Blog Post 3

    Peer reviewing has great benefits in the learning process of writing when used correctly.  For most students it can be a very intimidating, nerve racking, embarrassing, or uncomfortable.  It should not be that way.  It should be helpful and effective as well as allow the student to learn from their mistakes and become a more productive writer.  After viewing What is Peer Editing, Peer Edit With Perfection Tutorial. and Writing Peer Review Top 10 Mistakes  I was reminded that peer reviewing is very important and that it can be helpful and effective.
     These three sources had many great rules for reviewing a peer's writing.  The most important part that I learned is to review my peer's work without hurting their feelings or making them feel uncomfortable.  The sources also, encouraged any reviewer to always stay positive when giving feedback.  The reviewer should refrain from being mean or bulling them.  Hurting someone's feeling or confidence is not the point of a reviewer.  These sources also teach to start a review with a compliment or something that will help the writer feel good about their work.   This will allow them to take any criticism in a positive way.  Peer reviewing is a great way to improve my writing and I am happy EDM 310 is making my classmates and me participate in peer reviewing.  I hope to encourage my classmates in their writing while at the same time I am encouraged that I get to learn from them in the process.

Blog Post 2

Image Link: www.educatorstechnology.com

     This week I had to view many different videos about what teaching will be like in the 21st century. The first video, Professor Dancealot, the students are taking a dance class from Mr. Dancealot. The students are learning many different types of dance styles and movements... while sitting in their seats! Mr. Dancealot was using power points while standing behind a counter and occasionally actively demonstrating in his own way the dance movement.  He was not engaged in the movements and does not allow the students to practice the movements while he was teaching them. I believe the central message of this video is to show us that teachers, as well as the students, must be engaged in teaching and learning. Allowing the students to be active and participate in what they are learning makes a better outcome on what material they retain. The central message point is evident when the students go in to take their final and cannot do the dance movements correctly. The students were never able to truly engage in the dances, which made the final very difficult if not impossible. I do not agree with the teaching methods of Mr. Dancealot. The video does a great job at showing that teaching is not just about standing in front of students and speaking. It is about being engaged and effectively allowing the students to learn. Teachers should allow learning to be fun and memorable. 
     The second video that I viewed was Teaching in the 21st Century by Kevin Roberts. Kevin Roberts shares through his video that teaching in the 21st century is about engagement, not entertainment. It is about teachers being able to give their students knowledge about technology that will last them a lifetime. He makes the point that students have access to any information they could possibly want through technology, but teachers should be there to push learning and technology to the next level. I personally think Roberts is correct in this way of teaching. He believes school in the 21st century is not limiting the technology, but adapting to in the classroom and changing the way students view and use it. Teachers should adapt to the technology the same way teachers once did with pencils, paper, and textbooks. Technology has negative sources, but it has more positive sources and availability in general. If students are taught to use it correctly, they will use it for the positive sources. His point of view affects me as an educator because it inspires me to want to know more about technology and the resources that are available. I feel that I am very educated and user friendly with technology, but this video inspires me to want to continue to learn so that I can be a successful teacher in that area. If I am using the technology and learning new things about it everyday, it will allow me to teach my students the proper and incredible ways that technology can be used.
     The third video that I viewed this week was The Networked Student by Wendy Drexler. This video was a great example of a student using the Internet through social media and web casts to be educated. Realizing that a student could do such intense learning all on the Internet made me for a quick second ask, " why does he even need the teacher?" At the end of the video, it is correct in showing that the teacher is there for one on one support, guidance, and information. Without the physical teacher in the classroom to help and educate, the student would have never been able to use his technology and the Internet to extent that he was able. This particular video was a great reminder to me that even though technology plays a large role is education today; the teacher is still vitally important for the student to truly be a successful learner. 
     The fourth video that I viewed was Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts by Vicki Davis. The thesis of Davis' video is to show and teach teachers that not all students learn the same. She is allowing the students to use technology and learn in new ways, even allowing them to teach her new things as they learn. While I watched this video, I was very impressed with Davis. I completely agree with her outlook and way of teaching students. It is incredible to me that Davis realizes she cannot know every detail about the technology and allows her students to teach her. I also agree that she believes in making the students think and question what she is talking about by using words outside of their vocabulary. When she uses words outside of their vocabulary, she encourages the students use google to find the meaning. As a student, I am a better learner with hands on participation. Davis has a great way of teaching her students in this way and I hope to be as successful as her. 
     The fifth video that I viewed was Who's Ahead in the Learning Race by John Strange. When I finished watching this video all I could say was, "Wow!" The elementary students were doing so many large projects and tasks on the MacBook Pros so easily. They had only had the computers for two days and they were very well adapted to how to work them and used them creatively. It was shocking to me that the elementary school used the computer for creative and online assignments.  As a college student, I am not given the opportunity to use my technology to that great of an extent. It is a sad statement to say about myself, but it seems that the elementary students were easily ahead in the learning race. I hope to see changes in my college classrooms by being able to do more assignments with technology.       
     The sixth and final video that I viewed this week was Flipping the Classroom. Flipping the classroom is definitely a new strategy of teaching for me. Watching this video was the first time that I had ever heard or seen anything like this. After watching this video, I have positive and negative opinions about this strategy. I feel that this is a great way to get students to think and be ready to ask questions the next day, but I also question if the students will really sit to focus and watch the videos provided. I also feel that students listen to their teacher talk all day long and then for them to have to go home and watch a video of them talking more is a lot to ask, especially for younger students. I think it is great for the students to use technology for homework but maybe not in such a "classroom setting" way. However, watching Flipping the Classroom does inspire me to be creative in allowing my students to use technology at home to complete assignments. 

