Welcome to the Braiding lessons of Shirley Jordan.

This site is a show and tell of what I have learned, what I am learning, and what I will learn, through the EMDT program at Fullsail University.

I have learned so many new things at Fullsail University I will share with you course by course learnings.My journey all begins when I decided to continue my Education Development in technology.  My co-worker who is also a part of this program asked me to check my email.  There was an email sent out by the board for teachers who wanted to pursue a master’s degree in technology.  I joined the bandwagon because it offered a scholarship and it would give me the opportunity to learn ways to use technology in the classroom.  Technology is the going trend in education because everything we see, hear, and touch has to do with technology. I want my students to be prepared to take on the challenge in a challenging world.

I started when I received my letter of acceptance into Educational Media and Design Program with Full Sail University.  A few weeks later, I received my MacBook Pro in the mail.  I remember checking with UPS daily because I was getting ready to go on vacation.  I wanted to learn how to use it while on vacation.  My first month was July 2009. 

My first course of study was Media Literacy and Research Methodologies.  This is where the real work begin each week we had to read research about technology in education.  I was very surprise because I did not know that there was so much information out there.  I learned about what research was saying and how it was changing the way, our students learned.  One of the big problems with technology was seasoned educators were afraid to try something new because it was just like starting all over again.  The second problem with technology in education was funds. In order for technology to work in education, every child would need a computer. Some families could afford computer and purchase them for their children but you have students that are at a disadvantage because their families could not afford to purchase computers.  The responsible of every child having access to a computer feel on the backs of each school system.  My first research topic was “Raising the Bar in Education”.  During this month Second life was introduced. We formed groups and explored the advantages and disadvantages of second life in education.

Month 2 Education Design and Evaluation

I learned about many media assets and learned how to use them some of the assets were: iMovie, Screenflow, garageband.  Strategies for collaboration on multimedia projects that allowed me to discover and use different web2.0 tools.  One of the tools introduces was Lucid Charts.  I had the opportunity to use this tool in my class.  I remember creating a flow chart using one of the web 2.0 tools.

My first research topic was “Raising the Bar in Education”.

    

Heightening Game Education Through Digitial Storytelling

Heightening game education through digital story telling is a vital key to technology for increasing students learning. Technology integration is a key mechanism for augmenting student learning while teaching students essential digital communication skills that will help them become lifelong learners in the digital age. (n.d.) Retrieved

July 18, 2009 form

Month 3 multiple Learning Theory Applications

Multiple Intelligence Put to the Test.

Technology is changing the way we educate and prepare students to become life long learners in a high quality-learning environment, rich in heritage culture and pride. 

Using technology in the classroom can be beneficial to all students.

Month 4 Training and Motivational Development

            In this course, I used screenFlow to capture shots in Second Life using my avatar. I had to find locations in second Life and act as a tour guide to show myself around the city.  We worked in groups to critiqued others work.

Month 5 Emergent Technologies in a collaborative Culture

I have learned so much valuable information in this course in such a short period.  The first thing I would like to talk about is Social Bookmarkings.  Delicious is a web base source that allows you to store, manage, organize, and search for information on the web with the use of media base through the Internet.  Bookmarking sites on the web will allow you to label or tag you links without overlapping.  I always wondered what or why many of the sites I visited had that orange symbol with the letters Rss. Thanks Rhena for giving me the opportunity to discover and learn about Rss.  The use of Rss Feed is an excellent way to keep track of sites you visit when on the web.  I sometimes find good sites with a lot of good information on it but I sometimes have a hard time going back to favorites looking for it.  Some of the other things I learned are:

Blogging is a fun and exciting way to share information and keep up with other educators with the same ideas. 

Flicker allows you to share some of your most memorable moments with family and friends.  Using flicker will also allow you to upload video with groups and will allow you to keep your information private or public.  You can share some of your special teachable moments with parents and other educators.

I also, learned how to take snap shots of pictures using my MacBook Pro.

Resources for the classroom could not have gotten better or easier.  The new information I learned in this course was so much but the most important one to me was the Web 2.0 Tools.  A wealth of information and resources at your fingertips for free.  Helping students to create and develop their PLE, using some of the tools from Web 2.0 is the answer.

PLE is a platform that encourages students to drive their own learning.

Learners become the driving force when introduced to different tools that opens up the communications between the teacher and technology, and technology and the learners.

