Project #8

Podcast

Blog Post #5

The first podcast I choose to watch was "Eagles' Nest Radio: Episode #3":

I was shocked at how young this students were. These students were 3rd graders creating podcast. I have to ask, "Why can't many of the teachers do this when 3rd graders can?" In this particular podcast the students of this class gave us a very informative and interesting podcast on the Ancient Romans. The students discussed their listeners about many cool facts such as Cleopatra is in fact from Greece and not Rome. They also talked about things that were constructed by the ancient Romans and many of the inventions they created such as aqueducts and amphitheaters. Not only has the class posted podcast about the Ancient Romans, but they have also made podcast about famous explorers through time and a podcast with shark facts.

Podcast viewed #2, "Langwitches":

This was a link to a website devoted to sharing articles about podcasting in the classroom. The most recent article was posted by, I'm assuming, another teacher about a class of 4th graders she was asked to talk concerning podcasts. The class then began putting their ideas together on a smart board and they students were asked to create their own story out of the ideas mentioned. After turning them in the class would vote on their favorite to use in their podcast. I thought this was a really interesting way to use podcast in the classroom and could be done with students at any grade level. Then the students were able to take different jobs to put the podcast together and produce it.

Podcast viewed #3, "The Educational Podcast Network, Ace Kids":

This website's purpose is to help students and teachers come together from all over the world and share their work that they do through podcasting. I choose to listen to some elementary school students work. I understood that these podcast were from 2005 , but I had not realized until after I had started listening to the podcast that these students were in fact from Australia. I was not only amazed at the great work that did with their podcast, but I was very impressed with the professionalism that the students portrayed when speaking. They cited their sources and even thanked people that helped them create the podcast. I thought about several podcast ideas I could do with my class. For example, in one of their first podcasts they researched and discussed the history of their city and what it was like. They used several sound effects in each of their podcasts to make them even more interesting and used music in each podcast to keep things from getting boring.

Blog Post #4

Response to "Don't Teach Your Kids This Stuff. Please?" by Scott McLeod:

I agree and disagree with this post on many levels. In starts off by saying do not teach our children to read. Well first of all we cannot do that for obvious reasons. We have to teach our youth how to be literate otherwise our future will be... who knows? The article then discusses how we should not teach our children how to connect, no social networking or blogging or twitter. I agree in saying that the youth today are given way too much access to the world through the internet though social networks. There are many things that should be blocked from our youth, but there really is nothing we can do. However, as we have seen in our class there are many great things that can come from the internet and networking with other people. Cell phones are a hot button people with many people and I do not like kids having them today, because kids do not need a cell phone. I see a cell phone as a big responsibility and kids today are often not ready for that responsibility. However, cell phones can be a great tool in the end. I feel like the article makes valid points, but the reality is that there is nothing that can be done about any of it.

Dr. Scott McLeod is the director of the UCEA Center for the Advanced Study of Technology Leadership in Education (CASTLE).

Response to "The iSchool Initiative"

My thoughts on this ischool ideas is neither negative nor positive. First of all I disagree with the idea entirely for one reason. If it happens and schools do not spend the money on books or paper then what will happen to these companies. These companies rely on schools for much of their business. If this iSchool idea did become a reality the economy would be completely thrown for a whirl. Many businesses would go bankrupt because schools would not be spending the money. And more than likely if schools were not spending money then they would get a lot less in their budgets to spend on the things that they do need to buy like food or teacher's paychecks.

Also I think about people that cannot learn through this single method. Through my personal expiereince I have found ways that I can learn and ways that do not work for me. They may work for me, but may not work for the person sitting next to me. I have found that I have some interesting methods to help me when I am preparing for a test or preparing music for a recital. We are all different and learn differently so having to use an iSchool to take notes, complete homework assignments, and talk with my teacher. Yes the idea is easier in many ways, but for the majority of people this will not work for them compared to the 'difficult' methods we use today.

