Blog Post #8

1. Richard Miller: This Is How We Dream

In part one of Richard Miller's video, This Is How We Dream, he talks about how writing in the academy has changed and how writing in culture has changed. We have the capability to communicate globally instantly. He states that this is the greatest change in communication in human history. Richard Miller talks about growing up in a time where writing was a solitary activity that took place amongst the companion of books. Books are print based documents that are solo-authored and usually found in libraries. Now, books are virtual. He talks about change that has happened over time. Where and how we work used to consist of pencil and paper. Now, we carry our laptops everywhere and work in word processing. Now, not only do we have the library to use, but we also have everything we need to know on the web to do our research.

Richard Miller also talks about how he was asked to write an article in response to the one year anniversary of the killings at Virginia Tech., and how he wrote the entire article without ever stepping foot into a library. He connected his own thoughts and reflections about the certainty that campus violence remains with us to the cultural and social commitments to violence that was recorded in government documents and in the voting patterns of presidential candidates that year. This article is in print and can also be found on the web. It is freely available and can not be removed. This gives us the possibilities to share knowledge infinitely. Another change is the ability we have to compose with film, images, and audio from the web. We now have the ability to create visual documents.

In part two of Richard Miller's video, he states that in a digital environment, we are confronted with new material. It changes before our own eyes and is updated instantly. It can be composed with education productions and even iTunesU. Not only can we look at and use this material, but we can go inside and see how it is put together. We can create and produce alternative versions and stories and distribute that information globally and freely. There are no limitations or restrictions with this material. He states that people are starting to realize that ideas do not belong to us individually, but as a culture. We as educators or future educators, must be in the business of sharing ideas freely.

Richard Miller states that he foresees a time when students will compose not with word processors, but will compose digitally. This idea is already in motion because there are people now composing with the web itself instead of using images. This is a way to push ideas into our culture. This is visual literacy and he and his team are working on a way to make this digital network available in our educational system.

After watching both videos, my reaction was wow!! The idea that my students will be possibly using this kind of multimedia in their everyday learning completely amazes me. Richard Miller definitely states a true fact when he says that we live in a moment in which this is the greatest change in communication in all of human history. The way we communicate with one another and communicate globally should show that we live in a world of endless possibilities. Communication is extremely important in our culture, so of course we are going to try to find new ways to improve it.

This idea of visual literacy and students composing digitally with this new multimedia seems amazing, but it does raise a few concerns for me. If students are able to manipulate the web in such a way, then are they actually learning anything? The use of pencil and paper has already been reduced drastically in schools today. If we eliminate paper and pencil completely, how do we know if the information being taught to the students will actually stick? For many students, information is more easily remembered when written down.

I think that we are becoming too dependent on technology. This multimedia is a prime example. I don't understand why we need this in our education system and why students need to compose this way. I don't understand how my students will actually retain any of the information being taught if they are constantly in front of a computer. I'm trying to have an open mind with the use of all this technology in my future classrooms, but I'm having a difficult time doing that. I just feel like what's the point in becoming a teacher if technology is doing almost all of the teaching for me!

2. Carly Pugh's Blog Post #12 Assignment

In Carly Pugh's Blog Post #12, her assignment is to create an assignment that she feels is a good enough idea that Dr. Strange himself should have assigned it. She stated that as future educators, we should all be thinking about our philosophies as teachers. In the assignment that she created, her instructions were to create a YouTube playlist with at least ten videos that:
1. Describe the kind of teacher you would like to be.
2. Show ways you can motivate your students.
3. Offer tips on classroom management.
4. Offer tutorials on programs you have learned about in this class that you would like to use (podcast, iPods, PLN's, ect.).
5. Are on topics related to your field of study.
6. Describe what a good teacher is and what a bad teacher is.
7. Ways to improve modern education as we know it.
8. Have been used in other blog posts from this semester.
9. Center around creativity.
10. Advocate challenging, motivating, encouraging, and supporting students (but still maintain professionalism).
Include at least five of these topics. Explain how these videos describe your teaching philosophy and relate to things you have learned in this class. What could you do with them in your teaching environment?

Carly then created her own playlist and followed the instructions she had given for her own assignment. She stated that good teachers teach by example. She described what each video meant to her teaching philosophy and how she could use them in her teaching environment. She stated that modern technology can assist in the education and growth of our youth, and that more is available out there other than videos. We need to use these available resources to keep the attention of our digital learners.

I thought that the assignment that Carly created was brilliant. It was extremely creative and you could definitely tell that she put a lot of thought and effort into it. Carly's post seemed like it was right on track to Dr. Miller's description of his hopes for writing with multimedia. She composed an assignment that was written in a blog post that contained several different digital videos. Each video assisted in the explanation of her teaching philosophies in a fun and interesting way that text would not. The videos were funny and kept the attention of her audience or digital learners. Carly's post is the perfect example of what it means to write with multimedia. She did an excellent job.

I read the comments on Carly's blog post in search of an explanation of why this was an assignment. I came to the conclusion that this was an assignment to help us see all the benefits EDM310 offers us on our journey to become educators. When we leave EDM310, we will have a better understanding of the different types of technology used in education and how to use each one to assist us so that we are the best teachers we can possibly be.

