Final Blog Post: Final Reflection

Project #13

Project #13

I really enjoyed working with my Group, January Jag for Project #15 and #16. WE used Google Docs, Gmail, and Skype. We worked together without meeting for Project #15. We used Google Docs (document and powerpoint) for Project #15 and #16 and shared our ideas by the use. We could work on our own time by the use of Skype while writing on all Google Docs. We could collaborate only through voice on Skype although we could not use the video because we did not get.

I think working collaborative with group members can create great things. Actually, it was difficult for us to make schedule to meet face to face. We could edit our shared Docs at the same time by using the Google Docs. It could reduce time to complete documents and powerpoints because all of us could write at the same time. The use of these tools allows us to work together in the different places at the same time. Working collaborative also allows us to brainstorm and come up with a variety of ideas, which in turn helps the lesson or project become far better or creative than it may have been if individually written. I think communication really helped us complete our projects.



Pictures:
Skype by Skype
Google Docs by supersawybusiness

Project#15 SMARTboard lesson plan

Project #16

My Final PLN

C4T Last Post(#4) Summary

C4T #4

DARE TO CARE is Mrs. Dnise Krebs blog. She is K-8th grade teacher.



C4T: Post#1

An Open Letter to MyPre-Service and New Teacher Friends

Mrs. Krebs shared the following her 4 priorities in teaching;

• Bring whimsy.
• Recognize your colleagues.
• Be chief learner.
• Find and nourish genius.

C4T: Post #2

My Brother

Mrs. Krebs lost her brother because of his death. She loves him so much. She shared her lovely memories with her brother and pictures of wonderful cards and gifts from him. She wrote her memories in early childhood. My thoughts and prayers are with her.

C4K Summary/November

C4K#8
Brain Cancer 

She was threaten by her brain cancer and she can live for 6-8 months. She and her parents was crying when her doctor said her disease was brain cancer. Her cure was Kemo therapy to make better but she had to wear wig because Kemo made her bald. She wanted her friends not to know her disease because she did not break her friendships. However, her best friend and her classmates were aware of her disease because they noticed she was bald. Her best friend treat her samey after noticing she suffered from brain cancer. She talked about her rest life  with her friends and her teachers in her school.





C4K #9

Gorillas are growing, the population is rising!

Alex talked about rising of gorilla's population. He wants people to take care of them more and protect them in national parks, not in zoos. He claimed gorillas can furniture wide habitats in national park. He hopes to keep gorilla population rising.

C4K#10

Melinda Similar Caged Bird

DiAnton posted his opinion about Melinda's story. Melinda is bullied and can not tell anyone what happened to her. He contracted her with caged bird. He stated the causes that made her feel like cage bird.















Pictures:
Gorilla:  http://www.denvergorillarun.com/raceinfo.html
Caged Bird:  http://dattaabhishek.wordpress.com/2011/09/01/know-why-the-caged-bird-sings

Blog Post #13

1. Back To the Future

2. Vision of Students Today

This video was created by Michael Wesch with 200 students at Kansas State University. This video told us what students really think about learning and their future. There are their thoughts that make me think. In this video, his students tell us their average class size is 115. 18% of teachers know students' name. Students buy hundred dollars textbooks that I never open. Students need 26.5 hours per day to study in classroom, study at home, work, eat, sleep, watch TV, listen to music, sent emails with friends, spend on cellphone, do something on online, and so on. Students are multi-tasker but they have to be. Students will be in debt about $2000 after graduation. Student will probably have a job when he or she graduates. That does not exist today.

I think a few things are problem for students. First, students' average class is big and teachers do not know students' name. When students take general education course like biology, history, music and art, I think educators can teach in big class. However, they have to do in small class including 10 to 15 students. For example, my MUE class was Music-Literature Integration for Early Childhood course and this class is very small class including 7 students. I love this course and the teacher! She get our attention in every class and teach effective by demonstrating by herself, so we can learn how we teach for our students. She always call students' name and remember our plan for the future and then she tells us how we teach students at a level appropriate for grade such as kindergarten, first, second, and third grades in elementary school. I can learn many things which are related with my future in her class. I think small class help students communicate a teacher and students and learn many things from a teacher.

