Miller's presentation isn't made up of regular power point slides or a video of him lecturing, he has created this video as a kind of simulation of his computer screen that follows along with his narration. It is obvious that he is quite technology savvy and has done a very good job using his talent in this film. He shows the audience how he himself researched for a major speech that he gave at Virginia Tech by never having to step foot into a library.
The point Mr. Miller makes is that it is very possible to replace paper and pencils with keyboards and computers. He sends the message that it is simple, and I agree with him. I think it would be very easy to exchange written documents with creating a video. However, the issue will not be about the technology itself but the student's well being. The worry of this idea is focused on how the student will grow up and contribute to society after having a schooling system that requires so much time on a computer rather than practicing personal relations to fine tune his salesmanship.
When I read Carly Pugh's Blog Post #12 I was impressed for many different reasons. First off, I loved her graphics and the way she has her blog set up, especially the picture she has of the guy eating breakfast to the side of her post. I wondered how she placed it on the side and marveled for a quick minute. Then after I started reading along I found it enjoyable. Her writing style is so easy to follow along, you forget that you're doing homework because you're laughing at the dry sarcasm hidden within her words.
On a teaching note, I couldn't agree more with her about having a philosophy to teach by. I believe that every teacher should create their own to keep themselves checked every day they begin to teach. Having a philosophy is such a good idea because not only does it keep you focused on who you are at the core and what you truly desire to accomplish, but it can help you get through those daily struggles that come with teaching and just life in general. If you have a basic standard that you hold yourself to then you can lean on it when you need a motivational crutch or you can squeeze it tight when you are struggling with what the right thing to do is.
The video EDM for Dummies is absolutely hilarious! The beginning of the video explains how a lot of students feel during this course. If this was a real book I definitely would buy it and make sure every one I knew taking EDM 310 also had it. This video was a really creative way to express the frustration that tends to come along with the workload of this class. Although, this class does require a lot of your time it helps you ten times more than you could have ever imagined. It truly does prepare students to be a technology enhanced teacher.
I would love to create a video about using smart-boards in the classrooms. In three of my upper level education classes we use smart-boards daily throughout the course, but we also are assigned to teach different lessons either to the class or in front of the class which is a helpful step on the journey to our own classrooms. But the cool thing that I have learned from my classes that use them and EDM 310 is how they are actually used in the classroom across all grade levels. I had never been around smart-boards until my senior year of high school when our math department installed them as a test drive to see if they were worth the money to give each teacher in the school their own. Turns out they were well worth the money! My point is though, that elementary school teachers use smart-boards too and I would love to create a video or presentation showing the awesome tools of smart-boards and how far they stretch across the education system.
Learn to Change, Change to Learn was an eye opening video. It suggests the notion that school be focused more in a setting that the students are already embracing which would be computers, phones, and social media. The speakers throughout the film each say how they feel concerning the school systems now and what changes they think should be made. My first reaction is to shut it out, because as pro-technology as I have been I'm starting to worry more about our student's being too absorbed in technology and won't be as well-rounded as students who go through the normal education process now. However this video was very thought provoking and made me do some thinking.
The first thing that caught my ear was the man who said that we have used the "industrial narrative" and that "schools are like factories". This is a valid point. Schools have become giant factory machines where teachers pull down a lever, out pops the graduate, and down the conveyor belt it goes. But it doesn't have to be that way. There can be a balance between the old fashioned classroom and the high tech virtual school. They can coexist, and in my opinion if they both joined together they would create a great learning environment for students and a great outlook for the future of the students.
For the scavenger hunt I found the site Edmodo for number one. Edmodo is a social networking website for teachers, parents, and students. This could be beneficial for teachers because they can post assignments, notes, connect with other teachers, connect with parents, and also connect with students when they have questions or need extra help. Parents could gain a lot from a site like this as well because they can keep up with their child's progress and also have fast, quick contact with the teacher. Students would not only enjoy something like this but they could learn at their own pace with unlimited resources at the click of a mouse.
Animoto is a site where you can create your own unique video presentations to use in the classroom or where ever you would like really. I had never heard of this website until this assignment and was impressed with all the different resources that you can use on Animoto. You can make a presentation out of your own personal photos, videos, and you can even add music to help grab the attention of the audience or your students. The coolest thing about Animoto is the high tech graphics that come with your finished product, and that come without the confusing technology mumbo jumbo.
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