Blog Assignment #8

Richard Miller: This is How We Dream

"This Is How We Dream" is a fascinating look into how multimedia will be used for educational purposes in the future. With technology constantly improving on a second by second basis, it is nearly impossible for anyone to keep up. Dr. Miller has done a fantastic job of presenting the different ways that academic research has changed over the years, pointing out that doing legitimate research no longer requires setting foot in a library.

Some of the examples that Dr. Miller used to demonstrate the advancements in multimedia were very impressive. His project about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. that he talked about and showed video of was a good example of where education could be headed. The project not only used text as a means of presenting information, but also interactive videos that keep readers interested and involved. Projects such as this can be a great educational tool for teachers.

At this point, I cannot say that I am 100% ready to write with multimedia myself. After a few more hours of practice with it, I should be able to complete an assignment on a beginner level. Learning these skills takes time and practice, but it is worth it to learn the skills I will need to become an effective teacher. I have no doubt that my students will someday be able to use this same multimedia and far more advanced programs not yet dreamed up to do even more elaborate projects than we have thought of yet. The evolution of technology is constant, and we as teachers must try our best to stay ahead of the curve.

Carly Pugh's Blog Post #12
"Carly Pugh" is a former student of EDM310, and she created a multimedia playlist as part of an assignment. In her assignment, she said that every student was to pick ten YouTube videos based off of the ten topics that she gives. This is such a creative way to carry out Miller's idea on multimedia She did an amazing job on her blog post, and set the bar very high for incoming students. I found out through Carly's blog that we get to create our own assignment towards the end of the semester, and I'm so excited!

EDM310 is Different
The video, "The Chipper Series," is about a student named Chipper. Chipper is not happy about the class, EDM310, and confronts Dr. Strange about the way it's being run. Chipper complains about the deadlines, and is unhappy that she has to teach herself. In the end, Chipper decides to drop out of school to go to a pilot school. The pilot school also did not work out for Chipper so she then decided to become a teacher. Teaching ended up not being Chippers forte` either, because as we saw in the beginning Chipper has an issue with timelines. After trying to find her her way in life with other job opportunities, Chipper finally realizes that hard work is the key to success. The main message in the video is to not give up just because something is hard. The video ends by showing us how beneficial it is to stick with things when you commit to them, and not to just give up because its overwhelming.

"EDM for Dummies," is video made by former EDM310 students. The video starts off with two girls being extremely frustrated about the class. The girls then buy the book, EDM310 for Dummies, and they start understanding how to do their assignments better. The main message in this video is that even though EDM310 can be very overwhelming, with the proper tools and planning it can be accomplished.

Learn to Change, Change to Learn
"Learn to Change, Change to Learn," is a video about the importance of technology in the classroom. I completely agree with everything in this video. The world is constantly evolving, and this video is encouraging educators to keep up with the changes. Keeping students involved in the classroom is a huge task. If students are using technologically advanced equipment as learning tools instead of worksheets and textbooks, then I believe they will have a far better chance of being engaged in the material. We as educators are responsible for giving our students the best educational experience possible.

Scavenger Hunt 2.0
1."Edmodo.com" is a social networking website designed for teachers and students to be able to connect with one another online. It allows teachers to post grades and field questions from students, while allowing students access to tools such as calendars, syllabi, and assignments. Although I have never used edmodo in a teaching role, it seems like a great tool for teachers to use as a supplement to a class website or as the main website for a class. Not only will it be useful for teachers to direct students to the website for any questions they may have or to implement an online quiz, but it will also be a great tool for students to make use of, always knowing how to find out when assignments are due and having easy access to their teacher.

2. This presentation was created using a tool called "prezi." Prezi is a presentation tool that is similar to other slideshow programs with different transitions from slide to slide, including zooming and rotating. Prezi is a free program, but many of the best features of the program are only available to paying customers. Subscriptions vary from $4.92/month for the “Enjoy” package, which gets you 500MB storage space and premium support, to $13.25/month for the “Pro” package, which bumps up the storage space to 2GB and allows users to edit prezi presentations offline. They have a special deal for students and teachers which allows them to use the “Enjoy” package free of charge and pay only $4.92/month for the “Pro” package. It is great that prezi gives such a great deal to students and teachers, so that they may use the program without having to worry about its cost.

3. I made a comic strip at "Make Beliefs Comix."