Blog Post 10

An Open Letter to Educators
By: Morgan Bayda

I can so relate to this blog post. It describes the educational setting in any school you walk into. This is sad. We go to school and in most of our courses we sit and listen to someone talk endlessly about things we could care less about. Then we go home and memorize it just so we can make a passing grade. As soon as
we walk out of the class on test day, we never think about what we learned again.
The video by Dan Brown was so true. Schools are way behind in times. Education has not changed with the world around it. If it doesn't, it will go extinct. People are already attending homeschool and attending college from home on the internet. So, why should we keep putting money into these huge buildings at Universities that will be useless. It makes more sense to educate yourself in your own way. Then, you have actually learned what you "have" to research on your own.

Blog Post Number 9

What I've Learned This Year
By: Mr. McClung

This was an amazing post. It gave much needed advice for teachers. New and veteran teachers could use the advice he gives. He touched on communication in the work place, adapting lesson plans, and being flexible.
These things are very important to teaching. He also talked about not being afraid of technology and that lifelong learning was very important for teachers.
As teachers, we will need to apply the advice he gives. I loved what he said about lesson plans and how what you plan and the lesson that you will actually teach are always different. That makes complete sense to me because part of that would depend on the atmosphere in the classroom that day. The advice about communication was good. It is hard to communicate with people you hardly know, but this is the only way you will make it as a teacher. Communication is very important in any job setting.

Skype Interview with Bailey Hammond

Smartboard Presentation

Blog Post Number Eight

This Is How We Dream Part 1 and 2
Dr. Miller is amazing. This video explains the changes that are occuring with the way we "write" things. He loves books and always dreamed of a job centered around books. He says the changes are not Fundamental, but they are Incremental. We now use Laptops, Word Processing, and the Web for research.  One of the Incremental changes we have is that we now have books available in print or that are web based.  We are now able to share information infinitely. We can collaborate with text, image, and film. All of these things can be put together to bring the pst and the present together.
Part Two of the video talked about Where We Work. We now work in a Digital Environment. We have visual representations of things and developments. We now publish things to You Tube and many other websites, which speeds us publication. As Educators, we must share information freely. Dr. Miller also says that teachers must be inspired to learn new things and in order for us to accomplish these things, the pedagogy must be invented.
These were amazing videos. It shows us the way that technology can incoporate the past with the present. I see a time when books will not be available in print any longer. We must learn and become accustomed to these changes.


The Chipper Series and EDM 310 for Dummies
I remember the beginning of this semester and I felt so overwhelmed. I would like to make a video showing the different stages of my feelings through the course.
I have went through feeling overwhelmed,  to feeling like the more I got done, the less I had to do. I have also went through feeling as though it would never end. Now I am at the point where I can see the light and I feel as though I am about to accomplish something great.
I feel is students had a video showing all these different stages of feelings while going through this course, then they would know that it is really not that bad and that at some point there is a sense of accomplishment.

Learn to Change, Change to Learn
I was astonished when this video stated that Education was ranked below coal mining by the US Dept. of Commerce by the level of IT Intensiveness. That is bad. Where have we been and what are we doing to our kids?
The statement that kids are more stimulated outside school than in school is, unfortunately, a true statement. Like the video said, "Kids are big communicators through technology, but these things are banned in school. We have to make school more interesting. If technology is what the kids want, let's get it in the schools and keep our kids interested and in school.
As teachers, we need these resources. If we don't get them, then we are fighting a losing battle. This is about a community, not a building called a school. This is about our future. This video really got me fired up. We need something done to better our Education system and make the changes that need to be made.

Secret Powers of Time By: Philip Zambardo
This video discusses the way people are affected by time and where we live in the world. He states that there are 6 main time zones in the world. Two that focus on the past, two that focus on the present, and two that focus on the future. I had never in all my life thought of it that way, but as I watched this video, it put it all in perspective. Like, the South is more past oriented and the North is more Future oriented. When you think of it, it really is that way.
I was also surprised by that fact that he says, "Different countries and cities can be recognized by their Pace of Life." But if you think of New York City, you realize that it is so. When you think of it, where we live does effect how we view time and how we value it. Which in turn, effects the way we value our education.

