Farewell, So Long, TaTa For Now.....

Ms. Averitt, I would like to begin by saying THANK YOU for your instruction, patience, and understanding. It was a pleasure to be in your class and I enjoyed most of it tremendously. I hope you are well and that you will be back to 100% in no time.
My fellow classmates: I enjoyed sharing this class with you! I didn't get to know most of you very well, but that happens when so many have such busy lives. I am thankful for those of you who brought your wonderful, entertaining personalities to class with you! I absolutely love people who can make me laugh. Thank you! I wish you all the very best in your college classes and your teaching careers. May God bless you.

And So We Come to the End

There are so many new things that I have learned this semester in Ms. Averitt's class! To think that I almost tested out of it before I even knew what it entailed. My favorite lessons include learning about iTunes and all you can do with it, learning how to blog, learning how to use Excel (finally!), giving Power Point presentations, and making an iGoogle page that my students could use as a resource. As a prospective physical education teacher, I don't think I will be able to use as many of the tools that a traditional classroom teacher would use, but that doesn't mean I am not going to try to implement technology into my teaching! I am anxious to be able to see what I can do with it.

I can't say that there is anything that I would have liked to learn about in this class but didn't for one simple reason - several of the new things I learned I had never heard of before and basically, I was "in the dark" technologically!!! So, I feel that I learned a lot that I didn't know. On the other hand, I do believe I can do without videopodcasting just for the sheer nerve-wracking experience it was!

I got very excited about giving my power point presentation because it gave me a chance to do something I rarely get to do -talk about me and where I am from! That may sound a little selfish, but today people don't really care about who you are and where you are from. In my experience, most people just want to know what you can do for them. So, being given the opportunity to share myself just a little and be able to talk about my hometown (which I'm very proud of, if anyone could tell!) was very exciting for me.

I didn't find anything "intellectually challenging" in this class which tells me a very simple truth. It says to me that anyone can learn and implement technology into their classroom. It also tells me that what we learned - and that a lot of kids already know, is that technology is the way of the future in the classroom and all over the place. One would be foolish not to embrace it.

There were times that I was bored in the class, but I think that was due to my having some computer skills already. The only thing I would change about the class would be to have it better organized and less confusing. There were times when it seemed like we were jumping from this to that and never really getting clarification on one thing before starting another. However, for the most part, the class was informative and helpful.

Am I Technologically Literate? I would say yes, a little and no, not by a long shot! There is so much to learn and it is an ever-changing and growing phenomenon, so I don't believe I will ever be fully Technologically Literate. However, I've been given the tools to get started and it will be up to me to increase my "literacy." I don't know exactly how I will maintain or improve my techonological literacy from here on out. My guess is that while I am in school, I will probably have the opportunity to use what I have learned in other classes. Once I begin teaching, I will have to ensure I don't lose what I've learned and continue to learn and implement technology into my teaching.

Stupid Mistakes, Brilliant Things, and New Rules

Doug Johnson's Seven Stupid Mistakes Teachers Make with Technology and his Seven Brilliant Things Teachers Do with Technology are both very informative but succinct. I think any teacher who deals with technology in the classroom should print and display them as daily reminders! The "mistake" that I relate to and should learn from is about not backing up data. I know it is a very simple process - to most. I, though, can't seem to get my mind around the whole process or which backup device to use. I think I have my stuff backed up and remember (vaguely) agreeing to a program that backs up data, but as you can see, I am one of the ones that he would consider "stupid." I need to make sure I get that completely done - before it's too late.

My favorite "brilliant thing" is "put kids in touch with the world." When I read this, I immediately thought of all the students in lower-income school districts who may never get outside of their neighborhood. The internet and programs in the classroom that access it can be a wonderful "window" for those students. The things they can see and learn via technology are so numerous and exciting.

I also looked at the list, New Classroom Rules by Education Innovation. I could not pick just one that I liked because I loved the whole list. I loved how they took the rules of the non-technological classroom and enhanced them to include all the things our students can do today and how they can interact with each other and the world via technology. This is another list I would print out and post in my classroom! Well, when we get to that point in time when it is permissable for all the rules to apply!

At The Teacher's Desk is Super-helpful!

At the Teacher's Desk is a collaborative professional blog that teachers use to share their ideas, accomplishments, solutions, questions, and so much more. It's a place that teachers can use to bounce stuff off each other or to tell the world about something exciting they've added to their technological regimen. There are links to just about everything digital or technical on the Web that you might want to reference for yourself after reading one of their blogs. You can access a variety of blog pages, see pictures, and view videos of what these teachers and their students are doing. For the technological classroom, a blog like this one is like hitting pay dirt.

I read a selection of blog posts including It is Time to Stop Looking at my Classroom and Start Looking at the School Community, How Do I Know I am Not Just Being Selfish, and Robert Burns Haunts Me by William Chamberland. I also read Using Technology for Effective Communication by Jarrod Lamshed and Pencils and Crayons to be Banned in Schools by teachernz. Mr. Chamberland wrote in his blogs about moving his encouragement of technological use and teaching to a broader audience than just his classroom, being concerned that he may be forcing his love of technology onto those not ready for it, and how the loss of electricity has very real consequences for a technology-imbued class. Jarrod Lamshed gave tips for integrating Facebook, twitter, and even his own personal cell phone number into communications with his student's parents. I liked the tongue-in-cheek attitude of teachernz's Pencils and Crayons piece. The variety of the blogs at this site are interesting and helpful, especially for a teacher very interested in using the various techniques in his or her own classroom.

