Blog Post 2

Did You Know by Karl Fisch and Scott McLeod

Did you know there is a short video on the way technology and other countries are going full speed ahead in the future? According to the video, China will someday become the largest English speaking country. After viewing the video you will also see a comparison of the IQ level in India compared to the total population of the United States. Secondly, how the job market has changed over the past couple of years. The video states that as a country we must prepare for the future or we will be left behind. You will also see a break down on how social media is taking the place of a simple meet and greet. Lastly, how technology such as computers and cell phones are advancing, giving the world easier ways to do things.

 My Comments 

I agree technology is advancing at a rapid speed. I think this is good thing in some ways but can be bad in others. The positives are updates for police officers, doctors and any other technology that will be a help to ensure people get the best help and care possible. On the other hand, the negatives are social networking sites being used for the wrong reason and resulting in crime. Texting and driving is the result of a lot of deaths. I believe that the improvement of technology is part of the reason why other countries are leaving the United States behind. Working at a cell phone company I see that people are lost without their cell phones. People rely on the phones to be alarm clocks, calendars and to store things, such as notes and phone numbers. These are things that we used to rely on the human body to remember.  The world is going to continue to improve technology so we must keep up and not use the most recent inventions as enablers. 

Mr. Winkle Wakes 

In this video, Mr. Winkle takes a trip to three different places the office, the hospital and to school. Because he has been sleep for one hundred years a lot of technology has past him by. Oddly the only place that he felt at home was at the school because he stated that nothing has changed from the time he left.The video also shows that Mr. Winkle was not accepting of the new technology.

my comment 

I think the video shows just how older people see technology. Most people are not ready for change and don't want change. What stood out the most was the fact that the school was left behind although most of schools are financially challenged. We need the best technology in school to keep up with the world. How can we teach students to go after the best jobs if they don't know how to use the most up to date technology? Sadly although the video was funny it was true. Some school systems are left behind and just like Mr. Winkles you can go there and feel right at home. 

 

A Vision for 21st Century Learning 

  Learning in the 21st Century is a video about changing the way we teach to keep up with the world. The video also show student having fun learning and then show us what goes on in the class room today. He states in the video that if we make it fun most students want even know that their learning. He talks about the way schools make students learn facts and have to recite them back on paper are read them in a book and memorize the material. 
 My Comment    

I think most teachers look at the change as being something new that they want understand themselves. From my experience most teacher teach just how they where taught and that is the old fashion way because that is all they know. Work shops for teachers to teach them a new way would not be a bad idea.  I don't think the video asks them to change the lesson plan but to change the way the lesson is being taught. 

 

The Importance of Creativity: by Sir Ken Robinson 

In Sir Ken Robinsons video, he talks about the importance of being creative.  He stated that creativity is as important in education as literacy. He talked about being prepared to be wrong because if not you will never come up with any thing original. He also prioritized the way our school systems in the United Stated value each subject. He asked why don't we teach dance in school everyday like we teach math? He stated that we push all of the arts to the back, and focus more on the head and not the body.

My Comment

I Couldn't agree more with Sir Ken Robinson creativity in the school systems are lost. Students that are not as smart as others really have no place. When I was in school we had a lot of students that where great in football, basketball and dance but didn't excel in academics. In the work force you have to be different to keep up with the most cutting edge jobs so being creative will not just effect you in school but it will also effect you every day job.

Vicki Davis: Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts

In Ms. Davis class she used a lot of different electronic devices to teach. The students in her class were all enjoying the way they were being taught. Students were sharing ideas and also asking questions. Ms Davis act as if she knew what was going on at all times in her class. She also introduce he class to a wide verity of web sites.

I have mixed feeling about  all the technology being used in the class room. It can be a great thing because their learning  how to use different devices to get work done.  It also keeps the students engaged in learning. On the other hand I would just want to keep a hold on what type of communication is being used on the phones and the social networking sites. I believe that you can have the same amount of fun but have it mentored.