Blog #2

The first video I watched was Did You Know 3.0. It gave all these statistics for how the world will change and has changed with technology and innovation. My first reaction to this video is amazement, but when it said that by 2049 the computer will supersede the entire human species, that just really scares me. I think it is awesome at how technology can improve our lives and that humans come up with all of this. But it is also mind boggling at how a human brain can invent something that is smarter than all the humans on earth. That’s why it scares me because I wouldn’t be surprised that technology will control and rule over humans in my lifetime. In a sense, technology and computers already do control our lives because we are always using phones and computers constantly. This fast pace change is just a crazy concept to me and something that leaves me puzzled and thinking if all of this is really necessary. Although I want to be a part of this 21st century up-to-date world, a simpler life without all the technological bells and whistles appeals to me much more.

The second major thought that came to mind is how college will probably be outdated in my lifetime. Personally, I already believe that if a student isn’t wanting to be a doctor, lawyer, teacher, nurse, engineer, or any other job needing a certain specialized skill or certification, then I believe that a college degree is pointless. This video just reaffirmed my point when it said that for a student pursuing a technical degree, half of what they learn in their first year will be outdated by their third year. I think that as educators we need to come up with a way to better educate our students so their degrees won’t be worthless when they graduate.

The second video I watched was Mr. Winkle Wakes. I didn’t really understand the point to this video the first time I watched it and had to re-watch the end again. But while I was watching it I was laughing to myself at the character of Mr. Winkle Wakes and thinking how this video had to be made for 2nd graders. The thought also occurred to me that I could compare all old people who aren’t technologically literate or have no interest in technology to Mr. Winkle Wakes. I feel like my mom just woke up from a 100 year slumber and doesn’t know how to react to all the technological changes going on around her. I have pity for people like that honestly. Technology is a continuing learning process and even though it can be intimidating, it should still be looked at as fun.

I think the point of the video was to show how although technology is changing and will be forever changing, at the end of the day, sitting in a classroom and learning the basics is all that matters. If that is the meaning of the video, which is how I see it, then I really appreciate this video. As teachers, we should teach our kids about technology and be technology literate, but I don’t think we should get so involved that we lose the focus of why we’re there and what got us there to begin with. As a student growing up, we didn’t have all the things that kids now have to learn with and I turned out just fine and was still able to learn. I just appreciate the simplicity of this idea.

The third video is Sir Ken Robinson talking about the importance of creativity. He really has some good opinions and I understand where he is coming from, but I don’t agree with everything just because of practicality. He says that as children we were talked out of doing creative things such as art or dance, even if we enjoyed them and/or were good at them because we were told we couldn’t get a job in those things. Although I don’t agree with it, it makes sense why we do it. I have personal experience in this issue. My dad always expected me to get a degree in a field I could get a job in so anything else was looked down upon and considered worthless. My dad is a perfect example of an adult that lost his creative capacity, although I wouldn’t be so sure he ever had one, just because I don’t think that was harnessed into him as a child.

Robinson also talks about academic inflation which is a major issue with me. Degrees are beginning to be worthless now because everyone has one. I understand and agree with him that we should continue to be creative as adults, but I feel like we still need to be taught what will succeed in this world. It’s just practical. More than likely your child won’t be the next singer or dancer or painter, therefore they need to be educated and developed in a way where they will still be able to succeed in the real world but can appreciate their creative talents too. As educators, we need to find a balance where we don’t lose the creative aspect in both our lives and our student’s lives.

The fourth video is an interview done by a student named Celia Gault who interviewed Mr. Robinson. I loved his answer on how we should improve creativity in the schools. It was nice to hear a concrete answer on how to solve this problem instead of just getting more rhetoric and opinion on the issue. I agree with all of his points that we need to start by changing the curriculum in the classroom, but that is a state issue, and all I can say is good luck on that. He also says to incorporate technology in the classroom which I’m totally on board with but if schools don’t get grants or raise the money themselves then how will they have all this fresh technology at their fingertips. Third, he says to engage the parents/community into the learning process. I totally agree with this as well but if I’m teaching in a poor, urban school where most parents don’t even care if their kid goes to school and the parent wasn’t even educated themselves, then how can I engage the parents then. Parents won’t be engaged if they don’t value education themselves. These are all good ideas, but it will take a lot of hard work with everyone to change.

This student in the video intimidates me because I’m afraid I’m not going to know how to cater to the needs or even be creative enough for someone as smart as Cecelia. But in order for me to be able to make sure that people like that have a good education, I definitely need to listen to what Mr. Robinson has to say and be creative myself. I love how he said that we can be creative in anything, even math and science. I’m going to be a math teacher and most math teachers aren’t creative. However I plan on doing my best to incorporate creativity and technology in my classroom as much as I can, especially since I’m a creative person. I would be stifling my own creativity if I didn’t.

The final video is talking about harnessing a student’s digital smarts and is about a teacher that does that in rural Georgia. I would’ve never thought that a school in a rural area would have the technology or the knowledge to educate kids on this. It was really a shock to me. I never realized that technology was such a big part of educating a child and doing it at such a young age is so vital. These past 2 weeks in EDM 310 has taught me so much already. I didn’t know that blogs for elementary school kids even existed, much less them being able to create their own. And now high schoolers in Georgia are creating their own Sim game. It’s so amazing.

I’ve also learned that a teacher doesn’t have to know everything. Dr. Strange has said it as well as this teacher. I’m glad because I’ve always felt like I’ve had to know everything about the subject matter that I’m learning at the time. This way of thinking and teaching is so refreshing because it shows that we can be creative, not be afraid to make mistakes, and be life-long learners; all things that other educators believe to be important besides just Dr. Strange.