Dr. Michael Wesch Makes Us Think

Dr. Michael Wesch, of Kansas State University, is at it again! I first saw his video, A Vision of Students Today, on YouTube a couple of months ago. It was very interesting. Today, I watched another of his videos, The Machine is (Changing) Us: You Tube and the Politics of Authenticity, and this one makes you THINK! Dr. Wesch discussed various ways that our culture, over the years and today, influences who we are and how we perceive ourselves. Something that jumped out at me is how media influences who we are and how we connect to others - in contrast, it brings us closer together while also allowing us to distance ourselves from each other.

So, what makes me scratch my head and think about this so hard? It presents some tricky questions for me - Is media in its myriad of forms good or bad for us? Is it okay to put yourself out there to try to connect with others even though they may not be seeing the "real" you? Is it possible to show your true self while not actually, personally interacting with others? I have no easy answers, being so new to the world of online media. I am torn, however, as a college student and prospective teacher, but I think that media will triumph over personal interaction. The trend of "putting yourself out there" is massive and moving at a high rate of speed. It does so many things, from creating an outlet for self-expression to allowing us to educate and be educated. While there are most certainly pros and cons to any venture, I think that the whirlwind of media in our society has its pros and I am just a little scared that the cons will be trampled into insignificance. How soon before we don't care what the cons are as long as we are being seen and heard by the nameless horde?

Why, Oh Why, Should We Blog?

One of the continuing lessons of my Educational Media class is that Blogging, i.e. posting your own or your student's work to the Internet, is a good idea - a good habit to get into in the teaching profession. It is a good idea for many reasons, and for each person, those reasons may vary. I think the main reason it is important for students to post their work is that the work gets perused and commented on by others. I think feedback is very important to any professional.

There are numerous ways that one can post their work to the Internet. Currently, in my class, I have used Blogger.com for both a personal and professional blog. I have also used iGoogle to create a web page that reflects my interest in physical education. My future students could use this page to do a variety of things, from playing a game to finding out the latest stats on their favorite team. Additionally, I have created a Personal Learning Network using various components of the Internet, including Facebook and Physical Education websites.

I think it is also important for students to post their work to the Internet because this allows them to become more familiar and comfortable with the Internet and all the avenues it offers. The more technologically savvy a teacher is, the more creative and varied her teaching may be. The Internet offers endless possibilities for teachers and students alike.

Mike and Meal Worms

My KidsComments assignment this week was to read about meal worms, which is a post by blogger Mike R. in Mrs. Goerend's sixth grade class. Mike told about how meal worms eat oatmeal and have two eyes, six legs and are light brown with brown lines on their backs. More information than I thought I'd ever need to know about meal worms, let me say! Mike also said that meal worms go from meal worm to pupa to beetle, which is a life cycle like a frog's. I told Mike that I'd much rather hear about meal worms than spiders! I love to hear that kids are learning about all kinds of science and are engaged in the lesson.

ACCESS Distance Learning Program

The ACCESS (Alabama Connecting Classroom, Educators and Students Statewide) Distance Learning Program was begun in 2004. It is a program that brings technology into Alabama high school classrooms that gives the students opportunities to access programs outside of their own school. ACCESS was developed to provide distance learning opportunities that will improve student achievement, such as Advanced Placement and dual enrollment courses. It also offers core subjects and electives like foreign language or ACT preparation, in addition to remediation materials for the Alabama High School Graduation Exam. It is extremely beneficial to rural schools that can't offer courses that urban schools can. ACCESS also provides support for teachers and administration.

How can this program not be good for high schools in Alabama? It provides many students with the means to advance in their education where they wouldn't have been able to previously. As a prospective physical education teacher, I don't believe I will be able to utilize ACCESS to the extreme that other teachers will, but I know it is available and I can encourage its use. I would like to observe a class that uses the program to get a better feel for its effectiveness, however, I don't need much proof as I think the concept is outstanding.

Alabama Learning Exchange (ALEX)

The Alabama Learning Exchange (ALEX) is a portal, if you will, through which educators, parents, and students can access a wide variety of educational materials. The website homepage is very simple and features links for Courses of Study, Web Links, Lesson Plans, Personal Workspace, Professional Learning, Podcast Treasury, Search and Help. By clicking on any of those links, one can utilize the resources in a timely, easy manner. Educators can also communicate with others using Listservs and find interactive resources. Some of the resources available are: Thinkfinity from the Verizon Foundation, the Alabama Virtual Library, and Alabama Public Television. ALEX received the 2008 Digital Education Achievement Award from Best of the Web for Technology Initiative.

