Wickipedia

Wikipedia is somewhat new to me. My daughter and I have used it to help with her homework. I just thought it was simply an on-line encyclopedia. I'm actually glad we had Wikipedia as this week's blog assignment. If you google a word for it's definition, the first site would typically be the Wikipedia definition page. This week's research has taught me that Wikipedia isn't 100% reliable. I didn't know that ANYONE could modify a definition.

Wikipedia IS appropriate for obtaining the BASIC definition of a GENERAL word. For example, Wikipedia's definition of a Pomeranian is reliable because it's definition (and additional information) isn't exactly debatable.

However, Wikipedia's BASIC definition for CONTROVERSIAL words such as Republican Party or Democratic Party would only be SOMEWHAT reliable. Definitions of controversial words would be worded in positive or negative ways depending on the political views of the one who posted the revision. Numerous edits can be found for Democratic and Republican Party! In my opinion, the open ability to edit Wikipedia definitions creates a way for debate.

From one extreme example to the other, Wikipedia is still a GREAT on-line encyclopedia tool. The ability of editing is useful for statistics that constantly change. When I was a kid, we had a set of World Book Encyclopedia's to refer to if needed. In fact, my Mom sold them for quite some time (she still has a set, too)! Good ole reliable was great to help with projects; however, after a year, some of the information was outdated and unreliable.

Randy Pausch's Last Lecture: Achieving Your Childhood Dreams

I'm not sure where to start. I have so many thoughts regarding Dr. Randy Pausch's Last Lecture: Achieving Your Childhood Dreams. One of my favorite parts of his speech was his reason for becoming a professor. His mentor, Andy Van Dam, encouraged him to be a professor because he would be a great salesman of education! Great advice! True statement! A teacher should be a great education salesman!

Dr. Pausch touched the lives of so many people. He continues to touch lives everyday. He truly enjoyed his life up until the very end. Those who knew him (I'm sure) consider it a privilege. I wish I'd had the opportunity.

One program he started is Building Virtual Worlds. This program includes fifty students that are split into teams of four. Teams have two-week assignments to present a demonstration / presentation on anything they choose. This enables students to use their own ideas to create interactive projects. Thus, making learning fun. In regard to "burp back education", Dr, Pausch's approach is a perfect example of how to AVOID "burp back education"! Student's benefit more by hands-on learning vs. memorizing followed by tests.

Alice is another program Dr. Pausch helped create. This program, now under the direction of Dr. Wanda Dann, provides a way for students to learn computer programming in a 3D environment. I believe in Dr. Pausch's method of teaching. Learning CAN be fun. Even during his "lecture", he didn't "lecture". He's interesting, upbeat, and entertaining.

Throughout Dr. Pausch's lecture, I kept asking myself what were his intentions. Was he paying tribute to all the great people he's met throughout his life and career? Was it a summary of his goals and accomplishments? Was he giving final words of wisdom and advice?

My question was answered at the end of his presentation. His last presentation was created for his three young children. Wow...that's deep! Dr. Pausch was blessed with great parents all throughout his life! His Dad had only passed away a couple years ago. Dr. Pausch was only 47, and knew he wasn't going to be there for his kids like his Dad was for him. Therefore, Dr. Pausch came up with a condensed version of "life lessons" he wanted them to learn from him. In his "Last Lecture: Achieving Your Childhood Dreams", Dr. Pausch is a positive influence on us today as well as his children as they mature.

After watching the Final Lecture, I was still curious and kept browsing various videos. The Final Lecture is over an hour long, but trust me -- it's worth every minute. BUT, if you have time constraints, watch his super-condensed version featured on Oprah. It's not near as compelling, but you still get the message he's trying to convey. Check it out even if you've watched the whole video!

Best of the Fischbowl 2007 - 180 Days - April 13, 2007

This blog really nails the point of how short the school year and how easy time is lost. Check out this Powerpoint showing a breakdown of an average 180 school year. It's shocking to see the limited time available for teaching! Educators must manage their time wisely.