Drive: The Surprising Truth About what Motivates Us  By: David Pink
I love these illustrated videos. This video talks about the different ways we are motivated and what motivates us more and less. For instance, we reward the good and punish the bad. He says that motivations are unbelievably interesting due to the fact that this is not always the case.
For simple tasks, higher pay equals better performance, but when the task is more difficult and creative, conceptual thinking is required then higher incentives lead to worse performance. But all in all, money is a motivator.
I am going to have to think about this video. It is a little hard for me to think of it that way. I am going to go back and watch it again.

I Love My PLN!!

.

Before I started taking EDM 310, I had no idea what a PLN
was. When I was in school, it was just paper, books, and
chalkboards. Oh, and not to mention the typewriting class.
That was a waste of time.I have discovered just how handy a PLN can be.

I have been using Delicious for my PLN. I am using it to keep up with all of the various websites that I use for each of my classes. I have also been using for things that I take care of in my personal life such as, my banking websites. It has made things so much easier to have everything in one place at my disposal whenever I need it.

I plan to continue to use Delicious after this class and I even think I may try to figure out Symbaloo. I am so glad that I am taking this course and learning so many new things that I didn't even know were out there. I thought I was up to date when it came to technology, but I was proved wrong.

Why do I want to be a teacher 1

Blog Post Number Seven-- Randy Paush's Last Lecture

Achieving Your Childhood Dreams
Randy Pausch taught a BVW (Build Virtual Worlds) course for 10 years. He then started the ETC program at Carnegie Mellon University. His partners name was Don. This video talks a lot about what they have accomplished, what it took to get there, the lessons learned along the way, and the progress that is still being made.

This lecture by Randy Pausch was one of the best I have ever heard. It was full of very useful advive, however, it was enjoyable too. You can tell right from the beginning that he is not your ordinary professor. He brings the "monkey" out of the closet in the very beginning. He tells everyone that he dies have 10 tumors on his liver and that his doctors (some of the best out there) have given him 3 to 6 months to live. With all of this, he seems very high spirited. This lecture was very touching and inspiring.

He talked about his childhood dreams. Things like, experiencing zero gravity and being Captain Kirk. He found ways to achieve a part of every one of his dreams. How he made those achievements and the lessons he learned it what he gives his advice from. He has "actually been there." He said he wasn't going to talk about cancer, family, spirituality or religion. He wanted to talk about Enabling the Dreams of Others and the Lessons Learned.
He played football as a child and one of the coaches asked him after he was ridden really hard at practice, "Coach was really hard on you today, huh?" When he answered, "yes", the coach said, "Good, when you are screwing up and no one says anything, it means they gave up on you." I never thought of it like that before, but that is very true.

"Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted", said Randy. That is an awesome way to look at failures. It means to keep your head up and never give up. He kept pushing until he got what he wanted. Even a job at Disney working on a secret Virtual Reality Product. He said when you hit a brick wall, it shows you how bad you want something. If you want it bad enough; you won't let failure stop you.

He also talked about "Head Fake" Learning. This is when you have a child who plays a sport. He says, "you don't actually want them to learn the sport, you want them to learn the lessons from it." Things like: teamwork, good sportmanship, honor, and integrity.  These are things he learned from Football and brought into his classroom. He taught his students these things with the projects they did.

I am going to make a list of some of the advice he gave. This is advice that I think he used with his students and the way he ran his class.
- Raise the bar.  When they reached one level he raised it higher because he believed in them.
- Show them how to help others achieve their dreams.
- Learn by Doing. (No Book Learning, Work In Groups)
- Make it Intense and Fun
- Use Feedback.

His ETC class and his partner have designed the ALICE program. It is a computer program that teaches Computer Programming. ALICE is his professional legacy. He said it is something that kids can use and have fun while learning. I think he wanted all his students to learn by having fun. Even if they were learning something extremely hard.  

