EDM 310 - August 30th assignment

In this assignment, we were to take a look at six different podcast and share our thoughts on how informative we thought they may be for educators. The first one I looked at was the SmartBoard Lessons Podcast. On the podcast, I felt like the two hosts did a lot of talking among themselves before ever addressing the main idea. It seemed like I had to listen to them chat for awhile before ever hearing about the true subject matter. After finally getting to it, I learned that they share thoughts on how to make the whiteboard become interactive in your classroom. Their purpose is to help educators create lessons that are engaging for students and makes learning come to life. I really liked Joan's "recess" idea of taking bubble wrap and putting it on the SmartBoard. This had nothing to do with education. However, sometimes students just need something to play with or a break in transitioning between subjects.

KidCast was the next podcast I watched. This podcast seemed to have the most information to share with educators. The speaker was placing emphasis on web conferencing. It is usually hard at a teacher's conference to allow everyone to share ideas and resources. This podcast allows you to do that as a media channel where everyone can participate and contribute. This leads to an excellent professional development plan. By doing this, we can learn from each other. There were three ideas shared that I really liked on this podcast. There were two math and a writing lesson. One math lesson was about taking visual elements and using them to explain word problems. Then, they were recorded and used as assessment. Another math lesson idea was about bringing statistics to life with a "sports show." This simply takes math and puts it into the real world. Students could focus on what they already know about the statistics of an athlete and what they need to do in order to reach a certain goal. This appeals to the audience and they learn from it without even realizing they are learning. The writing explained how to take the concept and write it into a drama form and deliver it which I think is a great re-inforcement for students. I think these are all great ideas on how to make the lessons really come to life.

On the MacBreak Weekly, I never really got anything out of it except the host talking and sharing stories among themselves. Although I did find the Ed Tech talk interesting. It focused on teachers teaching teachers. Here, teachers shared about new things they had learned from recently visited workshops. It was basically a live interactive interview. Teachers could get several new ideas through this podcast and share new ideas with other fellow teachers. I think this is a wonderful way to "connect" learning around the world.

I watched the Photography podcast and learned some about the involvement of photography with education. Although this seems to change over time, it is neat that we can engage photos with technology and use it as a teaching technique. There was also a question and answer time on this podcast where people could get links on publication of photos. I found this podcast interesting and resourceful. It shows how we can embrace photography and make it work for us in any capacity. I found the Connect Learning podcast useful and beneficial for educators. It provided ways to download lessons and links to better serve your educational needs. It was very informative on ways to become a better educator. I thought that all of this podcast were excellent tools in enhancing an educator's professional development plan.

The Importance of Creativity

I really loved this video. Ken Robinson had a unique way of presenting his ideas on creativity within the school systems. He was creative in how he brought about his thoughts. I found myself in agreement with several of his points. We tend to undermine students' creativity in learning. Everyone has an interest in education and it is our job to nurture their creativity and not undermine it to the point of hindering their educational growth. He stated that we are to help them make something of their education. After all, they are our future. It is our job to prepare them for the future even though we don't know what the future holds. Ken Robinson also stated that creativity is as important as literacy. We should not dominate our view of the students' intelligence based only on their academic ability. We should never undermine any subject matter rather it be through literacy or creative arts.

In this video, he states that we are all born with creativity. We just grow out of it because we don't use it as often as we should. Students are often stigmatized for their mistakes. I firmly believe that in today's society we unintentionally focus on those mistakes. Therefore, we make students feel that a mistake is unacceptable. However, we should not label our children this way. Instead, we should encourage them to learn from their mistakes and use their imagination to enhance their creativity. Then they can use their creativity to enhance their learning ability. I love what he said when he stated that if we are not prepared to be wrong, we will never come up with anything original.

Next Generation Learning

This video was intriging. I liked it being presented from a child's point of view. I found it uplifting to hear that Harry thought of his school as being a "cool" place to learn. It would be so rewarding if every student could think this way. I liked how he compared his mother's generation of learning with his own. We have come so far as a society. We have come from chalkboards and desks to computer labs and advanced honors courses.

The video spoke about students' involvement through technology. We can download homework and grades for parents to see at home. I think it is great that we can use digital cameras to make a project come to life. For example, pictures of class activities and field trips can be uploaded via internet for parents to view from home. Class pages can also be created and updated by the students. Through technology we can bring education to life. At the same time technology can create new pathways for students' imagination. In conclusion, technology leads many ways for parents, teachers, and students to become more involved in education.

Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts

I found this video very interesting. I agree with several things that Vicki Davis had to say. She stated that not all students are molded to learn with a pencil and paper. Only certain students will succeed with that type of learning style. As educators, we should always be looking for ways to enhance their education with enrichment experiences. We should be open to look at each one's strengths and weaknesses and customize our curriculum to meet their needs. I loved the statement that we should teach them to "learn how to learn." I strive to implement these teaching methods in my own classroom. Although it can be challenging at times, it is always fulfilling to see them experience the growth of learning.

The video also spoke about how to let students teach one another. I strongly believe that students can learn from their peers as well as their teacher. We should not let these teachable moments slip by us. I agree with Vicki Davis on the fact that we, as teachers, tend to think we should know all of the answers. When students can share with one another we should encourage them to do so. Technology can play a big role in this type of education. As stated in the video, we can live in one place, yet connect with the world. Students can get the full effect by collaborating reports and creating videos then sharing them through small groups or to others around the world.

Did You Know? 3.0

Wow! It is amazing at how fast the pace of technology has become in our country. What did we do before it came along? One amazing thing to me was seeing how many songs were downloaded while I watched this short 5-6 minute video. The video stated that technology changes so much every two years. I wonder how do we keep up with the latest inventions. What is this doing to our children? I worry that we as parents and educators are not able to guide them to use their intellectual potential as much as they could. Technology is a wonderful thing and we should use it for enhancement, but not as our only resource.

The video also referred to people having many different jobs by the age of 38. It stated that one out of four workers stay with the same employment for more than a year. These statistics are quite different compared to our past generations. Although technology enhances our world, it may also hinder those in the work force who are not able to perform the task that employers can utilize through technology. For example, when I call a company I often get an automated system that tells me I can seek guidance on their website. Instead, I may prefer to speak with an employee. The "personal" greeting and directory have been removed.

Chrissy Henderson

My name is Chrissy Henderson. I am married to a wonderful husband named Todd. We have three children ages 10, 8, and 7. I currently teach fifth grade at Mobile Christian School. I enjoy scrap booking, sewing and spending time at the beach with my family. We love to travel and adventure.

I am currently taking EDM 310 for two reasons. First, I am wanting to strengthen my computer knowledge and be able to use it within my classroom. Second, I am taking it as a requirement to re-instate my teaching degree. I was a "stay at home" mom before my kids entered school. Therefore, my certification expired. I am looking forward to learning many new things from this course and implementing them with my students.