I think The Alabama Learning Exchange will be invaluable to any current or prospective teacher. Although my focus is physical education and there are no ALEX teacher created lesson plans for that course, I will still be able to utilize many of the other features. It will be like having an encyclopedia at my fingertips, but with so much more information and resources. If I can't find what I am looking for, I will be able to contact other educators and possibly create a network that way. As a whole, ALEX is going to be a valuable resource that I can use at any time. All of it's different facets will allow for a variety of research that will be extremely beneficial.

Davsim's Blog

My student blogger, Davsim, at Edublogs has a really cool layout. It has the prettiest green color in it and my favorite color is green. Davsim is from Croatia. He wrote about his confusion in technology class which I can totally relate to! He also mentioned that his soccer was going well and that he is happy. How refreshing! Finally, he mentioned that he is doing "not so bad and not so good" with his grades. He said he could do better and it's good to see that he recognized that. I gave him some words of encouragement. I hope he enjoys reading my comments.

Students Blogging

I recently visited Mr. Goerend's Classroom and read some of the writing that his students have done. The kids write about various topics, from their first football game to reading to pizza to you name it. It is very cool to see these kids writing about things in their life. I think introducing them to blogging is a good way to get their creativity flowing as well as giving them an outlet to express themselves. I believe that introducing students to blogging will only enhance their learning experience. It would be nice to see it become more widespread.

I commented on several of the student's posts. Sara wrote about something close to my own heart - reading. I probably wrote a little more on that than I should have! Dmitriy wrote about his dog, Madi, chasing squirrels. I told him about our new puppy chasing our chickens. Carter wrote about his new gecko and I told him about my son's leopard gecko. Tommy wrote about how much he loves Halloween. Finally, Drake wrote about his new phone. The children were pretty descriptive in their writing, which was a joy to see. I think Mr. Goerend is doing a wonderful job.

My First Personal Learning Network

One good thing about a Personal Learning Network is that it can grow with you. For those of us who are just beginning to venture into the career we want, a personal learning network is probably going to be an invaluable resource for the future. At this point in time, my personal learning network is a fledgling entity. I am not yet in my field of interest, which is physical education, but I am and have been making small steps toward it. The components of my personal learning network are my technological baby steps toward my goal of being a physical education teacher and volleyball coach.

PE Central

PE Central is "The Premier Web Site for Health and Physical Education." It is jam-packed with resources and information for students, parents, and educators. Some of the resources it offers are: lesson ideas, assessment ideas, jobs, professional information, and related websites. While doing research on PE Central, I also found it as a page on Facebook called "Physical Ed Wants You!" Additionally, there is also a blog site called "Physical Education Info from PE Central" that has interesting information on a variety of P.E. topics and links to other P.E. sites. You can also subscribe to a free newsletter from the site. One of my favority aspects of the site is the "Kids Quote of the Week" section.

p.e. links 4 u

Where to start? This website is exactly what the title says! It has a ton of links for all kinds of physical education issues, from health, fitness and nutrition to state P.E. standards. It is also a digest with articles that can be researched and referenced. There is also a forum for questions or comments for the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE). It features lessons and puzzles from the Puzzlewise/PE Health program. There is a news section and a section where various types of grants are listed. You can also receive a free monthly emailed digest from pelinks4u, and an update of the latest pe news.

USA Volleyball

One of my dreams is to coach my own volleyball team one day. Until then, I am a huge fan and at the USA Volleyball website, I can find information on every level of volleyball from juniors to beach. USA Volleyball is "where the Olympic journey begins." I have been trying for several years to develop a club team in South Mobile county, to service the girls who cannot travel or afford to pay the club fees in Mobile. Phillip Bryant, Commissioner of the Gulf Coast region, has been instrumental in assisting me in my endeavors. He is always extremely patient and helpful.

Alabama High School Athletic Association

As a referee for high school volleyball, I am a member of the Alabama High School Athletic Association. The website has all the information one needs in reference to high school athletics in Alabama, including sections for schools, coaches and officials. Lane Lawley is the Southwest District Director of officials for volleyball. He has been a wonderful mentor to me over the past several years and he is a great official, too! Once I become a volleyball coach, I am sure the AHSAA website will be even more beneficial to me.

Bobby Golden on Facebook

My friend and classmate from high school, Bobby Golden, is a personal trainer and very physically active guy. I am a prospective physical education teacher and through Facebook, Bobby and I can discuss the physical aspect of physical education. He can give me pointers, not only for my own personal physical training, but for my future students and volleyball players, as well. Bobby has recently begun rock climbing, which is something I would love to try myself, so he will be able to give me good information on that, too.

Connecting Great Distances

Three-year-old Kaia and her Dad, Jabiz Raisdana, live in Qatar. One day, spurred by what he read in the book, The Last Child in the Woods, Kaia's Dad decided to take her to explore the world outside her home. While outside they took pictures of all kinds of things, from garbage to the sunset, which Jabiz made into Kaia's very first simple photo essay. He then posted it to his Twitter network and exciting things began to happen. A teacher in Missouri, Mr. Chamberlain, shared the photo essay with his students. After conversing with Jabiz via Skype, the students and Mr. Chamberlain then created a Voicethread and Youtube video commenting on and congratulating Kaia's work. Mr. Chamberlain, his class, Jabiz and Kaia created a web sensation, albeit unknowingly, and set educationally technical minds and hearts aflutter with their interactions.

