Video in the Classrooom

I thought this was true. Sometimes the only way to get kids to read or enojy reading is to put something fun into it, like a computer. Sometimes you just have to make it fun.

Podcasts

At first, I was confused on what to do. I'd never gotten on iTunes before. After a little bit of playing around, I've got it down a little. The SmartBoard Lessons were done with people who were many miles apart. It's amazing to see how far technology has come and that two people can be connected with the click of a button. Ben and Joan teach you about classroom management and they both give alot of information.
EdTech Talk teaches you about Google docs. It shows you how to make Google easily accessible to your classroom. Now, you can design your own templates and really make it your own.
MacBreak Weekly talks about two kids who just got back from Japan. Again, it's amazing to just see how two people can be connected. Overall, the podcasts were good. Some were boring, but you were able to skip parts of them.
I think that after I play around more on iTunes, I can better understand them. Maybe I won't be so lost next time, and my podcast will be like the examples.

Vicki Davis: Harnessing Your Students' Digital Smarts

I do not like this idea as much. To me, it was like the children are just going to class because it's a time where you can Twitter and text. It's fun. Why can't they just sit in a classroom with paper and pencils like I did? It never hurt any of us.
Before you know it, no one will ever have to go to school. They can just sit at home and turn on the computer and do their work. What's going to happen to us teachers? Don't get me wrong, I love technology. But, there is a such thing as too much.

What Is Next Generation Learning?

I thought that having all the technology in that school was a bit much. I don't think you need all of that to learn. Playing Wii just because it helps you focus better? Come on. Submitting your homework online was something I never had to do until college. I couldn't imagine doing it in middle school.
The "polls" the kids took in class was interesting. Harry said that it helps the teachers know if they're getting through to their kids. He said it also helped the kids because they didn't have to raise their hands or speak out in class if they're shy. I think that's taking away from the whole classroom experience and it's impersonal. I was shy during school, too, and seeing other people speak out made me want to do it as well. They need to come back to reality and realize that technology isn't going to teach your children everything they need to know in life.

Sir Ken Robinson: The Importance of Creativity

This was a good video. Whenever Robinson was talking about the lady who helped choreograph "Cats" and "The Phantom of the Opera," it made sense. Now, we do put kids on medication who can't sit still or who can't focus in the classroom. All they need is an 'out.' Let them be creative, instead of trying to calm them down. I'm not saying the children don't need any medication at all, but just try and see first.
Whenever he was talking about being wrong because of fear, well, that's so true. Most people now are afraid of being wrong. Mistakes are the worst thing you can make, according to some. We do stigmatize mistakes. Everyone's afraid of being creative because of what someone else may say.

Did You Know? 3.0 and Mr. Winkle Wakes

"Did You Know" was really neat. It had interesting facts, and some were also surprising. It's amazing to see how far we've come in this world. Where would we be without technology? We wouldn't even have this class. But then again, where would we be without it? We'd be much more dependent on ourselves and others. We'd actually have to do things on our own.
It's sad to see, though, that a college student getting his/her four-year degree, may not even need the information they learned in their first year by the time they're almost done with college. Can we keep up? Some computers may be smarter than us all by 2013. We won't even need to think anymore. It's just a race against ourselves...let's hope we win.
"Mr. Winkle Wakes" makes you think. Again, it's really neat to see how far we've come in this lifetime. I mean, I even remember when cell phones first came out. They were huge and some even plugged into your car. Now, some are as small as your hand and can even access the internet.
Again, there's the scary reality that technology could overtake us. In the video, Mr. Winkle was glad to see that school didn't change. That is promising. If we let technology overtake everything, then we forget where we come from.

Welcome!

Hi everyone, welcome to my blog. My name is Dara McDowell, as you have probably noticed. I will be 21 in 2 weeks. :) I work as a hostess at Wintzell's Oyster House in Fairhope. I am at South to major in Elementary Education, probably just like you are. I already have received my associate's degree from Faulkner State. So, just feel free to comment if you'd like.