Final Post

The following is a video of my final thoughts of EDM310. I am going to miss this class and the journey it has taken me on. I will have to continue the journey on my own to be a lifelong learner.

Final PLN

As I finalized my PLN, I was delighted to truly see how beneficial it is to combine all your most used websites and resources into one place. At the beginning of this project, I was a bit stumped as to where to start. However, now that I have completed it, it was rewarding to me to dig deep to find good resources that I will utilize in my classroom. This started as my least favorite project and became one of my favorites.

Project 16

C4T#4

For my Comments for Teacher #4, I was assigned Will Richardson.



His post:
On My Mind 17 Nov 2010 12:36 am

Talkin’ ‘Bout a Revolution? Well…Maybe

Just a quick observation in the midst of my blogging hiatus…

I think it’s official. We’ve got the rhetoric for change down. We’re telling the new story…self-directed, multi-skilled kids with devices accessing content and teachers from around the world using a new literacy, all being assessed through a potent mix of traditional and not so traditional tests. All digital, all the time. New learners for new times. New schools and classrooms and teachers for new times. It’s all in there. It’s Prego!

That’s at least the impression you get when you read this latest from THE Journal and host of other articles and blog posts and Tech Plans. For example:

The students will lead this revolution if we keep them engaged and give them hope that they can make use of these technologies that they love in their private lives and make use of them for learning. Teachers will come along with that because teachers’ role will change. In my 2020 vision, we’ll have teachers as facilitators and mentors, and the students will be directing, leading, and collaborating, even as early as elementary school. The relationship between students and teachers will be, on a whole, much different and more valuable.

Ah, to dream.

But here is the thing…read between the lines in most of these descriptions and you get the sense that we see it, we want it, but we ain’t gonna get it very soon. Budgets are being cut. The people in charge don’t really see this vision. We haven’t figured out that assessment thing very well. And so on.

Read all together, you get the sense the revolution is coming, just not anytime soon. And even worse, it’s doubtful that when it does come, that schools in general are going to lead it. I know we have pockets of real change, but while the words seem to be scaling (somewhat, at least), the deeds have yet to follow suit.

Sigh.

My Comment:
Hi Will,
My name is Brittany Schneider and I am a student in Dr. Strange’s EDM310 class at the University of South Alabama in Mobile, Al. I enjoyed reading your blog post. While in this class, I have been able to learn about new technology available to teachers and more importantly, how to properly use it. As a future teacher, I am looking forward to being able to implement these practices in my classroom. But you are correct in your comments. While most people are excited about the future of teaching, the reality is with the economy in the shape it is in and with budget cuts nationwide, it will be hard to implement. I honestly even have the fear that the career I am looking so forward to having will be impossible to enter, due to cuts. There are so many advantages to having technology in the classroom and unfortunately, it seems that the schools are suffering the most. I am keeping hope that there will be a change and the revolution will be sooner rather than later. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us, Brittany

His post:
On My Mind 03 Nov 2010 07:42 am

Ideas Wanted: “Basketball Math”

I’m hoping I can get some ideas from math teacher types (and others) around an idea I’ve been kicking around for my son Tucker, who, as you might guess by the title of this post, loves basketball. (He loves math, too.) Not that he needs it or has asked for it, but I keep wondering what a “Basketball Math” curriculum might look like for Tucker, one that would combine his serious interest in the sport with his growing interest in math, and one that would also give him opportunities to connect with other basketball and math lovers outside of the classroom. A few basic things seem obvious, even to my English teacher brain, in terms of learning percentages, ordering numbers, reading some blogs on using statistics in basketball, etc. But I’m thinking there’s a lot of other stuff about geometry, physics and more that he might find hidden in the game as well.

So if you have a second, I’m hoping you might post your ideas here. Assuming we could (and would want to) build a K-? math curriculum around the game of basketball that, if possible, takes advantage of these social learning spaces online, what might that look like?

My response:
Hi Will,
I think this is a great conceptual idea. So many educators seem to get wrapped up in the idea of curriculum being rigid and only about the subject at hand. So many other lessons can be taught by allowing children to do what they enjoy. This provides inspiration for future teachers to dig deeper than the surface lesson to allow students to have fun while learning the stated curriculum.
Thank you,
Brittany Schneider

C4K#8, C4K#9, C4K#10, Special Yasime C4K

For my C4K #8, I was assigned Kenya's blog in Noel Elementary Class of 2011. her post was as follows:

Yes, I will try to get to know a person by the way they are in the inside instead of judging them on how they dress or, on how they look in the outside.
Yes, I have made a judgment about someone before meeting them and, once I knew how that person was I Totally changed my mind about them.
In my opinion I think that we judge each other because people are just jealous by the way you look and, dress.
My comment:
Hi Kenya,
My name is Brittany Schneider and I am in Dr. Strange's EDM310 class at the University of South Alabama in Mobile, Alabama. I enjoyed reading your post and your decision to make a difference in judging people. You're right- it is very easy to judge others without knowing anything about them. And like you said, most times your first impression of someone is wrong. It is important to be open minded about other people. When you first see them or meet them, you don't know where they come from or their personal history. For instance, if someone is wearing ragged shoes, you may not know that they come from a single-parent household with multiple siblings. Or if someone seems very rude, they may be try to overcompensate for the fact that they were picked on by other kids and using their rudeness as a defense mechanism. There are multiple reasons a person may seem a certain way, but in reality, that's not the way they really are. As you are learning, life can be tough and not everyone is instantly nice or open minded. You can be the one to make the difference. It's important to take the time to get to know someone before you decide if you like them or not. You don't have to be friends with everyone, but make sure the reasons you may dislike them are valid ones. I am proud of your resolution. Keep up the good work, Brittany

C4K#9 

SchoolTube – Weather Skit

SchoolTube – Weather Skit.
Student performed and produced Skit.,

Posted in Uncategorized

Hi,
My name is Brittany Schneider and I am a student in Dr. Strange’s EDM310 class at the University of South Alabama in Mobile, Al. I really enjoyed watching the weather skit. It was amazing! It looks like y’all do a lot of fun stuff in your class. Its great that y’all are using technology in your classroom. I bet y’all know more than I do! Keep up the good work, Brittany

C4K #10:
My adventure has begun. I am in Portland, Oregon. Portland, Oregon is 3,000 miles from where I came from. I saw the Columbia River were it marks Washington and Oregon. I saw Mt. Hood it looked really big.

flatrohin1

My response:
Hi. My name is Brittany and I am a student in Dr. Strange’s EDM310 class at the University of South Alabama in Mobile, Alabama. What a great project! It is wonderful that you are able to travel the world all from your classroom. Portland, Oregon looks beautiful. I have not visited there yet, but I hope to one day. Maybe I should take a virtual trip there. What other places have you been able to visit? Keep up the good work! Thank you for sharing, Brittany

C4K#11
Current Events

November 18, 2010 ~ 0 Comments

Current events are fun to put together, but I got really scared when I went up in front of the whole class to present. I like how Helena put an opinion in the end of hers. I did my current event about the Iberian lynx. I like current events because you learn about news that you normally wouldn’t hear.