I must say that as a result of a father's simple acts of encouraging, teaching, and sharing with his child, something wild and wonderful has happened! How could Jabiz have known that his adventure with Kaia would elicit such a response? Of course, he couldn't have. However, how awesome for us that it did! For those who are learning about or interested in the technological world as it applies to education, it is events and breakthroughs like this that will serve to excite and inspire us.

The magnitude of possibilites for technology in education is staggering. There are so many things that we can learn to do with technology to aid in the instruction of our students. Creating a simple photo essay and sharing it with the world, so to speak, is one way to advance learning and promote goodwill. The simplicity of it is very appealing, especially if you are a teacher just beginning to utilize the technology. The programs that Mr. Chamberlain, his class, and Jabiz and Kaia used, including Voicethread, Skype, Youtube, and Twitter, all have tremendous potential for classroom use. Although Jabiz expressed concern about the privacy issue and allowing the public into Kaia's life, I agree with some commenters that the benefits will probably be worth it. I think parents, students, and educators alike will benefit from the variety of ways technology can and will be used now and in the future.

iPods in Education, Let Me Count the Ways...

Apparently, I am technologically behind. I thought I was something when I received my iPod Classic for Christmas last year. I was so excited that it would hold 30,000 songs! I have actually added some pictures and unsuccessfully tried to add a video to it (can't quite figure it out yet). I have even downloaded some podcasts to my iTunes library but they have not made any further than that. I'd like to know one thing; how was I to know that I had also received a cutting-edge educational tool? I am only just now finding information that tells me all the different ways I can use my iPod and I must say, the possibilities are staggering!

Duke University handed out iPods to one of their freshman classes in a one-year pilot project to see how they could be utilized in education. Students in that first year used them for gathering field notes, conducting interviews, podcasting, and audio blogging. They also used them as portable hard drives and even signal generators in an engineering class. Instructors used them for podcasts, audio recording references, to record lectures and to record or receive audio files. They were used in several different courses including theater studies, economics, and foreign language.

In researching iPods in Education online, I found a couple of websites that had a lot of great ideas. The Online Education Database article, 100 Ways to Use Your iPod to Learn and Study Better, is a wealth of information. It includes links in various categories such as: study guides, podcasts, tutorials, applications, and classroom help among others. The website http://www.slideshare.net/ has a slideshow by Grace Poli at Jose Martin Middle School in Union City, New Jersey entitled, A Classroom in Your Pocket; iPods in Education that gives several ways iPods can be used. Her suggestions include musical lesson ideas and a neat section called, "Unexpected Uses of the iPods."

Now that I know I have something more valuable than my own personal jukebox, I intend to check out and use some of the ideas for my iPod. It is fascinating that technology allows us, as students, teachers, or just your average Jane, to access and utilize so much of it.

iTunes University - What a Wonderful Tool

iTunes University, part of iTunes, is an educational tool provided by Apple that gives free educational media to anyone who has an iPod or iPhone. Educators, whether individual or collective, can upload lectures, presentations, and numerous types of media content for student perusal. By collective, I mean that university departments at Yale and Stanford utilize iTunes University. It is also utilized by PBS and numerous K-12 programs. The educational possibilities are vast because students can access and use the program from anywhere with their iPod or iPhone.

As a student, I can access the program and use it for research. It offers programs such as edutopia and MITOpenCourseware, among others. Better yet, I can access it from anywhere and use it to study, watch a lecture, or receive a digital lesson from an instructor. I can also browse information from a variety of higher education institutions about the programs they offer or enrollment data.

As a teacher, the program offers several different avenues to involve students in mobile learning. I can use it to present a lecture, upload any kind of media I want my students to see, or create a podcast for my students. The Apple website states that iTunes University is "the engine for the mobile learning movement." If that is the way education is moving, I want to move that way, too.

Dr. Alice Christie's Google Earth

I thought Dr. Christie's Resource Guide for Google Earth was both very informative and easy to understand. From describing what it is to giving examples for lesson plans, Dr. Christie gave simple descriptions and great links for more information. I am a prospective physical education teacher and I hope to put a twist on traditional physical education when I get my own classes to teach. I think Google Earth will be one way that I can implement my plan.

I have already taught a course in a P.E. elective on learning how to use a compass. I think using Google Earth would allow me to enrich and expand that course to make it more interesting and exciting for the kids. For example, part of the course could be devoted to bringing the kids into the computer lab and teaching them how to use Google Earth. They could have the practical hands-on compass experience and then we could see how we could apply that to Google Earth or vice versa. Of course, I would have to develop the idea more fully to give the students the maximum benefit of the program, but it is an exciting prospect!

Mr. McClung's Advice

J.K. McClung's blog, What I've Learned This Year, on the blog site At The Teacher's Desk, is very insightful and wonderful advice for any teacher, whether new or experienced. I was surprised, however, at the number of grammatical errors in his blog, which were distracting to me as I read. It appears that many of those commenting on his blog simply overlooked the errors in favor of congratulating Mr. McClung on the content of his post. I, however, seem to have a problem with an educator posting any work containing grammatical errors. No doubt I am, perhaps, overly critical. On the other hand, I was impressed, as well, with the content of his post.

