Blog Post 7 How Do We All Become Learners?

  In the video "Using iMovie and the Alabama Virtual Library in Kindergarten", Mrs. Davis, Mrs. Bennett, and Dr. Strange all discuss introducing technology at the early grade of kindergarten. Mrs. Bennett talks about kindergarteners reading their weekly books and creating trailers with iMovie. She explains that once you introduce technology to the students and give them an example, they take off and learn the technology rather quickly. The kids love to edit and work with the technology. Mrs. Davis talks about AVL (Alabama Virtual Library). She says it is a great way to tech students basic research. She explains that AVL gets the students excited about research and eager to do it.

  In the video, "We All Become Learners", Mrs. Davis, Mrs. Bennett, and Dr. Strange explain how we ALL become learners, not just the students, but also the educators. Mrs. Bennett explains that teachers teach their students technology, students teach other students, and then students teach teachers even more about technology. It goes full circle. This way everyone becomes a learner and a teacher. Technology changes the dynamics of learning. The barriers go away and we all learn.

  The first video I chose was, "Interview Rosado How to Get a Job". Dr. Rosado and Dr. Strange talk about the employing of teachers process. Dr. Rosado says a candidate needs to be able to bring something to the table that works with that schools vision. He also says he needs a teacher who does not lecture, who understand technology, and who is a team player. He is very specific on not wanting someone that lectures, but someone who delivers the material in a different way. Real world projects are necessary. This is all very different from the way I and my classmates were taught.

  The second video I chose was, "Interview Rosado Part 1". The main point of this video is that TEACHING AND LEARNING ARE DIFFERENT NOW. Dr. Rosado says that this change can be difficult for teachers to adjust to, due to the way that they were taught. Before, teachers had books and a course of study. Now, they are required to use technology and PBL. It's not about changing the teacher, it's about changing how the teacher reaches the students. He explains that students WANT more than a lecture, they want an experience and practice. Dr. Rosado also talks about how the use of technology in his school reduced the amount of discipline problems, creating a better learning environment.

  The third video I chose was,"Interview Rosado Part 2". Dr. Rosado Discusses that his school is so technology based, that textbooks are almost non-existent. Yes, there are students who do get off task from technology, but there have always been students who get off task. Costs have also gone way down from using less paper. There is a second part of the video that talks about bringing the real world to the students and the students to the real world. Dr. Rosaldo discusses how they have put a cafe, a store, a charging station, and an art wall into the school. This makes the school more like the real world and real colleges. This is very similar to how Google runs their company. These projects have helped the community to get more involved in the school. Students are getting real world application.

  The fourth video I chose was, "Mrs Leslie Welch 2". Mrs. Leslie Welch discusses with Dr. Strange how her students are learning information through the use of technology and how they want to teach it to their fellow classmates. This is a motivator to students, almost like a peer review among the students. They become aware of their own work, excited about their work, and put pride into their work. Students want to show their work and show what they've learned. They have gained a lot of confidence. Students use these projects and go up and beyond when they are not even required to. This reaches all students, both high achieving and struggling students.