What?! YouTube is Educational?

Sadly, my Introduction to Educational Technologies class is at an end. This was the first week without class, and I miss having the class! Mrs. Waz was kind enough to introduce me to this amazing group on YouTube called History Teachers-- and they're fantastic! They sing about history (and boring English literature like Beowulf) to modern-day songs! And I have no way of sharing this easily with a classroom full of people! I am also missing out on learning from everyone in my class about exciting new websites that they have come across for use in the classroom. This group is an excellent example of how YouTube can be good for the classroom and engaging for students!

As someone who loves the Tudors and that entire period of English history, I have to share their video about Anne Boleyn:



*Gasp* YouTube can be educational?! ---- YES!!!!


And you may find yourself singing about the black plague after this video....
This plague is bubonic --- B-U-B-O-N-I-C!!!!




So what other videos out there are engaging for classroom use on YouTube?

(YouTube is not just a waste of time?! That's just crazy talk!)

Relationship Status: It's complicated

"It's not you, it's me. I need some time for myself right now in my life."

No matter how you say it, the relationship we have with technology is filled with ups and downs. If we were "Facebook official," I'd be changing the status of my relationship with it at least once a week to "It's Complicated". Sometimes I just want to break up with it and be done with it when it's just not working.

Having just finished teaching a course in the use of Web 2.0 Tools, I realize now more than ever the frustrations experienced for teachers using technology. In trying to use technology more in the classroom with students, I've experienced even more frustrations with it. Let's face it, technology is needy and requires constant attention and sucks up all your time. And let's face it, sometimes you don't get anything out of it after spending hours upon hours using it. Different technologies should come with warnings-- "may eat up your entire evening" or "probably won't work correctly when you go to use it in front of 24 students"... it'd just be nice to know the warnings before continuing your somewhat disfunctional relationship.

Sometimes more technology is just that-- it's more. It doesn't make your lesson better. It won't magically make someone a better teacher. It won't teach the students better or faster. Sometimes it's more of a hinderance to the lesson. So what can we do as educators? Have a backup. Because no matter how much you've tested it out before the lesson, sometimes it just won't work. Before taking the badly behaved piece of technology and chucking it thru the window, take a deep breath, relax, and reboot. Try using it again or if it's just not going to work, try using a different program or website to get the same results.

And if that doesn't work- try pen and paper and a whiteboard and markers. Maybe you'll be able to reconcile with Technology the next day.

-Some of my thoughts after reading the following article: http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/rick_hess_straight_up/2011/11/the_relationship_status_of_teachers_and_educational_technology_its_complicated.html

Google Document Sign up for Presentations

Google sign-up for presentations

Pinterest.com

Source: amerrierworld.com via Andrea on Pinterest

Example from Pinterest.com - an online pinboard to capture all of your interests

Newspaper Clippings!

Created using the Newspaper Clipping Generator. Although I used this to reflect on a few new Web 2.0 tools I learned while attending the MassCUE 2011 Conference, I think this could be a great way for students to share their writing.

Too much technology?

After reading the article "Booting Down", it got me thinking... is multi-tasking between so many different pieces of technology distracting me from my real work? Am I just like the students in the article referred to as the "dumbest genreation" made up of "multi-tastking slackers"? Nahh.... not me :P

Well, maybe.

I currently have countless Internet Explorer windows and tabs open and another handful of programs running as well. My school email is a must to have open... I need to be constantly checking it throughout my day along with trying to move ahead with the other countless tasks and projects on my "To Do" list. Then there are the other interuptions... "excuse me, can you...?" If I didn't know how to multi-task, I'd be in big trouble. And probably in a different job and line of work right now.

However, when it comes down to wire and I have a deadline for something due... I find myself shutting out all of my districtions and buckling down to the task at hand... well, except for maybe my iPod playing music or listening to some Jazz hits on my Pandora station... I find music helps me to focus on the task at hand-- just music and not music videos. (YouTube, you are a horrible distraction to me!)

Of course hands down, my number one distraction is my cell phone. If I hope to accomplish anything, I have to shut it off or put it on silent and force myself not to look at it. I have three different email accounts hooked up to it along with all of the apps... what happened to phones being just phones?

I think it is important to be able to recognize what you need to do to get a task/project done. If you need to shut off all electronic devices, do it. If you can manage to still be connected to the world while completing tasks/projects-- go for it. I think that students probably need to do some self-reflection in order to recognize how much technology they are able to use while still be productive.

Oh, and Jetta guy this morning I saw on the highway who was texting and gently swerving around his lane, stop it. That's just too much technology.

Add a Dash of Humor...

Technology not working? Frustrated? Don't worry about it...

Reach for the stars with technology and you may come up short...

Be nice to the techie... they suffer thru a lot...

Just a few tid-bits of humor to brighten your day... it'll be fine and yes, we are past the halfway point.