My initial reaction in viewing this new website was to totally write it off. It seemed too confusing, and I wasn't having any initial ideas as to how it could enhance students' learning. However, after poking around a bit, and hearing how other educators were either using it or planning on using it lessened my initial dislike.
The area that I really seem enormous potential when using voice threads is with feedback. Just think how little verbal feedback is given to students throughout their education. That is because it would take teachers hours to get around to everyone, and we all know there is just not that kind of time in the school day. However, teachers do spend countless hours outside of school correct assignments, papers, and projects. Yet most of the feedback given to students is written. This is were I believe voice thread could give a boost to teachers and their feedback. Teachers could use voice thread from their own home to give students feedback on their graded assignments.
This could almost turn into a form of personal one on one time for each student. I can only imagine what the impact of having your teacher give you actual verbal feedback on multiple assignments, and then having access to those comments forever. Seems to be yet another form of multimedia that will only enhance our education's abilities.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Critical Thinking
What really is the point of our current public education system? Is it to produce young adults, that can solve a complicated problem? Can they expresses their opinions in an educated way both written and verbally? Are they as prepared as they could be to help our world grow?
No.
Why is that? Well I believe that the problem lies with what the real goals are of the public education system. Now that I can look back at my whole experience from my public school system years, I can see the most underlying goal. That goal appears to be turning out high school graduates that regurgitate facts on a short term basis, and pass a standardized test. Now, I'm not saying that being able to pass a standardized test, and having factual knowledge is a bad thing. However, wouldn't we be doing our children a better service if our CLEAR goal of public education was to teach them how to think critically, solve multilevel problems, and communicate their opinions in an educated way?
I think so.
Do I know the answer?
No.
But I'm working on it.
No.
Why is that? Well I believe that the problem lies with what the real goals are of the public education system. Now that I can look back at my whole experience from my public school system years, I can see the most underlying goal. That goal appears to be turning out high school graduates that regurgitate facts on a short term basis, and pass a standardized test. Now, I'm not saying that being able to pass a standardized test, and having factual knowledge is a bad thing. However, wouldn't we be doing our children a better service if our CLEAR goal of public education was to teach them how to think critically, solve multilevel problems, and communicate their opinions in an educated way?
I think so.
Do I know the answer?
No.
But I'm working on it.
Flexibility
This past summer I was a basketball and hockey coach for a traveling Christian sports camp. My main role was being in charge of all the large group activities. Mostly the curriculum that we taught. Not only did that opportunity enhance my presentation skills, but it also taught me how to be flexible and to think on my feet.
It was interesting to learn that I could have the best plan of what I was going to say/do/act/teach/etc. However when you're in front of 80 plus 5-12 year old children plans don't always work out. Seeing as one group of children will be completely different from the next I would constantly have to alter my day to day plans.
Yet to maintain credibility I had to make my alterations seem effortless. I found that I would always have to something up my sleeve that would keep the program going, and allow me time to think at the same time. When it come to being flexibile I firmly believe you have to be committed to change.
It was interesting to learn that I could have the best plan of what I was going to say/do/act/teach/etc. However when you're in front of 80 plus 5-12 year old children plans don't always work out. Seeing as one group of children will be completely different from the next I would constantly have to alter my day to day plans.
Yet to maintain credibility I had to make my alterations seem effortless. I found that I would always have to something up my sleeve that would keep the program going, and allow me time to think at the same time. When it come to being flexibile I firmly believe you have to be committed to change.
Resilience
I and everyone I know shows resilience each and everyday. Yet most of the time people hide how they really are feeling. Take everyone in our education psychology class for example. No matter how well you might know someone, most likely, you are not aware of everything going on in their life. That is because most people show their resilience through their self isolation.
I've found that my self and countless others do not talk about most of the stress that we feel. I believe that our society does not promote an open environment to talk about one's feelings.
I see many students and faculty showing resilience to the ample amounts of stress they cope with each day. However, I wonder how much our community talks to one another about thei stress. I believe true resilience can only be obtained with constant support from those around us.
I've found that my self and countless others do not talk about most of the stress that we feel. I believe that our society does not promote an open environment to talk about one's feelings.
