Blog Assignment 8

This is How we Dream, Parts 1 & 2 by Richard Miller:

This video demonstrates the changes in which our world is experiencing. Since the beginning of time, the school systems have been based around the textbook, paper and pencil. However, since the world is shifting to mostly digital based documents, the educational system is experiencing that change as well.

As a result, we as future teachers have the responsibility of learning how to create all of these digital and web based documents. They are important for teaching curriculum and for teaching students how to be creative. For our students to be successful, they are going to need to learn how to write and share their ideas on the web as well. Teaching our students to share their ideas is going to be a very important part of our teaching process, which is one of the main points of this video. 

I know that I am not quite ready to write with multimedia yet. Although, I am slowly learning and becoming more and more familiar with all of this technology, thanks to EDM310. I plan to keep using the information I have learned in this class and hope to continue to learn more about all of it so I will be prepared to write multimedia when the time comes.

The Chipper Series & EDM310 for Dummies:

These two videos were pretty entertaining. Although I have never been a full-on procrastinator, this first video did make me realize the procrastinator that lives in me. This class has especially helped me with my time efficiency. It has also helped me manage my time more efficiently in my other classes as well. The second video made me laugh. I was definitely lost at the beginning of this class (and completely overwhelmed), but after I sat down and calendared everything out, it is much easier and has definitely helped me value my time and use it more effectively.

If I were to film a video for the upcoming EDM310 students, I would create one that somehow stresses time management and staying up-to-date with their work. I would definitely encourage them to explore all of the assigned websites ahead of time and put a lot of effort and creativity into their work. Completing each assignment helps to make the next one a little bit easier. The next group of EDM 310 students should know that they do not need to be intimidated, just ready to put in a lot of time and effort into this class and that it will pay off! 

Learn to Change, Change to Learn:

Like the first video, this one shows you how the educational system is behind on change. It is sickening to hear that the educational industry was ranked 55 out of 55 in level of IT intensiveness by the U.S. Department of Commerce and that it was below coal mining. That right there is enough to initiate some change. The educational system needs to TEACH students, not feed them facts to memorize. They need to steer clear of standardized testing and burp-back education. We need to teach kids to think critically and think for themselves. Teachers need to teach their students how to use all of this new and improving technology to their full advantage. There is no reason for the education industry to be ranked so low with the resources that have become available. 

The Secret Powers of Time by Philip Zambardo &

Drive - The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us by David Pink:

There were several points that really stood out to me in the video "The Secret Powers of Time." One was the statement that boys use video games to create their own worlds and that if classrooms were more digital, they would be more interested in what was really being taught. I can see this as being very true. If we made an attempt to incorporate digital media into our lessons and curriculum, it could result in an increase in student learning and success rate. I think it would really excite students and help create a welcoming classroom environment. The part of the video that stated that only 20% of American families have sit down dinners together really bothered me. My mom always made us sit down together every night. It was our time to communicate and talk about our day as a family. I think it is a very important time for families to bond. In addition to this video, I've also read about a study that was performed and the results were that the children whose families ate together at night were slightly more successful with their grades and in school.

In the second video, it really showed me another side to how people are motivated. Some people are thought to be motivated by money, by material possessions. However, this video states taht people are driven by knowledge. I think people feed off of knowledge; once they learn one thing, they hunger for more, they become hungry for the next step. We as teachers have to fuel this hunger. We have to help our students create and seek knowledge in their own way.