Post # 6

"This is How We Dream" (parts 1 and 2) by Richard Miller was a very interesting and very DIFFERENT video assignment. I liked the way that he presented his thoughts in sync with the actions of the computer. The computer was flowing so smoothly through all of the sites and videos. The presentation was about how we could use media technology in so many ways. Miller has already done so many things and showed examples and how to do each way. I would really like to look into some of the examples that he talks about, like the research he did where he collaborated his own thoughts with what he found on the internet.
In the first video, he talks about how you can do projects certain ways with different programs using the internet. I was not aware of some of these ways and would love to learn how to use them. You can incorporate videos and lectures into your presentation. You can involve everything you need for your presentation with just one computer and the internet. To me, this seems so far advanced than the media world I have been using. Either I have not been taught the write components to use, or the computer has advance so much in the past few years.
In the second video, he talks about "composing with the web itself". This was very hard for me to believe because I haven't seen this before. He talks about Jonathan Harris and his and says"...to try and use the web to present the affect of the globe." Even this statement makes no sense to me. Watching the example of using the web in this manner is so bizarre and amazing that we are even more advanced now to this level. The example the video shows are, "aggregating thoughts that {Harris} releases into the web". How cool is that?!


"The Networked Student" by Wendy Drexler was a vert creative and cute video. The way that it was presented kept me listening and didn't bore me at all. It was also very enlightening because I am also learning to become a networked student. I think that this class will help me do so and it will prepare me for a higher level of learning in the rest of my classes. This video was a great example of how students should be changing some of their learning styles and how getting more involved with networking will help the outcome of learning. It also makes me more aware of how some of my students, as a future teacher, will be more used to this type of learning as I begin my career some years from now.
The question 'why does the networked student even need a teacher' is asked in this video and it gives a great answer. The video says, "she is the one that teachers him how to build this network and how to take advantage of learning opportunities". It also explains the that teacher (1)offers guidance as he gets stuck, (2) how to communicate properly and ask respectfully for help, and (3) how to tell between good information and propaganda. The explanation continues with (4)the teacher showing how to turn a web source into a scavenger hunt, (5)to get excited when he finds his wanted content, and (6) helps organize the mountains of information. If that isn't enough reason why a networked student still needs a teacher, than I don't know what is. Even though the students has everything he could ask for at his fingertips, he still needs guidance and a little bit of everything else from his teacher.
I do believe that after this EDM310 class, I WILL be prepared to be a teacher of a networked student. I do not think that I am prepared NOW, but I know I will be in the near future. Even though Ms. Drexler will be trying to get students more networked in the fall with middle school kids, I think that I would be ready if I were to start teaching next fall. As long as I finish this EDM 310 class now this Spring, I believe I will be ready by next fall. Good thing I WONT be teaching by next fall, so I have plenty of time to practice on my own time with networking. By the time that I do start teaching, I will have plenty of practice, preparation, knowledge of networking, and room for even more learning of future networking.


In Michael Wesch's video, I liked how he took the time to explain the different versions of "whatever". He talks about the different generations and how they used it. I don't quite know if I fall under the "MTV Generation", but I know that I did grow up watching it. I think it was a bit more important in my brother's time since he was born in 1981 and I was born in 1988. I like the Simpson's cartoon clip explaining the "eh" that we use today. I use the phrase 'whatever' and 'eh' everyday.