Mr. Pausch then gives advice on How to Achieve and Lessons Learned. I will list them out for you. The reason I am listing all these points is because I think they are very important. It is advice that everyone can use.
- The roles of Parents, Mentors, and Students are important.
- Respect Authority while Questioning Them
- We Learn From Our Students
- HAVE FUN!! (Decide if you are Tigger or Eeyore)
- Never Lose the Childlike Wonders
- Help Others
- Loyalty is A Two Way Street
- Never Give Up

This lecture was full of wonderful advice. I could sit here and share what Randy Pausch said with you all day. However, I think everyone should watch this whole video. It is long, but so worth the time. It made a major impression on me. I hope that one day I can leave a legacy like that with the future adults of the world. 

Comments 4 Teachers Summary Number Two

For this Comments 4 Teachers Assignment, I had to comment on Martha Yim's Blog. The URL for her blog is http://theparentsview.com. She is a wife, mother, teacher, and a business owner. She lives in Alabama. Mrs. Yim is very passionate about her children and Education. She wants all children to receive the best education possible.
Her first post that I commented on was a video by Sir Ken Robinson about Homeschooling. It was titled "Homeschooling or Unschooling." In his video he states that he agrees with the idea of homeschooling, but it takes time, dedication, and the proper materials. Mrs. Yim also likes the idea of homeschooling. She also agrees that you have to be dedicated and invest a lot of time in your child's education.
I commented back to her stating that I loved the idea of homeschooling. I also agreed with what Ken Robinson said, "It's a personal choice." You have to be dedicated. Mrs. Yim replied to my comment. She said that she agreed with me that you must be dedicated. She also said she wishes there was a happy medium between homeschool and traditional education. I agree with her on that 100 percent.

The second post that I commented on was Connect the Schools and Parents. It was posted on October 21, 2010. It is regarding, "Parents want Schools and Teachers that Know How to Communicate."
I learned many things from this post. For one, it stated that as a teacher, if you cannot communicate well with the parents you are missing a great opportunity for support and help.
Mrs. Yim gives some suggestions of how to keep parents informed. They are: involve the parents, talk to the parents, be available to them, and send notes home to them. You should also find a way to give the parents a personal way to contact you. Either on your cell phone, or if you don't want to give them your personal number, you can sign up for a free Google number and forward the calls to your cell phone. Also, another great way to communicate with parents is through a class blog. On the blog, parents can see photos, videos, and text of what is going on in their child's class.
There was a link to an awesome article in this blog post. The article was called "For Kids Sake Let's Connect Parents and Schools. You can find this article at http://www.huffingtonpost.com. It was written by Suzie Boss. This article stated, "Schools are all strengthened when parents are involved." Edutopia published a Home-to-School Connections Guide. It is a free download. It has tips, tech tools, and strategies for family and school communication.
I learned so much from Mrs. Yim. I will definitely use these resources and her advice in the future.

Comments 4 Kids Summary

I was very excited to comment on the student's blogs. It is very interesting to see the different things students across the world are doing in their classrooms.

The first student I commented to was in Ms. Lugrins 6th grade class. They were writing about a book they were reading and skiing trips that they had been on. The outlooks these students gave were amazing.

Next, I commented to Jamie in Mr. St. Pierre's class at Terryville Elementary in New York State. Jamie was writing an SS Essay about the Three Branches of Government. She was very informative in her blog post.

The last student that I commented to was Sarona in Mrs. Helen Squires 5th Grade Class at Pt. England School. She had posted a wonderful peice of artwork on her blog. I wrote and asked her what the picture was about. She wrote me back and said that it was a picture of her at her Nana's on the playground.

I love participating in Comments 4 Kids. It gives us wonderful incite into the lives of children and how they are different. It also shows us that students are capable of keeping a blog and using it in the classroom.

Blog Post Number Six

The Networked Student
By: Wendy Drexler

This video was very informative regarding the use of connectivity in the classroom. It talked about a high school student that his teacher hardly ever lectures. They learn through the connectivity of PLN's, Blogs, Podcasts, and other types of resources. Through these resources, they have had access to some of the best professors out there. They even keep a virtual textbook. I though that was really neat.
Then came the question, "Why is a teacher needed for this type of learning?" It stated that the teachers are there for many reasons. They are there to show the students how to build their network. They provide guidance whenever help is needed. They teach the students how to communicate properly and help them organize their information. This is a very creative way of learning.
I do think that after taking Dr. Strange's course that I will be prepared to teach "networked students." Before this course, however, I wouldn't have had a clue. Now when I finish, all I have to do is keep learning the various new forms of technology. A teachers learning is never done.

