Blog Post #8

This Is How We Dream Parts 1 and 2:

In Richard Miller's video, This Is How We Dream, Mr. Miller talks about writing with multimedia and how it can be used and beneficial to teachers in today's classrooms. He talks about how is loves to read and write and how when he would start writing, he would have three windows up on his computer. One window would be his research, another would be his actual essay and the last would be a document file so he can jot down ideas he had as he was writing his essay. He also talk about books and how they get thrown away after being used. E-books last forever and don't trash the planet! It's also nice that different things can be added to e-books to make them more interesting, like pictures, sounds and animations. He talks about how this is the greatest era for communication and how technology enhances it all. If we do not train our selves to be effective and efficient communicators, we will not succeed to our greatest potential.

In the second video, he talks about how quickly things can change in the digital world. With a click of a mouse, pages can be refreshed and have new information on them and update websites. He also talks about how he can create a document or article and share it with colleges or online students. It's really fascinating how using technology makes these type subjects easier instead of just using them for social media, video chatting or messaging each other.

I really enjoyed this video and learned a lot from it. I really like how technology makes communication more effective and efficient. I hope to take the methods he demonstrated in his videos and use them in my future classroom.


Carly Pugh's Blog Post #12

Wow! Carly's post is a great example as to what Dr. Strange is trying to embed in our minds during this semester. Carly was beyond helpful by giving tons of information and advice on how to effective and efficiently use technology, including YouTube. It's a great way to help inspire teachers for unique and fun activities to do in the classroom or make typical lessons more interesting and engaging for the students. I will definitely keep her video in mind when I have my own classroom one day.

The Chipper Series and EDM310 for Dummies


I really liked both videos. They were funny, but they both had a great meaning behind the humor.

 The Chipper Series is about a girl who is a procrastinator and has no problem being a procrastinator. She even went as far as to change the definition of procrastination on Wikipedia to excuse her tardiness. Dr. Strange let her know straight up that just because you change the definition of a word on a website doesn't mean your procrastination will be accepted. I felt like I can relate to this video because all through high school and most of my college career, I have been a procrastinator. Thankfully, EDM310 has really helped with my time management skills and avoiding my procrastination habit. I really didn't appreciate her statement, "just teach me so I don't have to learn". I felt like it was a tad bit disrespectful and it disregarded the work and preparation Dr. Strange had put into his lessons.

EDM310 for Dummies is a great, creative video that all future EDM310 students should watch before taking the class. I was a nervous wreck before taking this class because I had heard horror stories from previous EDM310er's who said awful things about the class. Yes, the work load can be more than the normal class, but I have learned more in the class than I have any other class in my five years at USA. I thought I was a tech whiz on the first day of class, and I soon found I was terribly mistaken. Through EDM310, I have learned numerous ways to incorporate technology into my classroom and lesson plans, how to use bookmarking sites for resources, and how to communicate effectively with other teachers and students. Even though it is very time consuming and stressful at times, EDM310 is probably my favorite class because of all the valuable information I have learned so far.

Learning to Change, Change to Learn

This video was amazing and shocking at the same time. Technology is no longer an option for our students if we want them to truly excel in school and in there lives outside of school. Technology is always changing and advancing and as a future educator, I need to be able to adapt with the technology that is presented before me so I can teach my students how to use and adapt to it as well. The students also need to learn how to make connections through technology with other students and educators around the world. I really wish technology was emphasized more when I was in high school. I can only imagine how much more interesting learning would and could have been!