Goodbye For Now

Hi everyone! It was great getting to know some of you this semester. I hope you all have a great holiday and I hope to see you again soon. Bye!

What I've Learned in EDM

I have learned this semester how important it is to be open to new technology (or tachnology period). Before this class, I'll admit, I was very wary of some technology especially computers. I have worked on computers for years, however, I never continued learning new stuff on the computer. I got comfortable with what I already knew. So this semester I have realized that to be an effective teacher, I have to continue to learn new things. I have to be a life-long learner. I beleive that is the most important thing I have learned from this class.

Technology is such an important part of our society that it would be idiotic to not take advantage of learning the new advances in it. I also really enjoyed the Comments 4 Kids project. I loved how I was able to connect to people from around the world. As I have said before in another post, when I was a young student, I would have been thrilled to know that someone from another place thought I was doing soemthing cool. It would have really encouraged me and made school a more interesting place to be. The connections made through technology is amazing. It benefits us a future teachers, with ideas/support and the students with an exciting way to learn.

I never knew there were so many websites, such as ALEX and ACCESS that gives you help. Ex: lesson plans. Podcast/videocast was something else I have never heard of before this semester, but I'm glad I did. I think I can use them in class and also the students can use them at home. I think my favorite project was the Google Docs. It was an easy but fun way to tell the class about myself. I think that is a great technology to know for my future class.

Overall, I was happy with everythng we did in class. I was never bored with anything we learned...nervous but not bored. I wish we had been able to do more with Google Earth because I love Google Earth. Twitter is still my least favorite, it is growing on me, so maybe that will change. I just can't really get into it. I think now, at the end of the semester, I am a medium on the technological literate scale because I have learned so much. I will maintain this and hopefully improve by continuing to learn and have fun with new technology.

Seven Brilliant and Stupid Things Teachers Do

Believing that one's teaching style need not change to take full advantage of technology. Using technology to simply add sounds and pictures to lectures is stupid. Smart technology use is about changing the roles of both teacher and student. The computer-using student can now be the content expert; the teacher becomes the process expert asking such questions as “Where did you get that information? How do you know it's accurate? Why is it important? How can you let others know what you discovered? And how can you tell if you did a good job?” The world has changed and it is rank stupidity not to recognize it and change as well.

I think this statement by Doug Johnson is one of the most important points that he made. I believe that teaching is an ever changing field. Teachers that do not change and become comfortable are not beneficial to their students. Technology is a big part of people's lives. It changes everyday and teacher's need to realize that we are gonna have to change too if we want to impact students. That means we are going to have learn new things all the time...we are going to ask the kids to do it, so we should be willing to do it too.

Accept the role as a co-learner. One of the best signs of intelligent people is that they tend to willingly admit when they don't know something. Brilliant teachers not only accept the dismal fact that they will never know all there is to know about technology, they also turn that condition into a classroom advantage by having their brilliant children teach them how to do something techie now and then.

I think this point coincides with the other point. Basically, it just reinforces what I have said. We have to be co-learners and reach these students. We have to be in touch with the new technology and know how it works, why they like it, how can we use it to benefit them in the class. We are role models and we have to set an example, that if we don't know an answer, we can work together and find the answer. One of the main goals of a teacher is to make it relevant to the student. Learning new technology will help us achieve that goal.

Thinking online communication is ever private. Eventually, everyone sends an embarrassing personal message to a listserv. I've heard of some tech directors who get their jollies reading salacious inter-staff e-mails. Your school e-mails can be requested and must be produced if germane to any federal lawsuits. Even e-mail deleted from your computer still sits on servers somewhere -- often for a very loooong time. Think you wiped out your browsing history? Don't bet that is the only set of tracks you've left that show where you've been surfing. Your Facebook page will be looked at by the school board chair; your superintendent and principal know who the author of that "anonymous" blog is. Not assuming everyone can see what you send and do online is stupid.

I've always been told that if you couldn't let your mother see it then it probably isn't something you should put up. I am amazed everytime I turn on the computer there is some kind of crazy picture or message out there. It really makes you wonder what people are thinking when they do this stuff. All I have to say is keep it to yourself!

Make conferencing real-time. Brilliant teachers don't wait until scheduled parent conferences to communicate with homes. Through e-mail, Web sites, online grade books, blogs, wikis, and, yes, even telephone calls, technology gives teachers the ability to make parents partners who help assure students' timely, quality work. They post newsletters, spelling lists, assessment tools, assignments, grades, calendars, discussion lists, and tips. They read and respond to parent e-mails. Most parents want to be involved, but they like knowing how.

