Ad For College of Education- Project 11

College of Education Ad

All information comes directly from the college website and is a commitment to you the FUTURE teacher and paying student. Sites used to emphasize the ease of changing over to meet the ad content include, Zinio, Screen toaster, Dell, and Smart board.

My PLN

My PLN consists of the entire online community because I now consider myself able to search, find, confirm, help, learn, or ask anyone online. The key people in my network of friends include Joe McClung, Mr. Needleman, Russ Goerend, Jabiz Raisana, Mr. Chamberlain, Dr. Strange, and of course every student at the University currently taking EDM 310. I have access to students taking EDM 310 for the rest of my life and can see quite clearly what they have been doing and follow their blogs to help keep me abreast of what is happening. The great things about the course is that it will keep evolving and as new people come in with new thoughts and ideas, the possibilities are endless. There are loads of sites specifically for teachers that I can and will use for my learning network but it is my class that I am most interested in seeing what they have done and will do. I am part of that class and live in the same area as teachers going in to the same field, wouldn't it be great to lean on each other? Think what we could do right here in this county. We are the future teachers in the gulf coast area and will make an impact on tens of thousands of children and I am excited. Keep blogging!

Original Presentation from week four......

Click Here to WatchThis is the first presentation I ever did in Google Power Point. We recorded the voice in class during the presentation. Now that I am a somewhat tech literate, I could really improve this and make it special. Still nostalgia is a part of reflection.

Lowering the cost of Student Loans

So, in attempt to make you financially better off as a teacher I have found the site that deals with forgiveness, or deferring, of Financial Student Loans for teachers who serve five years. This means you can have the Stafford loan reduced by $17,500 if you are eligible and make life a little less stressful.

While you may think you will always be poor, between the 50% off homes and the student loan forgiveness, you may find that the 187 days you end up teaching is very lucrative if you use the resources available to you. (((On A side note-I did not look this up in a book or a library, but on the internet by computer. Weird!)))

If you are interested in saving a bunch of money on student loans please click HERE and you will go to the Stafford Loan forgiveness page. The "Stafford Loan Forgiveness Program For Teachers" encourages you to spread the word and download a brochure at Help Me Out for assistance on this or Perkins loans. What do you have to loose?

1/2 Price Homes for Techers!

The United States Federal Goverment has been giving half price mortgages to teachers, firefighters, nurses, and police. It is not a gimick!!!!
The idea is that the area will be better off for having such outstanding citizens live in it.
You initially apply for a first and second mortgage for the entire value of the home, but after 36 months the home value is reduced by 50% (the second mortgage or silent mortgage is dropped) and all payments made on the mortgage in the 36 months contribute to the debt.

While this may not be for everyone, it is a great way for you to buy a home and make some money. Plus, the fact that you are only paying a mortgage that is 50% of the cost means homes are affordable for all, and payments are very cheap. Click HERE to go to a link that will take you were you can find more information and contact a HUD representative for area listings and available homes.

Imagine buying a home for $150,000 and after 3 years you only owe $65,000. Things that make you go OooHHH!

The cost of a laptop-RETRACTION !!!!

So it turns out I was wrong and have to make a formal retract on my blog. I had posted that you could buy a laptop for as little as $200, but was way off. Turns out it is only $150, or less than three of the four books I have to buy next semester for class ($520 total for the textbooks.) Although it is not the most amazing laptop on the market it will do the job. If you are interested in reading about it, click HERE to go to $150 laptop information.

Less is More!

Less is More

Jessica and I created a wee advert for the College of Education at the University of South Alabama. We asked many students what they would like to see and improve about their educational experience. Some wished that they had more than the two classes offered online at the college. Lots of people are annoyed at the lack of online choice for undergraduates (currently two choices.) Most wished to eliminate the cost of textbooks and supplies, that they felt were not needed. Everyone agreed that being familiar with smart boards would be a huge advantage entering the job market as a new teacher. If that's what the student demands, then we wondered how hard it would be to make it happen.

So, we began researching and found that the easiest way to do this would be to have a very inexpensive laptop for every student that did not already have one. When students have a laptop they would be able to purchase smart board (or supplied the software) and use the application whenever they wanted. The question was "how could we afford to do this?"

The answer seemed delightfully simple and beneficial to all. Sites like Zinio work with publishers and faculty to convert and manage textbooks into digital print.

Meaning that there is no limit to how little or how many copies the publisher needs to make. Digital print also saves paper, machines, ink, freight, and bookstore fees. (The publicity the University would receive from going green in this way would bring major attention to our College of Education) This allows publishers to make the same profit with textbooks being less then half the price of hardback copies.
Further more, publishers suggest that faculty can opt to purchase a chapter at a time to suit the class, and tailor the entire semester readings, rather than the entire book. At first, I thought this was crazy, but then I remembered ITunes and how I frequently go on and purchase a song from an album, but rarely have I ever thought about an entire CD. The publishers obviously know what they are doing.