Response to "The Lost Generation":

First of all I this has to be one of the coolest videos I have ever seen! The problem is that I personally feel like part of what was stated in this video is already true in today's society. I feel like a lot of people have their priorities out of order already. Looking around society today some people think to be successful you must be wealthy and have a steady income. Everybody does anything for an extra buck so they are away from the sit down family dinners. This is just one of several points that was made in this video that I feel is true today, but then again as it is read backwards I feel that the youth of today is exactly like it says. The youth of this 'Lost Generation' has many great things to look forward to and is highly under appreciated by the older generations because they are "going against the grains" with new ideas such as the iSchool idea.

Response to the "Virtual Choir" by Eric Whitacre:

Being a music major and a big fan of the music of Eric Whitacre I have already heard of this project from it's beginning stages. I thought that he has realized and opened a completely new world for not only music and performances, but for education in general. By creating this project Eric has shown how not only musical performance can be created outside of the usual concert hall, but that it can be fairly simple to bring people from all over the world together, teach these 'pupils' the necessary materials, and conclude with a great performance.

Presentation - All About Aaron Fiveash

C4T#1 Summary

My teachers most recent blog discusses and gives tips on things to check on when making a podcast, interview, or any other audio recording. There were five points total that he made. Of the points mentioned they were as simple as remembering to charge the battery to your camera or as complex as making sure not to talk when the interviewer is talking so the speaker can be heard clearly. I have never thought about how difficult it could be to make a 'perfect' recording while trying to be the least bit artistic or completely natural.

Thanks for the tips! They seem like such simple things, but when trying to do any type of interview or audio recording there are so many other things going on or running through your brain. I know I always overlook some minute detail.

The second blog post that I commented on was about podcast and audio editing software with some really interesting articles and links. Considering on what if podcast are an option in my classroom these may become a huge help in the future. He also gives links to helps, guides, and tutorials on programs that I use already such as Garage Band and Audacity. He also talks about a new audio editor called Myna by Aviary. He closes by giving an article that gives hard conclusive evidence to how podcast actually do help in the classroom. I commented on this post by saying:

Once again I come to your blog and find more great and useful information. I really enjoy all the links and references that you give to many different programs. For example, I use Audacity on a weekly basis and I understand how the programs works, but the link for the tutorial has been a great help. Thanks for all the great information in this post!

Blog Post #3

Response to "A Vision of Students Today" by Michael Wesch:

Watching the video by Michael Wesch to me is not entirely all facts. Yes it is a project done by students through surveys and group discussion I'm assuming, but I have several problems with the research compiled. First, all the students are from the same university. To me it would be best if several students from many universities came together on the project because not all schools are the same. Looking at some of the signs they shown I have to disagree with the majority of them. I do know send 500 emails a year or read 49% of my books. I do not sit in class on facebook or even spend 3.5 hours on it a day and I know for a fact I do not eat for 2 hours a day. Yes I could see some exceptions, but those days are very rare these days.

As far as adding anything further to this research I can only think of a few more aspects that could be added. I know, speaking personally, I try to spend as much time with my family as possible. Family was not mentioned at all. I spend at the least an hour a week with my parents and completely and totally away from school work. My family lives about 45 minutes away so it is hard to see them, but some students see their families more than I do. Also, going out on other events are not included such as dates or musical concerts. Other students are involved in different things. Personally I felt the study was interesting, but not entirely accurate in many different ways.

Response to "It's Not About the Technology" by Kelly Hines:

Once again I find myself totally re-thinking my what I have previously concluded about education today. I agree with Kelly that teachers are not in the 21st century when the students they teach are. I feel like many teachers today have a bad case of tunnel vision. They were taught a certain way all through school, their colleagues teach the same way, and that is the only way to teach. If they would simply take a step back and view teaching from an 'outsiders' prospective they would see that it really does not have to be this way. That is why all educators must live in the now and use the technological resources around them.

I view being an educator along the lines of being a doctor or a scientist. The field is changing everyday, new information is being acknowledged so to be a great doctor they must learn these things and educate themselves so they acquires this knowledge. They can then teach or perform this information later for their peers or students. However, with everything previously being said teachers need to remember where their roots are. The basic principles of anything never change, 2 + 2 will always = 4, but how this can be taught and what can be used to teach this can/will/do everyday. Teachers must not rely on technology in the classroom, but use it in a way their students can easily relate to. This makes it easier for them to understand or find ways to understand.