Like the video said, our world is rapidly growing and ever changing. Today, kids are taught to pass the test, and make good grades. They need to graduate from a college or a university to get a steady job. In the video, they are being told they cannot get a job without a college education. How do you think the education system has prepared students for the real-world? They are left without a job and most of the time in debt. In the current world, some employers are increasingly searching for employees that have some experience, not just a piece of paper showing they were able to pass a test. However, other employers still hire employees on the basis of their grade at university. Currently, we are needed to have some experience with technology tools.

I believe that the education system should be going to focus on providing students’ experiences related to our real life as well as testing. Students need to learn how to use technology tools and use them repeatedly to have a job in the future because our student will live with technology.

Blog Post #12

In EDM310, I have learned the benefits of blogging, benefits of technology in classroom, how to use technology tools such as Smartboard and Podcasts, and developing PLNs. I will use technology tolls in classroom and create class blog and let my students to do blog post in the future. In addition, I want to create a website for my class or a class page on Facebook to communicate me, my students, and their parents. In these things, I think blogging is important for students to communicate with classroom teachers, students, and their parents, improve their skills to technology and express their ideas to what they have learned. Therefore, I create an assignment for bogging.

Blogger Picture from: http://c4lpt.co.uk/Top100Tools/blogger.png

1. Watch “Blogging with students: How and Why”

Write two or more paragraphs about blogging with students. Write what you have seen and learned through the video. After watching videos, why do teachers use blogging with students?  Write your own opinions. Will you want to create class blog for your students? Why?

2. Read “Integrating, Evaluating, and Managing Blogging inthe Classroom” by Julie Meloni

Write three more paragraphs your pros and cons for her ideas.

3. Write your opinions for blogging with your students; Will you want to create class blog with your students when you will be a teacher?

C4K Summary/October

C4K # 3
Fall

Nikitty talked about time in which she felt fall.







C4K #4
AP Government Ruling My Daily Thoughts

Annelise talked about how US Government influences her everyday surroundings. First, she told how US Government and politics relates to her school and her teachers. Second, she talked about US government is in constant turmoil over national debt and the consistent threat of the government being shut down due to unpassed budgets or bills. Finally, she said how her family members think of politics.

C4K #5
Wow, Felix inspired us!

He introduced the amazing and surprised news and two videos of Felix Baumgartner jump from 24 miles high.







C4K#6
Arthur's Halloween

Miss Mac introduced the book, Arthur's Halloween. This book is so cute! I think this helps kids read and get the fun to read because this has audio and marks when reading.

Special Blog Post Assignment

A World Where Grades Will Be Left Behind

This article mainly provided our future instruction styles with technology and networking with the benefits. This article introduced education system by Sebastian Thrun, a Google vice president and Stanford research professor. He talked about his vision of future education. He said he could never teach in a traditional Stanford classroom. He introduced “Udacity” in which students can get free online courses taught by teachers in the world. Now, it grows that schools use “flip” system in which the students study through videos and complete their homework in their house by class. Additionally, Charter schools have made a curriculum with the use of game-playing learning system. Thrun talked about advantages of technology in education. The first thing is students can take more challenging exercises and quizzes to help students acquire a skill and/or a concept. The second thing is online instruction may be free, but it takes little costs for certification and exams. The third thing is movies can encourage students learn and give fun of learning for them with low costs. Additionally, the movies can be accessed by people worldwide with internet.

I think his future education vision may be coming soon in our future and I will face it as I will be a teacher. Actually, the online courses can give students lectures taught by great teachers in the world and help them learn with fun, and pay attention to lectures with visual effects. I like “Flip” system because it gives students time to prepare for class, figure out what they will learn in class before class day, and ask teachers and classmates questions about lessons. It helps them do work with own speed. However, I think we should teach them on online courses and in classroom because face- to-face teaching is important to master skills and understand what they learn because some students at low level need specific, simple, and sophisticated explanations taught by classroom teachers.

