Fare Thee Well

Farewell, Dr. Strange and Class B. I have thoroughly enjoyed this past semester. Y'all were a great class, and I learned so much from each one of you. I am excited to keep in touch through our Alumni Blog. I wish everyone good luck on your future studies. I will miss seeing everyone on Tuesdays. Good bye for now!

What have I learned in EDM 310?

1. Over the past semester, I have learned so much. I have created presentations, forms, and spreadsheets in Google Docs. With Google Docs, I was able to share all my information with others and directly embed these projects into my blog. Blogger has been a place where I can communicate with others by sharing my own thoughts, pictures, videos, links, and so much more. In Blogger, I learned how to address accessibility issues by using alt and title with pictures. This feature helps those that are blind. On my blog, I posted voice recordings, YouTube videos, my Videocast, a Timetoast Timeline, a Google Earth project, and a Skype session that I used ScreenFlow to make. To enlarge my PLN, I used to Twitter to contact many English teachers. The use of Comments for Kids and Comments for Teachers greatly assisted me in my learning. I loved being able to communicate with teacher and students from all over the world. It was also great to comment on classmates' blogs. This was an opportunity to see how other people were responding to our assignments and see their progress. ALEX is a great tool for teachers because it shows the state curriculum and lesson plans. I have grown tremendously, and I am definitely more technologically literate than ever before. I think purchasing a Mac helped inspire me, and I loved figuring new things out and simply researching. I cannot wait to use everything I have learned in my classroom.

2. I loved everything we did in this class. I think it was all useful, and I actually learned a lot that was not assigned. By viewing other teachers' blog, I found new websites and tools to use. I feel like I got everything out of the class that I was supposed to plus more.

3. No, I do not want to forget anything I learned. I found everything extremely interesting and useful. Even if I cannot find a way to incorporate certain tools in y classroom, I am glad I learned how to use them anyways, and I never want to forget important knowledge. If I forget, then the class was useless to me.

4. At first, I dreaded the class, and I thought it was ridiculous that I had to take it. After making my first movie on my new Mac, I was hooked. I had a completely different perspective. I would spend hours just playing around and also viewing other people's blogs simply because I enjoyed learning more. I loved this class, and I hope to continue to learn more and more. Dr. Strange, I will definitely keep in touch.

5. I actually did not find anything to be too intellectually challenging. If I couldn't figure it out on my own, I either found tutorials or sought help elsewhere. Overall, I was able to do everything just fine.

6. No, I was never bored. I loved it!

7. I definitely DID NOT feel overworked in class. The amount of classwork is just fine. The one thing I can think of is organization. I am extremely organized, and at first, I felt overwhelmed by the syllabus. It is all jacked up, but after I made my own calendar for the class, I was fine.

8. I do believe I am technologically literate. I would say I am pretty good at most things I have learned. I think I even taught Dr. Strange a few new things. There is always room for improvement, which I need a lot of, but I do think I have grown so much and ready to use technology in my classroom.

9. I hope to continue learning new tools and different features in technology. The world of technology is always growing. I don't think I will ever be at the top, but I do plan on continuing to follow teachers and explore technology.

PLN

Earlier this semester, I commented on how I was creating my personal learning network. Although I do not use Twitter as much as I should, I have used many useful websites and teacher's blogs to learn a great deal about teaching. I followed Kelly Hines, Dorothy Burt, and Shelly Terrell. I also view tons of students blogs, and through these blogs, I get great ideas to incorporate into my future class. I feel like I learn the most through the words of my fellow classmates and teachers. I also research different topics and read articles that I am interested in. I am now a part of the EDM 310 Alumni blog, and I am extremely excited about this. We have invited many teachers to contribute, and anyone can comment. I know I will continue to use this and learn a lot from it.

Substantive Presentation

For my substantive presentation, Dr. Strange, Poppy, and I made a series of videos. These videos address certain issues that take place with students today. They are quite humorous. I hope you enjoy.

Chipper

A Time for Growth

A seventh grader made a video about her personal learning environment. It contained so much information, and she appeared to have truly learned a great amount on her own. Her PLE was extremely organized, and I loved how she explained the different tools she uses. I think it is great that so many young people are learning through websites, videos, and other blogs. I have just started my PLN, and it amazes me how the learning environment has so quickly expanded beyond the classroom. I am excited to see the new changes taking place.

A Seventh Grader's PLE.

Two Questions That Can Change Your Life by Daniel Pink stem from his book Drive. The first is What is your Sentence? To be honest, I do not know how to sum up my life in one sentence. I believe that I have done many things that have affected someone elses life. I have overcome many battles, and I have accomplished a great deal in the twenty one years of my life. I know that I have a great purpose in life, and I plan on fulfilling all my heart's desires. I like to think of myself as a young woman who is confident in herself and knows who she is. I am independent and strong. I love, and I care. I want to help others, and I plan on making a difference in life. I guess I could say, I will never live a mundane life. As for the second question, Was I better Today than Yesterday?, I will always strive to be better. I never want to become so satisfied with my life that I stop living. I always want more, and I always want to do more. I want to show others their full potential, and give them a chance to do something with their life. I choose to love, because I have been loved. I will forever try to live up to my full potential.

What is Your Sentence?

Professional Blog

For my professional blog, I worked with a group of my fellow classmates and created an alumni blog for EDM 310. Through this blog, we hope to stay in contact and be able to help each other in the future. We all have access to post, and we are in the process of making it grow.

Please check it out at EDM310 Alumni Blog.

Google Earth

I created a tour of the ten most haunted cemeteries in the United States.

