EDM 310 Class Blog

Sunday, November 30, 2014

C4T #4

Teacher Post
In this post Ms. Ferguson uploaded the video InfoWhelm and Information Fluency. This was an interesting video about the increase of digital output and she asks the question "are our students ready to tackle these problems".

My Comment
Ms.Ferguson,
My name is Lindsey Donald and I am in EDM310 at the University of South Alabama. In this course we are learning that technology will not stop advancing. We have also learned that a great lesson starts with a great question. I fell that technology will be a huge part of our students' future. I also feel that as a future educator I must learn how to teach my students so that they will be ready to tackle these problems. Interesting post!
Lindsey Donald

Teacher Post
This week, Mr. Pullen posted a blog about a book called "Make it Stick". He says that this book builds on the work of others. He says that it supports practices "such as interspersing the retrieval of information over a period of time, forcing students to try to answer a problem before teaching it to them, using mnemonics.."

My Comment
My name is Lindsey Donald and I am in EDM310 at the University of South Alabama. I am currently studying to become an elementary education teacher. Thanks for sharing this book! As a future educator I am always looking for things to help with my future outside of me being in the classroom. It sounds like a great, interesting read.

Make it Stick

Blog Post #5 Part B

PLN's are personal learning networks that allow you to really connect with everyone and everything! These PLN's are not just for teachers, they are useful to anyone. The site i chose to create my PLN was Symbaloo . With symabloo I can do things such as: check social media, Skype, and get news reports. I have even added a few bloggers to my PLN. It keeps me organized and it is easy to use.

digital networking

Sunday, November 23, 2014

Blog Post #14

Problems
1. Hiring teachers
2. Seniority

Solutions
1.Not hiring teachers just because they have a degree
2.Just because a teacher has been teaching longer does not mean they are better

Picking from the Best

In Teaching Our Children Can be a Profession Mr. Klein suggests in this article that teachers should not just be chosen because they have a degree. He states that the teachers who graduate top of their class should be given first priority. In my opinion, if a student works hard enough to earn a degree, then they deserve an equal chance. Everyone in the college of education has to go through the same process, even student teaching. Therefore, if you have achieved goals and received a degree you deserve a chance.

Seniority

Just like in many other aspects, seniority sometimes has its way in the school system as well. It is stated that when lay-offs come the new teachers are the first to go. Mr. Klein suggests that just because a teacher has been there longer, does not mean they get to stay. I agree with him in this statement. I feel that many new teachers have an advantage and can relate more to the students, especially with technology.

Earning a degree wether you are at the top of the class or not makes no difference. I feel that a earning a degree as teachers we are equal. As far as seniority goes, new teachers could have a great advantage. Bringing new knowledge of technology to the classroom would be crucial for students this day in age. Therefore, I agree and disagree with some of Mr. Joel Klein's problems and solutions.

Joel Klein

C4K for November

C4K #8

This week I was assigned to Najeem in Ms. Horst's class. Najeem posted a working link to his blog! A link to a video of two dancers preforming. He told us that the dancers were dancing at different levels and speeds. Najeem's working link

My Comment
My name is Lindsey Donald and I am a student at the University of South Alabama. Great job with including a working link in your blog post! I myself just started blogging and had to learn how to do that too. Keep up the good work!

C4K #9

This week I was assigned to Landon's Blog . Landon posted about a product that he created on his own. It is a product that will keep your drink cold for as long as you want! he even added a straw holder.

My comment
My name is Lindsey Donald and I am a student at the University of South Alabama. Awesome blog! Your product sounds really cool! I wish I had something like that to keep my drink cold, especially on a hot day down here. I really enjoyed looking through your blog. Keep up the good work! Check out My Blog when you get a chance!

No C4K #10


C4K #11

For my last C4K I was assigned to Cole's Blog . Cole wrote about a couple of vacations that he has taken in the past few years. He gave us great details about going to Orlando and San Francisco.

My Comment
My name is Lindsey Donald and I am a student at the University of South Alabama. These vacations sound awesome! You gave us great details about them. I too have been on many memorable vacations these are memories we will cherish forever! Great Post!
learn and grow together

Sunday, November 16, 2014

Blog Post #13

Watch the video Teach Special Education

Then answer the question that adheres to the standards found in the ACCRS and Writing a Quality Blog Post


My Post

-1 in 9 students require Special Education and related services.
-In 2005 there were 426,500 full time special education teachers.
-By 2009 this number dropped to 370,500 full time Special Education teachers.

