Blog Post # 5

The iSchool Initiative
Zeigeist Youn Minds Entry

Travis Allen thought up the idea for iSchool Initiative when he was just 17 years old. He made this idea a reality by the time he was 18 years old. The iSchool Initiative is a GREAT program that is working diligently to gets schools away from textbooks, and closer to technology. Allen’s idea is to do this through the use of iPads, and iPods. The iPod Touch can be VERY useful in countless ways in a classroom setting. This technological change will also save teachers and students an immense amount of money. Allen stated that typically it costs one student around $600 to get school supplies each year. With iSchool it would cut those costs down to about #150.00 per student. The iPod can store and hold ample textbooks, teaching &learning APPS, and students can send and receive e-mail updates between teachers and fellow students. This opens up many doors to communication between students and their teachers.
Even locally many schools have begun supplying their students and teachers with MAC computers and iPads to use in the classrooms during daily instruction. Technology is showing no signs of slowing down and it changes and advances everyday. The idea of bringing our schools up to date with technology only makes sense! Travis’ program is having a HUGE impact on education already. His idea is logical and effective. Students love using technology, people do in general! It only makes sense to fully involve it our classrooms and everyday teaching strategies.

Eirc Whitacre's Virtual Choir- "Lux Aurumque

This is a great video of a virtual choir. All of the members of the choir are singing together on what appears to be Skype. The each are on their own personal computers in different locations, possibly across the country. The song sounds so pretty, as if they were altogether in one room performing a concert. It is so awesome that technology can allow people to collaborate in such an organized manner!

Teaching in the 21st Century

This video points out that students (or anyone rather) can get answers to any questions they may have, at any time or in any place without a teacher having to be present. This is so true! I know that anytime I want to know something, I pull out my phone and I Google it. And usually within a matter of seconds or minutes I have my answer. The Internet has SO much information available to us at all times. Teachers are no longer the primary sources of information in education. Teachers should “filter” information for students, that they will collect via the Internet. Students of all ages and people in general need to learn how to use the Internet effectively. Students need teachers who will direct questions at them that they can answer using any/ all resources available to them. Modern Technology and the Internet have been revolutionary. They have also forever changed the way that we teach and learn. Rather than allowing our students and ourselves to wander with no direction and get “lost in cyber-space,” we need to focus on the important information that is efficient. Textbooks are often VERY expensive and unfortunately they are typically out of date. The Internet can be updated with little to no cost and it can be done instantly. This is huge! This means that our students will be able to learn valuable information that is completely up to date!

Flipping the Classroom: 4th Grade STEM
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Dr. Lodge McCammon's FIZZ-
Flipping the Classroom

Flipping the classroom is a great idea that I wish we had when I was in grade school. It certainly would have helped me learned and grabbed my attention! It gives children the opportunity to start their day prepared and ready to learn, rather than spending all day on lecture. When this happens, students are sent home to put all of their notes and pieces together alone. Students can watch lectures online the day before. When they arrive to school they can ask questions, get answers, hear other students thoughts, and truly spend valuable class time learning. This opens up many doors for one-on-one learning at school. The concept is awesome! That is IF the students follow through! In my opinion though if a student is not willing to watch a video online, they probably had no intentions of reading that information at home anyhow. Teachers will have to attempt to catch up students who fail to watch the videos. However, if it were my classroom I would make the lectures a mandatory assignment to watch. If students did not comply, well that is their grade. This whole idea seems motivating, exciting and effective!