Blog Post #8

Part 1. Just watched two videos created by Richard Miller(Rutgers University English Professor), collectively entitled "This is How We Dream". These 2 videos are put together to get us thinking about how writing in school has changed and how writing "as a culture" has changed.
The first of these videos talks about the incremental changes from the location of the workplace. It used to be that students (or workers) would need pencils, paper, and notebooks everywhere. Now they can just work with their personal laptop on the desktop. Mr. Miller decided to do several projects. He proved his point that anybody with access to a computer (of anykind) and internet can research practically anything they want to research. They can create movies, powerpoints, other video presentations from print based documents because they are now all over the internet. In video 1, Mr. Miller states that since we now have the technology that allows us to instantly send documents, forms, texts, all literary creations all over the globe that "this is the time to be engaged with the work of literacy; it has never been a more important moment for this profession or for people who take reading and writing seriously." We no longer have to rely on the release of current and updated print documents or similar sources of information because the internet has connected the world and provided a way for instant communication, independent research, social networking, etc.
The second video was a little bit confusing really. My thoughts: "I'm going to have to watch this again." No, but seriously, I don't think I am prepared right now to write articles and publish them on the internet. I have much to learn and many sources to get connected to. I am just now starting to get a hang of this PLN thing and I have only found a few sources. But in time, I feel that I will be able to do quite well in terms of writing respectable and professional articles on the internet, ones that qualify (in my lines) of my future profession.

Part 2. Blog Post #12 by Carly Pugh. Because of this blog post, I now understand what Mr. Miller's second video was about. Mr. Miller talked about writing with multimedia...and for the purpose of the future students education, Carly put together an absolutely wonderful assignment that incorporates the main idea of his (previously stated) videos into becoming a teacher. She did very well!

Part 3. Due to technical difficulties, I am only able to complete half of 3rd part of today's assignment. The end result: If I've been told to look for something, but given no clues as to what I should look for, than I probably wont end up with a great end result. I can say this applies because there are so many videos that can be made about anything. So, I really don't have a particular preference as to what ideas to discuss in a video that I participate in. I'll put in my opinion on a situation and that'll be that.

Part 4. In Learning to Change, Changing to Learn philosophers of some sort talk about how education is changing and how students are learning and can learn. But learning and teaching is a process that depend on each other in such a way that if one does not succeed than neither does the other. I agree 100% with the video. Students have to start learning on there own, school is getting lame and boring because everything else in the environments around them outside of school such as facebook and parties and iPhones, video games, etc. Students don't have to go to school to learn, students have to be responsible and willing to learn.

Part 5. Here is my assignment:
-Watch the video introduction for Discovery Education Web 2.0 Intro by Justin Cometti.
-Visit Discovery Education's WEB 20.11 site
-Web 2.0 Tools is where we will have our Scavenger Hunt.
-We were assigned a list of 5 this to find, and I chose to items 2, 3, and 4.
2.) Locate the tool that most likely created this presentation. Once you find the site, look at the top right and click Pricing. Write a paragraph about the nice deal they make for students/
teachers.
-The website that was used to create the presentation is http://prezi.com/ and this is the link to the special teachers pricing. I believe that teachers are charged $100 less for several reasons, the main reason being that they are teachers and "make no money" in the words of like 99% of my former teachers. On another note, Prezi's are engaging tools that can be used for teaching and entertaining. The little amount of money to be paid for such an amazing tool is incredible. If more teachers new about prezi's and new how to use them well, education would be a much more fun process. the best part is: all you have to have is a education email account to sign up. Think about this: I could get the "Enjoy" packadge valued at $59 p/year for free just because I'm a student with an "edu" email account. How awesome is that? I highly encourage you to look into this, you may be shocked at what you find.
3.) Find a tool to make-your-own comic strip. Create a comic and post a picture of it in your
blog.
-I used the MakeBeliefsComix Tool.

4.) Find a video tool that you have never used. Summarize some it's special features.
-I found the ThinkQuest website. I like it, it is very interesting, and actually, a site that I have been looking for for a week or 2 now. One of it's most impressive features is its ThinkQuest Library that has Over 8,000 websites created by students around the world who have participated in a ThinkQuest Competition (another feature that ThinkQuest has).
The third interesting and special feature that this website has is its ThinkQuest Projets page.Projects provide a flexible framework for engaging students in exploring curricular topics and developing important 21st century skills, such as communication, teamwork, and technology skills. In addition, students are motivated by the fun and creative format and the opportunity to make new friends around the world. For teachers, a school portal enables quick and easy management of student accounts and review of project work.