My favorite comment posted referred to a 1997 interview on PBS NewsHour featuring William Goodling, then Chairman of the Education and Workforce Committee. Goodling was quoted, "you don't fatten cattle by weighing them. You don't speed up a car by putting in one more speedometer. You don't help children learn by offering one more test." Wow! Well said! Very true! As a parent, I can't keep up with the tests Hannah takes -- CRT, SAT, ARMT, Writing Assessments... The list goes on and on. I don't see how her teacher's have time to TEACH from reviewing for the next test!

Fisch's powerpoint, "180 Days", refers to the number of days lost because of school functions such as pep rallies. Personally, I feel these functions are important even though they have no educational purpose. Social skills are important, too. Fisch didn't include days lost because of field trips. Field trips are a GREAT way to make learning fun. Take a child to the Exploreum and then test them. They'll give you every detail of what they learned ... PLUS what they had for lunch, who sat by who on the bus, and who got in trouble and for what! Learning plus social skills!
Overall, the plain fact is -- time for teaching is limited. Organize lesson plans to make the most of the time available. Enjoy the fun stuff such as pep rallies and field trips. Finally, while students are testing, you might as well use it to YOUR advantage. Think positive -- catch up on email, shop eBay, or browse Fischbowl for the latest on e-stuff (i.e. 21st century learning tools, del.icio.us, twitter, or World Cafe).

"Burp Back" Education

First of all, I don’t mind giving or receiving constructive criticism; however, I do not like criticizing something I haven’t attempted. Overall, I expected both podcasts to be disorganized and pretty basic. I was wrong!

I’d never heard of the term, “Burp Back” education, so I chose this Podcast as the first of two for this week’s blog post. I realize the assignment wasn’t to comment on the subject itself, BUT I MUST! This view, “Burp Back” education, is 200% correct. YES, public school teachers are FORCED to concentrate ultimately on CRT’s scores! If class scores are inadequate, the teacher is the one to suffer! Their plates are overflowing and they sometimes find it difficult to ENJOY teaching. I could go on and on for DAYS regarding this one…ok, time to step down off my soap box.

I thought Ashley Denson, Sandy Presley, and Robyn Terry were interesting to hear. It’s always nice to hear other “southerner’s” accents! They really got involved in the topic and weren’t afraid to express their opinions, even so far to compare the public vs. private school sector. We all know deep down that public and private schools are in a silent competition.

I noticed at the beginning of this podcast, they were nervous and clearly reading straight from their paper. Honestly, I DO NOT see me changing this because I’m a “planning” type person. Of course, I’ll be MORE nervous than these young ladies. I think I’ll recite from paper, but I’ll practice over and over again before my group-podcast. Oh, and let’s just say that I’ll remember to take my meds on the day of my Podcast!

Facebook as an Educational Tool?

The second podcast I checked out was “Facebook as an Educational Tool?”. Danielle Tasker, Stephanie Ellis, and Jalisa Mobley had a plan for their podcast. They first gave an overview of Facebook, introduced the pro’s, and finally gave the con’s with using Facebook as an educational tool. This was a great approach. Unlike the first “Burp Back” Education podcast, they weren't nervous at all.

However, they kept wandering from the subject. At one point, they compared Facebook to MySpace. Another time, they ventured to comparing different age groups using Facebook. When doing a podcast, I would come up with a plan and maintain focus. Of course, I would probably have trouble because I tend to ramble.

Again, I want to stress the fact that I'm uncomfortable giving constructive criticism on something I haven’t experienced. Overall, I thought both podcasts were informative and well-organized!

Is It Okay To Be A Technologically Illiterate Teacher?

This blog really made me think about today's technology. I'd never really thought about whether it's ok to NOT be computer savvy. You either ARE or NOT. After reading Karl Fisch's perspective, I totally see how important it is for teachers, in particular, to not only use a computer, but to also stayed informed of technology advancements. There's simply NO EXCUSE for not being able to utilize a computer!

