Blog Post #2

1. Professor Dancealot
     The message of this video seems to be centered around the teacher and his techniques. During the video, the teacher was instructing dance by lecturing instead of immersing his students in it. When his students sat at their desks and listened to him describe the dances and demonstrate behind his desk, they were getting bored, distracted, and confused. The author of this video makes his conclusion known at the end when the students are asked to dance and don't know what they are doing. The boy even mentions that he thought he understood the notes he took, but clearly writing notes and actually performing are very different things. I agree with this conclusion, especially in elementary schools. If college students struggle with learning during a lecture day in and day out, then young children certainly wouldn't be able to stay focused and absorb the information correctly. It's really important to keep students engaged and make things hands-on so that your lesson is fun and informational at the same time.

2.Teaching in the 21st Century
     Kevin Roberts realizes that technology is very prevalent in the 21st Century in everyone's lives not only in the real world or workplace, but also in schools. He discusses that students may know how to use their phones, tablets, laptops, etc. but they may not know how to utilize all of the resources and information they can get from them. Roberts feels like teachers' responsibilities include teaching their students how to do this. I agree with Roberts because it is true that children are learning at a very young age how to use technology. It is important for teachers to help children use these resources for education purposes, not just for entertainment. As an educator, I will try to focus on using technology and walking my students through the steps of using different search engines, websites, and other forms of media to benefit their education to the fullest extent.

3. The Networked Student
     This video shows all the different skills he can use within media and technology. The majority of the video is describing how well informed he is about the internet and its many resources. However, towards the end of the video his teacher is mentioned. His teacher is his mentor and information source. This makes me feel like as a teacher I'm going to be really important to my students. Teachers have the ability to give children a small amount of information that can grow and spread to other subjects, skills, and other areas of their life.

4. Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts
     Vicki Davis is trying to convey the message that using technology in public schools is a really big deal. She is also saying that it's important to let students teach themselves. She immerses them in skills and terms, and encourages them to research what she is talking about and do it themselves. I do agree with her argument because in the 21st Century technology is taking over in schools and it is very crucial that students know how to use it. What I agreed with most though, was the point that was made about living in a small, rural town and being connected to the rest of the world. Coming from a small town myself, this really made me realize just how big this is for those students. We often don't get a chance to get out much, and live in such close communities, so being able to communicate with people in other states and countries is really exciting. Not only do they get to learn about technology, but they're also getting to experience other cultures.

5. Who's Ahead in the Learning Race?
     I think that elementary students are indeed ahead in the learning race, but that's because they are growing up in a different time than undergrad and grad students did. When we were in elementary school, we used desktop computers that only had a few applications on them. Now that we're older and technology is advancing as we age, we're having to teach ourselves how to use it which includes being open-minded and dedicated to learning. Children, however, are starting at very early ages using iPhones, iPads, and other sources of media. Because children absorb information so well, they are able to use the electronics more effectively than adults are. I do think this can change, though. College students can catch up and surpass children in this learning race because of media classes. We can then use our knowledge to collaborate with our students and teach them more effectively.

6. Flipping the Classroom
     The concept of "flipping the classroom" is not new to me, but the term itself is. I think this is a great idea as long as every student is cooperating and participating. I think it will be useful to me as a teacher because I feel like over the next few years when I become a teacher, this will be what I'm working with.

7. Bringing the Locker Room into the Classroom
     I thought this was really interesting because in a way classmates are a lot like teammates. I can use this in my teaching by looking at myself as a coach, but letting my students be leaders too. I don't want to be the center of attention all the time, and I think it's important for students to feel like they can share their ideas and opinions and it will matter.