Blog Post #8

Richard Miller: This Is How We Dream Parts 1 and 2
In the video, This is How We Dream Part 1 and Part 2, Richard Miller challenges us to think about the way writing has changed, not only in the academy, but also in the culture. He believes that at this moment, we are experiencing the greatest human change in communication in human history. So if this is true, and I believe it is, the two questions I have to ask myself are how much do I know about this new communication and how much of it am I prepared to use?
To find the answer to the first question, Richard Miller talks about several "incremental changes" in communication. The first thing we consider is how writing has changed. People used to write on paper; letters, notes, essays, drafts, etc. Rarely, do people communicate using paper today. You can send an e-card, an e-mail or a text message. People use word processors to type, edit, and save their documents. Then, they can be shared with friends, clients, cohorts via the web. The thought of using a pencil and paper to write something has almost become obsolete. The second change is evident in the way people communicate in a professional setting. No longer are people limited in business by things like walls and schedules or even oceans. Technology gives people the ability to collaborate with others around the globe through different media options. The work environment has become mobile. Laptops and cellphones have given new meaning to the office. The office can now be at home, in the car, at the ballpark; anywhere and everywhere you want it to be. What about research? Do we still need to go to a library and go through numerous articles that are library property or check out and return stacks of books? Now, all that information, and so much more, is just a few mouse clicks away. People can search the web for articles, books, statistics, data, images and whatever else comes to mind. So, does anything get published anymore? Well, it depends on how you think about publishing. Will books continue to be published on paper or will they all become ebooks? Do people still buy newspapers or will we view our news over the internet? What limits are there to who can write and what gets "published"? Has the internet made that an open book? YouTube videos, blogs, tweets and many other media resources have given people the ability to share their thoughts, their opinions, their creativity, their writings, in a way that goes far beyond what could have ever been possible with just a pen and paper. Once something is published on the web, it becomes instantly available to all those who want to view it, even if they are half way around the world. And it's not just about the writing. An article can include music, video, and text all working together to provide a deeper understanding of the subject that is being viewed.
So, how much of this new communication am I prepared to use? Before taking EDM310, I knew very little about the communication tools that are available. I still feel like there is so much to learn. Before this class, I visited Facebook, I Skyped occasionally, and I used text messaging. I never imagined I would have a blog, post videos on YouTube and tweet. I knew nothing of a Personal Learning Network. I also had a completely different view of how I would instruct in a classroom. Now I have to think about how to compose using the web, which seems impossible to grasp. Will I be prepared to use all of this information to communicate effectively to my future students? Will I limit my teaching to just those within my classroom or will our class be expanded to the far corners of the earth? As educators, Richard Miller challenges us to be at the "front edge" of this new type of composition. The goal is to produce educational materials that add value and compel students to have an excitement for learning.

Blog Post #12 by Carly Pugh
I was very impressed by Carly's Blog Post #12. She put a lot of thought and time into writing a quality blog. I had no idea you could create a playlist on YouTube and can't wait to create my own. Without writing a lengthy text about herself, she composed a story about who she is through the playlist she created. Plus, this is a great way to keep track of videos that you want to reference for future lessons. I also agree that this would be a great assignment, especially at the beginning of a school year. I think it would provide a lot of insight into the lives of your students. It's a great way to get to know each other a little better.

The Chipper Series and EDM310 for Dummies
These two videos are very entertaining. They both say a lot about the valuable information you will learn in EDM310. They also point out that it helps to be organized and to understand the time that is required for each assignment. They help you realize the importance of getting on track and using the available resources to keep you there throughout the course. I'm not feeling very creative at the moment so I'm having difficulty coming up with an original video idea. After much thought, here are a few of titles: The EDM310 Superstar: What does it take to get your name on the "A" list?
A Tale of Two Students: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times"
Dr. Strange's Top Ten List(a spoof of David Letterman's Top Ten)

Learn to Change, Change to Learn

I found the thoughts and ideas expressed in Learn to Change, Change to Learn, to be right on target. Especially the one where it stated that to get the students to understand how to use technology to make connections and expand their learning environment, we first have to get it into the hands of the teachers and have them make connections. I believe this is the biggest obstacle with making a shift toward teaching with technology. You will have some teachers that are eager to move ahead with technology while others believe that no change is needed. Change can be scary and difficult, but I believe this is an exciting change and I am glad to know that I will be an educator who is ready and willing to take teaching into the 21st Century.

Scavenger Hunt
The first tool I decided to try is polleverywhere.com. I love the real time response feature with this tool. It is a great way to give a quiz and get instant results of how well your students know the material.





The next tool I thought would be fun to try is Make Beliefs Comix.

The EDM310 Fairygodmother


All of the video tools were fascinating, but the one I think I would use most to enhance my lessons is animoto.com/education. As an educator, you can apply for a free Animoto Plus account to be used in the classroom. I like that it simplifies the whole process of making a video. You decide what text or content on which to focus and then animoto has music, images, and video clips that will be arranged into an amazing, educational, custom video for your class. Make sure to go to the education link because it has great examples at the bottom of the page which demonstrate how animoto is currently being used by educators in the classroom. I think it's a great way to give a lecture. It's a great option for teachers who are quiet speakers, for students who need the visual stimulation, and a good sight tool for second language learners. It is easy to share and download so you can put these lectures on a website and make them accessible to students and parents, which is a great way to keep parents informed and to keep students from falling behind when they are absent. These videos could also be assigned as homework so class time could be used to delve into deeper discussions, to collaborate on projects, and to use poll anywhere to determine who watched the video and how well the information was received. I love the spotlight feature which allows you to "give specific image added prominence and screen time in your video." You can add you own personal touch to the video if you feel it is a topic where you need to be seen and heard to add emphasis. Please, help keep students from sleeping in class; no more boring lectures! Use animoto, or one of the other video tools(gizmoz or xtranormal), and take your lectures to a level of excitement that will keep students engaged.