Assignment Seven

This is How We Dream
I do believe that as we evolve as a society that out traditional looks are starting to disappear. Mr. Miller hit the nail on the head when he said he could write an entire presentation without ever stepping a foot in a library. We have the entire world at the end of out fingertips and information that use to take hours to research to find can now be found in 0.81 seconds on Google.

Another point he made that I strongly agree with is his statement that as educators we need to share on ideas freely and what better way than on the internet for others to view. As educators we should want to teach, not only students but, others as well. We, too, should never want to stop learning either. The more we learn the better educators we can become. We can learn things such as new ideas and strategies from other educators through the internet.

Richard Miller said that the restrictions and limitations we put on ourselves as educators are only what we make them. Things we thought were impossible dreams as recent as a few decades ago are the morn today. I think it will be possible for educators, as well as students, to write with multimedia.

The Networked Student
The networked classroom is something I think is going to change education. Students will be able to do virtually anything and everything from their home computer. With programs such as iTunesU students are able to listen to lectures via podcast from not only their own professor, but any professor around the world.

A networked student can post information and assignments on his blog and also comment on other blogs. All the information that is found and posted is there for the world, including his professor, to see. In the future other students who are studying the same subjects can access his blog and learn all the information and ideas he has posted. It is a never ending cycle of learning.

During the video I did not hear a lot about the teachers role until the end and I was wondering how it would effect educators. I believe educators will always be around no matter what technology is developed. Someone has to teach students how to do all these things like build the network, guide him through it, and siphon the valid information. Without teachers nothing else in this world is possible.

Toward A New Future
I did not realize until Mr. Wesch brought it to my attention how today's generation are the most confident and the most miserable ever. He says it is because they feel they are "stars" and when they fall short of their dream the become depressed. I think part of the problem is the media. They show them what is "cool" and "uncool." It also teaches them failure is not acceptable. What it does not tell them is most of the time the biggest "stars" have failed more than most people combined. It seems to me the problem is not the technology, but rather what we do with this technology. Only we can make this change.