My response:
Hi Katie,
My name is Brittany Schneider and I am a student in Dr. Strange’s EDM310 class at the University of South Alabama in Mobile, Alabama. I enjoyed reading your blog post. I also enjoy doing current event projects. I will be a social studies teacher soon and I am already looking for fun projects for my future students. When you research current events, it gives you a passport to another land of knowledge that you would not usually look into. The more you can learn, the better. Besides, learning is fun.
Keep up the good work,
Brittany

Special Yasime C4K Assignment:
The best recess in history!

November 17, 2010 ~ 5 Comments

Me and my friends Ciara, Anay, Genesis, Alessandra, Katerina and Subika were at recess. I run a gymnastics class at recess so I split everyone into 2 groups. Some worked on flexibility and agility by jumping on the seperate bars of the monkey bars. One group practiced and tried to do all kinds of the stunts we practiced before like back – hand springs and front flips. The girls were advancing very quickly. I tryed something I thought would work out and hung upside down on the monkey bars. I told Ciara to do so and she got help to hang beside me high on the bars. We hung upside down with one leg and chained our arms togther like pro trapeze artists. Everyone was clapping loudly and squealing ” Look, Look!” I wish everybody could see us. It felt like flying. This was the best recess in history.

My response:
Hi Yasmine,
My name is Brittany Schneider and I am a student in Dr. Strange’s EDM310 class at the University of South Alabama in Mobile, Alabama. Your blog looks great! I loved reading your post about your recess. That sounds like so much fun! You must be really good at gymnastics to have a class. I have always wanted to learn the trapeze. Thank you for sharing with us. Keep up the good work!
Brittany

Blog Post 13

For this blog post, we were to review websites such as ALEX and ACCESS.

As for ALEX, I have been on that website before to search for sample lesson plans for other classes I have taken. I was able to dig a little deeper for this blog post and I have to say, I was impressed with all that I found. There are several resources available to teachers. I was most impressed by the lesson plans available. This is a great resource to help when you're not feeling very creative.

Additionally, ALEX helps you connect with other educators. This appears to be a consolidated place to share ideas with other Alabama educators, as opposed to places like Twitter. There are also educational links made available for you. You are able to search lesson plans or search by courses of study. What a great resource!

As for ACCESS, I had not previously viewed this site. I was delighted to find that this resource was available for students. It seems that they have an opportunity for more education via the internet. Specifically, I saw there was help for the Alabama Graduation Exam and test prep. This seems to be almost an equivalent resource for students that ALEX is for teachers.

Additional Assignment #5

After reading almost all of Tom Johnson's blog, I am much more enlightened. I like the type of teacher he is. He engages his students without scaring the them, bribing them, or blaming them. He also thinks outside of the box, which I feel is very much lacking. I am inspired by him as a future teacher. I enjoy his use of sarcasm and metaphors in his blog posts. His is a blog i will definitely continue to follow in the future.

Project #15 Part 2- EDM310... Experience The Video

Project 15 Part 1- EDM310...The Experience Trailer

Blog Post #12

This blog post is one that we create ourselves. I have decided to ask the question "Of all that you have learned, what are you most excited about using in your future classroom?" We have spent a lot of time reading and listening to other people's opinions of what should and should not be used in a classroom. Also, we have learned a lot. While this is not a reflection post of all that we have learned, I would like to know what skills everyone is excited to utilize.
I will definitely stay in tune with all the advancements in technology and how they relate to my instruction. I'm sure I will use all the skills I have learned in EDM310. As for myself, I will definitely have a class blog for my students. I will have a class blog for my students to keep up to date on things within the class. And I will also have a second blog that my students are more of a part of. I will be teaching social studies and I feel that is a great way to connect my students with other students around the world. I would love for them to be able to talk with other students and learn of other cultures first hand. Other skills I've learned will be incorporated into my blog, such as podcasts. But being able to connect my students with others is my top priority.

Progress Report on Final Project

Honestly, I have my group for the final project. It is the same group I am working with for Project 15 and we have been so busy with it, we have not decided what we are doing for the final project.

Project 14- Teach Someone

Analysis of Project #6

I chose to do Project #6 about fellow student's experience in high school. While some questions I asked got a different answer every time,I did notice that most of the people in my survey group graduated high school in the 2000s, so many of the questions were answered similarly. I was hoping to capture a variety of ages, because so many college students are not of traditional ages anymore. Next time I did this project, I would try a different topic.

Blog Post #11

I am very encouraged after watching the videos with Mrs. Cassidy. Her use of technology in the classroom, especially at such a young age, is inspiring. These children are learning to use valuable tools in the 1st grade, which is beneficial on multiple levels. For starters, by them staying current on technology, they are able to adapt to and learn new technology as it appears. Secondly, they are learning skills that they will utilize for the rest of their lives. Thirdly, they are able to collaborate with other children around the world.

I definitely plan to implement the use of blogs in my classroom. I would like my students to be able to collaborate with other students on project, such as learning about customs in other countries. I will be a social studies teacher and feel that technology will be very beneficial to my lessons. If I can teach them about Russia, why not also put them in contact with people in Russia? Technology is so beneficial to educators and their students. I want to keep up with current technology and assist my students in their educational journey. My opinion is the biggest problem I may encounter is that students may not have had exposure to technology prior to entering my classroom in the middle or high school level. To remedy this, I must be knowledgeable enough to be able to teach the use of technology, as well as my social studies lessons.

C4T #3

For my 3rd teacher, I was assigned Larry Ferlazzo.
Comment #1
His post is as follows:
“Southeast Asians Make Great Strides In U.S.”
Filed under social studies
“Southeast Asians Make Great Strides In U.S.” is the headline of an article in the Sacramento Bee. It discusses the Mien, Vietnamese and Hmong.
I’m adding the article to The Best Websites To Learn About The Hmong.
My comment:
Hi Larry,
My name is Brittany Schneider and I am in Dr. Strange’s EDM310 class at the University of South Alabama. I enjoyed reading your post, as well as the article you attached. I feel that in the multi-cultural world that we live in, it is important to know about the different ethnic groups, as well as their journey and struggles to get here. While I am in Alabama and we do not have much of an Asian population, as a future Social Studies teacher, I feel I need to be properly educated on all ethnic groups. On a personal note, I feel proud for each of the groups mentioned in the article. Everyone has their own struggle, but it also shows that if you want something bad enough, you will work until you succeed. And that is a lesson I will be sure to instill in my students.
Thank you for sharing,
Brittany Schneider
Comment #2
His post is as follows:

Halloween Additions
Filed under social studies
Here are even more additions to The Best Websites For Learning About Halloween:
Slate has a slideshow of older Halloween images.
Masked politics: Halloween favorites in Washington and elsewhere is the title of a Washington Post slideshow.
My Parents Loved Halloween is a fun site where people post pictures of how their parents celebrated Halloween.
My response:
Hi Larry,
I very much enjoyed this blog post. Personally, Halloween is my second favorite holiday, falling behind Christmas. I hope to be able to teach about all holidays celebrated, especially in the United States, in depth. In all of my social studies classes, little was taught about Halloween. Thank you for sharing all of this with us. You inspire me to dig deeper and give more information than just the standard, mainstream information available.
Brittany Schneider
EDM310
University of South Alabama

C4K #3, 4, 5, 6, 7

I commented on Room 16's Got Talent Blog, Post 7 for my C4K #3. Their post was:
Rippa Rugby
On saturday 28 students went on a trip to go and watch Auckland Vs Welligton. We went there to go and play rippa rugby. We did not have any traings but we still came a tie at Eden park. We Went by bus on the expoler bus. We where playing as scotland. We played canada they where deven port school. When we got on to the felid we got the first try then they got the next try and another try. Then it came for our next half Tui got the next try and then Lepa got the next that made us win by one. But then it was to much and they got a try. It was so cold and it was so cold that you would slip over. After our game we watch the Auckland VS Welligton ITM match.We where shouting wildy shouting Auckland Auckland saying it over and over. Woo it was loud. Auckland was chucking some small balls and huge balls. Auckland Won Twenety one to sixteen and the crowd went wild YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA Auckland won. In the end I felt Tired
My comment:
BrittanySchneider said...
Hi. My name is Brittany and I am a student of the University of South Alabama in Mobile, Alabama, USA. I am in Dr. Strange's EDM310 class. I enjoyed your blog post. What an exciting trip! You did a great job at rippa rugby! To tie without any prior training, you should be proud of yourself! Also, I'm sure you had a great time at the game. It's always so exciting when you attend a game and the team you are cheering for wins! I would be tired too. You had a very long, but fun day. Thank you for sharing your experience.
For my C4K#4, I was assigned Ryhanh's blog.
His post was as follows:
In the weekend I went to my mums house. As soon as I got to my Mums we had Potato and Egg Cassorole. When I got out of my Mums van my little brother Jacob-James was soaking wet. Then I went inside to see my baby sister Kansas-Jade. Before we went to my mums house we had to go to the Warehouse to replace my mums dvd player. After we had dinner we went to my aunty Stacey’s. We stayed at my aunty Staceys for the night. For breakfast on Saturday morning we had Tomatos on toast. After about 2 hours my aunty Jasmine and my Uncle nick came over. On sunday morning for breakfast we had chops and egg on toast. After breakfast I helped mum with the dishes and then we watched Garfield The Movie and Ice Age. Then for tea we had Chicken and roast. AND THAT WAS THE END OF MY WEEKEND.
My comment:
Hi, my name is Brittany Schneider and I am from the USA. I am a student in Dr. Strange’s EDM310 class at the University of South Alabama in Mobile, Alabama. Wow- reading your post made me hungry! Thank you for sharing your weekend with us. It sounds like you had a good time and got to visit with a lot of your family. How did you like Ice Age? I really liked it. It was very funny! Also, it’s great you helped your mom with the dishes. That shows responsibility on your part. I am also a mom and I love when my daughter helps me do things around the house. She especially likes helping me cook. Keep up the good work on your blog!
Comments for Kids Additional Assignment
Blog:

The Other Side of Learning

Education is important. As an adolescent going through the school system, I can honestly say that school is preparing me to become a contributing member of society not just a knowledgeable person. Many people think that the point of going to school is to learn math, science, reading, and writing, but that is only half of the truth. The famous quote, “Life is a journey, not a destination” can be applied to the idea of education; education is a journey, not a destination.

The most important things I have learned in school are as follows (in no particular order):

1. I learned how to listen
2. I learned how to work with my peers (both smarter and less smart than myself)
3. I learned how to communicate with adults
4. I learned how to articulate my ideas
5. I learned how to ask questions
6. I learned how to ask for help
7. I learned how to manage my time
8. I learned the importance of integrity
9. I learned how to defend my opinions
10. I learned how to respect other people’s opinions
11. I learned how to be social
12. I learned how to study
13. I learned how to solve problems
14. I learned to think creatively

The process of learning things has taught me more about the world, people, and myself than any lecture has ever done. A population without this rite is at a great disservice, because if the youth don’t learn about these important aspects of their lives before they are brainwashed by the thinking’s of their society then when will they learn?

In English class we have been reading The Poisonwood Bible, by Barbara Kingsolver. I came across this passage and I was saddened by its implications, “crowds of boys from our village and the next one over come straggling in for their education. It’s only the boys, and not all of them either, since most of the parents don’t approve of learning French or the other foreign element in general” ( 126). One thing that strikes me in this passage is that all of the boys don’t go to school. Later on in the passage Rachel (the speaker) says, “by the time they are twelve or so, their education is over and out.” I understand that boys and girls are expected to help keep the village functioning, but if a little more time and effort were invested into education then the village could greatly benefit from increased efficiency and higher technology. Another thing I noticed was the parent’s rejection of education. They are stuck in a vicious cycle. The parents are only repeating what they did as children, but societies like these need education. The amounts of good that a sound education could provide for places like this are endless. The most disheartening thing about this passage was the fact that girls are neglected an education. I know how different their lives could be if they were educated. I draw a lot of my confidence from the knowledge and schooling that I have. I am able to talk to anyone, man or women, professor or waiter because I have confidence in my ability to articulate my ideas, confidence to defend my ideas, and the confidence that I deserve their time. People believe what they are taught, and if you are taught that your role in the family is to cook, clean, and bear children, then that becomes your personal narrative. However, if you are able to go to school and be exposed to different cultures, ideologies, and experiences or if you are able to be taught by someone who harnesses your potential then the course of your life could be incredibly altered. For me, my mind has been opened by studying the craft behind language and I have been empowered by teachers who have pushed me to my intellectual limits.

The oppression of girls around the world is scary, as I was reading about women in Saudi Arabia, I found this bit of information from A Human Rights Watch report (July 8, 2009). Saudi law “requires Saudi women to obtain permission from male guardians (fathers, husbands, brothers, or male children) before they can carry out a host of day-to-day activities, such as education, employment, travel, opening a bank account, or receiving medical care.” Imagine if your life was manipulated by someone else, someone who might not always have your best interests in mind? The scarier thought though, is that these women might not realize the injustices that they are living in. Because it is the norm in Saudi Arabia to be subordinate to males how could women know to expect more? Education is the answer to that question, and the opportunity for both boys and girls to be educated would make the world a better place, I guarantee it.

