Thursday, July 19, 2012

Blog Post#14

Final Reflection
In this last blog, I did a video about my reflection on the Summer semester 2012 in Dr. Strange's EDM 310 class. This class has really taught me a lot about technology and teaching. It has really emphasized that a teacher should be technologically literate.

At the beginning of the semester, I wasn't sure if I had made the right decision of taking EDM 310 in the Summer. I had previously taken the course in Fall 2011, but I felt like it was the wrong time to take that class. I didn't really have time and I wasn't mentally prepared for what was expected of me. Now, in the Summer 2012 semester, I'm very prepared. I learned how to manage my time wisely and really get engaged into the assignments. I really learned to like the work and often wished that I had more time to really enjoy our assignments. Most Summer courses are fast paced and I understand that.

My group really helped me and encouraged me to work hard and stay determined. Some of their positive feedback had rubbed off on me and kept me going through this class. Like I mentioned in the beginning of the course, I wasn't sure if I had made the right decision. But with a little time and effort, I realized that my decision was the best choice. I worked really well with the class being so fast paced. I felt like it forced me to stay on top of my game. I was really looking at the big picture this time around and realized that what I wanted was success and that meant that I would get there no matter how hard it seemed to be. Within a few weeks I became adjusted to how the class worked and it actually started to get easy. I really enjoyed this class and hope to use some of the tools that I learned in my future classroom. In my final reflection video, I will talk more about what I learned or didn't learn in this class.


Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Project#13 Collaboration

     My group and I had decided to use Google+ and chat. We hadn't decided on a certain date and time, so when I was asked that day, I already had very important tasks to complete in my other class. I wasn't able to be included in the video during that time because I had class that night followed by an online quiz that had to be completed before midnight. I really like EDM 310, but if your not careful one of the downfalls to this class is that you can possibly spend less time on another class. Although I wasn't able to participate in the online collaboration my group told me all about it.
     They collaborated using SMS Messaging, e-mail, and Google Docs. I was able to receive the pictures through Google Docs. This video showed me that there is another option for being in a group when one is really busy and may not have the time to meet in person. I'm glad that Dr. Strange assigned this project because it was an eyeopener. I now know that I can meet up with my group, talk to my teachers or family and friends without stepping out of the door. I have Skype, but I don't really use it that much. Now, I think that I really wanna explore Google+ and Skype and gain more experience with those programs.

Saturday, July 14, 2012

C4T Summary#4



Dorothy Burt: Embedding a 1:1 Programme is about how her Maniaiakalani school offers netbooks to students at a younger age. She takes a moment to stop and reflect on the progress halfway through the year. But there are some underlying issues. For one, it is becoming more difficult to write a blank report about their progress at the school. Her school has year 1 students who are using the netbooks, but the question about what to do with their year 2 students is still up in the air. To top that off, they even year year 9 students who are currently in their third year. Her school really needs help with finding a solution to help their students by 2013. By 2013 they will also have new teachers and students. Most of those new teachers will be in year 1 with the netbooks.
After reading her post, I though it would be nice to give her some encouragement. I don't really know that answers to these questions, but I understand the cards that she and her school has been dealt. I was amazed to see that her school allowed their students the use of netbooks at such a young age. In opinion, the younger the better. They are more acceptable to change versus an older crowd who is used to learning in the traditional manner.

The Second that I read had this video featuring Joshua Iosefo in year 13 at Mt. Roskill Grammar. In this poem he portrays Pasifika and Moari in Brown Brothers. The video was amazing and I enjoyed listening about the passion, and struggles of his people from a teen's perspective. You have to watch this video!!

Blog Post#13

A Vision of Students Today is a video that was created by Michael Wesch with the help of students at Kansas State University. This video gives a breif look into what it is like to be a student today. It covers how much time students spend completing day to day tasks, issues that they have to deal with in their schools and at home, and about the changes that they will experience not only in school but in their lifetime.



