Blog Post #2

Mr. Dancealot

      Professor Dancealot demonstrates how NOT to teach students. When you are teaching
children you need to be interacted with them. Children need to be up on there feet doing the dance moves with you in order for them to grasp these concepts. The author shows Professor Dancealot standing behind the desk the entire time he teaches, demonstrating dance moves where not one student can see. One students actually gets up to try and watch the steps Professor Dancealot is performing and he tells the student to sit back down. A dance class to me should be interacted and preferably in a big open room for students to mimic the steps. I do not agree with his teaching methods and I will not use them in my classroom. I want my students to enjoy coming to class; not sit and roll their eyes or fall asleep, like most did in this video.

Teaching in the 21st Century

      In Roberts' video he states, "If teachers can only provide content, facts, dates, formulas, research, theories, stories and information; then the role in the lives of students is obsolete." I agree with him on this statement because in todays society kids, teens, adults, and anyone for that matter can find anything and everything on the internet.

I. Teachers are no longer the main source of knowledge.
   1. Roberts states, that we are "filters" we teach students how to use the internet appropriatly and efficiently. In this day in time, young children are
learning to use technology such as: IPads, IPods, computers, kindles and any other type of technology. This gives children the upper hand with being able to learn more things on their own at their own pace.

II. What does this mean about the classroom?

   1. If 21st century learning for students is going to become working on a computer or IPad, then you have to think about what that will do to your classroom. Each student will need their own computer/IPad to work on during the day. As Roberts states, you will need to rethink the types of problems you ask student If the work you give them is so straight forward that they can look it up on google then it would be pointless for them to even come to class.

III. How could students be challenged to solve problems online?
   1. Ask questions that you would only know if you looked them up online, but make them explain why that is their answer.

I agree with Roberts on how he portrays teaching in the 21st century. I feel like it will benefit future educators, but will also make it more challenging. Since students can find anything and everything on then internet, teachers will need to make their lessons where students are more engaged to keep them focused.

The Networked Student

      This video is a great example of what teaching in the 21st century will most likely become. As our society becomes more revolved around technology, I think most schools will slowly adjust to being entirely taught through a computer. Meaning teachers will teach through podcast or via skype/facetime. Even though I believe schools will eventually become computer based, teachers should still be available not only through skype or facetime but also in person if a student is having trouble and just can't grasp the concepts through the podcasts. They made a good point in the video when they asked the question "Why does the networked student even need a teacher?", the teacher is there to guide and instruct the students on how to network properly and I think it is very important to still have that teacher around to help when students get stuck.

Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts

      In the video Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts, Vicki Davis uses all kinds of technology to connect her students to the world. I think it is wonderful that she is getting her students interacted globally, so they are not just limited to what a teacher is teaching out of a book they can go much further into the education in any subject. I love how she lets them basically "run" the classroom. She teaches them how to use different kinds of software and they research new things and teaches the rest of the class what they have learned. I also love how she considers herself a "teacherpreneur", where she believes that her students not only learn from the information she is giving them but she also learns from her students.

Who's Ahead in the Learning Race? 

       In today's society children are more technologically advanced than most older people. To the question that Dr. Strange has asked, "Who is ahead in the learning race?", I would have to say elementary students are. I feel like our schools are slowly becoming all technology based. They are starting with young children because they are just starting their educational journey, whereas someone that is in their 1st or even last year of college has already gotten through most of their schooling. I do believe if Elementary schools are going to become based around technology they should start with colleges, so our future educators will know how to teach using this technology.

Flipping the Classroom

      Flipping the Classroom is not completely new to me. I previously had a class in where we learned strictly from a teacher on podcast through the internet. I personally enjoyed it because I could progress at my own pace. Although we did have certain days and times that things needed to be done, I could still do things on my own time and at my own speed. I think it will be very useful to teachers in future classroom, it will give teachers more time throughout the day to help students with the concepts they are having trouble with instead of them having to stay after class and get help.


I agree with Roberts on how he portrays teaching in the 21st century. I feel like it will benefit future educators, but will also make it more challenging. Since students can find anything and everything on then internet, teachers will need to make their lessons where students are more engaged to keep them focused.