Haunted Cemeteries

Weekly Comments

Comments for Teachers

I created a video using Screen Flow to discuss why I enjoyed Comments for Teachers.



Comments for Kids

This week, I watched nine year old Ashleigh discuss the history of Maori culture. I really enjoyed her video. She gave the history, and she also dressed up as an actual person from that time. I could really tell she knew what she was discussing, and I learned a lot from her video.

Ashleigh's Video

The History of Post-It Notes

Weekly Comments

Comments for Teachers

Over the past two weeks, I followed Ms. Shelly Terrell. She teaches English to all ages in Germany. Since I am planning on teaching overseas, I have been following many teachers who teach in different countries. Her blog is filled with inspiration, challenges, and resources. I thoroughly enjoyed viewing her blog, and I know I have learned so much. I will definitely continue following Ms. Terrell. The one post that truly spoke to me was about having faith in our students. She referenced having faith as small as a mustard seed, which comes from the Bible. It is so true what faith can do for you. I appreciate that she truly cares for her students and has a desire to help them realize their potential. My sister is an English teacher, and she has told me that some of the children that other teachers constantly complain about are her best students. They actually do well in her class and want to learn. I think this new attitude stems from the faith my sister has them. I definitely believe the way we view our students greatly effects their own perception. I vowed to take her challenge and be a teacher who also moves educational mountains. I thanked her for her words of wisdom.

Another challenge she made was teaching our students how to reflect instead of react. I think this is a great challenge for most people. It is extremely important to reflect on things that we have done, and also how we react to certain situations. I always try to come up with reasons why I reacted in the way I did. I try to control myself so I won't react out of anger or whatever my mood may be. I thought it was helpful that she distinguished between reaction and reflection. I also think blogging is a great way to reflect on ourselves. We can express ourselves and later look back on our emotions. She mentioned that she lost five students due to them reacting to a certain situation. I think it is quite imperative that we teach ourselves and our students the importance of thinking through things. I enjoyed the different challenges Ms. Terrell gave, and I hope to use all her advice when I become a teacher.

Shelly Terrell's Blog

Why is it important for students to post their work to blogs?

I believe posting students' work to a blog has many benefits. While we have to be careful with privacy issues, the experience and things learned far outweigh the concerns. I think that if students know their work is being published, they will definitely work harder. Who wants other people seeing what a horrible job one did? I know that I want people to think of the best of me, so I always work harder to impress people. I also think that sharing work can help others. It is a form of discussion, and by sharing, so many people can see other ideas and either agree of disagree. I love talking and sharing my thoughts with people, and posting students' work gives them an opportunity to express their thoughts and ideas, and possibly get feedback. Posting work also helps prevent plagiarism because everyone's work is instantly seen by the teacher. There is no possible way for a student to get away with copying someone's work.

I know with English, a blog is a perfect way to enhance writing. Blogging is very much like journaling. A blog can be a place for the students to free write, journal, pre-write, expand their work into an essay, proofread, answer discussion question, and share their work. Other people can provide feedback and help improve each others' writing. I think students' would take pride in their writing if they knew it was being published. The people they will encounter and the experiences they will be a part of will help them grow as people and writers. They will hear many different voices and can also speak their own voice. I will definitely use blogging in my English class for these reasons.

Peggy Gallo, former teacher, decided to create a website where teachers can actually publish students' work. Check it out at My little Book Project.

Examples of Students' Work:

PS 22 Choir singing Landslide.

Although Kaia is not a student, her blog has created a lot of conversation with students all over the world.

Although, I do not have a website, Isibeal Owens is a sixth grader at UMS-Wright in Mobile, AL. She is in a Latin class, and they have a class blog. Check out my interview with her farther down on my blog.

Comments for Kids

There are students all over the world that use blogs for educational purposes.
Here are just a few:

Mr. Tyson's 9th Grade Science Class

Mrs. Shetler's 7th Grade EduBlogs

Endless Ocean

Kathy Cassidy

Room 9 from Pt. England School in Auckland, New Zealand


Comments for Kids

This week I listened to another Mihi in Maori. Tafaoata talked about herself and her family. I really enjoyed listening in, and I thought she did a great job. I enjoyed hearing her Mihi because she spoke clearly and kept her attention on the audience. She did a wonderful job, and I wished her happy birthday!

Tafaoata's Mihi

Teaching iMovie

After getting my Mac, I began using iMovie. I have grown to absolutely love this program. There are so many different possibilities. While I have learned a great deal, I know there are so many more things to figure out. I hope this demonstration can help you. If you do not have a Mac, I would highly recommend buying one. I have only had mine for about a month, but I have already learned so much and the things that are available are endless.

Voice Recording

Videocast

Instead of creating a podcast, my group decided to create a movie. The movie is an infomercial advertising EDM 310 for Dummies, a book we made up for the class. We used iMovie to edit it. I hope you enjoy it!

Interview with Isibeal Owens

I interviewed Isibeal Owens, a 6th grade student at UMS-Wright. We discussed how she uses technology in her classes and why she enjoys technology.

Wordle

Class Survey

My survey consisted of questions pertaining to fact or fiction. There are many topics that are quite controversial that have been debated for some time now. While some evidence can prove certain debates, there are always people who disagree. I love dinosaurs and unicorns because of this very fact. So many people believe that dinosaurs once existed but not unicorns. Throughout the Old Testament, there are many references to an one-horned animal, possibly the unicorn. There are people, however, that still believe unicorns are a myth. I love fiction and non-fiction, and below are some responses to my survey. Take a look, some are quite humorous!

Fact versus Fiction