Test

Test

Blog Post 1

Coming into EDM 310, I was completely scared and intimidated.  I have only heard overwhelming things about this class.  I am mostly fearful that I might get behind on an assignment which will lead me to being behind with the rest of the assignments.  Coming into class today and walking through our first assignment step by step helped me to relax and feel confident that I could do this!  I feel that the hardest part of EDM will be the writing off the top of my head.  I have a hard time writing but I have spent many years on improving my writing skills and I know this class will help also. I am already prepared from other students reviews that this class will be a lot of work, but I feel that if I stay organized I will be able to successfully complete this class.  I do not feel that I have any questions about the class at this time but if I do I will be sure to contact Dr. Tashbin or one of the assistants.

Practice Blog Post

Outline:
1. Basic information about me.
2. My passions- children's ministry and teaching children.
3. Why my passions led me to elementary education.
4. Why I think being a teacher is more than just being an educator.


Hello everyone,

       My name is Courtney Doyal.  I am twenty years and I was born and raised in Mobile.  I went to Mary G. Montgomery High school and graduated in 2012.  I am in my junior year of college at the University of South Alabama.  I live at home with my mom, dad, and brother.  I have a dog that is five pounds of spoiled rotten.  His name is Brody and he is a Maltese and Shih-Tzu.  My family and I attend church at Forest Hill Church of God. My faith is a large part of my life and is my first priority in life.  I currently have two "jobs" while going to school. I am a nanny for the music pastor at my church. They have two children, Ari and Noah. Ari is the oldest and she is five then, Noah is two years old.  My second job is volunteer and very dear to my heart.  I am the second children's pastor at my church. Six years ago I felt that God was calling me into children's ministry and I have been very active in the ministry ever since.

       Working in children's ministry led and helped me decide that I wanted to continue to pursue a career along with children's ministry working with children.  That decision led me to choosing the major of elementary education.  I love working with children and cannot imagine myself doing anything else with my life.  Being a teacher or leader is not only about educating but about building relationships and making a positive impact of children's lives.  I look forward to continuing to pursue my degree in education!