Blog Post #4

Don't Teach Your Kids this Stuff. Please?
Don't Teach Your Kids This Stuff. Please?
I love that this was written in the same format as a poem! I think that helped Scott McLeod not only get his point across, but made it funny and entertaining. "Don't Teach You Kids This Stuff. Please?" covers all the basic fears that parents may have about familiarizing their children with the internet too early in life. Some reasons, like predators, cyberbullying and porn, seem valid, but in the end no good can come of sheltering children. If anything, educating them on minor dangers of the world wide web could help prepare them to deal with bullies at school or other real life issues.
McLeod ends his poem by saying that his kids, the kids who are learning with the internet, will have a "leg up" in the future. To me this relates back to "It's Not About Technology." It's good to prepare and watch over students who are tapping into the knowledge on the internet to prevent mishaps such as predators or porn. However, when used correctly the web can be a strong learning tool and enhance students' studies. Overall, I feel that when used in the right manner, the information gained when exploring the internet outweighs the dangers of it.

The iSchool Initiative
The iSchool Initiative
The iSchool seems like a progressive idea that would help with teacher cut backs(as there will be no need for pencils, paper, and copiers as stated in the video). It would also help students become more comfortable with using technology on a daily basis. I'm especially familiar with that as I myself am still trying to adjust to using Blogspot and Twitter. While I wouldn't replace all subjects with the iSchool approach, I think a class or two using that route of learning would greatly benefit teachers and students alike. As I said before, teachers should also be learners. And what better way to learn than with an iPhone!
"The iSchool Initiative" describes the costs saved in impressive detail towards the end of the video. The average cost estimated is about $600 a student, while an iPhone would only require about $150. The only downfall I saw to the iSchool is that some students, like my self, find it easier to write things out when studying. The video cited that flashcards would not be need in iSchool. I depend on flashcards a great deal when studying though. Part of this is because I've used them since Elementary School to help myself focus. A possible solution to this would be to introduce the iSchool at a young age to would help students to develop study skills more compatible to internet studies.

You Can't Be My Teacher
You Can't Be My Teacher
"You Can't Be My Teacher" wasn't as effective as catching my attention as the previous videos and articles I've seen/read for this class. The point was not lost on me though. How can we teach when we are not up to date with technology? As the internet is quickly becoming a larger and larger source of information, it would be more than wise to introduce out students to it.
As the child says at the end of the video, "That's our job." By exposing students to the internet we can show them "what the world has to offer." I don't think this video provided much information on the usefulness of technology in the classroom. I understand that it is a necessity and the previous Blog Post Assignments have supplemented that. This particular video just didn't have as as much as an impact on me.

Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir: "Lux Aurumque
Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir: "Lux Aurumque"
I thought that this was beautiful to listen to! This can't take the place of seeing a real choir in person for me, but it is inspiring to see all the singers in their own rooms. It gives the viewer the sense of togetherness. Since the singers have never met in person it makes me feel like the video represents different cultures coming together through the internet.
This video represents people uniting and reaching out to other cultures via the web. Watching people who have never met unite to make something beautiful is something I would like my students to see. I think it would encourage them to be more active in pursuing the internet by seeing first hand the good that can come of it.

Teaching in the 21st Century
Teaching in the 21st Century
This video brought up some questions that I was curious about. A teacher I had last semester asked us how we were supposed to teach when students could easily be self sufficient and teach themselves through the internet. While I do think technology has it's place in the classroom, it created some concerns. Would my role as an educator become obsolete? My questions are answered with "Teaching in the 21st Century." We provide skills. Skills that that go much farther than spitting out facts and information. We can teach students how to learn.
By teaching students to create and form their own opinions through knowledge, we provide them with skills useful throughout life. As the old saying goes, if you hand someone a fish you give them dinner; if you teach them to fish you provide them with food for a lifetime. I like the idea of upgrading the information we provide our students with. By giving them the tools needed to reach the endless amount of information the internet and world has to offer, we allow them to grow as people and hopefully begin their journey as a lifetime student. I would like my students to take the skills I give them with and constantly learn just as I aspire to do.