The iSchool Initiative by Travis Allen was an O.K video. During the video Travis was trying to argue the fact that students learning from an iSchool would be cheaper than books, paper, and pencils for learning. Travis made some great points in the video such as the fact that parents have to buy expensive calculators for school. He also brought attention to the many apps on the iTouch such as the calendar, globe, and email. The video Travis Allen's ZeitgeistYoungMinds entry compared Travis Allen to Mark Zuckerberg (ceo of Facebook). Travis Allen made some good points about the iSchool, but that is something that will be difficult to sell to parents, and to the school systems. Most parents are going to see this as being too expensive. $150 does not seem like a lot of money initially, but you have to consider children loosing them, them being stolen, and also breaking. Also there will still be extra expenses such as apps, cases, and whenever a newer version comes out. I am not saying that Travis Allen's iSchool is not possible or even beneficial, but I think a lot of other factors should be included.I noticed that the first video was published in 2009 so I looked up more information on Travis Allen see if there was any update to his iSchool. I found that he will be visiting 17 states to spread the word about the iSchool initiative. I found that Allen developed the iSchool initiative because he was not allowed to use his iPhone as a way to learn while in high
school. I did find it amazing that someone his age would do something like this, he must have really loved his iPhone.
Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir
Maybe some of you found Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir amazing, I did not find it really interesting. I loved the fact that people from around the world are able to sing in harmony using the computer, but I would rather see it live. Listening to people sing is something that most people like to get dressed and go outside of the house to watch. We can't use the internet for everything, and if we do then everyone will turn into fat, lazy bombs. Everyone will sit in their homes at a computer screen all day. This is not healthy not only will you gain weight, but you will also get poor eyesight from staring at a computer screen all day. Don't get me wrong I am not saying the performance wasn't good, in fact I think the singing was great. This was a great way to get people from 12 different countries to sing together, but I don't think I would enjoy watching it on a computer screen often.
Teaching in the 21st Century
In the Video by Kevin Roberts he explain how teachers are no longer the only source for knowledge. He explained how simple it is for people to go to the internet to learn. Mr. Roberts believes that teaching has changed and teachers are not teaching new information, but teaching how to find new information. In the video Roberts mentioned how Facebook, twitter, Google and many other internet tools have become very useful in teaching new information. He believes that teachers should teach the students how to correctly use these tools to increase knowledge. I agree with Roberts, I use Google daily to find answers to questions I may have. One interesting concept that Roberts pointed out was that learning should be engaging and not just interesting. I believe this will affect educators because with the use of the internet, teachers will be learning and educating students at the same time. There is always something new online and the students will possibly be able to teach their teachers something new.
Why I flipped My classroom
The Videos Why I flipped My Classroom by Kate Gimbar, Dr. Lodge McCammon's Fizz-Flipping the classroom by Dr. Lodge McCammon, and Flipping the classroom-4th Grade STEM by Ms. Munafo were all about how to "flip" a classroom. These three videos talked about how to change classes from a teacher standing in front of the class to a teacher being on a video. Ms. Munafo stated that she was preparing the students for jobs that were not created yet. I honestly don't see how this is possible. I think that I could use the "flipping" method as a teacher, but it would still require time and effort. The instructors in the video made this method seem so easy. I think it would be beneficial for students that are having trouble learning. These students would be able to play back a video over and over until they understood the lesson. I still think this would be great for college students who are expected to be able to work on there own. I don't think it would be as effective for elementary or middle school students because some of them still need one on one assistance in order to achieve goals.
Travis Allen and his team are making HUGE leaps in their effort to enhance our education system. Get ready for it!
ReplyDeleteI have good news for you about flipping a classroom. You won't necessarily have to "flip" your methods if you just begin by using the technological enhancements we are moving toward. Before this class is over, you're going to learn some really cool ways to use technology effectively for young children!
Jamie, when I first watched Travis Allens video I did not consider how much it would cost financially to accomplish this. In this class a few people talk about purchasing an Iphone or Mac book like it is nothing, but it really is a blessing for people who can do that. I know I can't. We act like everyone has money just flowing, and with that flowing money we should be a better laptop. What about a trip to somewhere we have never been, or a puppy. I could think of millions of better things to spend my hard earned money on. Also I agree with your thought on the musical symphony. I enjoyed hearing all the beautiful voices, but you are right. The whole point of going to a show like this is the actual being there part. The experience of being at a show live, with the music blaring and the crowds screaming is the real thing. Although this is cool, some things are just better in person. Great posts.
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