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Farewell Friends!

In the famous words of Julie Andrews, "So long, farewell, auf weidersehen good-bye..." It has been a great semester learning how to do all this fun stuff! I wish you luck in everything you do! Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

The Last Blog

To be technology savvy or not to be, that is the question. In this modern era, being able to use technology is critical to every individual. When I first walked in the EDM 310 classroom, I thought I was entering into one of those remedial computer classes that provides the how-tos about Microsoft Word, Excel, Powerpoint, etc. Oh boy was I awakened when I received the syllabus! I have learned so much in Dr. Strange's class. One major component that I will bring along my life journey is blogs. Blogs bring freedom. As a child, I used to write all the time! When I got older, the pleasure of writing came to a halt when my assignments started becoming more tedious and filled with specific criteria. This semester, I have rediscovered this passion I used to have with the completion of my weekly blogs. Even though there was a specifc question I had to answer, Dr. Strange gave us the freedom to pursue the topic in our own way. Also, I learned that Google has everything a student or professional might need, whether it be an email account, a search engine, or even a device to be able to share documents with others.

2. Even though we learned how to make pictures accessible to the blind and the deaf, I would have enjoyed finding out more information about catering to the disabled populations using technology.

3. There was not a thing in the curriculum that I found to be unexcitable.

4. Yes, I had so much fun in EDM 310. I did not mind going to class each day because I knew there were plenty of things for me to learn about. I enjoyed the skype sessions that we had with several people from Dr. Strange's Personal Learning Network. They made reality click for me. Networking is important! Technology allows us to build the connections we would have never been able to do any other way.

5. I found the Podcasts on Itunes to be quite "intellectually interesting." Since I have a Zune, instead of an Ipod, I was not familiar with Itunes before EDM 310. The podcasts are segments of radio-type database where individuals can discuss any subject he or she feels entitled to. I found the Podcasts made especially for college students to be quite helpful in research and current event ideas.

6. I was bored when there was nothing to do on the agenda. Personally, I like structure in my classes. As long as I have something to work on, I am content.

7. Instead of having many things be due on the last day of class, I would suggest creating more deadlines for the projects and assignments during the semester. Also, I enjoyed utilizing different mediums of media to create projects! I have always found projects to be fun and it allowed me to get to know some of my fellow classmates.

8.Like I have mentioned in my previous blogs, I know more about technology now than I did before this semester. But, a person can never be fully technologically literate because of the new programs/applications that are being developed each and every day. I will call myself fairly literate though for this question's sake!

9. I will take advantage of everything Google has to offer. It has already helped me in many assignments this past semester. Also I will keep up a blog for personal and professional use(once I become a teacher). I will try to incorporate many things I have learned about in EDM 310 into my own classroom, like Google Earth and Geocaching.

Comments4Kids

Comment4Kids has been an eye-opening project that has brought me much joy this past semester. In this experience, Dr. Strange's students were assigned to comment on a child's blog post, on their own classroom blog. These children were embarking on a world I had not touched until registering for EDM 310. They were learning the capabilities of the World Wide Web and having fun doing so. If I get excited about receiving a comment on my own blog post, imagine how these children are feeling to open up their browser window and see the huge world being connected through something simple as technology. Comments4Kids is an enabler that builds relationships through networking. As an elementary education major, I want to include a similar project in my own classroom. .

Here's the link to the website Click here.

Personal Learning Networks

Even though I understand the importance of the Personal Learning Network, my current PLN stands at about 6 individuals. I would have loved for it to grow, but I believe that it will increase as time goes on. The number will multiply as I gain more life experience growing as a technological literate edcuator. I have acquired my PLN through various searches and assignments I had as a student in EDM 310. I checked my network every 2-3 days. Most likely, I will continue with building my Personal Learning Network because it will benefit not only me, but my future students.

My PLN: Dr. Strange, Mr. Chamberlain, Alice Christie, Joe McClung, Matt Lockett-Bound4Life, Kelly Hines

Project 11

My partners and I created a video about Geocaching and how it can be useful in the Education World. We used Windows Movie Maker to create it. This program contains many capabilities! For our video, we were able to combine an interview, a voice over, and several still slides.

Here's our video: Click here.

New Classroom Rules

Welcome to the 21st century classroom! Imagine living in a world where technology creeps up in every curriculum. Would the classroom rules change? The "New Classroom Rules" was a hilarious posting. Silly as they may sound, utilzing technology in the classroom will ultimately cause these new rules to become effective. The two points I found to be quite interesting were numbers 1 and 13. At the University of South Alabama, changes are already being made to implement courses in the upcoming years that would require the elimination of lectures, but would allow for the full technology experience. Instead of attending class, the student will be able to perform the required work on his own time. What a crazy concept to grasp! On the contrary, the classroom has always been very structured for me. The thirteenth rule stated that "instead of being quiet in line or class, feel free to do whatever you want when participating in an online classroom. If that means turn up the radio and startg dancing, go ahead! Personally, I have never taken a full blown online course, but I know I would love this freedom!

Here's the link to "New Classroom Rules" Click here.