Welcome to My PLE

This is a video about a 7th grade student and her PLE. Her PLE is on Symbaloo. I was amazed at all the things she uses her PLE for. In the video, she shows many different things that you can use the PLE for. Like, research and classwork.
She also blogs reflections of what she is or has done in class. She created a Glogster for a research project in Science. She then emailed different scientists around the world to get them to critique her work. I thought that was very creative.  She also showed how a PLE is useful for citing your sources in a research project. You can keep everything organized on one page.
I wish my PLN was as good as her PLE. I will definitely take some of what she said and use it.

Compare and Contrast
Why Smartboards Are a Dumb Initiative By: Michael Stanton
                                         and
Why I Hate Interactive Whiteboards  By: Bill Ferriter

In Michael Stanton's article, he talks about the reasons that he doesn't like the use of Smartboards. He says, "Smartboards don't change the model that's broken." He says the reason for this is that the teacher still stands in front of the classroom teaching a lesson that the students still don't want to learn about. He also says that Smartboards do not give an adaptive learning environment.
He also says that it's an administrative cop out. It just gives the administration a reason to ask for more money. He says he would rather everyone work towards re-imagining what's possible.  I would think that using Smartboards would be a way of doing that.

In Bill Ferriter's article, he states that he has used Interactive Whiteboards. In his opinion, they didn't make teaching the required curriculum any easier, but the students did like it. That's different from Mr. Stanton's view. He said that it didn't change the way the students felt about the material.
Mr. Ferriter also says that you need the time and the training in order to operate the Interactive Whiteboards or it's a useless attempt. With this not being possible in lots of school systems, he says, "It's nothing more than vain attempts to buy change."

Both of these guys have strong opinions about Smartboards. Mr. Stanton thinks it's just a way to ask for more money, where Mr. Ferriter said that it's an attempt to buy change, but the teachers don't have the resources to use it properly.
I found a blog that is for Educators. It lists tips for doing different things on the Smartboard. It also offers lesson plans and suggestions for every grade level. The blog is: http://www.teacherslovesmartboards.com/

TimeToast Instructional Timeline-- How to Make a Baby Quilt

object width='550' height='400' >

I actually made this baby quilt. I listed the steps in order according to what I did each day while making the baby quilt.

Blog Post Number Five

The Benefits of Podcasting in the Classroom

By: Joe Dale

This was a very interesting video. It pointed out ways that podcasting can be helpful inside and outside the classroom. It provides a way for the students to interact and for students who are out of school to keep up with their school work. I think it is also amazing that it provides a way for parents to keep up with what is going on in the classroom. This would end the question,"Just what do you do at school?" Parents could get on the teachers blog and listen to the podcast to find out.

The process is very easy and the blog that this video is on also provides tutorials for creating a Podcast. Students can take their lessons with them everywhere they go. If a student is struggling with a particular lesson, they can just pull up the podcast for that lesson and listen to it over and over until they understand.

This is a great tool to use in the classroom. By doing our own Podcast in EDM 310, I can now use this valuable tool in my future classroom.

The Practical Principals

With: Melinda Miller and Scott Elias

This podcast was great. It provides a site for sources for educators. It is a place for teachers to gain insights and hear of other's experiences. It reminded me of a radio talk show, but it was actually something I was interested in hearing.

I learned from this sight that a podcast can be anything you want to make it. I like how this podcast was like a general conversation between two people. The conversation about their experiences helps you realize that other educators go through the same type of situations we do.

100 Ways to Use Your iPod to Learn and Study Better

I really liked this website. This blog posted many things that your iPod can be used for. I had no idea all these things were available. There are tutorials and help applications. You can have anything you need for your education right in front of you.  Everyone should have a list like this at their disposal.

