3. New Classroom Rules by Education Innovation

New Classroom Rules is a set of rules who's purpose is to show the technology side of learning. I have never seen rules put in this perspective. My favorite has to be number thirteen:

Be quiet in lines, hallways, and restrooms, unless you are at home and logged into your on line classroom, in which case you can dance and play music

It is so important that kids are able to be taught they way they need to learn. If that involves doing long division while dancing to Miley Cyrus than so be it. Online courses makes it possible.



Another important rule is:

Do not cheat, but remix, re-purpose, and sample other peoples’ work and ideas and give them credit.

Teachers need to stress that other peoples work is helpful but needs to be sited. Giving your kids freedom to copy and paste items and call it their own can cause a multitude of problems. Plagiarism is serious.

PLN

Successful Teaching

I have found an educational blog entitled successful teaching. I figured this educational blog would be both interesting and a unique learning experience. I was right.

She states that her Personal Learning Network as created a lot of oppertunities. She is able to blog about useful sites she has found through her network. She created her Personal Learning Network through many sites; twitter, skype, wiki, andplurk, are to name a few.

Most of her posts consists of ways to your students and keep them interested. One post in paticular that I have found very useful. It is entitled Lessons "I've learned from Knitting'. She writes, "Many times I look at a pattern and feel overwhelmed, yet I really want to make the item that looks so cool in the picture. I decide to try it because what is the worst thing that can happen? Then I find out it really wasn’t that hard and if I had given up before I started, I would never have found this out. Maybe that is the way my lessons appear to my students. My explanation may sound more difficult than it really is so I have to be careful about overwhelming them. I need to find ways to simplify what I’m teaching and then when they understand the concept, I can go into more detail"

She goes on to share that it is important to make sure your students correct problems as soon as possible so they don't have to "rip it out and start all over."

Keeping it simple, making sure things a corrected early, and not agnozing over mistakes are great tips I've have learned from her.

Mandatory Post

1.
Access: I have learned a lot about ACCESS. It really opened my eyes to how technologically advanced our education system has become. One day I would be interested in working for this program.

Google Docs: I did not too much particularly care for Google Docs. I would rather use Microsoft Word but I guess that is the difference between a free program and one that costs money.

Blogs: Although at points tedious, our blogs really helped us comprehend the information we have learned. It is easier to remember the material assigned when we are assigned to critically think and write about it.

Twitter: I still fully don't understand this social networking site but I was able to contact most class members through this.

Podcasts: This was very interesting. I had no idea it even existed.

iTunesU: I really like what Mac has done with this. It is very useful to be able to download class information for free to your computer or iPod.

Alex: I will definitely look more into it when I become a Teacher.

Foliotek: Wow! I do not understand yet. This is my first class where it is required.

2. I am trying to rack my brain but this class was so extensive it is hard to add extra.

3. None.

4. This class was exciting. I enjoyed being creative using technology.

5. Other than trying to figure out how to do certain things like: Podcasts, Twitter, and iTunes, there was not.

6. I did not get bored.

7. The curriculum covers a lot of information and requires a lot of work but in the and it is worth it. I have learned a lot

8. At this point in time, I rate myself as good. I would not say Great because I am sure by the time I graduate in 2011, a lot of technology will change.

9. I will have to maintain by practice. I will have to utilize what I have learned in this class and stay up to date with new technological innovations.

At The teacher's desk

The five blogs I would like to discuss are:
1.How do I know I'm not being Selfish?
2.Teachers Need to Become Social Networking Experts
3.It Is Imperative We Help Our Students Create a Positive Digital Portfolio
4.Using Technology for Effective Communication
5.Robert Burns Haunts Me


Chamberlain's blog, Robert Burns Haunts Me. This blog is about the story of an "attempted" skype session. Mr. Chamberlain's class was scheduled to skype a class from another state. Unfortunately, when he arrived the electricity was out. He figured he had no way of letting the other teacher know until he had the bright idea of using his cell phone to tweet on his account. The message was immediately received and the other teacher responded that she understood. This makes me wonder what our lives would be like with out cell phones. We use them on a daily basis... whether it be we have a flat tire or just to talk, it seems to be a necessity.



