Project 10a

My Personal Learning Network

In order to help lay out how I have progressed this semester in my personal learning network, I used Symbaloo. Over the past two months, I have learned to stay connected with my classmates through blogger. I have mapped out my journey into four sections. The first corner is my Education section. It includes The University of South Alabama website, Blogger, MySpanish Lab, etc. All of this links I use today for my classes.

The second corner has websites that I use for social purposes and/or learning situations. For example, I use Twitter for both social purposes with my friends as well as educational purposes.

The bottom corner includes websites that I have for personal use. For example, I use MyFitness Pal to keep track of my daily activity and calorie intake. It helps me to stay active and fit.

The last corner contains websites that I use for online shopping. As you can tell there are not many listed because I am a broke college student. However, I know this will continue to grow as I begin to teach.

Blog Post 9

What I've Learned (2008-2009)

After Joe McClung taught for his first school year, he was inspired to write a blog post about the school year. In his post he mentions what he learned throughout the year and how he conquered his mistakes. He has continued to write about every academic school year after his first post.

His first blog post really stuck out to me because he explained many challenges that new teachers face and how to overcome these situations. As a future educator, I believe it is important for every Education major to know what they will experience once they have a class of their own.

At the beginning of Mr. McClung's post, he has a picture stating that the most important decision to make when you begin teaching is to stay positive! Life may not always be easy, but it is manageable. How you react to the challenges that life brings determines the outcome of your growth. This same concept can be seen in your "life" as a teacher. Every teacher needs to be optimistic about their journey through the classroom.

Mr. McClung points out that many teachers do not have lesson plans that are student focused. In his opinion, many teachers get so caught up focusing on the delivery of their lesson that they forget about student comprehension. A teacher could give what they consider to be a "perfect" lesson and feel accomplished, but what does that lesson truly mean if the students do not understand it? It means nothing because no lesson is ever perfect. I loved the statement that Mr. McClung made about lesson plans. He said, "In order to be effective you have to be able to let your audience drive your instruction."

This statement caught my attention because no matter how much a teacher plans out a lesson, the students determine the outcome. In my opinion, as long as the teacher teaches the criteria that is required it does not matter what they have to do to help their students to comprehend. You may plan to play a game or go more in depth on a certain concept. But who is to say that every student will be enthralled with that specific concept? Or why would a teacher prevent his/her students from asking a question that goes more in depth on a concept other than the topic they had planned? It is our job as teachers to keep our students hooked on learning.

Throughout Mr. McClung's first year of teaching, he found seven key points to be very influential to his year. The first point he made was to "Read the Crowd." This idea goes back to the belief that no lesson is perfect. You have to be able to "read" your students to see if they are comprehending the lessons you create. He also says to "Be Flexible." By this, he means that teachers have to be prepared to make a spontaneous decision when necessary. If something goes wrong, teachers need to be able to work through the problem and make it better. This should be done with a positive attitude.

Another key step to a good school year is to "Communicate." Communication is the key to resolving problems. It keeps relationships strong and durable. However, this is one of the hardest skills to develop. But without communication, how would teachers be able to truly understand their peers and students?

According to Mr. McClung, teachers must also "Be Reasonable." As teachers, we are always going to have high standards and goals for our students. It is important not to get disappointed when our students fail. Our disappointment only makes the student feel like a failure. Instead, be uplifting and encourage the student to try again.

Another key point Mr. McClung mentions is "Don't Be Afraid of Technology." If there any of my classmates out there who are in EDM 310 and still haven't eased to the idea of using technology, I advise you to change your major now. No, I do not believe that every single lesson must be taught using technology, but I do believe that it is important that we incorporate the use of technology into the classroom because it is now a necessity for survival in our society. The high demand for technology that exist today makes it important for teachers to make sure their students now how to use it for beneficial purposes.

No classroom is adequate without a teacher who is willing to "Listen to Their Students." How do you expect to relate to your students if you do not listen to their needs and concerns? In my future classroom, I hope to not only establish trust between my students and I, but to also truly try to relate to their lives. Every student is different and unique. It is my job to help them find their strengths and encourage them to continue working to correct their weaknesses.

At the end of his post, Mr. McClung encourages other teachers to "Never Stop Learning." It is never too late to change the way you learn or correct the way you think. As teachers, we beg our students to keep learning and to never give up. Now, my question to you is, why should teachers stop learning? If we want to stay up to date with society and technology, we, as teachers, must continue to learn for ourselves.

What I've Learned This Year- Volume 4

In June, Mr. McClung posted about his fourth year of teaching. In his post he addressed two main themes to his school year. They are "You Have to Dance With Who You Brought to the Dance" and "Challenge Yourself".

The first thing I did when I saw "You Have to Dance With Who You Brought to the Dance" was re-read the theme and ask myself "What in the world does this mean?" After reading though, I discovered that Mr. McClung was using this theme as an illusion to make his point that teachers must remember they work for the students, not their peers. Over his previous school year, Mr. McClung confessed to having worried way too much about what his peers thought of his teaching style, rather than worry about what his students thought.

I can relate this concept to my own life right now and to my future. If I sat here and worried about what my peers thought about me, I would get no where. Not everyone will like you or agree with your beliefs. However, it is important to stay true to who you are for this is the true statement of integrity. Mr. McClung said that the one rule he always follows is, "Are the kids having fun?" After his past year, he left behind his fears and focused on being true to who he is.

The second theme that Mr. McClung told bloggers was to "Challenge Yourself." He believes that it is important to change your lesson plans up and stay creative. I agree with him that teachers cannot get too comfortable because it is real easy to get lazy. He encourages teachers to try something new. For example, he realized that he was beginning to get lazy because he was so comfortable with his class, so he decided to teach something new this year.

Overall, I am glad that Dr. Strange assigned the reading of Mr. McClung's post because they each include great advice. I cannot wait to begin my career as a teacher, and hearing others talk about their experiences only encourages me more.

My Book Trailer

C4T #2 Summary

C4T Assignment 2

Over the past few weeks, I have been reading blog post by Aviva Dunsinger. She does not have a Twitter account at this time. According to Aviva, her blog is a "Primary blog for the 21st century."

The first post I commented on was called "The BIG 'Little' Things." In this blog post, Aviva talked about the end of the school year with her class. She moved up to sixth grade this year and into a new classroom. Throughout her blog entry, it was evident that she was going to really miss her class from that school year. Her entry focused on the "little" things her students had done throughout the school year that had a big impact on her life and career as a teacher.

Here is the comment I left for Aviva:

Hi! My name is Amy Archer. I am a student at The University of South Alabama, and I am currently taking Dr. Strange’s EDM 310 class. In our class we are learning to comment on the blogs of teachers, children, and our classmates. I was very excited when I saw your blog post on the “little (big) things.”
I have always believed that it is the small things in life that matter the most, so this post really caught my attention.

