Computers are closed...

So Computers and Technology class comes to an end. I started this blog because I thought it was a part of an assignment. Slowly I forgot about that assignment, and slowly I started to write things a little more liberal than one would think for an assignment. After about two weeks and a couple of posts, I had forgotten the purpose all together.

My blogging has turned into the reflection period of my teacher training. I like it. I think its useful, and it gets ideas out of my head.

I was talking to one of my friends today (my hairdresser subsequently), and she mentioned how she had thought about going into jouralism. Her issue with that was that she thought it was a dying career. Her reasoning for that was blogging itself.

Media and information can be found anywhere on the net. A lot of the time it is simply someone's opinion, point of view, or the knowledge they have gained. This is what blogging is. One day I hope my blogs can evolve into a source of information that is valid for others. So far it seems like an online diary, but who knows.

The next step is likely to center my blogging topics and make my voice have purpose. I found that as I had my computer class and education to blog about, it wasn't so hard to find something to say.

I think that as my teaching career continues, I will keep it up. There is a lot to be shared, and I think that connecting and collaborating with other teachers will be important to my career.

In sum, unless I think of something to say, this will be my last post here.
I wouldn't mind creating another blog for my student teaching reflections. Heck, why not. WTH, I might even use this one!

Who knows. My journey into the realm of online communication and collaboration surely hasn't come to an end here.

What about the old media's literacy?

Just food for thought really... but I tried to use an overhead projector and didn't know what to do.

Using computers and the new aged technologies in the classroom is very important, but I guess I need to brush up on the traditional "teacher technologies". Blackboards and whiteboards I've got down, but I didn't ever think using an overhead projector would be so awkward!

Literature and Social Studies

I just read an interesting article (yes, because I had to) about connecting literature study and social studies. The research was done in the US, so the topic was about Texas in the 1900's, but I think it could be useful for anything.

The research was done using book clubs, and three different kinds of literature: biographies, historical fiction and informational books. Each time a new type of literature was introduced, the teacher would read one aloud, and then the students would choose to become members of 1 of 3 book clubs.

The researchers found that it improved, well, everything! The students inquiry was more indepth, their knowledge base was larger, they asked much better questions, their misconceptions about that time in history were cut in half, and on top of it they enjoyed it (So the researchers say).

I just thought I'd blurb (or blog I guess eh) about it since finding curriculum connections is something we are drilled about in our B ed program. According to these guys it works. I could see it, reading a story about Louie Riel, rather than hearing about him or reading a textbook about him would likley be more fun. That topic could get a lot more interesting, depending on the writer's opinion, and the grit they chose to put in the story.

Back to homework, Cheers

End of the world at school?

In our computer class here in good old BU ed, we have to develop a multimedia presentation. It has to be able to be used in the classroom. I've decided to go with something about sustainable development.

A question I've always had, and have been meaning to confound my Social Studies Methods teacher with, is how do you approach the statement, "but the world's going to end in 2012." It is a main stream idea that is buzzing around these days, but if it was going to be touched upon, it would be in Social Studies class, right?

I guess it is like the Y2K bug, but I don't remember that being a big deal.

Promoting sustainable development would be the answer in my mind. Its important, our world needs it, and people are smart enough to do it these days.

What does sustainable development involve though?

I plan on making a multimedia presentation following a piece of garbage or a piece of recycling from my house. I think that works. Or maybe, create a digital story following the concepts brought up in the video The Story of Stuff.

I'll write again when I have little more to say on the topic, but the aforementioned question about the trendy end of the world is something that has been stuck in my mind for a while.

Watch the video if you haven't, its kind of cool, but in ways not entirely age appropriate for my future students... Whats you think?

Breakfast

This morning I woke up, had a shower and all that jazz, ate some orange juice (the pulpy kind, its like eating), then had some coffee. With my coffee I scoured over facebook. I didn't read a paper, go to a news site, look up anything interesting at all, or even read over my study notes for my quiz. Nope. I read facebook. Its a bad habit gone entirely far-wrong.

How does this reflect on technology? It likely implies more that I need to get my priorities straight, but is technology steering us in the right direction?

Time for a change in the breakfast routine.