Concept Map--How Children Live In Bangladesh

I.    International Language Day

A.    Holidays

1.    Life of a Child in Bangladesh

  longer distances are traveled by rickshaw

A.    Transportation

I.     Islam: main religion

Boys go to mosque and receive instruction

A.    Religion

Minor religions: Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism

children walk most places that are nearby

people travel across the country by bus, train, and boat

Children are in school from early morning until lunch

I.    School

Main subjects: Math, English, Bangla

classroom in Bangladesh

what is Ramadan?

I.    Ramadan: tradition of fasting during the day and feasting at night in line with major requirements of Islam

Some children live in places called slums.

A.    Many children live in the city

1.    Home

Some children live in flats in tall buildings.

   Some children live in the country

Shutterfly Article Response

As a future educator who is not incredibly knowledgable about technology, I found this article to be especially informative. I think that it is important for teachers to be aware of the types of security systems websites use so that they can make wise decisions about which ones to use. 

     I think that there should be more restrictions on how websites geared towards children and their coaches, teachers, and parents are able to advertise themselves. They should be more transparent about exactly what time of security is in place and what that means for the information being entrusted to that website. 

     Until websites are more clear about they safety measures they have in place, adults in charge of children need to take it upon themselves to be educated about web safety and know how to avoid potentially dangerous sites. 

With Tech Taking Over in School, Worries Arise Response

     I think that the new laws being put in place are good measures that will help keep children safe as technology continues to expand. Many of the laws previously in place to keep children's information safe are somewhat outdated now due to rapid advances in technology. Old laws place restrictions on how a child's private information can be stored and shared, but these laws do not include details about new types of technology for storing and sharing information. New laws are necessary for maintaining the safety of students and keeping their personal information secure with new technology such as cloud computing and palm scanners being used in schools.
     A lot of new technology is beneficial to schools, but it is understandable that parents would be worried when it comes to the safety of their children and their children's records. Technology can be a great resource in the classroom and in other areas of the school, but when it interferes with the security and privacy of students it might not be worth using. When aiding in education, technology should be considered for helping a student expand their understanding. If technology is being used for information storage or to make payments easier, then it is a great tool but is not entirely necessary. It is important that a school be run efficiently, and technology can help; but it is more important that technology be used in a way that gaurantees student safety and privacy.

Response to Salman Khan article and video

     I liked the overall idea of the video and agreed with most of what what said. I found the overall message, that students can learn anything and should be encouraged to have a growth mindset, was encouraging and refreshing. In my experience as a tutor, many students did poorly in school because they had been told they were not smart and they believed it. They did not put forth effort to learn hard material because they did not believe they could learn it. Over a long period of time, with much encouragement, a lot of the students improved. They grew to have bigger dreams for the rest of their lives because in changing their outlook on academics, they were able to change their outlooks on their entire futures. A growth mindset in essential, and I have seen first hand its power to change a young person's life.
     This being said, I do believe there is still room for encouragement in areas in which students are naturally gifted.  Students should be encouraged to work through hard material, but I do not think they should be ignored if a task comes to them easily. Instead, they should be encouraged to pursue more difficult tasks in the same field. While people do have the ability to learn anything, they are still gifted in different areas. A person might quickly understand music but struggle in science classes. It would be right to encourage them to work through the difficult science lessons and expand their learning, but I do not think it would be right to ignore their accomplishments in music simply because it comes easily to them. I believe a growth mindset should be encouraged and that students should be encouraged in all areas of their learning-easy or hard.

NMC Report Notes

-flipped classrooms gaining popularity: students gain knowledge on their own time and put it into practice during class time
-shift to deeper learning (suicide prevention, the arts, etc.)
-open educational resources: free sharing of knowledge/ information
-hybrid learning designs: incorporates physical and virtual learning methods,  classroom time used for collaboration and online time used for individual learning
-NUI: helpful for teachers in using technology in the classroom, games give students motivation to learn online, improve literacy skills
-creative classroom settings: nontraditional classrooms and lessons provide more individualized/ student centered approaches to education
-major focus on individualized learning
-authentic learning: push for classroom learning to mimic real life experience, greater preparedness for college/ the work force, vocational learning  and apprenticeships
-computational thinking: involves critical thinking about data, abstractions, models, etc.
-teaching computer programming to younger elementary students
-development of new laws to keep student data secure as technology changes
-use of personal devices on the classroom--allows personalized use of technology, personal programs, apps
-cloud computing: promotes collaboration
-gaming: promotes collaboration, teaches design/ spacial elements
-learning analytics: data about student behaviors, track progress, behaviors, preparedness
-wearable technology: used for lab safety, enhances field trip learning,