Amazingly, this would allow faculty to slowly transition over to having entire text written by faculty rather than the publishers; generating a ton of money for the university while making college expenses less of a burden on students. I would be willing to pay a little extra tuition if I did not need to buy textbooks. I'm not a betting man, but a small incentive for faculty would make this happen quicker than you would think possible.

As a student the average expense for four years of college textbooks is currently $5,800 and rising at 6% per year. The university bookstore only makes a 3.7% average net profit on textbooks. That is only $50 per year per student after expenses. Why not change the process? According to the government agency that controls financial assistance in education, this is the only viable long term solution to making universities and schools affordable. Check out the facts by clicking HERE.

Imagine if all you had to buy was a $200 laptop and a $150 smart board software program instead of $5,800 worth of books.

Students would be better prepared entering the classroom as a result of the laptops and years of using them.
No more back problems carrying and organizing files. No more clutter or lost work. No more textbook frustration. No more printing. No more carbon footprint. Classrooms would be clutter free and would be able to invest in the student and the school. Go to the library and everyone is on a computer!
So the College of Education promises cutting edge technology and innovated solutions to a global community; that is an image I would like to see for me and the University as a future graduate and will impact the entire gulf coast school district. Sometimes, less is more.
Ad For College of Education

To blog or not to blog, that is the question?

Dr. Strange has shown us how to blog and in the past has found few people have gone on to use blogging. The problem with that is that blogging is a tool that will make life easier for any teacher. Russ Goerend has a class set up that allows children to post essays, revise essays, and improve essays as part of his curriculum. Students, teachers, and visitors from all over the world can comment and help fuel learning with simple dialogue and fresh prospective.
This serves many purposes for the teacher willing to blog; communication with parents is fundamental to a successful student, student development, grant applications, student participation, fresh ideas, creativity, the list goes on and on. The most important thing is that it teaches everyone to be connected and figure out a solution or get advice.

What did you do before email? Before cell phones? Before television? Now you get to write about it, talk about it, and see it as easily as turning on the light. We all evolve at our own pace. but we will get to were we need to go.


I am an advocate of a laptop for every student and the only way to do this, it seems, is to make textbooks digital and accessible to all on the web. Schools are funded by property taxes and Alabama has the lowest property taxes in the nation. While this may be great for home owners and merchants, it means the schools are very underfunded in Alabama. Textbooks cost money, serious money. Paper, pencils, printing, maintenance, equipment, smart boards, all cost a huge amount of money and are not needed with a laptop.

Just today, a news article that I read on my handy dandy computer told me about Google having until Friday for a digital library settlement. At first glance I thought and presumed, that this was the sort of fuel advocates for keeping classrooms stagnant rather than fresh, would throw in my face; I mean it is a law suit issue over digitalizing textbooks. Then I read the article and it is google working with publishers and authors to settle on rights and fees associated with publishing digital textbooks from major universities and libraries around the world. "This is the future of textbooks and printed books," is the real message that the article allows you to expect in the near future.

Soon I will be able to read Hamlet on my laptop, all because I blog, and that is the answer.

To Blog or not to blog, that is the question?

Alabama Learning Exchange (ALEX) Alabama Connecting Classrooms, Educators and Students Statewide (ACCESS)

So I flicked onto these sites not actually having much of a clue what they were about and was pleasantly surprised. First this is is a site that explains the qualifications and standards required of teachers who have the ability and desire to teach online distance courses in the public school system mainly at the middle and high school level .
click here if interested

Basically, the sites provide a way of pulling the resources together throughout the State of Alabama to give students access to brilliant teachers and classrooms wherever they are located. This means that children can fit school into there day or night from anywhere they need. This will allow children and parents to find a class that is tailored to the child's needs. Click HERE to go to the site and read more. Teachers, Administrators and parents can use the sites as a reference and have everything from lesson plans, grant applications, professional development instruction, podcasts, useful links, and searches.


Although it is not really mentioned, it is also a great way for people who believe technology is an extremely viable and valuable tool in the classroom. Local, State, and National groups are what is needed to move education into what is required and demanded for the youths of today. If you want to make a difference you have to unite and help the masses.

ACCESS While visiting the site, take the online survey and give yourself a voice in the education department of Alabama. Your Vote counts!