Pictures:

http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2012/09/14/a-world-where-grades-dont-exist-and-learning-is-free/57778420/1

http://blogs.dw.de/educationblog/files/Online-lecture-on-Model-Thinking.jpg

Blog Post Assignment #11

Little Kids...Big Potential

Kathy Cassidy is a 1^st grade teacher in Moose Jaw, Canada and teaches her students technology literate there. She merged technology into her curriculum to help her students acquire skills whose they are going to need to continue to learn in life time. I really enjoyed watching “theSkype interview with Kathy Cassidy” and I was inspired. It proved that a teacher can make a difference. She could choose to integrate technology with her classroom teaching and initiate change. She was not forced to bring technology into her classroom by anyone. That means she decided to and wanted to combine technology with her teaching in the classroom by herself. What she wanted to say is teachers should be willing to make choices by focusing on their students. It may allow them to succeed in and out of the classroom. She cared enough of her students. She decided to help herself, research, and find ways to make the use of available technology for her by herself. The age or grade did not matter in her classroom because technology is available for all aged students. I was impressed by her because her choice to teaching and using technology in her classroom depended on needs of her students. I think she is the mirror of a great teacher because she thought great and primary deal of her students as teacher.

After watching videos, I would like to use and have a classroom blog with my students in the future. In my EDM310’s experiences, I think creating blog posts and projects is great way for students to learn technology tools, display students’ progress to learn and achieve, get their feedback sooner, get confirmation for their works. In addition, students can get many comments from people who use internet in the world. It encourages them to keep up their great work and learn technology tools more although students without technology are encouraged by just parents, teachers, and friends. It also helps them accomplish their goals.

Pictures:

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyQt7pb7lz0e69LwlWQhZchjwJ7UzfCKtaPgvCG8ISL7iDQmmLAIZYSBQS1R5fo2chy8ieds_mOm7_gyGkpj6pLAhZUsXnhz8Xw5GqfQLmLIinU4_eAFHZSn6frnygh7zy4OiWl_Ka-z0N/s320/Screen+shot+2010-03-04+at+6.40.15+PM.png

Project #11

Blog Post Assignment #10

1. I'm a Papermate. I'm a Ticonderoga.

“I'M A PAPERMATE

I COST LESS, BUT BREAK

ALL THE TIME

I'M A TICONDEROGA

I'M THE MOST EXPENSIVE

PURCHASE A HIPSTER

WILL EVER MAKE”

This cartoon tells us the importance of pencils in classroom and gives us time to think of how pencils are useful in classroom in development of technology. There are two men who use pencils. Both pencils have benefits for choice. One uses Papermate pencils. Papermate pencils are more cheap and moderate in price. On the contrary, another uses Ticonderoga pencils. Ticonderoga pencils are more expensive, but they have a great quality.

2. Why Were Your Kids Playing Games? By John Spencer

I read posts on John Spencer’s blog. He is a teacher. First, I read “Why Were Your Kids Playing Games?” on his blog. In this post, he wanted to tell us what is important for student’s learning. His teaching style might not follow purpose or will his principal (school) for teaching. His principal focused on testing for students. I think that’s because of No Child Left Behind which focuses on standardized testing. Because of this law, teachers are increasingly only teaching for testing. However, he stated that teaching for tests does not provide student’s development of skills including of critical thinking, and creativity. Just memorizing facts is not for student and it closed students' door to possibilities in their future. He also said that it is important for teachers to encourage students to improve their skills of remembering, understanding, applying, analyzing, evaluating, and creating.

Second, I read “10 Points on Pencils.” He provides the values of “pencils” for students although many technology tools are developing and some educators focus on technology in education. In this post, He also stated the fear of technology tools in education. They take away self-efficacy of students. In addition, he said the major issue is how to educate. Now, pencils do not have positive power in classroom, but they can give each student education in a personalized way.

3.  Don't Teach YourKids This Stuff. Please?

I cannot entirely agree or disagree with his opinion against technology in education because this has been controversial for a long time. I think technology tools for students have many pros and cons. I thought of both pros and cons in this debate, Technology Tools and Social Media in Classroom.

Pros:

Technology keeps developing with remarkable rapidity. Our students will work in technology and social networking; they should learn how to use the technology tools and devices such as laptops, iPad, iPod tough because they will have to use computer in the future.

The technology tools and social media can effectively engage students and help them build good communication skills.

Social Network Services such as Facebook, Myspace, and Twitter can help students elevate communication with their teachers, classmates, friends and somebody who they can connect with through them. Through SNS, teachers and students can debate and discuss for some questions, teachers can announce for students, students can ask questions for classmates and teachers.

Cons:

Students cannot get attention to what teacher is teaching and what is happened in classroom because of technology tools and social media. They are distressing in the classroom.

The technology tools and social networking lead bullying on chat and/or SNS in internet. Social networking websites provides students a huge of connections with others and they are not face- to –face, so they leads more cruel bullying.

