Classroom Blogs

This week I read Jessica Kiser’s Blog. Having to do blogs every week really opened me up to new things I had not yet experienced, let alone heard about, in the educational field. I had not yet seen how blogs were used in the classroom especially an elementary class! I think blogs can be wonderful tools for not only the students but for the parents as well. They can get a feel for what their child is learning in class, see firsthand how the teacher interacts with the students (whether or not her instructions are clear and precise ect.) and also have interactions with the teacher themselves.

We also were able to find out about how different technologies are being used in the class. We found websites such as ALEX that is used for a teacher resource that we will be able to use in our future career. We also learned about ACCESS which is internet based and used within the high schools throughout Alabama to allow students access to advanced placement classes that are not offered at their particular school.

The most impressive resource that I had not yet heard about was Podcasts. Not only is iTunes for your entertainment, but it is also for your education! iTunesU is full of wonderful free podcasts, both audio and video format. They have podcasts you can use in your classroom to aid in your subject matter. There are also podcasts on new technology that others use in the classroom and these podcasts are designed to help familiarize the teacher on how to use the new technology, or give you new ideas on how to use it.

I think these blogs were a great learning experience. The only downfall I see is for students who do not have daily access to a computer and/or internet. Students from low income families would suffer from not having this learning experience or feel left out on an educational tool and less motivated. All in all I feel like blogs are a great way to get ideas for educational activities and resources and a great way to stay connected.

Edutopia

This week I watched two podcasts from Edutopia on iTunesU. The first was “The Edible Schoolyard.” This podcast was about students who spend their first period class gardening. They grow the plants, harvest them, and cook them. The teachers use every opportunity as a chance to educate the children. They work the compost and learn the steps of how it works by hand.

The second podcast I watched was “A Night in the Global Village”. This podcast was about students who go on a overnight field trip to experience life for third world country citizens. The students get divided up into different groups all having different living conditions based upon what country they are and each group is given one supply, ( all except the refugee group). They then have to barter to be able to “survive” the night while the refugees have to try to survive by begging without using english. Throughout the event the students learn by walking in the less fortunate’s shoes.

Both of these podcasts use different ways to teach the students and really make them think about things. They open up fun ways that invoke the students curiosity and their want to learn. I think by watching these videos it opens the teachers up to different ways  of teaching the students. Different ways that might aid in grabbing kids attention that otherwise would not be interested in learning.

I’m glad that I watched these podcasts and would love to watch the rest from Edutopia to get more ideas. I think teachers should be exposed to different teaching ways that could help their future students.

EDM 310 Podcasts

The first podcast I listened to was the "Technology used in the Classroom at the University of South Alabama ss0216".

Nicholas Martin sounds very personable and interesting to listen to.  The group first described the personal response clicker in a way that people can picture even if they have never seen one before. They sounded like they were really having a conversation instead of just reading. They also addressed some key questions that students  might have concerning the clicker. The next thing they discussed was the projector. Gretta Dailey who was leading the conversation on projectors said um way to much. The third thing they discussed was the Internet use in Universities. Sarah Dockery addressed key uses for the Internet besides research. She discussed Online courses that are very useful for people who may have scheduling conflicts with work ect. They also discussed Foliotek, which as a education major, tends to be a pain for everyone. And different problems people have with it.

The second podcast I listened to was "Pick of the Day: Source Materials for High School Teachers on the World Wide Web Sp09JA0207" by Anne Gardner and Kimberly Hinojosa. They discussed all the useful tools available on the websites they discussed. They did not overly use the word "um" which is key in keeping peoples attention. The one thing I may suggest would be to sound more like they are discussing the sites rather than each doing their own part.

The third podcast I listened to was "Interview with Ms. Rand" by Jonas Cockson, Ms. Angela M. Rand, Anthony Capps, and Hannah Rogers. I really enjoyed the fresh sound of an interview rather than a discussion. It shows a different perspective in how things are helpful for students to use. Rather than just the students saying how much they use things such as networking sites, but also how members of the USA staff also feel they are very useful tools that aid in the students in learning. Keeping up with the technology the students education is kept interesting. The students didn't get as much talk time as Mrs. Rand, but that usually the case in an interview setting.

 

I would have listened to my own podcast as well, but it was not available. I do know after listening to others that mine might have sounded like reading and should have sounded more like a discussion.

