C4T #1

For my first C4T, I was assigned to read Mrs. Beth Knittle’s blog, Beth's Thoughts on Technology in the Classroom, the post was on BLC 2013 Conference Notes, were notes that she had taken at a conference in Boston. Beth Knittle listened to a speaker named Dr. Weinberg. He spoke about technology not changing education. Dr. Weinberg's discussion was about education has not changed, but learning has changed. Furthermore, he discussed there is a need for web literacy. Beth's thoughts are that questions need to be asked, and we need to accept challenges. Beth discussed how she likes to read other people’s notes. Because it shows how people listen to the information given to them, but they take away different things from the speaker’s discussion.

Next, in Beth’s notes was Research, Inquiry, and the Common Core: A Collaborative Journey and Smack down. The speakers were: Joyce Valencia, Shannon Mc Clintock Miller and Michelle Luhtala. Their discussion included that 80 percent of your time must be done on common core that is to be shared by all teachers. Reading for pleasure and passion and creativity should make up for 20 percent. Close reading and a variety of tools were looked at in helping with the common core. The next discussion was on The Future School. Beth admits she did not take many notes. The speaker’s name was Brad. Beth’s notes included that if children threw out their notes at the end of the year, we are not helping students. The speaker used sketch-notes in his presentation. Brad held a spontaneous discussion. He uses an app called Paper by 53. There were note-taking strategies discussed like: sketching. Sketching can be used to keep students interested while they are taking notes.

My name is Shernaye. I am a student at the University of South Alabama. I really enjoyed your post about the BLC Conference you attended. My major is Elementary/Special Education. I hope to use the tool of sketching that you wrote about. I think that it will be a great visual aid tool for my students while they are taking notes.

Mrs. Knittle latest blog post was titled, How To Change Education, she recommended a video to watch, Ken Robinson, How to Change Education from the ground Up. She went on the discuss the changes that teachers are faced with like: curriculum, common core and the brand new testing of PARACC, evidence collecting, new technology and district and state standards. Mrs. Knittle discussed that she liked Mr. Robinson's video because he stressed that teaching is an art form. Furthermore, Mrs. Knittle encourages teachers not to lose focus when starting a new year, and she encourages creativity and the joy of learning for both the students and the teacher.

Mrs. Knittle, I liked reading your post, HOW TO CHANGE EDUCATION, I enjoyed watching the video you linked Ken Robinson on How to Change Education-from the Ground Up. He had a great talk on how to help your students to learn. When I become a teacher, I have to remember the importance of engaging my students. Some of my teachers were not engaging. Mr. Ken Robinson had interesting points on the state of education. I agree; the real focus on education is sometimes lost. When I become a teacher, it is important for me to remember that education is about educating individuals.

Blog Post # 4

The first post I read was, 1st Graders Create Their Own Read-Along Audiobook .

I was a curious about how the students would create their own read along audiobook. For me as a future educator, podcasts can be great with helping with storytelling, keeping students engaged and helping students to learn. Before taking this class, I had heard the word podcast. However, I thought it was audio that took someone forever to put together and put online . After reading this post, creating a podcast does not seem as difficult as I thought. I learned that using scripts can be a great way to keep students engaged in following along with the story. Also, the students liked to listen to their voices and being involved in the creative process.

The second post, was Landwitches Flat Stanley Podcast, students created a podcast that was inspired by their reading of the book Flat Stanley by Jim Brown. The students and their teacher created their own podcast version of the story. I enjoyed listening to their voices and their descriptions of the places they visited. I learned that I can use the importance of teaching students to read with expression. In these podcasts, they help with bringing out the creativity in the students.

The third post, was The Benefits of Podcasting in the Classroom by Joe Dale, his video provided great information for a future teacher like me about the benefits of podcasting with my students. I liked to see that the students were involved in creating and listening to these podcasts. I did not know that these podcasts can have such an impact on the students; that they talk about them outside the classroom with their families. I learned that I can make my podcasts available at all times for my students. Also, podcasts can be a great way for me to show my students that their podcasts can listened to by people all over the world.

Blog Post # 3

The positives were that my group members each contributed to the group and individual assignments. They offered suggestions, and their suggestions were positive. The group members’ work was submitted on time. Their work was organized. The workload was distributed equally. Yes, there was clarity. My group members were very clear on their assigned parts. I would offer suggestion privately by email, if there are major mistakes in their writing. I would not want to embarrass them. For punctuation and grammar, I would tell them on their blog. I will use both approaches, because there are positive ways to help my peers with their writing.

After viewing the video, Peer Editing and the slideshow Peer Edit with Perfection Tutorial, I learned that I do not know much about peer editing. In the past, I have given my work to classmates to look over. However, the term of peer editing is new to me. After looking at the word, peer editing, I still did not get the connection of it is editing by your peers. The other things that I learned from this material are: Editing is making suggestions, compliments, comments and changes to writing. You are helping to change your peer’s work. It is always important to remember these steps when editing a peer’s work. These steps are: Compliments, Suggestions and Corrections. It is important to remain positive. The first step is Compliments. When editing your peer’s work, always start with a compliment, using examples like: I loved your topic; I think you used a lot of good details. The second step is Suggestions. Suggestions give the writer exact details on how to make their writing better. During this process, it is important to remain positive. Suggestions offer the following: details, word choice, organization, the length of sentences and topics making sure that the author stays on the topic. The third step is Corrections. Corrections check for grammar and spelling mistakes, missing punctuation and incomplete and run-on sentences.

