One of the biggest challenges educators face is keeping kids engaged in class. Kids have a lot of different excuses for why they do not want to work in class, whether it being it's too early, too hot, or they just don't feel like doing it. With the introduction of iPads next year, there will be new challenges to keep kids on track and prevent them from being distracted. As long as time with the iPads is being used effectively kids will do their work. This site has multiple ideas for how to keep students engaged with iPads, and as more schools go to 1:1 environments there will only be more ideas.
This video tells about a first grade class that has already begun to use iPads. This could be the way schools go in the future, introducing technology to kids at a very early age. If a class of first graders can handle the responsibility of iPads, then high school students should be more than capable as well. People often do not like to get used to change, so if media devices are implemented at a young age, more kids will most likely be comfortable with them. Even next year at BHS kids who are not comfortable with technology and do not wish to use the iPads for all classes will still have the option of books. People tend to look at change too radically. The new devices do not necessarily mean the way we learn will be completely different.
The main reason kids get discouraged with their education is that they lose sight of the future. It is understandable why someone who is going to be an engineer has little interest in taking so many foreign language and history classes. Athletes often do not see the point in having gym class instead of another free period. The best way to keep kids interested is to keep them learning about things they find relevant. Some classes must be mandatory, but more freedom in class choice would gaurantee more students in classes they were interested in. Another positive to that would be reflected in performance. Kids tend to do better in classes that interest them, and keeping grades high is the key to going to the right college to receive a degree. Everyone wants a chance to earn a degree so they have the chance to land a job that can buy things they have always wanted.
Students having Ipads next year is obviously going to present some new problems. It is a lot of freedom for students to have, and some questions have been raised regarding whether or not certain apps should be blocked during school hours. I can see where teachers are coming from with this, but realistically if kids do not want to pay attention then they will find some way to entertain themselves, whether it be on facebook or an app. Part of maturing as a student is learning to manage your time effectively and make smart decisions. Some kids will choose to abuse the Ipads next year, but a large majority will use this resource effectively.
Homework is a highly debated issue in almost every state. I believe homework can be productive when the work is helping to learn a new topic, but when it is just "busy work" meant to take up our time, it is hard to be motivated to do it. Taking out homework altogether seems a bit extreme, but using a system to limit the total hours of it we have a week seems like a very good idea.
Almost every teenager says that they are chronically tired because they don't get enough sleep. We all have a lot going on in our lives, and to complete homework, sports, and jobs there just isn't enough time in the day. There aren't any perfect solutions to this problem, but I believe starting the school day even half an hour later would be a big help. I always feel much better during delayed openings during MCAS week, so I believe a trial month of late openings could bring interesting results.
Common sense media is a site that has tons of movie and book reviews that are useful both to students and parents. There are new ideas in education being presented on the site, which also makes it applicable to teachers. This site could be a good way to stay connected with school over the summer. With all the social media sites we use already, it can't hurt to check out another one in commonsense media.org.
Today's class is being held outside with the iPads near the faculty parking lot. It's refreshing to take a break from sitting in a classroom all day and enjoy the nice weather. We are still able to get a wifi connection and we are currently discussing how this new technology can eliminate snow days. This article presents an innovative idea that will probably be carried out in the near future.
I think it is fairly obvious at this stage in high school what is allowed and what is not. If you are doing something on a computer you would not do if there were a teacher standing behind you, it is probably punishable. However, kids are old enough to make their own decisions and some will knowingly break the rules. Suspension seems like a harsh punishment for technology abuse unless the abuse endangers other students or involves drug content. It is going to be a learning process how to discipline students effectively, but I'm sure it will all work out.
Google has proven with this demonstration that they have branched into areas beyond just the search engine. This could revolutionize the way we know transportation. If these navigation systems could be perfected. then we could eliminate thousands of traffic accidents a year. This is one of those inventions that could be seen in every car in the future. At one point in time GPS was a new thing, but now almost every new car comes with one standard.
I recently found this video showing how chicken nuggets were actually made. This video disgusts me but does not actually surprise me because I am aware that the fast food industry's priorities are money first and health second. Unfortunately this is not limited to places like McDonalds. School cafeterias across the country are serving products like this to kids every day. We need to start thinking of ways to start serving healthier food while still remaining economically efficient. The sad thing is that personally, although this video almost makes me sick the next time I go to McDonald's I will probably order a McChicken.
Learning is a very broad term that is often associated with what we do in the classroom. I believe learning is just acquiring new information, no matter what it is about. Students learn better when they are interested in the subjects, so to improve learning I believe students should have more control over what classes they must take. Incorporating new technology into classrooms can also be constructive in keeping students' attention. If we are exposed to so much technology in the workplace than we should be better trained to be more effective in the real world.
Diary: Last night I went to a Wiz Khalifa concert at the Tsongas Arena in Lowell. The concert was amazing, but ended too soon. Although it was expensive, it was definitely worth going to see one of my favorite artists perform live.
