Before I was given this assignment, I was not sure what a podcast was or how to find them. I thought you had to have an Iphone or Ipod to get them (don't laugh at my technological illiteracy). I can see how very useful they can be. What a great tool for a teacher to be able to use especially if she has to be out of the classroom for some reason. Students can stay up to date on work if they are sick. Lots of possibilities.
Smart Board Lessons was informative and made the most of his time. On www.wiki.answers.com, it said Americans wait in line about an hour a day. Why not make the most of it and share some great ideas? On the Kidcast podcast I listened to, I felt like I was listening in on a telephone conversation. I may have enjoyed it more if it was giving me useful information. It showed me that you have to have interaction from both sides to have a good podcast.
I like how Connectlearning included the audience in his podcast. It gave several viewpoints from teachers. I felt involved in the conversation even though I was not speaking. EdTechTalk featured a conversation between someone here in the US and someone in Austarlia. How amazing is that. The fact that you could create a worldwide conversation to be used and heard around the world is wonderful and could be a great asset in the classroom.
MacBreak Weekly and This week in Photography both seemed like talk radio. I am not a big talk radio listener. I am not saying this is a bad format, but for me and my classroom a think a different format would be more interesting. I also thought they were both very long. I think a shorter podcast with a very specific subject may be a better option for students.
Iphone used by 1 year old
It does not take long for young children to catch on to new technology. It is amazing that this 1 year old can operate an Iphone. This child will be in Kindergarten in 4 years. I am sure he is not the only child that can do this, and they will all probably be in my class in 4 years. I have alot of homework to do!!
Brenda Fluker
I agree!!! If you shut your students out of the class by not letting them participate (whether it is 1st grade or college level)in a classroom discussion they will eventually shut you out and not learn. No one will benefit...not the teacher, not the students. As for the 'ah ha' moments, that is why I am going into the teaching field. I taught 2 year olds in a preschool and I loved it when they finally learned to sit Indian style. A seemingly small thing that was huge to me and them. I could almost see the light bulb flicker on in their eyes.
1st graders in Mrs. Cassidy's class
Look at their classroom. All the computers. My daughters classroom has only 2 computers for 19 students. Most of the time they are only in use for taking AR test. Her class doesn't have a Smartboard and will not be getting one this year. Third grade is the only grade level at her school that does not have Smartboards. My children are not learning the same way Mrs. Cassidy's class is learning. They do not have the technology or the equipment to learn this way. My son is in the 1st grade. How far behind is his class compared to Mrs. Cassidy's? How will this affect him in college and in job opportunities? I have alot of teaching to do to my own children.
Media Literacy
I am so proud of the students! They seem to think this is just the way it is. The do not seem to think they are doing something that, to me, is amazing. I hope to do half the job Mrs. Cassidy has done in teaching my students and getting them excited about learning.
I just found out my daughter (3rd grade) is making a slide show in her computer lab class. Her class goes to the computer lab every Thursday. They began working on it before Christmas and she finished her's today. They are doing more than I thought, but still not enough. I wish they had more opportunity in the classroom everyday in many areas, not just the computer lab once a week.
ReplyDeleteI think it is very important, as educators, to make sure our children are equipped with the opportunity to have access to computers and any other technology! Hopefully in in the next couple years our school systems will have the funds to grant our elementary schools with such equipment as Mrs. Cassidy has in her classroom! But for now, we will just have to use what we have available in our class for now.
ReplyDeleteI was also very impressed with the one-year-old using an iPhone. Children have such an amazing capacity for learning! It's unfortunate to hear that our school system isn't providing your children with the technology that Mrs. Cassidy's class has. Children have the right to learn the skills they will need for future success and access to this sort of technology is very important. Hopefully this will change in the next few years!
ReplyDeleteMaybe you could get a group of couponers (a word?) and start a podcast on couponing (a word?) Become famous! sell ads. get rich. remember your poor old professor who wants an iPad.
ReplyDeleteI'm not a big fan of Smartboards. See Why I Hate Interactive Smartboards. My dream is for every student to have theor own set of tools that will connect them to "all information, in all places, at all times". (the quote is from Gutenberg II written in 1978 by 5 Canadian teachers predicting what would happen by 2000. And they were only thinking of text as information! We are really close!