Blog Post #5

The iSchool Initiative
Travis Allen, a seventeen-year-old high school student from Fayetteville, Georgia, created the iSchool Initiative video. In this video, Travis stresses ways that a mobile device called iSchool could help save money in public schools. He demonstrates how the device could save money in public schools by not using books, paper, copy machines and pencils. Travis Allen then demonstrates the apps that are available for the device that all make schools more organized and become more efficient in saving time and money. For example, Starwalk is a tour of the universe through a touch of a finger that I think could be useful in numerous science classes. Another app that caught my eye was the notes application which teachers and students can send and receive the notes with one click. He gives us a few ways how ISchool can save students up to 600 dollars; however, he also states that the iSchool can be affordable because its only 150 dollars which would save many parents money. The last point of this video was about what coming in the future for iSchool. Allen states that in the future there will be interactive tools that have access of their entire class including lunch menus, assignments, classes, agenda’s, iTeach, and grades.
ZeitgeistYoungMind's Entry
In the Travis Allen’s Zeitgeist Young Minds entry (Mobile Learning) iSchool Initiative video, Travis Allen was twenty years old attending Kennesaw University. He informs that in order to make our educational system better in the country that we need to prepare the youth for future technology.

Eric Whitacre’s Virtual Choir
This video contained an ensemble of 185 people that performed “Lux Aurumque”, composed and conducted by Eric Whitacre. The most shocking thing about this beautiful piece is that none of the singers know each other and never performed together. This unique use of technology in this video was put together on the Internet that led it to be quite astonishing. During the performance, quite a few people were looking very focused like they were taking the song serious. The background of the performance went well with the song with its space scene. Overall, I thought this was an exciting and unusual performance; however, as I got further into the performance I could realize that the singers were not all singing at the same time.

Teaching in the 21st Century
While watching the video Teaching in the 21st century, I recognized that the author stresses that teachers are no longer needed to make our education system better. As a matter of fact, I think interactive sites on the Internet similar to blogging allow a student to think more critically. This video basically informed me that technology is taking over education and is a magnificent learning tool in the twenty-first century. The positions expressed in this presentation, were sort of confusing by the way the slides were set up; however, they give you adequate examples of how teaching needs to change. In Sum, If Robert’s is correct as teachers we will have to develop ourselves with the advancement of technology in order to inherit better techniques to increase the overall skills of our students.

Why I Flipped My Classroom,
Dr. Lodge McCammon's FIZZ,
Flipping the Classroom - 4th Grade STEM
These Classroom three videos on flipping classrooms were very informing on how to use class time efficiently to increase students learning. I thought this sounded like a highly effective plan because students can watch the lecture at home the day before class which I think would lead to more questions the following day of class. I believe that you could use this approach in any class and become successful because this way of teaching allows you to interact with the student anytime outside of class. Therefore, I believe that students that are slower learners than others will have more time to obtain the lesson. Overall, I think these three videos can help improve any teacher that is feeling overwhelmed because their teaching plan is not being effective.