However, I am not a teacher yet, but I am working through my classes daily in order to obtain a degree in Elementary Education. I have never had a class of my own, but I have tutored numerous amounts of students in the past.
I can recall many students that I tutored who inspired me to keep pushing toward my goal of becoming a teacher. The one student that inspired me the most was a sixth grade student named Laquisha. She stayed after school for tutoring on Wednesday afternoons. She is so precious, and no matter how many times it took her to solve a math problem she kept trying. Her determination showed her true character. She inspired me to always believe in the students I teach.


I love that your students are working together, excited about learning, and learning from each other in your classroom. I know that it had to be tough switching grades and classrooms this school year. How did your switch go? Are you enjoying your new classroom?


Amy Archer

Aviva has not added a new blog entry since I made my first comment, so my second comment was on an older blog post. In this blog entry, Mrs. Aviva talked about a math lesson she created for her students. She had her students determine how many times she would need to cut her cake in order to serve one slice to a certain number of people. She challenged her students to come up with two different answers.

She uploaded videos of her students discussion about how they got their answer. Each student explained their answer in a picture, words, or numbers. It was neat to see how every child answered differently because they thought out the problem differently.

This is the second comment I left Mrs. Aviva:

Hi! My name is Amy Archer. I am a student at The University of South Alabama. I am a Junior and I am trying to obtain a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. I LOVED your blog post! You are very creative, and you are doing a fabulous job at getting your children hooked on discovering the solution themselves.

I love that you challenge your students to find the right answer and explain it using picture, word, and numbers. This gets them to think outside the box, and they truly discover what they believe to be the correct answer.

I hope to be as good of a teacher as you some day!

Amy Archer

Project 9b

Untitled Prezi on Prezi

Blog Post 8

This Is How We Dream

In 2008, Richard E. Miller from Rutgers University created a video called This Is How We Dream. His video discussed the impact that multimedia has on today's society. In his opinion, we are no longer a reading/writing culture, but, instead, we are now a listening/watching culture. The issue that rises today is whether our students are producing their own multimedia or just consuming the products of others. He challenges teachers to teach their students how to produce their own multimedia and establish their own personal learning network.

In Part 1 of his video, Miller discusses the incremental changes that multimedia has placed on our country. We no longer have to work with a pen or pencil at a desk in the library. The use of laptops, personal computers, and the Internet, have redefined the requirements for a "work space". Students no longer have to go to the library to write a research paper or to discover the history behind a famous author, president, or scientist. Most libraries now have an online virtual library which allows you to search topics and books with the click of a mouse. Also, if the online virtual library does not meet a student needs, there are many educational websites that do. Many universities, such as Harvard and Stanford, are now posting their research to the internet in the form of a word document that can be downloaded for free.

As a future educator, I believe the world we live in today is one of the best generations to learn. I want to make sure my students know how to use the Internet to its fullest potential. In order to do this I will make sure that they know how to search the online library for the school or city in which I teach in. I will also help them to identify and differentiate between reliable and non-reliable sources.

Part 2 of "This Is How We Dream", showed me some of the fundamental changes that multimedia has brought to this generation. Richard Miller believes that it is the duty of educators to be in the business of sharing their ideas and resources freely. If all educators came together and developed their own ideas from another teacher's idea, imagine how talented and creative our education system would be. It is important that we, as future educators, help and encourage each other.

There are many resources that teachers can use to help teach the basic fundamentals in the classroom. One example is iTunes U. Teachers can use iTunes U to download and share academic lectures with their class. They can also use it to find educational videos or speeches to broaden their lessons. The use of multimedia allows ideas and topics to be pushed to the top of our culture. If we were still writing and publishing every single document that was written, it would take at least two years for these documents to reach the people. Multimedia sources also allow us to be environmentally friendly which I believe is highly important because we already create so much pollution each year from cars, airplanes, factories, etc.

Carly Pugh's Blog Post 12

Carly Pugh is an amazing writer and such an inspiration to Dr. Strange's EDM310 class. Her Blog Post #12 opened my eyes to a new resource that I did not know even existed. For her personal post, she taught viewers how to create their own personal YouTube playlist. By creating a YouTube playlist, teachers can organize different videos that they would like to use in their classroom by categories.

This really caught my attention because I did not realize that this was even possible. I obviously have not been using YouTube to it's fullest potential. I was thrilled to know that I could create a YouTube playlist because I am constantly watching YouTube videos for my education classes and, literally, copying and pasting the URL links to each video into a word document so that I will not forget the video that I watched.

Carly challenges teachers to create playlists that are motivational, educational, or just plain fun! Her personal playlists are outstanding. She is going to make an amazing teacher and her categories of playlists will surely continue to grow. Today, I established my own series of playlist. I created one for videos based on mathematics because in my math classes, I learned how fun and resourceful these type of videos can be. I also created a playlist specifically for videos of historical speeches or lectures that were taught by other teachers. Another playlist I created was an inspiration playlist that I will use to store videos that are encouraging to me and help to further my understanding of my purpose as an educator. I believe these type of videos are important to have for whenever I need a "pick-me-up" on a bad day.

At the end of her blog post, Carly leaves viewers with an influential video. This video asks bloggers to think about six different questions. It encouraged me to live my day to its fullest potential and to re-evaluate where I am on my educational journey. The question that stood out to me the most was, "Do you approach life with the magic, the vulnerability, and the curiosity of a child?" I believe that since I have been in college, I have been so focused on achieving my degree that I often forget to take a second and live in the moment. To be a teacher, I do not just have to know what to teach to my students, but I must be sure to be an enthusiastic learner so I always know how to teach my students. Our community, culture, and country is constantly changing and will be never ending in change. It is necessary for me to stay up-to-date and be accepting to the changes I will have to face.

EDM 310 Is Different

At the beginning of the semester, I watched the two videos The Chipper Series and EDM310 For Dummies in order to learn the purpose of EDM 310. This class is not like any other class that I have taken at The University of South Alabama, and it should not, by any means, be taken as a joke. In our EDM 310 class we discover what it means to be a teacher in the 21st century and how to become technologically literate.

The Chipper Series is a cute video that was created by Jamie Lynn Miller to show students the importance of being on time with your work. In the beginning Chipper tried to make excuses for her late work. She wanted to redefine procrastination and make it "okay" to turn in her work late. However, procrastination means that the student turned in his/her work at the last minute, but it was not late.

Throughout the series of events, Chipper continues to live a life without deadlines. She wants to be "taught" so that she doesn't have to learn. This is the wrong way to look at education. Teachers could give their students the answers test, but this would not be "teaching" students. Giving students answers is only allowing students to "memorize". If the teacher challenges and guides their students by assigning projects or lessons that are due at a certain point, the teacher would be truly teaching. It is the job of a teacher to help students to learn from their mistakes and become the most responsible and mature student that he or she can be.

Of course, Chipper learns the hard way that she cannot go anywhere in life without preparing and adapting to deadlines. She is fired from all of her jobs because she refused to follow instructions. While working as a garbage collector, she finally has a change of heart and decides to go back to school. She decides not to procrastinate and go to class. Overall, this video demonstrates the importance of being a responsible student.

