Blog Post 2

What will teaching in the 21st century be like?

1. Video: Mr. Dancealot

I found the video of Mr. Dancealot to be very entertaining. Not only was the video entertaining but it was also educational. I believe the central message of the video was that not all classes can be taught with just lectures. Some classes need to be taught with hands on activities. The author of Mr. Dancealot video makes his point clear towards the end of the video when it was time for the students to get up and dance for the final grade. All of the students did not know what to do because they did not have any practice in the class. I completely agree with author of the video. Some classes need more hands on activities and not just lecture. Just like EDM 310, we would never learn how to do anything with HTML if we didn't practice it ourselves and we were just lectured about it.

2. Video: Teaching in the 21st century by Kevin Roberts

Roberts made lots of points in the video on how teaching has changed and is continuing to change. One of my favorite points he made was:

"Techers are not the main source of knowledge."

That point is so very true. Technology has made it so much easier to find out information faster. I believe that when I do become a teacher, I am not going to be the only source my students will go to for information. I believe it will be my job as a teacher to teach them the correct sources to use since teachers aren't the only sources now-a-days. This video and the points made in the video just go to show you how much teaching has changed

3. Video: The Network Student by Wendy Drexler

This video is directed toward connectivism. Although it may seem like the network student doesn't need a teacher, he does. Yes, the network student teaches his self and finds information his self. He still needs someone to go to when he needs help or when he needs direction on which source to go to. Just like EDM 310, the class is very self taught but we still need a teacher to correct us and direct us in the right path.

4. Video: Harness your students Digital Smarts by Vicki Davis

Vicki Davis's video encourages me to become a teacher that teaches students to want to learn. She uses technology to teach the students to learn and teach there selves. Once again, this video reminds me of EDM 310. This is a class where not everything is handed to us. We must seek other sources to learn and to hopefully teach other too. I believe Vicki Davis wants to teach her students that they are their own teacher and can do it with a littler direction from her.

5. Video: Who is ahead in the Learning Race?

Wow! This video was a eye opener to me! It shocks me how much technology has changed and how technological advanced elementary kids are now-a-days and how much I am just now learning about Macs,google docs, and blogs. There is no doubt about it that elementary kids are ahead in the learning race. They are learning things that I am just now learning as a third year student at the University of South Alabama.

6. Video: Flipping the Classroom

I am pretty familiar with "Flipping the classroom". I am not familiar with the term "flipping the classroom" but I am familiar with concept of it. Student will have a homework assignment that allows the student to learn some background knowledge of the information that will be taught to them the next day and allows them to go ahead and come to school with knowledge and questions for the lesson. I love this concept and when I become a teacher I will be using this concept. I believe it saves lots of time with teaching the background knowledge and also teaches the students to become learners.

Blog Post 1

What about EDM310?

When I first signed up for EDM 310 I was petrified. I actually remember calling a friend and saying something along the lines of "I think I have lost my mind". I heard nothing but bad things about this class at the time of signing up. I knew it was required but I dreaded it. I heard that you had to have a Mac to be able to actually do well in the class. So what do I do? I go out and buy a Mac. I also heard that this class is not like your normal class. A friends exact words were "You are your own teacher in EDM". With that being said, it scared me but also made me excited to be in a class so unique. So like I stated earlier, going into this class I had many fears from what people have said but now that I am in it I truly believe I am going to enjoy it. 

From what I know about EDM is that it is not like many high school courses. Although I was in Honors classes in High School, the teachers still taught you everything you needed to know and most of the time I only retain it for the test. So I believe that this class is different in that aspect because you pretty much learn how to do it on your own and so you will retain the information. I really have a hard time comparing high school or other college courses with EDM because EDM is so different from any class I have taken.


I truly am excited about EDM 310. The only thing that I think will be a challenge for me is that I really don't know how to use the Mac laptop. I believe that throughout this semester I will learn more and more about the Mac. I also know that I could always ask for help via Facebook, text, call or by using the lab hours.

I look forward to a great semester in EDM 310. I realize I will probably make many mistakes but I know I will learn from them and they will only make me a better student. I fully understand the hours and dedication required for this class and I am ready to take on this class.

Practice Blog Post

My name is Kayla Cooper. This is my third year here at the University of South Alabama. I was born in Ft. Pierce Florida but I was raised in Mobile Alabama. I am an Elementary Education major. This is my first semester of actually stepping into my major and that is something that makes me excited. I enjoy working with kids. I am a currently a teacher at Semmes First Baptist and a preschool director at my church. I look forward to the day where I am an Elementary teacher. I know with out a doubt that this is what I am supposed to do with my life. I love working with kids and always have. To anyone who knows me knows that I usually have child with me at all times. That in itself should show you have much I enjoy working with children.

Although I know that being a toddler teacher is a lot different then being an elementary teacher but I still believe it is teaching me some important aspects. Aspects that teachers in the 21st century deal with. Being a teacher in the 21st century means you have to have a lot more qualities then what some people think. A teacher is more then just someone who teaches a child information. They are more then just a "teacher" they are a organizer, advice giver, controller, and much more. A teacher in the 21st century also has to be a lot more technology advanced then teachers in the past. Technology has advanced in so many ways that now-a-days you almost can't make it in the world without it. Knowing all of this just makes me want to become a teacher even more. I realize that being a teacher is work and you learn different aspects to make you a better teacher everyday.

I believe one aspects I am great at is patience. Being a teacher will definitely teach you patience. There is one aspect I fell I could improve on and that is organization.There isn't much more I could say about myself other then I enjoy what I do and look forward to doing it the rest of my life!

This picture describes me now and in the future. I love playing, learning and growing together with my class now and look forward to my classes in the future.

Outline

1. About me (Name, grade, where I was born, job and my major)
2. What I like to do and why I chose the field of education (love working with kids and always have-the reason why i chose the field I did)
3. Description of a 21st teacher (Technologically educated, more then just "teach")
4. Things I am good at and need to work on (patience and organization)
5 Picture to describe what I love to do (teach)