Posted by Shawshaw24 at 10:17 PM
My Comment:

BrittanySchneider said...

Hi. I am a student in Dr. Strange's EDM310 class at the University of South Alabama. Your post is excellent. You give a lot of great points regarding education. There are so many lessons to be learned, other than just the information that is presented to us. Education is a journey, and one I feel should never stop. It is important to not take our freedom, especially in regards to education, for granted. So many people are not allowed the rights to learn the way we are and unfortunately so many of us throw our opportunities away. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us. I look forward to reading your future posts. C4K#5 I was assigned a student in Miss Byrne's class, Reagan. Her blog post:  

My teacher Miss Byrnes and my class are going to be doing a video about ourselfs. I dont want to look like a goof but I will. I will bring some baby pictures of me and then some from the years growing up. I hope my class doesnt laugh at me but if they do i will probably laugh with them. I’m worried about this Windows Movie maker i’ve never used it before and im kind of scared. My teacher wont help me if i have questions. So if you know about WINDOWS MOVIE MAKER let me know. Thanks 
My comment:
Hi Reagan,
My name is Brittany and I am a student in Dr. Strange’s EDM310 class at the University of South Alabama in Mobile, Alabama. I understand your fear of Windows Movie Maker. I just used it for the first time myself a few weeks ago. We were required to make a podcast and I used movie maker to edit my podcast before posting it to my blog. It is very easy to use. I’m sure that if I can do it, you can too! I’m sure everyone will get a good chuckle over everyone’s pictures. But, it is all in good fun! Everyone changes so much between birth and 7th grade. Good luck with your project and think optimistically! Thank you for sharing with us!

For my C4K #6, I was assigned Valen's blog. His post was as follows:
My teacher Greta!
October 6, 2010 ~ 8 Comments
I have a teacher that her name is Greta. She is very funny and she plays with us. We have fun and we learn a lot !! She has a cat, his name is Cookie ! Greta took pictures of her cat and the next day she showed them to us. We laugh a lot with her!! All Fridays at the end of the class we have “Singing Fridays” that means that she invites us to come to the front but only who want to sing. And the songs are in English! That is very funny
Valen
My comment was as follows:
Hi Valen,
My name is Brittany Schneider and I am in Dr. Strange’s EDM310 class at the University of South Alabama in Mobile, Alabama. I enjoyed reading your blog. I’m so glad you like your teacher. It will definitely make the class more enjoyable. Singing Fridays sounds like a lot of fun! Do you go to the front of the class and sing too? Its important to have fun while learning. We have fun and laugh a lot in my class too.
Keep up the good work!
Brittany
For my C4K #7, I was assigned Sarah R. Her comment was:
Washington Parish Fair
October 22, 2010 ~ 2 Comments
Hi, yesterday we went to a fair. We had lots of fun!! First we went to the petting zoo. We got to pet the bunnies, cows, and goats. After we got to go pretend we were milking the cow. Then we got to go pet the chicks. Later we got to pet another cow. After we got to eat our food. Trust me there was alot of bees in that place! Afterward we got to get snowballs. They were good! Next we got to go look in cabins at Miles Branch Settlement. I bought cheese from the genral store. It was pretty big to me! THEN BOUGHT A PING PONG GUN. Afterward we got to go play on the playground! I got play with my gun on a hill! Then we had to go home. I HAD SO MUCH FUN!
My comment:
Hi Sarah,
My name is Brittany Schneider and I am a student at the University of South Alabama in Mobile, Alabama. I enjoyed reading your blog. It sounds like you had a lot of fun at the fair! It is great that you get to go on a field trip and have that much fun!! I love going to petting zoos. What is your favorite animal? Snowballs are my absolute favorite thing about festivals and fairs. I had not one, but two a few weeks ago at a festival we have close to here called the Shrimp Festival. Buying things while on a field trip are a great way to remember the experience. Do you have any more trips coming up?
Keep up the good work,
Brittany

Project 13- Smartboard Instruction

Blog Post #10

After reading "An Open Letter to Educators," it validates my feelings after watching Sir Ken Robinson's video. There is a major problem in our education system today. So many of my classroom experiences have been this way. This motivates me to be a different type of teacher. I want to be an educator and not shove facts down my student's throats. I want to make a change and motivate my students. It is a shame that there are so many "teachers" out there who are simply presenting information and never truly educating their students.

The solution is never addressed in "Don't Let Them Take the Pencils Home". A study is done, but the problem is pointed out without the suggestion of a solution. Aside from that, why do these administrators expect the worse of their students? The basic point was they would not use "pencils" for learning, instead for games. Why would someone in charge not try to find a way to help the students utilize these "pencils" for the positive? It seems that schools are more focused on themselves and not in the interest of their students.

After watching "Two Questions That Can Change Your Life," I believe my sentence will be "She truly educated and motivated her students, served as a mentor, and allowed her students to dream and assisted in them realizing their dreams." Each person, not just man, should have a sentence of what they did or what they contributed to society. As future educators, we must always put our student's interest first and help the grow and develop through our lessons. Isn't that why we are becoming teachers in the first place?

Additional Assignment #3

I watched Sir Ken Robinson's Changing Educational Paradigms and was very impressed. The presentation of this alone was amazing. I have never seen anything like this. If I was to be a part of this, I would want to be the idea generator, I think. I am very much in agreement with this thoughts on changing the paradigms of education. For starters, he is correct in saying that just because you have a degree does not guarantee you a job like it had in the past. Additionally, I also agree with his opinion of an ADHD diagnosis. I believe many children are medicated when they should not be. It is used too freely to dismiss a child by medicating them. I'm not saying it is not a disease, but I feel it is diagnosed too frequently. Finally, his assessment of the current education system is correct. There are too many standardized tests and too much domination of students. Students should be allowed to have their own thoughts and opinions of how to solve problems. Why are teachers trying to hard to make their students carbon copies of themselves? It is ok to be an individual and as long as you are able to come up with the correct answer (in such classes as math), why does it matter how you come up with the answer? I do not believe in doing away with a students individualism in favor of making them conform to "my" way. It is sad to know that this is happening all over the country.

Skype Project #12

For my Skype project, I interviewed Karessa Lankford about her best teacher.