3. EDM310 is Different

The Chipper Series is a student produced video that demonstrates how hard life can be when you do not do what you are supposed to do. Chipper is a student in college and thought that she could turn in her work late, procrastinate, and just be taught so that she didn't have to learn, and would still pass college. With this thinking, college became very hard for her and she dropped out of school. She started her own college and was quickly shut down because she was letting her students choose when and how long they had to go to school. Chipper bounced around from job to job getting fired from each one. She had a change of heart and decided that she would go back to school. But this time, she would do her work right and on time.

The primary message in this video is that you will not be successful if you don't do what you are supposed to do and do your assignments on time. It is your responsibility to do your work in enough time that it will not be submitted late. You are in school to better yourself and be successful in the career that you have chosen. So do the right thing now!

In EDM310 for Dummies, another student produced video, two students are driven crazy due to EDM310. They do not understand twitter, skype, delicious, and google docs or how they are to be used. They purchase a book that saves their lives. EDM310 for Dummies has all the tutorials needed to explain everything in EDM310 and how it works. The students are now stress free and have a better understanding of their class.

The primary message in this video is that if you don't understand how to do something in your assignments, don't get stressed out. Just go buy the book and it will explain everything you need to know.

Since EDM310 has so many assignments that need to be completed every week, I would like to create a video demonstrating how to manage your time and assignments wisely. By completing at least one of your assignments due for the week every night, you won't have all your work piled up on you. Therefore, you will not have to rush to complete it all on time.

4. Learn to Change, Change to Learn

The video, Learn to Change, Change to Learn, was about the change that needs to take place in our education system. Teachers from all around made their own personal thoughts and opinions about today's education system. It was stated in the beginning that the U.S. Department of Commerce ranked fifty-five industry sectors on their level of intensiveness. Education was ranked number fifty-five. Someone said that children have a much more stimulating environment outside of school than they are inside school. Everyday they are texting, emailing, updating Facebook statuses, and making connections with other people all around the world. This isn't allowed in schools. Their main source of communication is being taken away. Educators need to realize the importance of technology and its use in the classrooms. Technology builds bridges that connects students to what is going on all around the world. It gives students the opportunity to expand their knowledge and better prepares them for not only college, but for life as well.

Right now a student's knowledge is based solely on standardized and state testing. Every student must be on the same standardized level. This is what teachers are told to teach. With this way of learning, genius and creativity goes right out the door. By having standardized and state testing, the only thing we are accomplishing is a student's memorization skills.

Many teachers aren't comfortable with technology because they do not know how to use it and apply it themselves. If teachers were given the tools needed to communicate with other teachers globally to exchange ideas and ask questions, they might view technology differently. With technology, 21st century learning is going to be based on what you can do with information. Do you know how to find information and do you know how to validate it? Do you know how to synthasize information, leverage information, and communicate it? Do you know how to collaborate information and problem solve with it? This is the 21st century of literacies that will soon be taught in all education systems around the world.

After watching this video, I am realizing that the more I learn about how technology can be used in education, the more I am realizing that there are actually a lot of positives about it. I completely agreed with a lot of what the teachers in the video were saying. I think that standardized testing needs to be changed or done away with completely. Why do we want every student to be on the exact same level? I understand the idea behind "No Child Left Behind." But a huge downfall of that idea is that we no longer have genius students who could possibly be the next Einstein. We no longer have creative or artistic students. Their talents and true capabilities are suppressed because their knowledge is on a standard level. This is where technology comes in and the importance of its use in education becomes acknowledged. There are so many different types of technology and so many different ways that it can be used, that it tests a students level of thinking in every way possible. Technology can reach into your mind and expose hidden talents and creativeness and show everyone what you are truly capable of.

The students of today are going to be our future leaders in this world. They are our future doctors, lawyers, educators, and politicians. Don't you think it's important for them to have the knowledge, understanding, and capabilities of technology so that they will be able to communicate globally in the future? This is why it is so important that students learn how to use technology and exchange information now. We live in a fast-paced world and technology changes everyday. Therefore, we need to teach students how to use technology properly and in a professional manner to better prepare them for the future.

5. Scavenger Hunt 2.0

Discovery Education's WEB 20.11 website had several different educational tools that can be used by teachers and students. I found three of them.

1. Create a comic using makebeliefscomix.com. This is my comic.

2. I found a video tool using Animoto. This video tool can be used by teachers, students, and classroom audiences. It is specifically designed to help bring your lessons to life. One of its many special features is that it automatically organizes a custom video for you. It does this by automatically analyzing your music, photos, and video clips. This leaves you plenty of free time to focus on the content and narratives of your video. I love this feature because organizing music, photos, and video clips in a video can be extremely time consuming. Therefore, you lose focus on the content and why it's important. With the use of this tool, that problem is solved.

3. By using the presentation tool Prezi, you can create presentations and slideshows. This program offers you a 30 day free trail. When your free trial ends, you must purchase this program if you wish to continue using it. Prezi offers a special price for students and teachers. It is $0 per year if you purchase Prezi EDU Enjoy. If you decided to purchase Prezi EDU PRO, it is $4.92 a month. That is significantly cheaper than the normal price of $13.25 a month. By being a student or teacher, you get a much better price.