EDM 310 Blog Post Assignment 2

I. Mr. Dancelot

              The central message of this video was that when teaching something that requires repetition and practicing with the whole body, it needs to be taught as such. The teacher in the video only showed Powerpoints and when he demonstrated the footwork himself for the dances, he stood behind the desk so that the students could not see. The conclusion made sense to me in that the students were confused on which dance they were supposed to be doing, and they did not have to proper practice with a partner. When a teacher does not teach their subject properly, the students will suffer academically.

II.  Teaching in the 21st Century

I, Main Idea
   A. The main argument of this video was which was more important: Learning facts and content or learning skills.
       1. He presented a few skills or life knowledge such whether or not to buy or rent a house or which credit card deal is best.
     
    B. He also discusses how the world of education is changing rapidly because of technology.
        1, Because of the Internet, endless amounts of information can be accessed anywhere at anytime, practically by anyone.

    Robert sees teaching as a rapidly changing profession, and we as teachers must adapt to these changes. I agree with him in that we need to become more technologically able so that we may be able to use these things in our educating methods. In doing this, we can connect to students on a more modern level. I also agree that students need to be taught skills as well as facts. Knowing the year that the Declaration of Independence was signed is as important as knowing how to change a a flat tire.



III.  The Networked Student
        The creator of the video was discussing how the educator who followed to rules of connectivism is still considered an educator even though the Networked Student learns outside of the classroom. The student learns through podcasts, blogs, and connecting online with students and professors in the same field. Though he learns this way, the teach points him in the right direction and helps him when a problem is presented.
         My reaction to this video was that the teacher, although the learning process was different, is still considered the educator for the course. She answers the students questions regarding how to discover the content he needs for learning what he needs to learn for the course. Though she is not educating on the subject itself, she is still helping guide the student.


IV. Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts.

       In the video, the teacher presented the argument that not all students can learn using just paper and pencil, and that using technology can expand their potential. I believe that using technology and and teaching students how to use it is very important. I especially liked when the teacher said that she did not know how to use terraform until her students taught it to her. The idea that the student can educate the teacher has always been one of my favorite ways to teach.

V. Who's Ahead in the Learning Race?

     After watching the video, I believe that the elementary students are ahead the learning race. They are ahead because of the integration of technology in the classroom. They are doing things such as learning to use Google Docs and record and edit small movies, whereas undergrads and even graduate students are not fully capable of doing so. I am an undergrad in the learning race, and the elementary students have learned a lot more about technology in their seven years of living than I have learned in the past several years as a college student.


VI. Flipping the Classroom

      "Flipping the Classroom" refers to learning the lesson at home so they are prepared for activities the next day in class. I have never heard of this process before watching the video. Though I understand that the process aids in integrating technology in the classroom, I have always learned a different way. I feel like it is an unrealistic expectation of young students to sit down at the computer and fully absorb the lesson without any sort of visual demonstration or face-to-face contact with the teacher. If the teacher is only giving out activities instead of teaching the material as well, that does not make her an educator.