Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Blog Post #4

an iTouch by apple
Don't Teach Your Kids This Stuff. Please?
by: Dr. Scott McLeod
Dr. Scott McLeod is a teacher who is currently an Associate Professor at Iowa State University. He is also the Director of UCEA Center for Advanced Study of Technology Leadership in Education (CASTLE). He truly believes in public schools but thinks schools need a new paradigm. His work focuses on the leadership necessary to effectuate the new paradigm.
Dr. McLeod's post was intriguing. At first, I thought he was being serious about not wanting children to progress in technology until I found out he was being really sarcastic. I think children should be monitored using technology but not stopped from using it. I understand why parents freak out about internet predators, uncensored material, and cyber bullying but there's always going to be a negative aspect towards everything. Teachers and parents should always look at the positive aspects of things. Look at how the world has evolved since technology came about. We should want our children to be apart of the movement and not against it. I think every child should be introduced to technology and what it has to offer.

The iSchool Initiative
I think the arguments being made about iSchool comes down to people being afraid to embrace technology. I support technology in the the classroom to the fullest. This type of school would cut down cost per student instead of cutting teachers. We would actually have enough funding to pay for needed items. We wouldn't have to waste money on copiers, copy paper, books, pencils, pens and etc.
I think this is an awesome idea but of course there is always a downside to everything. Librarians would lose their jobs because there will no longer be a need for books. Teacher student relationship would suffer because of the dependence on technology only. I'm afraid classroom management would suffer also. However, this method of teaching would produce adults who are ready to face this fast pace world.

The Lost Generation
Wow!!! This video is by far the best I have watched. The reverse was brilliant. I agree with the reverse of the poem because no matter what happens in life happiness should always come for within. We as Americans tend to place our value in money, jobs, cars, houses, and etc. We should be happy for life in general.

Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir
This is an incredible way of getting people all around the world involved in a choir. This choir had so many people in it that didn't have to be in the same place. They sound great and were in unison without being in the same place. This was an excellent idea I was shocked by this performance.


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