My EDM 310 Blog Assignments are Now Complete

I really did learn so much that I did not know in this class. First of all, I had no idea that there were so many resources on google. I had no idea I could create new documents and spreadsheets on google. I also had no idea how to create a website and didn't know how to do all of the things that go along with creating one. I also did not know how to create payout tables and can see how all of this can be extremely helpful.

Fellow Classmates,

I hope you have learned as much in EDM 310 as I have. I know that I didn't understand much of the stuff that I was taught but truly feel that this class will benefit me so much in the future. In doing my blog assignments I feel that I have learned about so many new resources that I had no idea about. I cannot wait to hopefully incorporate what I have learned when I become a teacher.

Laura Blackman

Wikipedia

I have always been warned about Wikipedia and how it is not the most reliable source. In all honesty, I have only ever used wikipedia as a source if I am looking for a definition of something and usually it is something I am somewhat familiar with. I really do not think that there are too many opportunities in which you can trust what Wikipedia says. Of course, there are many things that are true, however I do not think that Wikipedia should ever be used as a reliable source for information. I have seen people use Wikipedia as sources in papers and other things. Because anyone can put information on Wikipedia and change current information I do not think all information can be trusted as reliable.

"Growth" vs. "Fixed" Minds

I thought this video was extremely interesting. The "Fixed" mindset which is one that makes students believe they have a fixed trait. It ends up making students concerned with how much they have. They worry about how they will be seen and base the things that they do on how their intelligence will be shown. Those with a "Growth" mindset believe that their intelligence is something that they can develop over the course of time through different activities and passions. Carol Dweck who is the author of "Mindset: The New Psychology of Success," discusses this workshop that was created to teach children the growth mindset. Half of the students got study skills and a growth mindset and the others got only study skills. They found that the students with the growth mindset workshop were taught how to apply things and ultimately ended up doing better than those who didn't because the others really had no motivation for applying those study skills.

I think this would be a great things to remember in my classroom because if I am going to try and teach my students to have a growth mindset I have to truly develop one and believe that it is the best thing. We cannot keep up with the changes in the world if we cannot learn and grow. One thing that was great to hear was that I cannot be a good mentor without having a growth mindset. I really do believe that this is true. I am not 100% sure how I will apply this in my classroom, but I do know that intelligence does develop over time through discovering new passions or new activities. I thought this was a great video and really made me think.

Teacher's Domain

This was an excellent resource. I found it very useful! I think it would be extremely helpful for teachers and also great for variety for students. I loved that there were a variety of topics and I think the information can be used much of the time during teaching. The videos that I watched did skip a good bit of the time which made it difficult to watch.

As I said, I think the videos would be great for the classroom. All children have a different way of learning. For some, learning is visual so seeing these movies could be really helpful. Everything was straightforward and interesting. I know that students love the days when they are able to watch videos in class, and then for them to be educational and helpful with what the students are already learning that is even more beneficial. I think this would be great for substitutes as well. They would not have to be worried about having not prepared for a lesson or anything like that.

Overall, I think these videos would be great resources. I had never heard of this before, but I definitely would like to use this in my classroom.

Using iPods in Instruction

I honestly had no idea that the use of iPods for instruction even existed. It's really encouraging to hear that it has been a positive experience for some universities in the country. I think, like anything in life, it would definitely have its pros and cons. I would worry that it would make students think that they did not have to come to class anymore. Richard Lucic, a professor at Duke University says that he sends podcasts to "complement his lectures," which I think is great. I also read that using iPods has made class attendance increase because students want to discuss what they have heard on the podcasts. If this is working then I think it would definitely be something to try.

In thinking about it, one problem for me personally, would be making the time to listen to the podcasts. However, I think it would be so helpful to be able to listen to a piece of a lecture that I struggled with on the way to take my test. How beneficial! There are six schools that have participated in a pilot program with Apple called iTunes U. Those schools are Duke, Brown, Stanford, the University of Michigan, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and the University of Missouri School of Journalism. I don't think that this should ever become a substitute for the classroom environment because I believe that that is always important, but technology is changing and why shouldn't we change with it. I think incorporating iPods in teaching would be a great thing!

To Learn More About Duke University using iPods....
Click Here

Why Wireless?

The post in the "Best of the Fischbowl 2007," from November is about incorporating technology in the schools. One of the points that was made was that we need to move from an isolated classroom to a connected classroom. There are three specific ways that technology is being incorporated into the classrooms. First, there is a way students can access their grades. Secondly, there are teacher web pages where teachers can put notes, presentations, assignments, and worksheets. Third, there are electronic databases which are online, subscription-based services such as Ebsco and ABC Clio.
Personally, I believe that incorporating technology into the classrooms is a great idea. I think that these services are very important. I know that that campus portal that allows students to look at their grades is extremely helpful not only for students, but also for parents. It was extremely beneficial for my parents and I in high school. I think it would also be helpful for teachers to have web pages where they can put their assignments and other notes. This can be helpful for when students are out of the class or even for parents to keep up with their children's assignments. While I think technology is important, I do not think it should completely replace the normal classroom settings. I think there should be a steady balance between the two.

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