EDM310 For Dummies was established to help students realize that the assignments for EDM310 can be completed with patience, time, and help. This is another video created by Jamie Lynn Miller. In this creative video she implemented that is necessary to get help if you are struggling in EDM 310. She listed sources that have tutorials and instructions on how to complete projects in this class. Some of the available sources are Blogger, Skype, Delicious, Twitter, and YouTube.

Learn to Change, Change to Learn

Christie Odom suggested that our EDM310 class watch Learn to Change, Change to Learn. This video attacks the education system that exist today. However, I agree with their attack because they are reasoning that the education system is not allowing students to reach their fullest potential in the classroo. Many schools have banned cell phones and the use of texting. They block social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook.

As a future educator, I have accepted the fact that technology is not a choice, but it is now a part of learning. The social networks that exist today allow students to establish relationships, community with others, and connectivity with various other students. This video amplifies the situation that many students collect more data outside the classroom because it is restricted at school. In today's society, school is only one way that students can learn.

After spending two months in this class, I already know that I not only want to teach my students, but I want to prepare them for life. In order to do that, I realize it will be necessary to help them become technological literate. I plan to incorporate technology in every way possible in order to allow my students to be creative, use their different abilities, and become a resourceful learner.

Scavenger Hunt 2.0

Web 2.0 is interactive, accessible, and collaberative. It is important because it leads to higher levels of engagement, differentiation, critical thinking, new capabilities, alternative learning environments, extending learning, and life long learning. On the website there are many different tools that teachers/students can use. The tools are divided into groups. The groups are presentation, video, mobile, video editing, and community tools. The only negative side to this website is that links come on go. However, each time a resource is lost it is replaced with a newer link to replace it.

Upon my exploration of Web 2.0, I found a website that can be used to create videos. Animito has many different features such as Cinematic A.I., Spotlight, Included Text, Images, and Music. The Cinematic A.I. allows you to focus on the content of the video because it analyzes music, photos, and video clips automatically for you. By using Animito, you can use included text which allows you to mix relevant messages, quotes and statistics into your video.

The image tool allows you to select photos from Facebook and Instagram. This can sometimes be much faster than choosing a photo saved to your computer. It also allows you to choose pictures you may not have taken from another person's Facebook and Instagram. The music tool allows you to upload music from your iTunes. All of these resources make this website unique and creative. I was also interested to know that Animito has an application for the iPhone which allows to upload videos from your phone.

Another website I found on Web 2.0 was Make Belief Comics. This website allowed me to create my own comic strip. Here is the comic strip that I created:

On Web 2.0, I also found a website that allowed me to create my own personal poll. Here is the poll that I created:


Please, feel free to respond to my poll. I would love to see your response! The more responses I receive, the more acquainted I will become with this website. If you have not visited the Web 2.0 website, I encourage you to do so. There are numerous resources that anyone can use.

Blog Post 7

The Networked Student

Wendy Drexler made a video with one of her students named Alec Couros called The Networked Student. Her video was inspired by the connectivism course called "CCK08". This course was offered in the fall of 2008 by George Siemens and Stephen Downs. Connectivism is a theory that proves that learning is a part of a network of many diverse connections and ties. The video helps viewers to understand the technology that exist today.

While watching the video, Alec walked me through his process of networking. He first started his journey to connectivism by putting on his thinking cap and becoming an adventurous student. He explored Google Scholar, created his own book marking site, and searched for opinionated blogs. After exploring, he proceeded to create his own blog to experience networking for himself. He also used other resources to learn. For example, he used iTunes to listen to podcast of lectures.

The world is infinitely spinning and technology is growing with each new day. Information management is one of the major challenges to the 21st century. New tools are being made every day which gives students more and more opportunities to get connected. Some people believe that teachers will eventually no longer be needed because of the vast improvement of resources. To those of you who believe this statement, what will students do when they cant figure out how put in a source for a picture or how to add a link to their blog post? How will students stay focused and manage the information they learn? How will the students know how to differentiate between good and bad websites?

Without a teacher there to guide students, the networked student would not have any guidance. The teacher teaches the students how to build their own network and take advantage of different learning opportunities. When a student gets stuck or comes across an inappropriate website, the teacher is there to help he/she get back on the right track. Teachers are also the role model for students and they show their students how to communicate properly and respectfully.

I believe that teachers play a major role in the networked students' lives. I loved the ending when Alec states, "In her heart she hopes that when he leaves her class he will continue to work and use his network to navigate his future and solve world problems." As a future teacher, I know that technology will have a big impact on my classroom and students. I want to use networking in my classroom because it is my goal to see every student become a hardworking professional when they grow up.

The society we live in today is web based in every aspect of life. It is important to me for my students to be prepared for the future, to know how being connected through a network can benefit their academic career, and how networking can lead them to the unimaginable.

Welcome to My PLE

One of Wendy Drexler's seventh grade students made a video about her personal learning environment. The student was in Wendy's Science class which is paperless and all networked. In the video, the student explained her daily process of networking.

At the beginning of the day, she visits her agenda to see what the class would learn that day in Science. She then proceeds to check her "Pocket Tank". This is a Google document that teaches the students how to write a scientific report. Depending on what the lesson is about, she finds websites on that specific topic and post them to her personal book marking account. She then proceeds to use a special note taking resource that keeps her notes organized. After she completes assignments she post them to her blog for peer review.

Although I was very impressed with her daily routine, I was most impressed with her personal project. For her personal project she created a digital poster about her research. She was able to do this by using Blockster. On her poster she had videos, pictures, links to websites and resources, bibliographies, and much more. It was very eye catching and more elaborate than your basic poster project. Also, by using this resource instead of a piece of poster board she was able to be more creative and think outside the box.

Learning this way gives students more freedom to be creative and open minded. I cannot wait to establish networked students in my future classroom! However, I understand that I will have to establish boundaries because I do not want my students to get distracted with Facebook and other social networks. Allowing them to have more freedom will force my students to become responsible learners.

After watching this student's video, I have been inspired to broaden my personal learning environment because she used so many tools that I did not even think about using. I was very impressed with her work and the fact that she is only in the sevent grade. I want to help my future students to believe they can accomplish anything they set their mind to. By becoming networked students, my future students WILL be able to achieve their goals in life.

C4K Summary for September

C4K #1

The first blog that I was assigned to comment on was the blog of a student named Juanchi. He goes to Chesnut Tree Elementary School, and he is in Ms. Greta Sandler's class. Their school is located in Buenos Aires. On their class page, it states that the class is "5th Chesnut", so I believe that Juanchi is in the 5th grade.

Before I commented on his blog, I looked at their class blog and the teacher's blog. While reading Ms. Sandler's blog, I found that she and I have a lot in common. She is an ESL teacher who teaches English as a second language. I found this interesting because I am currently learning Spanish as a minor.

The lastest blog entry that Juanchi had shared was a YouTube video from a major soccer game. He posted this video because he believed it to be the greatest attempt to score a goal in the history of soccer. He called it "the best missed goal."For those of you who do not know, the Latin American countries are really into soccer. Soccer in Latin America is like football in America.

