My EDM 310 Blog Assignments are Now Compete

To my fellow students, I would like to say that I have enjoyed working with you this semester. I felt like we were all learning this together and I appreciate your cooperation and openness as a group. To Ashley Reed, I would like to say, thanks for helping me set up my blog. To April and Ashley, I enjoyed working with you on our group project. You guys are great! To Mr. Sullivan, thanks for the patience and encouragement. A few words can go a long way. May blessings and success follow each one of you throughout your college years and may your dreams of your chosen professions come true.

Proverbs 3:5-6 PEACE!

What I Learned

When I enrolled in this class, I did not know what to expect. I had taken this class before and I dropped it because the teacher went too fast and did not listen to her students. Well, this time was totally different. I was able to learn so much and I believe that this class has made me a much better preparred person in so many ways. First of all, I learned lo much about Google. I did not know what a blog was before I came to this class. Now I have two and even my husband has learned about blogs and he has two as well. I learned how to do presentation slide shows, spreadsheets to keep track of grades,etc. and how to teach using podcasts. I was introduced to twitter as well, but I see little merit in it to me as a teacher. However, the iTunes adds a new rich level of information that both I and my students can use in the classroom. I can download podcasts to broaden me as a teacher as well as teach my students how to access and do podcasts to enhance themselves as students. I am excited about using the ALEX or Alabama Learning Exchange to communicate and gain an understanding of better teaching strategies and resources. ACCESS distance learning will be a major player in education nationwide and I was glad to hear that Alabama is the first state to use this technology statewide. I never thought about accessibility issues until I came to this class. However, I am glad that I did. I think that this is an important issue and that the technology that is out there should be available to everyone. I did not know that there was such things as html tag modifiers and our teacher has introduced us to many ways that the internet has become more accessible. I do, however, agree that more awareness should be raised about this subject overall.
This course has truly raised my wareness of who I am as a professional. EDM 310 has trained me to think professionally concerning technology and its use in the classroom. I feel that I am armed with a very powerful tool tol teach with and to reach students who would otherwise not catch on to what I am teaching.
I would have liked to have learned more about the STI Classroom software and how to use spreadsheets to calculate actual grades, but other than that I cannot think of any other thing that I lack from taking this class. There is not one thing that I learned that I would like to forget because all of this knowledge is relevant to me in some way, even twitter. Although I doubt that I would use it very much, at least I am familiar with it and how its used.

The Use of Blogs in International Classrooms

At the ACS Egham International School in London, England, students who are learning English for the first time are gaining much confidence in their abilities through the use of podcasts in their classrooms. Many of these students' parents are foreign to England and they want their children to learn the language early. The school serves youngsters from ages 2 1/2 to 18. Ms. Wendy Brandse says that her second grade class gets really excited at putting on podcasts. According to her, they get a chance to have some control over what they are learning and it builds confidence in their ability to learn a new language. The children were quickly able to improve their language skills by recording,listening, and editing their work. The podcast program has proved an important motivator for the students.

My Take on Twitter

     I was  introduced to twitter in EDM 310 class one night.   Twitter, to my understanding, is a web based way to make short comments to others that you "tweet" or communicate with, much like a chat.   The entries are relatively short.  This reminds me of texting which I can do on my phone.  This is a social device.  I really don't see much good that it can be in the field of education unless teachers want to communicate ideas this way.  However in order to effectively communicate, I need much more space like in a blog.  The newscasts have talked about Twitter and how it has become the new sensation catching on fast around the world.   This is great for social situatiohns, but I do not see much academic good in it.   Online I found out what twitter is exactly. I have experience setting up a twitter account online.  I doubt that I will have much use for it since I stay very busy already.   Perhaps it would be good for interacting with fellow sorors that are miles away or for meeting new sorors that live in other places.  For this benefit, I will give twitter a try. 

