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.