His first point, which I will sum up in his words, "let your audience drive your instruction" is very helpful to me as a prospective teacher. I already know that I will have difficulty in mastering this because I have a real fear of losing control of the classroom setting. It will be a challenge to learn how to make my classroom a welcoming place where the kids can feel comfortable while maintaining my own sense of control. In following this piece of advice, I think I will be able, also, to incorporate three of his other points: when things go wrong, try to better the situation (with a smile, of course!); encourage students to try again; and listen to students.

I think his third point is good for anyone, but especially for teachers. He said, "Practice all you can and build those strong relationships with teachers and students." He based this point on the fact that communication is essential. The other teachers and the administration we deal with daily will be supremely important as allies in this "fight" to educate our youth. Of course, I think any new teacher would be wise to communicate and listen to the advice of more experienced teachers. They "know the ropes", so to say. I believe that communicating and building a strong relationship with students will also help us to follow his last piece of advice which was, "never stop learning." Any teacher open to communication and willing to forge a good relationship with his or her students will undoubtedly continue to learn.

Finally, Mr. McClung advised us, "Don't fear technology." Anyone with eyes can see that our world is increasingly a technological world. If we intend to teach students of today who will be leaders of tomorrow, we must embrace any and every tool available to us to help ourselves and them be successful.

Wikipedia: Reliable or Not?

Virgil Griffith, a graduate student at the California Institute of Technology, developed a scanner that will allow tracking of the many contributors and changes to the online encyclopedia, Wikipedia. Wikipedia has a massive amount of information on a massive amount of topics, which can be contributed to or edited by just about anyone. Nicholas Thompson, a Senior Editor of Wired magazine stated, "Wikipedia has one hundred times the information as a regular encyclopedia at ninety percent accuracy." Mr. Griffith's scanner has shown a variety of interesting changes to topics, many times by the subject or someone close to the subject of the topic. So, how accurate can something be if anyone can go in and change the information to suit them?

For myself, the fact that Wikipedia is available to anyone who can contribute, change, delete, add, embellish, or falsify the information makes it very unreliable. I don't believe I would use it to find concrete information on any subject that I would need to cite or document. It is just too "iffy" a proposition when a good grade or anything else of importance is riding on it. I have found, however, that Wikipedia is a "good jumping-off place." It is very much worth accessing it to start a project to get initial information or ideas. I would, of course, always want to back up the information obtained there by checking other sources.

Words to Last a Lifetime

"Brick walls are there for a reason - they let us know how badly we want things." -Randy Pausch

Wow! and Wow! again! Randy Pausch's Last Lecture: Achieving Your Childhood Dreams, is phenomenal. I know by this point in time, many people have already seen it. However, for those of us who never had, it is an eye-opener. Randy's matter-of-fact delivery and refusal to accept sympathy for his situation is, in my opinion, pretty uncommon today. He was facing death and looked beyond himself to leave a legacy for his children that can benefit any of us who take it to heart. He gives lasting and monumental guidelines for living and teaching.

One of his pieces of advice was, "Focus on people and learning to work in groups." I think that one of the things he did very well in life was focus on people. It is good advice for anyone entering the teaching profession. Why else would one want to teach, if not to help others and focus on what you can do towards that? Also, there are many, many times when working in a group can be a benefit to all involved. In a group, your focus can not be on yourself. One must look to the success of the whole in order to be a part of that success when it is attained.

Another principle that Randy spoke of was feedback. He said that finding out how you stack up against your peers teaches self-reflection. I think this is very important today, when so many refuse to take responsibility for their actions. Many people have a very hard time analyzing and then being honest with themselves. If we could encourage and promote that and see it become a norm for personal behavior, especially in the youth we propose to teach, I believe the world would be a much better place.

Randy said, "The best way to teach is to let them think they are learning something else." This is a slight-of-hand thing to me and I think it takes a very creative person to be able to teach like that. I have heard it said many times that if a woman wants something from her husband she should let him think it was his idea in the first place. I think the same can go for children and helping them to learn, but how to do that is harder than proposing to do it. He said to let students have fun while learning something hard, which is a terrific idea. Hopefully, there will be more and more creative people who will help teachers do that.

Another of Randy's suggestions was to learn from our students. One way teachers can do this is to be open to what they have to say, and really listen when they speak. Often teachers can get caught up in thinking they have all the answers when there are times when they should be asking the questions. Randy also said that we should, "never lose the child-like wonder," and I think that goes along with learning from our students. We shouldn't be afraid of the new and different things our students can teach us.

There were way too many good points in Randy's lecture. I was so impressed with how much he cared for the people in his life and the selflessness with which he faced what was to come. I'm sure it has been said before, but he was and is a true inspiration.

Technologically Illiterate Teachers, OK?

In his blog, Fischbowl, Karl Fisch asked the question, "Is It Okay to Be A Technologically Illiterate Teacher?" In this day and age, of course, my response is a resounding, "No!" I would like to additionally answer his query with one of my own. "What teacher in his or her right mind, in this day and age, would attempt to teach while technologically illiterate?" To me, it seems as though one would be committing educator suicide. A teacher today needs to be able to operate and use effectively the technology he or she has access to. There are so many without any technology that we should be thankful and take full advantage of what we have in that respect.

