Classmates

I really enjoyed this class and I am sad to leave actually! It was a very warm environment. Sometimes we really didn't know what we were doing, but we made it. I wish everybody a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! I hope everybody makes an A!

What I've Learned in EDM310

This class has definately been a learning experience. Before I came to this class I didnt know what a lot of things were. I had never used blogs or podcasts before. Now I can listen to podcasts without even thinking of it as work. I also learned a lot of google. I had no idea that google had so many gadgets and was so people friendly.

I think that this class is a good prerequisite for teachers to take. It helped me learn about spreadsheets and use Microsoft Word in a way I didn't know before. Teachers definately need to know how to use the computer in today's classroom.

There is not really anything that we did not cover that I think we should have. Mrs. Averitt did a great job! This class was very enjoyable.

ACCESS

For my ACCESS project I went to Satsuma High School and Satsuma, Alabama. They were really nice and helpful to me while I was there. The students actually showed me around the lab and filled me in on what they really do.

The students are not actually taking an ACCESS course via smartboard this semester. They said next semester they will begin the classes with another classroom over the monitor. In ACCESS courses it gives students a chance to take Advanced Placement classes. The ACCESS lab provides teachers with additional multimedia and technology tools to enhance instruction.

The ACCESS lab in equipped with Codec. Codec is technology for compressing and decompressing data. It also has cameras, monitors, a smartboard, wireless internet, and laptops for all of the students. They are able to receive all of these things by a grant that provides 12 pilot high schools with all of the needed materials.

Some classes that ACCESS has are Latin, German, Mandarin Chinese, AP English, AP Calculus, and AP Statistics, to name a few. These courses are normally not available to high school students. ACCESS gives them a chance to expand their horizons and begin preparing for college.

For each class that the students take they spend a regular class time in the lab. If the students take 4 ACCESS courses then they could spend their whole day in the lab. The students I talked to really enjoy the lab and say it is their favorite part of the day. The students' teachers send their work to the lab and they complete it there. There was only about 5 or 6 students in the lab while I was there. They receive more hands on time there and have a quieter area to study.

The ACCESS lab definately promotes e-learning to the students. The technology they have in the labs in unbelievable. The students know how to work everything and are able to actually talk to other students at another school via computer. ACCESS labs look like a really good idea from my perspective. I would definately want to take ACCESS courses if it were at my high school.

Pluses and Minuses of Blogging in the Classroom

For this assignment I read my classmate, Joye Wiggin's, blog. We did our podcast together and during that time we shared a lot of the same ideas about blogging in the classroom. There are definately two sides to the equation in this situation.

First off, blogging in the classroom introduces students to technology in the classroom. This is a easy and fun way to get them learning. Blogging is a really easy tool to get them started on. The teacher could have each student have their own blog and write out their own opinions on things. The teacher could either have them do a journal type of blog or an assignment type, like we do in EDM310. By having the students do these blogs they are getting a feel of what its like to use technology with learning. Blogging is especially good for the quiet and shy kids. They can type out what they are thinking instead of having to talk in front of the whole class.

Although blogging has a lot of good things about it, it also has some cons. One thing that is a major factor is the security part of it. With having the students do blogs, they are putting themselves on the internet. We all know that when you place anything you've written on the internet, it is free game for the world to see. Even people you don't want seeing it. Teachers and parents can take the necessary precautions with this issue and it can be overruled. Another con that blogging in the classroom has is that some students might not be readily accessable to computers. Even in this time of technology not all homes have a computer. Those students without a computer in the home would either have to do their work at school or travel to a public place that has computers. This could become a potential problem.

Even though blogs have pros and cons, I think that the cons outweight the pros. Teachers should start getting students used to using technology and blogs are a great way to start. I know while using blogs in our classroom I really got the feel for computers. Before this class I wouldn't have known how to do a lot of things.

Electronic Conversation

For my electronic conversation I emailed Mrs. Mary Garrison from Ocean Springs High School. She is a certified teacher and runs the Career Center there at Ocean Springs High School. She is sort of the "eyes and ears" of the whole school. She helps the students in her learning lab with finding the right University to attend, helps them with schoolwork, and helps them use the technology available at the school. Since she has such a big part in the technology at school part of things I thought she could be a good candidate to ask some questions too. She was really excited about sharing what she knows and has learned while being at Ocean Springs High School. Below I have copied and pasted some of our emails we had between each other.