EDM 310 Podcasts Review

I have reviewed podcasts from my own EDM 310 Spring 2009 class as well as podcasts from EDM Fall 2008. In all, I enjoyed most of them. There was much in-depth well thought out information. However, I would improve some things. First of all, when doing a podcast it is important to sound conversational. Many students sounded as if they were reading from a script. Perhaps they wanted to make sure that they had given all the information, but podcasts are supposed to sound conversational. Know your material well so that you can discuss it. Second, many students repeated the sound "um" which denotes nervousness. Perhaps the idea of performing in front of the class or on the web made them nervous. I know that this made me nervous. Perhaps in the future, podcasts can be done one group at a time without an audience of fellow classmates present. I heard some papers shuffling which was somewhat distracting. Note cards may help in the future as well as maybe a practice run on a tape recorder before the actual podcast so the students can become more comfortable with themselves in front of a mike.
I would use podcasts in my classroom experience as a teacher. I would employ some of the above tips in order to ensure a smooth production. I would also like to add that of the professional podcasts that I've heard on the web, some were too conversational. The hosts talked about everything from the weather to the coffee they were drinking to their vacations before getting down to the subject that they were supposed to be speaking on. So my fellow students shouldn't feel so badly at this critique. We all have room for improvement.

Plusses and Minuses of Blogs in a Classroom

It has been a wonderful experience learning and sharing with the fellow students in EDM 310 Spring 2009. Everyone has been very eager to learn, share and help each other. We have used blogs extensively in our classroom. I have very much enjoyed the experience. Even my husband, Leonard, who had not heard of blogs before this class was so excited that he created two of them: one personal and one for his outreach ministry. He is even encouraging his Masonic lodge to use blogs for some of their business dealings. In other words, blogs have caught on in a big way with me and my family. I think that they will have just the same effect in the classroom.
I think that blogs are a fun, easy, different way to get students to look at reading and writing assignments. It is also an innovative way for teachers to share information with their students. I would have my students to create a blog at the beginning of the school year and respond to reading assignments that way. I would also require blog following among my students and idea sharing. My own class blog will keep my students up to date on assignments, had outs and test dates as well as test materials needed. This is how I would encourage a paperless classroom.
However, I do see some drawbacks to this method of teaching. First of all, some of my students may not have access to a computer to create a blog and keep up with postings. In addition, many students may complain that they may not have time to post assignments to blogs when using public computer facilities which are often closed when the student leaves school or work. Some other students may complain of computer illiteracy while others may complain of constantly losing passwords.
All in all, I would be willing to work around many of these obstacles whenever I can because I feel that computer literacy and advanced technology should be taught and made available to every student. We are not only preparing our young people to be lifelong learners, but we are also preparing them to be ready for the technological future ahead.

Is Google Making Us Stupid?

In his July/August Atlantic Monthly Magazine article entitled "Is Google Making Us Stupid," Nicholas Carr explains how he feels about the availability of information on the web superhighway and how that availability is affecting us mentally. He asserts that as we read and mentally digest so much concenrated information over time, the very way our brains are wired to process and think changes. According to him, we lose the deep thinking and reasoning capaacity that comes with more in depth material interpretation. He goes on to say that even though we lose this skill, we are gaining the access to much more factual intelligence. In fact, he asserts, our brains are becoming rewired to process such copius, fast paced, largely factual information. However, this makes us become more dependent on the computer for knowledge and the seemingly impending control of our facultieds by artifical intelligence, but how reasonable is he really being?
Technology and the fast pace of the internet has been for me very intimidating. I am one of those English majors who not only is used to but who also sees much merit in the long, involved read. I am not very good at digesting a lot of knowledge in a short period of time. Howevr, I do see the trend toward a more information prone society. I will use technology in my classroom because, after all, much can be gained by it and it is the way of the future. I want my students to be prepared for the what the future brings. However, I believe that both worlds can co-exist. I will also instill in my students the appreciation of more critical and literary thought. This is also good for the intellect. After all, we were created for thought. We cannot be so busty gathering information that we do not have an appreciation of it or of how to use it.

What Is Wikipedia and How Should My Students Use It?

