Assignment 2

Did You Know
Did you know? No, I did not. It is difficult for me to clearly respond to this extremely busy video. It has so much information. I had to watch it three times. Each time I viewed it I felt smaller, less significant, and even more out-dated. I am not entirely happy about the rate of change the world and its inhabitants are experiencing. I am a simple woman; and I like it that way. I am absolutely positive there are computers that transcend my capabilities and that information frightens me. Please tell me someone who reads this has watched the movie Terminator.
I am not intentionally passing negative judgment on those who find this type of video to be exciting and interesting. I appreciate all the technological advancements which have come to benefit me i.e. air conditioning, cell phones, and washing machines. In addition, I am delighted to have learned what "B.G." means and on a side note I thoroughly enjoyed the background music. Although, for me, this video was slightly dismal I cannot help but smile at myself. See I am the one in every two people who have been at their current job for more than five years. This point of interest leads me to believe I am one in a million. Who cares if there are 1,300 Alanas in China and the world is flying past me at light speed. What can I do about it? When my days are complete I am content. The music did make me want to dance though, so I think I will watch it one more time.

Mr. Winkle Wakes
Aw, poor Mr. Winkle. He reminds me of my grandfather, who worked on a merchant marine ship during World War II. I can relate to Mr. Winkle's feelings of overwhelming discomfort. Fear of the unknown oftentimes prevents us from moving forward with change. Upon personal reflection, this video is an eye opener. I feel the need to make some additions to an earlier statement. I am, also, grateful for the technology which provided me with an epidural during the birth of my daughter and the technical machines which assisted the doctors during my grandmother's open-heart surgery. I possibly overlooked some important advancements during my bash at the "Did You Know" video.
I do not know what town Mr. Winkle is from, but around here the schools do not look like the one he finds. I think I might have taken that for granted. I know there are learning facilities that are exactly like the one Mr. Winkle stumbles upon, and many more that are in worse condition. The problem for me, and probably many others, is out-of-sight, out-of-mind. My daughter's school is filled with computers, smart boards, and internet accessibility; and honestly she knows more about them than I do. I realize I have neglected to consider the many schools which lack necessary learning equipment. Although I may be simple and not tremendously interested, I believe it is imperative today's children have access to updated and working technology. Also, I think all teachers should be required to take a class comparable to EDM 310, even if the information will be outdated before graduation. This question remains: What to do with Mr. Winkle?


Schools Kill Creativity
Ken Robinson does an exceptional job expressing some key points about how the school systems suppress and discourage creativity in students. I have to admit, I was slightly intimidated about the video lasting almost twenty minutes. After watching it, I found myself looking for more of his lectures to watch. It was an excellent point of discussion. It held my attention the entire time. He is very enlightening, experienced, and extremely hilarious. Although he is funny, his point is serious.
I agree creativity is exceedingly important. I place a lot of blame on numerous advancements in technology, for the lack of creativity. The more outside stimulation people receive, the less they need to create their own. Many children today are raised in front of the television, therefore they do not need to play, explore, or imagine. They have video games that do that for them. In a world of instant this and rapid that most people do not have time to think, much less be creative. As Robinson points out social acceptance is based largely upon success in academics. Academic achievement is rooted in industrialism and technology. As both commodities progress and increase, it becomes more and more difficult to obtain the same academic status. More and more academic education is required and there is even less time for creative arts. Robinson is precise; creativity is being stifled and original ideas of value are becoming obsolete because educators are failing to promote them. Not only was Robinson on target with his topic he, also, did a great job of producing visual images. Watch the video and you will envision Shakespeare as a young school boy and a wiggly girl in the principal's office finally find her niche in life. I cannot conclude this response without giving him an enormous pat on the back for his references to ADHD. In summary, just watch it. You will enjoy it and learn something, I did.



Harness Your Students Digital Smarts
I have to start by saying I appreciate that Davis is open to learning [Tetraform] from her students. Also, I am very impressed that she is so wonderful; yet she is human enough to admit she does not know everything. It is evident her children are learning more efficiently with her project based assignments, rather than multiple choice tests and redundant lectures. Her methods give the students a boost academically, socially, and technologically. Combined it seems to boost the students' self-esteem, too. I agree pencil and paper are becoming tools of the past. I am slightly worried about those of us who are not completely trained for this transition.
Davis is inspiring. I want to be able to encourage independent learning as well as she does. OpenSim, DigiTeen, and the flat classroom project are resources that I would like to learn more about. They appear to be great venues for teaching, learning, and experiencing the growing world of technology. It is evident she wants success for all of her students and she is so proud of them. Although customizing the set curriculum is sometimes frowned upon, Davis manages to set the bar for a great learning experience. I know a few teachers that could benefit by trying just one of her methods. Way to go Davis, you hit a home run for education.