Although I had seen it before, I still found Randy Pausch's Last Lecture to be an enjoyable and rewarding experience. This is a terrific example of a lecture that rewards the audience on many different levels. Pausch is entertaining and inspiring throughout and the audience is drawn in emotionally as well as intellectually. He also provides terrific material to support his lecture including pictures and video adding a nice amount of variety to the lecture.
The portion of the lecture that I personally found most inspiring was his inclusion of what he called "brick walls". A terrific example of the obstacles that we all encounter in life which cause us to question how much we desire that goal. Brick walls are meant to keep the others out, not keep us from reaching our dreams. I encountered a few brick walls myself recently, and they have allowed me to prove to myself that this is what I really want.
This "Last Lecture" has also taken on particular significance to me. I found out while writing this blog that one of the most beloved professors at the University of South Alabama Dr. Joe Nigota passed away on Friday. In my early days at the university as an undeclared engineer, taking classes from professors like Dr. Nigota helped guide me into the field that I truly enjoy. The teaching of history. While he didn't pass on any life-altering wisdom, he set an example for how history should be taught. He would simply weave stories that allowed characters to come out the textbook and have special significance for his students. While working on my teaching service the term the "Dr. Nigota style of teaching" has come up frequently and that is the style I will attempt to emulate in my classroom.
Ultimately, Pausch's "The Last Lecture" is about life. As the lecture goes on, it becomes clear who his true audience is, and those of us looking in are privileged to hear his final advice for his children. So while a lecture by Dr. Nigota may never get 9 million hits on Youtube there are a few of us out there that will try to carry on Dr. Nigota's legacy.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Why Wireless?
In his "Best(?) of the Fischbowl 2007" Karl Fisch defends the opening of AHS's wireless network to personally owned devices five days a week in an article entitled "Why Wireless". Fisch was asked by the school's principal to discuss this move in the school newsletter and Fisch transfered his discussion to his blog. Throughout his defense of wireless access, Fisch intersperses a series of quotes and perhaps this one defines AHS's endeavor best
"In times of rapid change, the learners inherit the earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists."- Eric Hoffer.
In the 21st century, Fisch argues, students cannot rest on their laurels as information, particularly pertaining to technology, must be learned, unlearned, and relearned in order to maintain the edge in society. It is imperative that students are given access to, and are in the habit of maintaining, the skills necessary to advance in the 21st century. Thus tools like wireless internet and the wealth of information that it opens to the students, must be utilized and embraced as readily as the previous generation entered the library. Thus students are given the responsibility of wireless access rather than presupposing that they are going to abuse the internet and mess up. Utilizing the internet will become second nature, and through habit will become ever more comfortable accessing and learning from the information they find there. That is "Why Wireless".
"In times of rapid change, the learners inherit the earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists."- Eric Hoffer.
In the 21st century, Fisch argues, students cannot rest on their laurels as information, particularly pertaining to technology, must be learned, unlearned, and relearned in order to maintain the edge in society. It is imperative that students are given access to, and are in the habit of maintaining, the skills necessary to advance in the 21st century. Thus tools like wireless internet and the wealth of information that it opens to the students, must be utilized and embraced as readily as the previous generation entered the library. Thus students are given the responsibility of wireless access rather than presupposing that they are going to abuse the internet and mess up. Utilizing the internet will become second nature, and through habit will become ever more comfortable accessing and learning from the information they find there. That is "Why Wireless".
EDM 310 Podcasts
The first podcast that I listened to was entitled "Facebook as an Educational Tool?". It was structured in the typical question and answer format. Theola Hines and Larrica Smith use the podcast to discuss the potential educational benefit of facebook. One of the first things that I would improve about the blog would be to have information I planned to use readily available, such as names or other facts. I feel that without Dr. Strange's guidance bringing focus to the podcast, the two students would have lost steam long before their time limit would have been up.
The second podcast "My Classes at South: How is Technology Used in Them?" seemed a little better structured than the first. There was more of a discussion format rather than the traditional question and answer format and I felt that, that helped the discussion flow a bit better. Matthew Cline and Jill Ravette also seemed to have their information a little more readily available. My biggest criticism would be that the podcast seemed to end rather suddenly, with no sense of it drawing to an appropriate conclusion.
The second podcast "My Classes at South: How is Technology Used in Them?" seemed a little better structured than the first. There was more of a discussion format rather than the traditional question and answer format and I felt that, that helped the discussion flow a bit better. Matthew Cline and Jill Ravette also seemed to have their information a little more readily available. My biggest criticism would be that the podcast seemed to end rather suddenly, with no sense of it drawing to an appropriate conclusion.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
The Best(?) of the Fischbowl 2007
Under Karl Fisch's blog, I chose January 2007's discussion entitled "A Blueprint for Colorado?" found here. In this section he discusses some radical education reforms that have been proposed for Colorado's school system. In his opening paragraphs, Fisch points out his earliest concerns with this radical reform is that it seems to be much too focused on a single test as a total measurement of student learning. As a hopeful future educator, teaching to the test has been one of my greatest concerns in entering the teaching field. Although No Child Left Behind included some positive aspects like the inclusive classroom, I feel that teaching to the tests will stymie the abilities of my students to think critically. Additionally, this supposed test would be administered at the end of the 10th grade whereupon these results would decide what schooling if any some students would continue to receive.
