Blog Assignment 2

Did You Know? 3.0- A John Strange 2012 Version

Firstly, I was unaware that the 25% of the highest IQs in India is greater than the entire USA population. I like to think that America is the smartest nation, but that is not an accurate assumption. Considering that there are thousands of recognized intelligent people in America, they do not even come close to those of other countries. The majority of doctors, surgeons, and engineers are from other countries. It is proven that English is the hardest language to learn and according to the video, China’s population is on its way to mastering it. It is beneficial to be able to speak English because it is the “international language.”

The video mentioned the use of computers and how common they are in households today. It’s nearly impossible to function in today’s society without a computer or a form of connecting to the Internet. Computers are more affordable than they’ve ever been. I wasn’t aware there was so many YouTube videos uploaded a day. I guess everyone is so fixed on becoming e-famous they’ll upload anything. I text pretty frequently, so I believe the statistics dealing with text messages sent. Technology has come a long way since I’ve been in school. I can only imagine where it will go by the time I am teaching in my own classroom. It gives teachers more options on how to teach and find a method that fits the learning style of all students.


Mr. Winkle Wakes

Mr. Winkle must have been freaked out when he woke up from his slumber. As I mentioned earlier, technology has changed drastically over the years. Society has come a long way, too. I mean, we’re able to keep people alive with machines, we can print documents without being in the same room as the printer, and we have vehicles that can park themselves.

Some things will remain the same, with a few minor tweaks. School is school. You go to learn and interact with your peers. School teaches you things that you can’t, necessarily, learn at home. Sure, there can be different methods of teaching, but the overall concept of “school” will always be the same.


Sir Ken Robinson: The Importance of Creativity

Ken Robinson had some very good points. We, as future educators, are supposed to teach our students on things that will happen ten years from now. The truth of the matter is, we have no idea what the world will be like in ten years. I mean, every year Apple come out with a new and improved phone. I, personally, have no idea how they could get better, but every year they surprise me. Where will education be in ten years? Will they even need teachers or will there be one teacher on video teaching an entire school? Young children are so unpredictable. His story about his son in the nativity play made me giggle. Actually, several of his punch lines made me laugh. But his point was if children don’t know the answer or don’t remember their line, they would say whatever comes to their mad and just go for it.

My boyfriend has a Masters in Civil Engineering and when he graduated, he couldn’t find a job. Robinson mentioned degrees not being worth anything. In Robert’s case, he eventually found a job, but it was absurd to think that someone so qualified and had more than the required experience couldn’t land a job, especially in such a broad field. Robinson said back in the day that if you had a degree, you had a job. I wish that were still the case. Nowadays you have to go the extra mile to be considered or to outdo your competitor. Also, I think children are over-diagnosed with ADHD. Most of the time they’re just bored or uninterested, like Robinson’s friend. The girl just wanted/needed to dance!


A Vision for 21st Century Learning

Children these days know how to operate a computer better than I do. But they allow the children to start learning at an early age. The iPad has so many different intellectual games that help kids learn and keep them entertained. I’m amazed when I see my younger cousins going to certain folders on their iPad and loading a game. They will sit there for hours just playing away. Like they stated in the video, they don’t even know they are learning.

Society today is so dependent on technology; we have to find away to incorporate in every aspect of our lives. It is hard to hold the attention of a 5 year-old if you’re just preaching at them. Give them a computer, and they can learn and be fascinated all day. I’m not saying we should do away with the old school teaching methods, but I do believe we need to integrate the technological side, as well.


Vicki Davis: Harness Your Students’ Digital Smarts

I agree with Vicki Davis when she says if you only focus on pen and paper, only certain children will learn. She introduces different digital forms of teaching. I like that she has the students teach and that she will use a term and they will immediately have access to look it up. It allows them to reach down into their creativity and let it shine. A blog is a simple way for a student to let their creative juices flow.

These kids take pride in their hard work. They can interact with students all around the world and learn about their culture. She is making learning more fun, and that’s what every students wants. This also prepares them for the future. For instance, if on e of the students wants to pursue a career in education and they have to take EDM 310; it’s going to be somewhat easier for them because they have already been introduced to the curriculum.