My iTunes Podcast Remarks

As I listened to the six podcasts, I felt as though I was listening to a show on a talk radio station. The podcasts were very relaxed and informal. The people conversing in the podcasts were very knowledgeable about the subject matter. The podcast were more of a conversation instead of a lecture with speakers. I was not sure what to expect when I first sat down to listen. I had to concentrate a lot to really hear what was being said.I think if I were driving in my car I would it would be easier to concentrate on.

I listened most of all six of the podcasts and I enjoyed listening to Connect Learning. The podcast had a very casual format, the content was easy to understand and very informative. As a prospective teacher I felt it had a lot of useful information about the use of technology in the classroom. I agree that customizing the curriculum to the students was an excellent idea. I also agree with the idea of giving the students control over their learning by self evaluating and setting goals for themselves.

In the EdTech Talk podcast I also felt that it had a lot of useful information about professional development that school districts would find useful. The podcasts discussed how little time teachers are given for professional development. This podcast discussed state requirements for re-certification and that many teachers had little time to get the continuing education units to get their certification. The need for teacher education in the area of technology was also discussed, since technology is changing at such a fast pace.

The KidCast podcast discussed when should a podcast be just audio and when should it be video.The speaker pointed out the need for a video podcast was necessary when body language, a demonstration or animation was needed to explain the subject matter better. A visual podcast has much more to consider like lighing, background etc than does an audio podcast. The MacBreak Weekly and This Week in Photography podcasts were not that interesting to me, they were very slow and somewhat boring. I believe they were too technical and I did not understand much of what was being discussed. The Smart Board Lesson Podcast had a lot of useful information for teachers. I particularly liked the idea of Professional Development using a whiteboard and either teachers could participate live or it could be recorded and watched at a convenient time. I believe that a large school system could use this to their benefit because it would reach a lot of teacher.

My Reaction to Next Generation Learning Video

This video was interesting to me it gives a view at what an ideal school looks like. I liked the fact that it integrated technology throughout the curriculum. The students today need more technology in the schools to hold their attention. I believe that a school like that would also motivate many students to participate more and encourage learning. Technology is constantly changing and at a very fast pace so children need to be exposed to it early. I believe that the use of computers and other technology will enhance the learning experience.

In the video the students were offered laptops if they did not have a computer at home I think that is a wonderful idea. However I don't know how that will work in a large public school system like Mobile County. I do believe that we need to integrate technology much more than we have. I feel that children in the US need more technology in school than we have now, especially in the public schools. The Anson school featured in the video is a dream school in comparison to most school we have here in Mobile. Mobile County has maybe 2 student computers in each classroom, the students go to computer lab once a week if they are lucky. I believe that money is the main reason we are lacking technology and many older teachers are not trained to integrate technology into the curriculum. Hopefully there is a new wave of teachers coming that can make the much needed change.

My Reaction to Vicki Davis: Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts

I would love to meet this teacher and observe her classroom. I would love to have a classroom like hers too. Vicki Davis is amazing, I love the way she treats the students by encouraging them to be critical thinkers. She is not afraid to say that she does not know everything and that she is learning from her students. I can see any student being empowered in this classroom. I also was very impressed by the way she customizes her curriculum to the strength and interests of the students in her class.

Davis realizes the importance of technology in our society and that it is changing and uses it in her classroom beautifully. Any student who has her is very fortunate. Davis pointed out that technology has its own literacy associated with it. The technical jargon that they used in the video and website were not familiar to me. There is something very important that Davis does in her classroom is that she lets the students make decisions about what happens in their classroom and allows them to teach. I believe that this is such a wonderful environment that motivates and promotes critical thinking.

My Reaction to Sir Ken Robinson:The Importance of Creativity Video

I thoroughly enjoyed Sir Ken Robinson he was very witty but his message about creativity was very true to me. I can see what he is saying, that children are getting educated out of creativity. The school's want students to conform and sit still and do their work (math, science), the arts are not important anymore. Robinson spoke about the hierarchy of education around the world, he is right math , literature, science comes first, then maybe if there is time for music or art. This is also true when budgets are cut the arts are the first to go. Robinson pointed out that schools around the world are all putting academics as the only measure of intelligence. Those who have talents in the arts are not seen as intelligent.

I agree with Robinson that society has decided who is intelligent and what intelligence is.This decision is eliminating a whole group of creative and brilliant people. The idea that school and colleges are trying to produce more professors instead of encouraging people to use their minds in creative venues is unfortunate. I am sure there are people in this world who could of been another Picaso or Mozart if they were encouraged to pursue what they loved instead of memorizing the periodic table. I really liked the point that he made about intelligence being distinctive and the example of the dancer. If the dancers parents just put her on medication for her hyperactivity instead of encouraging her to dance what a tragedy that could of been. I hope that schools will become aware that creativity is so powerful if it is nurtured and not educated out.

My Did You Know ? Reaction

As I watched the video I felt a little sad and that something in the US needs to change. The number are amazing and frightening at the same time. I feel as though the US cannot compete in the world when it comes to technology. The US is suppose to be the land of opportunity and the most powerful country in the world but the statistics in this video do not support that claim. India and China are surpassing the US in educating their youth. Another aspect of the video that struck me was the ever changing pace of technology. It looks as though no matter how much you learn in college you will be behind when it comes to technology. Technology is changing at every turn and if you don't keep up you will be unemployable.

I believe one of the reasons that China and India are so far ahead in regards to educating their children is that they are more motivated to get ahead. The youth in the US don't seem to have the same drive to achieve. The school systems in the US are not doing their jobs according to the statistics in the video. Most Americans think of India and China as countries that are poor and the quality of life is lower than in the US so this is a hard pill to swallow. I think that someone needs to go and see what they are doing in India and China and bring it here to the US. Another statistic that was interesting was that Bermuda had the most internet action than anywhere else in the world, I don't get that at all. Overall I felt a little sad for the future of children in the US, hopefully something will change.

Hello!!!!!!!!!

My name is Ruth I am working toward my 2nd bachelors in Elementary Education, I graduated from South Alabama in 1989 with a BA in Psychology. I have worked with special needs children in both private and public schools. I decided about a year ago to go back to school to get my teaching degree. I have a 10 year old daughter named Bre'yanna who inspires me to be my best, so I am trying to do that by going back to school. I recently stopped working for the Mobile County Public School so I could concentrate on school.

I don't have a lot of free time so when I do have time I usually spending it with my daughter. My daughter recently got a Wii, I never really liked playing video games but I love playing Mario Kart. I also enjoy reading ,watching movies and traveling. When I graduate I hope to teach either kindergarten or 1st grade.