Blog Assignment 5

Don't Teach Your Kids This Stuff. Please? by Scott McLeod


In this blog post Scott McLeod talks about all the dangers of technology.  It's a very ironic post, sarcastic, and I love it.  When he does is after talking bad about all the ways you could use technology and how it could be bad.  For example, he presents the idea that why teach students to social network or use the internet at all because there are predators out there.  The post is full of things like that.  Then at the end he says don't do any of it please.  He then says because he is with all of his students and he can't wait to see who has a leg up in the next couple of decades.  I mean, all I can say is well done.  I loved everything about this post.

I also found out, by google-ing it, that Scott McLeod is also a co-creator of the "Did You Know?" videos that we watch for class.  Also, there is another famous Scott McLeod out there.  He was the bass player for 90's euro-rock band Oasis.  They, unfortunately, are not the same person.

Here is the comment I left on his blog: “Dr. McLeod, I am a student in Dr. Strange’s EDM310 class at the University of South Alabama.  I thought your article was fantastic.  It is unfortunate that some educators are refusing to embrace the future.  I think that the direction technology is moving in should be revolutionizing the way we teach and learn.  I have a limitless supply of information at the tips of my fingers at all times.  Thanks for the post.”

The iSchool Initiative and ZeitgeistYoungMind's Entry by Travis Allen

In these video's Travis Allen, in the first video he's a high school senior and the second he's a college student, talks about the way technology should be integrated with our classrooms moving forward.  He says that the public education system is broken with teachers not being hired back, budget cuts, and growing classroom size.  He says we have to embrace change and he gives examples of how.  He presents the iSchool Initiative in which teachers and students use the iPod Touch in the classroom instead of traditional books, pens and paper.  He shows how this device would streamline the process and make the student-teacher-parent relationship more seamless than ever.

I think he is completely right.  As previously stated, I think technology should be revolutionizing the way we teach and the way we learn.  I think that more technology would be something that would make learning fun again for students.  Not only that, it will prepare them for life and a career much better than a curriculum that is void of technology.  I mean presently you practically have to be a computer engineer to understand point of sale systems that are used in every retail and restaurant job.  We would be robbing students if we leave technology absent in the classroom.  

Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir - 'Lux Aurumque'

In this video composer Eric Whitacre uses YouTube to form a choir.  There are 185 members from 12 countries that comprise the choir and they all perform the song 'Lux Aurumque.'  The trick is that they don't perform together, each individual performs their own separate part in their own home/space apart from the others.  In the performance all the members are featured in a choir setting but instead of their bodies being physically present its the webcam captured video of them performing the song.  It's a beautiful song and a very impressive video.

        

I'm pretty sure I'm going to approach this post differently than most.  Knowing a little bit about recording music the fact that this was actually recorded is not what is most impressive.  In most recording sessions the individual track is laid for every piece of the band.  Guitar has it's own track, as do each individual vocal performances, this song is just on a more grandiose scale.  Now, it has to be a logistical nightmare, but not that different than the recording of every other song.  What impresses me the most about this video is that the members are from 12 different countries.  This shows that the internet is much more of a global community.  It affords our society to interact with other societies.  Which is an integral part about learning about our own.  Nothing should be taken for granted.  This is changing the world.  In my opinion it should do nothing but enrich our lives.  Awesome way of using the internet.

Teaching in the 21st Century

In this video created by Kevin Roberts he discusses and raises some questions about teaching in the 21st century.  He presented the idea that with technology and information so readily at the fingertips of the populous that teachers are no longer the main source of information.  Rather, teachers are now the filter for students.  That teachers should be teaching responsibility and critical thinking skills integrated with the use of the exponentializing information found using technology.  He also charges teachers to instead of viewing these things (netbooks, iPads, cellphones) as merely forms of entertainment to be looked at as tools.  He says that students don't need to be entertained to learn, but they need to be engaged to learn.  Technology is a prompt for engagement.  Through engagement forms creativity and through creativity enhances problem solving.  Lastly, he asks teachers to start small and reminds them that the start my be tough but like everything else resistance to change is inevitable.

I do agree with Mr. Roberts in his presentation.  It not relevant any more to just teach facts because facts are on the other end of my phone at all times.  Facts are important but in today's world being able to find the facts, think creatively and critically, and solve problems are of the same importance.  Teaching students to make smart and informed decisions about life is important.  Teaching students how to live in the world is more practical than teaching them just about the world without engagement is folly.  Knowing how to live in the world is much more important than just knowing the fact that there is a world.