Melissa Keeler final reflection on EDM310

blog post 5 part 2 EDM310 class blog Melissa Keeler

John Strange
Elizabeth "Aldridge" Harris Marks
Marsha Cornett- 228-588-7034
Ashley Kibby- 228-990-4782
April Robinson- 228-217-2232
Emily Sharp- 251-895-9904
Sheila Hoven 251-533-8030
Venus Allen- 228-235-6768
TeachingChannel
National Institutes of Health
DavidTruss
National Association of Special Education Teachers
National Institute of Mental Health

C4C 11 EDM310 class blog Melissa Keeler

C4C11 is Raven Williams Her blog is so organized and full of graphics. I am impressed with her abilities. She has so much information it is a little overwhelming at first but like I said it is extremely organized. I can tell she has put a lot of time into her blog.

C4C 12 is Amanda I agreed with her statement "It is important to keep my students wanting more." and went on to say that if an educator achieves this they would know that the student was engaged and will remember more information about the project.

C4C 13 is Jessica Thompson I commented on the fact that it really does take a dedicated person to teach special education. I also added that the rewards are great, there is nothing like seeing the light turn on in any child's mind but especially a special needs child who may be hard to reach cognitively.

blog post 14 Melissa Keeler EDM 310 class blog

Our assignment was to read by Joel Klien

He brings to light some problems as well as some suggestions to rectify these problems.

PROBLEMS
1. 23 states can't produce a teacher education program that provides math preparation equivalent to high performing nations.
POSSIBLE SOLUTION- I know that countries such as China and Japan give civil service tests to determine the abilities of persons applying for even the lower ranking jobs available. If a national type of test were to be put into place it may be helpful in weeding out the less able. Unfortunately I am not very strong in the math department and I know that I personally need to work on this. Math is not really considered important unless the future teacher is trying to teach math or science. This does seem to be a bit silly since the teacher, regardless of what they teach will have to add up, average, and turn a grade into a percentage and turn percentages into a numerical value as well.

2. Less than 20% of teacher education programs offer basics in Reading. POSSIBLE SOLUTION- This seems almost impossible to me as the majority of classes are based on reading the material to get the information. In my opinion reading should have been pretty much mastered by high school but when hearing some of my peers read aloud, I realize this expectation is grossly exaggerated. My 7 year old son reads better than some I have heard, this scares me because these are the people who may be teaching him in the near future as they are in elementary education. I myself am in secondary education and consider myself to be fairly well-read. Again standardized tests could be given to those who wish to enter education (if I am not mistaken there actually is a test given for reading here) and if the person does poorly on said test additional reading classes should be offered to bring them up to speed.

3. For several decades the U.S. has allowed anyone with a college degree to become a teacher. POSSIBLE SOLUTION- This one is a toughie. We can not fix the past and unfortunately, the way the school system is set up at the moment the longer a teacher has been there, the harder it is to let them go even if they are incompetent. The only relief I see with this is to again put into motion some type of nationalized test that will weed out the competent from the less competent.

4. Rewards are based on seniority. POSSIBLE SOLUTION- Rewards should be based solely on the performance of the teacher. Who cares how long the teacher has been there? If they are incompetent they should NOT be rewarded PERIOD. It can be very frustrating for the educator who does very well to watch the teacher who is terrible get rewarded while the competent teacher gets passed by or laid off because they have only just been hired. I have seen this in action. A young math teacher who was one of the best I have seen in years was literally pushed out of a school system because A. she was young, B. she had just been hired that year, C. got laid off because she was the last one hired even though she had never missed a day and was extremely competent. Needless to say that teacher is no longer there. A very sad state of affairs for the students at that school.

5. Teachers are paid regardless of performance. POSSIBLE SOLUTION- If standardized tests were given every 2-5 years to determine how the teacher is performing I believe that several of these existing problems would disappear. As things are now a teacher in MS has a starting pay rate of around 20,000 a year. The first raise in pay does not occur for 5 years. I know personally that this wage will not even BEGIN to touch my student loan debt let alone pay my bills as well. This is extremely discouraging. I hope in the future this changes because at this pay rate I will never pay off my debt as I am looking at two more years before I graduate.

6. In some states it is impossible to remove a teacher due to the seniority rule. POSSIBLE SOLUTION- This absolutely needs to STOP! If a teacher is incompetent they are incompetent and MUST be removed no matter HOW long they have been there. In fact I feel the school system should be penalized if they allow a teacher to remain working just because of seniority. If you make the schools pay a fine for this quite a few fires would be lit under some non moving butts.

7. High quality experienced teachers end up in middle class communities. POSSIBLE SOLUTION- I do not necessarily see this as a detriment. In fact this is a good thing for our children in public school systems. What DOES need to change is the pay scale for educators. They are one of the lowest payed if not the lowest, yet they are entrusted with our children. Does the saying "you get what you pay for" come to mind? it should.

8. Poor students get inexperienced teachers. POSSIBLE SOLUTION- I feel the reason for this is that private schools are much more selective when choosing teachers. I do not necessarily feel that teachers should be turned away just for inexperience, I mean how is experience supposed to be gained if jobs will not give them a chance. This statement also contradicts what the author has said about seniority... I do not feel that inexperience is the issue it is the issue of competency or incompetency that needs to be studied. The teacher can have 20 plus years of experience under their belt and be the most incompetent teacher in the school.

9. Lay offs affect the teachers who were most recently hired. POSSIBLE SOLUTION- Again, I feel that if a lay-off is necessary than a standardized test should be given to all of the teachers in that school and the less competent should be fired regardless of experience or seniority. As I mentioned earlier A young math teacher was pushed out of a school through the seniority ranking and the lay-off procedures even though she was extremely competent and well liked by the students and parents.



PROFESSIONALIZING = Excellence as a guide line.

This would mean that EVERYTHING would have to change including course work, compensation, education-school admissions, employment rules, and self policing.

These core changes would be beneficial to all parties involved...teachers, students, and the public because the public would be able to have more trust and faith in the public school system.

The late Albert Shanker, one of the most influential teacher's-union leaders of his time was quoted 30 years ago saying "Unless we go beyond collective bargaining to the achievement of true teacher professionalism, we will fail...to preserve education in the U.S. and to improve the status of teachers economically, socially, and politically."

Albert Shanker offered several ideas to create professionalism in teaching:

1. Attract the best students to enter the education programs

2. Demand a "formal set of peer relationships" as well as a "Knowledge base"

3. National teaching examinations testing content knowledge and mastery of pedagogy

4. a 1-3 year supervised internship to evaluate the performance of new, potential teachers

5. Teachers should provide their own board to police the profession

6. Standards should be established and provisions should be made to provide ways to eliminate or remove incompetent teachers

7. Promotions should be based on performance on specialty tests

If these suggestions were followed teachers would be in a better position to master their profession and rely less on college student help in the classrooms


Shanker also had the foresight to realize that public education would not be sustainable if "teachers continue to be treated...as workers in an old-fashioned factory."


I believe it is time to make this visionary man's idea of the future a reality! Not only for the sake of our students but for our educators as well. I too as Dr. Strange mentioned in his blog, do not know how to make this a reality however, it is extremely clear that something needs to change in order for our children and future teachers to achieve the most and best they can. I truly believe that if the schools were penalized and fined for keeping incompetent teachers because of seniority that the whole seniority problem may fly out of the window. I do not see this happening any time soon unfortunately. Also if the pay scale is not revised there will be nothing but incompetent teachers because the competent teachers will find a better way that pays what they deserve, not what the state feels is good enough.