In the video, Writing Peer Review (Peer Critique) TOP 10 Mistakes, these students were great in demonstrating the top 10 mistakes of doing a peer review. I like how the students demonstrated what not to do. By watching this video, I recognized that I have been peer reviewed by Pushy Paula and Off-Task Oliver. This video is a great visual aid tool in helping to explain to students the correct way to do peer editing. Writing is a form of communication, and having someone critique your work, may make you nervous. Nevertheless, by having a positive peer reviewer, it can help make your writing better.

Blog Post #2

Mr.Dancealot - Savanah Moore, Jacquelyne McKiernan, Shernaye James

In the video Mr. Dancealot, the professor is trying to teach his students how to dance by taking notes. The professor gets angry when the students attempt to practice the dance moves he is telling them about. He also did not approve of the students asking questions. Mr. Dancelot is an excellent example of how not to teach students. The professor did not take the time to demonstrate how to perform these dances, and when he did demonstrate the dances he was behind a large desk where the students were unable to see his feet. Mr. Dancelot never gave his students the chance to practice the dance moves and expected the students to learn by watching. In the end when it was time for the final exam none of the students were able to demonstrate the dances and most of them had the textbook in their hands while trying to dance.

The Networked Student - Shernaye James

In this video written and directed by Wendy Drexler you are given an example of a student going into college. The student starts out with very little but soon starts to build his network. The students learns to blog, and share information using sites like Diigo and Google docs. The student starts out not very studious, he does not have a textbook but soon is able to find resources from all sorts of programs and sites that relate to his field of study. The video ends with the student being connected to a top professor at the University of California Berkeley.

The networked student needs a teacher because they need to learn the proper procedures on how to create their networks. They can not be expected to just have the sites and resources fall into their laps. The students need to be guided on the proper way to use the resources they are given and how to communicate through technology. The teacher would help improve the students success rate in widening their network, and show the students how to be more organized in keeping up with their numerous forms of technology and resources.

My reaction to the video is that it is very informative about creating and continuing to build your network. I like the idea of the term Connectivism being introduced. The video stating the importance of going through the process of creating a network, how to develop that network, and understanding how to properly build your network. Also, this video showed me how to understand the proper guidelines and format of creating a network. The importance of having good information and knowing when you see propaganda. The teacher wants the student to maintain their network and use the many tools that can be helpful in building your network.This video shows the importance of being able to learn effectively.

Teaching in the 21st Century - Savanah Moore

In the video, Teaching in the 21st Century by Kevin Roberts, Roberts feels that technology is the main teacher for students. I think he brings up good points in questioning what it means to teach in the 21st Century. The position described in the video is that as teachers we have to keep our teaching interesting.We have to keep students interested all day everyday. It is important to keep students motivated by creating lesson plans that are interesting. As an educator, it is important for me to know that I am not the only source of information for my students. I can provide technology in my classroom to help my students learn. But, it is important to teach my students that learning can be an ongoing process and that learning never stops.

Harness Your Students’ Digital Smarts - Jacquelyne McKiernan

In this video Vicki Davis uses technology to encourage her students to learn for themselves and to be more self sufficient when using technology. The students are able to teach themselves and other students how to use different programs on the computer. Davis when in her classroom acted more like a guide rather than a teacher. This approach of teaching can be good in letting the students become more technology literate on their own but is not appropriate for all students because all students have a different skill level. Students who do not use technology as consistently as others may fall behind because they are not as familiar with the software.

Blog Post #1

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Who is Krissy Venosdale?

Krissy Venosdale is a educator who is dedicated about creating the best learning environment for her students. She has amazing ideas about her dream school. Her dream school has colorful walls, comfortable seating and no tests.


Sugata Mitra's dream is to create a school where children teach and learn from each other. The students would accomplish this by using in the cloud. I want to teach Special Education. I want to create a classroom that promotes learning.

What do you want your students to know? I want my students to know that learning is a process. I want them to know that learning can be fun. I want them to know that there are different tools that they can use; to help them to learn. I want my students to know that I care about them. I want them to enjoy learning.

What do you want your students to be able to do? I want them to be able to read, write, use technology and gain new knowledge. I want my students to be knowledgeable of prior material. I want my students to use their imagination. I want them to ask questions.

What will be your primary way of teaching your students what you want them to know and do? My primary way of teaching is developing a teaching style that promotes learning. I will use technology, hands-on activities and group work.

What tools will you use in your classroom? In my classroom, there will be many tools, I will have a Smartboard, iPad, laptops, desktop computers, educational software, books, markers, pens, crayons, paints, pencils and paper.

What role will students play in your classroom? In the classroom, my students will play an important role. I want them to learn and gain knowledge. I want my students to learn from each other and help each other.

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