They decrease students’ face- to-face communication with teachers and friends. It leads lack of development of speech skill and speaking skill. Especially, it is important for K-6^th grade students to have lots of conversations with parents, teachers, and friends to develop correct language skills including reading, writing, listening, and speaking. These tools social networking prevent them from express themselves by themselves.

Pictures:

http://ecowomen.files.wordpress.com/2010/08/pencils1.jpg

http://www.technected.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Technected-The-Mobile-Classroom.jpg

Project#14 Smartboard

C4T Post #3

C4T Post #3

I read posts in Mr. Bernia's blog, Principal's Principles.


3 words for years; hope, opportunity, and courage

He talked about importance of three words, hope, opportunity, and courage. First, he insisted that teachers have responsibility of giving their students hope and dream for their future although students come to school without hope now. Second, he declared teachers have to think a great deal of experiences and opportunities which they can provide for their students. He gave us examples including trips to a museum, to the art institute, a concert, or a sporting event. Third, he said teachers should have the courage to primarily focus on their student before focusing on themselves.

Smarter Balanced Assessments, change for the better?

He talked about the Smarter Balances Assessments. His school held Daytime Staff Meeting and he and his teachers discussed released items from this assessments. In this meeting, they thought of the following question, "what does the learner need to know and be able to do to successfully complete task?" In the discussion, they realized this assessments could play an important role in reading better professional practice and giving their students better education.
They discuss the following items related to the assessment;

• Give students appropriate opportunities to write, require them to support answers with evidence
• Give students the chance to use technology
• Teach kids to look at multiple data sources and synthesize/analyze them
• Teach kids the skill of taking notes, planning, and revising
• Be intentional. Teach kids the skills listed above and model them in our own practice
• Teach the process of approaching and answering a question
• Break tasks down. Teach kids how to break a complex task into components for themselves (also called “chunking.”)
• Create and assign performance task
• Provide real world examples in student work
• Teach kids to be good note takers
• How do we move away from “the right answer” obsession some kids have?
• Help kids develop better capability for time on task
• Provide students think time
• Teach kids about informational reading
• Change our interventions – less on work completion, more on learning
• Change our mental view of assessment – think of them as “thinking assessments.” Less multiple choice questions

PLN Project #10

I created my PLN by using Symbaloo. It is a great tool for accessing sites that I usually use. I no longer have to search through my favorites or bookmarks. It helps me organize my favorite sites, so it is easy for me to use these sites and Symbaloo decreases wasted time.

Project # 12

Blog Post Assignment #9

I read two blog posts of his four posts, What I Learned This Year (2010-11) and What I Learned This Year (2011-12). “At the Teacher’s Desk” is created by Mr. Joe McClung. He started the series of “What I Learned This Year” after his first year of teaching to give his feedback for audiences during the year. His annual reflections for his experiences and performances were great and I think they may encourage young or new teachers to grow up as a teacher. Additionally, they help educators and students who want to be a teacher grow professionally and become stronger spiritually, emotionally, behaviorally, mentally, physically.

First, I read What I Learned This Year (2010-11). I like "Don't Touch The Keyboard", the part of Mr. McClung's blog (2011). In “Don’t Touch The Keyboard” he talked about Mrs. Barron known as my classroom mom. She was tea support trainer. I agree with what Mrs. Barron said about never touch the keyboard when training a new employee. He said this also apply to teaching. Teachers can get into their hands and do the works for students when they teach their students a task and it is difficult for them to complete the task. Importantly, what he wanted to focus on is students will have fully never mastered the skills if teachers are substitute for them by doing their works. It is important for students to face problems in their works and struggle with them before completing because this is going to help them exceed. I believe students can grow and acquire various skills when they encounter some problems, critically think of them, and make themselves clear about them without giving up. This process is necessary and important for them to succeed to develop their skills. Educators can give just assists by asking questions, leading, giving them hints, and/or  just saying whether the work is correct or not.

Next, I read  What I Learned This Year (2011-12). In “You Gotta Dance With Who You Brought to the Dance”, during this year, he were wondering how he was viewed as an educator not only by his students and superiors but by his peers and whether he was approved by them. This bothered him and influenced his mood. He have decided that he try not to change himself according to his peers’ recognition because he is not positively influenced by suffering from perceiving his peers’ valuations. It is important for him to focus on whether he can take care of his ids and he and they can enjoy class. I agree with him! I think it is no matter how educators are looked at by others including colleagues, superiors, and public. Educators should always teach and act for students and should think of what affects students positively and leads their success.