TimeToast Timeline

Group One Project 8- Debating Tech Literacy

Our group debated and discussed some of the issues relating to Tech Literacy. This is an important topic for teachers in the 21st Century. Maybe this will be an imformative podcast for you to enjoy!!

Blog Post Number Four

Don't Teach Your Kids This Stuff, Please?
Dr. McLeod is an Associate Professor in Educational Administration at Iowa State University. He is the Director of UCEA Center for the Advanced Study of Technology Leadership in Education (CASTLE). CASTLE is supported by many companies such as, Microsoft and IBM. He has received numerous rewards for his work in promoting technology in Education.
I love the way Dr. McLeod approached his ideas in the poem. It was very sarcastic. He is definitely right. If we keep our kids from learning and using technology, then his and other kids will have the upper leg. We must teach our children the correct ways to use technology and how to be safe with it. The way to do that is not by keeping it away from them.

The iSchool Initiative
I loved this. I wish school would have been like that when I was in school. It is much better for the environment and it also saves money all the way around. This would teach students to actually problem solve instead of having all the answers right in front of them.
If students have to look for their answers and collaborate with students through the use of technology, this is engaging them in what they are doing. They would actually be learning by doing. What a way to remember the stuff you are learning. If it leaves an impression on them, they will not forget what they are learning.

The Lost Generation
I loved the format of this video. It started out by stating what people in this world say about the new generation of students. They wonder what will happen to this world we live in. I believe, if we teach them in the right way and teach them to do things instead of just looking for an answer in a book, then they could take this world farther than it's ever been. The video then turns it around to say what will happen if students learn to use technology and to problem solve in their every day lives. We must teach them to collaborate and think critically.

Eric Whitaker's Virtual Choir
I thought this was awesome. I have never seen anything like this before. I did not even know that this could be done. WOW!! This goes to show that with the use of technology, we can go anywhere and do anything.

Teaching In the 21st Century
"Teach" in the 21st Century means to engage your students in what they are learning. If they are engaged in what they are learning, they will never forget it. Education has to change or we will always be behind. We are filters for our students. This doesn't mean that we should just give them all the answers. We should help them to search for answers to the questions we pose.
Creating things through technology would also help the students who are creative. This type of education could bring all students together in a way that we have never seen before. I would love to see my students actually learn by doing and creating.

Leiha Casler "My Sentence Video"

A Vision of K-12 Students Today

I thought this was an amazing video. It made me think about what students would say if we asked them how they felt about technology and education. This video was an eye opener for me. As future teachers, we should take into consideration what is best for our students, not just ourselves. After all, it is about them.

Comments for Teachers...My Mind Gap

For this assignment, I had to look at www.mymindgap.com.
This was a very interesting blog. This is my summary and
some of the things I learned.

The Expert/Novice Mind Gap
 Posted: November 07, 2010

In this blog post, she discusses how she got started with technology
and how it has impacted her life. She has been using technology for
more than thirty years. She states that "having a chance to explore
and play with what she was learning about made a difference in how
well she learned it." She has a great passion for technology. She was
an aircraft electrician and air conditioning technician for twenty years.
As a female, she was outnumbered in many of her assignments, but
that never held her back. Many of her colleagues supported her in her
attempts to learn about technology.
She states two implications for closing the mind gap. She says," if you are
passionate about something you should seek out information about it even
if you do not think you can learn it on your own." She also says,"to surround
yourself with people who are passionate about the topic." Her blog post was
very informational and shows that you can always learn something if you have
the drive to learn it, no matter what is holding you back.

Welcome to My Mind.
Professional Motivation
January 26,2011

In this post, she discusses what keeps her motivated and the love she has for learning.
As a member of the Air Force, she thought that technology was "just a part of her job."
Eventually though, this led to a lifelong love for technology for her. She became motivated
to learn more and more about technology throughout her life. She is currently a librarian and uses the technology she has learned on a daily basis. She has a strong desire to be a lifelong learner.
This post also discusses how she gets through ruts in her life. She says she always finds a
way to work through it and find her motivation. This post encouraged me to stay motivated and when I feel like I can't go on, to find something that will motivate me to push through.