Wkipedia's name means "a collaborative website encyclopedia". The basis of Wikipedia is that its information can be edited or added to by contributors who, it seems, can be anyone. The encyclopedia's credibility is not very well trusted because it can be contributed to or edited in this way. However, one good thing about the encyclopoedia is that it does ask for certain guidelines for contributing. The contributor must have a neutral point of view as well as provide credible citations, sources and references. Articles often have links to other websites and sources of information as well. This "grass roots" project has more than 75,000 active contributors working on 9,000,000 articles worldwide in over 250 languages.
I feel that Wikipedia is a good way to get started with research. In other words, its information can get a student on the road to information gathering in ther research process. However, as a teacher, I would not recommend that this be a primary source or even a final source for information in writing. The links that the website provides within its articles can be more reliable and usable as confirmation sources of information, so as a research tool, I would encourage my students to use Wikipedia minimally.

Using iPods in Instruction

I was very interested in evaluating the use of iPods and podcast technology in the claaarooms across the country today. I found that some schools are using iPod technology to assist students in subjects such as writing, ESL, and foreign languages as early as elementary school. For example, some schools are setting up writing centers in classrooms and using iPod technology to expand writing skills. In these centers, students can start and stop passages at their convenience, skip from chapter to chapter in reading passages, and have more flexibility in the brainstormeng, drafting, and final writing process. Wahoo Public Schools is a good example of use of iPod technology in the classroom. On his website for the school system, District Media Specialist David Privett offers many resources for teachers wanting to use this technology in the classrom. He also has a way for them to share information with each other in order to make the experience more mrsningful. Its set up much like our own A.L.E.X.
However, it was Duke University's use of iPods in the classroom that I found most "cutting edge." Duke Universdity began giving out iPods to incoming freshmen. Programmed into the iPods was information such as the school orientation information, school calendar, and class notes. In addition, some upperclasses were required to use iPods in order to organize class notes, assist with projects, and complete assignments in selected classes. The initial year was such a success that it got teachers talking about the relevance of iPods in their classrooms. Students were requesting classes that used iPods and so on. Needless to say, the program at Duke University was a great success.
As an educator, this information got me to thinking of ways that I can use podcasts and iPod technology in my own English/Language Arts Classroom. Since students typically learn by doing something that is meaningful to them, to own the iPod may facilitate them "owning" the class. This in turn just might lead to them taking a mare active role in their learning. If the learning can be facilitated to this degree and can be broadened to beyond the classroom, perhaps students can collaberate together and find English/Language Arts a positive, fun experience. Lets encourage the use of iPods and other technology in the classrooms!

Randy Pausch's Last Lecture

     I found Randy Pausch's Last Lecture very stimulating.  He really talked about some valuable life lessons that we as educators can use.   He said that brick walls are not obstacles but rather opportunities.  He advised not to bail out but rather to keep going because the best is often at the last of your efforts.  He underscored the importance of getting feedback and using it.  He said that we should show gratitude, and not to complain but work harder and to be good at something in order to make yourself valuable.  He challenged us to find the best in everyone, and to always be prepared.
There was much in Randy Pausch's lectue that I could glean. First of all, I believe that the brick walls in life test who we truly are. A lot of times we do not know our own abilities until we are forced to look deep within ourselves and find strength. My mother faced many challedges in her life, and she always would confide in me that she overcame because she found strength from somewhere. We should all take pause and reflect on situations that are holdeing us back and figure ways to overcome by finding ways to climb the brick walls. Often in looking for our overcoming strength, we often find the best at the bottom. Like Randy said, if we do not bail, we can find the best at the bottom, deep inside where the strength truly lies.
He suggested that we find a feedback loop and listen to it. I have always believed in the old adage that "iron sharpens iron." We all need mentors, people who have been where we are going and can show us the way. These people can take our ideas and look at thenm through their 20/20 vision of experience and give us the feedback that we need to improe on what we are doing. This feedback is a valuable tool in getting us from the dream to the reality a lot of times.
Mr. Pausch advised us to be good at something in order to increase our own value. We should look at ourselves as a commodity and be daily improving ourselves to ihncrease our marketability. Anyone can stand in front of a class and rread from a book, but how many really good teachers are there out there. My father was a physics and math teacher. He could teach a physics lesson without opening a book yet make each student understand it. He was valuable to the Bishop State Community College. His knowledge was his commodity. His example taught me a lot about how to truly teach from the spirit.
In conclusion, we should strive as eduactors to not prejudje our students, but come into class with an open mind and strive to find the best in everyone. Be prepared in your lessons but also in the way that you want to reach your class. Remember not to complain when things get rough, and show gratitude at each milestone that you have been able to implant in their fertile minds. If you can do this, then you will be a successful educator.
    