I think his annual posts are his precious feedback for his works and his thoughts about his work and teaching. They help him improve his teaching and grow professionally as a teacher. It is important for him and us to primarily focus on students and give them fun to learn. In addition, they prevent him from being burn out although teachers may be sometimes burn out.

Picture: http://ruthcatchen.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/clipart12.jpg

Blog Post Assignment #8

1. Richard Miller: This Is How We Dream

Dr. Richard Miller is an English professor at Rutgers School of Arts and Science. He published many articles including the development of philosophy about consciousness that advances transformative teaching and writing practices. These video, This is How We Dream Part 1 and 2, showed how academic and cultural writing has been shifting. Dr. Miller believed that they can communicate each other immediately and widely in the world, so the current people are experiencing the greatest moment of communication changes. He discussed that the significance of literacy and how to write, research, and publish knowledge and information. He talked about the two types of the change, change incremental change and fundamental change.

The workplace was one of the incremental changes Dr. Miller directed attention to. Now, students hardly use texts only from such resources as encyclopedias and libraries that give information which students need. Besides, they do not use paper and pencils when writing to combine and organize gathered information any more. Currently, they use electric devices including laptops, iPads, and/or desktop computers when writing. Most of workplaces access internet and it allows them to research huge of information worldwide at anyplace. In my experience, I can write essays in my house as well as in the University of South Alabama and in certain coffee shop with internet access and get information worldwide. These convenient devises and workplaces were what Dr. Miller talked in these video.

In addition, the ability of collaborative use of networking technology and how to make up documents with instantaneous materials are another type of incremental changes Mr. Miller pointed out. Instead of using just text, technology tools having or offering the use of various communications or promotional media allow us to make up documents with materials happening or completed within a moment and filled with pictures, files, and/or sounds. The edited documents are composed of text and visual materials to get interests in the documents and engage readers to read them. Our convenient environments surrounding technology tools help us gather and organize experiences from at the past to at the present. The incremental changes in writing which Mr. Miller talked in these videos increases new functions and properties in how we compose document (write) and bring together information.

Dr. Miller believed that fundamental change, another change which he talked in the videos, is the possibilities of technology to change the basic precept of how to work, write, research, and publish. He stated that fundamental changes need to be beautiful and have power because it produces curiosity, creativity, and collaboration. I think the changes help us look at things not with a subjective eye, but with an objective eye. Additionally, I think these video told me how the use of these tools can elevate.

3. The Chipper Series & EDM310 for Dummies

The videos, The Chipper Series and EDM310 for Dummies, were amusing! I think most of students watching these videos think this way. Students may want to do just enough to get by, but I am wondering whether the attitude of these students would shift when they take the classes organized like EDM 310. If so, I believed these students who make the least amount of efforts to get better would be more engaged and take care of what they have learned more.

I think students should start on what to do in advance and should not procrastinate to get successes and better. I think they should make an honest and every effort not to delay, and keep capturing it because they will have responsibility for themselves.

EDM310 for Dummies delineated actual attitudes of students in Dr. Strange’s EDM310 class. Actually, I felt great as to render resistance at the first time and I thought like I am pressed by lots of work. However, I realized that it told me teaching myself, being self-sufficient, and being accountable for myself. It also said us how to continue to focus on and how to use our time effectively and it taught we should be lifelong learner. Therefore, they make us become a teacher in the future. 

4. Learn to Change, Change to Learn

Teachers have taught students for standardized testing and scores, not for the primary use of technologies while the world is under technology now. In this video, many people discussed it was necessary for education to change in classroom. Actually, kids spend lots of hours a day and teachers and classmates influence kids.

To develop the skills that they may be going to need in tomorrow, and in the future life, it is important for students to get meaningful experiences in school. I think it is crucial for educators to understand the interest of children and then get their attentions, and know how to interact with them through school curriculum to give them a high-rate learning environment.

Now, technology keeps elevating in the world, but our education is not enough. I agree with this video because we should finds the ways to catch up technology, bring it into education more, master it to aid students research and gather information, verify it, communicate through it, cooperate and solve problems with it. This may help teachers get the goal.