Once I watched this video, I decided that I would like to tell from my point of view what it is like to be a student at the University of South Alabama. A full time student consist of twelve credit hours.The tuition and fees is $3102 for each semester and $7250 for tuition and fees and room and board for in-state students. I can only have loans to attend college. My parents are currently paying a $500 monthly bill to pay off my loans. Most students register for admissions online. There are 14,000 currently enrolled students. Aproximately 1600 freshman will arrive in the Fall of 2012. By the Spring of 2013 the number of freshmans will decrease. By your junior year, you will only know a handful of students that you met your freshman year. The average class has twenty-three students. Some classes may have up to fifty or more students. Most professors lecture from a smartboard while a select few still use the chalkboard to teach their students. Students must maintain a C in the class if they want to pass. Almost every student has had to re-take a class or failed. South offers blended courses. Most students still prefer lectured based classes. In some classes I bring my laptop or recorder. Some professors allow me to use my phone during class. Today, professors stil have to take the class attendance. I attend the same classes twice a week. Most of the classes that I take are two hours long. The crime level has decreased since my freshman year. A guy was murdered last Summer and I lived directly upstairs from that dorm room. I try not to go out late at night by myself. I always have to let someone know where I am just incase something happens to me. Even though I stay next to the police station on campus, I still see bad things going on right next to it. I have two jobs. I usually take thirteen credit hours in the Fall and Spring. To graduate on time I have to take fifthteen classes. Most students graduate in their fifth and sixth year of college. That is only to earn a Bachelor's Degree. Through all of this I have to study and complete homework. Some of my professors expect me to spend atleast 16 hours a week completing only their work, but I'm losing focus on my other classes. At the end of the semester I will make an A,B, and C.
How will you teach me in the 21st century? is a video done by Melinda Kraft at the Full Sail University. She is completing her Master's Degree their in Media Design and Technology. This video asks teachers whether they are using the many techniques that are available to help their students learn in the 21st century in order to prepare them for the world? During her video, she listed that students should know how to use technology, have communication skills, understand the impact of media, and interact globally.
If i had to create this movie, What would I want my students to know that their resources are limitless, to be able to do without a pencil and paper in the classroom, to have experienced the many forms of tehcnology, and relect on their creativity and progress for the that year. Students' resources have no limit because the internet provides them with all of the information that they will ever need. New information is added everyday. I want them to feel comfortable without the use of a pencial or pen. I want them to feel that pencil and paper is optional instead of a must have in class. I want my students to have experienced many forms of technology to broaden their use and let them feel encouraged when learning and using different devices. Students will have to reflect on their creativity because that is what sets them apart from everyone else. They have to record their progress to about their strengths, weaknesses, and how to improve those skills.
At the Teacher's Desk blog by Mr. Miles Webb who teaches in Brazil left a wonderful blog and movie which involved two of his students. One of the students by the name of Carlton is legally blind. And it is amazing to see him and his classmate working together to show their responsibilities in the video. I also enjoyed the jokes.
After watching the video my reaction is that with a little time and patience, any kind of student as able take technology and put it to good and educational use. Seeing Carlton demonstrate on how he helps the environment shows that not only does Mr. Webb teach his students about a subject, but he teaches them about the world. Before watching the video, I never thought about recording students doing their everyday responsibilities and making it fun and creative. This is a great method if I want to motivate my students. They could watch this video and feel encouraged enough to do those same things in their own class and feel like they are doing the right thing when they complete important tasks.
Jenny She is a teacher in Auckland, New Zealand. She is a driven teacher who is loved the use of technology. she teaches year two students at the Pt. England School in Auckland. She also uses web two tools to integrate learning into her classroom programs. Her class in room six has recently received their very own iPads to learn through the use of technology. I'm very excited for her students because that they will definitely be in engaged in learning the material.

Project #15 Part Two


PLN Progress
I have been the PLN for about a year now and I must say that it is very beneficial.With the PLN, I am able to save links to my favorite websites. I can also discover new interesting sites as well by searching for them through Symbaloo. Symbaloo makes it easier for me when I'm trying to find a website for class or for my own personal reasons. Symbaloo is now my default page on my Google Chrome search engine. I will continue to use this PLN throughout my entire time here at South. I would even like to use it once I've graduated from college.