GRAMMAR/SPELLING:4 points
FOLLOW DIRECTIONS: yes 3 points
ADDRESSES ISSUES: 9 issues 9 points
RESPONSES: all 3 areas addressed 9 points
CONCLUSION: excellent 5 points

blog post 13 EDM310 class blog MelissaKeeler

First go to Roman Technology and check out what it has to offer. Next go to 10 innovations

After going to these places answer the question What technologies did the Romans give to us? and Without these innovations where would our civilization be?

I did this and discovered that our civilization owes quite a bit to the Romans. The roads we travel on, The surgeries we practice still to this day, How our water is delivered to us and our sewage is taken away from us, and many other daily things we may not associate with the Romans and their great culture.

I do not want to spoil the surprise for you. So I will leave you to explore and discover on your own.

Project 12 B EDM310 classblog Melissa Keeler

c4t4 post 1 and 2 Melissa Keeler EDM310 class blog

C4T #4 is David Truss I left a comment that the schools in my area not only restrict the students but also the teachers from using devices (cell phones). I went on to say that with these kind of restrictions the educators of MS are doing the best they can.

Post 2 is about David's post on the siphoning off of public school funding. I explained to him that his area is not unique in this sad state of affairs. I shared with him that the schools in my area in MS have been dropping enrichment classes such as art yet still put a grade on the student's report card. I explained this was done through eliminating the art class and teacher (she now oversees the computer room, nothing to do with her field of study) and now distribute coloring pages and crayons during free period. I went on to explain that the funds that are making it to the schools are going to the sports (football in particular) and that the teams are not all that great. In conclusion the students who are not sports inclined or are not endowed with an "Old money last name" are completely left out and I do not see it improving any time soon unfortunately.

collaborative blog post 12 group 4 Melissa Keeler EDM310 class blog

Noah- Speech recognition software
In my research I came across a few technologies that are designed to help physically handicapped students, but one stuck out because it is something that would help people like me with forms of dyslexia. Speech recognition software was designed to help use a computer without using the traditional mouse and keyboard. Software like “Dragon” can recognize sounds spoken by the user and convert them into commands for the computer. This allows someone with limited use of their hands to operate a computer with their voice. This allows people with limb abnormalities or amputations to be free of the need for an aid to do the typing for them.
Using this software one can also dictate to the computer what they wish to type. This can help not only the people who find it hard or impossible to type but also those that have problems spelling, like those with Dyslexia. These programs are almost 100% accurate when it comes to spelling and recognizing speech. This allows them to make up for their handicaps.
Speech recognition may not be in itself a learning tool but it levels the playing field so that those with the inability to use a computer normally can have a way to do it on their own without help. This is not only a tool for school work but also for the real world that is now run by computers
. http://www.bbc.co.uk/accessibility/guides/factsheets/factsheet_VR_intro.pdf
http://www.nuance.com/dragon/accessibility-solutions/index.htm
http://www.ngtvoice.com/services/assistive/peel.htm



Melissa- AT for the Deaf and Hearing impaired student. During my search for assistive technologies available for the hearing impaired or Deaf this disability was often paired with blindness as well. It was explained that both of these disabilities account for the smaller part of the disabled population so maybe that is why they were often paired together. Another reason could be that a lot of times when a person has one disability it can be accompanied by another or sometimes multiple disabilities reside within one person. At any rate I concentrated on the Deaf. The Deaf community and members within consider it offensive to call them hearing impaired or to say that they have suffered a loss of hearing. They consider ASL (American Sign Language) to be their native language and English their second language. Some do not speak by choice however most of the Deaf learn to speak in order to effectively communicate with the general public.

I will move from older to newer technologies as some of the older ones will still be in use but not for long I am sure as smartphones are getting smarter every day.

In the classroom setting the interpreter was at one time the only way a teacher could communicate effectively with a Deaf or hearing impaired student. The interpreter stands to the left and a little bit behind the teacher and signs what the teacher says in sign language for the Deaf student to see and understand.

Hearing aids can be used by some students with hearing impairment however, do know that the aids amplify ALL of the sound including background noise which could still make it difficult for the student to hear the teacher. Use of FM systems (the same kind as presidential security or McDonald's drive through) where the teacher wears a mini microphone and the student wears a pair of headphones is extremely useful in these cases because the student hears ONLY the teacher.

Sidekick is a mobile communication device that allows the user to receive Instant Messages (IM) and Email. Of course this device is being replaced by the cellphone.

Video instruction and televised announcements with closed captioning can be effective tools. The student can pause or review any forgotten or missed parts of the video instruction avoiding misunderstood questions or answers due to language/communication barriers.

Photo experience books created by the student offer a visual tool to communicate personal experiences with a hearing person without the use of spoken language.

Power point presentations are great for the hearing impaired and Deaf students. It is a computer program that is offered through Microsoft. The program allows the teacher to add pictures and text to slides eliminating the need for the student to hear what is being said.


A vocalization to visualization tool is available for free through a computer program called Winamp media player. A microphone is used and auditory sound is turned into visual fireworks on the computer monitor. This is used to represent the sound that is going on in the room as well as to teach the Deaf student how to speak.

The top assistive technology by far within the Deaf community is the smartphone and texting. The junior high and high schoolers especially like this because it completely eliminates the need to speak. They can communicate clearly and just as quickly with text as their hearing peers.

All of these technologies can and are used in real world situations and like I said earlier the smartphone is quickly replacing a lot of these technologies as I type. resources are on next page.
https://nationaldb.org/library/list/40 http://www.atia.org/files/public/ATOBV5N1ArticleSEVEN.pdf
http://www.lynda.com/academic?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Search-GrpAcad-Classroom+Technology&utm_content=55572288666&utm_term=%2Bclassroom%20%2Btechnology%20%2Beducation&gclid=CMDfgcCN6sECFW4V7AodyRQAjQ


Kathryn Ortmann-AT for the Blind and the Visually Impaired

Students that are blind or have visual impairments are going to be vulnerable to falling behind in a classroom setting. Meet Mason. He's a first grader and suffers from a vision impairment. Mason's parents were worried when he first started school that he would not be able to keep up with others and he wouldn't be able to go to a normal school.

To help solve some of Mason's complications, his school purchased a Mountbatten Brailler for him to use during class so that he can learn to write and read Braille. The Mountbatten Brailler is the complete Braille learning center for children and their teachers. As a professional resource, the Mountbatten Brailler offers exceptional connectivity and software to support flexible teaching and educational needs. The Mountbatten is a simple tool that can be used to develop awareness of Braille symbols and characters. The clear audio response reinforces learning and tells the student which commands are being entered. The Mountbatten is the first and only Bluetooth Smart hard-copy Braille device that communicates wirelessly with iOS Bluetooth Smart Ready devices. Mason is able to learn Braille at an early age, so as the grade level increases and the difficulty of subject matter increases, Mason can keep up with his fellow classmates.