This brings me to the second blog on my list, Using Technology for Effective Communication. In the previous paragraph, I wrote about the necessities of cell phones in respect to communication. In this blog, he states that there are several ways technology can be used to communicate with parents. He uses Facebook as a teacher/parent only website, that informs parents to upcoming activities in the school. He came up with this idea when he found out that 24 out of 29 families at least 1 parent has an account. I think this is interesting. I always thought that social networking sites like facebook were designed for the younger generation. Technically speaking, I believe Facebook itself was designed for college students. All in all, if this technique works with bridging communication then I think it is a good idea.


It Is Imperative We Help Our Students Create a Positive Digital Portfolio is blog about how many stupid things people do and say. He tells of an article about fans storm the field after a collegiate football victory(which is illegal). Apparently, in their investigation, the University Police found a facebook group that was called I stormed the field and lived with many student members. This exemplifies why students should be educated in keeping their business off the world wide web.
This is why, Teachers Need to Become Social Networking Experts


Lastly, in the blog, How do I know I'm not being Selfish?, Chamberlain brings up some important questions. He asks a very important question: Are we pushing too hard a technology agenda, or are we simply trying to catch up with the world outside our walls? I do not believe the agenda is being pushed to hard. We are in a technology based world. It is necessary to be knowledge in the subject.

ALEX

Logo

Alabama Learning Exchange is a website that consists of a variety of communal lesson plans. It has many different courses one can choose from. This includes: sciences, mathematics, driver's and health education, language arts, technology education, physical education, and much more. It categorizes each group of lesson plans under one main topic. For example, one could choose language arts and find 66 lesson plans on 12th grade British Literary.


Information about Alabama Learning Exchange can be found on their website or on Facebook. Their Facebook group consists of just under 150 members. Keith, the creator of the group, provides users with literature. On the site you can participate in discussions and read updates and statuses from both members and creator.

I like the ALEX. It provides many useful resources that makes life a little easier on a hard working teacher. The lesson plan generator is a great idea and that the site allows you to have a personal workspace is even better. The Podcast Treasury has a plethora of topics that are sure to cover all subjects. I'm sure I will use it to my advantage one day.

ACCESS

Access is a website that is designed for high school to take online courses. It is split into three sections: upper, central, and southern Alabama.

There is a variety of reasons why students would choose ACCESS as their form of study. Some use it because it has classes that their high school does not have. This can include languages, fine arts, humanities, and language arts. Some use it as a form to make up class credits. Students are allowed to communicate with each other as well as their teachers. The comfort of being behind a computer screen allows them to develop personal relationships.

Photo Credit


Teachers on ACCESS receive about 150.00 dollars per student per semester. This is one of the many benefits ACCESS has to offer. It does not take too much time to monitor classes. Teachers can do this during their planning periods if they like.


Photo Credit


I think Access is a great program for both teachers and students. It gives students skills such as discipline and work ethic. Teachers get to establish personal relationships with their students and receive nice supplements in doing so.

Intrepid Teacher: Singing Hearts

The website, intrepid teacher, is made by kaia's father. In his blog he writes about why his daughter wanted to do a photo essay, how she did it, and what was the overall experience. He writes about how he was caught off guard when a group of 8th graders from missouri tried to communicate with his three year old daughter in Quatar. They did this through twitter twitter. He contacted the class via to discuss kaia's story with the classes.

In the end of his blog he asks his readers questions about online experiences and children.
Is the risk of exposing ourselves and our children online worth the connections that will be made and the lessons that will be learned?

I believe, it is worth the risk to teach children how to connect with the rest of the world via this technology. In the coming years it is all that will be around. Start children early so it will be easier for them to grasp later.

What is the value in this experience?
The value in the experience is knowledge. It helps people understand how technology contributes to globalization.