Sunday, March 13, 2011

Blog Post #8

This Is How We Dream

I believe I'm prepared to write with multimedia and I do intend on teaching my students how to do the same. Though I may sound a little redundant, it's important that today's and tomorrow's students are prepared for the future. And that future includes technology.

I think it's amazing that all the information we could possibly need for anything can be found on the internet and can also be gathered from sources using video conferencing. These two things have made it possible for people to gather all of their information without having to meet with people face-to-face, which is growing increasingly harder as work-loads grow. Not to mention they allow people to access everything from home. The age of using giant, old, and dusty books for research seems to be coming to an end. At least, very slowly.

I think things like novels and comic books may be around a lot longer, but they too may be going out of style, since things like the Kindle have been created. But my point is, I need to be able to keep up with things like this and I need to be able to use them effectively in order to teach my students how to use them. And I certainly plan on keeping up with technology.

A girl holding a paper that says we dream



The Chipper Series and EDM 310 for Dummies

The Chipper Series was a great video. It really drives home the importance of striving for excellence and not taking shortcuts. As for the EDM 310 for Dummies video, that one was great too. It was very creative and entertaining.

I would personally love to make a video that is English/ Language Arts related. I think it would be on the importance of reading, or the importance of using proper English. Those are two things I think are the biggest issues when it comes to teaching students English/ Language Arts.

Learn to Change, Change to Learn

I agree with the arguments made in this video. People are swept up in exploring the world through cell phones, iPods, iPads, laptops, etc. However, many schools have BANNED these things so students are forced to force themselves to learn by reading their notes and textbooks. The old fashioned way isn't always effective because 1) it's boring and 2) some students learn better through doing or seeing, not reading. Which means, the technologies and the "nuisances" ought to be incorporated into classrooms and lesson plans. Yes, teachers will still struggle with those students who use the devices to play games while in class, but overall it would be beneficial.

The Secret Powers of Time by Philip
Zambardo


This video basically breaks down people and time. It says that there are three different types of people, future oriented, past oriented, and present oriented. Future oriented people are those that "work harder" than others. They aren't stuck on what happened in the past.

I think this particular message pertains to education in that past oriented people are too busy with what happened to pay enough attention to what they -should- be working for, like an education and a better future. And the present oriented people are too consumed with what's happening now to pay attention to what they should be working for too. So, being future oriented would be the better choice. They are the people who work for what they think should happen; they work for the better education and better future.


Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us by David Pink

This video discusses what motivates people and I found it odd that the more money that's offered as a reward for a complicated task, the poorer the job is done. However, it makes sense. Yes, people like being rewarded for what they do, but people like independence even more and it all ties in perfectly with education. Students do tend to prefer to teach themselves things and just ask for help if and when they need it. There have been plenty of literature classes where my teachers has had the class read things out loud or the teacher does it and I'm silently screaming "Stop!! I want to do the work and the reading on my OWN!" Drove me insane since I usually worked a good deal faster than everyone else. Rewards only go so far, but allow people to work independently and you'll be surprised at what they can accomplish and learn.

2 comments:

  1. Hey Chelsea!

    I totally agree with you about using the new technology in modern classrooms. I think that by "legalizing" cellphones and ipods it will take away some of the temptation students find in them. At least, I would hope so. You're also right about teachers struggling with how to incorporate them properly into the lesson plans.

    As a future-oriented person myself, I have to agree that those types are the best. Haha!

    I'm one of those independent workers as well. I really don't like having to go at the same pace as everyone else, especially since I read so fast. My parents tried the whole "money motivator" thing, and it worked fairly well with me though since I really like money. But it didn't work so well for my siblings. They found the reward was not worth the extra effort they had to use to do the level of work my parents required.

    Great post!

    -Bailey

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  2. It is great that you want to continue to learn how to use multimedia and pass on that knowledge to your students. I agree with you that the age of learning with dictionary's and encyclopedia's is coming slowly to an end, and learning with technology is gaining a lot of popularity.

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