When I think it is Ok to Use Wikipedia.

Before middle school I had never heard of Wikipedia. Majority of my teachers have told me to never use Wikipedia as a reliable source. The fact that anyone can edit on Wikipedia has scared off a lot of teachers, and I don't blame them. Therefore, I do not think it is ever acceptable to use Wikipedia. It is just too many people out there that would alter a fact just for the laugh. If a student had a teacher that did not mind the usage of Wikipedia, then that would only be OK for that class. As a rule of thumb, I would say no to Wikipedia unless instructed otherwise by an instructor.

Why the University of South Alabama?

Randy Pausch's Last Lecture

First off I want to say that I enjoyed the lecture overall, but I am not sure what it had to do with the skills we are learning in EDM310. Or maybe I just missed it. Mr. Pausch seems to be a very strong and intelligent man. He made several good quotes and gave many life experiences that people of all ages can learn from. Great presentation.

While listening for the different teaching methods, I was only able to pick up on one. When teaching, you should try to make the difficult task the most fun events. Although, it is important that the concept of being involved in your own learning is not lost. Working in groups is also a very good technique to use. The students involved in his class where actually doing hands on learning, without the expensive textbooks.

Mr. Pausch seemed to have really made an impact on his university. He stated that one can not succeed on their own and I believe he is the kind of professor that is being that "help" that all college students need. He also spoke on never losing site of your childhood dreams. This is GREAT advice. Being a teacher has been a dream of mines since I was in the third grade. I do not know what else it is that I could do with my life.

I am curious to know how Mr. Randy is doing. He would be a great person to chat with on Skype. He seems like a very inspiring person. He could really give us some tips on how to encourage kids to follow their dreams no matter what, exactly as he did. This assignment was a long one, but a great one.
TO VIEW THIS LAST LECTURECLICK HERE

Is It Ok To Be A Technologically Illiterate Teacher?

This really hits home with me. I am by no means proud of the fact that I am technologically illiterate because I am not. I am only 18 and computers and so on are apart of my generation. Your frustration was partly understandable, but I know I am one of those you ask the "depressing questions". Edm 310 is really helping in that area though.

Teachers carry a heavy load, and yes it may be of their last concern to be more technologically literate, but it will be key in the long run. I do not believe that technology is all we need when reaching out to students, as has been the view of so many post and videos reviewed in this class. All together education needs to be updated. Who knows, maybe technology is the ONLY answer.

This is a really good posting and sparked a lot of thought for me. It makes me want to learn even more since I know I am apart of the problem and not the solution.

It's Not About The Technology by Kelly Hines

The four points mention in this post were very true. Education is not a profession for someone who does not enjoy learning. As you get older their will always be new ways of teaching, and just because you learned it a certain way does not mean that a new generation will learn it the same way. Technology is taking over at an alarming rate and as educators we have to be ready for what ever comes our way. We must learn to keep up with the times, because if not money will definitely be wasted.

Wow, I thought I was the only one who felt the way you do about teaching and learning not being the same thing. No matter how much you drill something into some one's head, if they are not captured by the material at first glance then your efforts have been wasted. Sometimes this can be hard to understand, but that is why it is so important to use your resources and find new ways of introducing material. Overall this was a great post. Great job!

Michael Wesch: AVision of Students Today

Some of things in the video did not pertain to me, but to most in my class, it probably will. If i could change one thing about the video, I would make the signs a little neater. Overall it was a great movie and wonderful concept. It is very scary to think how much the classroom in general has limited us. It is true, I never thought about this until entering this class. It kind of scares me to imagine what else I will learn about my so called education.

Not only does this movie represent most college students' lives, but it does it will college students. Sometimes you wonder how can you relate to a story when those involved don't look like they have been through the actual problem. The lecture hall reminded me so much of those here at South. I also liked how when objects were needed to get the point across, they were used. I do not think I could have done a better job, therefore I thought it to be wonderful production.
TO WATCH THIS MOVIECLICK HERE

Intergrating ICT into the MFL classroom.

This video made me more open to the idea of podcast. Because swine flu is going to be on a high this year, podcast are going to be the only easy way to keep students abrupt. It can also serve as a great review tool for students if their teachers use podcasting as a secondary source. I am really starting to lighten up to this idea of technology. What a surprise.

Podcast is also a way to bring some excitement into the class and allow the students to get involved in their own learning. It can be so boring for students to sit in class all day and just listen to lectures. It is my belief that children can teach each other. How can this be done if the teacher is the only one doing all of the projecting? An answer has come.

Comment 4Kids

I think it is so great that these kids are learning early on about technology. They will really appreciate this in the long run. It is also really cool that we get to connect with students half way across the world.

Tech Literate Teachers

The video version of a podcast was much better than just the audio. It kept my attention longer and allowed me to connect faces with voices. It did seem to be kind of scripted though, but this could of just been me. I also totally agreed with every thing that was stated. In order to call yourself tech literate, you do not need to know all the answers, but you do need to know about little things like itunes university. Little videos like this is a great way to get the word out about such programs.

I will take note of the tone of voices and the surrounding backgrounds. I also noticed that the mic was big enough to project every one's voice and did not have to be passed around. Podcasts should be a relaxed environment and not one of very formal behavior. It is always easier to get a more natural conversation that way. Over all, great job!