Blog Assignment 2

Did You Know? 3.0



In its entirety, I believe this video was quite overwhelming. I sat down to watch it, and I was suddenly bombarded with statistics! It's been said that providing statistics is the way to win an argument. Although, I did not check the numbers presented in the video, many of them were certainly believable. What's astonishing is the rapidity with which many of these numbers are occurring. The video said that we are living in "exponential times". Whether this is referring to the informal definition of "very fast" or the more formal math definition "of, containing, or involving one or more numbers or quantities raised to an exponent" (Dictionary.com: Exponential), either of them would convince me.

One of the statistics that really stuck with me was that the "amount of new technical information doubles every 2 years". The meaning this quote has for me is that we need to keep up. We will be educating our students about technology that will change in at least one year. "So What Does It All Mean?" is the ending message of the video. Well, I think it goes back to the idea that we will need to teach our students the skills necessary to learn about new technologies and to find information concerning such innovations.

Mr. Winkle Wakes



At first, I didn't understand what the message of this movie could be. It seemed very vague and subtle in the way it suggested its intent. I initially thought it would be a video about how people are too busy and consumed with technological devices instead of taking a break to go outside and breathe, for example. However, this message wouldn't have really made too much sense, keeping in mind which class gave this assignment. Once Mr. Winkle arrived in the school, it became pretty clear (especially once the movie ended) what was trying to be said.

To be honest, thought, I really didn't enjoy the video. Once the video had ended, I realized that this was a somewhat satirical view of the school system and how the classrooms need more technologically-directed lessons. I thought that the tone was somewhat negative, when a more positive solution or question could have been presented. One of my professors, Dr. Fresne, has said that "When educating children, you shouldn't always give them the answer. Rather, show them a small bit of the solution, and instill in them the motivation to learn on their own and discover the answer for themselves." So, I'm not asking for a solution to this problem of teachers not integrating technology into the classrooms and lessons. I thought that instead of being more proactive, this video was more of a complaint. However, I also realize that this video may have been a way to bring others to action.

Sir Ken Robinson: The Importance of Creativity



Overall, I really enjoyed this talk by Ken Robinson. I thought his stories were really funny and good examples of the points he was trying to get across to his audience. I agree with his idea of every child being born creative and this characteristic decreasing as children go through school. For instance, when I was in grade school, I really enjoyed art class, especially. In the eighth grade, I seriously considered being an artist following the presentation of my "Most" award, which was "Most Artistic". Going through high school, though, I realized that being an artist might not be a very practical career. Looking back, my life could have been very different. I like creating art as a hobby, though, and I plan to continue doing so.

This video made me reflect on the school system of today and how the "arts" are integrated into lessons and the atmosphere. I do believe more could be done to reach out to students who aren't as interested in the "main subjects" as other students. Isn't that always the case, though? More can always be done. My hope is that I can notice these interests in children and help them identify with said interests.

Vicki Davis: Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts



I thought that this video was very inspirational to educators everywhere. It's great that Ms. Davis was able to take her class abroad to learn about different cultures and educational techniques. In the video, it really seemed like the kids enjoyed learning about using technology in the classroom. It was nice to see other students helping each other with procedures and learning how to work the computers. It seems that she really has a passion for teaching the students and learning from them as well. The students also seemed to be doing a lot of the learning on their own through independent work on the computers, as well as working together.

In conclusion, I think that I can learn many lessons from Ms. Davis. If you show passion for what you are teaching, the students will see that you really care about their education. It's good to learn a lesson or two from the students: teachers are life-long learners. Finally, keeping the classroom up-to-date (especially with concern to technology) is a good way to keep the students' attention.