5. Scavenger Hunt 2.0

1.) Locate a tool that is similar to Twitter/Facebook and provides a social platform for teachers, parents, and students. Create an account as a Teacher and write a paragraph or two about how you could use this site in your classroom

Edmodo

Edmodo is similar to Facebook and allows people to share and collaborate. Edmodo provides teachers, students, and their parents a place to share and communicate each other. This is a great tool for class discussions, notifications, posting assignments, posting questions for teachers and classmates, and anything students can possibly think of. This makes connections between students and parents. 

2.) Find a video tool that you have never used. Summarize some it's special features.

SchoolWAX TV!

SchoolWAX TV is for educators, schools, students, and their parents. Educators approve meaningful videos on SchoolWAX TV and every one can watch them and learn by them if they hope. SchoolWAX TV helps students do homework and get extra helps. Additionally, teachers can get attentions and interests of students in the classroom by the use of video because it is animation. I would like everyone to share it!

3.) Find a tool to create a poll anywhere and at anytime. Create your first poll and post it here.

Blog Post Assignment #7

1. The Networked Student

The Network Student by Wendy Drexler explains what it is a network student and identifies the role of the teacher in the classroom of the network student. The network students are activity using social networking tools, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, blogs, search engines, etc.

I think the network students learn by the use of networking. Our PLN (Personal Learning Network) is consisted of family, friends, classmates, and other teachers. Now, PLN of 

students with technology becomes much 

larger and includes a great number of resources. Their community is not limited. With network, through some SNS (social network service), teachers can connect with master and/or special teachers in world, and share ideas resources, lesson plans, students’ feedback, methods of assessments, and so on. Additionally, students can connect with teachers and other students. They are still using their community to learn and develop. it becomes a global community now.

The global PLN helps our learning process. It provides meaningful and useful information, it provides support, motivation, and allows connections to be made. The PLN is not only about technology and websites, but about people. People with network help others learn. I think it is still important for the network students to have a teacher and/or professional instructor. Teachers can teach their students how to assess the information and evaluate the information for its creditability. Additionally, they can provide emotional support, encourage their students to learn and build confidence, and give their students advises to lectures and questions to them.

2. A 7th Grader's Personal Learning Environment (or PLN)

That's amazing video. Her PLN is different from mine. Her PLN is consisted of networking including resources, ideas, and search. She can learn by mastering technology. She do not use any papers, pens... However, I learn based on professors' lectures and on line. Actually, I need teachers who teach me face on face. In the future, students will have PLN with technology and networking like her PLN.

Picture: newamericamedia.org

Project #8 Podcast

C4K Summary/ September

C4K #1

Team 2 Spelling Bee

This blog is made by Team 2. Team 2 consists of Ms. Glaze's Room 7 students.This post talked about Spelling Bee contest. All children in Team 2 have been practicing spelling for the Spelling Bee. 

C4T Post #2

C4T #4
I’M EXCITED ABOUT THE FUTURE!

Mr. Jeff talked about the development of African countries with quotations of several articles. First, he  quoted the following articles of the hard facts about Ethiopia;

• Ethio Telecom’s customer base has reached 18.28 million people, registering a 59pct increase in the last fiscal year
• Mobile services, which constituted the vast majority of the customer base, had anticipated reaching 21.9 million subscribers and in actuality attracted 17.28 million customers. This was an increase of 700,000 people, a 79pct achievement of the target. Fixed line numbers reached 805,000 people or 81.4pct of intended performance targets.
• Internet and data service customers reached 221,000, 89pct performance. This does not  include 2.44 million users who receive mobile Internet service.
• There were more than 4,000 SIM and Voucher card retail distributors by the end of the fiscal year, while the number of wholesalers increased from six to 45, as the number of points of sale in the country reached over 45,000.
• “The number of mobile phone subscribers we have currently ranks us in the sixth position in Africa and first in east Africa,” said Abdurahmin adding that prominent countries like Nigeria, South Africa and Egypt are the ones beating Ethiopia’s figures.

Second, He talked Ethiopia's internet connection is not stable connection although Americans complained our internet connection. In Ethiopia, the line gets cut, the speed drops at heavy use times during the day, and overall the connection is not reliable.

