Blog Post 4

Don't teach Your Kids This Stuff. Please?

Mr. McLeod is an Associate Professor in the Educational Administration program at Iowa State University, as well as well as the director of C.A.S.T.L.E. He raises a good point in his post. Just like anything else, parents and teachers need to teach children safety when handling technology. Technology is a double edged sword, and kids need to be careful when using it. Cyber bullies and online predators are a real threat in today's society. Just like parents teach children about guns, fire, and the like, they should sit down with their children and teach them the proper usage of today's tech.


iSchool Initiative

The iSchool is a wonderful idea, but can it work in real schools? I love the idea of no books, no paper waste, and saving money. However, I have some questions. Can students be trusted with this equipment? Who are paying for the iSchools? Will it be the schools, who will lend them out to students each year? Or will parents and students buy them? It may be possible if the school buys them in bulk and then sells them to students, which will goad the students to take care of their own stuff. My last question is will there still be classrooms? I think it is great to go virtual like the video suggests, but there is still a need for classrooms. Students are not very good at keeping up with school work as it is, let alone if it was at home on one of these iSchools. The parents monitoring from any computer and phone is a really good idea. If I was a parent, I would love this feature. I also really like all the text books and library books being virtual as well. I would like to see this idea used in a couple of public schools for a couple of years to see how it does, because it sounds brilliant.


Lost Generation

I have to say, I was not expecting that. It starts off real depressing then it does a complete turnaround at the end. I’ve always thought that effect was pretty cool. This video gets you kind of down and depressed, but when she reads it backwards, it becomes a message of hope that spurs us on. It inspires us to show the world what we can do. I believe they used this technique because we’ve all heard uplifting speeches before, but they are so much more inspiring when something bad happens. Take for instance the movie Braveheart, Wallace’s speech was made inspiring because of the Scots’ situation. They were in a bleak, desperate situation, and his speech riled their spirits. Now, imagine that speech at some political rally, with no threat of being enslaved. It wouldn’t really have the same effect, would it?

Virtual Choir

Wow. All I can really say is wow. It was pretty amazing, especially that it is all online. With all the bad things you hear about the internet, it is nice to see some of the good that can come of it. I never imagined an online choir like this before. I also never thought an online choir could exist, but I was proven wrong. It is amazing what you can do with the internet and computers today. The internet can be used for some amazing things.

Teaching in the 21st Century

I agree with this video. Teaching methods need to change. In the world today, teachers are no longer the source of information, but they act as a filter, sifting through all the bogus information and teaching what is. Students can't believe everything they see online. Teachers need to teach skills for searching through all the information available to students. They need to incorporate other technologies like Google, podcasts, and Skype into lessons, if relevant. Take for instance, an English class writing a research paper. Most students will use Wikipedia as their main source, but that is unacceptable. Teachers know that Wikipedia can be edited by anyone, so it will not be a viable source most of the time. Therefore, the teacher needs to show them how to search Google properly and what to look for.

Blog Post 3

A Vision of Students Today

This video accurately portrays my experiences with college thus far. I bring my computer to my classes, though I do not use it in every one. This is one of those videos that really hits home. We are very fortunate to live in such a great country, surrounded by technology. The video spoke of how we are fortunate students, as well as how the education in colleges work. I personally think that the point of the video was how technology is being used by students, and how we as students are being trained for the future.
I believe in this time and age that technology should be implemented more into classes, even if it is in simple ways. For instance, in large classes consisting of 100 students, why not give the teacher a mic? Sometimes, it is very hard to hear them. Since students bring laptops to class with them, why not use them effectively? With software such as Windows 7 and its home-sharing feature, teachers can share presentations and notes in class with home-sharing, instead of using a chalkboard. It is things like that that can help make education better, easier, and interesting.

"It's Not About Technology"

Ms. Hines makes very good points in her article. It is important for teachers to keep up to date and continue to learn, even after college. Information changes often, and technology is outdated almost immediately. It is necessary as educators to expand our own minds if we are to teach children. Also, as educators, it is important to change our methods from time to time. If a student isn't learning, then maybe the teacher should approach the teaching method differently. As Ms. Hines said, "If an object does not move, no matter how much force has been applied, no work has been done. Therefore, if a student has not learned, not matter how much effort has been exerted, no teaching has been done." If a teacher presents the materialin a different light, the student may be able to learn it.
Ms. Hines also makes an excellent point about the teachers not using the technology, and not using it creatively. As Ms. Hines put it, if you put innovative technology in the hands of an innovative teacher, then amazing things can happen. Teachers need to be willing and innovative in the classroom and need to embrace technology, instead of ignoring it. If teachers take on a learning mindset, and learn to use technology and different methods of teaching, great things can be accomplished. More children will learn, actually learn, instead of wasting time on "burp back" teachings.