I think this is important because we want the parents involved as much as possible in their child's education. Finding out the best way to reach a parent is very important. Some parents are very busy and sometimes all it takes is an email. Using technology to keep them involved is great I think. It will help both the parent and student stay active in their education. Click here to read the full list of Doug Johnson's seven stupid/brilliant things teachers do.

Personal Learning Network

Before I came into this class I knew nothing about blogging or Personal Learning Networks. I never realized that it can have a such a positive effect on the classroom. Unfortunately, my PLN has started off slow this semester. I didn't have as much time as I would have liked to learn more about it. Now that things are slowing down, hopefully, I can spend some more time on it. I definitely see the importance of integrating this technology into the classroom.

I have started following people on Twitter, such as Mr. Chamberlain, Joe McClung, Wendy Drexler, Dr. Strange, and some of my classmates. Before this semester, I was like Dr. Strange, I swore I would not use Twitter. However, it is starting to grow on me. I'm really glad that we were introduced to so much this semester and that Dr. Strange said that it's ok to mess up..that's how you learn. Well, I have learned alot and am excited about future learning to come.

Podcast

Project 11/ Panda Bear's Secret

For this project my group and I decided to make videos of us reading a child's book. I chose to do mine a little different. I found a book that I liked from my childhood. Instead of reading it on camera I took a different approach. I took pictures of the book and uploaded it to my computer. From there, I went to movie maker and put my voice over the selected pages. I thought it turned out pretty well. Dr. Strange made the comment that it was supposed to be children reading the book, however, I think I showed an alternative way to this type of project.

At the Teacher's Desk

At the Teacher's Desk is a collaborative blog where teachers from around the country are able to share ideas and experiences. I found reading their blogs to be very informative and some kind of funny.


The first blog I read was Scary Statistics. It was a very eye-opening blog. Jarrod Lamshed wrote about how we can make school a more successful place for male students. He used statistics from the Pell Institute that included staggering statistics. One example is for every 100 girls suspended from public elementary and secondary schools, 250 boys are suspended. For every 100 girls expelled, 335 boys are expelled. I know that sometimes there is a double standard for boys and girls, however, we really need to find a way to make things fair in our schools.

The second blog I read was about a teacher who was supposed to be doing a Skype in his class when the power went out. Panicked, he tried to call his wife so she could Skype the other teacher.No answer. So he tried his friend to see if he could log into his account to Skype the other teacher and tell her the power was out. No answer. So he used his phone to get to Twitter. He thought he had solved the problem. However, that didn't work out either...so he told this whole story to conclude that if he had just gotten a phone number all of this could have been avoided. Sometimes the most simple solution is right in front of us.

Believing, Inventing, and Implementing Technological Pedagogies

I think Anthony did a great job showing how technology changes so quickly. I agree with him that we need to guide and prepare our future students in this technological world. Great blog! Click here to read Anthony's blog.

Michael Wesch

I really enjoyed Mr. Wesch's speech. I thought it was funny, clever, and parts of it were very true. I liked how he used clips from the Simpsons to YouTube to make his point.

I liked the history of "whatever". I know that I have said "whatever" many times in the past, when I just didn't care about something. However,I never thought about it being negative until now. It was interesting to see how terms change over time. Hopefully, the term "whatever" will begin to mean "I will do whatever it takes to make a change." I see how that statement will have an impact on my future as a teacher. I will have to do whatever it takes sometimes to make sure the students are learning. If something doesn't work, I will have to change my methods. You do what it takes for them to succeed.

I think YouTube is great. It has so many possibilities. It can be fun, inspirational, educational etc. I think some of it could even be used in the classroom. Click here to watch the video.

The Importance of Posting Work To Blogs

There are so many reasons that it is important for students to post their work to blogs. In our class, we have seen first hand how blogging and technology can connect the world. We have seen it in the Comments4Kids to the Kaia videos. Blogging allows people to connect and share ideas. It can be a useful tool for students to have an outlet on their feelings and opinions.


The first example of why posting to a blog is a good thing is the video of the PS22 Chorus in New York City. They posted themselves doing a cover of "Landslide" a song originally done by Fleetwood Mac.Click here to watch the video. Stevie Nicks the lead singer in Fleetwood Mac was so impressed that they had the opportunity to sing with the band at Madison Square Gardens. Posting opened the door for these young students to have an amazing experience.