I love Mr. Fisch's reference to parents who say, "I was never any good at math either." What is that but making another excuse for your child not to apply him or herself? Teachers can not afford to make excuses for their ignorance. That also gives students an excuse not to apply themselves. If one endeavors to teach, it must be with the full conviction of doing one's best. Teachers are role models and have so many young lives in their hands, if only for a short time. We owe them our utmost effort on their behalf.

Teaching is the Bottom Line

Kelly Hines' post on The Edurati Review entitled, "It's Not about the Technology," is insightful. Ms. Hines, showing that she is somewhat tech-savvy by indicating her technology use, goes to the heart of teaching in her subsequent statements. I think her first point, "Teachers must be learners," is profound. No matter how much we learn in pursuit of our degrees, certifications, or jobs, that learning does not - and must not - stop when we achieve our goal. Even in everyday life we are learning. As teachers, we should seek every opportunity to increase our knowledge and be able to better extend that knowledge to our students.
Ms. Hines states that, "Technology is useless without good teaching." Too true. For example, I was asked to teach a computer elective course in interim while a permanent teacher was sought. I did not have the necessary training to teach the course, but the classroom was equipped with Internet-accessible computers, so we had the technology. I devised a couple of projects that the students could complete , but couldn't really teach them much about the programs. There was a lot of trial and error. I think technology is a wonderful tool, and can be eminently useful in education. However, the teacher is still (and should be) at the heart of instruction.

Can They Learn Like That?

Michael Wesch's video, A Vision of Students Today, is, in my opinion, fairly accurate. Although I am not the typical twenty-something college student, I have a daughter who is. She recently transferred from a four-year university into E.M.T. training at a local college. She said, "Mom, I can't learn like that (at the U.), I need something I can get my hands on." She was bored and dissatisfied with traditional classes, but is thriving now. Now, the learning is exciting and interesting to her.

As for myself, I believe I have done well in the traditional class setting. But, I think that is because I am older and have the patience to withstand the tedium. In one of my classes, the instructor "taught" by writing everything she wanted us to know on the board. We took notes for the entire two hours. Personally, I loved it. I could write what I needed and not have to listen to a boring lecture. The younger students, however, were bored out of their minds. I would be amused to see and hear them sigh heavily and give each other looks when the instructor began writing on the board. Some would say that she is an ineffective teacher for the young crowd. I do think teachers today have to be increasingly creative in order to hold their student's attention. Technology will keep us all on our toes, in a variety of ways.

Plagiarism and Copyright Information

Bates College of Lewiston, Maine, in its Statement on Plagiarism defines plagiarism as, "the representation of another person's words, ideas, or information as if they were one's own." The Purdue Owl's resource, Avoiding Plagiarism, gives examples of plagiarism as, "buying, stealing, or borrowing a paper or copying an entire paper or article from the web; hiring someone to write your paper for you; or copying large sections of text from a source without quotation marks or the proper citation." Basically, plagiarism is using someone else's work and claiming it as yours. As long as one gives credit to the original producer of the work, he or she should be fine. Acceptable ways of crediting one's source include using quotation marks, foot or end notes, a bibliography, or a Works Cited page at the end of your paper. Other tips on plagiarism can be found in Indiana University's website article, "Plagiarism: What It is and How to Recognize and Avoid It."
According to the United States Copyright Office's article, Copyright Basics, "copyright is a form of protection provided by the laws of the United States (title 17, U.S.Code) to the authors of 'original works of authorship,' including literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and certain other intellectual works." One important aspect of the copyright law is that in order for something to be copyrighted, it has to be in a fixed form, like a book or compact disc. Once the material is in fixed form, it belongs to the author unless other circumstances, like a work that has been commissioned, exist. One thing that I found interesting in Copyright Basics is that, "the use of a copyright notice is no longer required under United States law." Although a copyright notice would save an author or producer some legal trouble if his or her work was copied, it is his or her job to add it to their work if they want it. Also of note in Copyright Basics is information on how long copyright protection lasts, transferring copyrights, copyright registration, and international copyright protection.

Ideas on Tools for Alternative Web Browsing

Both Stephen Sullivan's, Accessibility for All, and the Alternative Web Browsing page, owned by the World Wide Web Consortium, give information on different ways people with disabilities can access the Internet or use computer programs. Sullivan includes federal laws and guidelines established for disabled persons, as well as his own Principles of Adaptive Technology. The Alternative Web Browsing page also includes a section for all people that disabled users have been able to use with adaptive devices. Although the Alternative Web Browsing page is now out-of-date and not actively maintained, it still had some useful information.
Sullivan cited three laws which make web accessibility required by law. They are: The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and The Telecommunications Act of 1996. He also provided the names of groups or guidelines that strive to improve web accessibility for disabled persons. Some of these include: The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI), and the User Agent Accessibility Guidelines (UAAG). The Alternative Web Browsing page mainly gave information on products that could be used to ease accessibility. JAWS and Window Eyes, which are both screen-reading software for the blind, were listed on both sites. For those with limited hand use, voice recognition software, such as Via Voice and The Voice, are available. The Screen Magnification Homepage or Screen Magnification Software can be used by those with low vision or learning disabilities. In addition, Sullivan's Principles of Adaptive Technology are common sense guidelines for identifying a need for adaptation and his ideas on how to solve some issues related to that. For example, Principle #4 states, "When the performance is currently at acceptable levels, leave it alone," or Principle #5 says, "Adaptive software is only the tool, accessing the resources of the computer is still the task." Some of the links on the Alternative Web Browsing page don't work, and some do. Both articles would be helpful for those looking at alternative web browsing.

