Blog Assignment #3

It's Not About the Technology Kelly Hines
In this blog Kelly Hines talks about 4 things every teacher must recognize.(In her opinion)
The first thing she says which I wholeheartedly agree with, is teachers must be learners. We must all be lifelong learners. I feel for kids to respect us and learn from us they have to see us learning from others. We cant be afraid to learn. Her second point was learning and teaching are not the same thing. Her philosophy for the 21st century teacher was working smarter not harder. She made a good point that if no one learns no matter how much effort has been exerted no teaching has been done. It makes you think maybe sometimes we go about teaching in the wrong way. I know for myself I've always felt the more I "Do" the better I am. Not always so.Sometimes all our efforts are in vain if we cant get our point across. If no one has learned anything when we are done what has all our effort been for?
Her third point was technology is useless without good teaching.I can see what she means here. I have witnessed this in the classroom. What good does it do any of us to have smart boards and computers if the educators don't know how to use them properly. We need to make the ost of what we have been given. You have to have a willingness to learn. The last point was how could you be a 21st century teacher without the technology? I loved what she said "teachers teach with learning in mind." If we all took the time to think on this we would change our approach to our students. How do they learn? How do I reach them? Most kids sit in front of a game system,t.v., or a computer in their time away from school, and then we cant understand when we doing our lesson on the chalkboard why student attention span is so short? Their senses are intrigued by technology they need more to learn, do they have to have it. I think that is the question.

Is It Okay to be Technologically Illiterate Teacher? Karl Fisch
Mr. Fisch brought to light many issues facing our teachers, schools, and families today. His thoughts were basically that all educators should have a basic knowledge of technology and if you did not you and your superiors should be embarrassed and they should be held accountable for those under them being educated in theses areas. I totally agreed with some portions of the blog but I like many others that left comments did not see eye to eye on some of the issues. I understand his take on a lot of issues and it all sounds good but when you start bringing it home to your own reality it changes somewhat. Here is my situation. My son is 7 yrs old he has the same second grade teacher that I had 23 year ago (mind you in a public school). My thing is should she be embarrassed or ashamed because she can't blog, tweet, or access certain materials on the internet? Should her legacy of giving of herself to see the enrichment of children's lives be taken from her because she is not willing to move with the times? Should I be concerned as a parent that my child is being shorted in his education because he has a veteran teacher rather than a new recruit? Isn't it funny how things change? When I was young your parents always wanted you to have the old teacher that was full of wisdom, now parents are almost disappointed when they are told that their child has an older teacher. Parents are wanting the new teachers who have had the training and know the newest technology to give their child the best learning experience possible. Have we lost respect and honor for the veteran teachers who paved the way for us? Their were many obstacles and hard times these have endured when I am certain that the last thing on their minds at the end of those hard days was blogging about it when they got home.I am not trying to sound unconcerned with new technology I think it is a vital part of learning. I am just not sure exactly where I stand on all the issues that surround it in the classroom.I do agree that all schools and universities should be producing technologically literate students. Without that it is almost impossible these days to achieve good employment.I certainly think he made some valid points. Many that I will ponder and analyze in my own life. I will also say that I think any new teachers being hired should meet these requirements of being technologically literate, I just dont know exactly how I feel about others being forced to become technologically literate.

Why do you think no one RSVP'D?? Too Busy Maybe??
Social Media Count Gary Hayes
The facts and numbers he gives on this blog were astounding.When you really sit and think about all the time and energy taken toward these things it is mind blowing. Ninety million tweets per day, come on do you realize how much is ninety million??? That is unreal!! One hundred seven trillion emails sent in the year 2010. That is a lot of computer time. Our life is basically spent on some kind of device our computer, i phone, i pad, or something equivalent to those. I know people who cant go a day without texting or emailing someone. My parents have a house on the river and you cant get any phone service there. I love it!! We actually go and TALK to each other. We laugh and play games like cards (with actual cards), or sit around the fire and listen to my dad tell old stories or my whole family sing. I don't want my kids to loose that tradition because they cant get cell phone service. My brother is so addicted to his phone when we go every so often he has to drive back out to the main highway to check his messages. Not because work may be calling or something legit like that just because he cant live without texting for one day. UGH!! It makes me really mad to see people like this. Sorry if you are one of those people but I am happy to turn off my phone for a day and enjoy my family.For me technology is a part of my life that I am thankful for, but is not my life. I would survive without it.

A Vision of Students
Michael Wesh
His video was of a college classroom with the help of the students from Kansas State University they captured a students point of view. They told some honest truths to what students really do in class, how much they really retain, and how some don't really care. Some shared their hopes and dreams of what they would become, others were not engaged in the classroom often using their laptops for social networking instead of an educational tool during the class time. The pen and paper generation is slowly fading. I guess I was oblivious to this before I started back to school. I thought I was socially aware of the times but I was far from it. This class along with all the resources we have already been introduced to has shown me where we are and where we are headed in the future. Like the students in the film a lot of things will follow me when I am done, debt from student loans being one of the big ones on my mind. I am married with a family some of my reasoning for returning to school was so I could contribute more financially. I like many others will have to pay back my student loans before I feel like I am able to truly do that. Some of the interesting information was how much time they spent on the phone or listening to music or on face book. I don't have time for any of those things. I think since I have started this class this is the most time I have ever spent on the computer. In these past few weeks I have spent more time on the computer for this class than I have spent in my whole total life. The student today is different from the student yesterday. That is why it is important that teachers be ever increasing in knowledge so we can be ready for the student of tomorrow.