Blog Post #2

    Teaching in the 21st century is different from the way that I was taught using predominantly pen and paper. However, I do remember in my advanced classes in the 5^th and 6^th grade, learning by computer games and my classmates and I loved it! By the time I got to high school in the 11^th grade we were all issued MacBook’s that we got to carry around, but not all the teachers used them. In fact, only one of my teachers utilized the MacBook the entire two years that I had it. Moreover, the only thing that I really used the MacBook for was to write any papers that I had and to play games that were to blocked. Three years later, my sister was given one in the 7^th grade and she has been using it for all of her homework, making iMovies, and blogging with her classmates. Technology in the classroom has advanced immensely since I graduated high school and I can only imagine that it will further advance as time goes on. Watching these videos made me think of how little I used my MacBook in school and how much my little sister uses hers. The videos express how technology is advancing and the need for teachers to be prepared for it.

    Watching the first video, Mr. Dancealot, it began to bring to mind some of the aspects of teaching that Dr. Strange said that he hates. Such as, burp back education and teachers just strictly reading from the slides. Burp-back education is when students simply repeat on a test the information that the professor has lectured on and the knowledge does not sink in. The central message of this video speaks to that. For this class, the students needed to have some hands-on training and to be able to work out the dance moves for themselves during the class period with the dance professor there to help them. The professor was simply reading from the slides the entire period and come test time the students were expected to "burp-back" what they had supposedly learned. The author creatively makes his case by showing that the professor had no real interest if the students were learning the material or not because when on one instance, a student stood up to see what moves the teacher was doing he told him to sit back down and listen. Also, he provided no extra means of help to the students and left them with no way to learn the steps the way that he wanted to students to learn them. I know that when I am given strict instructions and the means to complete a task but, allowed to do so on my own and use my own brain, I learn better. However, this is not what the professor in this video was doing. So, I side with the author of this video in that students should be allowed to figure things out on their own and not "burp-back" what the professor lectured on. Also, keeping in mind that the professor should provide the students with complete instructions and help whenever and wherever it is needed. This is a new aspect of teaching for a lot of professors and students. Furthermore, we are in the 21st century where there is more and more technology being released every day and teaching is starting to take on a whole new meaning.
   The Video,  Teaching in the 21st Century, discusses this topic of bringing a new meaning to teaching. I gathered that Roberts firmly believes that teachers are going to be the gateway through which students are introduced to new learning technologies. Teachers are the facilitators and we need to be prepared and ready to teach this new generation of elementary students. The video is outlined as follows:

I. There are many ways of gathering information
  a. Wikipedia
  b. Google
  c. Iphones
  d. Social media
II. Teachers are the gateway through which students learn to use these applications correctly
III. Teachers need to incorporate these applications in their classrooms in a way that facilitates learning
IV. If teachers does not teach their students the correct way to use these new applications, they will use them in a way that hinders their learning
  a. Pirating
  b. Plagiarism
  c. Slander
V. Teachers need to rethink the way we are using the technology in our classrooms and the tools that we use
  a. Show students how to find reliable resources
  b. Publish and evaluate work
  c. Collaborate with each other
  d. Offer tutoring to struggling children
VI. Students can be challenged to do their homework online
VII. Technology can be managed the way that cell phones are managed
  a. Provides the temptation but can be handled so the negative behavior is not present
VIII. Students need to be engaged not just simply entertained
  a. Entertainment provides no intellectual challenge
  b. Engagement allows the student to be creative and effectively use their abilities to complete the lesson
  c. Engagement should also be fun
IX. Teachers should provide meaningful, creative, and intellectually stimulating technological engagement for students
X. Get out there and do some research and apply it to your classroom
  a. Trial and error are necessary
  b. Brainstorm with others
 
    Roberts sees technology changing for the better. He predicts that teaching is going to be done more by computers that the teacher. His predictions are totally accurate because you can see it changing all around you everyday. More children are gaining access to technological devices at a younger age. I remember I first got my cell phone in the 7th grade and all I could do was call my parents on it and it had no texting capabilities. My sister is now in the 7th grade and she has had an iPhone for 3 years and now has a MacBook and a PC. Moreover, the elementary education majors need to be prepared for this new group of technologically savvy students. However, I do disagree with Roberts when he say that teaching is going to become obsolete. Perhaps maybe in the far future but, for right now I think teachers are needed to provide the younger age students with the right skill set to successfully become technologically advanced. However, there are more older age kids that are turning to home schooling that is done through an online course. The older children, like high school age, are able to complete those home schooling courses because they have a higher skill set and do not a parent or guardian there to watch over them and see if they are doing all the courses that they need to be doing. Furthermore, this new age is going to affect teachers because we need to be able to teach the children how to use these new devices and implement them into our classroom setting because they can be a great resource for the children and they will put them on a higher level of thinking.