Short Movie Project #11

Blog Post 9

After reading What I've Learned This Year, I can see how all of his ideas and lessons are more than likely common ones. I know that as future teachers, we must stay positive, above all else. I also feel that listening to you students in the next in importance. Many times you may be the only one who listens or who they feel they can trust. As for me, I will be teaching in 6-12 grades, where students are in need to someone to trust and help them achieve their goals. You must be able to communicate with you students. So much gets lost if you don't know how to do so properly. I feel that never stop learning and don't be afraid of technology go hand in hand.As teachers, it is our job for us to continue to be taught. We must be able to give new lessons and curriculum, instead of the same lessons year after year. With technology in the mix, we must be able to incorporate technology in our classroom, as this is the future. Additionally, if we are so far behind the students we teach, what purpose are we really serving. As for the rest of the lessons that center around curriculum, goals, classroom setting, as well as teaching style, it is important to always remember to be flexible. Not every day will run smoothly and accomplish all goals set. It is important to also remember that not all students are the same and cannot be expected to live up to the high expectations we set for them. A teacher is like a coach- they should encourage their player to achieve their highest potential, but also be there for support and guidance when they stumble.

Blog Post #8

"This is How We Dream Part 1 and 2"

It is easy to forget the time of books and libraries. It seems for me, one minute we were learning how to use card catalogs, the next we were learning to navigate search engines and look for educational sources. I am an avid reader, but traded by books for a Kindle almost 2 years ago. Convenience plays a factor in our advancements. While I miss the smell of a book (I know that sounds crazy), I love being able to carry my library with me.

In these videos, it shows the transition between how people used to write papers and publish information. While printed books are not yet extinct, they are slowly being rendered useless. Most magazines, newspapers, and journals are now available in digital form, as well as print form. I feel this is the wave of the future. How may years until the only way to read your local newspaper will be online via computer, electronic book reader, ipad, etc?

I feel it will be almost required for me to write in multimedia. I feel that the more time that goes on, the more students who will know the ins and outs of writing this way. The days of paper and pens are slowly going away for more convenient, more environmentally friendly, and more up-to-date means of teaching, learning, reading, and writing. We must stay ahead of these changes and be able to properly utilize and demonstrate them in our future classrooms.

EDM310 is Different and The Chipper Series

I felt both videos were great! I have not make any movies since I was a kid with someone having to hold a huge video camera on their shoulder. How times have changed! I look forward to making instructional videos. I hope I am not too critical of myself and how I look on camera. The message in The Chipper Series was one that all college students need to see. Well, all people need to see, actually. More times than not, when you try to take the easy way out or try a get-rick-quick scheme, it ultimately blows up in your face. College is a lot of work, but certain procedures need to be followed. Similarly, what isn't acceptable in college is not acceptable in the real world either. You must put in the time and effort to receive the results you want. As for EDM for Dummies, it was a great movie to show that it doesn't do any good to get frustrated and that all our assignments are online. Also, Dr. Strange and all of his associates/assistants are available to provide help. It is great to have that support system available, as well as have all information needed available with a mouse click.

Smartboard

It seems most opinions found about a smartboard are negative. Most teachers seem to think they are too expensive and not worth the money. However, I was able to find one article that has survey results indicating that smartboards are beneficial to the classroom.

Project 9b- Instructional Time Toast

Additional Assignment #2- "How Kids Teach Themselves"

What an amazing experiment! I do believe that if children, or anyone for that matter, are interested in something, they can teach themselves. In this particular case, computers were made accessible and children began exploring on them. It didn't take them long to dig further to find things they were interested in and begin to understand the information they found and the systems they were working with. Motivation is a key component in a person's learning. You can make them memorize facts to spit out later, but to truly learn and explore things, a person must be motivated. It seems that you have get students interested in things to make them motivated to learn. These children had never seen a computer and were curious, which is a form of motivation. I am motivated to learn to further my education, as well as to be able to teach others. I find that I am more motivated in some classes than others, depending on the professor's teaching style and the subject matter. Some classes I know I just have to get through. Others, I want to take the information I have learned with me for later use. Additionally, if I am interested in a subject, I will dig deeper during my own time. I feel a teacher serves as a guide, or coach, to assist children in their learning. They can give information that children are unaware of, but in my opinion, they serve as a guide to help children expand their intellectual journey, as well as interest them in harder or less interesting subjects. I felt this video is a great example of how students can teach themselves and be creative in furthering their education. Things such as language barriers did not discourage these students from learning. They continued to try to understand things that were formerly foreign to them. As a future teacher, this is another example of why we should not feed children information to simply have them regurgitate it later. Children are capable of teaching themselves. It is important to be a good guide for them to make them want to continue to learn.

PLN Progress

Prior to this course, I had not even heard of a PLN. I have been using Symbaloo to develop my PLN. I have been incorporating social networks, such as twitter and facebook. As far as twitter, I have been exploring people other than celebrities to follow, as to use twitter as an educational tool, rather than strictly entertainment. In addition to social networks, I have added many news and information sources, such as CNN and the History Channel. Also, I have been looking for websites relating to my teaching field to add. So far, it isn't much, but I am continuing to expand my PLN to make it into something useful to assist me in my continued learning and in my future as a teacher.

Blog Post 7- The Last Lecture

After watching Randy Pausch's "Last Lecture", I feel enlightened in things that are not the standards associated with teaching. He goes beyond books, lessons, and papers in educating students. He showed his perseverance to achieve his childhood dreams and how to assist others in achieving theirs. He discusses all the people who surrounded him and supported his dreams. We hope that our students have a family who support them and help with their dreams. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. I feel that as a future educator, it is part of the job to help your students achieve their dreams. You don't always have to do grand things to help them. Sometimes it is simply showing them support and it helps them work harder to know someone had their back and believes in them.

I feel his statement that brick walls are only a way to keep others out who don't want it bad enough is a true statement. Brick walls happen in life and it seems that there is no way to continue that path. However, he shows that sometimes you have to be creative and that if you want something bad enough, you can find a way to make it happen. Also, even if you can't be exact on making your dream come true, sometimes there is a good alternative that is just as satisfying. Probably every student at the University of South Alabama, minus a few very fortunate ones, have encountered a brick wall of some sort and it is up to us as individuals to find a way around it or to tear it down. However, this is usually much easier when we have people behind us who support us. Personally, I hope in the future that I will one of those people who is supporting my students to fulfill their dreams.

He also shows us that students are capable of more than we initially believe they are. By his Building Virtual Worlds course, he shows that when students are interested in something, they can do more than you expect. He states that it would be a disservice to students by setting the bar when you don't really know where it should be set. No matter what you teach, there is a way to be creative and keep you students interested. I feel that many teachers fail in this aspect and only teach the subject matter without ever trying to get students involved or interested. This is a good point in that all students learn differently and it is up to you as a teacher to engage all students and make sure they get more out of your classes than simply passing. Dr. Pausch shows us that he was creative in starting this new course to involve students and get them excited about something.