I see many students and faculty showing resilience to the ample amounts of stress they cope with each day. However, I wonder how much our community talks to one another about thei stress. I believe true resilience can only be obtained with constant support from those around us.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Creativity
Question of the day. Does our current education system set all children up to learn? I believe we honestly have to answer that question with a "no". Sir Ken in the youtube clip that we watched brought up a very thought provoking statement. He claimed that the topmost goal of eduction was to create university professors. In other words, the world's education system is set up to engage only one side of children brains. More simply put, we are not encouraging children to be creative through school due to the subjects that students are required to take.
Now I do not believe that educators are squashing their students creativity as much as Sir Ken is proposing, however I do not believe schools are putting children in the best environment to learn. What I mean by that is children are not meant to sit in a desk for an extended period of time, and be expected to be attentive. Children are curious. Now all children are going to be different, that is obvious. However, I believe the best way to engage a child is to keep their bodies active. Just look at how children love playing outside. What if schools took the energy that was created on the playground and harnessed it into the classroom.
I'm getting this philosophy from something my mother implemented into her 2nd grade classroom two years ago.
My mother's 2nd grade class a few years back was an extremely "wild" class. She was always telling our family how fidgety they were, and what a hard time they had paying attention. Apparently my mother did some research and she found a new idea. This idea she read about was tailor to students who had a hard time sitting still and paying attention. (ADD, ADHD). She decided to take away all the chairs in her room and replace them with stability balls. No longer do any of her students sit in chairs. Instead, they all bounce continuously on stability balls behind their individual desks.
The first time I saw this in action I felt a little motion sickness coming on from all the children bouncing up and down. However, I soon realized how effective those balls really were. There was definitely energy in the room to the subject they were working on. Obviously, some strict rules had to be set up with the balls, and my mother would most likely not let her students break any of them without an immediate removal of the ball.
I know that personally I would have liked to be in that class when I was in elementary school, because I like to be active. Maybe more initiatives like stability balls are just what our education system needs.
Now I do not believe that educators are squashing their students creativity as much as Sir Ken is proposing, however I do not believe schools are putting children in the best environment to learn. What I mean by that is children are not meant to sit in a desk for an extended period of time, and be expected to be attentive. Children are curious. Now all children are going to be different, that is obvious. However, I believe the best way to engage a child is to keep their bodies active. Just look at how children love playing outside. What if schools took the energy that was created on the playground and harnessed it into the classroom.
I'm getting this philosophy from something my mother implemented into her 2nd grade classroom two years ago.
My mother's 2nd grade class a few years back was an extremely "wild" class. She was always telling our family how fidgety they were, and what a hard time they had paying attention. Apparently my mother did some research and she found a new idea. This idea she read about was tailor to students who had a hard time sitting still and paying attention. (ADD, ADHD). She decided to take away all the chairs in her room and replace them with stability balls. No longer do any of her students sit in chairs. Instead, they all bounce continuously on stability balls behind their individual desks.
The first time I saw this in action I felt a little motion sickness coming on from all the children bouncing up and down. However, I soon realized how effective those balls really were. There was definitely energy in the room to the subject they were working on. Obviously, some strict rules had to be set up with the balls, and my mother would most likely not let her students break any of them without an immediate removal of the ball.
I know that personally I would have liked to be in that class when I was in elementary school, because I like to be active. Maybe more initiatives like stability balls are just what our education system needs.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Role Playing
Tensions ran slightly high this past Monday night class. Most of the different groups being represented in our town hall meeting were feeling some kind of increased emotions during the hour. For many of those groups the emotion(s) they were displaying was passion. I talked about passion in a previous blog from a teacher's perspective, however its more directed toward the students this week.
That hour was a classic example of how much of an impact emotion being displayed by students can have on their education. I do not believe one single student can say they walked out from that hour of class having not gotten anything from it. The town hall meeting setting is one where students almost feel they need to be passionate about the group/ideas that they are representing. This is not to say that a lecture on the No Child Left Behind legislation would have showed us more logistics about the policy. However, I firmly believe that we now understand the effects of the legislation. Which is just if not more important.
