Blog Post 2: Changes in the Classroom

Mr. Dancealot

In this video you can see so many things wrong with the way this teacher is teaching his class. This video represents how some teachers think it is okay to teach now and it also shows how it is very ineffective. The author of the video shows this ineffectiveness by how the students react to the final exam. After a semester of nothing but bad power points and notes they do not even understand, they have no idea how to do the things the teacher acts of them. As a student, I agree with the conclusion of this video. When students are taught only by sitting and listening to lectures they will almost always miss some of what they really need to be learning. Interaction is a very important key factor in learning.

Teaching in the 21st Century

I think the main message of this video is that teaching in the 21st century is changing into an all technology based environment. While watching this video I can not help but find myself feeling sad for future "technology based" students. Even though the times have changed and technology is a must for students, I can see where this might make students become too dependent on it. If a student becomes too dependent on technology it could make them lazy or never worrying if he or she knows something or not because all they have to do is look it up online.

The Networked Student

My reaction to this video is very back and forth. Sometimes I think this plan of students basically teaching themselves is great but also I think it lacks a few important factors. For students at college level and above this idea is very practical, most college students have some sort of job and social life and this program would work well with their schedules. For students at high school level and below though, I have a few concerns. I think this idea has no human social interaction which is vital especially for younger developing students.The only reason I see a need for a teacher is to answer questions and grade their work.

Harness Your Students Digital Smarts

In this video I can really see Vicki Davis's enthusiasm and hope for the digital classroom. My reaction to this video was much different than my reactions to the other videos. While watching this video Vicki made me feel like there still can be communication and interaction between the students and teachers while also being technology based. When it comes to teachers and technology based classrooms it is very important to me that the teachers remember to stay connected to her students individually and not just connected to technology, and I think that is what the challenge for future teachers will be.

Flipping the Classroom

"Flipping" the classroom is new to me, in my elementary through high school years I went to a public school that was very low on funds and technology was very little. I think this is a great approach at teaching, especially for elementary and middle school ages. I feel that this method would help teachers be able to focus more one on one time with each student instead of standing in front of the class explaining so much. I think the only problem with this program would be with high school age students because they would be harder to get to watch the lessons every night.

Blog Post 1

When I first signed up for EDM310 I started asking around to see what I should expect. One of my friends that had already taken and passed the class told me that the class was not too, bad but it would take a lot of extra after class time. She also told me not to procrastinate and always make sure I got everything done by midnight every Sunday.

The only fears I have for this class are that I will procrastinate, because that is a very bad habit of mine that I hope to break with this class.

EDM310 is not like any class I have ever taken in High School or College. I like that EDM is very organized and I know what to expect from the course, unlike most of the classes I have taken in the past.

I think the most difficult thing about EDM310, for me, will be to keep up with all of the assignments and due dates. Keeping up with dates and staying organized seems to be like a key component in passing this class.

I plan to address this issue I have with EDM by staying organized and focused. I plan to use my spare time wisely and keep a planner with all my due dates and important schedules in order. Instead of waiting until the last minute to finish assignments, I plan on always doing my assignments way ahead of time so I will never have to worry about them being late.

The only question I have about EDM310 is, Do we have any tests or are our grades only based on our assignments.

Practice Post

My name is Claire Helen Gill. I have a double name according to my mom and she gets mad when she finds out that I tell people my name is just Claire and not Claire Helen, but in my defense it is a little too long when introducing myself to someone new. I am from Jackson, Alabama, a very small town about an hour and a half north of here. Until August of 2013 I had lived in the same town, in the same house my whole life. These days I do not have many major interests because I seem to always be studying or working, but mostly in my free time I like to spend time with my family and friends.

I started at USA in August of 2013 after finishing two years at Alabama Southern Community College in my hometown. I chose USA because it was closest to home and because they have an excellent education program. I like to stay close to home because my family and friends are very important to me. I have a big crazy family, I have my mom and dad, one sister, and about 30 cousins!

I want to enter the field of education because I have a passion for helping and guiding others in the right path. My major is secondary education, but its also in History. I have always had a huge passion for History and all the things that make this World what it is today.

The things I love to do most are spending time with family and friends, watching movies, and gymnastics. I would like to get better at not being so shy around new people. I know that when I become a teacher that will be a major skill I will need to have mastered, to be able to teach at my best.




I guess that is pretty much all there is to know about me! Lately my life only consists of school and work, but when I accomplish my goal of becoming a teacher everything I had to overcome to get there will be worth it!