board Builder Project
Mrs Tassin Board Builder: Haven
Using iMovie and AVl in Kindergarten