A second example of the importance of blogging is one that I have already mentioned. Comments4Kids has students from around the world posting stories and pictures to their blogs. In our class we had the opportunity to make comments on their blogs. I know if I had been able to do this when I was young, I would have been thrilled to see someone writing to me from across the world. It's really just amazing how things have changed in the classroom. It can only get better.


The third example is my favorite. We met a little girl named Kaia through blogging. Her father is teaching her about technology and she has touched so many lives in such a short amount of time. I think what makes her so special is the fact that she is only three.

ACCESS

ACCESS is a distance learning program for high school students. This program was started in 2004. ACCESS provides so many courses such as, Math, Science, Social Studies, Foreign languages, and Health. The ACCESS vision is that "The state of Alabama will provide equal access to high quality instruction to improve student achievement through distance learning." I think this program is amazing.

It has the opportunity to help students advance in so many ways. It gives the students access to other areas of learning and is no cost to them. The students are able to advance in ways such as becoming independent learners, literate individuals, and become effective at written communication. It may not be the right choice for all students but I think it's a great way for students to learn. It gives them a choice of education in another form rather than in the traditional setting of the classroom. Click Here to visit the ACCESS website.

ALEX

ALEX is the Alabama Learning Exchange. It's a website that provides teachers with very useful information and materials. On the home page, the areas are divided into parts such as Courses of Study, Web Links, Lesson Plans, Podcast Treasury and Search. Once you click on one of the sections, such as Lesson Plans, you are taken to a page that allows you to search for lesson plans accroding to the course and grade level. This site also provides you with every standard and course of study for Alabama students K-12.

I think the best part of the site was the Podcast Treasury. I have been to the ALEX website a number of times, however, I never clicked on the podcast section. I really enjoyed looking through the podcasts. I think this is a great tool for teachers to use. You are provided with so many ideas and new information that will be very helpful in the classroom. Click Here to view the ALEX website.

Dear Kaia

I really enjoyed Kaia's video. It made me smile because she had such a sweet little voice when she was explaining her pictures. For the video, Kaia and her father went outside and took pictures of different things. Objects that could be ugly, however, according to her father these things are made beautiful through art. They then made a video sharing her images on Twitter. Mr. Chamberline found the video and shared it with his class. They in turn did a videothread for Kaia because she is only three and cannot read yet.

I think the way things happened is really cool. I believe it's a great way to keep things interesting in a classroom. Especially being able to Skype to different people in the world. I think that that technology will be very useful because you could use it to help answer questions that your students will ask. I completely understand Kaia's father having concerns pertaining to putting his daughter out for the world to see. Either way, it's a great resource and I can see myself using it when I become a teacher. Click here to view Kaia's video. Here is the letter from Kaia's father.

New Media Literacies Project

I looked over the site and I found this video in the blogs that they post. The video had a ninth grade girl at the Games for Change Festival. She spoke to the audience of educators, academics,and game developers about how they can develop games to create social change. I really enjoyed this video. Click here to watch the video.

I liked how she pointed out that while everyone at this festival was talking about how kids learn etc. that she understands why it works because she is a kid. She gets why games help kids learn. She spoke about immersion and how that works differently for boys and girls. First, don't let the students know they are learning. It won't work. It takes away from the gaming experience. Boys like the characters they can create, while the girls like to create a story.

I just enjoyed how they actually got a kids perspective. Allowing the students to talk for themselves and express why they feel that this form of education is important makes this project more relevant to me.

New Media Literacies

The skills discussed in this video are important for people working and living in today's world. Some of these skills are required to do certain jobs and others you just acquire as you learn. I don't believe that these are new skills at all though.

Employers expect their employees to possess certain skills. You must then apply them in the workplace. Technology is changing, however, these skills discussed by NML have been around for years. I think that these skills are just applied in a different way/setting now because of the changing technology.

I think I possess many of the skills discussed. I am a multi-tasker, negotiater, and visualizer. I think these are good skills to have and am able to apply them at my job. I think as I learn more technology that I will be able to acquire many more of these skills. Click hereto watch the NML video.

Week 6 Comments4Kids

This week I have listened to two girls read poems. Their poems were about rivers and were very good. I was very impressed by their reading.

The Networked Student

I like the idea of networking in the classroom. It allows the student to become an independent learner. It would help the student think and help make the information become relevant instead of just memorizing so you can take a test. Would it actually work? Many questions come to mind as I think about this.