Here is the comment I wrote for Juanchi:

Juanchi,

Hi, my name is Amy Archer. I am a student at The University of South Alabama in Mobile, AL. I am studying Elementary Education in order to be a teacher. I am also studying Spanish. I see that your class is from Buenos Aires, so I know that you really enjoy watching football. Football is called "soccer" in America. Football is used to describe "el fútbol de americano" in America. I really enjoyed your video. I am glad you decided to share it. Are you on a football team? Do you play football for fun with your friends? If you had been in the football game in the video, do you think you would have made the goal?

Amy Archer

C4K #2

My second assignment was to post on the fifth post down of Mr. Capps' Classroom Blog. Mr. Capps is a former student of The University of South Alabama. He is currently teaching 3rd grade at Gulf Shores Elementary School in Room 302. His blog is very welcoming and literate. If you have not checked out his blog yet, I highly encourage you to.

The post that I commented on was about a game that his students had played to learn how to count by 10's. The game was very creative because it also included counting money. The children had two dices labeled up to 6. Each time they rolled the two die, the number that they rolled was the number of pennies they received. Now, the object of the game was to have the fewest amount of coins. Every time a student got 10 pennies, they would trade it in for a dime. When the student had 10 dimes, they traded their dimes in for a dollar bill. Each student continued to play until they had received two dollars.

Here is the comment I left on Mr. Capps' Post:

Mr. Capps,

Hi, my name is Amy Archer. I am a student in Dr. Strange's EDM 310 class. I loved the money game that you shared in your blog! It is a very creative way to teach students how to count by tens and add multiples of ten. I was also impressed that you incorporated the use of pennies, dimes, and dollars because this allowed the students to see the true value of money. I believe it is important for children to learn at a young age that money is not bad or stressful. After all, the use of money and saving is how we survive in this world.

Another idea that stood out to me was that you had students in the classroom helping other students who did not understand a concept completely. Peer tutoring is a great idea for any classroom because the children who give help are reinforcing in their brain what they already know, and the children who are receiving help are encouraged by their classmate.

I love how you included pictures because they are a wonderful insight to your classroom. You are doing great things with your students! Keep up the hard work Mr. Capps!

Amy Archer

MAK Morning Talk

This video is the Podcast of Group MAK. I hope you enjoy our video!

Project 9a: My Timeline

I created this timeline based off of the Alabama Course of Study. In fourth grade, the state of Alabama requires students to understand and interpret the Gettysburg Address. If I ever teach fourth grade, I could use this timeline to introduce my students to Abraham Lincoln and his impact on our nation before I go into detail about his Gettsyburg Address. This is just a practice timeline, but I wanted to try to incorporate a topic from the Alabama Course of Study because I will have to follow it in the future. I hope that you like my timeline. If you think I could add any dates, or other topics to better my timeline, please comment below.

Blog Post 6

Randy Paush's Last Lecture

Randy Pausch died on July 25, 2008, of pancreatic cancer. Before his death he made his last lecture. His last lecture was very inspiring to me, and I learned that no matter what happens to me in life I cannot change what comes my way. However, I can change how I react to the situations that I am dealt in life. If any of you bloggers have not watched his last lecture yet, I highly encourage you to take the time to watch it.

In his last lecture he talked about his childhood dreams, how to enable the dreams of others, and the lessons he had learned. As a child, Randy did a lot of dreaming. A few of his childhood dreams were to be in zero gravity, play in the NFL, and to become an imagineer. Although Randy never made it to the NFL, I loved how he interpreted his football career. He believed that football helped get him through life because of the fundamentals he learned and the hard work his coach instilled in him.

Randy said, "Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted." This quote not only gives me a better outlook on my life, but it also instills in me an approach to teaching and parenting that I want to use one day. Learning from your experiences is what Randy called "head fake" learning. "Head fake" learning occurs when children learn indirectly. For example, in football, students are "head fake" learning how to be group adaptable and the importance of teamwork and dependability.

In my future classroom, I believe that is important that I incorporate "head fake" learning. Sports and extra curricular activities are a great way for students to "head fake" learn, but group projects can help them to learn how to be a part of a team as well. I want my students to learn how to adapt to any kind of group. Whether they are the leader, recorder, discusser, creative mind, or even the participator, each student can contribute their part to the group. This is important to me because we all have to learn to adapt to different groups in the real world.

Another great quote that Randy mentioned when he talked about his childhood dreams was, "Brick walls are there for a reason: They let us prove how badly we want something." This was evident when Randy achieved his childhood dream of becoming an imagineer. In order to be a part of the Aladdin Project, Randy was a cap cleaner. Although this job was not the job he had dreamed of, it still gave him a chance to be a part of the Aladdin Project. He did not have to have a high job in this project to be influenced. Just by working with the crew, he saw how the Aladdin Project brought together artists and engineers.

After learning about the Aladdin Project and seeing how the artists and engineers had to work together, only made it more clear to me that I really need to influence "head fake" learning in my classroom. Both of these professions are very different. They think with different sides of the brain, and therefore, they do not think a like. It is what the two professions can create together that makes them adapt to each other. This is another reason why I will make sure to incorporate a lot of group activities or projects into my lesson plans. It is important to allow students to think off of each other and build new ideas with different personalities because you never know who they will have to work with one day.

Another topic that Randy Pausch touched on was on to enable the childhood dreams of others. He told viewers about the ways that he had learned to help others through his on teaching. One of the most important aspects that stood out to me that he said was, "You have to the set the bar high for your students and do not settle for less." The reason he said this was because he had assigned his students a project and was not really impressed with their work. Although he was not impressed with their work, he did not think their work was bad either. In conclusion, he ended up telling his class, "Your projects were pretty good, but I know you can do better."

This idea really stood out to me, and I plan to use it my classroom one day. If you really think about it, teachers determine the outcome of their students abilities to a certain level. I know that some students will decide for themselves if they do not listen or put forth effort, but what about the students who do what teachers ask of them? How will these students know they are not doing the best they can unless we challenge them? I really saw a different outlook on how I should teach just by knowing that I will be the one setting the bar of achievement.

The last topic Randy talked about was the lessons he had learned in life. He said that he had learned from his parents, mentors, and students. I agree with every part of this because your parents are the ones who guide you through the first eighteen years of your life. Mentors are also there helping you through childhood and then again when you are no longer living with your parents. Later in life when you become a teacher you learn from your students. I am a strong believer that teachers can learn just as much from the students as the students learn from them.

Some the advice Randy left listeners with was to respect authority while questioning it, loyalty is a two way street, never give up, and to help others. He also said that there are ways to get people to help you. The first step is to believe that you cannot make it alone. Next tell the truth and be earnest. And lastly he said to apologize when you mess up and focus on others, not yourself.

I honestly believe anyone can learn from these steps. We need the support of others through life, and it is not possible to make it without a little help along the way. As a future teacher, I will practice these steps at the school in which I work in because I know that I will need help from my colleagues. Also, I want to continue to put others first in my life. As a child I remember learning that key to living a joyful life was to put Jesus first, then Others, and then Yourself.

As a future teacher, it is my goal to help each and every student that comes my way to develop into the best adult that they can be. I know that in order to achieve this goal I will need help from others, and I will not be able to complain. Instead of complaining I will only push harder. As I help these students, I will achieve my dream of becoming the teacher that students will remember.

