Blog Post Assignment #2

In the video Mr. Dancealot, Professor Dancealot teaches a class about different dances. Throughout the video students are seen trying to practice the dance moves that he is teaching, but every time they stand up to try it he immediately tells them to sit down. I think that this is a very poor way of teaching, considering that most students today learn by doing the exercises rather than sitting there taking notes on them. His students were constantly falling asleep, and not paying attention to what he was saying. I think if he incorporated actual participation into his class then he would see more results from his classes, and he would keep his students attention longer.

Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts

Mrs. Vicky Davis is a great example of what we need from future generation teachers. She believes that if you give the students the tools and accessibility to look up information that they may not know they can find out for themselves. In one part of her lesson she told them to do a certain thing that she did not know how to do. She required them to look up how to preform the operation and then report back to her and teach the rest of the class and herself. This operation that she had them do was called terraforming. She also went on and connected her students to other students around the world in a global collaboration to work with students around the world. Those students coming from a rural community in southern Georgia are learning things that are a head of their time. Basically, what she is trying to say is that we as educators should not be trying to discourage the process of learning but taking away the most powerful tools that we have available today.

Revised



The Networked Student-Sherri Hudson

In the Networked Student Wendy Drexler used caricature to show a young college student aspiring to succeed in American Psychology. The college student's teacher never lectured, so how was he supposed to learn? Well, she believed in something called Connectivism, and she used her belief to encourage the class to gain their own education through a learning network. The college student took control of his education's destiny through reaching out to other students via learning network. Through that learning network, he gathered tools he needed in order to succeed American Psychology. His professor acted as a "Learning Architect" and improved his ability to communicate.

Teaching in the 21st Century- Tonya Murphy

Kevin Roberts sees the future filled with technology. I agree with the idea that teachers should be teaching their students about computers. The world is at your fingertips with computers, as long as you have the knowledge of how to find it. I believe that computers should be a must in schools today ,and not just the simple typing classes, but the basics of the internet. The world is going green; everything is becoming computerized. While all of the subjects (math, science, english, etc) are necessary, it will be hard to get a job without the knowledge of computers. Roberts also pointed out the fact that we need to engage our students, not just put a teacher in front of the classroom. The students need to have fun while learning. We need to allow them access to their phones in school as a learning tool. At the same time the school board cripples teachers in that aspect, because the principals will not allow phones on the premises. A technology class should be offered where cell phones are welcomed in at least that class.