The Edible Schoolyard and A Night in the Global Village Podcasts

     I have just completed looking at the podcasts "The Edible Schoolyard" and "A Night in the Global Villiage".  The first podcast "The Edible Schoolyard" was about a project at the Marin Luther King Junior High School in Berkely, California.  The project was the brainchild of Alice Waters, a chef in Berkely.   She wanted to do something to increase awareness of the environment and our responsibility to it and to each other.  Through this program, students learn about interdependence, responsibility, the environment, and the value of hard work.   The students were enjoying not only growing their own food in the organic garden, but also cooking it in the classroom adjacent to the garden.   I was touched by the students cooperation and their willingness to work and share with each other.   It is said that students learn best by doing and this edible schoolyard is just what they needed to teach social studies, science, and so much more.     The next podcast was called "A Night in the Global Village: A study in Poverty".  These students in Denver, Colorado were given the opportunity to live the way 3/4 of the world's population lives today, in primitive surroundings without luxuries like lights, running water, or adequate fool supplies.   The children lived in various "villiages" for the night and had to bargain with each other for things like food and water.   The students realized that although they would be going home to adequate food and housing in a day or so, that many people have to live like this all their lives.   The object was to teach the students the responsibility that they have to others around them in their communities and world.   This program was sponsored by Heifer, a program for providing livestock to pooer, developing countries and raising global awareness of poverty.     As a teacher, I like the idea of hands on learning.  I already plan to incorperate it into my classroom.   I just believe that people learn best by doing and that being an active learner leaves more of an impression of knowledge on the student.   These podcasts have inspired me to think of ways that I can get my English/Language Arts students "out of the box" and into a more meaningful learning experience.      I have learned much by being exposed to iTunes University, blogs of other educators that I have researched in class as well as what I have learned of ALEX and ACCESS.   I believe that technology coupled with hands on learning is worthwhile and that it is the direction that education is taking today.   We should encourage our students all we can to gather all they can, and I canno think of a beter way to do this than with iTunes University, Podcasts, and sharing through technology.   

iTunes University

    I have just finished exploring the iTunes University website.  Apparently, this is a location for many podcasts that are brought to us by various schools and Universities around the country.   I was very impressed with the wide array of knowledge that I could tap into in this University.   There were podcasts on just about any subject that I could think of and some that I hadn't thought of.  the podcasts were categorized by subject and easy to look up.      This is indeed a very useful tool for students and teachers alike.   For students, this knowledge can come in handy for reseach, papers, or for additional study in any particular class.  For a teacher, this tool can be use to suppliment teaching materials, and also to prepare lectures.   The podcasts can be downloaded and brought into the classroom as an auxillary teaching tool as well.  I can see much potential in the iTunes University.     When I logged onto the iTunes University, I explored the Oxford University link. Under it, I found many interesting podcasts, however, my computer timed out before I could access the infomation. So I will try again later. I was, however, abe to access Edutopia and in the following post, I have outlined the information that I have gathered. I will spread the news of iTunes University at work and school and let others know about this valuable educational tool.