Response to "Is It OK to be a Technologically Illiterate Teacher?" by Karl Fisch:

I feel like the article creates many valid points. In our class we have focused so intently on getting teachers to open up and use technology in the classroom, but Mr. Fisch brings us back to reality. Technology is a key to the future in the classroom, but not THE key. Teachers should find ways to implement computers and online activities into the classroom, but technology is not the answer to everything.

Not only that, but I feel that the first step that needs to be taken to get teachers to use technology is by the administration. I feel that many teachers, especially outside the college level, do not use computers because they do not know how to use them. Teachers today are required to take a computer class for their degrees, but what about those older generation teachers. They more than likely do not know how to use a computer. They must learn how to use these technologies before they can expect their students to be able to do it.

Response to "Social Media Count" by Gary Hayes:

The first thing that I think about when seeing these stats is that I can these stats did not even exist just a few years ago. The internet for starts, but think about facebook, twitter, youtube, and x box all did not exist 10 years ago. What will things be like in another 10 years from now... what about 20 years from now. Apple just came out with the ipad so what is next the ipalm? As far as in the field of education I feel like more and more classes will become used online since we use computers so much today. Who knows, maybe 100 years from now we may not even has schools or universities anymore. I honestly am scared at where education is going for my child and my grandchildren.

Blog Post #2

Response to "Did You Know?" 3.0 by Karl Fisch:

I was not sure what to expect when I started watching this video. At the end of the video I could not believe some of the statistics that I read. I caught myself having to back the video up on a few occasions to read the facts again due to disbelief. I now feel like Americans have this image of how things really are, but the truth is that far from this image. For example, the fact that 25% of India's population with the highest IQ is greater than the total population of the entire United States. Meaning India has more honors students than Americans have students. The very next fact in the video is that the top 10 jobs in demand this year did not exist just six years earlier.

The final question that we are left is, "What have we learned?" Well... What have we learned? I feel like the world is growing at such a rapid rate around us and we cannot keep up. Americans feel that with our ipads and touchscreen cell phones that we are at the "top of the world." Well this video proves that in fact, WE ARE NOT! Our knowledge is growing, but we have such a long way to go. There is so much out there that we have yet to discover. Many people do not realize how advance our world will be just a few short years down the road. We are preparing for a future that we really do not know what that future will be.

Response to "Mr. Winkle Wakes" by Matthew Needleman:

This video was brief and to the point which I find to be great when trying to make a point to many people. No one wants to sit and watch a half hour long video when the topic can be stated in just a few sentences. I feel that the video is a totally accurate view of the real world in every way.

After watching the video and giving it some thought I am truly shocked at how behind the education world is technologically. The world is rapidly changing around us, but in the classroom where we are shaping our future, things have not really changed. School, at its foundation, is still done the way it has been since the beginning. Yes, there are a few exceptions, but nothing close to the technological advances in almost all other areas.

Response to "Sir Ken Robinson: The Importance of Creativity":

I feel like from the very beginning he sets the audience on their toes when stating that we must prepare our children for retirement 60 years from now, but we do not even know what life will be like five years from now. It really puts into perspective how rapid the world moves especially as technology advances. I really enjoy the humor throughout the speech, but honestly without the humor he would have many peoples attention. I know that he had my full attention and really had me thinking through the entirety.

Being that I am a music education major I can really relate and completely what he means when he discusses the arts in schools. I have never thought about the arts in this way before and I am totally shocked at how true this speech is. In schools today the arts programs are the first to go because they are 'not as important' as other areas such as math and reading. I feel like the world tries to be too much like each other and kids these days are not given the chance to be their true selves.

Response to "Vicki Davis: Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts":

I feel like she does a great job of incorporating technology into her classroom and her teaching. She helps the students become familiar with google and other computer programs. She explains that with technology she does not have to define every little word or topic that is discussed. If the student does not understand something they learn that the answer is at their fingertips or 'just a click away.'

I also feel that she does a great job of getting the students to be themselves. Getting them out of the classroom and connected to the world. She proves that by using technology great minds can come together from all over the world and not just the great minds in that particular classroom. She really opens up the students socially, but also opens up their minds to different cultures or ideas to any topic which in today's world is a must to be successful.