This method of learning shows that it is a legitmate process of teaching. Is it the best way to teach a concept to students? I think a better question is, "Is there only one way to teach a concept?" Obviously the answer is no. Therefore, a teacher must ask themselves to make goals for what they want their students to get out of each concept they teach. If you want them to remember logistics a lecture style is probably the best way to hold them accountable for the material. However, I believe remember a concept and understanding a concept are two different ideas. Both important. Yet both very different.
That hour was a classic example of how much of an impact emotion being displayed by students can have on their education. I do not believe one single student can say they walked out from that hour of class having not gotten anything from it. The town hall meeting setting is one where students almost feel they need to be passionate about the group/ideas that they are representing. This is not to say that a lecture on the No Child Left Behind legislation would have showed us more logistics about the policy. However, I firmly believe that we now understand the effects of the legislation. Which is just if not more important.
This method of learning shows that it is a legitmate process of teaching. Is it the best way to teach a concept to students? I think a better question is, "Is there only one way to teach a concept?" Obviously the answer is no. Therefore, a teacher must ask themselves to make goals for what they want their students to get out of each concept they teach. If you want them to remember logistics a lecture style is probably the best way to hold them accountable for the material. However, I believe remember a concept and understanding a concept are two different ideas. Both important. Yet both very different.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Passion
Some of my favorite classes ended up being my favorite because of passionate teachers. In other classes my favorite subjects ended up being my least favorite classes due to a teacher's lack of enthusiasm. Why is that? How come students are not always able to be passionate on their own? I think the answer to that question is students are more influenced by their teachers than some may like to admit.
Take me for example. I never was a huge fan of English. Writing was hard for me, and I just did not enjoy reading very much. However, I then came upon Mr. E (Engesether.) I don't know if I will ever meet a more goofy, wild, and passionate teacher in my life. This man would stand on desks, yell randomly, and use multiple different accents each and every class. Everyone could just tell how passionate he was with not just his eccentric nature and how he used that in class, but in also how he would assist anyone who needed it. He would get to school by at least six a.m. every morning to write comments on our writing, and to meet with anyone who wanted to meet. He would also stay a few hours after school to do the same thing.
Like I said before English wasn't my favorite subject up until I met Mr. E. However, after my first class with him (American Lit) I just could not get enough. I ended taking all of his classes which included Shakespeare, advanced composition, and AP English. Now this was the kid who wasn't very good at writing, and disliked reading.
Now, I had a completely opposite experience in my history classes. Up until high school I loved history. I enjoyed learning about all the different empires, the many rulers, wars, etc. I just couldn't get enough. At least until my sophomore year. That year I ran into the most unpassionate teacher that I had in my education experience. Most days we talked about his favorite movies. The only time it seemed that he put any effort into his lessons was the day he was observed by the administration. That day was the only day I saw him wear a tie as well. After his class I sort of shunned away from history classes.
Take me for example. I never was a huge fan of English. Writing was hard for me, and I just did not enjoy reading very much. However, I then came upon Mr. E (Engesether.) I don't know if I will ever meet a more goofy, wild, and passionate teacher in my life. This man would stand on desks, yell randomly, and use multiple different accents each and every class. Everyone could just tell how passionate he was with not just his eccentric nature and how he used that in class, but in also how he would assist anyone who needed it. He would get to school by at least six a.m. every morning to write comments on our writing, and to meet with anyone who wanted to meet. He would also stay a few hours after school to do the same thing.
Like I said before English wasn't my favorite subject up until I met Mr. E. However, after my first class with him (American Lit) I just could not get enough. I ended taking all of his classes which included Shakespeare, advanced composition, and AP English. Now this was the kid who wasn't very good at writing, and disliked reading.
Now, I had a completely opposite experience in my history classes. Up until high school I loved history. I enjoyed learning about all the different empires, the many rulers, wars, etc. I just couldn't get enough. At least until my sophomore year. That year I ran into the most unpassionate teacher that I had in my education experience. Most days we talked about his favorite movies. The only time it seemed that he put any effort into his lessons was the day he was observed by the administration. That day was the only day I saw him wear a tie as well. After his class I sort of shunned away from history classes.
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