Third, he talked about the African economic outlook by the following quotations of article;

• With almost 200 million people between the ages of 15 and 24, Africa has the youngest population in the world. And it keeps growing rapidly. According to recent estimates, the number of young people in Africa will double by 2045. If this trend continues, the continent’s labor force will reach one billion by 2040, making it the largest in the world.
• The report warns that high unemployment among youth poses a serious challenge for the economies of African countries, whose recovery from the 2011 global economic and financial crisis had been remarkable.
• Emmanuel Nnadozie stated that challenges facing youth employment often vary across African countries and different income groups, he added, stressing the fact that in low-income countries, “youth in vulnerable employment and working poverty are the largest majority”, while “discouraged or inactive youth” are the most common group in middle-income countries. 
• Africa’s youth population is not only growing rapidly, it is also getting better educated. Based on current trends, about 59pct of 20-24 year olds will have had secondary education in 2030, compared to 42pct today. With the number of youth in Africa set to double by 2045, creating productive jobs for young people will continue to pose an immense challenge, according to reports.

Blog Post Assignment #6

Randy Pausch’s Last Lecture





The last lecture is viewed by many people in the U.S. and this long video is a heart-tugged message by Dr. Pausch. The last lecture was given by Randy Pausch at Carnegie Mellon University. He is recognized as a leading expert of virtual reality.(VR) Although he was too young to give the last lecture, he had a reason why he had to leave the university in which you had lectured for long term. That's why he had three to six months to live at that time because of a cancer. Actually, the lecture was not for us. It was for his children, Dylan, Logan, and Chloe. In the lecture, he talked about his childhood dream, enabling the dreams of others, how we can achieve our dreams or enable the dreams of others. In the great lecture, he gave us a lot of important things as a child, student, as an adult, as a teacher, as a woman and as a human being, I talk about the several things that I was moving.

I got the first good thing when he talked about playing in the NFL, one of  his childhood dreams. Graham, his coach of football team practiced no football, taught him the importance of the fundamental through his practice, ride him all practice. The important thing is what Randy was said by his coach Graham when the coach let him overcome his disadvantages. The coach taught him that being given a correction is what he was expected. Randy told us the learning in his football practices by his coach Graham. That's the critics are what ones still love the kids. I think we need that thing when educators teach the kids because the kids may think what they are doing if they do not corrected by adults who love them and know the right things. When the kids do wrong things, we have to point out the wrong things and then let them think of how they change and/or demonstrate the right things. I think they can not grow up if the kids who did the wrong things are not shown their faults.

In addition, he give us the importance of the critics when he talked about ETC project, the Dream Fulfillment Factory  which he accomplished with with Don Marinelli in the last part of this video. That was it is important for the kids to get a feedback and listen to it. It is difficult not only for the kids but for adults to receive the critics from others. For this reason, educators should teach the kids how the critics help them and let them think of how the critics help themselves.

Next, I got the second good thing to teach the kids when he talked about Building Virtual World (BVW) project. In this project, 50 students from art, CS, design, and drama ware randomly chosen, and make a team and the teams ware changed per project. He learned the important thing from his professor when he graded his students for this project. That was limitation is just preventing students to grow up. I think the kids have unexpected abilities and they can grow up the abilities through their experiences. I think the more they grow up, the more they enjoy learning and have a serious attention to learn. Therefore, teachers should give many chances for the kids to experience various things. For example, teachers take them to a company, a factory, a museum, a concert, a hospital, a university, a laboratory, etc. I think teachers should give them various social studies field trips to help them find their dream in the future.


Finally, I got the third good thing when he talked about the recital of the BVW project. He said that it is the best gift to give his students a chance to find the mind that they want to give pleasure to others. I was impressed by this word because I thought teacher can give the students a lot of chances to know various things and feeling such as joy, fun, pleasure, smile, sad, ugly, and so on. Teacher tell them when they feel these minds and whether these minds are right or not. In addition, teachers should not give the minds others when the minds are bad, for example, sad, ugly, angry, terrible, fear, etc. I am really to give a chance for my students to find the mind that they can give pleasure to others. I am proud of myself as a teacher when I can give the mind for them.

Project#9b

Project #9a

Blog Post Assignment #5

1. The iSchool Initiative

The iSchool Initiative are created by Travis Allen and his group and he show his idea about "iSchool", a American future education system in this video. He argued public education system is broken and needs to be change ad technology belongs in our class room. First, he show the system of "iSchool". It is so simple. Hs imaging school is no textbook, no paper, no extensive copy machine, no a number of pencil. Second, he tell us iSchool apps which will be used by teachers, students, and parents in the system. For example, the apps include email, chemical touch, U.S constitution, world Wiki, U.S.A presidents, star walk, formula,  recorder, scientific calculator, graphing calculator, notes, calender.

