Blog Post #2

Mr. Dancealot
The central message for this video, Mr. Dancealot, is that students not only need visual learning but also hands on learning. In this video the professor would only let the students listen to his lectures and watch him explain how to maneuver the dances. He believed that his students could learn how to dance while sitting in their chairs. The author's theory that hands on learning is needed in the classroom was proven when the students were completely lost when they went to take their final exam. He expected his students to take the final and know exactly what to do with the given notes and no practice. This did not work out due to the fact they had never really practiced any dances, and they had only just taken notes from a PowerPoint. As someone wanting to be an elementary teacher one day, I agree with the author's conclusion that hands on learning is a must. Both children and adults need hands on practice when they are trying to learn things that they have to physically do.

Teaching in the 21st Century
In the YouTube video, Teaching in the 21st Century, the author Kevin Roberts thinks that teaching in the 21st century will be completely electronic. Roberts' main idea of teaching in the 21st century is that school will be completely online. He makes the point that teachers are no longer the main source of knowledge. Students now have Google, Facebook, Wikipedia, and blogs to turn to when they have questions. However, Roberts pointed out the good and bad that come from students having access to these sources. The good that he pointed out is that students can publish their work so they can share and collaborate with each other and also compare their work. The bad that comes from these sources is students can plagiarize and infringe on the copyrighted work of others. Some of these sources are also not reliable all the time. Websites such as Wikipedia can be accessed by anyone and changed at anytime making it false information. Websites such as Wikipedia are one of the negative effects to the way teaching is changing. I agree with Roberts' theory that teaching will become completely electronic one day. You now see children as young as the age of two walking around with iPhones and iPads. Technology is now a second nature for the young generation. If Roberts is correct that teaching will become completely electronic one day, it will effect me as an educator. Growing up I always thought teaching would involve me in a classroom teaching with pen and paper. I now realize that will not be how I will teach one day. I will have to overcome new obstacles with technology and learn new things as technology progresses.

The Networked Student
In this video, The Networked Student, it shows how students can network using technology and how they have access to multiple resources that allow them to teach themselves. Networking allows students to connect with people all over the world and share their opinions. Networking can lead students to resources such as iTunes U where they can have access to learn from some of the best professors in the world. Students can now rely on networking as a way of learning and completing work. The video then asks why does the networked student even need a teacher? The networked student needs a teacher to act as their guide and teach them how to build the network and maintain it. Teachers can also show students how to take advantage of learning opportunities. Teachers act as a guide and can teach networked students how to communicate properly to individuals and ask for help respectively from experts. My reaction to this video is that I agree with the author Wendy Drexler. Students need someone to guide them and teach them how to communicate with other peers and experts. Even the networked student needs to have someone available that they can call on if they ever have questions or need help.

Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts
In the video, Harness Your Students, Digital Smarts, the thesis is teaching students about technology so they can guide and teach themselves. The teacher explained how she will use words the students have never heard of so they will have to search and teach themselves what the words mean. She wants to teach the students to explore and learn about things that she may not even know about so they can teach her. I like how this teacher makes learning fun and allows the students to explore. She is pushing them and making them want to learn about new things. I believe this is a good way to make students want to be involved and it allows them to connect and share ideas through technology.

Flipping the Classroom
In this video, Flipping the Classroom, it shows an innovative approach to classroom instructions. The students are to watch a video at home about what the lesson will be on the next day in class. This is so they will come to school prepared and no class time will be wasted. Flipping the Classroom is new to me. I have never heard anything about it previous to watching this video. Depending on what grade I teach, I will decide as to if I think this technique will be useful. If I teach Kindergarten I don't see a five year old going home and doing homework and also preparing for the lesson the next day. I could maybe see an older student, like a fifth grader, doing this as a part of their homework. I think this is an interesting technique but not sure if I will use it one day.