February 15, 2009-Fall EDM 310 Podcasts

I have examined two podcasts. Each one can be found at the website: edm310fall08.blogspot.com. The first poscast was entitled ALEX and ACCESS: Alabama Distant Learning. The presenters were: Alison Davis, Kellie Brooks, and Brooke Elder. The second podcast was entitled: Distant Learning in Alabama: ALEX and ACCESS. The presenters for this podcast were Susan Smith, Bridget Thompson-Hall, and Angela Minish. I chose these podcasts because my group and I plan to do our podcast on the same subject. I wanted to see not only how to do this type of podcast by examining those of my peers, but I also wanted to see how I could perhaps imporove my podcast over their efforts.
The first podcast, ALEX and ACCESS: Alabama Distant Learning, was full of valuable information. However, the delivery of the information sounded flat. It could have been more conversational. There was also a lot of transferring of information from person to person and the information did not seem well organized. The second podcast, Distant Learning in Alabama: ALEX and ACCESS was also full of information. The first speaker was not flat at all but her voice had much expression. The information was well organized, but I could tell as the podcast went on, that each presenter was reading from a script. However, towards the end, the presenters began to give their personal opinions of ALEX and ACCESS and the conversation became more relaxed and realistic. Overall, though, I found the podcasts interesting and informative.
For my own podcast, I will have lots of new and updated information from a variety of sources including the School Board. My group and I will rehearse our ifromation to the point that we can present it in a more unscripted, conversational way. I also think that it will be helpful to offer our own critiques and feelings about ALEX and ACCESS and how these programs will impact us as teachers. With these tips in mind, I hope to present a better podcast.

Dr. Alice Christie's Website

I was very impressed with Dr. Christie's website. It has invaluable information for educators who wish to use technology in their classrooms. She not only draws upon years of training, but also years of experience in her research. I especially like the way that she considers herself a lifelong learner. I agree with this in that we should never resign ourselves to what we already know about anything, but ought to see an opportunity to learn from every experience and every encounter with people each day, good or bad.
I was reading some of her articles and was struck by one particular article entitled Transforming Learning Through Technology. In it, she cited the inequality in some schools when it comes to receiving technology. Minority schools and schools in lower income neighborhoods generally do not have the kind of technological advances as their more privileged counterparts. I find this particularly disturbing because not only do I plan to tecah in inner city neighborhood schools, but also these schools of all schools need technology the most because for some of these students, this is the only exposure they will receive to prepare them to become independent thinkers and lifelong learners through the wonderful world of technology.

Why Wireless?

I have read a very interesting blog about a wireless network set up at Karl Fisch's Arapaho High School. The question was posed why set up such an accessible system that students will be able to use anytime and anywhere on campus. The thought was that this would encourage the students to get off task with their lesson and be overly preoccupied with web surfing. Mr. Fisch believed that this was not so. He saw the wireless web being offered at the school as an opportunity for the students to be exposed to the future of communication so that they will become more active learners. They will be able to solve problems and even fore think problems in advance and through technology be able to solve them and maneuver through an ever more complex world of communication.
Fisch gave his students credit. He said that Arapaho was a nurturing school that encourages its students to explore and learn. He cited that anyone who would get off task due to the new system would be redirected to their studies. He said in so many words that it was not fair to assume that these students would be irresponsible learners. We as educators, should, give them every advantage to become technologically educated. This is because the world that these graduates will inherit will demand a whole new kind of communication skill. Why not encourage and even teach these youngsters through whatever tools available, even the wireless web, to be independent thinkers and problem solvers through technology.

Is It Okay To Be Technologically Illeterate?

The blog written by Karl Fisch addresses the need for technological savvy among teachers in today's education world. He compares technological literacy in the 21st century with reading literacy back in the 20th century. According to Fisch, one could get by with illiteracy in the beginning of the century, but as time went on, it got more difficult to navigate in society and especially the job market without it. By the end of the 20th century, he noted, no one could function without literacy in everyday life. He contends that the same will be true of technological literacy. Frankly, as much as I as a forty year old pride myself with being "old school", even I have to agree with him. I have noticed that computers are incorperating themselves into everyday life and we all need a degree of literacy in it to keep up. I was talking to a friend of mine who is eleven years old and I was surprised to find out all that she has learned about computers in school. I learned power point three years ago. She told me that she learned it in the third grade. She already knew how to do spreadsheets. I was dumbfounded to say the least. We didn't move this fast when I was in school!
Technology makes communication of knowledge and ideas faster and more effective. That's why it is so popular and widespread. Who doesn't want to save time and be more efficient at the same time. Face it, this is an appealing idea.
It enhances teaching to the degree that knowledge can be transferred more widely, more organized, and at a faster pace. I agree with Mr. Fisch in that we as educators need to be technologically literate in today's society. We are competing in a global market where every advantage that we can give our future is crucial. Therefore, I am willing to do what it takes to become more technologically literate and pass the tool on to future generations.