He tell us many advantages of "iSchool". First, the system help students learn and understand what they learn more easily and manage own schedule such as assignment due days, school event, and test days by the use of these apps. The system make connection among parents, teachers, and students. Second, he tell us "ischool" will take lower cost than public education system and it helps students and school.
However, he tell us challenge to create "iSchool" system. it is making the connection between cooperation, business professional, and apple iTouch programmers and They come together to revolutionize education in America. 

2. Eric Whitacre’s Virtual Choir

I love this video!! Word is not enough when I watched this video. This video is amazing, excellent, and unbelievable. This video was composed by Eric Whitace and 185 singers are gathered from12 countries like Austria, England, Canada, the United State, Germany, New Zealand, Spain, etc.I am impressed that 185 singing voices match up precisely although just each individual sings in a front of a computer. What a beautiful! I think technology such as computer connects various people even if they are in different places and it creates  opportunity to make new things which I can not think and believe. I knew we have more various possibilities when I watched this video. I am grad to watch it.



3. Teaching in the 21st Century

This Video is created by Kevin Roberts and he tell us the teaching at the 21st century. I think that he argues teachers has to change their teaching which they have taught based on Bloom's Taxonomy. Bloom's Taxonomy is more than one type of learning and identifies three domains of educational activities: cognitive(knowledge), affective(attitude), and psychomotor(skills). Actually, I have learned based on Bloom's Taxonomy and I was not interested in studying except my favorite subjects. I do not know whether this teaching style is wrong or not but I appreciate what I was taught by educators based on Bloom's Taxonomy because I could get skills to remember, understand, apply, analyze, evaluate, and create. I think it is important and fundamental  for students to live and work in the world. I think just 21st century teaching can not make students get these skills. However, most of students can not be interested in learning which was taught based on this teaching and it goes against Kevin's idea of engagement. In contrast, students may enjoy to learn by the use of technology tools in 21st century teaching. 

He show the difference between entertainment and engagement. He tell us engagement is for learning, has long-term results, is meaningful and application, is solving problems, and is using the creativity of the participants. I think that educators can engage with their students when they teach by the use of technology such as iPod, computer, and cell phone based on 21 st century teaching such as linking, searching, blogging, posting, editing, networking, etc. However, it is difficult because educators master how to use them and how to teach students how to use them, so educators keep studying the tools and how to teach them.

4. The Flipped Classroom

Katie Gimbar:  Why I Flipped My Classroom

Dr. Lodge McCammon: Dr. Lodge McCammon's FIZZ - Flipping the Classroom 

Ms. Munafo: Flipping the Classroom - 4th Grade STEM


Ms. Gimbar, Dr. McCammon, and Ms. Munafo explained how to flip in classroom. Teachers have students at various levels, so it is difficult for them to teach students on each level. They teach them at middle level. As a result, children at higher level do not challenge, children at lower level can not remediate effectively. Additionally, we do not have enough time for effective differentiation because 90% of class time spends on delivery and review of content and 10 % of that spends on application which depends on students' application outside of class. Therefore, we need flipping approach. Flipping is innovative approach to classroom instruction. 
In Why I Flipped My Classroom, Ms. Gimbar explained flipping allows students to preload content which they will learn in classroom, pause, rewind, and re-watch video at any time, post questions for classmates and teacher, and make self-paced. InFlipping the Classroom - 4th Grade STEM, in addition, Ms. Munafo said It allows direct instruction to take place at home and homework to take place at school, so students can prepare back knowledges, questions, and problems and teachers provide application for all students. Teachers use the flipping approach because it can bring students to the next level. Students can use technology at home and have fun and interest for studying. All children at various levels can be reached because they know what students needs, review, extend knowledge, project based on learning. 
I believe that flipping is useful for students to make their classroom lessons effective because it can allow them review contents which they will learn before class, give enough time to learn, and share questions and problems with classmates and teacher and solve them immediately. However, I think teachers should organize flipping well because students will be confused if flipping system is wrong. Lower level students needs more time to learn and study and more simple explanation for contents. Students may not use it if flipping is hard to understand.