Next Generation Learning

This video just reinforce the previous one. I amazed at the amount of money that this school used on technology, and even more amazed that they understood the importance of the initial expense. So many schools don't have the funding to afford "extras" such as computers, or digital classrooms. What those schools don't realize, is that once the initial expense is over, the amount of good that comes from exposing children to these things. I think that eventually all schools will fall in line with the one like Harry's. But I also think it will take some time.
I would love to be able to research this website more and find out information on possibly improving the technology found at some of the local schools here in the area. I would also like to help some of the lower funded schools with taking on this task through possible grants and donations. I think the schools that end up on the bottom of the totem pole as far as funds are concerned could probably benefit most from this amount of technology.

Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts

This video opened my eyes to the different uses of technology in the classroom. It also allowed me to see that if the expectations are set high, children will rise to meet them. Vicki Davis said she does not define every new word she uses. She expects her class to google it, or look it up, if they are unfamiliar with a particular term. She also talks of how teachers shouldn't expect themselves to know everything. There are plenty of opportunities that arise in which a student can become the teacher, and we as teachers should not only allow that, but encourage it.
I also really enjoyed seeing how enthusiastic the children were. The methods that she used to teach were methods that intrigued the children. She was taking technology that most of these students use on a daily basis and showing them that they could apply it to their learning as well. This video definitely inspired me to use this EDM310 class to my advantage and learn all that I could from it.

The Importance of Creativity

Sir Ken Robinson gives an incredible talk about the stifling nature of public education systems on our children and their creativity. He explains how there is a hierarchy of subjects and creativity almost always lands at the bottom. This video really makes one reconsider the way in which he approaches a child in the classroom. Perhaps our previous methods of learning weren't as great as we thought they were. We are molding children to become "the most educated," only offering jobs to those with the highest degree. But that is not what is important. We as educators should be channeling talents and helping these children explore those talents. We should not force our kids to put creativity on the back burner. Allow kids to explore both math and the arts, dancing and english, science and drama. Combine the two, traditional academics and the arts, and allow the child to see what can come of them.
This video confirmed my career choice. I don't want to be another teacher in the public school system that bases success on Standardized testing. I was to help children learn and explore. I want them to find what interests them and then help them focus it and allow it to be productive.

Did you know? 3.0

Times are a-changing! After watching this video, I truly understood what the phrase "we are living in exponential times" meant. This information is a little overwhelming. It's hard to believe that technology influences us as much as it does. We, as society, think nothing of text messaging our friends during lunch to make plans for dinner, or facebooking on our phones during a business meeting. It's hard for me to wrap my mind around the fact that the English language has quintupled in size since William Shakespeare was alive. But I think it's all to our benefit if we use it.

Knowing that the highest paying, fastest growing jobs 5 years from now, don't exist yet can help us to utilize all these new technologies to our advantage. Specializing in a field that doesn't seem useful now, could actually make you tomorrow's next billionaire.

On the flip side, the population of the world is exploding at a rapid rate. If we don't try to fix some of the small problems we deal with now, then they will become HUGE problems in the very near future.

All about Nicole

Hello class! I am Nicole. I've recently started school to complete my degree in Elementary Education after several years of working full-time. This semester is going to be a huge adjustment for me! I live in Mississippi, and to be honest, the main reason I chose South was because it was a shorter drive from my house than USM on the coast in Long Beach and the price was about the same.
I am a single mother of a very busy 2 year old girl. So between work, school, and family, there isnt' a lot of time for other things. I'm active in my church. I am a member of First Presbyterian of Pascagoula, where I teach the upper elementary Sunday School class. I enjoy getting outside and playing with my daughter. She loves to feed the ducks and play at the park, so we try to do those things pretty regularly. The majority of my time spent somewhere other than work is outside with her.