Distance Education

I feel that I should write a blog on distance education, because it is an aspect of 21st centurty education developments that has already significantly affected my life, and that's reach is bound to only increase. Although there are multiple forms of distance education, I have decided to put my focus on the use of the internet, whether that means classes that are entirely online, or simply have online aspects or requirements. First of all, I have one class that I feel completely embodies the concept of distance education. The class is one hundred percent online, including online lectures, homework, quizzes, etc. There are three different sites that we use. This class has beneficial aspects, like the fact that I can complete the coursework from my bedroom, however, I have discovered several things that make me question whether distance education is positive thing. My main problem is the lack of interaction with the professor. Not only do I think that it would be helpful to hear the lecture in the presence of the teacher in case any issues arise, but I find it difficult to not be able to attend office hours in person rather than online. With a subject like math, I personally need more one on one instruction that simply isn't available. The other ways that distance education can be applied, is through websites like E-Learning where class information and grades are accessed without being on site for a class. I actually find this to be more positive because it only provides additional information, rather than an alternative to classroom instruction.
It is obvious to me how distance education could affect me as a teacher, because it directly relates to education and teaching. Due to the fact that I will be teacher younger children, I most likely would not be leading an entirely online class. However considering the rising nature of the internet, I will be most definitely have some aspects of my class that will be online and not in class.

I understand that I have mainly focused on the negative aspects of distance education that affect me, so for this reason I have provided below a video that highlights positive aspects as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADau3hrMYmw

Web 2.0: Pandora

As I have already mentioned in a previous blog, I am extremely into the music scene. And as great as I thought the other website was, I found Pandora, which offers an equally incredible and unique advantage to collecting music. Pandora is an online radio website that creates unique stations that are tailored to your preferences in music. The user simply needs to enter an artist name, song title, or composer, and Pandora will create a radio station using that artist, and other artists that are similar to the one you selected. This is very exciting for me, because I always am frustrated that the only artists I know are either ones I've known and loved for years, or ones that my closest friends have told me about. Now a whole new world of music will be opened up for me.
Similarly to Blyper, Pandora doesn't have a literal application to the elementary school setting. I still feel strongly, though, that helping students learn about tools such as Pandora will inevitably help them become more cultured and well-rounded people as they grow older.

http://www.pandora.com/stations/27cceb41dd9b1afb0d10f69ab632d6e6fc083eb2d8dfd754#

The link I have provided is my first created radio station on Pandora. The artist I chose to have Pandora find similar bands to was MSTRKRFT. I was pleased to find that Pandora not only gave a description of the type of music I asked for, but also created a great list of songs that I loved!