7th Grader's PLE and Two Questions

7th Grader's PLE

In the videocast, a seventh grade science student is demonstrating the use of her PLE. She explained that it can be used for school and personal purposes. The student had her PLE organized to where the top row contained links to her personal social networks and the bottom row had resources for her class. She was using sources like YouTube and Delicious to do research. Her teacher also posted assignments on YouTube for the class to look-up and complete.
I have my PLE organized on my Blogger account. There are several links in my blogs that transfer to YouTube and other helpful links on college websites. I hope to soon have my PLE completely linked where my educational resources and social networking sites can be on the same page.

Two Questions

This video was by Daniel Pink and was very motivational. The first of the two questions was "What's your sentence?". Pink explained that great people in the past have been defined by a single sentence. He used examples of Franklin Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln. Pink urged us to make our sentence a goal to live by and accomplish something great.
The second question was "Was I better today than yesterday?". Pink explained that it's the way to become better each day.
I found this video and these two questions very inspirational and I will try to incorporate them into my daily life. I will also suggest them to friends who may be having a difficult time in hopes of motivating them also.

Thoughts on Google Docs

I chose the topic of Google Docs from the EDM 310 class. As a reminder, our assignment was to create a slide show using Google Docs and present it in class. We could do our presentation on any topic as long as it was a certain amount of slides and contained pictures and captions. I did my presentation on a trip to Ireland I took in 2008 for St. Patrick's Day (image from my slide show is shown on right).

The reason I liked this topic so much is because it was one of the most interactive. I was able to learn a lot about my classmates.

I now feel very comfortable using Google docs and would use the slide show feature for presentations in the future. I also feel confident that I can show someone else how to use it.

Importance of Students and Blogs

I watched both of the assigned videos and was really blown away by both of them. The first one Dr. Seuss - The Zax made a very salient point which was that you may not want to change your ways, but everything around you will continue to change. Either go with it, or be stuck in the middle and unable to move. This was what happened to the two characters in the cartoon.
The second video was by PS 22 in New York City http://is.gd/3WVnq Not only was I captivated by how well the children sang, but also with the emotion they felt and expressed. This video also ties in nicely with the point The Zax made because one line was "I've been afraid of changing". People should move with change instead of going against it.
When assigned to use other student blogs for examples, I came across student blogs from Marshall University (go to www.youtube.com and type in Marshall University Student Blogs). Another example I found was from Cornell University http://blogs.cornell.edu/kaitlyn/ and http://blogs.cornell.edu/cullen/ . All of these students have been assigned to do blogs, whether written or video recorded. I was really impressed by those written at Cornell.
I think that it is extremely important for students to post their work to their blogs because it can be an emotional outlet, it can inspire other people, and even help that student obtain a job in the future. The students in PS 22 were able to perform at Madison Square Garden for the next Fleetwood Mac show. They're talent was discovered through the use of technology.

Dear Kaia and Singing Hearts

The first of these two blogs I read was about a little girl named Kaia's learning and bonding experience with her father. http://is.gd/3WSsn Her dad wanted to make sure she spent time outside and appreciated the beauty of things which may not normally be considered beautiful. They both were armed with cameras as they took pictures of the surrounding desert. Kaia's pictures were uploaded onto her blog and she and her father made a photo essay.
The second of the blogs was by her father Jabiz Raisdana. http://is.gd/3WSzD This blog gave some background of their outing from his point-of-view and addressed some concerns he initially had about exposing his daughter's identity to the world via Internet.
Both blogs were wonderfully done and I think it's a beautiful thing to have someone so young realize that there is beauty in everything, even if not noticed at first glance. Jabiz Raisdana is teaching Kaia - aided by technology - some important life lessons.
I want to persuade my future students to use technology to document activities in their lives. I think it's something they will appreciate later and will also be a great learning experience. Photo essays like Kaia did are the perfect idea for what I have in mind.