Saturday, October 13, 2012

Blog Post #7

Wendy Dexler – The Networked Student

The video corresponds to a teaching method used in the 21st century. Networking is becoming a real idol to use in the 21st century, and the video suggest a way to use networking in a classroom setting. Wendy Dexler’s high school students take a course called Connectivism, by George Siemens and Stephen Downes. Connectivism is described in the video, as a theory that believes learning occurs as a social network of different people and ties. Wendy Dexter uses this course for her classroom setting to help teach her students the importance of networking, in the 21st century.

The video tells us about a student in college who creates his own network for learning. His class does not use a textbook, and only meets three days out of the week. His network corresponds to his major; he uses sources such as Google Scholars, Blogs, Podcasts, Wikispaces, and more to learn about his major. After he learns, through other sources, he shares his knowledge with the world using his own network. He also posts his own material, and uses the sources to make sure he is correct about his work.

The 21st Century network uses broad connections like, Information Management, RSS, Synchronization, and Contacts. All of these connections are used around the world in the 21st century. Students can pretty much teach themselves through today’s technology. They mention in the video, that the teachers are there to help students find these sources. If they have a problem, teachers should be able to answer and help them get to where they need to be. I find Connectivism course great for high school students, not so much for middle school or lower. In middle school I think we should have them start learning the connections, but not to make their own personal network. This is great to use for the last two years in high school, because it gives the students an advantage in college later in their future. I would not use this in my grade level classroom setting, however I will still use RSS or other learning connections.

Welcome to PLE: Mr. H’s 7th Grade Student

This video shows, through the help of Wendy Dexter, a seventh grader’s personal learning environment. Her PLE is very similar to our edm310 PLN. It is the home page showing different sites the users visit often. It helps to just click straight to a recent site, rather than typing a URL. It is similar to bookmarking, and the student uses Symbaloo for creating her personal environment. Her PLE is similar to my PLN because, it consists of the same criteria. The only difference is my PLN is not fully filled with sites, like the seventh grade students is, but I am working on it

3 comments:

  1. "The video corresponds to a teaching method used in the 21st century. Networking is becoming a real idol to use in the 21st century, and the video suggest a way to use networking in a classroom setting." The video does not correspond to any teaching method. It describes or portrays or a teaching method called connectivism. Idol? Is that really the word you want to use here? Maybe fad, but I can't see idol as being appropriate. suggests, not suggest

    " Wendy Dexler’s high school students take a course called Connectivism, by George Siemens and Stephen Downes." Dr. Drexler took that course in graduate school while working on her doctorate. Her students take her course.

    "The video tells us about a student in college..." high school, not college

    "His network corresponds to his major; ..." What? His major?

    "They mention in the video, that the teachers..." No comma needed.

    A PLN is primarily a group of people, but also tools, that expand your sources of information, provide you with ideas, challenge your thinking, get you to explore new possibilities. The more people you have in your PLN, and the more diverse their backgrounds and interests, the more you will benefit.

    Your post is very confusing to me. I presume you watched the video. If you did, then you did not understand at least some of it.

    You need help, I think, in improving your comprehension of what you read or watch. I am not sure where to send you for help. I will try and find a University of South Alabama resource for you. In the meantime, consult your advisor.


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  2. Hi Jazmin!
    You did a good job at telling what the videos were about and then adding your own opinion on it! I noticed just a few small errors, I figured those were only typing accidents.

    1. "Wendy Dexter uses this course for her classroom setting to help teach her students the..." You accidently made her last name Dexter instead of Drexler.

    2. "...through the help of Wendy Dexter..." and you accidently did it again here.

    3. "The only difference is my PLN is not fully filled with sites, like the seventh grade students is, but I am working on it"
    Here you forgot to make students into student's to posess ownership and at the end of the sentence it needs a period.

    Other than that you did good! By the way, I really enjoyed reading the introduction about yourself under your picture!

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  3. Hi Jazmin!
    There were a few grammar mistakes in you post, but I mostly noticed that you seemed confused about the details of the video's.
    For example,
    "Wendy Dexler’s high school students take a course called Connectivism" The students are actually taking American Psychology and there teacher was a student of connectivism.

    I'm not sure what your method is but perhaps if you watch one video at a time and complete the writing assignment you would do better. Also it may help you to take notes while your watching the video. Just jot down some key points and facts that you want to mention.
    Good luck!

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