Blog post # 7

Could I become a teacher who adapts connectivism?

I watched Wendy Drexler's Networked Student three times. Once to make sure I didn't miss the specific sentence Dr. Strange pointed out, the second time was to listen out for specifics to jot down and the final time was to listen, uninterruptedly to the entire video. I did this because I was determined to have this be the video that helped me become more open to the way of the 21st century educator. So I watched, eyes peeled, ears AND mind opened. After the video ended I sat back and looked at all of my notes, I had 2 pages from a 5 minute video. My reaction was, "ok...I live my life just as this animated high school student does." I have classes, then I have hybrid classes. Even the classes that I take where we actually go and sit in a classroom for a lecture has online tools that hopefully further our grasp of the content. I can't tell you how many websites I have bookmarked because I learn from them. I use Google religiously to find information. I sorta Skype only it's through FaceTime on the iphone. Now these are all things I did BEFORE starting EDM310. Since then I have created my own blog, post regularly, respond to posts often, read and comment on teacher's blogs, recieve feedback from them :), use google docs, created a wordle (lord knows I'd never even heard of that phrase before EDM) All of these things are molding me into a future for becoming a teacher of connectivism.

I've been thinking long and hard about my opinions on students getting all of their lectures and assignments from teacher blogs, having no books, and toting around ipads instead of paper and pencil. I have NEVER been one to be pushed into liking anything no matter what it is. Even though I have honestly enjoyed watching every ounce of the material we've covered schooling us on 21st century education, I still kept a biased opinion that it just wasn't for me. Does that make me dumb and mean I do not know how to use technology? No, it doesn't. But, I do consider myself open minded which brings me back to my first sentence. I recieved a post today from Bailey Hammond on a recent blog that made me realize that my bias wasn't against the theory of connectivism as a whole rather having the concept consume a child's life at such a young age. When I think of my elementary students (my dream is to teach the little ones K-2) I see them using glitter, scissors, and Elmer's glue to give life to a piece of construction paper. I see them mastering how to correctly draw the letter B because we've made bats, balls, and bees together in the classroom. Does a child ages 3-6 have the capacity to use devices such as ipads, tape recorders, and cameras? Well 9 times out of 10 they do! I look at my 4 year old nephew who has been dominating his mom's iphone for at least 2.5 years. But, the downfall is when it's unavailable for him to play on, the battery may be dead, she might be on the phone OR she just tells him no because he's spent most of his day playing on the sucker. So, do I think technology belongs in the classroom even at the kindergarden level? Yes, because I believe to educate you must be entertaining. No, because I have anxiety just thinking about a student who can't write in cursive because to type on a computer or ipad, all you need are your finger tips and quick movements. But, after watching Networked Student and Welcome to my PLE I'm seeing the real benefits of a full connectivism classroom in older students.







When I stopped to think about the question "Why does the network student even need a teacher?" I immediately think about Dr. Strange and how all of the given facts for why the student would need a teacher is a characteristic of him. We rarely see him in person yet he is the most beneficial teacher I have this semester. He's taught us to put together this network of resources for learning oppourtunities, speak to experts respectfully by thanking them via twitter, etc....My life will never be the same after this semester is over. I've learned more in the past 4 weeks than I have in many other semesters. I believe KNOW implementing technology in the classroom is a must. I have already began the search to build my PLN with all the information I can on the benefits of technology in early childhood developement, any K-2 teachers that incorperate technology in their classrooms, and motivational lectures on the benefits of being a teacher of connectivism.

Thomas Suarez

The only real thing I learned from watching Thomas Suarez: A 12 year old app developer is that he's a seriously smart little man! I think he speaks volumes about the change in the world according to technology. When I was 12, I never even heard of an app on an iphone or any phone for that matter. For Thomas to be interested in creating apps isn't mind blowing this day in age but, for him to take the initiative to practice programs in other languages such as Java and Python to get the basics down so to actually go through with his interest at such a young age is exciting!! Children are benefiting from technology as we can clearly see in this video and as well as the 7th grader's PLE. Who knows, maybe Thomas will be creating apps for iSchool Initiative one day.