Blog Post #2

1.) Mr. Dancealot
   The central message of this video is that learning is an active process. Teaching cannot always be done with lectures and slides, as was the case in this dance class. Students were only told how to do the dance steps and shown how to do them. The students were not allowed to actually do the dance steps in class. The author proves this idea by showing that the students were unable to efficiently complete the final exam, because they were not given the opportunity to be active in the process of learning the dance steps. I agree with the author that being an active participant in what you are learning, along with being told and shown what to do, will make the learning process more successful.

2.) Teaching in the 21st Century
I. Virtually limitless information because students can find:
   a. Anything
   b.Anytime
   c.Anywhere
II. Teach students how to handle resources
   a. Remember, understand, apply
   b. Analyze, evaluate, create
III. Rethink tools used in the classroom
   a. Pencils, paper, textbooks, notecards
   b. Laptops, cellphones, ipods
IV. Any lesson has to be:
   a. Relevant
   b.Challenging
   c.Engaging (engaging is not the same as entertaining)
V.Where does it start?
   a. With you!

   I think Kevin Roberts is correct with his idea that the way of learning in the 21st century is ever-changing as new technologies are continually introduced. As an educator, this means I will be continually changing the methods in my classroom to embrace these changes. Although teachers are "no longer the main source of knowledge" (Roberts), we need to effectively be "the filter" (Roberts) for the information our students are learning.

3.) The Networked Student
   At the beginning of the video, it seemed that Wendy Drexler was promoting a classroom with no teacher involvement. By the end of the video, she makes the point of why a teacher is needed even for the networked student. I think teachers will always have a place in the classroom, no matter how much technology is used. The teacher is responsible to teach the networked student how to build their network. Teachers in any classroom are there to offer guidance in the process of learning. Networked students will also need a teacher to show them how to communicate with others in their network and how to make sure they are acquiring good information useful for their task. Finally, teachers help the networked student in organizing all of the information they have received.

4.) Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts
   The thesis of Vicki Davis' video is that every student has the ability to learn, but only certain students will be successful in learning with only the pencil and paper method of teaching. I agree with the fact that all students can learn. I think the opposite could also be said that only certain students will be successful with a strictly technology based method of teaching. All students are different and learn differently. I believe that a well-rounded education has many forms of teaching in the classroom, including pencil and paper, technology, hands-on activities, and even lecturing.

5.)Who's Ahead in the Learning Race?
   It seems clear, according to the video, that elementary students are ahead in the learning race. I have made the comment may times that my own children know more about smart phones and computers than I do. I believe the reason for this is that they are exposed to technology at such an early age. They already have a basic, or for some an in-depth knowledge of technology before they enter kindergarten, whereas older students did not have the benefit of being exposed to all this at their age.

6.)Flipping the Classroom
   Flipping the classroom is a new concept to me. I think it could be useful to me as a teacher when used in moderation, like one subject per night or less. I think if students are required to watch videos in every subject every night, it will become a dreaded experience for them, thus hindering its effectiveness. Also, it seems that the students who do not have a computer at home would be severely disadvantaged in this process. If you have to give them time to watch the videos at school, it would not free up much time during the day, because the class would be waiting for those students to catch up on the assignment each time. As a future educator, I can see myself using flipping in my classroom as a way to give the students variety, but it would not replace the other methods of teaching.

Blog Post #1

I have not heard much about EDM310 except that it requires a lot of work time outside of class. I am fearful of the heavy work load involved with this class, especially with it being compacted into a short summer semester. I have not had a class like EDM310 before, because many of my previous classes involved lectures and/or reading to gain knowledge for quizzes and exams, whereas this class is mostly based on activities and projects. The concept of individual learning is also very different than other classes that I have taken. The one comparison that I have seen in all of my classes is needing excellent time management skills.

Since I have only a basic knowledge of computers, the most difficult part of EDM310 will probably be learning so many new programs and applications in such a short amount of time while also trying to handle the work load in my three other classes. I plan to address this difficult aspect by asking questions when I cannot figure out how to do something after reading all of the provided information and instructions.

I currently do not have any questions about EDM310. However, I am sure that questions may arise as new concepts and tasks are put before me. Although I am unsure of exactly what to expect in this class, I do plan on doing my best in each assignment. I am excited about the new things I will learn this semester!

Practice Blog Post

I. Who I am
  A. Where I have lived
  B. Major interests
  C. Attending USA
  D. Personal/family information
II. Why I want to be an educator
III. What an educator does in his/her profession in the 21st century
IV. My passions

     My name is Dawn Oliver. My early childhood years were spent in Gautier, MS. When I was 11 years old, my family and I moved to Hurley, MS. I moved to Grand Bay, AL, where I currently live, when my husband and I got married. Due to transfers with my husbands jobs, I have also lived in Birmingham, AL and Jackson, MS for two years and one year, respectivley. One of my favorite things to do is spending time with my family, including my church family. We are very involved as a family in the activities of our church. I also love spending time at the beach. It is one of my favorite places to be. I am majoring in Elementary Education at the University of South Alabama. I chose this college because it is an easy commute from home, and it has a great Education Program.
     My parents have been married for over 35 years. I have a brother and an identical twin sister. My husband and I have been married for 15 years, and we have two children together. Our daughter, Shelby, is 13 years old, and our son, Andrew, is 10 years old. They participate in many activities in their schools. My husband is currently in classes to be ordained as a minister in the Assemblies of God. He is also the Youth Pastor at our church.
     Deciding to be an educator has been a journey for me. I have worked with young children at church, in daycare centers, and at Christian schools. I knew I wanted to be a parent first. But as my children have grown, I have had more time to spend outside the home working with other children. I get great joy out knowing that I am making a difference in the lives of the children that I teach.
     I believe that an educator's work in the 21st century is ever changing. A teacher must keep up with the latest standards and technologies. One of the most important aspects to me as a teacher is to make learning fun and understandable for all students. Teachers play many roles in the lives of their students, including but not limited to, being a nurse, a caregiver, an encourager, someone they can talk to, and a source of acceptance and love.
      My passion is children. I want to teach them how to learn and to love to learn! I love to see a child's sense of accomplishment and pride when they learn something new. I want children to understand that learning can happen anywhere and anytime, not just in the classroom at school.

My Test Post

This is my test post.