The iTunes Store

I have downloaded and perused the iTunes Store website. I found it very interesting, especially the wide array of educational podcasts available. I was able to review SmartBoard Lesson 150 as well as KidCast, Teachers Teaching Teachers, EcoGeek, MacBreaK, and This Week in Photography. I also discovered that in the iTunes Store, one can download music as well as movies. My husband was very excited about this and said that he was glad at my discovery of the website.
First of all, I enjoyed the overall quality of the podcasts. For the most part, they were easy to download and understand. Many of thenm were very conversational especially in the beginning and took a while to get to the subject at hand. I also found that for some of the podcasts such as MacBreak and This Week in Photography, the scrub bar did not work and I had to listen to a lot of idle talk before I learned anything new. For the most part, though, I enjoyed the podcasts and can see their merits both to students and to teachers.
SmartBoard Lessons and Kidcast were relatively easy to find. I think that the SmartBoart hosts, Ben Hazzard and Joan Badger were a little too conversational diverging from the subject frequently and being a bit wordy. The KidCast was interesting. It was hosted by the students from Willowdale Elementary School. This particular podcast should appeal to children because it is presented by their peers. I found this to be quite refreshing. I also checked out EcoGeek. This podcast can be found under More Education, K-12 in the large middle section of podcasts. This "untamed science video" was my favorite. Its topics ranged from reptiles to fungi. The presentations are short and to the point. They were information packed, and this is what I liked about it the most. Children should appreciate this effect also. MasBreak was wordy but interesting, if you are technical minded and love computers. This Week In Photography was okay, but I would have liked to have seen the host, Alex Lindsay, get to his point more quicky.
Overall, I have developed somewhat of a feel for what podcasts are like. They are very informal, some taking place in the host's living room or den. Often, co-hosts are in different areas or cities. They are personal to an extent and conversational, much like chat among friends that we, the audience, just happen to b privy to. Some of these elements I will use in my own podcast. I want to put my audience at ease, but I think that the challenge will be to keep the audiences' attention throughout the audio. This strategy, I will contemplate.

Teachers Using Blogs in the Classroom

In a wonderfully eye opening article entitled Using Blogs in the Classroom: A New Approach To Teaching Social Studies With The Internet, C. Fredrick Risinger does a great job of breaking down just what a blog or web log is and how it can be used in education. Like him, I was amazed to learn the many ways that both educators and students can use the versatility of the web to broaden their horizons.
One particular link in his article was the web log of Eric Langhorst, an American History teacher at South Valley Junior High in Liberty, Missouri. His blog is entitled "Speaking of History" (www.speakingofhistory.blogspot.com). Mr. Langhorst's web enhanced information site contains a classroom homepage, course description, a teacher's resource page, and his own podcasts. He has web links to relevant sites such as Smithsonian's Interactive Gettysburg Address and several links to USA Today with relevant articles to his subject matter.
In a different kind of web log, history teacher, Dan McDowell at West Hills High School in San Diego, California, has established a teacher information blog. Information includes personal articles with his views on teaching as well as lesson plans, projects, and teacher workshops. Other teachers may log on to share personal views and professional information. His blog has links to other work related blogs and news. I enjoyed this blog because it gives teachers an opportunity to share ideas as well as vent to each other about personal and professional issues in teaching. The idea sharing aspect of it was rather reminiscent of our ALEX or Alabama Learning Exchange.
If you would like to visit the Speaking of History website, click on the link icon. CLICK HERE

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Comments on thefischbowl--Did You Know?

