Sunday, September 25, 2011

Blog Post #5

Don't Teach Your Kids This Stuff, Please?
Read Scott McLeod's post

     Just who is Scott McLeod? Dr. Scott McLeod is an Associate Professor of Educational Leadership at the University of Kentucky. He is one of the nation's leading academic experts on K-12 school technology leadership issues, and he founded the nation's only academic center dedicated to the technology needs of school administrators. McLeod has worked with numerous corporate partners to move schools into the 21st century. He is the co-creator of a popular video series, Did You Know (Shift Happens), and he blogs regularly about technology leadership issues.
     Dr. McLeod's post, "Don't Teach Your Kids This Stuff, Please?", is a warning to all parents, educators, and administrators. He uses a sarcastic approach to challenge educators to use technology in their school's curriculum. McLeod tells educators not to worry about teaching students all the different forms of technology. However, he tells us that he will be teaching his students these things and because of this, they will have a leg up over students who were never exposed to technology. I believe that McLeod is correct. If we want these students to be prepared for our fast-paced, ever-changing technological world, we must use technology and all of its forms in the classroom. Many people perceive technology as harmful for kids, but if we teach them how to use it properly, I feel this kind of teaching can be successful. We as educators must prepare our students for the future and the technology that is our future.

The iSchool Initiative

     Travis Allen is a name I think we will be hearing for a long time when it comes to technology. He is an extremely bright guy with some great ideas. Mr. Allen proposes a program where all students and teachers use an iPhone in the classroom. They will all use downloadable apps created by Apple, and all of their textbooks will also be downloaded as well. The iPhone will replace books, pencils, and paper in the classroom. Allen says the iSchool Initiative will not only will reduce our wasting of precious natural resources, but also financially benefit school systems by saving $600 a student. 
     I personally think this sounds like a great program, but I would like to see some research on the schools who have adopted it. I know students are definitely ready for this kind of learning, but are we as teachers? School systems would need to introduce this program gradually while educating the teachers who are still hesitant to face their fears of technology. I was not born into this world of technology, so I can't imagine a classroom with no books, paper, or pencils. However, I know this is the direction in which we are headed and I'm prepared to do what I need to do to teach with technology. We as educators must embrace the fact that technology is our future, and we must be accepting of the fact that we are teaching a new generation of learners. I would enjoying teaching in a school where the iSchool Initiative was being used. 


Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir

     What beautiful music made by a musical ensemble of 185 voices from twelve different countries! They recorded Lux Aurumque in a very unusual way. They never met in a recording studio or even in the same room. They all used their own computers and Eric Whitacre, using just over two hundred tracks, put them all together and uploaded them to You Tube. This innovative idea really shows the power of the internet. It reminds us that we are so far from really realizing the power and true potential of this kind of technology. The internet never ceases to amaze me. 

The world connected to the internet


Teaching in the 21st Century

     After watching Kevin Roberts's video, "Teaching in the 21st Century," he asks you, "What does it mean to teach?". It really made me think because I want to be the very best teacher for my students. I want to make sure my lessons are engaging, I want to make a difference in my students' lives, and I want to them to internalize and be able to apply what I have taught them. I hope that all teachers want those same things for their students. The world is so quickly changing with all the technology that has been created, how do we keep up with it all? It can seem so overwhelming, but we must. Luckily, in the end of the video, Roberts does give us a few tips that I think all teachers can use. He advises us to start with some small piece of technology at first, and add that to your next lesson. He tells us to collaborate with others to see what has worked for them, and he tells us not to be afraid to take a risk when using technology in the classroom. I think all of these things can be easily implemented into your lessons. This makes it less intimidating when you think of it in these terms. Every teacher can do this.
    Kevin Roberts asks if teachers are still necessary since information is available to students immediately when using the internet. I think teachers are such valuable resources that we cannot do without them. Yes, students can find the facts and the information they need on the internet, and they can get the answers to their questions with the click of a button. So maybe they can gather information without the teacher, but a teacher helps them  to understand, apply, analyze, and evaluate that information. A teacher helps them to create something of their own using that information.  A perfect example was on the video. Roberts said that students can use Google, but who is teaching them how to use it. Teachers are still important tools in the classroom. Technology will always play a huge role in the modern classroom, but it will never replace the teacher. 

3 comments:

  1. McLeod: You got the sarcasm. Many students didn't and interpreted McLeod's post literally.

    You have copied from Mr. McLeod's About Me page without acknowledging the source and enclosing in quotation marks the passages copied. If you copy and paste more than 5 words without acknowledgement, you have technically committed plagiarism. Plagiarism is a very serious offense. You are not the only person who has done this for this assignment. I will attribute it this time to a lack of understanding about how to avoid plagiarism. It is especially important that anyone entering the teaching profession understands what plagiarism is, avoids it in their personal work, and can teach others about it. The copy and paste world in which we now live makes it very easy to do. Careers can easily be ruined through plagiarism. Watch the Class Blog for additional information and assignments.

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  2. Good job linking all of the other assignments to life as a teacher. You have very good ideas. Even though only a portion of your blog post was copied, you can ruin all of your credibility by plagiarizing!

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  3. Hello,
    I just finished reading your blog. I truly enjoyed the way you expressed how each assignment made you feel. Though you made a small mistake, I am certain you will make sure it doesn't happen again. I hope that you can continue to be inspired by teaching in these changing times. In this technological age we must remember the power of lecture. I look forward to reading your blog again soon.

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