Blog Post 5

The iSchool Initiative

Travis Allen made a video called The iSchool Initiative when he was a senior in high school. The main question that Travis asked viewers in his video was "Does technology belong in our classrooms?" He believes that schools should be technologically literate and incorporate iPods into the classroom. By implementing the iPod into the classroom, schools would save hundreds of dollars and also create a "green" school because the use of pencil and paper would no longer exist. Of course teachers could still plan lessons that required paper and pencil, but the need would not be as high.

The iPod has numerous of applications that can be downloaded. Apple has created many applications that have an educational purpose. Some of these include Chemical Touch, USA Presidents, a Graphing Calculator, Digital Constitution, World Wiki, Star Walk, and many more. Travis believes that with use of these educational applications along with the email and iHomework applications, students and teachers can use these iPods to learn.

Travis Allen is now touring the world with a group of 25 students in order to influence his idea of the "iSchool." This group is called Zeitgeist Young Minds. They want to the world to rebuild, rethink, and retool education for the technological world that we live in today.

Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir

In 2010, Jennifer Chamber introduced EDM 310 to Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir. The virtual choir sang "Lux Aurumque". The video was revealed on Early WKRG5 Early Morning News.

The choir was put together entirely online. The choir had never met or practiced together. All the singers followed the same guidelines that Eric Whitacre provided. They were singing from all over through the use of blogs and videos.

The fact that this choir was developed entirely online is important to future and current educators. Karl Fish once asked the question, "Is it okay to be a technologically illiterate teacher?" I do not know your opinion on virtual choir, but it is definitely an eye opener to me of how important it is for teachers to understand how to incorporate the use of technology into the lessons that they teach. One idea I had for myself would be to record myself each day when I give a lesson and post it onto my classroom blog. The purpose of this idea would be to help students who miss a day of school to stay caught up with the rest of the class. Also, it would allow parents who may not remember how to do certain math problems or remember everything about Alabama's history to refresh their memory. It is important that parents know and understand what their students are learning in the classroom so that they can help them at home.

Teaching in the 21st Century

Kevin Roberts made a video that instilled the question "What doest it mean to teach in the 21st Century?" In today's world technology has established a whole new environment in the classroom. In the past teachers only had textbooks, lectures, and a few hands on activities to help them create a lesson. Today teachers can use a SmartBoard, iPad, iPod, or many other new technical resources to catch the attention of their students. With these new inventions in technology and the use of internet, learning is more fun, creative, and exciting.

A 21st century teacher needs to be technology literate, in my opinion, because almost every classroom now has a SmartBoard, and I am sure that there are more inventions to come. For example, when I watched the video A Day Made of Glass, I saw where Corning has created their own activity table made of glass that connects to a tablet similar to the iPad. If a teacher does not know how to use the iPad, how will they be able to use this invention if or when it is ever adapted into the classroom? I physically cannot wait until the Corning activity table is affordable for classrooms, and if given the chance I will learn to use this table because I know how much my students could benefit from it.

Today's educators have to rethink the tools they use and the type of problems they ask students to solve. With the use of the internet I will make sure to teach my students how to use reliable sources and use the internet to the most that it can be. Portfolios are also a good way to help students progress in their work and reflect on it over time. I will use e-portfolios because they are easier to use and can be viewed easily online. Parents can also look at their child's work because an e-portfolio is online.

I liked the positions that Roberts addresses in the video. He says that teachers need to be relevant, challenging, and engaging. Engaging is different than entertaining. Teachers engage students to create active learning, a meaningful purpose, and to allow students to solve problems creatively. I will challenge my students to be engaged in their homework assignments. It is important to me for my students to explain, justify, and evaluate their answers.

I also want to allow students to use numerous resources when they are learning in my classroom. This will help my students to better their skills and intelligence. The use of numerous sources creates in depth conversations in the classroom.

I will be very lucky to become an educator of the 21st century because there are so many resources out there now. In today's society students can create their opinions through blogging, podcasting, animating, etc. The future only holds more opportunities and resources, and I cannot wait to see what will be developed through the years that I will be teaching.

Flipping the Classroom

In the video Why I Flipped My Classroom, I learned about the importance of applying and engaging students in the lessons that are being learned. Without the use of technology 90% of class time is spent on the delivery or review of the lesson. Only 10% of the class time is spent on the application of the lesson.

However, with the use of technology, these two ratios flip positions. Teachers can create videos of the lesson being taught for students to watch prior to coming to class the next day. The teacher can also set a website where the students can questions before class or chat about what they are learning with their classmates. With the use of the Internet, teachers can focus on engaging students by applying what they are learning while they are in class.

Dr. Lodge's view of Flipping the Classroom still has the same idea from the first video that I watched. His idea on flipping the classroom is called FIZZ. He believes there is too much lecture in the classroom that is non-engaging and inefficient. His plan is for teachers to create "FIZZ Learning Lecture Videos" that are to be watched at home.

Ms. Munafo made her own video about Flipping the Classroom based on Dr. Lodge's FIZZ idea. She believes that video lecture is fun and more exciting for students. The students are not bored in their regular classroom setting. This allows classroom time to be more engaging.

She believes that "flipping" works by having the students to watch lecture videos for homework two or three times a week. The teacher can replay the video at the beginning of the day in order to refresh each students memory and make sure they have watched it. From watching the video at home, the students then bring in their questions, thoughts, or opinions on the lecture. I believe this keeps the students more involved and organized with their learning.

My Sentence Video

Blog Post 4

Ms. Silvia Rosenthal Tolisano has a series of blog post on her blog Langwitches. She has enlightened readers on the importance of podcasts and how they can influence our lives.

Langwitches: 1st Graders Create Their Own Read Along Audiobook:

Ms. Tolisano made a post on how her first graders created their own audiobook. She pulled students aside, chapter by chapter and had them summarize the chapters into a script. Each chapter was recorded and printed into a script. When the last chapter was finished, Ms. Tolisano presented the script and audio to the class.

She said that it was amazing to see her students follow along with the typed scripts as they heard the podcast. The students really got into the assignment. They kept wanting to re-record their voice if they didn't "sound right." The whole point of this assignment was to teach the children the techniques of making a podcast. The fact that they learned about the book from the podcast was only a plus to the assignment.

Language Listening-Comprehension Podcasting

In this blog post Ms. Tolisano talked about second graders who used a podcast through Garage Band and the Smart Board to learn another language. This caught my attention because I am currently studying Spanish. She told readers that the students used the podcast in order to listen, record, and re-emphasize the correct pronunciation of the vocabulary they are learning.

I wish that we had had the technology that we have today when I was in elementary school. I spent a few years in magnet school learning Spanish. I believe that if we had had the opportunity to use Garage Band or a Smart Board in the classroom while learning Spanish I would have carried what I learned with me through the years. In high school I took Spanish 1 and had to re-learn many of the words I had "memorized" as a child.