Judy Scharf's Podcast Collection

Judy Scharf's Podcast Collection on Curriki is a simple informational site for either someone wanting to produce a podcast or someone teaching a class to do one. Ms. Scharf breaks down the process into sensible and easy-to-view sections. She provides links for instructional videos on both YouTube and TeacherTube that show how to do a podcast. Of the two, the YouTube video was much easier to understand and showed step-by-step instructions. The TeacherTube video was a slide show accompanied by a boring speaker.
In addition to the how-to links, Ms. Scharf offers several downloadable files. These include: Benefits of Podcasting in Education, Creating a Podcast, Using Podbean, and Submitting a Podcast to iTunes. They, too, were easy to understand. For a teacher instructing a class on podcasting, she includes a time schedule, suggestions for podcast projects, suggestions for researching a topic, and a grading sheet and rubric. I was impressed with her Tips to Succeed and the sample podcasts that she included. The podcast, A Tour of the Digestive System, was entertaining and a little gross! All the information on Ms. Sharf's Collection was very informative and helpful.

Thoughts on Videocast

I watched the videocast, "Should All Teachers be Tech Literate?" from the Summer 2009 EDM310 class. The videocasters were: Dr. John Strange, Nicole Coomer, Dana Reeves, Kitty Ruzic, and Megan Brown. The conversation seemed to be mostly unscripted, with the exception of Dr. Strange's opening remarks. I thought it a mostly well-rounded discussion between the speakers. However, in my own videocast, I might ask each person to introduce a different aspect of the subject and then add individual thoughts from that point. On the other hand, I might have the "mediator" introduce each aspect and ask each participant for their thoughts, starting with a different person each time.
The videocast had nice music at the beginning, but I might have music that is a little more attention-getting. The same goes for the opening title screen. I would like to have my videocast in a less boring setting, as well. Additionally, I would like the camera to be closer to the people and that they face it more than each other. I have never done a videocast, but it seems to me that the more exciting and lively (within reason) we can make it, the more interesting it will be.
Some may find the subject material to be boring, so we should try to grab people's interest and engage them in our topic. We should also try to make it less a chore for ourselves and more something fun and interesting to do.

ITunes Podcasts

I listened to the following podcasts on iTunes: SmartBoard Lessons Podcast, KidCast, ConnectLearning, EdTechtalk, MacBreak Weekly, and This Week in Photography. As suggested by Ms. Averitt, I subscribed to them so I could move around within them and listen to different sections. I am not a fan of talk radio, which is what they reminded me of, however, I can see the benefits of podcasting for those who are interested. It is a good way to give and receive information and ideas.
In the Smartboard Lessons Podcast with Ben Hazzard and Joan Badges, the format was basically a conversation between the two. The discussion was very informal and they moved easily through the material. The main theme was "Wrapping up the School Year" and they discussed issues like math in the movies and iPod applications in the classroom. They also discussed getting kids engaged in learning. KidCast with Dan Schmit was more like a reporter doing an individual story. His subject was video podcasting. He went through some advantages of both video and audio podcasting. He also answered questions emailed by his listeners.
ConnectLearning with David Warlick and EdTechTalk both used an open forum setting but in different ways. The ConnectLearning podcast was set up in a room with a number of media coordinators in North Carolina. The host asked and answered questions from the audience and invited the guests to offer ideas they had. The EdTechTalk podcast featured the host speaking with guests in various locations. You could hear airwave disturbance and background noise with the guests. The topic was "Making New Connections with Voice Thread."
MacBreak Weekly and This Week In Photography were both more like radio talk shows with music and commercials. They both focused on technical issues, products, and accessories. MacBreak Weekly covered MacIntosh computers while This Week In Photography covered cameras, accessories, and a news story concerning Apple iPhone among other subjects.
Although, as previously stated, I don't care for talk radio, I can see the benefits of audio podcasting. They can be very effective tools for just about anyone, from educators to mechanics, because they can cover any topic. I think they would be very beneficial in the classroom. Teachers could use them to draw interest in many subjects and students would very likely enjoy them immensely.

Next Generation Learning

I don't see how anyone can watch a video like Next Generation Learning and not say, "Awesome! How do I get involved? How do I get my kids involved?" The whole idea of making the classroom come alive like that is just simply exciting! Not only does it seem to keep children interested and focused, but it also allows parents to get involved with their children's education like never before. It would be so wonderful to see every classroom in the world equipped to allow such advantages. Where I work, we have the Internet, Elmos, and one classroom equipped for e-conferencing, among a few other new technological toys. However, it is nowhere near as advanced as Harry's school. What would it take to equip the world's classrooms like that? I wouldn't begin to guess, but I am sure programs are already in place to try to accomplish it.
From a parent's standpoint, it is almost past the time when my children would benefit from such technology in the classroom. However, I'm sure one day I will have grandchildren (Gasp!) who will. My kids are, of course, more technologically savvy than I am today. It would have been great to see them complete a homework assignment or project and then upload it at that point. I think that, in itself, would be an excellent tool for all students and teachers. I believe that access to the emerging classroom technologies will only benefit everyone involved.