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Final Project Progress

Our final project is the iBook. I'm in group five with Lacie, Lindsay, and Brittany. I must say that I am happy with my group thus far. We have completed numerous projects prior to this one so we are very comfortable with making communication and figuring out what works best for us. So far, we have created a title to our iBook. At first, we really didn't have a clue of how to copy and paste our own picture onto the book, but thanks to our helpful lab assistants, we were able to complete the task. Our topic is What to Expect When Taking EDm 310, which is similar to the what to expect when expecting a pregnancy book. We decided that we would each have a section of our own to dedicate information about ourselves in chapter one. Then, in chapter two, we will include all of our group projects and videos. Since our information is saved to the assigned MAC in the computer lab, we will each come to the lab and fill in our information for the project. There is only one problem. Due to the past incident, I would recommend that each person in the group save their information onto a removable disk/jump drive because our safe files are not really being kept safe. On Monday, my group and I discovered that our work was deleted from the computer. Luckily, Lindsay had already save her information onto her own jump drive for back up. Another issue about making the iBook is that none of the online work can be embedded into the iBook. In order to add it, I have to save everything onto my jump drive. There is also another issue that we encountered. The MAC that we used would not accept Lindsay's jump drive so we had to move onto another computer which is for the next group. Without a jump drive I have to search for the saved information. These documents could be in any one of the MAC computers in the lab or even worse, on our laptops at home. On Thursday morning, my group and I will meet to complete the rest our final project. I hope that we will be able to complete everything that day. I know that the iBook is new to our instructor and students, but I hope that it gets better.

Blog Post#12

About Me (Revised)
     I decided to make my Blog Post assignment a revision of Blog Post#1 About Me. In this assignment, I will give some brief information about myself while incorparting my college major. This could be done by using pictures, timelines, Google Presentations, and multimedia such as YouTube. I want this assignment to be educational, fun, and creative.






My name is Shaniqua Washington and I am twenty-one years old. I'm from Moss Point Mississippi. Look! There's my house!  This is where I grew up. I lived with my mother, father, and my big brother and sister. Growing up in Moss Point was great. We traveled every Summer. This is where I began to love the outdoors. My most favorite place is the beach since we live along the Gulf Coast. Everyone goes there whether its for the July 4th Firework Show, to exercise, or just come there to relaxe and soak up the sun.
Left:Chance, Right:Tramond Jr.
      I also like to take walks around the park and watch people feed the ducks at the pond at IG Levi Park. Sometimes, I will take my two nephews out there to feed the ducks and play at the playground. I love to spend time with
them. They're really funny and energetic.
Here's another look into  my life through a Google Presentation.
                                                                                                                            
I recently took a trip to Houston, Texas. My uncle Kevin, which my mother's brother, had a wedding there. I was so excited to see my family because we all hadn't been together like this in years. So my mother, sister, and her boyfriend and I traveled eight hours to Houston. On the way there, it rained a lot and that worried my mom. Thankfully, she had help driving there. Once we arrived, to the LaQuinta Inn, most of my family was there. This really felt like a family reunion. Many of them had traveled from Oklahoma, some other parts of Texas, but mostly from Louisiana because that's where my mother's side of the family is from.
                                                
My mother is from Patterson, Louisiana and so is my brother and dad's father "Paw Paw" and his family are all from this same place. As a Social Science Education major, Louisiana is one of those places that sparks my interest because there is so much History there. I really wanted to know about my family's History and culture so I began by simply asking my mother questions about our family. One question was, "What are we?" Up until asking this question, I knew that I was African American but I honestly thought that was too broad. Due to the complexion of my skin, I know that I am not just African American. My mother told me that we are Creole and I really didn't know what that meant, but after talking to Mamo (Grandmother), this meant that we possibly have French, Spanish, African, and even some Native American in our family. I could believe that because of how my great-grandparents looked. The funny thing about being Creole is that your skin tone can range someone white with blonde haired blue eyes, all the way to someone with dark skin. In my opinion, I think that its mostly the culture which makes us Creole or Cajun people.  


 It is the celebration of Mardi Gras in which we faithfully attend every year whether we are in Louisiana or in Mobile, Alabama. I love the Zydeco music which is creole music where people dance at a fast pace. 
  
The craw-fish boils are also significant because it brings everyone together to eat, talk, dance, and have a great time together. Most of all I love their language and how they keep certain traditions alive. Whenever I'm with my Louisiana family, I always feel like I'm a home. As they say in French, "Laissez Les Bon Temps Roulez" which means "Let the good times roll!"

