So Many Possibilities and Teacher Tech.

After learning about all the various technologies that are currently available to teachers, one has to wonder how they can all be integrated into the classroom. The project based learning assignment is a great way to assess a variety of technologies for their potential efficacy in a classroom setting. Each form of new technology will have its strengths that can be utilized for different educational tasks. After all that’s been learned, the hardest part will be deciding how to apply these different forms of technology. In the following video, there are ten tips which could potentially help prospective teachers more effectively utilize technology in the classroom.

The amazing thing about modern day technology is that it is often driven by common sense. Once one becomes competent in using a number of forms of technology, new technologies are often simple to understand. In the classroom, students who have been using computers their whole life will often be able to figure out new technologies faster than the teacher. This means that instead of teaching students how to use technology, teachers will have to educate the students in the ethical use of many new forms of technology. Students need to learn how to navigate the online world safely, recognizing the potential hazards involved.

Teaching with technology requires one to be a ‘lifelong learner’ because technology is constantly evolving. In order to keep up to date, teachers have to educate themselves on new technologies and how to implement them in the classroom. Teaching is a thinking profession, and as such, teachers constantly have to think about to stay up to date in the field and “teach students well.” One would hope they are all up to the responsibility.

The Death of Rote Learning and the Technology Crutch

In the Faculty of Education, a number of different teaching techniques and perspectives are taught by a number of experienced educators. Prospective teachers with little practical experience will often deem what is being taught as useless or a waste of time. Other times, prospective teachers will be taught something they agree with by someone they respect and take it as gospel. The fact of the matter is that every teaching technique has its merits. It is the duty of every teacher to use a wide breadth of teaching methods and to continue to seek better ways to teach their students. Sometimes this will require new technologies, constructivist teaching techniques and even rote learning. Taught by many professors in the faculty that rote learning is ineffective, it is nice to know that not every professor thinks so. Rote learning is a great method to ensure the assimilation of essential information and techniques in some circumstances. Mental math for instance (which is a skill), is effectively developed by providing the student with a number of questions which are often repeated. This repetition will allow for quick recall. We all need to remember that there is a difference between being opinionated and stubborn. In the article entitled “What Does it Mean to Be an Educated Person?” by Naomi Hodgson, it is determined that a “willingness to be changed” is essential for someone to be ‘educated’.

Technology is a great tool that needs to be harnessed in order to ensure the future success of the students. It should however not become a crutch. As previously mentioned, it is the duty of every teacher to use a wide breadth of teaching methods and to continue to seek better ways to teach their students. In Dr, Hlynka`s class, technological literacy is being developed and shown to be essential for future educators but it is likely that many students will already be technologically proficient. Teachers need to stay up to date with technological advances and use technology to become better educators. It is also essential that teachers don’t always rely on technology in the classroom. Vartan Gregorian is quoted as saying ``the book is here to stay. What we’re doing is symbolic of the peaceful coexistence of the book and the computer``.

Carlos Mencia and Metallica

‘Plagiarisim’ is defined as: stealing or passing off (The ideas or words of another) as one’s own without providing the source with credit. Plagiarism is an issue that teacher's need to familiarize themselves with. In popular culture, a number of performers, whether they are artists, comedians or musicians have been accused of plagiarism. Dr. Hlynka provided a number of great examples of musical plagiarism. To expand on that, the following video provides a number of instances of supposed plagiarism found in popular music. It begs the question, is all plagiarism intentional? Is it possible that an artist could plagiarise a song or a joke without ever having heard it?

Plagiarism is also found in comedy. Carlos Mencia is a comedian who has been plagued by accusations of plagiarism. These accusations have greatly hurt his career, but watching how closely his jokes parallel those of the great Bill Cosby, are these accusations justified?

In a society where everything is accessible and it is easier for the students to reproduce the ideas of others then to create their own, what can teachers do to prevent plagiarism?  They can’t possibly check every single reference and scrutinize every single word written by their student’s. It seems that the best way to prevent plagiarism is to develop within the student’s an understanding and appreciation for the effort of others. It must be made clear to the student’s that plagiarism is wrong and that it is essentially theft. A pride in creation should also be fostered within the students, in the hopes that they will seek to create their own works.

The Blog and the Beaver

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a blog is defined as being "a website that contains an online personal journal with reflections, comments, and often hyperlinks provided by the writer." One would think that a 'reflective jornal' would generally, be written in the first person, but as a relatively new medium of communication and expression, a 'correct' format for the blog has yet to be outlined. The best advice in regards to format is to consider your audience. In this case (an academic setting), it is likely best to approach this task professionally, limiting colloquial language and recognizing that you will be judged and graded based on your content.


In regards to class this week, the video on the Hudson's Bay Co. was quite interesting. It favourably represented Canadians, but showed Americans in a less favourable light. It displayed the predominent cultural view of the time in regards to the indigenous peoples, showing the Aboriginal man as someone who communicated in grunts. One could suppose however that at the time in which the film was set that this could easily be the case. The project based learning assignment will be interesting, and will surely be a great opportunity to stoke the fires of creativity. Allowed to delve into beaver's and their importance to the Hudson's Bay Co., this video is an excellent precursor to the future presentation.

Great Video

Today was an interesting class as we got a look back in time at a WW2 training video on the 'Countermarch'. Incorporating the best of the educational field and Hollywood, the video elucidated necessary skills for U.S Navy personnel and also showed commanding officers (instructors) important techniques to ensure their 'students' the best opportunity to learn .

What also interested me was how it showed the severity of the time. Hollywood producers and high level educators coordinated their efforts and lended their time and resources to develop effective training videos. To me, this shows the unity that was developed during WW2 as peoples of all professional backgrounds, came together for a common goal : The success of soldiers at war. It helps to remember the contributions and sacrifices that everyone were forced to make during this extreme time of crisis.

At the end of the class, Dr. Hlynka, displayed the importance of direction. By giving differing instruction on how to observe the film to two halves of the class, Dr. Hlynka displayed how important teacher direction is to an outcome. The half that were told told to take specific notes scored well on his test, while the other half (who were told to take in the general meaning of the film) scored poorly. I guess this is no surprise.  

Wow this is amazing

Blogging is amazing