One thing I am positive about though is the fact that the teacher is always going to be an intricate part of the classroom. Whether or not the class is networking or using some other form of technology it is important for the teacher to be there. They help guide and motivate the students in the quest for knowledge. Learning wouldn't be taking place if the teacher wasn't part of the classroom.

Honestly, I'm not sure if networking would be good for some middle/high schools. I see many students being lazy and not wanting to do anything that would be "extra" work. However, I believe that if we started teaching students from elementary school to think outside the box that networking could be the way to go in the future.
Click here to see the Networked Student video.

Richard Miller

Dr. Miller started in Part 1 of his speech talking about the libraries and printing books. As he was talking I was thinking about all the research I have done in the past couple of years and I haven't walked into a library once. Everything is accessible from your home most of the time. "Our workspace is our laptop." Information is available almost instantly and changes constantly.

I liked that he said that knowledge is something that "belongs to us as a culture." I agree with that. Knowledge wasn't always accessible to everyone. However, with all the advances in technology we all have the ability to acquire knowledge as long as we are willing to learn.

I don't know if I am 100% ready for the full multimedia experience in the classroom. I'm definitely willing to learn new technology to help students excel. It's necessary to help my future students become comfortable and capable of excelling in this ever changing culture of technology. Click here to listen to Dr. Miller.

Week 5 Comments4Kids

Last week I went to Mr. C's Class Blog. I commented on 6 students blogs. They were all so creative and neat. My favorite blog was the one where the students were learning how tall they were by measuring how many hands high hey were. I did myself and I'm only 11 hands high! It was fun.

Week 4 Comments4Kids

In week 4 I viewed another class at Pt England School. They were a class of 4 and 5 year old. I commented on Sean's Gingerbread Man. He did a great job with his picture and his writing. Very cute.

Week 3 Comments4Kids

The 3rd week I visited Latu's blog. She wrote about going to the semi-finals with her rugby team. I enjoyed reading about her game and commented on her blog.

Week 2 Comments4Kids

The second week I commented on Pt England Scribes, Auckland NZ blog. I watched Kaycee read her story of Little Pink Riding Dress. I thought this idea of having the students read and record their stories for the world to see was a neat idea. When I was little I know I would have enjoyed getting comments from people from all around the world.

Week 1 Comments4Kids

The first week that I participated in Comments4Kids I went to Moturoa's blog which is a blog done by 4 and 5yr old students in Appleby, NZ. I commented on 3 students blogs. I was very impressed with the students ability to use technology at such a young age. I really enjoyed this assignment.

iPods in Instruction

In 2004 Duke University provided students with iPods. Students were able to listen to podcast, record classroom lectures and review. We have learned how some K-12 schools have also started using the iPod to enhance their curriculum in areas such as mathematics, science, reading, foreign language, and history. It is becoming a tool that is accessible to anyone.

Click here to read this study about the effects, both positive and negative, that the iPod has in the classroom. I knew many of the positive effects of the iPod already but was surprised about what some of the negatives were. The battery life was short, there was difficulty with file sharing, and the students did not have the basic technological skills to "work easily in this environment." I don't agree with this last point. I think that younger students are more technologically advanced today as opposed to students in previous years. It was also pointed out that students used the iPod for other purposes half the time. I think that this a great tool for the classroom though. I would be thrilled to be able to use this kind of technology in the class. It has far more positives than negatives in my opinion.

iTunes University

Students today are always searching for more information. There are so many devices and information out there that it makes it possible for anyone to access what they are looking for. With iPods and iPhones now available to students it is possible for them to learn anywhere.

For example, the iPod nano allows students to listen to much more than just music...it has a built in mic and video camera making it possible to learn and share. Being able to use iTunes University you are able to access so much more information such as lectures, labs, etc. Students will be able to listen to podcasts and vodcasts. It is a great tool to use when I become a teacher also. To visit this website click here

Dr. Alice Christie's Discovering Art in a Web 2.0 World

I read about how we can use technology to enhance our teaching and students' learning in many areas..even art. By using "kid-friendly" technology such as Google Earth and GPS receivers we can make exciting environments available to our students through the use of technology. This site provided me with many lesson plans to give me an idea of how to integrate art and technology.

