Blog Assignment 5

Since the majority of this blog is based on tools that we can use to better educate students I found a website called Fun Brain that goes from K-8. It is designed to create a fun environment for students to learn and review all subjects. I actually played a few games and they were pretty fun. I think that it could be very useful at home or inside a classroom.

Don't Teach Your Kids This Stuff.
      In Dr. McLeod's post Don't Teach Your Kids This Stuff. Please?, I was kind of torn in how I felt. In the beginning like most I was very confused to whether he was going to be sarcastic or really not want the use of technology in the classroom. I do like the sarcastic approach that he took; but at the same time I felt it went a little to far. Dr. McLeod really made you think that in a lot of ways some parents and teachers feel that their is too much of a risk in teaching kids technology. There are so many dangers out there with all the technology capabilities that we have. There is also a lot that we can obtain from the use of technology. I think this is what Dr. McLeod was wanting to convey. With the mention of the use of pornography in the post I feel as if at the end there should have been more of an effort to note that we need to take a responsible approach to technology.  I would have much better liked the post if  he would have made a statement that we teach students the difference in the right and wrong ways to use technology and that we have to learn to all take responsibility as individuals for our own personal use of technology. Giving students an outlet to express them self in the form of blogging, power point, and creating virtual worlds is an amazing thing to be able to do and encouraging students to do so benefits them for the work world that we as educators are trying to prepare them for.  Again overall I feel that Dr. McLeod made a very good and strong point I just feel that there should have been a bit more on teaching children the right and wrong uses of technology.
     According to About Me Scott McLeod, he is one of the leading experts on technology leadership issues in the nation for K-12. He is an Associate Professor at the University of Kentucky. He has received many awards for his work such as Leader in Learning, the William J. Davis Award, and many more. He along with Dr. Joan Hughes created the first graduate program in the country that was designed to create technology knowledgeable  school leaders. His work is known across the country and world as he works to prepare the educators of today and tomorrow for the technological future that is growing daily.
ISchool
     In the video The iSchool Initiative, created by Travis Allen as a high school senior. His idea could revolutionize the public school system as we know it. His overall all idea is to take the iPod and turn it into the iSchool. In doing so it would cut the cost of things such as books, printing equipment, and other expensive learning resources. He is stating that it could cut cost as much as $600.00 per students down to $150.00 per students. The idea of this new method is to not only cut cost but to better link students, teachers, and parents in communication as well as learning. Students would have access to resources on there iSchool that give them virtual school books as well as helpful tools such as U.S. Constitution, World Wiki, and Star Walk. All of this is done while only allowing students the use of internet that directly relates to education purposes. Travis Allen has now turned his idea into one that is being viewed across the global he along with a team of students travel the country encouraging the reform of our learning to the new technological one that he has created. He is revolutionizing the face of education one that could not only save our school systems money but to leave less of a carbon footprint on this planet.
    I was very impressed by this idea of the iSchool it could greatly benefit the the educational world. School budgets could be used for more hand on tools to help students to learn with this new method. As teachers we could better interact with our students as well as the parents. There would be limitless opportunities to better reach out educationally and as a community. As a Special Education major I also have to look at it from another perspective. In using the iSchool students with physical limitations would be able to interact more in a normal classroom. They would not be the student with the special learning equipment instead they can customize their iSchool to better help them. For example since there would be no more textbooks students that  need large print books or that need to have the text read to them can now use the same applications as regular students just set it to larger text or audio and plug in their headphones. Special needs students want that independence and the iSchool can give them that and allow them to interact inside a normal classroom and not be looked at so differently. For learning more on iSchool visit iSchool Initiative Website.
Virtual Choir Astonishment
     The first thing that I have to say about Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir, is breath taking. I was thoroughly amazed with the ability to take 185 singers that had never met and put together a flawless performance that professionals should bow to. I know in many of my previous blogs I have made this statement before, but the internet and technology gives us limitless opportunities. So many people are terrified of the use of the internet because of all the dangers that it can possess. At the same time this video shows the beauties that it also has the capabilities that it has to give if we are only willing to learn. Think of the things that we can learn and create with the internet. We are so scared to just try and learn how to use it. We unlike so many generations have the opportunity to actually make this world a better place yet so many of us sit back on ideal and say,"someone else can do it," why? Every one of us has the ability to create beautiful masterpieces what ever the may be from a virtual choir to blogging on environmental issues. There is a beauty in all of it we only have to take a risk and LEARN!
21st Century and Teaching
      In the presentation  Teaching in the 21st Century, it presents you with the fact that the tools out there to teach students with everyday resource that they use frequently. As educators we should learn how to take these tools and obtain the skills that they are going to need for the professions that will be available to them. Many of the students that we teach today will have a job that does not even exist yet. Teachers can not longer rely on facts that come from text books to teach students we need them to think outside of the box. Students need to be able to function in a future society. As educators we need to teach them to apply, analyze, understand, and create information. Bloom's Taxonomy may sometimes be confusing to understand. There are different levels of learning and teaching; however there is importance behind each one. We have to take them out of that world where they are only feeding back facts and have them create and analyze the information that is being taught to them. I do not believe that paper and pencils should be completely removed; but I do believe that we should be using computers, iPads, and the internet in general more then ever. The U.S. is behind when it comes to our students education but think of how far ahead we could be if we would only think outside the box our self.
Reading Rocket
     The website Reading Rocket is endless. There are tools for teachers, parents, and principals. This website gives you tools to not only create better readers but better learners. I was so impressed by the information I found here. There are many things under the parent links that I can actually use in my K2 classroom as well as an expecting parent. I viewed the grocery store activity sheets and was amazed. Even for those that do not have kids you can say you have seen how hard it is to keep a child occupied while grocery shopping but if you give them something to do that is fun as well as educational grocery shopping is no longer a chore. I spent over an hour looking around on the website and still had not looked at all of the information and tools that were being almost spoon fed to you.
     Now as a teacher I have to think how can this help me with what I will be doing. For starters how many educational websites that you go to give you information on how to help children from toddlers to middle school or maybe higher? Here is another question, how many of those websites also give you tools to help those with LD, autism, AD/HD, and dyslexia? The answer to theses questions is very few if any. The articles that deal with students that have special needs not only give you what you would view in these students but also the tools and ideas to better assist them with. Anthony Capps was correct in his statement that, "it is the most valuable website in regards to educational instruction".