Blog Assignment 8

This is How We Dream

This is something that is really crazy to think about. I think it is so true when Dr. Miller is talking about technology and how it helps people talk globally, and instantly, to anyone from any part of the world.




Before days where everything was technology based, people had to rely on books and libraries to get all of their information. Of course, back then, nobody realize that it was such a slow process to receive and write down information. I know I actually thought I was getting things done fast when I could copy all the pages I wanted to. But now, we have printers which make that job so much easier. Everything is become easier as technology is becoming advanced. Dr. Miller is right; people are more likely to copy down information in a word document on their laptop than they are on a piece of paper. Furthermore, people can gain access easy with the internet and all of the sites available. It seems like to an extent there is no need to even go to a library any more. Instead of having to “check out” a book, you can just print everything you want, right offline.

Another thing is that information is always freely available online for people. If you were to go to the library and check out a book, and someone had already checked it out, you would have to wait for it to be brought back on. With the information on the internet, many people can view the same page and the same information at the same time, without a wait.

Dr. Miller talks about finding a way to be able to only use the web itself. That means no more letters, no more alphabets, just technology. This is actually sort of scary to think about. I can not imagine living in a world with no libraries and no books. It really is crazy to think that this is something that could actually happen. I know even now, technology is becoming more and more advanced as each day passes by, and before long, this whole “no alphabet” thing could really be possible.

EDM 310 is Different

Watching the Chipper video

 The message of the video is that you should do your work on time, be honest about it, and do not procrastinate.  Chipper had a problem with procrastinating and not doing her work, and she tries to persuade Dr. Strange that it is ok to be late with your work.

EDM 310 for Dummies

I think that this would actually be a good idea to have an actual EDM 310 book for dummies. In a way, that is exactly what our instruction manual is, as long as you take the time to go through and read all the information. I will admit, there have been times that I have been so confused and so stressed out about EDM, but all of the information you need is right there on the EDM 310 webpage. If you can not find it there, you can always talk to Dr. Strange, or any of the classroom helpers. They are always there to help if you get lost.

I think that both of these videos are helpful to new students. I know a lot of people feel lost, and feel confused about the class, and these videos help show that they are not alone. We have ALL felt like that at one point or another. I really liked the video on procrastination. Sometimes it really is not a problem for me to get my work in on time, and other times I am just so bogged down that I may be a little late with my posts. Unlike Chipper, I know that I should be getting my work in on time, there are just some days that I cant manage my time as good as I should, This is something I’m definitely working on and it is good to know (by reading the class blog and listening to these videos) that I am not the only one who has problems sometimes.

Smartboards- A dumb initiative?

Michael Stanton’s argument is that smartboards are a good addition to the classroom in a couple of ways, but for the cost, it is not a good way to improve learning. He claims that the smartboards are moe “media savvy” but the teacher still has to stand in front of the class, and the teacher still has a whole room of kids to keep under control.  All smartboards do is make the white board more presentable.

Another person who does not like the smartboards is Bill Ferriter. In his post, he explains that as a teacher with a smartboard, he did practically the same thing that he could have done with other tools off of the computer. He said that he used the board for a year, and he got a few creative lessons out of it, but it was practically useless.

Another good point that Mr. Ferriter made was that most administrators will say that a good classroom consists of students who are independently learning with a teacher who is there to guide them. With a smartboard, this type of independent learning is not going to be happening. You will still have a teacher in front of the class reading off a smartboard.

On the other hand…

There are other sides to the effectiveness of smartboards. One site I found who thought smartboards was beneficial was the K-12 Techsters .

The plus side of interactive smartboards

This post on the interactive whiteboards, like the posts by Mr. Ferriter, and Mr. Stanton, had very good points. Not only did they tell the advantages, they told about the disadvantages and how to turn them around.

One thing that the blog post says is that smartboards can be used for all sorts of things. They can transfer images from powerpoints or even straight from the internet. Another good thing about smartboards is that you can make interactive games for your students to participate in. This is one way to keep things interesting and fun in the classroom. The K-12 Techsters argue that having a smartboard is more likely to get students attention and keep them interested. It also provided a more enjoyable way of viewing material in comparison with a regular textbook.