Instructional Development outcome like a movie?

Instructional Development is all about taking various elements within the same subject and bringing it together for the purpose of learning. I like to compare it to a good movie. A good movie usually has a solid plot, excitement throughout, somethings revealed that you did not know in the beginning and a acceptable ending that will either have you content or give you that thirst to find out more about the movie. This is the same with Instructional develpment. There are so many things integrated that needs to get the job done. Here is my Final Project for my Selection and Integration class that taps into my learning experience. Click here

Universal Design for Learning: A Variety

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Everyone has individual ways of learning which sometimes make it difficult for teachers to conform to the way a student learns. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) tries to meet the needs of every student individually by having techniques and tools available to feed the need of how students learn. Universal Design for Learning widens the door of opportunity for educating students regardless of their challenges or needs. Click here to view some applications that can assist you in providing and developing more opportunities to your students and to also build a better UDL-based learning environment.

Cybercitizenry: Ignorance is NOT Bliss

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Some say, "Ignorance is bliss" but not when it comes to CyberCitizenry. Cybercitizenry denotes a "citizen of the Internet" or a member of the "cybercommunity." Once you have an online presence, you cannot take it back. Many people do not know this and when someone does not know they have to get taught the do's and dont's of online behaviors and actions. This has to be a group effort when it pertains to students. CommonSenseMedia.org has designed many curriculums that talk about Online Safety, Cyberbullying,etc. This is an awesome website to use when wanting to educate yourself and others about online behavior. In our class, we had to create an instructional program that pertains to Cybercitizenry.  Click here to see my instructional program.

Creating a 21st Century Classroom

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Being that I do not have my own class to teach yet and investigate whether it fits in the 21st century classroom. I did the walkthrough on a class that I am taking now and the results weren't bad in terms of the checklist. I learned that there are many adjustments that instructors need to make to fit this checklist. Some are open to it but others are kind of stubborn in their ways. At the end of the day, Instructors/Teachers need to realize that this is how students are learning nowadays and the focus is the engagment of the student, not their comfort level. This checklist had may points that most people wouldn't think of implementing in their lessons and/or courses. Click here to view my MNW Walkthrough Form. Let's try "NOT" to make Benjamin Franklin feel right at home.

Integrating Digital Technology

I am big into technology. Some may say I am a nerd when it comes to it. In Education there are so many tools that can be added into the classroom that will interest the students and keep them engaged. Thus forcing them to become self-learners.

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My assignment in my Selection and Integrations class was to find 5 instances of Integrating Technology within my field of interest and to identify which cell in the Technology Integration Matrix (TIM) it relates or lands under then taking 3 of the 5 up a notch.
Click Here to view my 5 Instances of Intergrating Technology


Feel free to make comments if you like!!

Prezi is Changing the Visual Look of a Presentation

Prezi is a presentation software unlike any other. When I first saw it, it blew me away visually. Prezi can make the most boring subjects interesting. Compared to PowerPoint, Prezi will give your presentation a more futuristic look. I recommend just playing around with it to see if you like it or not. The look of it is awesome but some people feel that it's too much of a hassle to figure out. As a visual person, I think it is worth learning Prezi because, it is the wave of the future in terms of presentations and the look of it can make any presentation stand out. Check out the video to learn more about Prezi or click here to go to the actual site.         

The danger of the single story

Chimamanda Adichie talks about the danger of a single story. This was very interesting to hear how one story can shape a person's thoughts and opinions about a person, place or thing (yes, a noun!! lol). A single story is like looking at a work of art in just one angle and not changing then developing your thoughts and opinions off of just that one angle not trying to learn more about it. This is how stereotypes can develop and just false ideas about a people or a culture. I like the way Adichie makes you think in terms of a single story that you have developed through your own experiences. How ignorant we may be to a certain culture or race. This is a thought-provoking idea that should allow us to look into ourselves and become more open-minded when it comes to people or places. Check this video out and see what  I'm talking about. 

Martin Scorsese on Visual Literacy

Martin Scorsese talks about how there is a vocabulary in images and his experiences watching films. I never looked at the camera lenses as being a tool for telling a story. I knew that the way you use the camera told the story, whether it's a close up shot to give the feel of intimacy or a wide shot to make you feel like you're in the environment. The creator of the image has to know where they want the audience's eyes to go. what is the focus you want the audience to have? This part of the vocabulary of images to make up the story. I never thought of it in this way. AHA!!!  Thanks Martin!!