Mathematics with Technology

This week i listened to the two "Mathematics with Technology" podcasts found under Maine Department of Education in iTunes U. The first one I listened to was episode one. At first the Speaker talks about the reasons teachers give for not wanting to use technology in their mathematics class room. Technology is one of the six critical principles for high quality learning. Tools provide alternative ways for the students to learn mathematics, and get immediate feedback. It engages them in a multi-sensory mathematic learning environment. She then gives a few resources to aid in using technology in the math classroom.

In the second podcast, episode two, thinking mathematically is what is missing in the mathematic learning environment. tools that give hand on experience and alternative ways help to encourage mathematical thinking but teachers still need to ask questions in the classroom to help guide and extend their learning. Teachers are told to challenge the students to learn by engaging them. Asking questions is a must in the classroom.

These podcasts can help teachers find resources and also be encouraged to use tools they find unnecessary but are extremely important to aid in the education of our students. These podcasts could be a little less monotone to make them easier to keep the listeners attention.

"Growth" vs. "Fixed" Mindset

During this week I watched the video podcast "Growth" vs. "Fixed" Minds by Stanford on iTunes U at Stanford University. This video discussed how many students believe their intelligence is a fixed amount. Other students believe that it can be developed and grow through learning and passion. Then there was a workshop developed to see the difference between teaching half the group study skills and the other half received both the study skills and the growth mindset lesson.

This workshop resulted in the students whom only received the study skills continued to decline. The students who received both the skills and the mindset lesson saw a significant rise in their grades. The growth mindset is very important because with out it, one cannot keep up with the world and how its changing. 

Another big reason one needs to have the growth mindset because without it one cannot possibly be a good mentor. I think it is important as educators to not only have this mindset, but also teach it to our students. This will aid in giving them a better education and a head start in life. Students need to be encouraged and know that if they work hard they will succeed. 

Video Podcasts

This week I watched video podcasts. First I watched two in the K-5 level. One was a science clip titled "Why doesn't the moon fall down?" and the next was also a science one titled "A Night in the Coral Reef". Both were very educational and were at the correct education level. I find these very helpful when teaching a subject. It used to be the teacher would find a video fast forward to the clip they wanted to show and then bring it to class. Now with much less hassle all one has to do is download the podcast.

The second two I watched were in the grades 9-12 category. They were also scientific and very informative and interesting.  Both "Galileo on the Moon" and "Frozen Frogs" caught my eye and I'm sure would do the same to a student in this age group. These podcasts are extremely useful and put things at the teachers fingertips allowing for more time for planning etc. I believe that podcasts will soon flourish in the educational community.

Educational Podcasts

The first podcast I listened to was the SmartBoard Lessons Podcast. In this podcast it has a man and a woman discussing a lesson used on the SmartBoard. By discussing the lesson they examine different utilities used by making this lesson. Another thing is they have listeners send in questions and comments to them. They answer the questions sent in and also discuss the different ways of doing things submitted by listeners.

The second podcast I listened to was Kidcast. This podcast helps teachers find new ideas to aid in using podcasts as a tool to learn. The teacher can use these ideas in the classroom as the students make their own podcasts about what they have learned. The podcast I listened to was about questions. Asking questions opens so many things up whether given by the teacher or by the student. Knowledge is found through asking questions so what better way to learn.

The third podcast I listened to was EdTechTalk. This one is great because it does not have a main topic, but rather a collective of multiple topics that pertain to the fields of education and technology. This podcast is enjoyable because it is a group of 4 people just having a conversation that happens to be all about education and technology tools in education. The Fourth podcast I listened to was MacBreak Weekly. This podcast was not as enjoyable as the others. It was slightly boring but did have a lot of information all about mac's and how to use them

The fifth podcast I found was This week in photography. It was actually a video podcast. They discuss the newest things in photography such as different lenses their new features and what they do as well as what they are used for. This podcast was very informational as well as entertaining by being a video. Lastly I listened to Spanishpod that can be accessed through itunes and Spanishpod.com It is a very effective and fun learning experience. They have different levels to meet anyones needs whether you're a newbie to Spanish or advanced and they even have video lessons. This was my favorite of all the podcasts. It kept my attention and taught in a fun non-boring way. I also found Chinesepod so I imagine if there is any language one would like to learn it is either out there or on its way!