Another point I have taken from this is how positive he is. He is months away from death and he is still very enthusiastic about the projects he has worked on and the students he has encouraged. Additionally, he speaks very highly of Carnegie Mellon University. It is important to have your employer support you in your endeavors. This alone helped him achieve his dreams, through allowing him creative freedom to develop his own course and help other students achieve theirs. He has left his professional legacy with the Alice program, which enables children to have fun while learning something hard. He will live on through this. I'm sure we all, as future educators, hope we will leave our own legacy as well.

My Timetoast

Summary Post C4T#2

For my second teacher, I was assigned Beth Still. Her posts and my comments follow:

Presentation to Nebraska Administrators

Next month Brenda Smith and I will be presenting at the Educational Administrators Technology Conference in Kearney, Nebraska. One of our presentation is on how networking can help educators stay on top of the very latest tools and trends in educational technology. For the most part, our audience will be principals. This is where we are looking for some help. I have put together some questions that will help us tremendously when we go to put this presentation together. (See published results here.) If you had the chance to talk to a principal about the value of networking and opening up access to tools, what would you say to them?

My Comment:
My name is Brittany Schneider and I am a student in Dr. Strange’s EDM310 class at the University of South Alabama. I am in agreement that educators should use technology available to network. Wouldn’t it be great to allow teachers all over the world to communicate with each other and share ideas? It seems that most principals would encourage this for their teachers to stay current on new trends and information. I think it is great you are spreading awareness.

Second Post:
Still Family Laptop Initiative
I have been waiting MONTHS to write this post, but I had to get some details ironed out first. There are still some details that need to be settled, but I can finally share some information regarding a very special project.

Back in July my husband and I decided we wanted to do something to give back to our community. Kris and I decided to start a tax-exempt nonprofit that will help low income students obtain a laptop at an affordable price. We decided to start with the 45 students at my school.

We have selected a laptop that costs around $500. Students will be required to volunteer 25 hours at predetermined locations in our community which will earn them a $100 credit. They can volunteer up to an additional 25 hours to earn another $100 off the final cost of their laptop. We will also off incentives for perfect attendance and good grades. A student can earn up to $250 in credits and incentives which means they can potentially get a laptop for $250.

The funding for the credits and donations will come from local businesses and individual donors. People have already expressed an interest in what we are doing and once I am able to release the rest of the story I think they will be lined up to help. (Still one HUGE detail that I cannot share until November!)

This project will benefit so many in my community. Students not only get a computer, but they also get the chance to experience doing something for other people. Local organizations will benefit from students volunteering up to 50 hours each. My hope is that this project will help strengthen the ties my students have to our community and motivate them to stay involved in it.

I will provide another update next month.

My comment:
Hi Beth,
This is my second comment on your blog for Dr. Strange's EDM310 class. This is a truly wonderful project! The idea that children who would not typically be able to afford laptops have the opportunity to get one while helping in the community is great! It allows them to receive help, while also helping others. I feel it is beneficial to them in receiving, as well as teaching them a lesson in giving. As a future educator, I hope to be able to give to my students who are less fortunate, as well as teach them lessons outside of my history classroom, such as humanity and giving. I hope more people get involved in the future. My applause to you.

Blog Post #6

After watching Wendy Drexler's "The Networked Student," it makes me realize how connected and up to date students are today. They truly do have access to people and information from all over the world and they usually have the skills to know how to access it. Gone are the days of standard paper and pencil classrooms. Classrooms today, no matter what subject, have at least a little bit of technology added to them.

As a future teacher, each lesson I complete for this course makes me realize more and more that I need to stay up to date on the latest technology advancements and how they can be used in my classroom. There may come a day that teachers are not longer needed. But as long as I stay current on new technology and technology education trends, it will help keep me relevant in the classroom. As the video demonstrates, the teacher acts as a guide for many students. If you are a technology illiterate teacher, you lose your usefulness in an every changing world.

This was a wonderful example of how networked students really are these days. They are connected with people all over the world, whether it be for educational or social purposes. As a future social studies teacher, I fully intend to utilize many techniques in my teaching to educate, as well as connect my students to others in the world.

After watching "A 7th Grader's Personal Learning Environment," I am stuck at how creative and organized it is. This being a new concept to me, I am continuously working on mine.I'm glad to know that for future generations, this is more of a standard practice. I love the idea of being able to do away with so many papers that are typically a standard practice in the classroom. I am looking forward to implementing these practices into my classroom. And it makes me realize I better get busy on mine!

I feel that "The Machine is (Changing) Us," is a wake-up call to show how even though technology and social networks typically bring us together, they also divide us further. There is a disconnection by not having physical interaction, as well as isolating us to our computers and webcams. There is a significant part of individualism that gets lost in this. I feel there is a balance to use technology in a positive way and not lose individualism. Everyone is able to portray themselves as they want without their true self always showing. I also liked the point of how society makes the latest generation crave recognition, typically by means of television, but in a sense, the internet makes this possible. To relate this to education, it seems teachers play a role in this quest for recognition. As future education and teachers, I feel if we are mindful to recognize each student for who they are, and not just as the "same kid in the same class year after year", then we are satisfying their search, as well as doing our job.

Summary Post C4K #1 and #2

I posted on adriannav's Manifesto from Mr. Chamberlain's class.

My Learning Manifesto

•  I PROMISE to ask questions about the subject when i don't get it.
•  I PROMISE to show i want to learn.
•  I PROMISE to have a good relationship with all teachers.
•  I PROMISE to make my teachers proud of me and my work.
•  I PROMISE to listen and do my work.
•  I PROMISE to talk when I'm suppose to.

Hi Adriannav,
My name is Brittany Schneider and I am a student in Dr. Strange's EDM310 class at the University of South Alabama. Your manifesto is great! I think if you keep a positive attitude, your learning experience will be much better than some others who may not have the same zest for education as you do. Your manifesto expresses a student that every teacher would love to teach. Keep up the good work!

I also commented on Kyla's blog as well. She had posted a presentation on her treehouse.

My comment follows:
Hi Kyla,
My name is Brittany Schneider and I am also friends with your mom as well as in Dr. Strange's EDM310 class. I love your presentation! I know you are going to be so excited to get it finished! I look forward to seeing the rest of it! Thank you for sharing with us.

I can't help but wonder if adriannav was one of the children who lost their password, because there have been no other posts from him/her. However, I very much enjoyed reading all of Kyla's blog. She seems very eager to learn new tricks and skills to enhance her blog and her individual posts. She is very enthusiastic within her posts. I enjoyed it so much, I have started "following" her to stay up to date on her new postings. I don't have any doubt that her blogging skills will help her in the future.

Podcast-Project #8

Blog Post #5

All about Podcasts



Prior to this class, I knew of the existence of a podcast, had even heard some, but did not know the details of how to make one or anything. Now, after reading and watching the required assignment for this blog post, I feel very enlightened.

