iPod Use in Instruction

No one in my family owns an iPod, so I was really unfamiliar with what they can do other than play music. During my research of iPod use, I discovered that this little instrument can be very helpful in the education setting. I find it amazing that students can use iPods for educational purposes. In the school where I currently substitute, bringing iPods to school is against the rules. Students can download lots of information that could help with better study habits, podcasts, language classes, educational games, and more.

Duke University has started incorporating iPod usage into many of the courses being taught. According to the Duke News Website, the university gives iPods to students who enroll in a class that requires an iPod. When Duke started passing out free iPods, every first year student received one. Now, they have developed a new strategy for receiving the free iPod, which is the specific course enrollment. Technology is exploding and Duke is setting a new example for other universities to follow.

iPods and Learning

Presentation

Meet Dr. Alice Christie

I really enjoyed exploring Dr. Alice Christie's website. This website is a very useful website for teachers as well as students. The information that she provides is very extensive. There are numerous links to aid in classroom planning such as Workshops, Web Design, Educational Technology, and Photography.

I found the link "Searching the Web" to be very interesting and useful. Students would enjoy exploring on this site. They could use this website to research topics, find encyclopedias with information about subjects and look at videos. This site would be very helpful to teachers when evaluating other websites, finding ideas for field trips, as well as other valuable information. Teachers would benefit greatly from the use of this website in and out of the classroom.

ACCESS AT MCHS

I recently visited the ACCESS Lab at Monroe County High School, in Monroeville, AL. MCHS has been involved with ACCESS for about two or three years. The instructor is new so she is still in the learning stage as well as the students. Currently, there are two students using the ACCESS Lab, but that number changes each semester.

ACCESS is a great way for students to broaden their knowledge. Creative Writng, Advance and Marine Biology, Calculus, English Literature, Foreign Language, Psychology, and Web Design are some of the classes offered. Right now, MCHS connects with Charles Henderson High School in Troy and Pale City High School. The two students using ACCESS this semester are taking Latin. Students must be responsible and dedicated when taking these courses. Online courses require more discipline because, to some degree, the student is also the teacher.

The only problem the students have with the lab is when the server is down, they can not view their classes. The computers seem to be user friendly and are a fun way to learn.

Visiting the ACCESS Lab was very interesting. I substituted for the instructor last year and watched a student while they took Calculus. I thought it was neat to be able to see the classroom and the teacher as they were teaching. The interaction between the student and the teacher through the computer was amazing. I think that ACCESS is a great way for students to learn and for schools to connect. This program is helpful for schools, who have limited funding, to allow advancement for their students.

Is Wikipedia Reliable?

This blog assignment was my introduction to Wikipedia. Since I was unfamiliar with Wikipedia, I decided that I needed to explore the website before forming an opinion. After viewing some of the topics posted, I have decided that Wikipedia could be very useful to those who are researching certain topics. My husband said he is very impressed with Wikipedia. He uses the website to research information in the medical field regularly.

I do have some concerns with Wikipedia. If anyone can edit information, then problems that should be made known could actually be hidden. Such as a drug that is causing complications to a patient. The drug companies would not want this to be public knowledge. Also, someone could go in and add false information about topics just to misguide people. My daughter, who is in the 7th grade, said that her teachers do not feel that Wikipedia is reliable. They are not confident that the information is accurate. I can see the advantages and the disadvantages. I am sure that the more popular Wikipedia becomes, the more accurate the information will be.

Customer Service

I enjoyed reading the blog "Customer Service" in the May postings by Karl Fisch. He explains how customer service has disappointed the consumers because everyone is "busy". I believe, from my own experience, that customer service is not priority in most businesses these days. Making money while keeping costs down is the first priority, so when expenses must be cut, customer service gets the knife. I get very aggravated when I call a company and I get sent from one computerized representative to another because everyone is too busy.

I like the way he relates customer service with the classroom. I also see how many customers are dissatisfied with the service they receive. The students and parents are the customers and many teachers are "too busy" to give them quality service. Some teachers seem to do everything they can to push the customers away. For example, a student turned in his English homework assignment, and because the paper was torn out of a notebook, the teacher gave the student a zero. I also understand that some parents/students are very hard to deal with. Teachers have a hard time communicating with unconcerned parents and lazy students.

Technologically Illiterate?

Karl Fisch's statement "If a teacher today is not technologically literate-and is unwilling to make the effort to learn more-its equivalent to a teacher 30 years ago who didn't know how to read and write" is a very strong point for stressing why it is so important for teachers to be technologically literate. I agree totally with his idea. How can the world continue to function if the teachers can not properly train the students? If people are not technologically literate, they do not have a chance competing in the job market. Teachers who are technologically illiterate can not teach students the skills that they must possess to compete. Technology rules the world and those who are illiterate,and who refuse to learn, will eventually become lost. The world is advancing rapidly and in order to survive, everyone must be willing to learn new technology.

There are still some problems that are out of the control of teachers. There are still many under privileged people in this world who can not afford the technology at home. This makes it hard for students to apply the skills that they are being taught at home. Also, many schools do not have the funding to provide the necessary technology. Perhaps, if the school system were better funded, teachers would be more willing to advance their skills so they could better prepare their students.

Karl Fisch Blog

A Scottish Blog

Ewan McIntosh is a Scottish teacher and Social Media Specialist. He speaks internationally. From his blog, you can hear previous talks, find out where he will be speaking next, learn about Scottish Education and find out about upcoming events. There is a search engine for his blogs. Viewers can sign up to receive his regular posts.

Ewan's Blog

A Blog from Thailand

Kim Cofino is a teacher at the International School Bangkok in Thailand. She uses here blog space to review or add to her current teaching. She posts various articles on 21st century teaching and technology. There are videos on her topics that can be viewed through YouTube. Bloggers can subscribe to her feeds and learn more about her work through wikispace.

Kim's Blog

Teacher Blog in Missouri

WM Chamberlain is a 5th grade teacher at Noel Elementary School in Missouri. His class blog, Mr C's Class Blog, is loaded with links and information useful to the students for learning. His students can go to his blog and look up dictionary words, check the weather, view class videos, find educational games, and tons of other information. There is a link to the McDonald County School District site. He provides information about upcoming activities. He gives demonstrations on how to do class projects. This website should draw the interests of his students and parents. Each student has a blog.

You can visit this site at: http://mrcsclassblog.blogspot.com/

Teacher Blog in Georgia

Teacher blogs are becoming more popular and are very useful in the edeucation field for teachers, parents, and students. At Lassiter High School in Georgia, Mrs Kendall's and Mrs Romeu's Blog is used to keep the students in their English classes informed about assignments and other activities going on with the English Department. There is a parent link for parents to use to check on the student's performance. There is also a link to the school and the school district. The blog offers numerous sites to visit for various information and appears to be very helpful to the students.

Please feel free to visit this site: http://lhsblogs.typepad.com/kendall/2008/09