In the video Teach Special Education we see many teachers and families talking about the impact this job has on their lives. To these parents, teaching special education not only impacts their children's lives, but their lives as well. It is clear that it is not easy for these parents but, it is also clear that these teachers make everyday easier. The love and support that this job comes with is truly inspiring.

We can see from this video that these teachers love what they do. Like they say, it takes a special person to take on this job. As special education teachers we must think outside of the box, and find a way to teach our students in a way that they can understand. Like one of the parents mention, special education teachers have a genuine curiosity to figure out and help these students. Being a special education teacher we not only give these students hope, but the parents hope as well.

Working with these children for so long I have always known that this is what I want to do. Watching this video only inspired me more to become a special education teacher. Seeing the impact that these teachers have on everyone's lives is truly amazing. I look forward to making a difference in the lives of others. This job will be so rewarding.

learning knows no bounds



Smartboard Project#12 Part B

Introduction to Fractions



Sunday, November 9, 2014

Project #10

Teacher Interview With Vicky Donald





C4T #3

Teacher Post
Mr. Richardson posts an article by David Edwards. In this article Mr. Edwards talks about an increasing urgency to explore a new way of thinking about education. Then, Mr. Richardson says "despite some movement toward more discovery learning outside of school, inside of school is getting worse. More testing. Pre-K Common Core curriculum. Fewer and fewer opportunities to stretch outside the classroom and the traditional pedagogies that everyone seems to expect in the new evaluation regimes." We Need Discoverers

My Comment
I am a student in EDM310, where we are learning a lot about project based learning and the importance of asking questions. I feel that having PBL in my classroom in the future will really help students have a better understanding of the real world. Giving my students a chance to search the web for their own information will help them to see what is really out there. I enjoyed looking through your blog!


Teacher Post
Mr. Richardson posts a statement made by Gary Stager. Mr. Stager believes that as time goes on children's time in schools will decrease. Basically he is saying that there will come a time when children will only go to school for a few hours if they even go at all. He says that in the future the schools will still be there, there just will not be any kids in them. Mr. Stager believes that he is 110% accurate with this statement. Schools Dying Monopoly on Children's Time



My Comment

I feel differently about this topic. According to cnsnews.com 49.5% of today's society depends on the government, therefore they can not necessarily live on their own. School is a place for parents to send their children where there is free food and technology that they most likely do not have at home. I think that the government/politicians realize that school is also a place where children can go and stay out of trouble. Reading these statistics I feel that students time in school will not change anytime soon as long as 49.5% of Americans are living off of the government.



Teacher Teaching Students

Blot Post #12

Lindsey- Assistive Technologies for vision and hearing impaired children

Assistive Technology

In the video Assistive Technologies for Vision and Hearing Impaired Children , we learn facts about children in Australia who have hearing and vision impairment. This video shows many images of children using different forms of assistive technology in the classroom. From this video we learn that on average, one Australian child is identified with impaired hearing every day! One in every 2500 children have vision impairment. We see these students participating in class and activities just as everyone without disabilities would do. This is a very inspirational video that proves to us that all children can interact with one another in and out of the classroom.

The video chose was Assistive Technology Rocks My Classroom! This video is about a girl named Elina, who has a physical disability called athetoid cerebral palsy. This disability makes it hard for Elina to use her muscles for everyday activities such as: eating, walking and even talking. She started using assistive technology when she was just nine years old. Using assistive tech Elina is able to do things like: draw, paint, write in cursive and speak! She has accomplished so many things by using this technology. Elina and her classmates even taught others how to use this technology at an international conference! Elina is a perfect example of how assistive technology can help students with disabilities accomplish long term goals and overcome so many obstacles.




Amanda-The Mountbatten

The The Mountbatten, is an amazing tool that is used to type braille. This tool provides feedback to the individual as they are typing. It says each letter out loud as each button is pushed. This makes it very easy for someone who is blind to avoid making mistakes while typing. The mountbatten is a handy tool that allows files to be sent and received from a computer. It can also save files for next time when a student needs a break and wants to return to their work later. It is great for someone who is just starting to learn braille. By using this tool, students who are blind will not feel as left out during group projects in class.

The next video, Russel Hinderman using the Mountbatten, is a video I found on my own. In this video Russel is shown learning how to use the Mountbatten. He seems very eager to use the tool. This video shows that the Mountbatten can indeed be used by young students. I think this tool could be handy for anyone! The Mountbatten allows teachers to guide their students in the right direction as the tool does the talking. I think this brailler is something that is very easy to use, and can be very helpful even if students don't have a teacher sitting next to them as they type. Blind children could also use the Mountbatten for independent learning exercises.

