Blog Post 4

Don't Teach Your Kids This Stuff. Please?

Scott McLeod is Associate Professor in the Educational Administration program at Iowa State University. McLeod directs the UCEA, Center for the Advanced Study of Technology Leadership in Education. (CASTLE) McLeod also co-created the video Did You Know?(Shift Happens). It's a good thing Dr. McLeod chose to write about this subject. Where most people that should read this post will not, the ones that do might relay the message. We, as a younger generation, are lucky to have such people like McLeod who care enough about students to urge parents, teachers, administrators, and board members to use every tool possible to learn.

If you take a look at “older” people today, most of them have no clue what is going on in the world of technology. They are happy in their own little niches, and nothing anyone does can fix their stubbornness. However, we today, as technologically inclined students, will one day become those “older” people, and we will be more likely to open our eyes to learning what our children learn.


The iSchool Initiative

The iSchool Initiative is intended for improvement. The idea is to improve education in America by means of electronic devices and applications to replace books, calculators, paper, pencils, etc. The plan is to combine corporations, business professionals, and apple programmers. Almost anything that we can do today in education will be available in one device.

I believe this initiative is possible. There are certainly resources for such a dramatic change. The question is, “will it work?” This could be argued for years before something is actually put to the test. The only way to know if something like this is practical is to try it. The attempt should not be widespread, however. On the outside, this initiative appears convenient as well as productive, but there are always other factors that should be considered. As to what those factors are, until the iSchool Initiative is put to use, we will never know.


The Lost Generation

The Lost Generation video was outstanding. The video kept me on the edge of my seat, curious as to how it would end. I had no idea that by reading it backwards, it would completely reverse everything. This was a great technique to use. The message is quite clear; in order to change how our generation views life, we need to reverse how we see and do things.

Most of what was noted in the video, we don't want to admit. The fact is, almost all of it is usually true and not in the reverse order. Trying to accomplish everything in reverse all at once will usually result in failure, but if we take small steps toward achieving our goals we should strive to attain, we will be successful.


Virtual Choir

Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir was interesting, especially for me. Being a music major, it was difficult to stay focused on the fact that there was something else behind the music. I did not like the way the choir was portrayed. If the choir had physically been there, more personality would have shown. Sure their facial expressions say a lot, but nothing says more than experiencing that sort of thing in person.

Nevertheless, a virtual choir speaks much about technology. The idea of a virtual choir is a great concept when you consider singing with multiple people from around the world. However, in a local setting, I do not believe it should be done.

Note: We are playing one of Eric Whitacre's pieces in the USA Wind Ensemble entitled “Equus”. Our concert is Thursday, December 2, 2010 at 7:30pm. (Laidlaw Performing Arts Center Recital Hall)