Mason uses an iPad and the Smart Board to increase his learning. The iPad allows Mason to participate in fun games and learning exercises that teach him how to read and spell. There are many apps that allow students to listen to words and spell using the sounds, so that they do not really have to see what is happening to learn. The Smart Board, since it is so big, allows a visually impaired student like Mason to be able to participate and actually know what is happening on the screen.



Tori - Today I am going to share with you an app called Proloquo2Go that is available on iTunes. This is an app that gives a voice to people who can not speak through the use of symbols. This is an amazing tool for kids who have trouble with verbal communication. Instead of trying to guess what they want or need, they can click on the appropriate symbols to tell you exactly what they want. When a symbol is clicked, it says the words out loud on the app as well. In this video, you will meet a 10 year-old boy named Nick. He was diagnosed with Autism and has trouble with his verbal communication. The video shows his mother and other people who work with Nick through out the day using Proloquo2Go and they talk about how it has drastically changed the ease in which they communicate. Nick will often try to verbalize what he wants but when/if it does not happen he uses his iPad to press the symbols which make sentences stating what it is he wants, needs, or feels. Most of the time he will also repeat what the app says which is strengthening his verbal communication skills. The app is availiable on the app store for $219.99. That may seem like a lot of money for one app but when it comes to being able to communicate with a child and the child better communicating with the world, I believe it is worth every penny. If you visit Proloquo2Go, read the reviews from people who have bought it. They all have touching stories about having children or students with disabilities of all kinds whose lives have been made so much easier because of this amazing app that enables them to communicate more effectively.


Chelsea
Assistive Technology for Students with ADHD
By: Chelsea Power

In todays classroom there is a growing rate for children with ADHD. This can be very difficult for a teacher, parent, and other classmates. It also requires a lot of patience, I say this speaking as

C4K journal for November.

C4K 8 Is Siya She is in 5th grade and lives in South Africa. She posted a blog about living in an informal settlement. Wow! very eye opening. She was very thorough and left no stone unturned. I commended her for her Thoroughness and also her writing and punctuation. I then encouraged her to keep up the great work!

C4K9 is Rose She explained how to make a print in art. She did a very good job of explaining the process step by step. She also did a great job of describing the frustration that comes along with making a print. I told her how great she did in explaining both the process and the frustration it brings. I also commented her on her finished product which she was obviously not pleased with.

C4K10 is a free pass from Dr. Strange for Veteran's Day. Thank you!!!!!

C4K 11 is Catey She is in 7th grade and very goal oriented and driven. She has set goals to continue to improve her grades which are A's now. I commended her on her drive and ambition. I also liked a statement she made "Tranquility is what I feel when I read and write" and I told her this fact was evident in the fluidity of her writing and encouraged her to keep up the good work.

blog post 12 EDM310 class blog Melissa Keeler

What assistive technologies are available for teachers to use in teaching the deaf or the hearing impaired student?

website

website website

website

During my search for assistive technologies available for the hearing impaired or Deaf this disability was often paired with blindness as well. It was explained that both of these disabilities account for the smaller part of the disabled population so maybe that is why they were often paired together. Another reason could be that a lot of times when a person has one disability it can be accompanied by another or sometimes multiple disabilities reside within one person. At any rate I concentrated on the Deaf. The Deaf community and members within consider it offensive to call them hearing impaired or to say that they have suffered a loss of hearing. They consider ASL (American Sign Language) to be their native language and English their second language. Some do not speak by choice however most of the Deaf learn to speak in order to effectively communicate with the general public.

I will move from older to newer technologies as some of the older ones will still be in use but not for long I am sure as smartphones are getting smarter every day.

In the classroom setting the interpreter was at one time the only way a teacher could communicate effectively with a Deaf or hearing impaired student. The interpreter stands to the left and a little bit behind the teacher and signs what the teacher says in sign language for the Deaf student to see and understand.

Hearing aids can be used by some students with hearing impairment however, do know that the aids amplify ALL of the sound including background noise which could still make it difficult for the student to hear the teacher. Use of FM systems (the same kind as presidential security or McDonald's drive through) where the teacher wears a mini microphone and the student wears a pair of headphones is extremely useful in these cases because the student hears ONLY the teacher.

Sidekick is a mobile communication device that allows the user to receive Instant Messages (IM) and Email. Of course this device is being replaced by the cellphone.

Video instruction and televised announcements with closed captioning can be effective tools. The student can pause or review any forgotten or missed parts of the video instruction avoiding misunderstood questions or answers due to language/communication barriers.

Photo experience books created by the student offer a visual tool to communicate personal experiences with a hearing person without the use of spoken language.

Power point presentations are great for the hearing impaired and Deaf students. It is a computer program that is offered through Microsoft. The program allows the teacher to add pictures and text to slides eliminating the need for the student to hear what is being said.

A vocalization to visualization tool is available for free through a computer program called Winamp media player. A microphone is used and auditory sound is turned into visual fireworks on the computer monitor. This is used to represent the sound that is going on in the room as well as to teach the Deaf student how to speak.

The top assistive technology by far within the Deaf community is the smartphone and texting. The junior high and high schoolers especially like this because it completely eliminates the need to speak. They can communicate clearly and just as quickly with text as their hearing peers.

All of these technologies can and are used in real world situations and like I said earlier the smartphone is quickly replacing a lot of these technologies as I type.

Project 12A How to use a smart board EDM310 Class blog Melissa Keeler

Edm 310 class blog C4C journal Melissa Keeler Sept. and Oct. combined

The first person I left any feedback on was Chelsea Powers. She is now the head of my group (4). I get along with her well and complemented her on her blog, I also pointed out that it seemed that we had a lot in common. I shared my fears of taking the class and she reassured me that I would be fine.

I left a post on Meagan Jones blog on Sept. 11. I let her know that I enjoyed her organizational skills and that I wish she could have expanded on how to give positive feedback. I also commended her for her statement that a negative statement can stop the student from wanting to learn.

I left a comment on Felicia Grantham's Blog 4. I complimented her on her page presentation. It is absolutely beautiful! I agreed with her on two aspects. The first was that we should prepare questions along with our lesson plans in order to help us be more prepared as educators. I also agreed with her statement that no answer should be interrupted, adding that doing so can effectively shut down that student's desire to learn.

I left a comment on Josh Garrett Blog post #5 I encouraged him on building his PLN. I then brought it to his attention that his projects were missing and reminded him to go back and double check because I have personally noticed that one missing symbol or letter can make or break your project. I then told him to keep up the good work.

My assigned student this week wasMadeline Files I commented on Blog post 6. I liked a statement she had made in response to Anthony Capps' second video. Her statement was " I think that with Project Based Learning, students can learn as much information as they want to learn.". I said that the key word for me in her statement was WANT. I went on to explain that I feel in any method of teaching/learning that the WANT or desire to learn not only boosts retention of but also increases the amount of information learned as well.

I was assigned to Ellen Dunn this week Oct. 8. I agreed with what she had to say about us not having the opportunities offered to us when we were younger. And also her statement that it is exciting to learn together. I also shared that I have been taking extra time with my second grader at home to teach him how to effectively use the computer as the school he goes to does not concentrate on computer knowledge.