Vicki Davis: Harness Your Student's Digital Smarts

Teaching today's students how to connect to the "digital" world is to give them a head start on the world of tomorrow. Ms. Davis spoke of the now old-fashioned pencil and paper. The students going into the digital jobs of the future, which increasingly do not require pen and paper, may one day not even know what they are! They may be put into a museum for people to "Ooh" and "Aah" over! Although I do agree that our students need to be prepared for the innovative future, as a physical education major, I do worry about the sedentary life it will most assuredly bring with it. A scene from the movie, Wall-E, pops into my mind here. In the scene, the overweight and sedentary humans, who get from place to place on personal transporters, need only hit a button to receive anything they wish. Although fanciful, it still made me uneasy to see it.
In support of Ms. Davis's program, I think technology can be a wonderful tool. In the computer elective class I taught, one project we did was a virtual road trip in which the students "visited" a place in the Continental United States. Because it was a road trip, they had to learn about car rentals, fuel tank capacity and gas mileage, hotel rates, and how much a minor repair on their car might cost. It was exciting to see their interest and excitement and watch them learn how they could use technology for research and fun. Ms. Davis goes so much farther with her class. It was very inspiring to see her students on the cutting edge of classroom technology. Today classrooms all over the world can be hard-wired together. As a result, I can see extraordinary possibilities for our future.

The Scoop on Cindy

Hello to all! I am 39 years old and looking forward to the big "Four-O" in January! Yes, I am looking forward to it, believe it or not! I am very excited to be a college student at this point in my life because I have spent the past twenty years raising my children and trying to be a good wife. It has been my dream to come to college and here I am! I am pursuing my degree in Physical Education so I can coach volleyball - another twenty-year-old dream!
I am from a teeny-tiny town in Missouri called Leopold, and you guessed it, we have three state champion volleyball titles under our collective belt. My high school coach has been my inspiration to coach my own team some day. In Southeast Missouri my hometown is known for volleyball and as a great place to get an education. It has been twenty-one years since I graduated but I feel that my school prepared me extremely well to further my education.
I joined the Army after I graduated high school and that is where I met my husband, Jay. He is from this area, so when he retired in 2004, we moved back here from Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri. We have also lived in Germany and Virginia.
My daughter is also a college student and is studying to become a paramedic first and then a registered nurse. My son is a junior at Bryant High School and already knows that he wants to go into aviation mechanics. Both of my children are great kids and I am super-proud to be their Mom!
Aside from going to college, I am a substitute teacher at Alba Middle School. I have worked there for four years in mostly long-term assignments. To date, I have "taught" Science, Algebra, P.E., Civics, and a computer elective. I love working with the faculty, staff, and students at Alba. I am also a volleyball referee for the Alabama High School Athletic Association. This is also my fourth year as a referee.
I love to read, canoe, hike, bake, crochet, and all kinds of other stuff. I would love to learn to rock climb and scuba dive. I am looking forward to everything ahead of me in life!

Sir Ken Robinson: The Importance of Creativity

Aside from the wonderful message of Sir Robinson's speech, I was, first and foremost, impressed with his speaking skill. He infused his talk with entertaining tidbits which made him a joy to hear. Also, when he digressed with a joke or story, he seamlessly went back to or tied into his theme. He was very eloquent and enjoyable to hear. Very impressive!
Pertaining to the topic of Sir Robinson's talk, the importance of creativity, I agree. I do think that we are educating the creativity out of our children. Of course, they will lose some along with the loss of innocence as they mature, I believe, but it is not necessary to discourage them by not promoting their talents. I especially liked Sir Robinson's comment that our task is to educate our children's whole being. I think that each person is completely individual and each one's personal talents should be discovered and developed. It would be wonderful to see a shift in our education system that reflects Sir Robinson's ideas.

Did You Know? 3.0

My first reaction to the Did You Know 3.0 presentation was, "Wow!" It is amazing how much information is out there today. It boggles the mind. On my Facebook page alone, there is more information than I can keep up with. How do people manage all those applications? I don't have time to go through and deal with every one so mine just keep accumulating. At this point in time, I "own" four e-mail accounts, have a MySpace page, and now thanks to this course, a Blog. I had no intention of becoming so active online; it just seems to keep sucking me in!


The Information Superhighway is shrinking the planet, but at the same time, I think it is overloading it with information. Yes, it is very nice to have answers right at your fingertips, but do we really need so much information? I'm sure I am not the only one who looks something up only to have to sift through a barrage of "hits" that may or may not pertain to my subject. Of course, I would not complain because the ease of access is just too convenient. However, sometimes I fondly recall the days when my only options were the encyclopedia and the dictionary!