Week 12 - iTunes University

I discovered a few articles on iTunes University, a program offered by iTunes itself, that stream audio and video files on certain college class campuses. The files can be listened to anywhere an iPod can be used.

Books and lecture are offered as well as philosophy, literature, poetry, engineering, and guest speakers. Educational content is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from literally hundreds of schools and universities. This would allow students to take the "classroom" with them anywhere they want to go.

I could see the benefit of this if I were teaching, by giving responsible students more access to subject matter and material on the course. The iPod could be a valuable tool for quick access when a pc is not available. Stressing the emphasis on "responsible students" to not use the device for frivolous web browsing.

This advance in modern technology makes information much more accessible and quicker than ever before. Teachers and students alike should take advantage of this device and utilize it in a classroom, and non classroom environments.



http://www.apple.com/education/itunesu_mobilelearning/itunesu.html
http://www.learnoutloud.com/content/blog/archives/2007/07/best_of_itunes.html
http://itunes.stanford.edu/

Week 11 - iPods in instruction.

I had never heard of classroom instruction containing the use of an iPod, but I was not surprised to learn of it. The "glorified tape recorder" is in use at several major universities, including Duke University. Students can record lectures, and listen to podcasts that supplement an instructors material. Although many articles refer to the 20 gigabyte device as containing 90% music and 10% class info, One professor was grateful to have that 10%.

I think that the use of an iPod in a learning facility can be very valuable if used by a properly motivated and responsible student. Several articles I read mentioned that the technology would inevitably be misused and things such as plagiarism and copyright infringement would occur. I supposed with the iPod we will have to take the good with the bad. All in the name of advanced technology.

http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0419/p11s01-legn.html

http://cit.duke.edu/pdf/reports/ipod_initiative_04_05.pdf

Week 10 - Alice Christie

Dr. Christies' website is an important communication tool for teachers and administrators. Teachers can take advantage of this tool by learning to create purposeful and well-designed Web sites targeted at their students, the parents of their students, other teachers, and community members.

The website provides resources on designing Web sites for educational audiences, tutorials on creating Web sites, and examples of well-designed sites. It also provides rubrics to help guide educators in the creation of their sites.

Dr. Christies' workshops engage, challenge, and invigorate participating teachers.
They are designed for the grade levels, content areas, and school-wide goals of the participants.

I see many ways in which this could help me as a teacher. Dr. Christies' site could help with the utilization of computer technology for a new teacher and assist in taking internet technology to the students.

Week 9 - NPR blog on Wikipedia

Week 9 - NPR on Wikipedia

Upon reading the articles about Wikipedia, I feel that at this current time, it cannot be trusted as a reliable source for controversial subjects. If someone who has a political or financial motive can edit a subject out of fear of bad publicity, or edit due to a prejudice, then Wikipedia is not a reliable source.

Some known historical subjects are closed to editing, and in these cases, Wikipedia could be used as a source. Virgil Griffiths' I.P. address identifier is a good step in making it more respectable. It makes it impossible to hide in the cyberworld, and could even make an edited entry more controversial depending on who is doing the editing. It could also identify an overly dissenting opinion as biased if negative or false information is added.

I feel at this point, Wikipedia should be read for its informational value, but not used as a "cited" source for direct information.

Week 8 - Why Wireless ? (Thoughts on Nov. 2007 blog)

"Why Wireless ? ... Because their century demands it". I thought this summed it up very well. Since the students will need to be technically literate in the coming years. I must agree that having a wireless network available is a big help to accessing information.

Students can continue learning outside of the classroom and not just between 7:30 am and 2:30 pm. The wireless network can make class blogs and teacher instructions available 24/7 and make learning a lot easier for the students with personal web access devices.

The only downside to this is giving students access to a wireless network could encourage frivolous web browsing. Web sites such as myspace or ones that allow video games could easily distract from a students regular learning needs. If the wireless network has security in place, it could block such websites so that easy web access doesn't become a hindrance to learning.

Week 7 - The Fischbowl and Technically Illiterate Teachers

In reading Karl Fischs' blog about teacher illiteracy, I found it irritatingly fascinating that anyone (especially a teacher) would be proud to be illiterate when it comes to computers. No one should be proud to be stupid, not even in Alabama. Taking pride in not knowing something is intellectually lazy. Therefore I must agree with Mr. Fisch that anyone who refuses to learn new computer technology will be equivalent to someone 30 years ago who could not read or write.

I also agree that any such person should be shown the door. Including administrators that overlook said inadequacies.

Learning is lifelong and should never be closed off just because it is bothersome to some people to have to learn something new. Times change and improve, and those who do not change with the times will be left behind. In the case of teachers, it would be the students who suffer if the instructor is not able to prepare them for a world that operates on computer technology.

Web Accessibility and Adaptive Technology

Steve showed the class new technology that improves accessibility for handicapped or impaired persons on the computer. He passed around a braille device that looked like a laptop without a screen that spoke in letters and words. We viewed the "Jaws" program on the big monitor that showed us how a person who was legally blind could use a PC and keep up with the class.