Fisch's comments are pretty brutal, but right on the money! "I'm not good with computers," is no longer acceptable. Sorry. If you can't keep up with the big dogs, you'd better stay on the porch ... and TURN IN YOUR PINK SLIP!

As a parent, I have always put teachers at the absolute top of my "respect list". After all, they are responsible for educating our FUTURE! If educators refuse to learn and adapt, what type of message are they portraying to students? In today's times, if you aren't familiar with a computer, then it's the same as saying you aren't familiar with using a pencil! Pencils and computers are on the same level.

In my opinion, those who aren't computer savvy are actually intimidated by the computer. They shouldn't be. Personally, my favorite "button" is UNDO. I use that one frequently. I would be lost without good ole UNDO.

Today's technology is an asset to educators. They should take advantage of what there is to offer and incorporate every possible avenue into their lesson plans.

Podcasts

This week's assignment, Podcasts, introduced me to a new way of e-communication. I was already familiar with iTunes and had heard of a podcast, but never played around to actually check it out. Now I know! A podcast is a way for people to share ideas, thoughts, and suggestions regarding ANYTHING.

The SmartBoard Lessons Podcast discusses all kinds of ideas including Feltron Eight (pictured to the right). Nicholas Feltron lives in New York and has basically recorded every move he makes in a day. This includes every step he takes, how fast he walks, every subway ride, cost of meals, trips to the gym, and the number of birthday parties he attends. Why? This information can be utilized as a math project for schools.

EdTechTalk Episode 25 is a podcast involving teachers from New Hampshire and New York. During the live podcast, "outsiders" could provide input through a chat room or Skyte. One topic was a recent Educon 2.1 conference. They discussed various presentations at the conference including one on The World Cafe. Teachers also discussed curriculum review boards at their schools and how some teachers are still afraid of using a computer. Being afraid of a computer today is the same as being afraid of using a pencil!

The MacBreak Weekly podcast features the latest information on the "Macintosh world". I'm not familiar with Mac. This podcast would be great for Mac users as a way to stay informed of the latest news and gadgets for Mac.

I really enjoyed listening to the Kid-Cast #58 podcast. This podcast includes recommendations on how to get students not only to learn HOW to DEVELOP a podcast, but to get them involved in the TOPIC of their podcast. Students tend to be so wrapped up in learning how to make a podcast that they forget the podcast topic. To me, this applies to technology as a whole. On Kid-Cast, podcasts by both students and teachers are posted. What's cool is that each podcast is rated before they are posted, E - everyone, E+10 - everyone 10 and up, T - teens 13 and up, and T16+ - teens 16 and up.

Overall, podcasts are a great way to LISTEN (and interact) to all kinds of information ranging from education to the latest on the Wii (which is what I'm about to check out!). You listen to real people with real ideas and suggestions. The podcasts are also personable. Each one I listened to started out informal chatting about the weather or (in the case of the MacReader) the Steelers winning the Super Bowl.

International School Blog Research

Toa's Troops

Toa's Troops is a 5th grade class (18 students) at Shanghai American School, CHINA. One of the first items I noticed was the option to choose the language of the blog. One click on the French flag and BOOM - every word on the site instantly changed from English to French. I also learned that China is celebrating their New Year right now. This site features homework assignments including specific math problems. It also includes the entire Obama Inauguration Speech video as well as photos from their Open House.

What impressed me the most is that these 18 students in FIFTH GRADE each have their own individual Blog. Our class is just now learning how to blog while 5th graders in China are already blogging! To be honest, that's a little bit intimidating.

District School in Tasmania, Australia

Because I have a 7th grader, I decided to check out what other 7th graders are doing outside the US. I found a in "District school" in Tasmania, Australia that participates in a "Blog Challenge" which includes 9 countries. Students must first earn the right to create their blog. They do this by posting comments on other blogs and also by proving that they are "internet savvy".

Students must also complete a CyberQuoll course on internet safety. I feel this is super important because while we see the computer as an educational resource, others (unfortunately) see it as a predatory tool. Kids should know what information is safe to share with the world.