MR. CHAMBERLAIN'S CLASS STREAMING

I am amazed at the possibilities with live Streaming. You can show what is happening in the classroom every minute of every day and post the feed to be accessed by individuals anywhere. This means that you can ALMOST be in the classroom as the class is taking place. I say almost because you do not physically need to be there to participate.
Imagine parents with disabilities now being able to see their children perform in the classroom for the first time ever.
Imagine being sick and out of work/school and you have a solution already up and running, at next to no cost.
Communication with the parents and the community is a key to a child's success in school, and this is the easiest way I have seen to establish and connect with them.
Instant feedback on you and the children means that you will improve the lessons and teaching almost instantly.
The ability to be seen anywhere with a computer or phone, allows people to participate and enhance the classroom as never before.

As a future Special Education instructor it is a way of showing and building trust and confidence with all parents because you can actually show them how and what their child did on Thursday; pointing out all of the amazing things that happened throughout the day, week, semester.
I.E.P. meetings or conflicts can and would be resolved without legal expense by showing real life examples of performance and behavior. The possibilities are endless.
Check out Mr. Chambelain's class streaming live from Missouri during class time by clicking HERE or connect to Mr. Chamberlain's class projects and shows by clicking HERE

If you are interested in setting up a classroom with live streaming and are unsure where to go please click HERE and you will be directed to ustream.

Voicethread! Mr. C. I did not get it!

I am glad that I was unable to respond initially to the Voicethread and video by Mr. William Chamberlain.
Initially, Dr. Strange had made comments to the effect that this was the future of education and I just did not get it. I never said I was smart, just good looking!!! Anyway, I was proved incredibly wrong a week or so later when Anthony Capps posted his first voicethread and the penny dropped.

For anyone who has not seen a voicethread please click HERE and you will see someone who understood the possibilities while looking at it and produced his own in next to no time.
Thanks Mr. Chamberlain, Dr. Strange, and Mr. Capps for showing a dumb Scot the way.

THIS IS A PICTURE OF ANTHONY CAPPS NOT THE DUMB SCOT.

Mr. C you have created an online "Diary" or "Journal" that Kiai will be able to enjoy all of her life. It is really incredible that people will be able to go on and update their thoughts and communicate with a three year old girl across the world. Evolving and adding so many voices and opinions to anyone reading, now or in the future. I can see how this is something that will be beneficial in group projects- visual/audio blogging.

Ingenious!

Jabiz asks "What do you think? What is the value in this experience? Is the risk of exposing ourselves and our children online worth the connections that will be made and the lessons that will be learned?"


As the proud parent of a two year old daughter and being first generation Scottish American, I can honestly take my hat off to you. Kiai will not only have the ability at such a young age to have travelled to parts of the world and learn from her experience, but will be establishing memories and connections with people all over the planet. What risk do you have of exposing "Possibilities?" I pride myself on being a great father. I thought that I was progressive by staying at home with Sheridan rather than my wife being the stay at home parent. I never grew up with my mother or my father, and constantly tried to fill in the gaps that plagued my childhood because I couldn't understand. Kiai and you are bonding in a way that most people will let slip past them. Kiai will always know WHO and WHAT she is, and that is the foundation of success in anyone. Unconventional thinking is something that separates most of the great minds of the past and I thank you for helping remove the blinders form my eyes. Ingenious!

To read a little more about an interesting parenting experience and comment for yourself please click HERE

ITunes U

I Tunes U is an amazing site that gives you access to various institutions throughout the world and the material they teach. It allows users to cross the boundaries into the rainforest of the amazon (from the classroom) and puts the user in the middle of the subject being taught.
Hands on teaching, visual aids, the latest studies, top academic institutes, willing to give an insight into what the world has to offer and what they share with you is FREE.
Although there is no substitution for real life experience, most people will never have the opportunity to attend Cambridge or visit the Amazon; even if it is your students goal to one day go to Oxford or dig for artifacts in Egypt having prior knowledge of a subject before you go could only make you more prepared and less apprehensive.


ITunes not only provides you with the service but it shows you how to access the information in various ways in a short movie that you can revisit at any time. Think you have what it takes to go to Harvard? Find out by taking a course and sitting in on a lecture for free at home. Want to learn about the Roman Empire? Take a course at Stanford at your own pace for free. Want to learn from the best professors teaching your subject? Check out ITunes U right now for free by clicking HERE

.

Snapshots Screen Capture

Snapit is a product that you can download onto your PC that allows you to capture the image on the screen you are viewing and store it. Similar in a way to clipboard but this is a way of storing images or saving information for future use and can be accessed anytime in the future with the click of a button. This will create a small library of information for you and may come in handy for smart-board applications and lesson plans. To check out the link to digeaus snapit please click on the link below.

click here to go to Snapshot Screen Capture