To begin with, I am so glad to know that even 1st graders are making podcasts. As a mother, I am glad that this technology is so present in the classroom. While I do not consider myself a "techie", I feel like I can decently navigate my way around a computer, as well as have some proficiently in various programs. Knowing that the future generations are learning in elementary school is a great feeling. The future is in technology and I'm glad that many young children will be prepared.

Also new to me was what all I can do with my ipod to assist in my learning! I have spent so much time making sure I had all the music I could ever want, that I never gave thought to downloading things that were actually useful. The article about the 100 ways my ipod could be used for learning was very enlightening to me. I will continue to use it as a resource.

Each point listed in the benefit of podcasting was right on the money. Each element we continue to learn in EDM310 is beneficial in making the world smaller and making education more accessible. Also, I think it is helpful for different types of learners, who do not always benefit from a traditional classroom setting day in and day out. I am looking forward to putting these newly learned skills to work in my classroom. 

Blog Post #4

After reading Scott McLeod's post about technology, I appreciate his sarcasm on the subject, but also felt a little sad. I felt sad because there are probably more people out there that truly feel that was about technology than we realize. I agree with him to utilize technology in the education process. My main argument in the majority of my posts is why would we not utilize and embrace new technology to aid us? It is sad to think how many students out there that will not be prepared for the "real world" due to lacking knowledge about how to operate the technology that has become such a big part of life as we know it.

Scott McLeod is an Associate Professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at Iowa State University.

I watched the iSchool Initiative and I was stuck by the sheer genius of it. I know the itouch and iphone are both great, but had not given thought as to how much it could save in schools. Just being able to go paperless or use less paper would be a great way to save in budgeting. The apps available would cover all subjects and it would be great to utilize at the high school level.

I have seen how technology assists in education primarily at the college level. E-Companion has helped many classes become paper-less, but being able to use a similar format in high school would be beneficial on so many levels. As a future high school teacher, it seems like a great route to go. If students were only required to purchase an itouch instead of paying all the fees associated with public education, it would be a savings for students as well as school budgets.

Lost Generation was a great video. The presentation of it was unlike any I had ever seen before. I loved the fact that when read backwards, it gave an entirely different message. I believe the message it sends too. Every generation can make a difference. No one has to accept the standard "norm" as the way life is.

The use of technology in Eric Whitacre’s Virtual Choir is truly amazing. Who would of thought a wonderful presentation like that could be orchestrated and broadcast strictly by internet alone? That is a great example of many things that can be done with the technology of today.

Additional Assignment #1

I had never heard of Google Squared or WolframAlpha before this assignment. I feel both are very beneficial as an aid in education. From my searching, I do favor WolframAlpha because it gives all factual data. I also like Google Squared, especially because you can add squares to gather more information. However, I found, and it may be because of what I searched, that a lot of the boxes didn't have the answer and said 4 possible values or something of the like. I was aware of the population gap between China, India, and the United States, though not the specific numbers. As for my previous comments about "Did You Know," I still feel the same as I did when I posted when I first watched it. However, it is important to consider population of a nation when statistic are submitted and published.

Presentation About Me- Presentation Project #5

C4T#1- Do I Dare Disturb the Universe by Scott Elias

08.25.10
Meeting to Meet
by Scott
I know this will come as a huge shock, but most people despise meetings. When I ask staff about things that are holding them back, almost to a person they have said, “Too many meetings.”
When it comes right down to it, though, these are rituals that are deeply ingrained in the culture of our school. Most schools have a similar situation.
Long, low-energy meetings tend to distract and mute the day. – Martin Fowler
The trouble with throwing out meetings completely is that they do have some value. According to a few papers summarized here, meetings can help achieve the following:
* Shared commitment
* Communicate daily status, progress, and plans to the team and any observers
* Identify obstacles so that the team can take steps to remove them
* Set direction and focus
* Build a team
Being a new leader and getting to know my staff, I’m not willing to cut out all meetings. But what I am committed to doing is making sure that every minute we spend in some kind of meeting serves to move forward the school’s mission and agenda.
Zero-Based Meeting Budgeting
We’re going to get back to basics. At the first regular, monthly meeting of our leadership team, we will remove every meeting from our calendars and begin adding back in those meetings that make sense and will move us toward our goals. We will no longer meet four times per month if we can accomplish the same objective in two highly-productive, focused meetings.
Less meeting time focused on dissemination of information
Since my first day on the job, I’ve made some changes that I hope will whittle down the sheer volume of meeting time. Depending on the sensitivity, items that are “information only” in nature go into an email to team leaders or onto our school blog or wiki. Weening people off email has gone well so far, in no small part thanks to my very flexible group of teacher leaders who have been willing to jump into some new ways of doing business.
Two things I’ve learned in trying to bring this level of change to the day-to-day business of an organization are (1) stop trying to use the “inducement” approach to improving processes and systems (see letter B of Scott’s post on RSS for PD), and (2) stop asking questions like “Do you use Google Docs?” in favor of questions like, “To which email address should I send the invite for this document we’re working on?” It’s all about positive presuppositions. Of course we’re using Google Docs! I mean, who isn’t?
I’ll let you know how it goes, but it’s a start! Look for an upcoming post with more detail on the process of paper-reduction in a 40-year-old middle school.
Interesting reads I plan to share with the team:
* The 22-Minute Meeting
* It’s Not Just Standing Up: Patterns of Daily Stand-Up Meetings

Hi Scott. My name is Brittany Schneider and I am a student at the University of South Alabama. Our class blog is http://www.edm310.blogspot.com/. I will be reading and commenting on your blog every 2 weeks. I will also be posting a copy of your blog post, along with my summary on September 12.
I believe you are right on target on the idea of meetings. Long, boring meetings do not promote productivity. Having less meetings that give good information keeps things fresh and keeps people interested.

09.11.10
What We Do, What We Think by Scott on August 6th, 2010

Being a newly appointed principal has provided me with a short window of time during which I am doing a sort of “ethnography” of the school and culture. As I mentioned in an earlier post, one of my goals these first few weeks has been to try to gather an understanding of what staff is most proud of and what they’d like to see abandoned or, at least, reconsidered.
Like some other schools with diverse student populations, our students need a variety of supports – both academic and personal – to achieve “proficiency” on state tests. While I’m not a fan of this kind of assessment of our kids or our schools, as a new principal I believe that arguing about the merits of said tests is best left to the policy wonks. It’s the hand we’re dealt for now, and as a new principal I’m focusing first on those things within my control.
So my main objective in the near-term is to support my teachers in wrapping their heads around the idea that student success as measured on our state standardized tests and student success as measured by their ability to communicate, collaborate, and produce content in an interconnected, global community are not mutually exclusive.
When I first landed in the Big Chair, I ramped up my scouring of the blogs of other school leaders. What I found was an abundance of ideas, lists of tools and apps, advice on being a good Tweeter, and the like. I’m certainly guilty of posts like this…
What I’ve become increasingly focused on is moving from ideas and feel-good blog posts to action. One of my goals is to renew my use of this space and to spend time writing and reflecting about my actions in this first year as principal. I want to look at things that I actually do as a new principal that might improve systems, culture, and learning in my school with the goal of cultivating an environment that empowers students to learn and develop their identities as global citizens and world-class learners.
I’ll probably fall on my face. I might do that more than once. But at least I’ll try to maintain a good record of my thoughts and actions and how they play out in this organization. Maybe they’ll even help someone else who is entrusted with the exciting but very real responsibility of being a principal.
Some topics I will be addressing in upcoming posts:

• Re-imagining a culture of meetings
• Developing a manageable system of academic interventions that address students’ individual needs
• Moving a 40-year-old school into the 21st century
• Paring back “initiative bloat”
• Doing my best not to reinforce the status quo
• Quite frankly, anything else that comes to mind…

So stick around. This could get interesting.

Hi Scott,
I have just read your earlier blog post and I must say I feel you had the right idea in starting this new position. An attempt to utilize what policies are already in place, as well as implementing your own is a great tactic to truly understanding the current position, but also being able to make it your own. I applaud you for not just accepting the methods currently set in place or trying to totally disregard the system that had been used is a great balance. I also am interested to continue reading your blog to see what does and does not work, as you try different methods out. I am looking forward to seeing which methods you try out and the result of these things. Thank you for sharing your experience,
Brittany Schneider

Blog Post 3

I after watching Michael Wesch's "A Vision of Students Today", I see that it is a lot like my college experience. The majority of my time is spent either revolving around my schoolwork. Coincidentally,  I also spend the majority of my time using technology, such as my laptop or cell phone. My time invested in sitting in a college classroom does not compare to the amount of time I spend outside of that setting doing work related to school. However, this film seems to address the "traditional" college student, one who is under 20 years old and single. I feel this does not accurately cover many of students today. From my experience, many are over 25 years old and are married or have a family. Time spent caring for the family or working a full time job should be added in to how students spend their day.

I also read Kelly Hines' blog post "It's Not About the Technology."  She is absolutely correct about teachers needing to also be learners. For so many teachers, it seems that once their formal education ends, they do not feel the need to continue their education. Learning new technology and how to implement it in their teaching will greatly benefit the teacher and the students. It's not all about the technology, but in these times, it is greatly beneficial to utilize the technology available to you.
However, she is correct in saying that if a teacher does not know how to use it, it is a waste of money. Technology can also be beneficial as an aid to help students who do not benefit from a traditional lecture type setting. Just because a teacher may have been teaching for years with the same methods, that doesn't mean that their teaching style is the best way. Technology is a wonderful way to include different students with different learning styles.

After reading Karl Fisch: Is It Okay to Be A Technologically Illiterate Teacher?, I was surprised. I had never given thought to these points he made. While I knew it was beneficial to stay on top of technology, I guess I didn't realize how much of a disadvantage a teacher is put in. His statement saying "If a teacher today is not technologically literate - and is unwilling to make the effort to learn more - it's equivalent to a teacher 30 years ago who didn't know how to read and write" is very true. I had just never thought of it in those terms.
But he is absolutely correct. It is amazing how people almost boast about not having useful skills.To stay relevant and useful in your position, you must be willing to continue your education. It seems like people want to continue to make excuses for their lack of knowledge, but I feel what they  need to be doing is attempting to be proactive in their profession and their own learning. Our future is technology. The longer you wait to hop aboard, the harder it will be to catch up.

Blog Post 2

Did You Know 3.0 by Karl Fisch

While I knew that technology was ever changing and always advancing, I had no idea it was at this rate. It shocks me to know that if I began a 4 year technical degree today, by my third year, the first year would be obsolete.We have to stay educated on technology and the technological advances as they occur to be able to stay relevant in the future. If a computer is built that is more advanced than the human brain, it is impairative that we are able to understand and operate it, as to not become obsolete ourselves.




Population continues to grow each second of every day. Technological advancements are being made, but the population is growing at a very significant rate. Due to population growth, it is easier and less time consuming for the masses to stay up to date and knowledgeable about new technology. For example, the amount of time it takes for a certain number of people to use a new technology becomes less and less as we move into the future.



Mr. Winkle Wakes by Mathew Needleman

In Mr. Winkle wakes, it shows how the world is constantly changing due to technological advances. Once he goes to a hospital and a current workplace, he cannot understand all the machines he is seeing. However, when he enters a school, he feels at home. This is because schooling and education usually remains relatively unchanged.




Schools should not be the same as 100 years ago. While the basic idea of a teacher at the head of the classroom and students sitting in desk being educated is still there no matter what year it is, there should be technology utilized within the classroom. Advancements are made to help and assist, not to do harm. Why would a teacher not want to utilize tools to help them teach more efficiently? 



Sir Ken Robinson: The Importance of Creativity

I had never given much thought to how creativity is being squashed in schools today. But due to diagnoses of ADD and ADHD, it is very easy to write a child off who has a lot of energy.  Teaching and learning do not have to be synonymous with students in desks. Teaching a child can be done in multiple ways to facilitate a place for all students to be able to learn.




Additionally, teaching a child to hang on to their creativity and imagination is hard to do. Being wrong is something all adults are fearful of, but we should take more chances to be wrong and learn from it. We also need to be able to express a different idea without being chastised.  Creativity is something special and individual to each of it. It should be nurtured in education, not neglected.
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Vicki Davis: Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts

In this video, we are able to see how students in rural Georgia are connected to people all over the world. The students were impressed by how cool it was to have their own blogs and have people from all over the world read and follow them. Not only that, but we are able to see how students are able to keep up to date and learn new technology. Their teacher states that she was teaching them things and before long, they were teaching her things. 




This video shows how beneficial it is to have technology in the classroom and to teach students how to use it. Having technology is useless if people do not learn how to use it. But by teaching students how to properly use the tools that are available to them will help them in school as well as in the marketplace. The more skills you possess, the more indispensable you are to a company. 

Wordle #1

Blog Post 1

My name is Brittany Schneider and I am from Fairhope. I am married and have a three year old daughter, Annaleise. I have previously attended the University of South Alabama, but due to life changes, I have returned after a four year absence. I am a secondary education major with a concentration in social science. I want to enter the field of education because I want to be able to touch lives, make a difference, and make history and social science interesting for students to learn.

When I am not spending my time working on school work, I am an active member of a Mardi Gras organization in Daphne. I am also an avid reader and love listening to music. Cooking and entertaining are also two passions of mine. I own a party and wedding planning business named Over the Top Events. I tend to have too many "irons in the fire", but I have found I work best in chaos.