Malcolm X Revisited

I think the message the director is trying to express in this movie is that Malcolm X lived an extraordinary life that was cut short because of fear of change. I think the director was trying to express encouragement, motivation and a some insight of black history through the story of Malcolm X. Through the struggles and issues that Malcolm X encountered he was still a great man who took a stand for what he believed in.
I believe that this movie had accurate depictions of minorities from the way they dressed during that time period to the way the Nation of Islam was a structured organization. For example, when the police beat one of the members of the Nation of Islam. They lined up in front of the police station then the hospital. They did not move until Malcolm X raised his hand and pointed. This is one of my favorite scenes and the most memorable to most people.
Yes, the director’s ethnic/cultural background played a major role in directing this film. When this film first came out in 1992, there were not any films that were made about our black leaders. The movie Malcolm X was one of the first. After, many movies followed that were about our black leaders/pioneers. Movies such as “Boycott” that was about the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and “Ali” that displayed the life of Muhammad Ali. The director, Spike Lee, felt that this movie needed to be made for African-Americans to know a little about their history.
I know a lot of people may be offended by this movie because of some of the scenes they show. Some scenes degrade women, African Americans, police officers, Muslims and the Nation of Islam. A scene that pops in my head is the scene when Malcolm Little, before he became Malcolm X, was in a hotel with a white woman and he demanded for her to feed him and do other things that she may have wanted to do but you can tell he was doing it like he wanted to belittle her. Those types of scenes may offend some people.
The director, Spike Lee, is one of my favorite directors. The artistic and visual means that he used in Malcolm X to focus our attention were unorthodox but it got the job done. One scene that comes to mind, towards the end of the movie, is when he is walking to his last speaking engagement and the song, “Change is Gonna Come” by Sam Cooke is playing and there is a front medium shot of him not walking but gliding towards us with a somber look on his face. This scene put you in a mindset that something was about to happen. With the mixture of music and visuals, Spike Lee told the story without saying a word. This is how he grabbed your attention and held on to it.

Killing Us Softly with Images

This video was very eye opening to me. I have always seen ads like the ones she showed but never really paid much attention to the underlying messages of the images and the words. Aside from the images, what was a real shocker were the slogans that belittled and insulted woman. I just can't believe that companies, better yet people would allow these things to be published or even created. This shows that some of our morals have gone out the window. I was offended by some of these ads and I'm not even a woman so imagine how some of them might feel. Then again some of them might not even care. In reality some woman like being looked at or treated like objects whether it's for sex or just for show. This portrayal of woman as objects has been embedded in our minds. Women do it to each other and men do it to woman. When a person first meets someone the first thing they think of is looks. "She's cute! He's sexy! Look at his butt!, Look at her breast!" These are things that subliminally come to mind. So how do we get out of this mindset?

A Favorite Scene!!!

In my Visual Literacy class this week. Our Instructor told us to think of a favorite movie or scene that we like and try to figure out what makes us like that particular movie or scene. First scene I thought of was from "The Matrix" when Neo realizes he is "The One." I can watch this scene over and over again.
I realzed the reason why I like this particular. It's the mixture between sound and visuals. Neo opening his eyes in realization that he's not dead after Trinity tells him to get up. The music giving a feel of wonder and mystery. Then Neo saying, "no" in a calm tone as if now he knows his purpose but is still in awe as the bullets come and he raises his hand to stop them. The Agents looking like what is going on as they put down their guns simultaneously. Neo looking at the bullets still with a look of confusion/realization while the music is still giving you that feel of wonder and mystery. Neo tilts his head then the bullets drop and the music changes into a heavenly-type sound of Ahhs as if a choir of angels were singing. Then Morpheus says, "He's the One." This scene has so many layers and it was done almost perfect. Check it out for yourselves. Tell me what you think!!

Visual Symbols in my life

There are many visual symbols in my life. I know if they weren't there I would be lost or frustrated. For example, my tv has a light that indicates that it's off. If that light wasn't on my tv, I wouldn't know if my tv was on and begin to just randomly press buttons to figure out what the problem is. I find myself taking many visual symbols in my daily life for granted. The moment they are missing or not working is when I notice how important they are. Examples of visual symbols in my life are: when I can't see my clock, when a stop sign has been knocked down or a stop light is not working on an intersection, when your engine light in your car comes on, and when my wife leaves her flat iron on and the light stays on. It let's me know that I should turn it off before it causes a fire. Visual symbols are everywhere. We're just so subconsciously used to it that it's now subliminal.