Blog Post # 6

Networked Student

By: Wendy Drexler

I can relate to the student on the video. I am also learning how to go to the different networks such as blogger, wikispaces, etc.  I then can communicate with people all around the world. People all over can read my post anytime, anywhere. I can share my thoughts and concerns and have people comment on what they believe or don’t believe.

 I also believe that it is important to have a teacher to be able to properly and effectively teach students how to use the different networks. The teacher(s) give advice on the best networks; give instruction, and insights or guidance when problems may arise.  Teachers are not just there to teach but make sure that students learn what they are being taught so in turn students will be able to carry that with them as they leave the class.

 I am still learning and will continue to learn more about networks so I can possibly carry some of the different networks that I have learned how to use and use it in my classroom. The only way that I can be prepared to be a teacher of a networked student is for me to be prepared when it comes to knowing how properly use and demonstrate the different networks. I still have a good bit to learn when it comes to all the different networks that are around today.

Mr. H’s Seventh Grade Student

The seventh grader did a great job when creating her PLE. She sure has her PLE very organized and can use it throughout her classroom experience. I really enjoyed watching and listening on how she created her PLE. She had a great idea of listing her school tiles on the bottom of her PLE and her other interests outside of school at the top. That way she would be familiar with where everything she needs for school is located. I feel like she is a very organized young lady and knows how to use technology. She sure did a great job showing how she used her PLE throughout her Science class when it came to doing presentations and looking at the agenda for her daily assignments. She also mentioned that her class was a paperless class just as EDM 310.  

Smart boards

Personally, I have never used a smart board but I have only heard good things about them. While reading Mr. Michael Staton’s post about smart boards being a dumb initiative as well as Mr. Ferriter, I have to disagree. Although they did make some very interesting points about smart boards being expensive as well as others. Only through my ears and not experience do I know that smart boards can be very useful in the classroom. Smart boards can possibly help the students be more involved and can get their attention better than just using the chalk board. Children are amazed at what they see and when using the smart board the teacher is using his or her hands to exemplify what is on the board. Children’s eyes are amazed at what is going on and using the smart board could possibly encourage the student(s) to become more engaged in the classroom or classroom activity. I have also heard that it only takes a short time to learn how to properly use a smart board and I believe that using a smart board can possibly make responsibilites on the teacher(s) easier. Teachers already have a large responsibly when teaching so I believe paying a little extra is not only worth it for the teacher but also for the student.

Here is a link that I found that had some opposing views of smart boards being a dumb initiative by Mrs. Paxon.  She commented on "Why I Hate Interactive Whiteboards" by Bill Ferriter. http://www.edweek.org/persona.html?U=930536&plckUserId=930536

I also have a link of a friend of mine that I met last semester and here you will find her thoughts of using smart boards. Scroll down until you reach the post entitled critiques of smart boards.

http://broadusbrookeedm310.blogspot.com/