Blog Assignment 5

ischool

In the video, ischool initiative, Travis Allen a seventeen year old high school student from Georgia describes his vision for the school of the future. Travis begins by remind us of the problem education is currently facing, Travis says in his school “teachers are being let go and classroom sizes are becoming increasingly larger.” Unfortunately this is not only a problem in Travis’s school, but in schools across the United States. So, what is the solution to this problem?

Travis suggests by using the technology we already have we can reduce spending within the schools. He says this technology can be found in the smart phones we already carry around like an extra appendage. Travis gives a list of apps that are already available for download that would eliminate costly items used daily within classrooms across the globe. Apps such as: email, chemical touch, U.S. constitution, star walk, formulae, recorder, calendar, and ihomework are just a few of the apps that are ready to be used in classrooms today. By using these apps and apps like these to eliminate costly items such as books, copiers, and paper Travis estimates schools can save about $450 per day per student. That’s an impressive amount of savings if you ask me.

After watching this video I was faced with a few questions: why aren’t we using these apps to save money in our schools, why aren’t we incorporating the technology our students are familiar with into our classrooms, and why did it take a seventeen year to point out these ideas that should be painfully obvious to us. There is only one answer I can come up with to these questions, we are afraid of change. I think as humans we are fearful of things being different and because of our fear we do all we can to avoid change. This has been a great problem in our nation’s schools for far too long, and I for one am grateful to Travis for opening my eyes to this fear and the idiotic idea that is a bad thing.

Eric Whitacre’s Virtual Choir

In the video, Eric Whitacre’s Virtual Choir, 185 people from all over the world come together to perform a song. Without ever meeting or even being in the same room each member sings in perfect harmony with the group. To say the least I was amazed, in awe, in shock, and just blown away by the sound of this choir. I honestly watched this video three times and had chills all three times. It is amazing to me that through the internet this can be accomplished. I tend to think of the internet as a place for email, google, facebook, and a homework tool, so to realize that it can be used for so much more makes me a little bummed I’ve wasted so much time misusing it.

Teaching in the 21st Century

In the video, Teaching in the 21st Century, I was reminded of the story of Mr. Winkles. Like Mr. Winkles I’ve always felt uncomfortable with too much change, and I too also found that our schools seem to change the least. After watching this video I came to this conclusion I have a choice to make. As a future educator I can stay in my comfort zone, hide from change, and continue to teach the old fashion way handing out facts; or I can step out of my comfort zone, embrace change, and enable my students to have the skills they will need to be successful. When I thought about my options the choice was easy, I am going to have to embrace change, step out of my comfort zone, learn new things, and go after the skills my students will need for the future.

It was stated in the video that our student can find the facts anywhere (google, facebook, blogs) but the skills they will need to find the facts, that’s what we must teach them. I had never thought of it in this way before, and yet it is so true and obvious. I can remember being given assignments in high school that involved research and if the answer didn’t pop right up when I typed my question into google I was lost. I was never taught how to find information, how to research, how to look for reliable sources on the internet, or even how to word my questions. All of these things were skills I needed to complete the assignments given, yet I was never given those skills. After watching this video it has become painfully clear to me how important it is to provide our student with the skills they need to be successful, to find the facts, and to be prepared for an ever changing world.

Classroom Flipped

In the videos, Why I Flipped My Classroom by Katie Gimbar and Flipping the Classroom by Ms. Munafo, a new way of teaching was proposed. By prerecording lectures that the students would watch at home they are freeing up valuable class time to be spent on applying the applications learned. Gimbar says “in my old classroom I would spend 90% of the time going over content and only 10% of the time on application,” by flipping her classroom she is able to spend 90% of the time on application and 10% of the time going over content. So why is this important? Ms. Munafo says this is important because “it allows those students who need to spend a little more time on a certain concept the time to do so, while those students who have mastered that concept can move ahead and not become bored.”

Although this approach to teaching is completely new to me, I think it would be worth a shot. I do have a few concerns with this approach, such as students without computers falling behind, or a parent not making sure their student is watching the videos as assigned. Overall I think this concept is very interesting and after a little more research on the success of this approach I’d definitely try it out in my future classroom.