Mr. Needleman's "Video in the Classroom" Presentation

I've never thought of using video editing to help encourage students to read and write before, but now it seems like a brilliant idea. I completely agree with him comment on how the students who do not enjoy reading and writing need to be reached the most. Allowing students to utilize technology in order to gain an appreciation for reading and writing is definitely the way to go.

Podcasts

Sometimes it feels like technology is passing me by. I will have heard of pretty much every technological advancement, but sometimes it feels like it takes me a while to figure out how beneficial most of these things can actually be. After I finally jumped on the iPod bandwagon, I immediately figured out why iTunes was so useful. I especially liked it since I don't really like the idea of illegal downloading and iTunes was a source of downloading music legally and safely. However, I never quite understood the benefits of Podcasts until now.

There is so much information hidden within iTunes it astounds me. Podcasts not only provide information on technology and adancements in education, but they also provide information from the entertainment industry. Anyone and everyone would be able to find a Podcast that they would enjoy listening to or watching and more importantly it's free. I've come to realize that iTunes is not only a useful way to listen to music and put it on an iPod, but also to find information. Podcasts can be used as a good source for research in classes.

A cool thing about Podcasts is that they are easy to listen to. The people who make them love what they are talking about. It's photographers talking about photography and teacher talking about teachers. There aren't any lecturers. Only people talking about the things that they love. By having people talk about what they enjoy it makes listening to Podcasts enjoyable. Even if I happen to be listening to something I normally wouldn't, I still get something out of the Podcast because the person making it makes it interesting.

I think one of the main reasons I enjoyed the Podcasts is because it is so much like the radio. There is a snazzy introduction with fun music that really catches my attention. Then it just feels like I'm listening in on an interesting conversation like a morning radio show. I have always enjoyed listening to the radio as far as listening to music goes so it was an easy transition to listen to Podcasts.

Davis Connects Her Students to the World

Learning does not only come from books. It can come from experience and one's own hard work. Vicki Davis has done a wonderful job of harnessing this concept and applying it to the classroom. She teaches her students to access every available resource they can use and also allows room for them to teach her as well. Something else that is remarkable about her teaching techniques is that adjusts each year to her students and how they learn and uses their individuals interests. She does not expect everyone to all be the same every year and she adjusts to that.

What I really enjoyed about this video is that she uses technologies that allow her students to connect to the world while sitting in their own classroom. This is something I would love to experience in my own school education so I really enjoy seeing it be effective for other students. It allows them to learn form a whole new group of people they would not normally be exposed to. This exposure allows the students to get outside of the bubble of their home and learn more about new cultures which is an experience that cannot be taught merely through a book and lecture.

"Educated Out of Creativity"

Not everyone is cut out for the business world. Some are meant to entertain through forms of dance, music, and drama. A person does not have to be a CEO of a major company in order to be a multimillionaire. Just look at people Brad Pitt, Taylor, and Wade Robson. All of three of these people are known and make millions for their art form and millions more people appreciate them for it. So why is it that so many people can succeed in the artistic industry, yet society still crushes the desires of so many saying that they do not stand a chance at making a living without having the kind of intellect that can receive college degrees?

Sir Ken Robinson pointed out in this video that it takes more than just literacy to stimulate a child's mind. However, many educators and parents do not know how to nurture children that use the creative side of their brains as outlet. Instead they are told that there is something wrong with them for not having book smarts. A child who could have been the next top musician is torn down just to fit the mold that society had created about what it takes to be successful. Creativity can be used by many, but instead people are discouraged and are being "educated out of creativity."

Now that I Know Mr. Winkle

The rapid change in society and technology as shown in Did you Know 3.0 is amazing. To that people are preparing for jobs that do not even exist yet is amazing. It makes me wonder how as an educator I am supposed to prepare students for a future with such uncertainty. The good side of it is though that these changes are for the better. Youth are the main users of technology and technology is the driving force behind the creation of these new jobs. These two situations go hand in hand to allow technology to continue at its rapid pace.

Not only has technology changed quickly, but it has also caught on quickly as well. To think that it took 38 years for 50 million people to listen to the radio, but only 2 years for the same number of people to create a facebook account is astounding. To me it seems like people today have more means to stay up to date technologically, and more of an interest in doing so.

Mr. Winkle Wakes shows how technology today really has made the world unrecognizable compared to how it was a mere century ago. From increase of businesses to medical performances technology has allowed man to make some pretty large advances. However, the same cannot be said of the education system which seems to be grounded in its ways. Since youth today are the main users of new technologies it only makes since that schools would take advantage of this in order to encourage their students in order to make the learning experience better, but this is not being done.

This video was created to open up the eyes of teachers to how their methods of teaching might not be the best for their students. Instead, they might want to consider rearranging the leaning experience so that students can relate better. Lecturing can be monotonous even for the best of students, and most of them enjoy hands on interactions better. Overall the main focus is that schools are not keeping up technologically compared to the rest of the world, and that is detrimental to students.

Into the Life of Emily Carlson

First off, I am a Secondary English Education major here at South. I chose this because my ultimate goal is to get my masters in Teaching English as a Second Language, and this seemed like the most direct path to do so. For all my life I always wanted to go away to college, but my senior year in high school I went through some tough things and decided it was not a good time for me to leave home. I am really glad I made this decision because I absolutely love South Alabama.

Last semester by a fluke I decided to write my own name in for SGA senator and got three of my friends to do the same. Someone had told me that I would need 25 votes to win as a write in so I thought there was no way I would win. Apparently if there is an empty seat in a college, they take any write in they can get and I am now an SGA senator. So, if anyone wants any help getting something done around South just let me know and Iwill be glad to help.

Good Afternoon

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