Journal # 5: Video Games: Harmful or Helpful

NETS-T: 5

Butcher, G., & Dunbar, K. (2012). Video Games; Harmful or Helpful. Learning &Leading with Technology, 39(7), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-and-leading/issues/Video_Games_Harmful_or_Helpful.aspx

Summary:

   Being three weeks into my ED422 class I have learned that technology should not be hindered within the classroom but allowed to flourish. Having read articles from Learning & Leading has also demonstrated how important technology is within the classroom as well as outside the classroom. For today's post I decided to read a article that touches on the debate between video games being harmful or helpful. Butcher who is a IT instructor believes that video games can be quit harmful. Educational technology and video games play two very different roles in a child's life. When students play games on the computer it gives them a rush of excitement in which learning just cant compete with. Butcher continues to argue that video actually can cause more stress, giving it the opposite affect.On the flip side Dunbar who is a technology integration specialist argues that video games are helpful. Dunbar believes that it is the task given by the video game and the easiness that the child knows they can complete the task, that proves video games are helpful. He believes that by spending more time focusing on what kids are learning will help in improving the image of kids and video games. 

Q: Do you believe that video games are harmful or helpful?

     Both gentlemen bring up very good points in their arguments, but I base my chose from personal experiences. Growing up I would use Reader Rabat to practice math problems, or perfect my writing. There are so many computer and video games out their that allow children to take more then just excitement. I would say that video games though can be at sometimes harmful are more helpful to the younger generations.

Q: How does this article relate to the class and NETS?

      I believe that their is always two sides of an idea. With technology a lot of the class is for technology. In reading about how video games (technology) can be harmful I am able to make a better decision as to how I want to base my classroom. As for the NETS, I believe that this touches on NETS-T 5. It helps me as the reader grow as well as share knowledge on the matter of video games.  

Journal 4: Join the Flock & Enhance Your Twitter Experience!

NETS-T: 4 and 5

Ferguson, H. (2012). Join the flock! Learning & Leading with Technology, 37(8), 12-14. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/Libraries/Leading_and_Learning_Docs/June_July_2010_Join_the_Flock.sflb.ashx

Miller, S. M. (2010). Enhance Your Twitter Experience. Learning & Leading with Technology, 37(8), 14-17. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/Libraries/Leading_and_Learning_Docs/June_July_2010_Join_the_Flock.sflb.ashx

Summary:

In reading Learning & Leading with Technology,many of the articles educate the reader on was to use technology with in their classrooms and also within their lives. Join the Flock written by Hadley Ferguson and Shannon Miller introduce the reader to a PLN and then go into detail on how Twitter and "Tweeting" can help ones PLN. Ferguson states "A PLN is a community of individuals around the world who are learning together." (Ferguson 2010) PLN stands for Professional Learning Network, its purpose is to allow individuals of common interest to share ideas and thoughts. Breaking down the basics of Twitter and how one should place things of interest and importance in their summary as well as a picture will help enhance the readers PLN. Ferguson explains that Twitter is just as easy as making friends, allowing one to learn and share with others. Fallowing Ferguson is Miller who pushes the reader to get involved in responding to ideas on Twitter. By tagging, exposing, and being organized allows Twitter to help build ones PLN. Overall Miller gives a tour and guided to Twitter only enticing the reader to take a chance and get on bored with Twitter.




Q: Did Ferguson persuade you as the reader to take part in Twitter?

Ask me about Facebook and I can tell you anything.....Twitter on the other hand, nothing. Reading this article by Ferguson has really opened my eyes up to the word "Tweet." I am not going to lie, I was agents Twitter when my teacher told me that he wanted us to make accounts. I felt that Twitter was just like another new social network looking for followers. Learning that I could find other fellow U.S. history lovers as well as people who enjoy DIY projects pushed me to begin to hashtag and really use my Twitter.




Q: Did Miller proved you with beneficial information?

I love how her basic and straight to the point attitude allowed me to understand basic tools like TweetDeck. I love staying organized and on top of things. With TweetDeck it is all about keeping your friends, messages and more organized. I would love to use this information that Miller has provided to help me branch out and find new and creative ways to teach.