Flat Stanley Podcast

Ms. Tolisano made an assignment with her first graders on the book "Flat Stanley." During their assignment, the students had to create their own "Flat Stanley" and send it to their relatives in the mail. This was relevant to the story "Flat Stanley" because the character Stanley was shipped in the mail.

To take the assignment to the next level, Ms. Tolisano assigned them homework to pick a location around the world that they would rather send their "Stanley." They were required to read about that location and then record in the podcast about that culture. They then sent their recording "around the world" by posting it into Ms. Tolisano's blog.

To all you wonderful bloggers reading this post, let me ask you two questions:
How will you use podcasts in your classroom one day?

Do you think podcasts can make a difference in the classroom?

Angela Maiers Post

In our EDM 310 class, Dr. Strange has assigned each of us to comment on a teacher's blog of America. He assigned me to Angela Meiers. Angela is very head strong and has a passion for furthering the leadership in education. She has taught for twenty years and is now the lead consultant of Maiers Education Service. I first commented on her blog on September 2. The post I commented on was about looking at the No Child Left Behind law from a different view. The title of her blog post was "Forget NCLB- We Must Leave No Genius Behind."

Here is what I said to Angela in my first comment:

Mrs. Angela, My name is Amy Archer. I am a Junior at The University of South Alabama. This Fall, I'm enrolled in Dr. Strange's EDM 310 Class. For his class I have to comment on a teacher's blog and then later make a blog of my own about my experience.

You have many remarkable talents, and I love your entry on "Leave No Genius Behind." Many teachers are stressed to the max about making sure no student is left behind, but you have touched on many key points that teachers need to address. I am influenced to not just encourage my students but, to instead, help them to see themselves as the intelligent masterpiece they are.

You really got my attention when you asked readers to stand up if they thought they were a genius. I am fascinated with your analogy because you are absolutely correct when you say a five year old would stand but an adult would not. The first idea that popped into my head as the definition for a genius was "someone who is a know-it-all."

After reading your blog, I saw that my definition is not accurate at all. We are all geniuses in our own way. I agree that it is time to put the idea that only people like Albert Einstein are what we call a "genius." I hope to remember and adapt this into my own teachings one day.

Also, I love how you are sharing your thoughts with the rest of the world! Until reading your blog I did not even know Classroom 2.0 existed!

Do you have any suggestions for me, as a future educator, on how to better view every student as a "Genius"? Thank you for your time, and good luck in all of your writings!

Amy Archer

On her comment back she said:

Hi Amy,

I am so thrilled that you are reading and commenting on blogs. That is the best way to start building your own personal learning network. Twitter is another wonderful way to learn from and be inspired by others. And when you are ready, you can start to share your genius with the world. 140 characters at a time!!

I also, follow Angela on Twitter. She is amazing and very inspiring. Every times she tweets it is about a way to improve the world, yourself, or the lives of those around you. If you are following me on Twitter, you will notice that I re-tweet her tweets a lot.

Tonight I made my second comment on Angela's blog. The blog that she posted tonight is called "Twelve Must-Have Habitudes For Social Media Success." I found this post very interesting and adaptable to my life. The twelve steps are insatiable curiosity, audacious imagination, fearless learning, unwavering persistence and perseverance, courage with confidence, adaptability and agility, self awareness, empathetic compassion, gracious generosity, realistic optimism, resilience, and relentless passion. Each of you should check out her blog if you haven't already.

Here is the comment that I left on her blog tonight:

Hi Angela,

My name is Amy Archer. I am a student at The University of South Alabama. I commented on your blog once already, but I wanted to comment again because you have inspired me to advance my performance on all the social media networks I am involved in. This blog post about the habitudes for social media success are very useful for the class that I am currently taking.

I believe that social media networks are rapidly becoming a necessity in the life of any job or student. I also wanted to thank you for your inspiring words. You are making a difference in the world one blog post and one tweet at a time. I can't wait to read what you post next!

Amy Archer

I have enjoyed this assignment to read Angela's blog and start a relationship with her.

Have you found new relationships through blogs?

Has anyone inspired you to increase your social media talents?

Presentation Project 5

Blog Post Assignment 3

What is Peer Editing?

From the video, What is Peer Editing?, I learned the importance of peer editing. A peer is someone your own age or a classmate. Editing is the process of making comments, compliments, or corrections to writing. Peer editing is working with someone your own age to improve or edit their writing.

By listening to the video, I learned that the three steps to peer editing are compliments, suggestions, and corrections. No matter what, a editor always needs to begin their comment with a compliment. Compliments encourage the writer to continue their work, not bring them down. An editor follows his/her compliments with suggestions. The suggestions give the writer specific ideas on how to make their writing better. When making a suggestion, the editor must remember the purpose of the writer's blog post and guide the writer to better their topic or catch off topic sentences.

The final step to peer editing is the use of corrections. When an editor is reading a writer's blog post, they must remember to check punctuation, grammar, sentences, and spelling. Please do not forget to stay positive through out the whole process of peer editing. There are nice ways to correct someone else's writing, and peer editing is not meant to discourage anyone's motivation.

Peer Edit with Perfection Tutorial

The slideshow called Peer Edit with Perfection Tutorial encouraged reader's to peer edit properly because it is fun! When a student peer edits a classmates work, they are not only improving their own grammar skills but helping a classmate in their writing as well. When an editor corrects a classmate's writing they are helping the writer to improve, revise, and edit his/her work.

The three steps to peer editing are the same in the video I watched and the slideshow I viewed. I will remind again that the three steps to peer editing are compliments, suggestions, and corrections. One must always remember to stay positive, be specific, and complete all three steps when peer editing.

The beginning of your peer editing starts with a compliment. In this slideshow, I was able to see an example of writing and actually practice critiquing. I learned from this activity that even with writing that has poor grammar, there is always a compliment to be said. For example, I loved the topic that the example writer wrote about in the slideshow, so I started my practice comment by letting the writer know how much I enjoyed his/her topic.

From reading the slideshow I was also able to gather the importance of making sure my suggestions are detailed and specific. If I have a suggestion for a writer, it is in their best interest for me to give examples of how they could revise their document. Otherwise, the writer will not know why they need to correct the problem or how they can edit the situation.

As an editor it is important to be at the top of your game on making corrections for spelling errors, grammar mistakes, missing or unneeded punctuation, and incomplete or run-on sentences. This final step to peer editing is important to me because I am a future educator of the world. As a teacher, I need to know how to correct my students' work, so why not practice it now?

Writing Peer Review Top 10 Mistakes

I absolutely loved watching Writing Peer Review Top 10 Mistakes! If you have not seen this YouTube video before, I highly encourage you to go check it out now. It is created by elementary students who were learning the correct way to peer review in their classroom. The examples used in the video are all cute and creative!

One of the examples that I liked was "Mean Margaret" because the student who played Margaret let her acting skills shine. She showed viewers exactly how to be extremely negative which is the opposite of what peer review is all about. In peer review it is necessary to stay positive and uplifting towards the writer when critiquing their work. No one wants to hear harsh, mean comments about their writing because we all have feelings and desire to be uplifted by our classmates!