My first email:

Mrs. Garrison,Hey! My name is Rachel Beaty and I attended Ocean Springs High School where you work. I am a student at the University of Southern Alabama now and I was just wondering if I could ask you a few questions about your school. First off, I was wondering if the teachers use technology in the classroom, and if so to what extent? Another thing I would like to know is if the technology actually helps the students learn or if it hinders their ability to? Does the technology make it easier for students to catch on? At your school I know their are special needs children, do they have access to the technology labs and if so how do they work in that situation? I know you run the Career Center at the school, so how does having the technology lab make your job easier? Do you think technology in the classroom is a good idea? And last but not least, what technology would you like to see used more in the classroom? Thank you so much for helping me out!Rachel Beaty

Her response:

Rachel,It is nice to hear that you are doing well! The University of Alabama is a fine school. As for your questions, I would be more than glad to help you out. The first thing you wanted to know was if the teachers use technology in the classroom, and if so to what extent? Well here at Ocean Springs High School technology is a big part of classroom learning and becoming bigger by the minute. Each classroom has a minimum of two computers. On those computers the students are able to research their studies, type out papers, and complete any assignments given to them by the teacher. The students are also required to visit my lab once a month to keep them updated on college and University information via computer. I help them apply to school online for two reasons. One reason is so that students who are not familiar with computers can get hands on experience, and so that they can someone is their pushing them to apply to college. Technology is a big part of learning here and I would like to see it grow even more. Your next question regarding if the technology helps or hurts the students, I would definately say that it helps 100%. In the world today, technology is everywhere. If the students do not get accustom to using it, they are going to be left to dry in the real world. It is our job here at the high school to prepare the students as much as we can for college and the real world. One major factor in succeeding in the world is to be able to use technology. Our special needs children here at Ocean Springs High School do, in fact, get time in the learning lab. They have special programs on the computers to help them better their skills. They have designated times to come in the lab and they seem to really enjoy it here. Technology makes a world of difference with my job. If I did not have the lab then all students would have to apply to college via snail mail. Nowadays that is pretty much unheard of. Technology is a great idea. I would definately like to see my school using more of it.Sincerely, Mrs. Garrison

My Second Email:

Mrs. Garrison,Thank you so much for helping me out with this. It sounds like technology is really import to you guys over there. I'm glad to hear that the special needs students don't miss out on the lab. For another assignment I had to visit a school here in Alabama to see a lab they have called an ACCESS lab, do you think Mississippi will ever get something along the lines of this? It seems really helpful to students.Rachel Beaty

Her response:

Rachel,I did some research on the ACCESS lab you spoke of. It sounds like a really cool idea. It allows the students to engage in Advanced Placement courses that they would otherwise not have access to. Here at Ocean Springs High School we have "AP" courses available, but we do not have a lab for the students to go to. If the students here score well enough on an exam given at the end of the class, they are able to count that class as a college credit. This seems like it is something along the lines of what they are doing in Alabama. Although we do offer AP classes, I would like to see us get an ACCESS lab. Of course it wouldn't be ACCESS here it would be MCCESS ;).Sincerely, Mrs. Garrison.

My Third Email:

Mrs. Garrison,You are right about the MCCESS ha ha! Thank you for all your help you have given me on this subject. I hope that your students are learning all they can from the technology y'all have available.Rachel Beaty

After this conversation I had with Mrs. Garrison I realized that technology in the classroom is a big deal. Teachers and administrators are becoming more into using technology. I think it is great that the students are getting a chance to use the technology.

Racial Cleansing in America Podcast

The first podcast I listened to was about Thenonious Monk. He is a famous jazz musician from the south. His song "Little Rootie Tootie" has train sounds in it from his heritage. He moved to NYC when he was five, but still remembered the train sounds from his past. He says most people think that Jazz is a cosmopolitan inner city things, but it actually comes from the south. Thelonious Monk lived with his mother from the day that he was born to the day that she died. He grew up playing piano in his church. He says that he learned his sort of "taste" from his mother from her food to her clothing.

The next podcast I listened to was Racial Cleaning in America. Corbin, Kentucky is a very white run town. Laura Smith tells a story of when she was a child and they ran out of gas, so they got picked up by an African American. His mom lied to the man and told them they were actually from Williamsburg. This was because they didn't want the man to know they were from Corbin. Mrs. Boose was born in 1927. She tells a story of getting off the train and being scared to get of because the main train stop was in Corbin. The 1910 census shows that there were a total of 10 African Americans living in Corbin at the time. The blacks commuted there just to work on the railroad. There was a time called Red Summer when there was 25 race riots against the black. After this all but 3 African Americans were sent packing. This just goes to show you how bad the racism was back then.

Alice Cooper

Alice Cooper has 40 years of experience being an educator. She created this site to help teachers and let them see her ideas she has come up with in her experiences. She gives numerous ideas to teachers on how to use technology in the classroom. She gives workshops and seminars to help teach the teachers. She also teaches classes as a college. One of her ideas she has come up with is Constructivism. She beleives technology should be used to facilitate learning, not the be the focus of the learning. She beleives students should learn by doing things within a specific context. Learning is reflective and incorporates feedback from the teachers. She believes that students as well as teachers learn from their mistakes.

Another part of her website gives information about Digitial Media and Photography Resource. This is a cool part of her website. She gives ideas and help to teachers who wants to incorporate digital cameras, camcorders, iMovies, podcasts, or digital photos into the classroom environment. This part of the site would be very helpful for up and coming teachers who want to use technology in the classroom. It gives them ideas on how to introduce it into the classroom.