A second major issue I noticed was Fisch's discussion of school districts and ownerships of the schools. In this phase, the authors discuss shifting "possession" from the local communities to independent contractors which I think would be too eager to serve their interests rather than the interests of the community. Overall I felt that this radical reformation of Colorado schools seemed way too focused on early education, I stand by Fisch's argument that any sort of formal education at 3 years old is too extreme, and way too willing to kick out those who fail to achieve an adequate score on the sophomore level ultra exam. Additionally, financially schools and colleges are not adequately prepared for a massive influx of college students that this program intends to produce, with roughly 30% of everyone over the age of 25 possessing a bachelor's degree or higher few people have the opportunity or perhaps the desire to achieve higher education and current college infrastructure is largely based on that. Therefore I stand with Fisch's argument that a radical overhaul of the education system that doesn't include input from school administrators, parents, or faculty is an endeavor that would only end in folly.
A second major issue I noticed was Fisch's discussion of school districts and ownerships of the schools. In this phase, the authors discuss shifting "possession" from the local communities to independent contractors which I think would be too eager to serve their interests rather than the interests of the community. Overall I felt that this radical reformation of Colorado schools seemed way too focused on early education, I stand by Fisch's argument that any sort of formal education at 3 years old is too extreme, and way too willing to kick out those who fail to achieve an adequate score on the sophomore level ultra exam. Additionally, financially schools and colleges are not adequately prepared for a massive influx of college students that this program intends to produce, with roughly 30% of everyone over the age of 25 possessing a bachelor's degree or higher few people have the opportunity or perhaps the desire to achieve higher education and current college infrastructure is largely based on that. Therefore I stand with Fisch's argument that a radical overhaul of the education system that doesn't include input from school administrators, parents, or faculty is an endeavor that would only end in folly.
Podcasts
The first podcast I listened to was This Week in Photography. The opening minutes of the podcast were spent introducing the members of the discussion panel who had phoned in from various parts of the United States. This is a great example of how new technologies such as podcasts are helping to bring people from different regions of the country and certainly the world to discuss topics that they are passionate about. As the blog continued, they discussed current events citing in particular Canon's recent profit losses and a legislative bill being proposed that would require all phone cameras to click when a photo is being taken.
The second podcast that I listened to was EdTechTalk in which the first portion of the podcast involved an interview with a man named Clive Goodinson. He was plugging a website called Pixton where people can make and display comic books without having to draw them. Goodinson also went on to discuss a version of the website that he designed specifically for schools because students often grasp knowledge much better through images. This second podcast was a terrific example of a simple interview format, whereas the first podcast was much more of a panel oriented discussion format.
MacBreak weekly returns to the panel format established by the first podcast This Week in Photography. Although I only listened to portions of the podcast, this particular one seemed a little more disorganized than the previous podcasts as the hosts spent a large portion of the time fooling with the sound effects panel they had access too. The podcast did have an interesting discussion about apple hardware and software that were now considered vintage, and how one of the hosts had a program to send older computers to Africa.
One of the first things I noticed and enjoyed about the SmartBoard Lessons Podcast was the fact that they listed what they planned on discussing in the podcast, something that I hadn't noticed in the others. this final podcast was also an example of a host/co-host format rather than the question and answer or panel format and it provides yet another look into how podcasts can be conducted.
The second podcast that I listened to was EdTechTalk in which the first portion of the podcast involved an interview with a man named Clive Goodinson. He was plugging a website called Pixton where people can make and display comic books without having to draw them. Goodinson also went on to discuss a version of the website that he designed specifically for schools because students often grasp knowledge much better through images. This second podcast was a terrific example of a simple interview format, whereas the first podcast was much more of a panel oriented discussion format.
MacBreak weekly returns to the panel format established by the first podcast This Week in Photography. Although I only listened to portions of the podcast, this particular one seemed a little more disorganized than the previous podcasts as the hosts spent a large portion of the time fooling with the sound effects panel they had access too. The podcast did have an interesting discussion about apple hardware and software that were now considered vintage, and how one of the hosts had a program to send older computers to Africa.
One of the first things I noticed and enjoyed about the SmartBoard Lessons Podcast was the fact that they listed what they planned on discussing in the podcast, something that I hadn't noticed in the others. this final podcast was also an example of a host/co-host format rather than the question and answer or panel format and it provides yet another look into how podcasts can be conducted.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
International Blog #2
The second international blog I found was located here. In his blog, the educator discusses teaching english in Japan with an emphasis on teacher education. His blog provides valuable insight to the goings on of activities in ESL classrooms in Japan and to the struggles experienced both by students as well as by teachers in that environment. Thus, this blog is of particular importance to those interested in teaching in places where English is a second language.
International Blog
One of the first international blogs I came across was located here. It was designed as medium through which students from countries across the globe could interact and share ideas. Students from countries such as the Philippines, to Canada, to Nigeria are able to share information about their own culture and learn new information about other cultures. This blog is a terrific example of just how small the Earth is becoming with the aid of technology. Cultures are able to reach across vast oceans and share ideas.
Blog # 2
The second blog I discovered was located at this location and as a great example of a much smaller blog intended for the use of his students and their parents. He uses the blog mainly to ensure students are kept up to date on the latest homework while parents are informed of any meetings that they may have missed. One of the terrific ideas I observed on his blog was the inclusion of a monthly awards section where students that were doing the best or were most improved were recognized. Although the community for which this blog is intended may be very small, it is still a valuable resource to his students and their parents.
Blogging in K-12 Classrooms
One of the first blogs I came across in my search was entitled Learning in Maine and provided a sort of hub where teachers can interact and share information. Perhaps what is most beneficial to those teachers still adapting to new technologies is that information is provided about real world workshops where teachers can go and receive firsthand experience improving their blogging skills or working with podcasts etc. Additionally with the inclusion of this social network teachers are also better able to reach out to their peers to share stories and advice.
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