Blog Assignment #2

Did You Know? 3.0- A John Strange Version

I will say that this is an entertaining yet very informative youtube video. The background music sounded like it came from the "Star Wars" or "Lord of The Rings" soundtrack. I can say that I was shocked at some of the statistics in the video. For example, I did not know that over a million people can watch ONE youtube video in ONE minute. 

That is mind boggling and the cell phone statistic just blew my mind. 85% of high school students own a cellular phone. Please keep in mind that high schoolers range from 13-18 years of age, maybe older. I will say that I'm not surprised though because my father just bought my 10 year old sister a cell phone for her 10th birthday. I just hope that this doesn't distract her from what she is supposed to be concentrating on, which is school.

It is a scary thought about how much information we put into the world wide web unknowingly. Facebook is the hottest social network to hit the web since myspace. On Facebook, individuals give personal information, even though they are instructed not to. The web, although very helpful, can turn very dangerous if not used with wisdom. For example, a child meets someone on the internet and think it's okay to go meet this stranger in person. I feel as though internet use should be limited by parents when it concerns children. It doesn't just have to stop at the internet; computers, cell phones, cars, television. Just tonight my 7 year old brother asked me could he do his black history report on Kevin Hart. Kevin Hart is a famous actor/comedian. He can sometimes use inappropriate language, not suitable for children. There lies the question: Is it the fault of the entertainer or the parent of the child watching? 

Mr. Winkle Wakes

This is a "cute" modernized version of the classic story about Rip Vanwinkle, a man who slept for 100 years and awoke to find that things in his word had changed drastically. This mini movie shows the technological innovations of the 21st century in comparison to other centuries past. For example, when he entered the office building and found the computers, phones, and fax machines. It would have surprised me as well if I had woken up after 100 years and found that I could take to someone across the country on a TV screen. As Mr. Winkle ventures out into the new world, he is a little disturbed that he could not find any familiarity until he came across the school. 

The school is where Mr. Winkle was more comfortable because the teacher was using the same format of teaching as the teachers did back in his day. The instructor would stand in front of the class and lecture to his/her students. In today's world or should I say in Dr. Strange's world, this would be a "burp back" teacher; which we are all striving not to be. Although, what the modern-day teacher is teaching is the same premise as the teachers back then. The modern-day schooling has added more to the course of study for the students. It's not just reading, writing and arithmetic anymore. It's Reading, Literature, Social Studies, Sciences, Math, Physical Education, etc. 

Sir Ken Robinson and The Importance of Creativity


I want to start by saying wow! That video was so entertaining and profound. Sir Ken Robinson is a very entertaining character. He presents important information with a comical kick. His theory is that education is dulling out the art of creativity. Some of the best minds in the world stem from creative thinking. He is saying that most students hide their "creative capacities" because they are scared of being wrong. In a sense, the phrase "there are no wrong answers" is null and void.

I love how he makes his point with the story about the choreographer for the stage play "Cats". As a child she was active and couldn't remain still. She felt as though she didn't fit in at school because she moved so much. Her mother thought something was medically wrong with her but her counselor showed her mother that all the little girl wanted to do is dance. So the little girl was placed in a dance academy and she fit right in.  Question: What if her counselor had never shown the little girl's mother that she was a dancer? My verdict is that we would have missed out on the wonderful world of a broadway hit.

Students have different ways of learning. Some of those ways may not be traditional. I am a auditory learner, meaning that I learn by hearing things over and over again. I am also the "hands-on" type. I think his point is that if you want a child to thrive in the classroom, figure out a way that will fit his or her learning style but also do it in a way in which the child doesn't have to lose his/her creativity.

A Vision for  21st Century Learning


I would say that the arguments of this video is based namely upon how students are being instructed in the classroom, in that they are not really getting any instruction at all. The student comes to class 5 days a week and a teacher crams information into their brains. The student only absorbs enough for the test and then forgets the valuable information. In all actuality, this argument is quit accurate. I, myself, used this same method in high school.

The makers of the video talked about making learning more entertaining to children by producing educational video games. In my opinion, this would be a great way for students and teachers to interact without the student getting bored. For example, my cousin plays "Call of Duty: Black Ops" for hours a day. If a child, as shown in the video, had something similar to the Black Ops video game then they would be more likely to retain that information.


Vicki Davis: A Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts

Vicki Davis is doing and excellent job in taking children from a rural city in Camilla, GA and connecting them to other student half way around the world. She doesn't restrict her students just to textbooks. She teaches the same course material but she teaches it in a way that students can explore outside the text. She says that going into education, teachers shouldn't think that they have to know everything. They should allow the students to teach them sometimes.

Mrs. Davis has created an award-winning blog and introduce students to "Digi Teen" which is a site for students to post their writings and research on the subject of "digital citizenship". Her students seem to enjoy it very much. In 2009, Mrs. Davis was able to take her students the Middle East!!! How awesome is that?!?!?!?! I don't know too many teachers that have that ability.