How can something be so informing and also depressing! I've seen a video similar to this in a previous technology education class. However, this one hit a little harder! It is so scary to know that my students will probably be ahead of me as far as technology goes. We never want to think of ourselves as getting old and not "being in the know". Yet, already I'm not too familiar with an iPad and I still don't know all of the things I can do with a Smart Board.
Everything in this video is completely eye-opening. It's frightening to see the numbers and statistics that actually say, "Yes. Children in America are way behind in education." It is crazy to see the rate of memberships on things like in computer, the iPod, and Facebook. As teachers, we will really have to incorporate technology consistently. If we don't, one of our students may not get a full opportunity at an interview because their fifth grade teacher never told them about using ouch screen palms!
It will certainly be challenging to stay ahead of the game when it comes to bringing technology into the classroom.
The Importance of Creativity
It is very interesting that everyone has different creativity. Three people could all have an idea about how to demonstrate something in the front of the classroom, yet they could all be different. I love being creative; it makes me happy when I get to use colors and dot my “I” with a swirl! Somehow, life is a little less stressful when I am allowed to be creative. I love that Sir Ken Robinson said that creativity is just as important as literacy. That is so empowering! Children seem less afraid to use their creativity. “We don’t grow into creativity, we grow out of it.” He gave an example with a child drawing God and the teacher reminded the student that no one actually knows what God looks like. There is a prime illustration of adults closing their creativity brain.
I love the point he made about math being hammered into our brains but not dance. “Dance” could be anything. It could be gardening, skipping, or volleyball. It is interesting how we decide that “A” is more important than “B.” Who gets to determine that Betty Lou should know about the solar system, but not about storytelling? I agree when Sir Ken Robinson says that creativity is being taken out of school. For example, when I was a senior taking anatomy, the teacher was walking around the class. We were doing a lab that involved about ten sheets of computer paper with a title and picture. My brain was hurting and I got out my colored pencils and drew “anatomy pictures” around the edges of the paper. She saw mine and said, “No. Stop that. Just do the work. If you’re done you can turn it in.” Lastly, I love the accent and yes, a man can still be wrong when he talks with no one around.
I completely know what Mr. Winkle feels like: I too am completely lost after the first week of class. I can't imagine walking into a world without knowing absolutely anything! Even though I feel a little bit of that myself at USA, at least I know how to access a computer to ask all of my idiotic questions. My great grandmother is walking around just as Mr. Winkle is, only she hasn't been asleep for 100 years; she has for sure been live! Mimi, as we call her, will be 100 on August 29. She will die not ever touching a computer, talking on a cell phone, or anything else about the crazy world technology. The previous video said: "To whom did we address all of our questions B.G.?" Well, just ask Mimi. In fact, Mimi is outraged at the world we live in today! She would be furious knowing that I am in a course completely online. When she gives her opinion, it is obvious she was born in 1910.
The interesting thing about the Mr. Winkle Wakes video is that it doesn't take 100 years to not understand what is going on these days. If someone went into a coma in February and wakes up in a week, he/she will not understand why the Kindle is selling more. We all know, however, that it is because the iPad came out quickly after and it can do way more than what the Kindle can do. This person would be saying "What oil spill?", and "I can't wait until the iPhone4 comes out!". He/she will be completely behind in all aspects, not just technology. The world is changing rapidly and it is very overwhelming!
Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts
Vicki Davis and Dr. Strange should be best friends. I guess I didn't realize the technology phenomeun within schools. However, I completely love it! Not only does it help us as the future of America, but it helps students so much to be able to learn in a different way. Not only students do well on standardid testing or with in a pen in their hand. This is a way for ethose students to learn something in a different, more appropriate way.
She mentioned that they were turning school upsidedown. Well, I agree! Being aware of how quickly technology is being reinvented, I do think it is important to incorporate these uses in the classroom. If not, the students will just know how to play XBox360 and how to comment on a friend's Facebook picture. I love that more and more teachers are implmenting this field into kids' daily learning. Life isn't all about the pythagorean theorm and knowing the time of day that the Declaration of Independence was signed. Of course these two things will help when the report cards come, they will not be the only we will need to know when we go out for careers. Like Did You Know said, "The Top 10 In-demand Jobs for 2010 Did Not Exist in 2004."
We have much of the same feelings on all the topics for this post. After watching "Did You Know?" I also became worried for our youth's education as well as feeling under prepared for smartboards and other new technologies that will come along. I also really like the points you make about Sir Kevin Robinson's speech. Slowly I feel that creativity is being taken out of the classrooms. You are exactly correct in saying that it would only take a week for someone to be completely lost in today's world considering how fast the world moves today. I have not thought about it this way, but once again I agree with you in saying that Vicki Davis and Dr. Strange should be friends. They are so much alike in what they are doing with their students and preparing them for the future. It is really amazing with what she is doing in such a small school considering they are usually the schools forgotten when funds are given out.
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