Blog Assignment 8

This is How We Dream Parts 1 and 2
After watching part one and two of Richard Miller’s “This is How We Dream” presentation it brings to my attention how much an effect technology will, and not to mention should, have on the future of school systems. These videos are more based on the improvement that technology can bring for writing, but the use of technology can bring an improvement on any subjects with the right guidance. Richard points out the benefit’s the web can bring to learning, and he states that the only restrictions on learning are the ones we put on ourselves, which is very true. We need educators who are willing to learn how to teach using tools from the internet and put them to use in the classroom.
In part one of Richard’s presentations he introduces the idea of multimedia and explains the pros of posting ideas and lessons on the web vs. writing them in text, which can take maybe two years to be published and released. He also explains that another advantage of using information from the internet is that it only takes seconds to find and you have endless amounts of information being shared, instead of going to a library and looking at book after book for what you are searching for. I agree that using multimedia can improve a students work in the classroom, and even though I am not yet prepared to use it I am willing to learn how.
In part two of the presentations Richard starts off by giving examples of material that is posted on the web and changes before our eyes. It still amazes me how rapid technology changes every minute in our lives. Richards main goal is to get students to compose not only using Word Processor, but to compose by using multimedia and digital composing. In the near future I’m sure there will be such a program that compares to Richard’s ideas, and hopefully my future students will get the privilege of using it in the classroom.

The Chipper Series/EDM310 for Dummies
These videos were very well put together. My favorite was the “EDM310 for Dummies,” mostly because I liked how dramatic it was in the beginning. I think I can speak for several people in the class when I say that’s exactly how EDM310 class makes you feel at first until you can get the hang of things. The thing that stuck out the most to me in “The Chipper Series” was procrastination! I am the queen of procrastinating, but this class has helped me manage my time dedicated to class work quite well. I mean I may turn in some work at the very last minute, but I’m trying my best to as least get it in on time. I think the moral of both these videos is to show that you can succeed in this class as long as you stick with it and do your work. For my own video I would like to do something along the lines of time management for the class.

Critiques of Smartboards
I can’t say I agree with these two articles, although in Bill Ferriter’s article he made a good point by stating that without time and training, smartboards quickly become nothing more than really expensive overhead projectors, which I do agree with. In my opinion smart boards in the classroom can be very beneficial if the teacher has proper training with the smartboard and knows how to use it. The smartboard acts as a large projector screen of a computer and we all know by now the internet had numerous tools that can improve learning in the classroom. I found this article http://tiger.towson.edu/users/sunger2/smart_boards_in_the_classroom.htm, and it not only explains the importance of a students education, but also explains how smartboards can positively influence the learning experience in the classroom.