One lesson plan that I looked at was Waterworks at Arizona Falls. By using a GPS receiver the students would be able to navigate the site. By looking at the pictures, you could ask questions, such as describe what you see and how does this picture combine art, history, and technology? I was very impressed with this. It's a great way to integrate art into the classroom. With so many activities disappearing from the class, such as music and art, it is great to see that there are still so many ways to make it available to students. To view this lesson plan Click Here

Did You Know 4.0

Wow! It's amazing how technology has and is changing our world...and that so many people have television in their bathrooms. That is so funny. I wonder if the mail has been affected in any way? I know I pay all my bills, shop, etc online. I also write to people on MySpace or Facebook so letters aren't being sent like they used to be. I also didn't realize that President Obama got campaign money through the Internet. All of the information was very interesting.

"What I've Learned This Year" by Mr. McClung

I really enjoyed reading Mr. McClung's article. He told how we as future teachers should first, stay positive! Don't focus so much on the lesson that you don't notice if the students are comprehending it. He also commented on how we should have high expectations for our students,however, we need to realize that some will meet our goals and some will not. When some don't succeed, we should encourage them to try again and never scold them.
He also stated how communication is very important with other teachers as well as with your students. Teachers should also be life long learners and not afraid of technology. Mr. McClung's reflections on his first year where very helpful to me as a future teacher.

Wikipedia

I have always been told in my classes to never use Wikipedia as a source. My teachers said it is unreliable. To be honest though I go there when I need a quick answer. I always agreed that it probably wasn't the best source for answers when I found out people can change it.
However, it never occurred to me who would be making the edits to Wikipedia. But it makes sense that companies like Wal-Mart and Diebold would be making changes in their best interest. With the ability that people have now to check who is editing the information these companies will just find another way to change it. In my opinion this just proves that the teachers are right. Wikipedia is not an accurate source for information.

Practice

Randy Pausch's Last Lecture

I really enjoyed Randy Pausch's Last Lecture. I have seen him a couple of times on t.v. doing interviews and was glad I had the opportunity to watch his lecture. He seemed to be such an intelligent and strong individual. I liked how he used his life experiences to reach out to his audience.

The main teaching technique that I picked up on was his idea of having fun. He stated how you can get students interested and learn the "hard stuff" if you give them a fun way to learn it. Basically, make it relevant. He used the example of middle school girls writing computer programs. He said they were able to learn it when he asked them to write stories. The head fake was that they were learning how to write computer programs.

Another technique was his use of technology in the class and small group projects. He divided his class of 50 students into groups and had them use technology to learn. Every project they had a different group, so they had the opportunity to work with and learn from different people. He had many really good ideas. His impact on the students and the university was great.

It's really sad that such an intelligent and creative person passed away. I really enjoyed seeing how he succeeded in making his dreams come true. My favorite quote was "experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted." This was a long video but completely worth the time.

North Carolina 2007- My Presentation

Karl Fisch: Is It Okay To Be A Technologically Illiterate Teacher?

This "award winning" blog was about how basically teachers should be tech literate. He said schools should be held accountable for teachers not being technologically literate on a computer. He compared teachers not being able to use technology today to teachers not being able to read/write thirty years ago.

I read his blog and I did not enjoy it at all. I do however agree that technology is needed in the classroom. Students like using and learning about new technology. It prepares them for the future and gives them confidence.

It's Not About the Technology

I agree with Mrs. Hines 100% that teachers need to be learners as well as being teachers. Like I said in my last blog I don't think technology can fix everything. You can have all the technology in the world available to you but if the teachers don't know anything about it, then it is useless. I also absolutely agree with her statement that you have to work smarter not harder. I say that all day at my job.

I also agree with Dr.Strange when he stated that you cannot be a 21st Century teacher without the technology. In other fields people are required to go to classes and learn new technology to help them achieve the most out of their jobs. It should be mandatory for teachers to learn new technologies in my opinion. Students are motivated today by things they can be a part of. Preparing them for the real world where technology will be used is necessary. They won't have a choice, either learn it or find another job. Technology allows students to be involved with their education. I fully support technology in the classrooms.

A Vision of Students Today

In my opinion, this film accurately depicted college experience. I can relate to many of the signs that the students were holding up. One thing for sure that I can relate to is paying over a $100 for a book that the teachers never use. In fact, that has happened to me this semester...he gives out worksheets instead of using the book, yet required us to buy it. I don't understand it. I don't know if technology is the answer to everything but I believe that it could help in the classroom.

Some of the changes in the film that I would make would be to not move the camera around so much. It was moving around so much I had a hard time reading some of the signs. He could also have taken the message a little further by trying to find out how technology would make a difference. Overall, I really enjoyed it though.

