Blog Post #5

Don’t teach your kids this stuff. Please? 

This was a wonderfully creative way of getting the point across, in that technology and social media are not going away and we need to embrace that. While reading the blog it is very apparent that the University of Kentucky has a found a real creative gem to get their views on technology across to the masses. When a great creative mind like George Lucas uses Dr. Mcleods opinions, you know you are reading someone who should be listened too. I completely agree with his argument, the children whose parents and teachers are actively teaching their children and students how to properly use these different forms of media and communication, are going to have a massive leg up on their competition in the future. Not since the Industrial revolution has a shift become so prevalent in the way things get done. I sincerely would like to think that parents and teachers agree on the benefits of technology and social media being promising tools, but unfortunately not all do. And for the children and students of the nonbelievers, I genuinely feel pity as they will definitely be at a loss when the time comes to further their lives and careers.

Travis Allen Blogs 

This was a wonderful couple of blogs; by what I’m sure is a force to be reckoned with in educational technology. Travis Allen has put into work what so many have been thinking and so many more need to start thinking about. We have talked several times about how technology and social media are the future for our children, but Mr. Allen has actually laid out a plan to implement those goals on schools starting today. The fact that he has taken his initiative and created a work force of 25 students to get the word out, shows how much he believes in what he's doing.

The one thing I do find curious is that his entire premises is based on Apple apps and OS platforms. While I personally love Apple products, to base a concept as great as this around one company’s product line is maybe a little concerning. Who is he proposing pick up the tab on this idea? Also, can his idea not be combined with maybe say every child using a laptop and programs rather than an iTouch, not even an iPad? I wish Mr. Allen all the luck in the world, as I think his general concept is wonderful. I do also hope that the specifics make his idea as easy to implement and maintain as it sounds.

 Eric Whitacre’s Virtual Choir 

This is a wonderfully creative and beautiful piece of art. While the creativity and beauty lies within each of the singers, technology has offered us this unique way of putting it all together. The music itself is beautiful and cannot be denied, but being able to put it together in this way shows us that technology is opening up more creative ways of making art, and the limits are possibly endless.

 I don't know how Mr. Whitacre came up with this concept, but his execution is wonderful. This also, opens our minds to the fact that the entire world is easily connected to one another like never before.

Teaching in the 21st Century 

This is definitely a thought provoking video. Students are going to be learning these things on the internet and how to teach themselves whether we like it or not; so I think our job should be to consider actively teaching them to use these tools the right way. This new generation of students has grown up with a second nature to technology, and they are going to learn to use Google, Facebook, Twitter, and Chat Rooms no matter what, as that is what they are taught from friends and alike. We, as teachers, need to consider not only teaching them facts, but also teaching them how to deduce properly and search out their own answers, using the tools at their disposal. Teaching has long been considered a way of delivering facts and figures to our students, but since we cannot ever teach them everything that they now have access too, maybe we should consider teaching them how to use and access these things more efficiently and safely. The job of a teacher is changing; we are no longer the end of what they will learn, only the beginning. The inherent egos of the past that teachers are always right is completely wrong, now as a student can find out whatever they want with a few clicks of a mouse. I think that we should make a conscious effort to nurture that ability and embrace this new found level of knowledge that they can gain whether they are in classroom or not. Wouldn't it be easier and more rewarding for a student, if instead of telling them our opinions of Einstein’s theory of relativity, if we simply taught them how to find and deduce their own opinions of it by simply clicking and seeing what others all over the world have written on the subject?

 Reading Rockets 

First off, I completely agree with Mr. Capps, I have never seen a resource sight so well thought out before. This site addresses parents, teachers, principals, and even librarians. I did not see who funds this site, but I sincerely hope that the funding continues. Reading Rockets is a one stop shop on how to address most issues that students, parents and teachers alike have to deal with. The amount of material in this site could take months to sift through, but it is easily laid out to find what you're looking for.

I am also blown away by the amount of free resources in the form of books, podcast, videos, and even shows that are available here. This site certainly embraces the modern technological revolution that is taking place in teaching our students. There was a list of informative blogs from several different authors with which to learn. My favorite part of this site had to be the Technology section. Not only will this technology section be helping me for the remainder of this class, I will definitely be using this resource as I move further into my teaching career and beyond. You can definitely tell that the creators of this site simply care about giving the most informative information and resources to all, with no egos to hinder them.  I am thoroughly impressed and will be bookmarking this site immediately.