February 28th Assignment

This is How We Dream Pt. 1 & Pt. 2

Dr. Richard Miller talks about the fact that much has changed since the time he was growing up in the videos, ‘This is How We Dream, Parts 1 and 2’. Now people don’t really go to libraries and bookstores to find what they want to know, they have their laptops with them and can search whatever they want to find! Books aren’t in print as much and more people read books on the web than in a library. I have an online book reader and I never make trips out to the library anymore! Dr. Miller showed tips on how to make an online readable document more interesting/better by adding videos to the document or post. I know that I like things better if there is a video or audio to listen to along with it.

We work on our computers. It doesn’t matter what kind of work you do, you will be working along with your computer! I love how he pointed out that ideas don’t belong to us individually; they belong to us as a culture. He said that as he was talking about lectures on iTunes U. A lot of great lectures are being shared on iTunes U and I love the fact that all of this great information is being shared. It is our first stage in ‘working’ with our computer. I think that college is your first step in the work force and the more we are using lectures online, we are learning to ‘work’ online. We have no limits or restrictions on what we can use to develop our learning networks. We have so much access to information for our students and we really need to take advantage of that access.

The thing that made me feel a little weird was the fact that Dr. Miller thinks that one day students will not be using word processors, but instead composing assignments with digital enhancers. I just think it’s crazy that someday we might be grading a student’s paper through their YouTube video. I do agree that if we do move in this direction, we need to learn how to make these presentations beautiful and compelling. I also found it fascinating but crazy that someone is using the web to compose these informational pieces! When I thought of the word ‘Bot’, I thought about some futuristic movie, not something that would be used now. There are so many ways to use technology now and I can only imagine what we will be doing with technology in the future!


The Networked Student

Wendy Drexler made an awesome video entitled ‘The Networked Student’. I loved the cartoons and the way the information was presented. I believe all information should be presented in a fun learning form like that was, but we all know that is not going to happen. Oh well. Alex Drexler, you are an awesome cartoonist and you should start making educational cartoons if you haven’t already. Just throwing that out there.

The Networked Student was about a Psychology class that is handled in a web communication form other than attending class once a week. The video showed how the teacher introduced many networking websites to the class and taught the class how to use those websites. The student learned through their PLN and found all different kinds of ways to communicate with their classmates and others. That is how EDM 310 is done and I love it so far. My PLN is still confusing to me, but I am learning continuously. The networked student used Skype, which I have also been doing a lot more often recently.

The question towards the end was asking why the class needed a teacher if everything was taught through networking. The answer would be to teach them how to access this network and encourage them along the way! How else would a student know what to do? If I said “Okay class, here’s your syllabus. Go find a personal learning network and you’ll be good to go.” Do you think they would really learn? Probably not. I would be very confused if I didn’t have instructions or information on how to start learning on the web. I do agree with this video because this is the way we’re going to be learning in the 21st century! Good technology literate teachers are definitely needed.


Toward a New Future of Whatever – Michael Wesch

I enjoyed Michael Wesch’s lecture about the media and technology nowadays. I think it’s pretty accurate when he says that the media is an environment. Television, music, videos online, and more pretty much define our culture! That is what we learn from and that is what we look at everyday. I really liked when he compared his classroom to American Idol auditions. That was hilarious. I really wish all classrooms were like an American Idol audition, it would be much more exciting. Michael Wesch was really funny and fun to listen to.

He began to talk about the word whatever and the different versions and meaning. It was pretty funny, especially the MTV version. In our society, we have to find ourselves and find recognition and that is why we love to put ourselves out there on shows like American Idol or The Real World. People want to find themselves and they create their own view of themselves.

I’ve created videos for YouTube and other social websites before and I guess I did that because everyone else was doing it! My friend and I made a webshow last year just to tell what we had been doing and what was going on at the University we were at. I totally agree with what Mr. Wesch said and pointed out with his students about how self-conscious you become when you start talking to a camera. You want to fix your hair a lot; you want to fix every flaw before that video goes online. The video does become a confessional. Since other people are not around, you are much more likely to say what you really want to say.

I don’t really use as much media conversing other than Skype at the moment, but maybe it would be good for all of us to make more YouTube videos or media documents. Not only to express our feelings or things we want to share, but to help each other learn as college students. It would be great to ask questions and have them answered by other videos. I will be using videos for my classroom and media for my classroom. I want my class to respond to videos I make and post for them and learn through those videos. I want to do ‘whatever’ it takes to make the future for my students and myself as bright as possible.