Seven Stupid/Brilliant Things Teachers Do With Technology

Mr.Doug Johnson wrote a list of seven stupid mistakes, and seven smart ideas that are used in the classroom. Many of his points are valid, and very true. I picked two of what I thought to be the most important from each of the lists.

I'll start out with the Seven Stupid Mistakes...

1."Not supervising computer-using students." I picked this as one of the most important mistakes when dealing with technology because it's necessary for the teacher to keep up with what the students are doing online. Teachers can't assume that a filter/blocker will automatically keep students from viewing inappropriate content. I know when I was in high school that their were some students who knew how to hack into the system. It's very easy for students to get around the internet filters which can cause all kinds of problems. Teachers need to be aware of the student's activities on the internet.

2. "Thinking technology in schools will go away." I know some people wish this was true, but it's not. Whether you like it or not; technology is here to stay. There's no sense in trying to resist it because in the end it will only make things more difficult. Instead, try to view technology as your friend, and realize how useful it can be. Trying to shut technology out of the classroom is an injustice to our students.

Click here to view "Seven Stupid Mistakes Teachers Make with Technology".

Seven Brilliant Things.....

1. "Accept the role of a co-learner." It's so important that teachers remain opened to learning new ideas. Even if you are not a teacher; you should never stop learning. There is not one person who knows it all. If you don't know something then use it as a chance for you and your students to find out that information.

2. "Empower kids with technology." Teach your students how to use technology. Such a simple statement seems to be so hard for some people. If the teachers aren't showing the students; then who will? It's gotten to a point that it's hard to function in the world without the knowledge of technology. You can't expect your students to succeed if you don't give them the proper tools to use.

Click here to view "Seven Brilliant Things Teachers Do With Technology".

The Teacher's Desk

This blog allows teachers to contribute their experiences and opinions for everyone to see. It's really great how several of the teachers have posted about things going on in their classrooms or new ideas. This is the place to bring new ideas to the table, and a good way for teachers to communicate with each other.

One post that I noticed was from Mr.Chamberlain. He was explaining ways to get more people to view your website. One class didn't have to do homework if they got 2,500 viewers to look at their class blogs. I thought that it was great how he was giving the students advice on how to get people around the world interested in their blogs. He then proceeded to post that information on The Teacher's Desk. This is very useful information that anyone can keep in mind when blogging.

Another thing that caught my attention is the list of blogs from all the collaborators. It's really cool how interconnected all of these blogs are. It's like everybody knows each other. For example, I clicked on the 2BC class blog. On their blog it shows all the people they follow, and one of them was Mr. McClung's class blog. It's crazy how small the world has become.
Overall, it's great that this professional blog is set up so that everyone can contribute.

Click here to view the At The Teacher's Desk Blog.

Michael Wesch: "A New Future of Whatever."

Mr Wesch's comments about the youth today are completely true. I do come from a very "It's all about ME!" generation. I thought it was interesting how he talked about the different definitions of "whatever". To be honest,I've been guilty in the past of using "whatever" to describe my apathy towards things.I didn't realize how negative this was until I watched this video.

Another point he made was that people feel that the only way they can have a voice is through the media. He used the example of students in a classroom versus people standing in line auditioning for American Idol. The ones wanting to be on American idol were a lot more excited than those in the classroom. I think this is because students don't feel like their voice can be heard in the class. Where as, people believe that being on AI gives them the opportunity to be heard.

Using today's technology gives everyone an opportunity to have a voice. This seems to be missing in our schools which is why our students are not engaged. As a future teacher, I want my students to feel that their thoughts and ideas do matter. Hopefully, I can guide them in the direction of the last definition of "whatever"-"Let's do whatever it takes!"
Click here to view Mr. Wesch's video.

Anthony Capp's Post

This post just goes to show how things are changing so quickly.The world expects people to use creative ways of communicating through the use of technology. It is no longer good enough to just write your thoughts down on a piece of paper. Presentation is everything now. With this in mind, I agree that we need to be preparing our student's for this technological world. We are cheating our students if we do not prepare them. It will be our responsibility to guide them, and show them the way.
Click Here to view Anthony Capp's blog.

The Importance of Blogging....

One thing I've learned in this class is how important it is too share your thoughts, and work to the world. It allows people to communicate, and sometimes brings up opportunities that might not happen if we were not interactive on the Web. The PS22 Chorus, in New York City, experienced this as their group put up a video of them singing "Landslide" on YouTube. Guess who saw it? That's right....Stevie Nicks, one of the band members of Fleetwood Mac. She invited them to Madison Square Garden to perform with Fleetwood Mac. Isn't that amazing!!!???

So many doors open when you start developing your personal networks, and blogging website. For example, Room 18 Pt England School posted their podcast for a teaching position. Their teacher is on maternity leave so they decided to do a commercial calling for all teachers who would be interested in the position. This was a great way for the students to see first hand how networking can have such an awesome impact.Click Here to view Room 18 Pt England school's website.

Mr. McClung is another example of how blogging can be a learning experience for both the poster and the reader. It gives hope to students who are nervous about teaching, and for teachers who are stressing out over the classroom. Reading his experiences give some wisdom and incite for other teachers. Click here to view Mr. McClung's blog.

Another great example is Kaia's blog. Who would have guessed that this 3 year old child would have such an impact on the world??? So many people have visited her site and seen her pictures. It just goes to show another opportunity to learn from the ideas and work of others on the Web.Click Here to view Kaia's blog.

You never know what can happen when you allow technology into your life. You might just get invited to Madison Square Garden to perform with Fleetwood Mac like the PS22 choir did......

ACCESS: Distance Learning

The ACCESS (Alabama Connecting Classrooms, Educators, and Students Statewide) program began on November 1, 2004. This program was created by Gov. Bob Riley in order to give all Alabama students, who attended public high schools, an equal learning environment. It allows students to take courses over the web, and involves distance learning. Some public schools do not have access to the resources or teachers to provide certain classes; so this provides an opportunity for students to take classes online.

This is a great program for Alabama high school students. It gives them opportunities that they might not have especially if they live in a small, rural area. For example, if a student wants to take a foreign language, such as Chinese, then they can simply take it online. Location or lack of resources are not a factor. Any high school student can be involved in this program no matter what part of the state he/she is from. My only complaint is that I wish that this was opened to elementary/middle school students as well.
Click here to view the ACCESS website.

ALEX....

Alex.......Alabama Learning Exchange. This program has been developed by the Alabama Department of Education. It provides resources such as web material, lesson plans, and interactive activities. This collection of resources is open to teachers as well as the public. Teachers can use it to gather materials for the classroom. This program makes it possible for educational information and ideas to be shared in the state of Alabama.

To view ALEX's website Click here.

I think this is a great website that will be very useful for the classroom. As a teacher, I will be able to use this to create lesson plans, and plan activities. It even has educational podcasts that can be incorporated in class. It also provides parents an opportunity to view the resources on this website.