Julie Cornelson was my C4C #8. The first thing I mentioned was her comfort with the technology at hand compared to my lack there of. She mentioned the use of cell phones instead of computers in her class which I totally agree with. I feel this way because just about every child has or has ready access to a cell phone which is almost as good as having a hand held computer. I go on to say that it will diminish the boundaries that budgets sometimes produce. Even if computers are not available in the class room, the children CAN use their cellphones. I liked her ideas for the use of the camera. I especially think the math ideas are inventive. I let her know that I feel she will make a wonderful educator.

C4C9 Is Mia Britton I told her that we had picked the same videos and had the same way of thinking. We had both liked the video of the children telling the educators what they like, very enlightening. We also shared the Ketchup video In which I pointed out that I was impressed with the two young men and their project.

C4C10 IsLogan Alvarez I liked her comment that having technology in the classroom makes it fun for the students. I went on to say that I totally agree and that the more fun the more engaging your class will be and your students will retain more of the information you are putting out.

Blog post 10 EDM310 classblog Melissa Keeler

Our Driving question for this blog was What can we learn from Mrs. Cassidy? I would like to answer with another question. Is there anything we can not learn from Mrs. Kathy Cassidy? A wonderful educator obviously dedicated to her job and even more importantly to her students.

The first video is titled First Graders in Ms. Cassidy's Class It is an itroduction to Ms. Cassidy and her class. They are in Moose Jaw Canada and use technology regularly in the class room. Her students are in First grade which is just super impressive to me. In the video the students show and explain how they use their blogs, videos, and their Nintendo DS systems which I know is a wonderful treat as my own son is in second grade and loves his. I will have to check out Nintendo dog, I did not know about the program which sounds like it can be very educational as well as collaborative. The students also remind us of proper blogging etiquette like being positive rather than negative in your feedback.

In the videoInterview with Kathy Cassidy part 1 We get to know Kathy as a person and educator. She got involved with technology 10 years ago because 5 computers were on her school campus and not being used. She started through beginning a web page, then blogging, now she has moved on to twitter and facebook. She uses all of these as well as Nintendo DS systems to engage her first grade students in the active and effective use of today's tools for education. As far as the parents and students go, her techniques are very welcome. Parents can log on at any time and see their child's work and progress. The students like it because technology is part of their lives and they appreciate not having to leave it at the door when they come into school. Faculty has not been discouraging however, it sounds like some of them are not quite ready for the necessary transition. I say necessary transition because it truly is necessary for us as educators to make the switch. Maybe not completely but I do feel that our children need to know how to use the technology available to them. Kathy also suggests at the end to try and get on some social networks and get comfortable with technology if you are not already.

the videoInterview with Kathy Cassidy Part 2 Kathy continues to give us advice on ways to become comfortable with technology. She suggests to start in an area you are interested in. If writing is your thing, try blogging. If video is more your style give youtube a try. She also encourages us to stick with twitter because at first it will feel pointless but after a length of time you will connect with like-minded people and be able to share meaningful ideas with them. I was also reminded that PLN's are not only for your own personal learning but also to share knowledge you have and help others learn as well.

The videoInterview with Kathy Cassidy part 3 Is a question and answer session with Kathy and the EDM310 students. The first question that was asked was How often did she use blogging in her class? She said presently about once a week as they do it as a collaborative group once a week. Kathy then offered an idea for how P.E. educators could use technology saying that if there was a cancellation or time change how much easier and effective a mass text, email, or a post to a team blog would be rather than trying to hunt down each student or using the P.A. system (which if memory serves me correctly can be fuzzy at best). Another question was asked pertaining to the possibility of cheating. This was cleared up right away with Kathy pointing out that the forms of information today are collaborative rather than singular. Chances are no two people are going to think, feel, or write exactly the same so the possibility of cheating is pretty much eliminated. Kathy points out that facebook can be an effective tool as long as the students create a separate account only for school. A very good question came up. How do you protect your students? You want to protect them and what they see. This can effectively be done. Students are taught never to use last names or pictures of themselves. They are also taught proper internet etiquette. Finally you can create a safe hub for your students with a classroom page full of sites you have hand picked, and just in case teach the students how to get out of an uh-oh page if it pops up accidentally. Kathy tells us that she tries to use technology in a productive way as well as socially but less socially. I am so jealous of her back yard! I grew up in North Western Pennsylvania just south of Erie in the snow belt. It has been 15 years since I have seen snow like that.

I have learned that if you are dedicated to your students you can accomplish great and many things. Kathy Cassidy is an inspirational person and educator. If I can do just a small amount of the things she has done I will be happy. I plan on using cell phones in my class for my students to look up information as I will be teaching upper level history and most upper level students have or have access to a smart phone. I would like to think I could get a class blog going for my students to keep them informed and promote collaboration. The impediments I see are the availability of computers in every public school in the state I will be working in Mississippi. Some of the schools do not have but a few computers and are not readily offered for students to use. That is why I am going to stress the use of their phones. The benefits of using technology are endless. The efficiency is what I keep seeing. The youth of today are already plugged in, why not join them?

C4T3 summary post Melissa Keeler EDM310 classblog

Brian Crosby was the teacher I was assigned to for my third C4T. His blog titled Close Reading? Ok, How about Close Doing? is very enlightening. Brian invites educators to instead of doing empty, solitary field trips to integrate a field trip into the lessons you are teaching in class. I agree with this approach. I think that being immersed in the subject you are learning is a wonderful way to learn. Integrating what you teach and learn in the class room with hands on experiences allows more retention of the information. Also it makes the field trip relevant to their learning rather than being an empty hole filler.

Post #2: I commented on Brian's blog postLeaving their Mark. He talks about his class that he has continuously taught for 3 years. He began teaching them how to blog. This activity sharpened their writing skills and improved their English as most of his students speak English as a second language. Brian then had a student become home bound because of leukemia. He decided she should not be left out. Because of this decision he began to Skype with the home bound student daily so she could feel like she was included in the class. When she was able to come back to school, she did not have to catch up because she had been attending through Skype. His class was also involved in editing another classes videos from another state (Maryland). Again Brian did this because his students had the desire to help other students. I let him know that he and his class not only left their mark but opened a door of opportunity for learning.

C4K journal for Oct.

My first assigned student in Oct. was Jordan B She said that to make life better she would convince people to leave her alone and she could think and be nicer to people that way. My comment was that I totally agreed with her statement, that sometimes it is best to take a moment of silence to hear your own voice or opinion. By doing this one can be more confident and positive feeling about the situation rather than confused and negative feeling. She is a student at Prince George County. She is in 8th grade English. C4K#4

My second student for Oct.8, was Carson K. He is in 7th grade and likes the Seahawks football team. His blog was about things he would like to see changed in the public school system. I like some of his suggestions especially the first one. He said he would let the students decide what they want to learn about and his reasoning was that the student would be more interested in the information that way. I completely agree with this. He also believes that they should be able to "play" on their phone when they are done with their work. I agree but the "play" would have to have some kind of educational value, like looking up information for another project. C4K#5

C4K#6 Oct.17, is Carson K. from above. This week he has posted about a book he is reading called the 14th fish. He brings to light that the fish has possibly become the Grandfather along with several other tantalizing possibilities. I commended him on his wide range of thought and his originality. I especially liked the hint of espionage with his idea of an impostor being present instead of the Grandfather.