Monday, July 9, 2012

Blog Post#11

Skype






Ms. Cassidy
Ms. Cassidy
Ms. Cassidy's approach to the use of technology in the classroom with her first graders is very helpful for future teachers like myself. After watching her video, I was amazed to see first grade students using laptop computers, writing blogs and working on smart boards. I never thought that children this young would be capable of doing such things. My thoughts about younger children and the use of technology has shifted. It also made me happy to hear the reference to the Alabama EDM-310 students. That acknowledgement to us means that the number of technologically literate students is constantly growing.

I would like to use some of the techniques that Ms. Cassidy uses for her students in the future for my students as well. She talked about protecting her students and that is very important. I would like to use the method of asking for the parent's permission through a consent form that also protected their child's privacy and what they were allowed to see. By first getting the parent's permission, allows my students to do work online. Without their permission, I would not allow them to use the internet until I have received a signed consent form. In the process of protecting the students she only includes the student's first name without their picture. I like this technique because no one really knows who that person is except for the teacher. I want to allow my students to have the use of blogging. Giving them the opportunity to voice themselves and view comments helps them in many ways. They learn how to work independently. They can read comments to help them understand what another person wrote on their blog or ask questions.

The benefits that I intend on getting is that it will first keep my students interested and engaged into their work. My students will have the ability to build their own network with people who have the same interest as themselves. Students will become more creative with their assignments because there will not be one set way of completing them. They will learn how to teach themselves instead of depending on a lecture everyday.

Blog Post#10


      After reviewing the cartoon, I wasn't sure about the meaning. Immediately after reading the guy with glasses statement that says, "I'm a papermate I cost less, but break all the time." I thought that maybe it had something to do with technology, but I still felt like it was questionable. To do some further research, I tried to read some of the comments that were posted below the picture to see if anyone else had the same issue that I had as well. They all introduced themselves and pretty much asked the same question, but there was no response. Next, I searched the EDM 310 Blog page and there was my answer. It had finally made more sense to me that they were both metaphors for something. Papermate was used as a metaphor for a PC, and Ticonderoga was a metaphor for a MAC. The cartoons resemble the two men who star in series of Apple ads. John Hodgeman stars as the PC and Justin Long as a MAC (Apple Series)
     After taking the course of EDM 310 and after the use of my friend's MAC laptop and iPad, I would agree that these devices are very expensive, but the quality is much better than a PC. I have only owned PC's and I have to constantly update keep them more than if I had a MAC. I personally would like to purchase one of my own, but the downfall is that I cannot afford it. The great thing about this problem is that there is a solution. Best Buy offers a six month pay period for Apple products that are over $150. I think that this is the best route for me, because I'm a student and I already work at the Faculty Club on campus and at Sonic-Drive In on the weekends, therefore I have a few extra dollars to spend. Making smaller payments would be the easiest for me. I'm currently looking into purchasing a new iPod because I already have an Android ASUS Tablet and its wonderful. I'm able to use it as a Tablet or transform it into a mini laptop. I also researched the monthly cost of having an iPhone with various cellular phone companies. They were really expensive when compared to my Andriod phone from NET10 which only costs my $55 per month with unlimited access so the iPod would be the best Apple device  that's convenient for me.


     Once I read Why are kids playing games? and other blog posts by Mr. Spencer, I have to agree with him because he makes some valid points about why he chooses not to use pencils in the classroom. Children honestly don't care about paper and pencils, most would rather be engaged in some type of social network. Lets face it, most students use technology. I don't understand why would a superintendent or principal want to limit their teachers and use the memorization method to meet standardized test scores. Students are not learning or engaged in their work. They're only doing what is necessary to get by. 
     When I was in high school, my school stressed the issue of test scores to the point where we even had pep rallies for it which I thought was insane. Students would be threatened to not graduate from high school if they didn't pass and 15% of my classmates had this issue. They were constantly taking these tests over and over and still, they failed. I think this is because no one ever took the time to see what problem the students had with the test. There was a misunderstanding and they were not being heard. Students were told to try again. I was one of the luckier students who passed them the first time, but once it was over, I didn't remember any of the information. Even today while I'm currently in college, the same lessons we reviewed in high school are forgotten. I think that having an engaged student while also learning is something that every teacher, principal, or superintendent should strive for. We are trained to evolve with our environment, why not try to evolve with our students?

