Info on the NML Project

While researching the New Media Literacies, I found out that the staff of this program had a goal of equipping students to be educated to be literate in the multimedia world and to raise the understanding of it to other people. This is quite interesting, because without people willing to teach this kind of information, nobody would really know what to do to. Some of these things I have never even heard of, so had I not read about them on here, I would be completely clueless.

I think it is a good project that they are working on. I think that by teaching students, the New Media Literacies, project could spread worldwide. As they teach students, those students could teach other people. And the network would grow and increase in knowledge.

New Media Literacies

Watching the staff of the New Media Literaciesand their ideas of being connected in the media definitely got me thinking.

They all made some very good points, especially with the skills that they all shared. I do not necessarily think they are ALL necessary to be effective citizens, artists and workers. I think with a good few of them, it makes you a pretty rounded person, but they definitely aren't necessary.

I do use some of them, like negotiation, judgement (not a degrading kind), multitasking, visualization, appropiation, and collective intelligence. I think all of these things combined help to keep me focused and on task. Otherwise...there is just no telling! However, I don't think about these things all the time, its's kind of a natural thing that I operate in.

I guess if I thought about it more while working and putting things together, and put together some of the things that I do not really know about, I could be maybe more effective, but I don't really think it's REQUIRED for success in the media.

Why Does the Networked Student Need a Teacher?

21st Century Student? Is there a need for a teacher for a networked student? Am I prepared to be a networked teacher? Ms. Drexler provided a very interesting way of describing exactly what a networking student does.

I have to say that I do think that teachers will always be necessary. I do not think that lectures should be extinct, nor classroom time should be diminished. However, I do like the idea of the student learning research on a different level. I like the idea of teaching students to find valuable information on the web, versus trusting the first sight that you come across. "Digging Deeper" is a great way to teach students to be successful later on in life.

I do think there should be more to a teacher than teaching a student how to network. This is pretty much a personal opinion, but I enjoy having classroom lectures sometimes, and I enjoy discussions because they help me retain more information and understand it on a different level - especially if I could relate to it. I think taking those times in the classroom and applying it to research or networking could be beneficial.

This kind of relates back to the video that we watched a few weeks ago - textbooks are bought and not read, lots of money is paid for a class that students receive nothing from - but that does not mean that it should all be extinct. The method could change, but the principal could stay the same, in my opinion.

I am ready to be a teacher who teaches my students to dive in for information, and to keep diving after one little nugget. I want to teach them to succeed after the hour in the classroom that they have.

This is How We Dream Part 1 & 2

It is very clear that Richard Miller had a love for books. He loved to read, and for the rest of his life he wanted to work with books. However, he found out real quick that books are quickly going obsolete. When a book is no longer being published and it can be bought for fifty nine cents on Amazon, it is a sign that it's time to do something else.

What he did was find ways to use books and technology at the same time! Being able to do research without ever having to leave your home is so convenient, and the world is at your fingertips!

One thing that I found intriguing from what he said on Part 2 was that as we are learning, we should teach that ideas are not to be kept to the individual, but they are to be shared as a culture! Everyone can use them, everyone should benefit!

Not only can books so quickly be found online, but putting projects together has advanced greatly. From forming movies with still images, to using video as a part of a presentation, writing media is endless!

If books are quickly diminishing to virtual books, then it is equally important to teach students how to access this; otherwise they will have nothing to grow off of in the future!

Duke University's use of iPods

Not being afraid of technology is quite intriguing to me. So many times it is so easy to continue to do things the way that they have "always been done" in fear of failure.

Duke University has enhanced their teaching in the classroom with the use of iPods. Many students already are familiar with the use of iPods and laptops, and this just makes things more interesting to actually use an iPod in class.

Duke University has a quite interesting way of bringing technology into the hands of their students. In 2004, every new student received an iPod at the beginning of the year. It later moved into all undergraduate students enrolled in the university receiving iPods. This was a free service to the students, and when I read about this, I thought, "hmm, how cool would it be if South Alabama did that!" It wouldn't even necessarily have to be free, it could be included in the students' tuition package. It would be so beneficial especially if iTunes U is coming available to our campus very soon. It would make things much easier if the school provided them for the students rather than depending on the student to find the means of getting one themselves. And if the school provided them they would all meet the criteria, etc.

When I read about the different ways that things can be taught in a classroom, it just gets my mind a rollin' about how flexible and how much of a variety could actually change the whole course of a student's education!!!

Alice Christy's Information

This website was SO interesting! Alice Christie has TONS of information for teachers to use in the classroom. Stuff like this is so encouraging to me as a future educator because I honestly had no idea teachers took time to post stuff like this for other people! There is so many new ideas and so many creative things to use in the classroom, that a teacher should never be at a loss of ideas!

I found the photo essays to be quite interesting. I have never even heard of someone using photos to portray information. That actually seems quite fun and challenging all at the same time. I would like to do that in my classroom one day to see how creative my students can get.

Websites like this are quite helpful when it comes to introducing technology into the classroom at different levels!

iTunes University

Wow! I have never even heard of iTunes U until this semester. It is very interesting to know that students can access FREE videos and learning tools all on their iPod. As an educator, it could be helpful as well to use in the classroom as a teaching tool. What better way to get up-to-date information than on the internet - immediately! Gone are the days of checking out documentaries from the library. iTunes U is the place to go! And the fact that you can put it as an app on your iPhone is unremarkable

There are a lot of schools and universities enrolled in iTunes U. However, there are a lot that are not registered either. I wonder why? I have never heard of it, and even if South Alabama was registered, I would have no idea about it because none of our teachers use it at all. Just like everything else, I think that teachers and students could benefit greatly from internet sources in the classroom. It also allows the students to always have access to it as opposed to just being able to see something in the classroom. It could encourage students to learn further about the material and to think deeper.