    The Networked Student video talks about how teachers can use these new technological devices in their classrooms. In the video, the narrator infers that students need to be taking control of their learning and have people around that strengthen them. I agree with this aspect but, I personally also benefit from physically taking notes while a lecture is being taught. However, I do not feel that this is beneficial for most students today. Teachers and professors need to challenge students and engage them with their peers to set up a network of people that can further their knowledge and help them in their career. Also, I find it very interesting that the video talked about how devices that we use for entertainment, can also be used for educational purposes. For example, the MP3 players and iPads have applications that enable them to be learning devices. I also like that the video addressed that teachers are needed for learning facilitation and to teach children to put all that knowledge that are gaining from said devices to good use. Teachers are becoming more advanced in the technological world and are teaching their students how to properly use a computer or other device to complete their school work in an intellectually challenging manner instead of solely for entertainment. 

    The author of this next video, Harness Tour Student's Digital Smarts, is also a teacher and she challenges her students everyday through the use of technology in the classroom. Mrs. Davis, the author, makes the claim that students benefit more when technology is involved. I side with her on this matter because from taking the little bit that I have in this course I feel more engaged and responsible. Also, I talked earlier about my sister and her use of technology through her school and she loves it. She made an anti-bullying campaign video through the use of iMovie with some of her classmates and it was really better than anything I think I could have done on my own and she is 13 years old. Moreover, through the use of technology in Mrs. Davis's classrooms it is opening the students up to the world around them. However, with all this technology comes a lot of responsibility for students. The teachers really need to be there to monitor the kids on what they are doing and make sure that it something educational and not harmful. On the other hand, it gives the students more responsibility and makes them more well-rounded individuals. Another thing Mrs. Davis did was let the students conduct class. Many students can prosper from this because their peers are usually struggling with the same things, so with the students conducting class they can better address those issues. Furthermore, students are far surpassing the teachers in the aspect of technology usage and teachers need to be able to reign that in and put it to good use.

    To speak on students being more technologically advanced the generation of college students, Who's Ahead in the Learning Race? video talks about this subject. Elementary students come to kindergarten with so much knowledge on technology already because maybe they have a computer at home or maybe they play on their parents iPad or iPhone, etc. Furthermore, with all this knowledge on the subject already elementary students are eager to learn new things on these devices. In the video Dr. Strange looked at elementary, undergrad, and grad students and compared their advancement with technology and by far the elementary students won. They are using applications that I as an undergrad student did not even know existed. Children are so eager to learn on these MacBooks that they received at the beginning of school that by the second day they knew just about everything about it. It didn't take me long to figure out how to use my new MacBook I just got but I had to get my little sister to show me how to use iMovie because I had no idea. Children are using all the same technology that undergrad and grad students are using and, in my opinion, they are using it better. 

     From all this use of technology in the 21st century classroom, new ideas begin to surface. New ideas such as, Flipping the Classroom. This was a new idea to me and I think it is a very good idea. It allows the struggling students to grasp the subject better and allots more class time for questions from the those students. However, it does put a greater homework load on the student which I do not feel is necessary for me as an aspiring kindergarten teacher. Most of the time, parents have to help the kindergarten child with the homework and end up getting frustrated with them or the student forgets and it does not get done because they are new to school and need that transition period that kindergarten provides. The idea is more appealing to the older generation like middle school or high school age students because with them they have a greater sense of responsibility. I would even implement it into a 4th grade classroom. Flipping the classroom is just one of the examples of new sources of technology being used in the classroom. Technology is showing up in classrooms all over and we as teachers need to accept it and use it as a positive tool for teaching and learning. 

    

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Practice Blog Post

Outline:
I. Two paragraphs about myself
    a. Where I have lived: Bay Minette, AL
    b. Major Interests: traveling, shopping, piano, and spending time at my farm
    c. How I ended up at USA:
       1. I was at Auburn first, then made bad grades so I had to transfer to South
       2. I took a semester off and got a job before I started at South
   d. Information about my family:
       1. My is dad Jesse Myles Reed he is a contractor and owns his own business, Reed Construction                     Company
       2. My mom is Dee Ann Reed she taught until my little sister was born in 2001; she taught 5th grade
       3. My little sister, Andi Marie Reed, is 13
    e. Personal information:
       1. I am 20 years old
       2. I love visiting and spending time out at my grandparents
       3. I have a swim hole that was built for me by my grandfather when I was 2
II. Why I want to enter the field of education:
    a. I started with pharmacy at Auburn and was not happy with the classes
    b. I wanted to do education to begin with
    c. I moved to South and changed my major
    d. I have a love for younger children and kindergarten age is the age I want to teach
    e. High school and middle school age would not be enjoyable for me to teach
III. Brief description of what work entails in the 21st century:
    a. Need to be able to work with technology in the classroom
    b. Teacher need to also be able to answer all questions pertaining to technology when in the classroom
IV. My passion with a picture, song, or movie
    a. Add a picture of a map with saying "Not all who wander are lost"
    b. What I do best
       1. working with children
    c. What I want to get better at
       2. working with people

Blog:


    My name is Jesse Ann Reed and I am currently live in Bay Minette, AL. I am 20 years old. I have a lot of different interests, one being traveling. Every year my family goes to Cozumel and one other place, but I have never been to Europe and would love to go soon. I want to travel as much as I can before I settle down with a family. Another interest of mine is spending time at my grandparent's farm. I spent most of my time there when I was in preschool and both my parents were working. I love getting out there and helping with cows and horses. My grandfather built me a swim hole when I was 2 years old. It id fed by natural springs and stays freezing cold throughout the year. Also, I love to shop and play the piano. I ended up at South because I was at Auburn and did not make very good grades because I did not go to class and did not study very much. Moreover, my father pulled me out for a semester and I had to transfer to South. I happens to be the best thing I have done because now I am on the President's List and I am really enjoying my time here at South.
  My family is great and very supportive of whatever I want to do but they really feel that education is the best thing for me to do. My dad, Jesse Myles Reed, is a contractor and owns his own business, Reed Construction Company. My mom, Dee Ann Reed, taught for 15 years but quit when my little sister was born in 2001 and now she is a stay at home mom. It is great having her at home because is there whenever my sister or I need her. My little sister, Andi Marie Reed, is 13 years old and she is in the 7th grade at Baldwin County Middle School and is a cheerleader there. Both of my grandparents live here in Bay Minette and it is so great to have them so close to me.
  I want to enter the field of education because I really think that I would enjoy it and I have a passion for working with children and watching them grow. I started with pharmacy at Auburn and just really hated the classes I was taking and just was not going to class and studying. Moreover, to begin with I wanted to start with education when I first started college but I the only reason I wanted to do pharmacy was for the money. If there is anything that I have learned it is to not do anything for the money if I am not going to enjoy the career I will be doing every day of my life. So, when I moved to South I changed my major to education and have really enjoyed the classes I have taken so far pertaining to education. I really feel that I can be a good influence and teacher for the younger generation. Furthermore, Kindergarten is really the age that I want to teach. I feel that I have a creative mind and I love to color and decorating my classroom is going to be so fun!
   Teaching has really evolved over time especially with the incorporation of technology into the classroom. Technology in the classroom is essential in keeping the children up to date with outside world. Teachers should also be able to answer all questions that the children may have about the certain technological devices that are being used in the classroom and know how to use them. Children are really starting to use technology more and more at a younger age. I remember when I was younger that I did not even have a cell phone until I was in the 8th grade and did not have texting capabilities until 9th or 10th grade. My little sister, however, got a cell phone in the 5th grade and it was iPhone with texting. This example just demonstrates how children are using technology at younger age and are learning how to use them. Moreover, teachers need to be just as up-to-date with the technology as the children are.
    My passion is traveling and seeing the world and the different cultures. I want to go to all the tropical places before I settle down with a family and husband. Teaching English to children in a different country would be my "dream job". I really like to venture out and take road trips with the girls and see different parts of America. Here is picture that I really think sums up my passion:

"Not All Who Wander Are Lost" I really feel that working with kids is what I do best. Children have always loved me and I love them! On the other hand, working with older people is what I want to get better at. I am sort of shy and reserved but in the past few years I feel I have really come out of my shell and can communicate better.

Blog Assignment #1

I have heard all sorts of things about this class ranging from it is very easy to it is very hard and very demanding. I have to admit that reading the comments on RateMyProfeesor.com made me feel very uneasy and scared about taking this class. Moreover, when I met with my advisor she told that this class would constitute a large amount of time and to not take many hours when I do decide to take this course. My fears for this class are not turning something in on time or making a bad grade on something that I did turn in. I really want to strive to make an A in this class but I am very scared that I will not. However, I will do everything in my power to do so. This class, in contract to other classes that I have taken at South and Auburn, seems to really be about individual learning and giving students the freedom to learn on their own time instead of in a classroom setting. As Professor Strange has mentioned many times in the instruction documents, this class allows students to become more like professionals and less like students and sets students up for reality. Furthermore, I think the hardest thing for me to handle in this class will be the time management. I have recently struggled with that and worked very hard last semester to manage my time more wisely. I hope that this class will aid me in this endeavor. Recently, I have purchased a planner and I am using it religiously to keep up with all my school work and manage my priorities. However, the I do have some questions that I am still not completely sure about. The first one being about the pictures that we are supposed to be posting with each blog post. I read the instructions that Dr. Strange provided but I am still unsure of how to actually go about titling and tagging the picture correctly. I tagged the Rate My Professor link and titled it above. Does that count as a picture and did I do that correctly? The second question is: Are we supposed to post a comment on another students post every time we post or is it just at certain times? I would like to address these questions in a class next week. Dr. Lomax could have a certain time specified during class for these questions or the questions that he saw that are redundant. Furthermore, I am really looking forward to a great semester and hope this class can really be fun for me and not as scary as I am expecting it to be.

Above I have posted a picture of technology and I am wondering if I did the alt and title correctly.