"Is It Okay To Be A Technologically Illiterate Teacher?"

Just as the writer says, it is not okay for teachers to be technologically illiterate. It is not something to be proud of. The person's comment, in which this blog post was written for, is a bit extreme. People should not be embarrassed or humiliated, but instead taught. I agree with his statement on technology being only a tool to help us grow, and not the end all and be all of education. He asks if a teacher, who is technologically illiterate and unwilling to fix it, any different from a teacher 30 years ago who couldn't read or write. The answer is no. There are no differences. It is the same concept. How can you expect to teach without knowing this yourself? With technological advances, and how much it plays a part in today's society, one cannot afford to be tech illiterate, especially a teacher.

Social Media Count


This media count is mind blowing. I figured a lot went on on websites like Facebook and others, but never that much activity. The sheer number of text messages and e-mails sent in a minute seem almost impossible. However, the cold, hard date is there. It amazes me how much we use technology, and the extent of our usage.

Blog Post 2

Did You Know? 3.0
This video was mind-blowing. It is almost hard to believe how fast the human population is growing, and the numbers they showed were only in 2 or 3 countries. I already knew how fast technology advances quickly, but certain aspects I never knew of or even thought of, such as the fiber optics. It is easy for me to believe that there are jobs today that did not exist four years ago. I'm curious to know what those in-demand jobs are. It was also interesting to find out teachers are training children for jobs that don't even exist yet. It was certainly an eye opening video.

Mr. Winkle Wakes
 Mr. Winkle Wakes offered a different perspective on our time period. Technology has come a long way in a hundred years. Technology has become a large part on how society functions these days. It was a creative video that makes you think about technology, but also points out a flaw in the education system. Mr. Winkle looked to escape all the technology, and he found his escape at school. Everywhere else, he was surrounded by technology. It was in offices, homes, and hospitals. Children were learning important lessons with reading, writing, and math, but they must also be taught how to use the technological advancements. They will face it when they enter the work force no matter what. Teachers prepare children for the future, and technology is now part of it.

The Importance of Creativity

Ken Robinson is brilliant. I agree with everything he said. The current public education heirarchy is flawed. In high school, my best classes were the ones others labeld as useless. I was decent at math and sciences, but i excelled in art, english, and history. I love to read. I love to draw and do photography. I love being creative, and that creativity was squelched by my "educators". I was scolded for drawing during class when we were doing nothing. The education system needs to change to put value on the arts. My friends and I have always done well with the arts, and we were all put down because we weren't the best in math or chemistry. Every body has different talents. Some people are meant to be doctors and professors. Others were meant to be musicians and photographers. The current public education system and heirarchy boosts the importance of certain classes over others, when they should all be equally important. The musician can be just as important and successful as the lawyer. Why should artists be denied a fair and equal education?

Ciela Gault

The video will not load, so I will return and edit this blog post with a response.

Vicki Davis

This video is also brilliant. It is a wonderful idea to not only teach them how to use more than one technology, but also to get them to teach themselves and even the teacher. I know from expierence that I was more apt to pay attention when technology was involved in the classroom, regardless of the class. I also enjoy Ms. Davis's changing of the "burp back" form of education. She is more of a coach than a teacher, just as Dr. Strange is. It is a brilliant and wonderful form of teaching that I personally believe should be used more.

A Little Bit About Myself

Hi. My name is J.T. Rawls. I'm a 19 year old education major at the University of South Alabama. I've lived in Mobile, Alabama my entire life with my father, mother, and younger brother. I have two dogs, a pug and a chihuahua. I am also currently employed at the Starbucks at the Hillcrest and Grelot location. I have worked there for a little over a year now.

My interests include reading, drawing, and photography, as well as football and video games. My favorite teams are the New Orleans Saints and the Alabama Crimson Tide. I am in the education program because I've always enjoyed helping others learn, especially in the language arts and histories. I hope to learn a lot from this class and look forward to it.

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Practice Blog

My first post.