Journal #3: Flipping Classrooms (NETS-T II & III)

Fulton, K. (2012). Upside down and inside out. Learning& Leading with Technology, 39(8), 12-14. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-and-leading/issues/Upside_Down_and_Inside_Out.aspx  

Summary: Kathleen Fulton's article Upside Down and Inside Out educates the read on "Flipped" classrooms. Only created a few years back, Jonathan Bergmann and Aaron Sams two science teachers at Woodland Park High School in Colorado, decided that adding technology within the classrooms was the next needed advancements within schools. In "flipping" a classroom pushes to students to watch the lessons at home and then doing their homework in class. Math teachers at Byron High School have used this system in order to help with harsh budget cuts. Students after watching the lesion the night before will first participate in a little review fallowed by a handful questions to answer. Being allowed to work in groups, individually, with music or on the floor allows students to work at their own pace and their own comfort. Kathleen even talks about the statistics of schools that have flipped their classrooms. Students who took calculus have on average have improved by 9.8%. With new advancements in the field of education always popping up, I believe Kathleen had a good idea in education the world about "Flipped" classrooms. As stated "the flipped classroom is an education innovation with legs, if not wings!" (Fulton, 2012)

Q: Can I see myself using this method within my classroom?            
 In reading this article about "Flipped" classrooms I find that this new way of teaching would be interesting but not one I would use. Always being a student that thrived off of classroom experience and teacher student interaction I would believe that as a student I would come to class behind, irritated and lost. I would hate for my students to feel the same way. Though I could see myself taking parts of this idea, using the "flipped" classroom method for only certain lessons. I like the idea that students are allowed to work in their own manor, it gives students more of opportunity to feel relaxed and comfortable. This would be something I would also take way from this method of teaching. 
Q: What problem(s) can you see arising from the "Flipped" classroom method?              
 What if your student does not have a computer? This is a question that I found myself asking throughout the whole article. Though we live in a heavily technology based world where over 75% of house holds have computer, this still leaves a few homes with no computer. People can argue that public libraries can be the answer to this problem, though this all so would rely on the student having transportation.   

Q

Journal #2: School 2.0 Reflection Tool

I decided to investigate NETS-Ts 1 Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity because it revolves around creativity. As an educator creativity is a key component within the classroom. Experiencing first hand how teachers lose their creative side really hinders the classroom atmosphere.Having reviewed the resources given I could not pass up watching the video "Creativity and Schools" by Sir Ken Robinson. "Creativity is as important as literature!" This is one Sir Ken Robinson's opening lines. He talks about how kids take chances and are not afraid to be wrong. This allows them to be creative. As they get older they become afraid of making mistakes or being wrong because we are educating them to be afraid, being afraid to be creative. Because around the world we have placed more importance on mathematics and humanities then arts as lead to more people graduating from a university in history. Now instead of graduate students receiving jobs after college they are returning home needing to receive a Masters in order to succeed in the work force. Sir Ken Robinson is not only funny but he brings up great arguments as to why we are killing creativity within our classroom and education systems.

Journal #1: "100 things that make me smille"

1.    Laughter
2.    Family
3.    Friends
4.    Bolt ------->
5.    Disney Land
6.    Music
7.    Glitter
8.    Babies
9.    Sleep
10.    Drew
11.    Genna
12.    Fist pumping
13.    Road trips
14.    U.S. history
15.    Shabby chic
16.    Home
17.    Mac make-up
18.    Soccer
19.    Joe Shmo stories
20.    Ice cream
21.    Bright colors
22.    My car
23.    Bare foot Mascot
24.    Starbucks
25.    Sandwiches
26.     Making list aka checking off stuff
27.    Shopping
28.    Little
29.     Getting my hair done
30.    Macs
31.    itune gift cards
32.    Christmas
33.    Halloween
34.    Candy
35.    Fairs
36.    Weddings
37.    Clean ears
38.    Teaching
39.    Alpha Delta Pi
40.    God Family
41.    Dancing
42.    High School
43.    Via la Juicy
44.    Fall
45.    Flip flops
46.    Bows
47.    Holding hands
48.    Disney movies
49.    Photography
50.    Reading
51.    Revenge (the show)
52.     Crafting
53.    Butterflies
54.    iphone
55.    Glittle
56.    Making friends
57.    Backing
58.    Watching backing shows
59.     Hope
60.    Soul mate
61.    Hippos
62.    High school football games
63.     Baseball
64.    Rollerblading
65.    Roller-coaster
66.    Horse back riding
67.    Manicure
68.    Photoshop
69.    Water balloon fights
70.    Slip and slide
71.    Space mountain
72.    Tanning
73.    Sunglasses
74.    Lip gloss
75.    Mexican food
76.    Cold water
77.     Peanut butter
78.    Late night drives
79.    Ocean
80.    Clean teeth
81.    Chocolate
82.    Cheetah print
83.    Sharing
84.    Long hair
85.    Shower
86.    School
87.    Berries
88.    Long walks
89.    Merchant and Main
90.    Christmas tree lighting
91.    Mom
92.    Leather seats
93.    Butt warmers
94.    Gloves/mittens
95.    Shinny objects
96.    Fatty 101
97.    Phantom of the Opera
98.    Singing
99.    Men in Uniform
100.    Designing web pages