C4K7 Oct.23, is Simon at Port England School He posted on Capitol letters and when to use them. Simon likes Rugby, is a cook islander, and his favorite colors are green and purple. I first told him that I too like green and that purple is a Royal color. I commended him and his classmates on their blogs and told him that he is doing so well! He had mentioned that his goal was to do better in reading and I told him he was well on his way if he continued in the direction he was heading.

Blog post #9 EDM310 Class Blog Melissa Keeler

The site titledSeven Essentials for Project Based Learning by John Larmen and John R. Mergendoller was enlightening and reinforcing. I learned that to be successful every project needs two things. 1. The students need to feel that the work ahead of them is personally meaningful. 2. The meaningful project needs to be educationally valuable. The seven essentials or "steps" that follow will ensure that any future projects will be successful.

1. Create a "Need to Know" for the students. This can be done through discussion, videos, or guest speakers to name a few methods. With a need to know the students will be driven to complete the project rather than look at it as busy work or with contempt.

2. Let the students come up with the "Driving Question". This should be an open ended question and will lead the students in correct direction.

3. Once the students are thinking about the driving question, explain what is required of them to fulfill the needs of the project. Let the students get together and "Voice and Choice". This is where they can brainstorm for ideas and voice their opinions and chose which solutions they want to explore.

4.Students pair off into groups of three or more and get to work on their ideas. They monitor their work throughout the project with rubrics. The students decide who will work on what. They sove their own problems if any arise. The students are using "21st Century Skills" here. Using all resources available to collaborate and make the project work.

5. As the students research they come up with more driving questions and answers. This part is called "Inquiry and Innovation". This engages students even further through "real inquiry" where they are asking questions and actively seeking answers within the community, and other unexpected areas rather than the usual sources.

6. While developing their ideas and projects the teams review each others work and give feed back. This allows for the teams to take feedback and change or improve on their work. This is the "Feedback and Revision" step.

7. When the projects are finished they are "Presented Publicly". This is the final step of Project Based Learning and it is important because the students feel more of a drive to complete the project to "show off" their work. Rather than doing the work for a test or the teacher, the students put more emphasis on a project that will be public because they want it to look good as well as themselves.


The videoProject Based Learning for Teachers by Tony Vincent was exciting because of the music. It reinforced the fact that PBL is more conducive to today's way of learning rather than the past ways of learning.

I chose the postProject Based Learning in PE from Pflug's blog. This post taught me some things I had no idea about. The National Association for Sport and Physical Education and the six standards for Physical Education. I was unaware there were specific standards for P.E. In this post the project mentioned is one where High school students are challenged to prepare fitness programs for the students attending Middle school. In order to produce an effective program for each middle school student, the high school students had to sift through tons of information on each M.S. student. Information such as age, weight, and levels of previous physical activity. The H.S. students then had to analyze this information to create effective fitness programs for each M.S. student. The final product was then implemented in the class rooms giving the creator students validation for their work.
This project covered all six of the P.E. standards as well as the 7 essentials of PBL.

The next choice I made was What Motivates Students?
I loved this video. I really enjoyed hearing directly from the students themselves what they feel works for them. I learned some of the things that motivate today's students. I was most surprised by the younger students who were very concerned with their future and understood that in order to achieve their goal career in the future, they need to get good grades today. Wow! I wish I would have had such forethought at that age. I found out that pointing out a student's positive rather than negative achievements will get me a lot farther as a teacher, and that parental restrictions still count. I picked up some great reward ideas from the students as well. Treats, food and others such as stickers, rulers, pencils can be given out for great behavior. A "token" or cash system can be set up with a small "store" with trinkets for the students to buy. A very big treat I picked up on was OUTSIDE TIME! Any time outside was appreciated GREATLY by all ages. Being allowed to mingle and socialize was a big number 2 on the list. Both of these treats are literally free of charge and very motivating so I will probably be using these two Largely.

My final choice was Two Students Solve the Problem of Watery Ketchup by Designing a New Cap https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JTuEUSauc0. How impressive! I am literally astonished at what the high school students are doing in this program. I have a feeling we will be seeing these two names in the future, the two young men who came up with the watery ketchup solution are seniors in high school. They were given all year to study, research and produce their final product. They came up with what they call a shroom cap for the ketchup bottle that eliminates the first watery squirt without shaking the bottle! Just amazing to me and exciting because I will be teaching one day and be able to see these projects in action.

EDM310 classblog Melissa Keeler Implications and Teaching Opportunities for Camera Use in Teaching and Learning

PART A

As evidenced in a recent study by Zogby Analytics, today's teen has and continuously uses a smartphone. Smartphones usually have a camera built into them making it easy to take great pictures or video anytime anywhere. A smartphone usually grants the user the ability to access the internet as well. The implications and opportunities for teaching are endless with this wonderful tool in hand.

The students could be asked to make a video or picture journal at the end of each week summing up what they have learned from the material of that week. The students could be directed to take photographs of something/s in nature that interest them. After the photo has been selected and edited, the student can then research what is in the photo. All of this can be done on the smartphone. Once the student has thoroughly researched their subject, they will be directed to write a paper on their subject of at least 3 pages in length.


PART B

Personally as a teacher I will have my students use their smartphones (unless the school I work for absolutely prohibits it) every day. I mentioned a few of my ideas already in PART A. I will go ahead and refresh...Weekly photo or video journal about what has been learned in class that week. Take photos of nature and pick out one they like the most. Once they have cropped, enhanced, and edited the photo they will research the subject in the photo. After the research is done they will write a paper at least 3 pages long about their subject. The cameras can be used to make a photo family tree. The students can take photos of each other and then do research and write a report on each other. The students can use the camera to "catch" each other doing good or positive things like following directions or adhering to the dress code. Students can use video to record themselves reading a passage in a book then play it back to hear or see any corrections that need to be made. Students can write a movie then video themselves acting out the parts. They can then edit, cut, add music or text. The final product would be a finished movie that the students can then choose to share or keep to themselves. Make book reports more interesting by having the students make a movie about their book as well as writing a report. Take video shots of a class plant everyday at the same time of day, same angle, etc. from seed to adult plant. When the single shots are spliced in together the entire life-cycle of the plant will be revealed. This can also be done to show the degeneration of an object as well. Take any fruit or vegetable of your students' choice and take a video still of it as explained above. When put together it is quite a show! These are just a few ideas off the top of my head. The possibilities are never ending and forever growing, what an exciting time to be an educator and learner!

EDM310 class blog Melissa Keeler Blog post #8

What can we learn about teaching and learning from Randy Pausch's Last Lecture?

That indirect learning is very effective and the students do not even realize they are learning something. It is the same strategy as getting your kids to eat their vegetables without them realizing it like through spaghetti or tacos, only in an academic sense.

Do not set a "bar" for your students. Once you do this it automatically limits the students. With no "bar" in place your students will surprise you with their capabilities and only continue to excell.

If we as educators look upon the world with the eyes and excitement of a child we are more likely to see learning opportunities in every day occurrences.

