Presentation Tools

Prezi is a swanky new tool, and I believe that in time it could replace Power point in the near future.  Prezi is an active presentation tool which hosts movement to keep the students eye on the screen.  The presentation can be fitted with bells and whistles much as a power point could with music and pictures.  Information can be incorporated inside other designs or along a time line, making the software more flexible then power point.  However, Prezi can also cause seizures in children that suffer from epilepsy, so perhaps Prezi will not replace power point as student safety should be the number one priority.  Either way, it is an exciting technology that further shows how much the web and the world is changing.

Free Write

Hm....an open post on a blog about education.  I am...somewhat at a loss for what to say, the other topics seem to summarize many of the ideas that swim about my head.  Although...I suppose one topic that has not been addressed is that of the poor.  I firmly believe that education is the pathway to bettering oneself, and through education people can become better and more successful.  However, many of the less fortunate people in this country and around the world have difficulty accessing quality education.  Hunger, failing schools, troubles with family life, and other factors can hurt a students ability to succeed in school.  These problems are a plague upon society and there are many suggested ways to counter them, but thus far we have not found a cure all to help these students flourish.  Perhaps technology can help these students to succeed, but that does not replace classic approaches like dedicated teachers, food programs, and counselors.  I believe a synthesis of the old and the new are crucial to helping students succeed, especially students who are struggling.  I will not discount any tool that may aid a struggling student. 

Commenting

When I commented on another person's blog I felt...good.  I consider myself a people person and I enjoy making people happy, so I felt good in that I could be positive and upbeat.  It was also interesting to view another person's perspective on the technology and teaching topics we have discussed in class.  The post I replied to was much more in depth and well formed then most in class arguments, most likely because a poster has more time for reflection and thought when posting.  Being able to respond to other posts is very much a web 2.0 event, the interactivity currently on the web is staggering.  Being able to post comments on youtube videos that can themselves be responses to other videos is amazing. 

Viewing Myself Teach

I love myself, believing that a little narcissism is healthy.  Strangely, I found my voice to be annoying while I listened to the lesson.  I sound much more nasal voiced then I believed that I did, but other then that I felt satisfied with the presentation.  The color scheme and pictures looked nice, the information was presented alongside the pictures, using them to further the explanation I gave.  I also enjoyed the background music which added a period feel to the lecture, aiding with immersion while not proving too distracting.  Overall I was pleased with watching myself teach.  I am concerned with educating all of my students, especially those who have traditionally found history to be boring.  By watching my lessons I can address points that students could find boring and I can adapt my lesson.  Hopefully this will help me to be a better teacher and serve my students better.

Online Lesson

For my video lesson I will have the students read the text book chapter associated with the Crusades.  Then, I will have them watch the video presentation that I have online.  The students will then do a writing prompt on the crusades in line with Ohio standards for their grade level.  Students will be free to email me with any questions that they have and I will respond in a timely manner.  In class the next day we will discuss the writing prompts and the lecture that they watched from home, using that as a bridging point to delve deeper into the crusades and the repercussions of them for the Western and Eastern world.

Portfolio Assessment

I believe that portfolio assessment is valid to some degree, as it shows the individuals beliefs and offers insight into their attitudes, much as a resume does.  However, as with a resume I believe that assessment of an individual should not reside with one form of presentation.  Most jobs require interviews in addition to resumes, and I believe that portfolio based assessment should also include interviews.  To some degree a portfolio is much more sophisticated then a resume because it can include resume information, but also video clips and show the individuals ability to use technology.  Overall I believe that portfolio assessment is as valid, if not more so, then resume based assessment.

21st Century Teacher

As a future teacher I definitely have mixed feelings when asked if I see myself as a 21^st century teacher.  On one hand yes, I believe that I will integrate technology into my classroom, actively engage the students to participate, and focus my curriculum on the students and their needs rather than the material that will be covered.  I plan to use activities such as wiki links where students learn research skills while having fun.  I intend to use music, video clips, pictures, and activities in my classroom instead of reducing history to reading the textbook and taking notes during lecture.  I will focus my curriculum on what my students individual needs are rather than on the information that I would like to cover.  

However, I do not believe that 20^th Century teaching skills should be cast aside merely because they are old.  Some aspects of education such as using maps and learning about important figures and events in world history remain crucial aspects of history that students should learn about.  It is an embarrassment when the country is at war with Iraq and Afghanistan and many students cannot locate either country on a map.  While these facets of history are important and should be included in a curriculum (in my opinion) students should also learn about the modern world in history class.  The conflict against Islamic Extremist Terrorist organizations should be understood, but so too should the events leading up to the modern day conflict, including the culture and history of all major groups involved.  Students need an understanding of past events so they can comprehend what is currently happening in the world and why it is happening.  

This understanding is applicable to the real world as well.  For example, the company McDonald’s should have known that opening a restaurant chain in India would be poor business.  The majority of the people in India, Hindu’s and Muslim’s, do not desire to eat at a McDonald’s restaurant.  Hindu’s do not eat beef and Muslims do not eat pork and McDonald’s did not make adaptations to their menu until it was too late.   These religious beliefs are present throughout India’s past and crucial to understanding its present culture.  If the corporate head of McDonald’s had paid more attention to world history perhaps they would not have made this corporate blunder.