After ten years of being number one on the FBI's most wanted list, Osama Bin Laden has finally been killed. Bin Laden is held largely responsible for planning the terrorist attacks of September 11, and he is a leader in the terrorist group Al Queda. Bin Laden was thought to have been hiding in a primitive cave somewhere in the middle east, but he was actually killed in a large house near a major city. President Barack Obama addressed the nation shortly after the news of Bin Laden's death was released, and it brings a feeling of triumph to many Americans to know the man responsible for the worst terrorist attack in American history has finally paid for his actions. I remember being sent home from school the day of the attacks, but I was too young to understand what was really going on. Personally I am glad that Bin Laden has been killed, because I hate terrorists and I hope this sends a message to them that if they try to harm the U.S. then they will be killed.
Aside from all the educational and gaming apps on the iPad, there are thousands of apps relating to the sports world. Having an iPad is like being able to watch sports center anywhere. Apps such as NBA Court Side and NHL Ice Time allow people to watch highlights from every game and track stats from their favorite players. This can be very helpful to fantasy sports players, as they will always be on top of who is playing well and who isn't. Apps such as these are just another example of how social media appeals to all types of interests.
The University of Connecticut defeated Butler last night to win the NCAA tournament. Although millions of people watched the game and this tournament has been covered for the last month, this was probably the worst championship game ever. Butler shot an atrocious 18% from the field and UConn was not much better. Butler only hit three 2 pointers the entire game along with nine 3-pointers. They shot 12-64 from the field. The final score of the game was 53-41, so although UConn did win, it was not an enjoyable game to watch. Not only did the way this tournament play out mess up millions of brackets by having only a single number 1 seed in the final four, but the championship game turned out to be a disappointment. At least all the UConn fans are happy, as star player Kemba Walker won his championship and coach Jim Calhoun won his third championship.
Everyone at some point has to look for a new car. For most high school and college students, buying used is the only option which can be scary. Most people are already aware they can use sites like ebay, cars.com, and craigslist to search for used cars, but what about social media sites and blogs? If you are looking for a specific car, using a twitter hashtag can give you some results. The only disadvantage to this is that Twitter is a worldwide network, and it is unlikely the responses you will get will be from people locally.
Even if you already have a car and are looking to improve it, there are countless blogs and domains for specific cars. I have a Nissan Maxima for example, and sites such as cardomain have pictures from hundreds of other maxima owners and many of them are selling upgrade parts. It is interesting to see what other people with the same model car as you do to customize them. If you have questions about your car, you can type it in one of these domains and there is almost always responses from other owners. For example, when wiring a new headunit for my sound system, I needed help. Someone who had a similar question posted got a video response from someone with instructions which I found very helpful.
We spend so much time on social media sites everyday, but so much of the time is unproductive. This is just another way how we can use social media to improve our lifestyle.
This article addresses some very common privacy problems with facebook. Most people are smart enough to know not to post inappropriate pictures on their profiles because it can be seen by employers or schools. However, people post statuses about when they are leaving for vacation all the time. This is like a big sign saying, "No one is home, come rob my house." Some other important security risks are also brought up which seem like they would be harmless. Posting your mother's maiden name for example can be a security risk for identity theft. Even Facebook's founder Mark Zuckerberg has addressed some of these potential risks an has urged users to make their accounts private and not post anything you would not want a stranger to see. I know this topic is constantly being brought up, but this article points out a few risks that most people overlook.
With social media expanding at a geometric rate, we are all leaving some form of digital footprint. Kids at a younger age than ever have access to the internet and all the things (some negative) that are posted on it. These negative sites should not keep children off computers, we should just make sure we are taking the right precautions to ensure the kids' safety. We must make it clear that EVERYTHING we post online can be traced back to us. Anything that you would not want your family or a job possibility to see should not be posted. Schools and jobs are now more than ever doing digitial background checks on their applicants. Giving the wrong impression online can make them cross you off the list before you even get a chance. Parents concerned with negative content on the internet can set filters to block inappropriate websites from being accessed. Those opposed to children being on the internet are usually not educated on how to use these safety features.
Last week the largest earthquake to hit Japan in 140 years struck with deadly force. The quake measured 8.9 on the Richter scale according to the U.S. Geological Service, and following the earthquake an enormous tsunami swept through the country. To make everything worse two nuclear reactors were damaged in the earthquake, and now they are unstable. One Japanese police official estimates the death total to rise to over 10,000 people, and should a nuclear reactor melt down that number would increase tremendously. The destruction of the tsunami can be seen from a helicopter's vantage point in the above video.
Schoolology is a website that combines a social networking page similar to facebook with useful tools for education that can be utilized by teachers. Teachers can post assignment which can be turned in and graded online, meaning students would not have to be in class to get their assignments done. The site looks very similar to social networking sites students are already familiar with, so adjusting to using this site would be easy. The site also allows for teachers to track attendence, manage grades, and be open to questions from students at any time. The site can be made private to only class members if necessary, so security is not a concern. With teachers looking for practical ways to incorporate technology into classrooms, this site could be a big help. This video provides a good overlook of how this site could effectively used for students.