Get a feed back loop going so you can evaluate your teaching methods and strategies as well as the effectiveness of your lesson plans.

project#7 part A EDM310classblog Melissa Keeler

My Sentence Videos: My Sentence

My Passion

C4T 2 journal 2 EDM310 Melissa Keeler

On Sept. 21st I was assigned Steven Anderson and his Blog "Blogging About The Web". It was all about the new Chromebook. He makes me want one. It told of how the Chromebook takes mere seconds to completely boot up or wake from sleep mode. It also brought to light the durability and lightness of the chromebook. It is a wonderful alternative to the "i" world of tools. It is also a lot easier on the consumer's pockets. I told him how I could see myself using it to address questions after school hours as well as collaborate with my students. I also mentioned how this would be similar to "flipping" a class room and how doing this saves time so the actual class time is used for instruction rather than answering questions. I had to begin a discussion instead of simply "comment". I posted my comment to Twitter.

post 2. I have read Steven's blog for this week and it was all about how to connect with your students to ensure a great school year. I completely agree with getting to know your students on a somewhat personal level. This allows you to understand where they are coming from, there may be cultural or religious issues you would never had known about if you had not ASKED. Doing this also helps you to build a rapport with the student and their parents. This is important if you want compliance from your student as what the parents have to say at home has a large effect on the student's behavior in the class room toward you the educator. He asked for our ideas. My idea is to pass out questionnaires and ask what the students are interested in learning as well as what do they know about themselves and their heritage. I feel that this will keep my students engaged by teaching something they chose, and by learning about different cultures and heritages together we will find out more about ourselves as well as each other.

Project 7 part B EDM310 classblog Melissa Keeler

Movie for parents-



Movie for students-

EDM310 classblog Melissa Keeler blog post 7

My Strengths: I am willing to learn and continue learning with my students. I do know the bare bones basics on the computer and internet. I am learning how to use the social networks. I am willing to incorporate technology into my lesson plans as technology is part of our everyday life and is encompassed in the ACCRS.
My Weaknesses: I ONLY know the basics well. I have a lot of catching up to do as far as social networking goes. I will not be able to answer some of my students questions simply because I do not know.
Things I need to do: I need to familiarize myself with Project Based Learning and the Technology available.


VIDEOS: How to make and audio QR code How to Make An Audio QRCOde Ginger Tuck, GSES Kindergarten-iPad Centers Poplet as a Center Alabama Virtual Library as a Kindergaten Center Mrs. Shirley's 1st Grade Class: How to use and build a Board in DE for a Project Based Lesson. Mrs. Tassin's 2nd grade class

I learned that the sooner we introduce technology to students the better. The younger students seem to take to technology like water. They are able to teach us they learn so quickly. The iPads are great for teaching the young ones because they touch the screen not specific buttons and it is graphic and exciting to them. Different apps and drives enable educators to let the students browse for information on their own, store information on their own, and finally display the information they have collected. Technology has given us some wonderful tools to work with and we need to learn how to utilize these tools to their fullest potential. The use of technology keeps students engaged throughout the entire process of learning from the question to collection of information and storing it, to the final product of the project.

Blog post 6 EDM310 Melissa Keeler

The several conversations with Andy Capp are enlightening and encouraging. I get excited and want to jump out there and start implementing some of these ideas! They will be so engaging. And even though it may be difficult or hard to put together a LBP, it is rewarding and you as an educator will most likely learn something new as well.
I like the idea of involving the community in some way so the students can relate the project to real world scenarios. I am so glad that the younger children are learning how to utilize technology because it seems to be more difficult to pick up the older you get. Maybe it is because the older student has been systematically taught in a totally different way and old habits are hard to break sometimes. The fact of the matter is, technology is a part of our everyday lives and we must teach our children and ourselves how to effectively use the technological tools of today and tomorrow.
We must also as educators be open to learning from our students and life in general. I like the idea of incorporating art into a project. It gives another chance for self expression. I was happy to learn of the child safe browsing tool called iCurio. The student has to sign in to use as a search engine. It will also store chosen information for the child which I find so very convenient. The information on this site has been pooled and then filtered so you can allow your students to independently browse without fear of something inappropriate popping up. Another neat feature is the site will read the information to your student, very handy for sight barriers as well as in Dyslexic cases. Another great site that was discussed is called Discovery Education. Again this is a safe, filtered site. It is great for video, music, voice thread, and pictures to enhance students' projects.
Teachers can also use this site to enrich the content of their class instruction.
I learned that being flexible and creative seem to be the keys to success. Even apparently "failed" projects DO teach the students something. Let your hard work be fun not drudgery, it will reflect in your lesson plan and in your students. Get students 100% engaged in the activity no matter how small or trivial it may seem to them. Peer review and self reflection. The ability to take constructive criticism and make positive changes from it.
These videos are helpful in learning what to expect in the classroom when I get out of school. It will be a very different environment than the one I grew up learning in. This is why I as an educator, I wish to learn as much about technology as possible so I can keep up with my students and also learn from and with them.





The conversations can be found at various sites: project based learning part 1

project based learning 2

iCurio

discovery education

strang list for teachers

don't teach tech-use it

additional thoughts about lessons

C4K journal for September 2014 Melissa Keeler EDM310

I had a student Jordan from NZ He and his friends had made a Math video as Math is his favorite subject it does not surprised he chose Math. The video was great! the only thing was that sometimes I could not hear the student's information over the music in the video. I asked him what kind of pet his was because he mentioned he had a pet named Ben. I have since looked back and his pet was a bird who unfortunately died of old age. I am about to reply that I am sorry for his loss as I also have a bird as a pet. I just +posted again Sept.12. I told him how sorry I was that his bird died, and told him about my own bird a Cardinal who was nursed to health and chose to stay with me.

my C4K post 2 was a student named ms. Jordan The school is John Hansen French Immersion School. It is a magnate school in Maryland, Not Virginia as implied on the Checklist. Also the student was in 8th grade, not high school. This school immerses the student in the French language while in a rich environment conducive to learning. It interests me. My Student either does not know how to speak English well or just does not care about her grade. I am willing to bet on the first scenario. I had told her that I wish she had felt like posting because I was interested in learning about her and her very progressive sounding school. ms.jordanms.jordan

my C4K post 3 was a student named Zach A The school is called Iowa High school. My student is in 5th grade and his post was titled "Talent or Hard Work". In it he compares talent to hard work and he strongly believes that Hard Work is much better. I agreed with him about the hard work and commended him for his work ethic. I also pointed out that talent is not bad. That some talented people have to work really hard in order to give the most of their talent. I also pointed out that being lazy, talented or not, usually did not produce success.

Post#5 EDM310 classblog Melissa Keeler

What is a PLN? A PLN is a collection of people and computer sites that will help you continue to be a lifelong learner.

How is a PLN formed? The collection should begin with a main topic in mind. Example: I want to learn about Jade. Jade will be my topic for my PLN. I will then get onto the computer and begin my search. When I come across a strong and reliable source, I will add it to my PLN. I will also add some people I personally know from my everyday life (my immediate community) who know about Jade and can help me learn about it. I will also go to Twitter and do the same thing I did on the computer sites. I will also add these people to my PLN for Jade. I will continuously check on these people and sites and continue to look for ones to add to my Jade PLN. A PLN is always changing.

How can you create your own PLN? You can create your own PLN by coming up with a topic. Research said topic. Begin to collect or list strong, reliable sources that are relevant to your topic. Also add people you personally know and who know about your topic. You can add people you do not personally know as well, like people from Twitter or Facebook as long as they can reliably contribute toward your topic.