A Walk Through Leiha's Shoes

Blog Post Assignment Three

Michael Wesch: A Vision Of Students Today

This video really relates to the way my college
experience has been. We are drowning in a pool of
information that we will never use. I want to "actually" learn something that will relate to my area of expertise. I want it to catch my attention so that when I walk out the door, I haven't already forgotten it.
Students want to participate in their learning. They want to learn things that will make them better in the end. I want my teachers to catch my attention. Students want to use technology while learning. It keeps our attention.

It's Not About the Technology
by: Kelly Hines

Teachers must be active in their approach to education. Mrs. Hines was right. It is not all about the technology. It is about teachers incorporating technology into their lessons. It is about teachers learning how to use technology to educate our children. Teachers must constantly evolve. In order to do that, we must stay educated and change the way we think.
As a teacher, you must be interested in what you are teaching. It needs to be approached with the mindset that "I love what I am teaching and I am willing to learn more." We can explore with our students and accomplish amazing things.

Karl Fisch: Is It Okay to be a Technologically Illiterate Teacher?

It is NOT okay to be technologically illiterate. Technology is becoming the mode of education more and more every day. If we do not know how to use it, we cannot expect students to learn it and be successful. And trust me, without it, they will not succeed.
We all have a common goal. That goal is for our students to be successful. In order for that to happen, we must be technologically literate today and thirty years from today.

Gary Hayes Social Media Count

Technology is growing at an astoundingly fast rate and so are the ways in which it is used. The Education System as a whole as well as, the Educators must keep up with these changes. The children we are educating are our future leaders. Where will we be if we leave them behind?
We will be in ruin. The World will pass them by. All at the expense of their teachers who were not willing to educate themselves in order to help their students succeed. If that means actively using various methods of technology in our classrooms, then we have to do it. It is not an option. Our future is left up to us; determined by the way we educate our children.

Figuring Out How to Add Pictures to Blog Posts

I love Tulips!!

Blog Post Number Two

Did You Know?
Did You Know brought to my attention the fact that everything is changing at an increasingly fast rate. We must keep ourselves educated to keep up. Technology is changing faster than we can imagine.
I do not want to be an educator who cannot keep up with the times, so what does this mean? Be in the know! Know what is going on in the world of technology and how to use it. Never stop learning. Keep yourself educated!

Mr.Winkle Wakes:
Students should be taught to use various methods of technology. If we do not change the way we educate our children, they will be left in the dust. Technology is all around us and in use everywhere we go.
How will our students survive in a world full of technology if we do not change our methods? They won't. Before long, technology will be used to do everything. We definitely need more technology in our schools.

The Importance of Creativity:

This was an awesome speech. Creativity is very important. We should use and encourage creativity in our classrooms. Without creativity, children are bored.
The Arts are very important to Education, but they are pushed aside. As teachers, it will be our job to incorporate the Arts into our classroom. We cannot leave anyone behind.

Cecilia Gault interviews Ken Robinson:
We should use all aspects of education to teach our students. Arts, Sciences, and Technology are all important to education. We should incorporate all of these into our lessons.

Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts:
This video is amazing. The way she brings the world into the classroom is awesome. It really goes along with what we are doing in EDM 310. I would love to have all this technology in my future classroom.
She brings awareness of the importance of technology to the classroom. Also, learning by doing. Making students brainstorm and research using technology to solve problems is much better than giving them all the answers. When you give it to them, it is not learned.

Leiha's Wordle

About Me

My name is Leiha Casler. I am 27 years old. I will be turning 28 on February 27th. I have two wonderful little boys, Aubrey and Jackson. My son Aubrey was recently diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome. Therefore, I put a lot of my extra time in with him. My son Jackson is 16 months old. He is a wild child.
I have been going to school on and off since I graduated high school. Hopefully, I can finish this time. I have always wanted to be a teacher. It will be a very rewarding career. I love to spend time with my children. I spend a lot of time shopping. I like to read when I have any spare time.

Practice Post

My first post!!