Technology in Special Education

I am so glad we were assigned to watch the video Technology in Special Education because it completely opened my eyes to a different look on technology. Before watching this video, I did not realize how influential the use of technology can be in the life of a special education student. The incorporation of computers/laptops into special education classrooms has increased the communication level between teachers and students. Many special needs students are non-verbal or they have trouble communicating accurately. However, the use of lap tops makes it easier for students "state" their opinion by typing sentences.

Not only do the teachers enjoy using technology in the classrooms, but they students love it as well! One student in the video named Chris typed on his computer, "I like using my computer because it helps me to talk." Another example of technology that is being incorporated into the classroom is an Ipod touch. Students who used to have to have aids help them with silent reading can now listen and follow along with stories uploaded to their Ipod touch.

I believe it is important to make sure that the special education students know how to use the technology equipment we use today, so they can keep adapting new inventions as they enter the real world. Before the improvements in technology there were not many jobs that disabled citizens could apply for. If all the special needs students now how to type and use a computer though, they have a better chance of continuing their education. I highly agree with the students' end closing when they said, "Technology helps us to succeed in life!"

How the iPad Works with Academics for Autism

Braden is a elementary student who struggles with Autism. His father made a video, How the iPad Works with Academics for Autism, to show the world one of the many features to an iPad. He downloaded numerous of apps for his iPad to help his son in school. While watching the video, it was easy to see how easily entertained and hooked Braden was to learning with his iPad.

On of the apps that Braden uses in the video is called "My First Words". This is a fun activity/game that helps children to practice their sight words. The word pops up on the screen and the iPad tells the child what the word is. The child then repeats the word out loud and then touches the word to move on the next one. This activity is a good hands on app that gets the fine motor skills moving in a child's brain.

After watching this video I was able to see how handy an iPad really is. It has many applications that are not on my computer. The iPad is also much easier to use for those type of applications because it has a touch screen.

Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts
Vicki Davis is one of the many teachers that incorporates the use of blogs into her classroom. Her video called Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts showed me how useful blogging in the classroom can be. Her students blog on the "flat classroom conference" which is a blog site for students all over the world. The students are able to comment and communicate with children from other cultures.

Another idea that she had that caught my eye was the fact that she took her students on a trip to another country to see other students they had blogged with and learn about their culture. Not every school has the time and money to travel like this, but it is still a creative way to learn about other cultures through blogging. She also requires her students to have a Wiki. I loved how she stated that through her incorporation of technology she is "learning from her students". As teachers, we never quit learning.

Dora's ABCs Volume 3

After learning about the quality of the iPad I researched educational applications for the iPad through my iTunes account. The one that I found most attractive was Dora's ABCs Volume 3. Every child I have ever babysat for is in love with watching Dora, so I believe any student would enjoy this application. Most of the users also gave it a five star rating.

The application helps students to learn to read with Dora. While they are learning, they are also enjoying it because each level as a new task to help Dora conquer. At one point in the application the child gets to help Dora "get the frogs across the pond" by reading. It is a very cute and interactive way to get students involved in learning to read.

Project 2- My Wordle

My Wordle

Blog Post Assignment 2

Did You Know?

Dr. Strange made his own version of Did You Know? based on the version by Karl Fisch and Scott McLeod. Their version is called Did You Know? 3.0.
Dr. Strange's version focuses on informing future educators on how important technology and preparation is when you become a teacher. He created a video full of facts and statistics of education and languages around the world. For example, he starts off with stating, "25% of the population of India with the highest IQ out numbers the entire population of the United States."
Another fact mentioned in Strange's version that stood out to me is that "18 million Chinese citizens speak English, and 300 million are learners." This statement caught my attention because we can barely use the English language correctly in America, let alone learn another language. How many of you can honestly say you are fluent in another language?
We, as future educators, should be paying attention to videos and information like this because in a few years this may become a reality. It makes me nervous that another country will soon be more fluent in our language than we are. It is my goal to make sure my students understand and appreciate the English grammar, not just learn the rules.
According to Dr. Strange's video, "Today's learners will have 10-14 jobs by the age 38." When I become a teacher, I will have to prepare students for not just one job but 10-14. This statistic could also change or increase in the next ten years as well. It is important for educators to continue to educate themselves in order to keep their teaching up to date.

At the end of the video, Dr. Strange ask his listeners, "And you want to be an educator?" My answer to Dr. Strange is YES! I understand that as a future educator I am taking on a big responsibility, and I hope to be the role model students need in life.

Did You Know? 3.0

Karl Fisch and Scott McLeod's original version of Did You Know 3.0 has different meaning behind it, but it can still be interpreted as a wake up call to future educators. The difference is that this video focuses on how technology and the world are changing while giving you freedom to develop your own interpretation of the effects.

One of the questions that stood out to me the most in this video was when Fisch and McLeod asked, "Whom did we ask before Google searches?" In the past, research had to be conducted in the library or in another resource center through encyclopedias and books. Today, we can find answers with the click of a button. Our world is going "green" in the sense that more and more articles, research, and books are being published or purchased online to save time, paper, and money.

When I watched the ending of the video and saw the last question, "So what does it all mean?", I took to heart how important technology is. As a future educator, I now understand the importance of incorporating technical resources into my classroom. I plan to adapt to and learn how to use any new technology that comes my way.

Mr. Winkle Wakes

Mr. Winkle Wakes is a cute, comical video created by Mathew Needleman. In this video, the character, Mr. Winkle, wakes after sleeping for 100 years. He gets up to go to work, but when he walks outside everything looks unfamiliar. His office is now inside a tall building full of computers and other resources he does not know how to use.

In distress from a complicated office he goes to the hospital because he is feeling loopy. Once he walks into the hospital he begins to feel even worse. The doctors are using x-rays and other resources that he is unfamiliar with. With no were else to run, Mr. Winkle heads to his old school.

Inside his school he feels comfortable and warm because it is still familiar to him. The students are sitting in desk while listening to a teacher lecture, but the computers sit in the back collecting dust.

Needleman illustrates an excellent issue that is seen in classrooms today. There is not enough use of technology, and it needs to be addressed. I know that some school systems cannot afford top notch technology because they are funded by the government. However, teachers need to use the resources they do have to their greatest ability. When I teach, I plan to incorporate technology into my lessons as much as possible.
The Importance of Creativity

Ken Robinson once talked on TED about The Importance of Creativity in schools. According to Robinson, "schools kill students' creativity." He believes that everyone is interested in learning in their own creative way. In his speech, he establishes the idea the education is meant to take us into the future that we cannot grasp realistically today.

Robinson stated, "Kids will take a chance. If they don't know, they will take a go. They are not afraid of being wrong." He believes that the education system demolishes this drive in children, because the students are so worried about getting the answers right. They do not use their imagination when they are focused on not making a mistake.

In my classroom, I want to instill in my students that no answer is incorrect if they can back up their answer. It is important to me to challenge children to think outside the box. If I force students to learn information my way they are not learning for themselves, but instead they are simply memorizing.