Who will be the first additions to my PLN? My PLN for EDM310 will definitely include Dr. Strange as well as the members in my group (group 4). All of the faculty members I follow on Twitter. Some of the websites and pages I have visited for various class projects.

summary of my progress in developing my PLN- It is going slow, I am trying to make sure I begin solid that way I will always have a strong foothold on whatever topic I choose to teach or learn about.

Project#3 Presentation:

EDM310 classblog Project#15 Search Engines

Wolfram Alpha- This is a computational knowledge engine. It is very specific on searches and I noticed that when I typed in one word (general) searches like "dogs", it does not bring up a list of links like Google. Instead it gives me information on different sizes of dogs, litter sizes, and possible times a bitch can throw a litter. After showing me that information it gives suggestions on how to make my search more specific. The examples button is wonderful. I will use this site for specific searches and to help me turn a general topic into a specific topic.

Torrentz- This search engine is specifically designed for finding and downloading media files like movies, music, and T.V. shows. It is free and easy to use. When I type in a search (Metallica) a list of albums Metallica has put out comes up long with single songs. When I type in a search that is more general like Hell's Kitchen, it gives me a list of the T.V. series (which I did not know about), songs with that name, and the movie I was searching for. I use this engine for downloading music, movies and T.V. series'. This site works by using other people's files to create a whole product, it is free because you share whatever information you may have that they may want. It is a little spooky to me sharing files and all but I have not had any problems yet.

Go.com- This is a family friendly search engine. It is owned by the Walt Disney Company so it can be a trusted reliable source. It is very controlled as far as how I was able to search. The topics were set up on the page as picture tabs with selected information under the pictures. When I click on a tab, I can navigate through the information that is given. There is not a search bar to type anything in with, which is helpful in keeping inquiring minds from finding unwanted or inappropriate information. I will use this site to help further teach my son how to navigate the web. I will also use it as a sounding board. I will type in my topic and see if my information is present on their page or not. If it is not I may want to re-think or re-write lesson plan.

Kompass- This is a Business search engine. It finds businesses and tells you about them. I typed in Uniquely Natural and it brought up 27 companies that put out natural and unique products. Very interesting. I will use this site for finding new and upcoming companies to invest in on day-trading adventures.

LexisNexis- This is a search engine that is strictly directed in the direction of Law. It accesses all public records, newspapers, and hospital records. It is extremely specific, when you use this engine be sure and have your information in front of you because it asks for specifics in order for you to find information. I did a general search about child custody. It brought up a lot of information. Some of it was explaining the actual laws. Some of the information was actual court cases. A few newspaper articles came up but it was mainly court cases and laws pertaining to child custody. I will use this site to keep up with the different laws about education because they continuously change. With that said this will be a great tool for my continued learning after college.

All the Internet- This search engine searches most of the other more popular search engines all at once for you. It works like the typical search engine, I typed in "Cardinal" in the search bar and it produced a list of URL's. The list was broken down into separate sections which made it easier to navigate through the information. The sections were: sports, religion, and nature. They were not labeled as such but the main topic was present in each of the URL's. I will add this one to my PLN to look up general topics for research papers, lesson ideas, and personal research.

IxQuick- This search engine searches more than ten of the top search engines in total anonymity. This will be a good search engine to use in every day life as well. We are tracked enough, why be tracked when I am just trying to search for information? I did a general search and typed in the word bear. It produced a list of URL's in the same format as Google. It produced a variety of information from the Chicago Bears football team to a restaurant to the Black Bear in nature. I will use this engine for general research, especially if I am on a public computer.

Bing- This search engine is a general-type search engine very similar to Google. I typed in perfume and it gave me a list of URL's to stores that sell perfume. Finally when I got to the third page I began to see the definition of perfume, how perfume is made, etc. I have used this engine in the past and will use it again for general research.

Edm310 C4T journal on Mrs. She: Melissa Keeler

I posted on Jenny She's blog on Sept. 2. I loved her blog. I let her know how she inspired and excited me about the teaching/learning experience and commended her for encouraging her students when they stepped outside of her "lesson" and moved on to taking a picture or "snap". Instead of reprimanding her student, she asked to see it and then used it on that day's blog. I was so happy to hear that. Instead of closing a window of learning opportunity that her student opened, she not only left it open but involved the entire class in the learning experience. I can only hope to be such a great educator as Mrs. She.


On Sept. 14th, I posted on an earlier post of Mrs. She's because she has not posted a new one since I last commented. It was titled Having a Go at Photography. She had taken some picture of random flowers in her area with her cell phone camera. What stared the experiment was a facebook page by a young man who only has a phone camera yet seems to display quality photographs. Mrs. She wanted to see if she could do as well with her phone camera. I let her know that her pictures were stunning. I shared with her that I switched from using my digital camera to using only my phone camera because of the clarity, ease, and the fact that it is one less thing to lose.

A personal post Edm310 classblog Melissa Keeler

This is just a quick personal post, I want to apologize to my classmates and my instructor for getting so far behind. I believe that I understand what I am supposed to do now and there should be no more major kinks I hope. If you are looking at my blog posts they are out of order, post 2 is the most recent and post 4 is further on down and so on. Again hopefully I have got the hang of things and this will not happen again. Thank you to all who have helped me understand what I am expected to do. I see the light or in this case the rainbow at the end of the tunnel.

Post 2 Edm 310classblog Melissa Keeler

In video 1 Mr. Dancealot, The teacher is not teaching effectively at all! The author clearly shows the teacher reading off of a power point presentation and then doing the steps but he is behind a desk so the students can not see his feet and legs. When a student tries to get up and attempt the steps, the teacher immediately ridicules the student and tells him to be seated. The teacher never paired the students up to let them attempt the steps. When the final comes up the teacher announces the test will be open notebook and book implying it is written. When the students show up the teacher is there with music and a camera. The students are asked to pair up and dance. All of them have their hands full with books and notes, they do not know how to perform the steps or even what dance goes with the music that is playing. I agree with the author's conclusion because the teacher failed to teach his students, he merely read the material. He did not present the material so the students could see the steps, practice the steps, or learn what music went with what dance.


In video 2 Teaching in the 21st Century by Kevin Roberts, Roberts brings to light that if information is so readily available then what is the teacher there for? We are there to help filter the information students are receiving through technologies such as Youtube, Facebook, and Twitter. We are there to help them evaluate and understand the information as well as to help them remember it. We are there to teach the students how to create presentations, videos, and pod casts to name a few of the items. Roberts also encourages the use of cellphones, ipads, and laptops in class saying that these are today's tools not paper and pencil. I have to agree with Roberts Technology has taken over in all aspects of life. In order to function properly in life our students must learn how to properly utilize these tools. We as educators must also learn how to use these newer tools to effectively teach. I know this will affect me greatly as an educator because I will be learning from and with my students.


In video 3 The Networked Student by Wendy Drexler, the question Why does the networked student even need a teacher? is asked. My answer is: To guide the student through the vast amounts of information available. To teach students how to use the tools of today ipod, mp3,laptop and the different programs such as Power point, Excell, and Microsoft Office to name a few. Without teachers to teach and guide the students, the information can be inaccessible or useless.


