Blog Assignment 2

Did You Know? The Dr. Strange Version
     I was totally blown away by some of the numbers presented in this video. Why, with all of the advanced technology, is the United States lagging behind other countries? In one minute there are 1,097,220 You Tube videos watched, 1,393,519 Google searches, and 11,453,577 text messages sent. It is not that we do not have the capability, it is in fact that we have not been using the technology to educate!
      "The top ten jobs ten years from now do not exist yet, and will use technologies not invented yet." If this is the case, it is our job to continue exploring technology and coaching our students. We must provide a independent learning environment. By doing this, students will experience hands-on education that will enable them to retain information sufficiently.
 
Mr. Winkle Wakes
     Mr. Winkle awoke from his 100 year sleep to find that the world he lived in had changed. There were tall buildings and hospitals, both filled with these machines that were making all sorts of noises; he was overwhelmed, but also amazed. The only place that seemed normal to Mr. Winkle was the school. It was just like he had remembered it, no machines just rows of desks. So, if everyone else had adapted to this new found world of technology, why hadn't the school?
     The places visited by Mr. Winkle, such as the office building and the hospital are places where future graduates will work. Wouldn't it be a good idea if the technology that they will be required to use was incorporated into their learning experience in the classroom? I do! This is our future, and the future of our children.

The Importance of Creativity
     One of Sir Ken Robinson's very first statements is that creativity is as important as literacy; I wasn't completely sold on the idea at first. Why? Because we have been raised based on this hierarchy of education where the focus is ones academic ability, and creativity falls into the bottom slot. He hit the nail on the head! If there is a right and wrong way to do everything, then there is no room for creativity. We are so afraid to make mistakes and it is, in fact, exactly what is hindering the level of creativity in our society today.
     Instead of quickly throwing a label on children, we should try a different approach to what we call "behavioral problems." Is it a behavioral problem? Or is it just a lack of options in the classroom? I think we should try giving these children more opportunities to explore their imagination and push the importance of creativity and literacy combined.

A Vision for 21st Century Learning  

     This video gives a perfect explanation of the term burp-back education. Students are taught to memorize facts for standardized testing, only to forget most, if not all, of it after the test is over. Kids know how to work game systems, smartphones, computers, etc..., at a young age so why shouldn't we enhance their education with this technology? I firmly believe that it is critical to the success of our children's future to rid the classroom of burp-back education. I, for one, can not only learn better, but retain the information that I learned if I am given the opportunity.
     If we can put a video game in front of a child, and give them a task to master, they will be learning and not really know that they are learning. That is the beauty of it! They would have the opportunity to explore a third world country, and never leave the classroom. They would be able to go virtually any where in the world!  
     
Vicki Davis: Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts
     Mrs. Davis is showing her students how to do exactly what we are doing in EDM 310; be an independent learner. She makes several excellent points: You don't have to know it to teach it. We should always be learning. Another point is that every child is not going to succeed with just a pencil and a piece of paper. This relates to the burp-back learning that I referred to above. Instead of sitting there writing down everything the teacher is saying so you can memorize it later for a test, put a computer in front of them. Let them learn! She also introduces new words often. Words that the students are not familiar with, that way they have to look them up to know the meaning. She says this keeps them thinking.

     I was actually assigned to Mrs. Davis' blog, Cool Cat Teacher Blog, for my C4T activity. She is an amazing woman who is emphasizing the importance of having a learning environment. She has connected her school in rural Georgia to the entire world through technology.