     After reviewing the YouTube piece I call "Did You Know?", I was nearly overwhelmed to think of not only how far we have come technologically, but how far we are still progressing each day.  The movie mentioned that very possibly, the coputer will be able to outprocess the human brain.   I was most struck by the idea that our children will one day be living in a world where t"he literacy" will be computer literacy.   This day is already upon us, and compared to some nations, we are falling behind technologically.   Worldwide, the ties that bind us are eTies, and if the U. S, is to stay competitive in the world, we need to instill computer literacy in our children early.   That is why I believe thet initiatives such as ACCESS and ALEX are important milestones in our educational system, but we still have a ways to go. In the face of state buget cuts and similar cuts in education spending, we as parents and educators have a responsibility to our children--the future of this global technology--to fight to keep technology in the classroom.   

ACCESS--What is it?

     ACCESS or The Alabama Connecting Classroom, Educators, and Students Statewide is a technology initiative launched by the Alabama State Department of Education.  The program consists of IVF or Interactive Videoconferencing courses as well as Online courses offered to students in grades 9-12.   The purpose of the program is to provide, via technolkogy, an expanded curriculum of course offerings including Advanced Level Courses, Advanced Placement and/or dual Credit Courses, and other elective courses.  This is especially avantageous to rural and other schools with limited resources and course offerings.   These courses are taught by Highly Qoalified eTeachers who have a backgrjound knowledge in the subject area taught as well as advanced computer skills necessary to teach Online and IVF ocourses.  The program is divided into three support center regions serving the state of Alabama: Madison City Schools, the University of Alabama, and Troy University serving the North Mid and Southern regions respectively.  
This program allows for a sharing of knowledge and experience for the educators as well as interactive opportunities for students across the schools statewide. Students can becomne part of the 21st Century technological revolution as well as be exposed to ideas from other students across the state that they would not necessarily have hasd the opportunity to before. Like with ALEX or the Alabama Learning Exchange, this program allows for educators to increase understanding and knowledge through teaching and learning. It is for these reasons that I think that this groundbreaking initiative is a wonderful thing. It puts Alabama on the map educationally and shows others nationwide how serious we here in the deep south are about the education of our young people.

What is ALEX?

ALEX or the Alabama Learning Exchange is a database of educational materials that can be accessed by teachers, parents, and students alike. Created by the Alabama Department of Education, this website contains interactive activities, lesson plans, and web links designed by educators and is continually developing through their constant input. Through this tool, teachers and others may share learning and ideas that will improve the quality of education of Alabama Children.
When I accessed this website and began exploring it, I was impressed with the many teaching ideas just under the English/Language Arts Lesson Plan area alone. The website breaks down activities ranging from Kindergarten basics through High School Language Arts. I also enjoyed exploring some of the links to this website that included the Alabama Virtual Library, Alabama Public Television, and my personal favorite, Thinkfinity.org.

All About Me

     My name is Henryetta Alexander Wheaten.   I am a second bachelor degeee student here at the University of South Alabama.   I am working towards my certification in Secondary Education English/Language Arts.   I am married to a wonderful man, named Leonard  who is a Minister.   I am an Evangelist also, and we both work in the area of outreach.   We have two beautiful, genius sons named Leonard Jr. and Malcolm who are 5 and one year old respectively.   In my spare time I enjoy reading, nature walks, and listening to music.

Second Posting--My Feelings on EDM 310

This is my second posting to my blog. I am very excited to be using this technology. I think that this class will be both challenging and fun! I just hope that I can be timely enough with the many assignments that this class requires.

Adding a Picture

My University Homepage

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My First Post

This is my first post. I have never done a blog before and I am finding this really fascinating! I am preparing to be a Secondary Education/ Language Arts teacher, and I can already see the potential for this kind of technology in my classroom. I will encurage the use of blogs in my classroom because I believe that this kind of hands-on learning will encourage the creativity and intelligence of my students. If my students can compose and see their own work as well as the work of other students, they are more able to share ideas and facilitate each others' larning experience.

















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