In video 4 Harness your Student's Digital Smarts by Vicki Davis, The main Thesis is- The more connected you are, the more and faster you will learn. Vicki actively uses technology to teach and learn from her students at the same time. I agree with Vicki especially about having to "know everything about a subject in order to teach it." I strongly agree with her idea that we as teachers can actively learn along with our students.


In video 5 Who's Ahead in the Learning Race? by John H. Strange, The title is the question. The answer is the Elementary students. I am an undergrad and I am sadly far behind however, I am doing my best to catch up and LEARN!


In video 6 Flipping the Classroom author is unknown to me, I learned about flipping. I have never heard of this method before but I feel it is a great idea! I think it could be very useful as an educator. It will save time in the classroom and that extra time can be used to address any issues or problems the students may have. In a regular class setting the classroom time is eaten up with the instruction and little time is left for questions or practice. It will also engage the student and get them more interested in the subject that is being flipped, in the video it was math.


In video 7 Bringing the Locker Room into the Classroom by Craig N. Owens, I learned the technique of showing the students the steps of learning History and I plan on using it. This will ensure that my students will not be blindly trying to grasp at straws. I also like the interactive approach rather than the I teach you/You learn approach. I love to learn and being able to learn from a student is a special and exciting moment.

post 3 Edm310 class blog Melissa Keeler

How can we provide meaningful feedback to our peers? This can be a very delicate subject. One must not be too harsh but problems do need to be brought to the peer's attention. After watching the the videos and the power point presentation I have a much better understanding of how to effectively communicate issues with my peers. Three important steps kept jumping out at me throughout all of the information. Compliment, Suggest, and Correct. I firmly believe that if all of us would stop and think of these three things there will be much less confusion and hurt feelings. It is hard to hurt someone's feelings when you point out the positives that they did achieve as well as some of the mistakes. When pointing out a mistake, be specific about what or why it is a mistake. Make suggestions on how to possibly rectify the situation. Finally, correct the peer again be clear and specific. Most of all BE POSITIVE! If a student gets discouraged by negative feedback they will lose the desire to learn.


Watching the video called Writing Peer Review Top 10 Mistakes, I couldn't help but to see a little bit of myself in a couple of the students' enactments. Jean the Generalizer is a familiar face. I tend to be vague at times as to what I am talking about and I need to keep a constant watch on myself to NOT do this. Another of my favorite renditions was Off-task Oliver, guilty again. I am sure each of us can go through and pick out a few we need to work on. Whatever William is a wide spread problem and tough to handle sometimes. I would try to engage a whatever William by being more specific with my suggestions and corrections.



SOURCES- What is Peer Editing?
Peer Edit With Perfection Tutorial- Adriana Zardini
Writing Peer Review Top 10 Mistakes

Blog 4 EDM 310 Class Blog Melissa Keeler

What do we need to know about asking questions to be an effective teacher?
-When and what type of question
-Responding to questions
-Questioning styles and strategies
-Conclusion

We need to know when to ask a question and what type of question to use at that moment. If we prepare our questions along with the lesson plan or lecture we can effectively direct when we question and what type or types of questions are needed. If the teacher would like the class to go into a discussion, an open question can be asked. Open questions encourage discussion because of the different answers each student will present. If a more controlled environment is desired, closed questions can be asked. Closed questions are usually "yes" or "no" answers and leave little for discussion. If closed questions are asked, encourage the student to explain how or why they came to their conclusion. We can be specific and clear when we ask a question and try to avoid being too vague. If the student does not understand the question they will not be able to answer at all.
Now that we know some of the techniques of asking questions, we must master the art of responding to questions. We should give the students time to think about the question in order to answer it. A question can be put up on Power Point or the board during the lecture or lesson for the students to think upon. We can ask the students to think on that question and write a few ideas or possible answers down. During the middle or at the end of the lesson we can ask the students what their answers are and discuss how they came to that answer. When the answers do come acknowledge the student with eye contact, or a gesture. We can also acknowledge a student's answer by asking another student to expand on the previous student's answer. Do NOT seem uninterested in any answer or question, it could stop that student's learning dead in their tracks. If an incorrect answer is given point out why it is incorrect then ask a follow up question that will lead the student to the correct answer.
Keeping the students engaged can be difficult. If we use different styles of questioning we can liven things up a little bit. Physical representation can be used. This is when a student shows the class what he/she is thinking. A good example would be a girl acting like a princess she just read about. Pair sharing encourages students to pair up and compare and contrast ideas. Students can keep a "learning log or journal" where the student writes down especially interesting points about the lesson. The teacher can use the survey technique to see how many students are thinking the same ideas.
In conclusion, I personally believe what we need to know about asking questions to be an effective teacher is answered with one simple word... Listen! If we listen to our students we will be able to develop better and more thought provoking questions. We will also be able to better understand them, effectively making us better educators.

RESOURCES: Ben Johnson- The Right Way to Ask Questions in the Classroom
The Teaching Center- Asking Questions to Improve Learning
Maryellen Weimer,PhD- Three Ways to Ask Better Questions in the Classroom
Thoughtful Classroom- Questioning Styles and Strategies

EDM310 Melissa Keeler's fourth blog

This week has been one of healing. I caught a stomach virus and it was fast, strong, and draining. I am slowly but surely learning how to use blogger. I am finding it less nerve-wracking than when I first began. I was teamed up with some pretty cool people last week, I hope we are all still good and together in the same team. Chelsea was chosen as the team leader and immediately I understood why. She is very understanding and great at explaining the ideas and procedures that at first are so confusing and down right scary (to me at least). She put all of us at ease and encouraged us to keep coming. She also got all of our information and put it together so we could all be well-connected with each other. Chelsea also reassured us that we should not be intimidated by the material. Thank you Group 4. Thank you Dr. Strange for putting the groups together. You did a great job with our group. I feel that I will be able to learn and work well with Katy, Tori, Noah, and Chelsea. I can only hope that I can eventually bring something to the table that they can learn from me as well.

Outline post EDM310classblog Melissa Keeler

source; Melissa Keeler

-A little bit about me

-why am I at USA?

-why do I want to be an educator?

-some things I like

My name is Melissa Keeler. I began life in rural North Western Pennsylvania, growing up on a Beef cattle farm. I love all types of animals and interacting with them. My major is secondary education and History and I plan on teaching high school for a few years then I would like to open my own school. I came to USA because it is the closest college to me that offers what I need to excell.

I moved down here in Sept. 2000 and have never looked back! I absolutely love the Gulf Coast and the people who reside here. My family still lives in Pennsylvania so I am the only Keeler from my line in this area not counting my seven year old son Ryan who is the passion in my life. He is the cutie in the picture. I went into the field of education because I enjoy teaching and learning as well as History itself. I have a great desire to be more efficient with the computer technology of today as I will be using these techniques in my class rooms.

Blog 1 Edm310classblog Melissa Keeler

source; photo by Melissa Keeler
I have heard that EDM310 is hard.  My fears are that I will not be able to retain everything in time and in turn hold my group back.  EDM310 is very hands on which is extremely different from my previous learning experience.  The most difficult thing for me personally would be remembering all of the information.  I feel I can combat the above problem with practice.  I can not think of any more questions at this time.

my test post title

This is my first post. I have hit the HTML button which I should ALWAYS do when posting a blog. I am now a blogger!