The Mountbatten


Kayla-iPad for the Blind

In the article How The Blind Use A IPad it explains how a blind person uses the iPad. Apple has many programs an apps for the blind. Apple has a built in screen reader and this helps the blind because a screen reader reads the screen for you. For example: when you click over an app, the screen reader will read the app to you. Apple also has a Braille Display. According to this article, "a refreshable Braille display is an electronic device that displays visual information (text) as Braille (text) on a Braille display." For a blind person the Braille display can help them type and use ke
ys. The iPad and other apple products are great tools for not only the blind but for anyone.

This video iPad usage for the blind shows a blind man explaining how he uses the iPad. This video is amazing to me because not only did I just explain that a blind person can use the iPad but the video actually shows a blind person using the iPad. He seems to not have any trouble with it. I believe apple products are great for everyone. They make them easy to use for anyone.

iPad for the blind






Raven-Teaching Math to the Bind



Teaching Math to the blind


Teaching math to the blind is very difficult. Braille is the language that a blind person uses to read or write. The problem with braille is that it is very linear. Blind students are not able to how even the most simple math problems are two dimensional. When given an addition problem, a hearing student would normally line up the numbers to solve the problem. A student that is blind would see the problem on the same line.






Deaf Student     Hearing Student


1234+4567   VS.   123
                           +4567






Art Karshmer is a professor at the University of San Francisco School of Management and Chairman of the Department of Technology. He developed a system that translates the 2-dimensional concepts of mathematical problems into a single dimensionality of braille to allow a blind student to understand those concepts into their visual cortex through touch and electronic feedback. He believes that students that are blind are barred from the study of all of the core or "stem " sciences that rely on math as their root language. His system uses small blacks with braille numbers that can be placed on a grid and can be read to the student. The block itself can also be scanned and read aloud by a computer. With this system, a braille student is able to lay out a math problem that same way a sighted student would see it on paper. Using this device with blind students can help build a foundation that will help them in their future studies.



math for the blind

Sunday, November 2, 2014

Blog Post #11

In the video Back to the Future Mr. Brian Crosby had his class do several fun activities. He says he has his class participate in activities like these because, kids do not know what could be, if they do not know what is. Mr. Crosby explains that students today must have imagination and creativity. He really tries to step outside of the "narrow curriculum" that he believes students are receiving these days. His fourth graders participated in many hands on activities. He then instead of testing them on these projects, had them embed their videos and blog about what they had done. The students posted it to their blog, made their own wiki page, and added pictures to their class flickr. It seems that he has brought these students so far! He says that we've always taught students how to be taught: be quiet, raise your hand. Now we must make students want to learn, he really seems to have done this. Awesome video!

The next video was Blended Learning Cycle . In this video Paul Anderson explains how he uses blended learning in his science classroom. He says many times that as teachers we must understand the power and importance of a question. Mr. Anderson also says that it is important for students to have control in doing things such as peer grading. He then explains his steps to blended learning which are: Question,Investigation,Video,Elaboration,Review and Summary/Quiz. These are great and very useful steps to the learning process. These steps will be beneficial for me in the future.

The third video I watched was Making Thinking Visible . In this video Mark Church has his students watch a video about the upcoming lesson. Then, they create a headline within their groups. Later on after the lesson is completed, he has his students create a new headline to see what has changed from beginning to end. I feel like this would really help students understand the lesson more and have them more interested in it.

The forth video was Super Digital Citizen . I absolutely loved the lesson in this video! In Sam Pane's classroom, he has his students create a digital super hero. These super hero's help teach children how to safely use the internet. Mr. Pane explains that the more the lesson is about the students the more meaningful the lesson is. He also allowed his students to walk around and look at and read their fellow students comic. Again, we see peer editing in the classroom this is crucial among students these days. "With great power come great responsibility".

The fifth video was Project Based Learning . In this classroom the teachers have combined english, history and information processing (technology). The students in this classroom have three different teachers, so they have triple the feed back. Not only do they have feedback from teachers but their classmates as well. These students really seem to love the idea of three teachers and PBL in this classroom, they are always asking the question "how can I make this better?".

The final video I watched was Roosevelt Elementary PBL . In this video teachers and parents explain how much they love project based learning in this elementary school. The teachers explain that this concept takes a real world problem and allows students to research and solve the problem themselves. One parent says that it has helped her son have great independent skills as well as group working skills. All social skills build upon each other. This really helps students get prepared for their future.

Group work