     Don't teach your kids this stuff. was interesting to say the least. Mr. McLeod is not being negative in this poem. In my opinion, he is honest. While he is able to teach his students and keep them updated with the latest technology, others will be left to eat his dust. This means that his students will have more experience than those without it. They will be able to compete for certain jobs and careers. Students with more technological experience like myself, with the help of Dr. Strange, will know how to make learning a great experience. I love to learn and I want to at least give my students the same opportunity.
     If students are not taught how to take their technology devices to the next level, then they are left only with the ability to complete simple day to day tasks. They will only know about Facebook and Twitter but not know how to take that social network and make it into a place where they meet other educators and get advice or new and creative ideas. They won't have a clue of what great use Skype could be. The tools are all here, but without experience and assistance the process will be more difficult a decade from now.

Monday, July 2, 2012

C4T#3

I enjoyed reading Michael Fawcett's blog called Many Varieties. Even though most of his posts were short, there was still some substance. The first blog that I read was called Tears. One of his year five students spent a day off for Arbor Day and returned for lunch time. Mr. Fawcett wasn't available to talk to him so he decided to contact his student over Twitter. As he was asking his student about his day planting, and the student told him that he'll make a doc of it. This deeply moved Mr. Fawcett because this students was nine years old. I'm gussing that he must have felt like he had finally accomplished something. Even if it was only one student, he had made a change in how to communicate with his students and receive information or documents. I'm amazed that at nine years old, he knows how to make a doc. Most people who are my age don't even know how much about it.

Twitter Message


The next blog that I read was about a new GMail app from Google. The is only available for an iPhone, but it seems to be really cool. Users are now able to share drawings, doodles, and hand drawn maps to others. The app allows the user to use brushes, sizes, and colors. Google is constantly growing. At first I was a bit skeptical of using Google as a default for everything. Now, my mind has changed. Its very beneficial to me because I have access to the world in many forms like Google Drive/Docs, Google Maps, and Google Scholar. I just hope that they keep making the use of technology interesting, convenient, and fun.

Blog Post#9

Mcclung Class
What I've Learned This Year (2008-2009/2010-2011)
I read two to blog post by Joe McClung, junior high school teacher whom has been a teacher for three years. At the end of every year, he does posts reflections on what he learned for that year. In his first year he was very inexperienced and learned a lot about himself as a person and teacher. He developed a mindset that was all about the teacher and loss touch with presenting a lesson. He realized that the lesson is supposed to be student centered. When the lesson is not student centered, the students do not understand the lesson. Joe seems to be very organized and had to learn that he should not beat himself up when his lesson plans for the day didn't go as planned. He was taking too much control of how he taught the class. He reflected on the mistakes that teachers make about their students. They tend to set very high expectations and when a student fails they scold them for failing. Instead of making the situation worse, teachers should encourage them to do better the next time. He mentioned that teacher should not be afraid of technology and learning computer skills. Teachers should be learning as well if they wanna make their students more advanced.
In his third year he became more established. It was his first time working at the same school for more than one year. He became a coach and basically more involved in school than the years before. When he began to take on these different roles he noticed an issue that decision making should be student centered and not for pleasing adults. He found himself worried about what other adults thought about him and had to learn that it is not about them at all. McClung is an optimist at everything he does. It bothered him to see that not all teachers were as enthusiastic about certain things as he was. He didn't want their negativity to bring down his joyful spirit so he became an outsider. He began to get along with the students more and enjoyed their company more than the other teachers. He learned that teachers often work for the students and they never learn skills that way so it is best to let them do the hard work because it will soon pay off. Getting comfortable was another issue that he addressed in his blog. As a solution to this problem, he developed new and more challenging tasks to prevent him from having routines. This year he also joined committees.
At the end of this post, he left the audience with the question, is this an achievable goal to not be a passive educator but movers and shakers for change in their schools? After reading this question, I thought to myself is this possible and I believe that it is  so. Throughout this blog McClung has addressed the issues and possible solutions from his own experiences. His blogs have provided me with advice on how to overcome those issues that teachers will have. I have known about some of the issues that he talks about. For the first time, I feel like they are noticed by someone. It goes to show that there are some caring teachers out there who are honest with themselves and strives to make their schools a much better place. I wanna become that type of teacher who does those same things as Joe McClung.