Week 6 International Classroom Blogs

I discovered a website called Epals. It is listed as a "Collaborative learning Experience", where students can submit work online and review others blogs. Interactive publishing and exploration is encouraged and can be tracked by parents and Administrators. It has many of the same features that ALEX has, and in addition it can showcase students' work to teachers and youth in more than 200 countries and territories through the ePals Global Network.

It can be viewed at http://www.epals.com/

Another website called classroomblooging.com has a list of instructors and their particular field of expertise. Some of the more interesting international profiles were from instructors that helped in learning a foreign language.

I found that the instructors have an international educators summit online, where teachers share information and ideas. The internet makes all this possible instead of plane tickets and convention centers, as were required in the past.

www.classroomblogging.com

Week 5 - Blogs in the Classroom

Marisa Dudiaks' second grade class uses a blog in the classroom. After a field trip to a Native American reservation, the class shared their experiences online. This was reported to have made the quieter students "come alive" online and show more academic interest. The blogs achieved longer question and answer sessions and were even active during the summer vacation. The blogs have turned students into modern day pen pals, as some even stayed in contact after the class had ended. Grammar and spelling were improved as students were aware that their parents may read what they write.

Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/19/technology/circuits/19blog.html?pagewanted=1&ei=5090&en=33627811ca310596&ex=1250568000

Will Richardson is an instructional supervisor at a school in New Jersey. As a former English teacher, he posted a forum for students to blog about a book they were to read for class. The blog was so successful that the author of the book learned a new perspective on her own writings from reading the students blogs. Mr. Richardson then made the use of blogs a "staple" for the curriculum at his school. It now has over 400 blogs in use at its website.

Link: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/03/AR2006040301350.html

Week 4, The Movie

Shift Happens. China and India will outnumber the U.S. in English speaking citizens. Most of the world will be connected by computers and internet. The world is changing rapidly, and in exponential form. I liked the Albert Einstein quote about not being able to solve problems using the midset that created it. I thought the presentation was very insightful.

Im fascinated that classroom teaching will be forever altered by computer technology. The way we communicate will be worldwide, with mostly English speaking students. This means it will be easier to stay up to date and current with knowledge and technology. No longer will we be considered backwater and hay seed for simply living in Alabama.

Week 3 , ACCESS blog

ACCESS stands for Alabama Connecting Classrooms, Educators and Students Statewide.


The ACCESS program allows students access to specialized advanced placement courses that may not be available in their area. It has web based courses with multimedia conferencing, interactive video, and blended subject matter that pertains to the specialized area.

It allows online, interactive learning. Live teaching done through IVC (interactive video) can enable students to feel more interactive and enhance interest level. In addition, it provides access to advanced diplomas, courses, remedial, dual enrollment and advanced placement. ACCESS also provides teachers with multimedia technology that can enhance classroom learning.

ACCESS can allow certain schools access to a certified teacher, that may not be available to them. Thus, making use of Internet technology, to eliminate the problem of time and space. Certified teachers can specialize in an area so that the student can be instructed in a specialized field.

Week 2 ALEX summary

ALEX stands for the Alabama Learning Exchange and is a website designed for teachers. It can be used in many ways, including sharing of files, media, and lesson plans. Through the use of blogs and wikis, teachers can share ideas and assist each other in difficult areas of teaching. It has a wide variety of subjects that use interactive programs, such as video conference, that allow teachers and students to engage in continuous learning.

It is hosted by the "Alabama Supercomputer Authority" and will allow teachers to create their own webpage at no cost. This will enable teachers to share and collaborate on ideas in hopes to improve communication and overall educational performance of the students of Alabama.

The ACCESS program allows students access to specialized advanced placement courses that may not be available in their area. It has web based courses with multimedia conferencing, interactive video, and blended subject matter that pertains to the specialized area.

This program can be very beneficial to a new teacher. It would allow me to communicate with other, more experienced faculty in other parts of the state. While keeping within the state guidelines and regulations, there wouldn't be a problem with out of state guidelines being used incorrectly. The information and access would help me as a new teacher to feel like I was not all alone out there or having to figure out a problem area by myself. I think it would be a positive support network for teachers.

About Ken

Hello,

My name is Kenneth Vannoy. I am a senior at the University of South Alabama, majoring in secondary education. I am concentrating on history and social studies.

I was born in Atlanta, Ga. and moved around alot during my first 10 years. I lived in South Carolina twice, Birmingham, and finally settled in Mobile at age 10. I have 2 younger brothers. One lives in Texas and works for a railroad company, and the other is a police officer in Daphne, Al.

During my teenage years, I learned to play the guitar. I picked up a bass guitar at age 21 and have enjoyed playing music for many years now.

I graduated from Murphy High in Mobile in 1987, and I do remember Mr. Wakeman from my high school years. I would like to compliment him (if he reads this) that he looks well, since I last saw him 20 years ago. I seem to recall that he is a fine guitar player.