Week #14 The Last One

Here it is- the last blog; What did I learn the most about this class? Besides the course work and valuable material, I still am haunted my inability to say no. I want soooo much to do so many things for so many people that I loose sight of what is most important. This class reminds me of the respect that belongs to the educational system of our society. Sometime I guess we think too much of what is right for us on our terms and forget what was decided by the people who have walked before us. It is only from their data that we can reflect on the results and make the changes necessary in education that will only improve the experience for generations to follow.
Signed...work in progress - Sam

Week #13 New Skills in the Semester

Week #13, wow - I've been exposed to so many skill sets this semester it is going to take another year to implement and perfect them. Just kidding, from the earliest part of the semester I starting using the material I learned and analyzing the data. This course has done nothing short of molding myself into a more productive and efficient teacher. Thank you......

Week # 11 Copyright Jeopardy

Copyright laws, hmmm... I have always respected them because I understand how much work goes into writing anything. I have to be honest though, I've been attending post-secondary schools for almost ten years and I really can't remember any institution reinforcing the seriousness of the issue. Maybe I should make it a strong obligation to bring this issue to the forefront. To be a complete and sucessfull journalist, there is no place for copywrites infringments....

Week #12 Notebook Presentations

Unfortunately I was unable to attend the majority of the notebook presentations. But I can share my experience of what I learned making my presentation. The research turned out to support my belief in what value our elderly can give always share with the world. My main presentation was about gentleman whose philosophy still guides a small company named Nintendo today. Instead of getting lost looking so far into the crystal ball, why not take something already known and make it better. The Nintendo Wii console is still the largest selling game console sold today and its graphics are the simplest and easest to use and understand by young and old.

Week #10

Well the video project is complete - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ay1KdZfAjwE - I was allowed to do this project with my students in the classroom a chose the concept of 'Horseplay' as main topic. I have actually experience this on a day to day basis with some of my students. Maybe when you watched the video one might think it is a little harsh. I can assure that no one was injured during the making of this video. I used the storybook template with the students and we spent a period one day orchestrating what we would do and how we were going to film everything. We shot the footage the very next day and even how time to do the sound. I use a 'Safety' ring binder in the classroom and that is where we found a website that had a lot of statistics on teenage workplace injuries - http://www.careersafeonline.com/demo/demo.html - Those statistics were very powerful so the students wanted that to come across in the video. Together we had a lot of fun making the video and the kids love the fact that some of them are on YouTube. Of course all the proper permission forms were filled out and signed first by the parents and the students after I obtain verbal permission from the administration to do this project. Since 'Safety' is such a hot button topic in schools, I plan on building a video collection by choosing a different safety topic every year.Hope everyone enjoyed the video!!!!

Week #8

Well we are getting ready to make a video in class. It is supposed to be a short video, 30 to 90 seconds long and have a public service announcement message to it. Taking a look back, I guess there would have been many reasons to use video in my previous projects. Just the fact that when you use that kind of technology over and over again you will get more proficient. It doesn't have to be a long video either. As an Automotive Technology Instructor, I had to learn how to take what I have mastered and break it down into very small chunks. Some of those 'chunks' could be taught with the help of video taping. I find myself thinking about using diigo. I could use that technology to create a page that would contain some video links to YouTube. Classroom teaching, homework, and make-up work would good examples of how 'video taping' could be incorporated into my program.

Week #6

After reading chapter 8, Real vs. Possible, I find myself comparing things to my life as a teacher. I can appreciate someone else stating that keeping up is exhausting and challenging. See I love using technology but I teach in a environment where 2 out of 3 students have an Internet connection at home, let alone a computer. I do feel that we need to continue to push our students into the use of technology because if we don't our education system in American will never turn that corner. But this chapter does go to prove that economic disparity really gets in the way of what 'policy makers' say should be accomplished in the classroom. Those 'policy makers' what to control what goes out the door but they have no control of what walks in the door. As long a America is an open door country I feel we will always be faced with our educational hurdles.
On another note, I don't agree though about Non-traditional students 'not' completing degrees as do traditional students. I have been going to school in Berks County as a non-traditional college student for almost 10 years now and I have crossed paths with many non-traditional degree earning individuals. Of course I do understand that surveys are skued by many different variables and location in the country has a lot to do with it.
I did enjoy one of the last quotes that stated that "Technology is a giant mirror reflecting back at you." After all the long and tiring days; after I take a little time for my 're-grouping.' I always keep asking myself, am I doing enough for the students, the school, and my country. This chapter does challenge us to put special emphasis on citizenship and social responsibility. Sometimes I just feel like I a feather in the rough - we will see.....