Ken Robinson stated, "Intelligence is diverse and dynamic." This means that the brain should be interactive with creativity, academics, and fine arts. He mentioned the fact that there are many students who think they are not smart, because their talents are not academics.

This stood out to me, because I believe that every child is unique and brings their own special qualities to the classroom. We are not robots. I want to assess my students based on their achievements, not on their mistakes. It is a goal of mine to challenge every student I teach to go the extra mile and achieve more than they could ever imagine. In order to do that, I will encourage my students to be creative and be true to who they are.

Think About Glass

In February 2012, Corning made a video about A Day Made of Glass. At first, I did not understand what was going on until I watched the A Day Made of Glass: Unpacked version.

Basically, Corning gives you a glimpse of what the future holds. Their plan is to create a tablet that will replace cell phones. These tablets will work other glass products to transfer and display information. It will be luxurious and resourceful, because it is made of glass.

I will be looking forward to the day when I can use one of these large scale information walls in my classroom. They are made of glass, so they will be luxurious and elegant. It will also be nice not to have to use any type of projector. The information would be presented electronically from "my tablet." Although, this new technology would take me sometime to get used to, I would love to be able to adapt it into my teaching.

Hopefully, by the time I am in a classroom the luxurious class activity tables will be affordable. I would love to use one of those in my classrooms! (If you do not know what I am talking about, take a few minutes and watch the video so you can fall in love with them as well.) Having a electronic activity table illuminates the need for numerous activities, because I would be able to create many games or fun ways of learning electronically. Since it is made of glass it will also be easy to keep sanitized and clean.

Technology is changing every day. There are so many new and fun ways to teach lessons. I cannot wait to incorporate different concepts of learning into my classroom using electronic resources.

Project Glass

Google made a terrific improvement in video technology when they created The Google Glasses. At the beginning of July, they had a live demo showing off their new invention. In the demo, experts jumped parachuted off an airplane, landed on a roof, biked downstairs and into the recording studio.

In the video online I got to watch the whole process from "The Google Glasses." It is crazy how they could record from such a high altitude! Who knows, in a few months we might see people walking down the street with blue-tooths in their ears and Google glasses on their face. Technology is never ending and constantly changing, so as a future educator I am prepared for whatever comes my way.

Blog Assignment 1

About Me
My name is Amy Archer. I was born and raised in Decatur, AL. In May 2010, I graduated from Decatur High School with honors. Two months later I came down to Mobile, and I began a new chapter in my life as a Freshman at The University of South Alabama. I chose to study here, because I did not want to go straight into Auburn University or The University of Alabama. One distinguishing quality of The University of South Alabama is that it is a moderate size university and offers many outstanding programs, yet my professors know me by name. I am currently a Junior, and I have a double major in Elementary Education and Foreign Language with a concentration in Spanish.
I was born into a family with two very loving parents and two amazing siblings. As the oldest of three, my parents have always pushed me to go the extra mile in anything I do. My family is very close, and every summer we take a vacation with my mom's siblings and their children to Fort Morgan. My family has always played a big role in my life, especially my mom. She has taught for over twenty years, and she inspired me to become a teacher. I knew at a young age that I wanted to be a teacher, because I wanted to follow in my mother's foot steps.
Obviously, I have a passion for working with children. Otherwise I would not be here today. It is one of my goals to work in a Title 1 school one day, because I want to better my community and encourage children to achieve their goals like I did. In my spare time I love to run! Last March I ran in the Rock n' Roll marathon in New Orleans, LA. A month ago I competed in my first mini-triathlon in my hometown. This February I have set my goal higher and plan to run in the Rock n' Roll marathon again, but compete in the full marathon instead of the half. (That is 27.2 miles for those of you who do not know how long a marathon is.)
When I am not in class or studying, I also participate in many organizations on campus. In Fall 2010, I became a life long member of Alpha Omicron Pi. My sisters mean the world to me, and they have become my second family. This year I received the honor to be a member of the Student Government Association as a Senator for the Education Department. I plan to affiliate with the new "Leos" Club that is being established by Lion's Club members. On Tuesday afternoons I volunteer at the Boy's and Girl's Club downtown in the after school care.
I am a very active and motivated young lady. I like to stay busy, and I'm always on the go. Although I am a busy bee, meeting new people is something I do best. With that being said, do not hesitate to wave or say hey the next time we meet.
Randy Pausch on Time Management
Randy Pausch once made a speech on Time Management. In the YouTube video that I watched, he emphasized on "doing the right things", rather than "doing things right." Another quoted he said was, "Failing to plan is planing to fail."His key to avoiding stress and procrastination was to plan each day, each week, and each semester. He thought it was important to plan, because "you can always change your plan later-only if you have one."
One of the key points that Randy Pausch emphasized that stood out to me was to focus on doing the right things. I am a perfectionist, so I focus on the opposite, which to do things right. I learned from Pausch that I need to do all that I can in life. After all, experiences and life lessons come from bad judgement. I am going to mess up in life, but that is okay because next time I will know how to handle the situation.
When he said, "Failing to plan is planning to fail", I really took it to heart. If I do not create a plan for today, tomorrow, or next semester I will not go forward. I will stay where I am and never succeed. Though I may change my plan every other day, I have moved one step forward by setting goals to reach and priorities to keep.
About Randy Pausch
Randy Pausch died on July 25, 2008. He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2006. He passed away due to complications from the cancer. Although he suffered a great deal over those two years, he did not show it. The doctors did not expect him to live as long as he did, but Randy had energy and enthusiasm for life. Randy Pausch left a legacy of excellence and integrity. He makes a great role model for anyone, and his blog posts, videos, and pictures can be found all over the internet. We can learn so much from him and realize that our struggles are not the end of the world.
Time Management
Penn State's Learning website has articles on Time Management Exercises and Time Management Lessons. Time Management Exercises teaches you how to prioritize your time and use it wisely. If you sleep 7 hours a night, 7 days a week then you are left with a total of 119 hours to your week. How you use those hours is up to you. Penn State said, "You can monitor these hours or become a Time Waster." Their article, incorporated the use of a calendar and a mini planner to keep up with daily to-do lists and upcoming events. The website also has a time exercise where you can enter in how many hours you spend on eating, sleeping, and daily hygiene a week to see how many hours you are really leaving for studying and extra curricular events.
The other article on Time Management Lessons focuses on creating a "time table" for your life. In order to make a time table, you need a blank calendar with semi-large sized boxes, a planner, all your courses' syllabi, and a copy of the campus calendar. On your calendar you write out the dates of upcoming test, campus events, and things you want to do for fun. In your planner, you write your daily to do list. Penn state emphasizes, though, that it is important not to create a to-do list that you cannot accomplish in one day.
From both of these articles I learned many new ways to prioritize my time and better prepare myself for the semester. I already have a planner, but I learned from Penn State that I am not prioritizing my time properly in order to complete these events. I fall into the category of a "time waster" many days and would rather catch up on the latest episode of my favorite shows on television. I need to keep a better lay out to my day and invest in Hulu Plus, so I can accomplish all of my tasks. I am glad that Dr. Strange assigned these two articles to our class, because I learned life valuable lessons on time management.