So I really didn't get to that whole catching up thing the way that I would have liked... Oh well... But seriously, this will probably be my last post, so any of you that are subscribed to and/or read my blog, thank you. So first of all I really wanted to say that i thoroughly enjoyed the Ted talks. I did something like them in my high school philosophy class, and it was a really great experience both times. Hearing the stories from people that you don't normally hear everyday really reminds you that everyone is an individual with a story, which is a detail that seems to be intuitive, but we often focus so much on our own stories that we forget that every face we see on a day to day basis has a story. But anyway, I really enjoyed the class and thank you all for those who read my blog... and if you don't well then i retract that statement. Just Kidding! But not really...

Catching up...

 RRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

So I haven't been diligent in doing this blog this semester... Yeah... In my defense I did take three English classes and two ed classes this semester, and the coursework has been intense...  So in short I blame the system. The man has been dragging me down... Yeah that's it... Anyway, I thought I should probably reflect on some of my semesters worth of experiences in this class. First of all I felt like my online module went well. The hardest part was picking an actual site, which i lamented over for hours... Seriously, it was like a Romeo and Juliet Death scene. Once I got the module, things went pretty quickly, but i was still late in turning it in... Brutal. I know that alot of people are really on this online course bandwagon, but I'm not sure how I feel about it. First of all, I feel like making a course entirely reliant on technology really makes the teacher less important in the grand scheme of things, which makes people like me less hire-able if there's less demand. If that makes sense.  Let me put it to you this way... Soon the courses will develop a life of their own and they'll be building robots to take our jobs... Yes that makes so much more sense.

Also I know that I haven't researched this subject extensively or anything like that, but I really feel like online courses wont be as effective since there isn't really any personality to them... That isn't to say though that they can't be used to supplement a course... they could totes do that...

YEAH

So i haven't updated this in while... I kind of forgot that this was a part of the course until just recently... But anyway, I'm going to make an effort to catch up on my posts starting with all the weeks that I've missed. I'm really busy at the moment, but as soon as I get a chance, I will update this blog for all of the weeks that I have missed. I promise. No really, I will. I see that look on your face. Stop it.

A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Dinosaur

My apologies for the outburst that was the last post. I wasn't sure what to write, and it was one in the morning, so i went a little crazy. I promise I wont eat you. Anyway, my name is Bailey and I'm an English majoring sophomore at UMD.   I hope to gain an edge in teaching, but am not entirely sure how I feel about the ethics of making using technology in a classroom. I feel as though kids today spend enough time in front of screens at home, and if they're constantly in front of screens in school as well, I'm guessing that isn't exactly good for them. I've read several studies that indicate that prolonged screen exposure actually shrinks the neurocortex in the brain. Aren't we supposed to do the opposite of that as teachers? I suppose moderation is the key, but I don't think that high school students really know the meaning of the word.

BaileytheMetaphysicalAllosaurus

As the title of my username suggests, I am Bailey, a carnivorous dinosaur from the late Jurassic Period who is unbound by the laws of conventional physics. But how may you ask does a dinosaur use technological advancements to his advantage in a teaching environment? Well meta in Greek means beyond, and physics means, uh physics... so i guess I'm kind of like Zeus, or Chuck Norris... Try not to think about the physical limitations.

You might ask, "but Bailey how can you type with those tiny little t rex like arms?" "Or aren't Dinosaurs extinct?" The answer is don't ask dumb questions. I'm a dinosaur sent down from space to learn how to use technology to instruct children in a high school environment. And hey, while I'm at it I might teach you a bit of what I know as well. I just don't know how I'm going to do that just yet...