Month 6 Musical Theory &Education Applications

During this month, I learned about the wonderful sound of music can be so relaxing and pleasing on after a long and stressful day.  Is music a language?  Yes, music is a language.  (Webster), defines language as a way of communication thoughts by the use of sounds or conventional symbols (Webster, 2009).  The Dylan song was a difficult song to memorize in the short period because of the many changes in the song.  The chorus of the song changed in each verse.  The strategies that help me to memorize most of the song were to listen to the song and write down the lyrics of the song. I had to listen repeatedly to write the lyrics.  By me doing this memory sat in.  I would find myself singing the song through my mind as the days went on.  The song had a message.  The message in the song is a reflection of what is going on in our schools as well as our communities and schools.  I connected to the song right off.  My connection was lyrics to media because on the daily news you hear about vandalism, drugs, companies going out of business and people out of jobs.  So many people have lost their homes because of people that master minded how to rob and take from others.

The song by Dylan is classical but has features of rap/and hip-hop of today. The message in a lot of hip-hop song has messages that relate to

what is going on in the world around us.

I also, learned how to use the different effects in garage band and recreate music using voice over.

Month 7 Digital Media and Educational

Month 8 Games Strategies and Motivation

During this month, I learned a lot about how games can be used in the classroom to increase learning. Gaming is always good for not only helping students to learn in a fun way but also as a way to motivate and promote learning. One of the things I really enjoyed about this class was creating a story from the game called Spores.

Swing Stinger Finds a Friend

Wing Stinger was a special creature with special talents.  He enjoyed and loved heights.  One day he laid down for a nap and started to float in the air.  He really thought that He was dreaming until it happen again the next day.  He did not want to tell his creator because he knew she would not believe him.  In his land, everyone must follow the orders of the Great land leader and he was very mean.

One day wing stinger decided to run away to a far away land because he felt that he would not be accepted where he was.  Not even his own creator would believe him.  It was his hope to find others like him that had problems being accepted because of extra abilities.  He traveled for a long time and soon became very tired and sleepy.  He was afraid of falling asleep because he thought he might float away into the sky and then he would really be gone.  He could not hold his eyes open any longer he slept until he felt a cool breeze come across his eyes.  To his surprise when he woke up, he saw something unusual.  He stared for a minute but it did not move.  He touched it and it did not move or touch back.  He thought for a moment and said;” I know that wasn’t there before I feel asleep”.  After staring and touching it for a long period, he thought that maybe my dream has come true maybe it has special abilities and ran away because no one would believe him.  Wing stinger decided to just wait there until the creator awakes or say something.  He waited for hours and nothing happened he waited so long until it was dark and fell asleep again.  The next morning when he got up he saw a second creature or what he thought was a creature just sitting there next to the first creature.  He waited and still nothing happened they did not move or say anything.

Wing stinger begin to think to himself and he decided he would sleep during the day and stay up at night so that he could find out what was going on.  He decided to lie down for a nap and try to wake up before dark. 

Wing stinger was so out done he woke up before sunrise to find another creation next to the second creature he created this one was an eagle carrying a child. Eagle are very wise birds he had another thought is someone trying to tell me that I am as wise as an eagle but very different from other creators in my land.  Wing Stinger talked to the eagle as he was talking to the eagle he heard a noise.  Out from behind the Eagle came a creature that looked a little different from me.  He had many extras.  The creature introduced himself as Samike Builder.  Samike told Wing stinger about his special abilities and that was to build and create things. 

Month 9 Filming Principles and Education

This was a very exciting month for me.  I learned a lot, about how films are made, the work behind making a production possible. I learned how to use my camera and how lighting can change the whole outlook of something.  Using filming in the classroom is a great tool to use to build higher level thinking skills.  After taking this class you will view every TV shows and movie differently.

Month 10 Media Asset Creation

During this month, I learned a lot from the book the Art Of Possibilities. It speaks to you in general about how you view life and others.  After reading the book, I developed a completely new perspective of myself. Thank you Mr. Joe for seeing the need for your students to read this book.  The book did not have any thing to do with the course it self but it did show some insight on where we are as individuals in life and deciding where do we go from here.  I recommend this book for all to read at some point in your life.  Thanks’ again Mr. Joe.  I enjoyed all the Wimba session and the final session on sharing our Leadership and Publishing project.