The iPad 2 looks like it will be a big improvement from the original iPad. Almost every innovative piece of technology is soon made obsolete by its follow up model, and this looks to be true of the first iPad as well. Steve Jobs displayed the iPad 2 for the first time and explains its new features in his presentation. The new iPad's main highlights are that it is 33% thinner than the original, has twice the processing power therefore twice the speed, improved graphics, the same battery life, and even comes with a new smart case. The new iPad has high expectations, but it looks like it will be able to live up to them with its new design. Everyone in BHS is looking forward to having the privelage of owning one of these iPads without having to pay the $500 cost of buying a new one.
After extensive research using students at Reed College to demo the Ipad, it has been concluded that the Ipad contributes to higher education. Unlike the kindle which was too slow to keep up with the pace of a college classroom, the iPad was proven to actually improve students' classroom experience with easy highlighting and fast scrolling speed. The iPad has been trending in education use as New York schools recently ordered 2,000 iPads. Even top universities such as Stanford have required their students to use them. Although the iPads have some flaws especially in typing, with more frequent use they could be adjusted to effectively. I typed
this entire blog post on an iPad an this is the first time I have ever used one.
Trusting students is essential to the successful use of Ipads in schools. This articlemakes a good point that almost any resource can be abused, yet we do not ban them from schools. Although the article used the extreme example of shoes as a resource that can not be banned, cell phones are already allowed here at BHS. Students already have the ability to text and go on facebook through their cell phones, so why would they do it more just because they have another device? Trust can extend into other areas as well. Ipads are obviously expensive, so how can we trust students not to break them? If people really think about it, almost every kid has an ipod, an expensive calculator, and a cell phone and these very rarely break. If the fear of losing the Ipad is a concern, that is like saying why don't students lose their backpacks? If a student lost a bag full of textbooks, the cost would almost certainly exceed that of the Ipad. If the teachers trust the students to use their new resource for education purposes, then the students will better trust the teachers to provide effective and interesting lesson plans to be used with the Ipads.
I am surprised this issue could even make it to the Massachusetts State House. This is a rule that could never be seriously enforced, because it would be broken by the entire student body. This is the type of rule that students might break intentionally just to prove the point that schools can not ban cell phones. What would the school do if they had to confiscate hundreds of cell phones? The situation would be out of control. Although cell phones do present a slight distraction in class, they are necesarry to communicate transportation plans and things of that nature. Schedules change all the time, and notifying parents for a ride without cell phones would be a nightmare. If teachers are really that concerned with cell phone use in class, then they should try to find a way to incorporate them into their lesson. In a math class I took earlier this year, Ms. Boyle used a websitethat allowed students to text their answers to a number from the site, and the answers would then show up on her smartboard. If teachers had more ideas like this, cell phones in class would not be such a big issue.
With the Patriots eliminated from the playoffs, there had been a lot less attention than usual being pointed at the super bowl. ESPN tried to build up a bunch of stories no one really cared about. Aaron Rodgers living up to Brett Favre's legacy, Ben Roethlisberger winning his third super bowl, these were stories that did not have poeple talking. The game itself wasn't anything special compared to the past few super bowls, and up until the last five minutes it was never really close. To start it off Christina Aguilara bombed the National Anthem by forgetting some of the lyrics. The half time show was too boring for me to keep watching, and most people who watched regretted doing so. Even the commercials for this super bowl were a disappointment. Only one or two commercials were actually funny. For all the media attention and billions of dollars the Super Bowl generates, poeple deserve to see better. In my opinion the only people who enjoyed the game were Green Bay fans.
Based on a FOX news report, Schools in Georgia are also considering moving to Ipad's for every student. This situation is very similar to what is happening in our school in trying to find an affordable way to incorporate them, as well as figuring out the problems they might bring with them. This article touches on some of these issues, but also makes a few strong points about the positives the Ipads bring. I think it is important that we pay attention to how the Ipads work in other school systems so we can fix our problems before they happen. Since our schools are the first to try this new system, all eyes are going to be on our schools to see how it works out. If our schools use the Ipads positively and the cost is not too high, then other schools would be very interested in going to the Ipads as well. The more schools that used the Ipads, the more the cost would go down. In some ways we are the test group for future education.
I think this is a revolutionary way of looking at education. It is hard to imagine reforming the entire structure of public education, and I am not sure anyone really knows how to go about doing this. Even though this video pointed out some obvious flaws in our current education system, it did not provide very many solutions to these problems. I agree that school is not open minded enough to students' differences, and that a college degree does not necessarily make a person smarter than someone else. I was very surprised to see the map for prescriptions for ADHD was so one sided to the East. I assumed the number of prescriptions was balanced throughout the country, and I do not understand why it is so one-sided. I believe that videos like this should be watched by students at a younger age so that they have a more open mind towards education. A large point of this video was the need for people to collaborate in their ideas. If more people were exposed to videos like this one, then more solutions to the problems pointed out would be reached.