The Benefits of Integrating Podcasting in the Classroom

By watching the video on podcasting, I was able to learn so much more about the it. I didn't think it could be integrated so much into the classroom. It is definetely beneficial to students. Podcasting can be used to help sick students keep up with their school work. It also allows students to be a little more creative in how they learn different subjects.

By using podcast the students will be involved in their learning vs. how students learn in the traditional classroom setting. The one thing I wonder about is how can technology such as this be used if the student doesn't have access to a computer at home? Other than that I think the idea of podcasting and the benefits of it are great.

Summer Semester Podcasts

I listened to a couple of podcast from the past summer. I think the ones that I listened to did very well. They had interesting topics and I could keep up with what they were talking about. It is a good way for students to interact outside of the classroom.

One thing I would try to improve in my podcast would be to try to sound more natural. I thought they did a good job, however, I felt like they were reading a script at some points. I think it is extremely helpful though to be able to listen and make notes of what we can make better in our podcast.

Video in the Classroom Introduction

I liked the video with Mr. Needleman. I thought he did a great job using technology to get the students interested. It's a great alternative way for students to achieve success in reading and writing.

Podcast

Before this class I have never listened to a podcast so I was not sure what to expect. After listening to a few I think that it is a good tool for communicating and sharing ideas. They share a lot of information that teachers, parents, and students can definitely use. However, I was disappointed with many of the podcast that I listened to. I was a little bored.

I first listened to "Smart Board Lessons." In my opinion, it took Ben and Joan a little to long to start talking about their subject of the day. Listening to them reminded me of listening to a radio talk show. They did have information that is useful, however, by the time they started talking about it I was bored.

When I watched "KidCast" I was a little more interested. When I was listening to him I felt like he got to the point and didn't waste time on the small talk. So it seemed to me that he had more useful information. At this point I realized how useful podcast could be in the classroom.

I went on to listen to "MacBreak Weekly" and "This Week in Photography". I enjoyed "This Week in Photography." It caught my interest a little more than the rest. I don't know if I would ever use podcast in the classroom. However, it is something I will continue to listen to and find more information on. It seems that podcast will help keep you up to date on the latest information.

Vicki Davis: Harnessing Your Students' Digital Smarts

I love how Vicki Davis has brought technology to her students in Georgia. She is setting a good example of how to bring in technology to the students. It's a good way to make the classroom more interesting. I completely agree with her statement that by only allowing the students to use pen and paper that you are guaranteed to have only certain types of students learn.

Technology is and will remain to be the future and we need to integrate it into the classroom.
She is allowing her students to be creative also by doing collaborative projects with other students in and outside the U.S. She is helping them prepare for the future. I think she is doing an amazing job.

Sir Ken Robinson: The Importance of Creativity

I really enjoyed Sir Ken Robinson's speech on creativity. I believe he is right when he stated that creativity is just as important as literacy. Unfortunately, creativity is limited in today's classrooms. I loved his point of "If you aren't prepared to be wrong, nothing will be original." That is so true and it is sad that as we get older we are scared of being wrong. People don't want to look foolish in front of their peers.

We need to allow kids to have creative freedom. Kids need an outlet for their ideas and school could be the place for that creativity to come out. These students are our future and there needs to be a balance between standard learning practices and creativity.

Mr. Winkle Wakes

At first, I was not sure what to think of Mr. Winkle. In this video as Mr. Winkle slept, technology advanced in every area except the classroom. I think the message in this video is clear. As future teachers, we need to be able to keep up with the ever changing technology so we can provide a better education for our students. We need to be learners as well as teachers.

Doing the same thing year after year in the classroom is not cutting it. The U.S. is behind in education because the school practices never change. In order to not fall behind even more we should be more open to technology in the classroom.

Did You Know? 3.0

The Did You Know video was very interesting. It had so much information that I had to watch it two times to read everything again. One fact that I found extremely interesting was that China will soon become the number one English speaking country in the world. I have never heard that before and was surprised. The fact that by 2010 the top 10 jobs did not even exist in 2004 is unbelievable.

It's amazing how the world has changed so much throughout the years. Technology is advancing at such as fast pace. It's a little scary to think about what will be invented next. Things will continue to change as the population increases and I guess we just need to try and keep up.

About Me

My name is Brooke Russell and I am a junior at the University of South Alabama. My major is Elementary Education. I returned to USA last summer after taking a long break. I work at a vet hospital and volunteer for the adoption center "The Guardian". I have six animals, four which are special needs dogs. I love to read, go to concerts, go boating, and I'm trying to learn how to cook.

Hello

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