Monday, March 15, 2010
A New Beginning
So, with the 23 Things behind me, I think the next goal is to transform this blog. I still want to share some of the wonderful things I'm learning here at Austin Peay and I can't think of a better way to do it. Let's start with this quote: "The British are coming! The British are coming!" Now how many of you have heard that line before? I know I have, maybe every year in one history class or another. I hate to break the news to you though. This supposed famous line by Paul Revere is anything but true. In 1775, the people of America still thought they were British. They were just having the beginning ideas of independence. So, the actual quote by Paul Revere was this: "The Regulars are out!" I just finished reading Paul Revere's Ride by David Hackett Fischer. If any of you are history lovers, you should definitely check this out. Another misconception is that Revere was a solitary midnight rider. Many think he rode through the streets alone to warn hundreds of people about the British invasion. Again, this is not all true. Although Revere was a key factor in warning the people, it was more of a collaborative effort. There were dozens of riders who galloped through the night to warn the surrounding towns of attack. I'm so happy that I know the truth now behind this legendary man. They say that you learn something new every day. So for today, here it is ladies and gentlemen. Enjoy!
Thursday, March 11, 2010
One Last Thought
I guess this is the beginning of the end. It's bittersweet to be finishing this project. I have learned so much throughout these past few weeks. I feel a sense of accomplishment and I'm a little sad to say that it's over. There's something that's just so empowering about learning a new skill. One thing is certain...I will be a better teacher because of the work I did on The 23 Things. I'm am looking forward so much to using my new found skills and sharing them with others along the way. I think by taking the tools that I have discovered, I can utilize them by keeping up with new developments in Web 2.0. With my Google Reader, I have already subscribed to quite a few feeds that are based on Web 2.0 practices. I also think by using Del.icio.us I can search for tags on Web 2.0 and keep track of all of the ones that are relevant using the bookmarking tool. These are just a few ideas, but I know that my learning won't end here. The more I know, the better person and educator I become. That's what I'm out to accomplish.
I think my favorite discovery of all was how easy it is to create a blog. I love everything about it and I have had so much working on it. As I said in my very first post about blogging, "I think this is something I will grow to love." There is so much truth in that statement, because I love doing this. I'm learning valuable skills and hopefully inspiring some other people along the way.
Some other favorites of mine were the Google Reader, iGoogle, Animoto, and wikis. Because I have a better understanding of technology and all of the great benefits it offers students and teachers, I feel like my goals are more in focus. I will continue to be a life-long learner, and this project has shown me just how to do it. There is so much more out there waiting to be explored by me, or even by you. The difference now is that I'm ready for the challenge. This is just the boost I needed. I don't think that there's much I would change about this project. The only suggestion I have would be to have each of the students find their own "Thing" dealing with an new Web 2.0 topic or activity. They could write a blog post with a discovery exercise and explanation of their great find. It would give them a chance to explore Web 2.0 a little more and give their classmates another opportunity to add to their knowledge bank.
I hope those of you that were reading enjoyed some of my ideas and opinions. I know I have grown throughout this project, I can feel it as write this last thought. I promise to update this with any new ideas or discoveries I make. It's a great to learn something new and exciting, but what's even better is sharing that knowledge with someone else.
I think my favorite discovery of all was how easy it is to create a blog. I love everything about it and I have had so much working on it. As I said in my very first post about blogging, "I think this is something I will grow to love." There is so much truth in that statement, because I love doing this. I'm learning valuable skills and hopefully inspiring some other people along the way.
Some other favorites of mine were the Google Reader, iGoogle, Animoto, and wikis. Because I have a better understanding of technology and all of the great benefits it offers students and teachers, I feel like my goals are more in focus. I will continue to be a life-long learner, and this project has shown me just how to do it. There is so much more out there waiting to be explored by me, or even by you. The difference now is that I'm ready for the challenge. This is just the boost I needed. I don't think that there's much I would change about this project. The only suggestion I have would be to have each of the students find their own "Thing" dealing with an new Web 2.0 topic or activity. They could write a blog post with a discovery exercise and explanation of their great find. It would give them a chance to explore Web 2.0 a little more and give their classmates another opportunity to add to their knowledge bank.
I hope those of you that were reading enjoyed some of my ideas and opinions. I know I have grown throughout this project, I can feel it as write this last thought. I promise to update this with any new ideas or discoveries I make. It's a great to learn something new and exciting, but what's even better is sharing that knowledge with someone else.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Thing 23
Credits
Learning 2.0 - 23 Things for Teachers is based on Learning 2.0 - 23 Things, a staff development program for the Mesquite Independent School District. That program was based on the Learning 2.0 program that was designed by Helene Blowers and adapted by the California School Library Association and others. Content and style for Learning 2.0 - 23 Things for Teachers has been borrowed and duplicated with permission, under a Creative Commons License.
This was taken from the homepage of the 23 Things website. Dr. Wall has it near the bottom of the page under the heading of Credits.
I now have a much better understanding of creative commons. In a way, this entire project has been leading up to this moment. We have learned how much of an impact technology can have on our lives. But more importantly, we have learned how to use it wisely. We have to give credit where credit is due. I don't think there's a better a way of saying it than that. When I have my own classroom, I think it would be a great experience for the students to license something that they have created. This will give them a better look at Creative Commons and what it has to offer. Another idea would be to have the students work on a collaborative project wherein they take already licensed items and create something new (giving credit in the process, of course). As long as students are being exposed to the ideas of copyright, plagiarism, and fair use I think the most important goal is being met. If they can understand what it means to use shared work in the correct way then one of my jobs as an educator is complete.
Learning 2.0 - 23 Things for Teachers is based on Learning 2.0 - 23 Things, a staff development program for the Mesquite Independent School District. That program was based on the Learning 2.0 program that was designed by Helene Blowers and adapted by the California School Library Association and others. Content and style for Learning 2.0 - 23 Things for Teachers has been borrowed and duplicated with permission, under a Creative Commons License.
This was taken from the homepage of the 23 Things website. Dr. Wall has it near the bottom of the page under the heading of Credits.
I now have a much better understanding of creative commons. In a way, this entire project has been leading up to this moment. We have learned how much of an impact technology can have on our lives. But more importantly, we have learned how to use it wisely. We have to give credit where credit is due. I don't think there's a better a way of saying it than that. When I have my own classroom, I think it would be a great experience for the students to license something that they have created. This will give them a better look at Creative Commons and what it has to offer. Another idea would be to have the students work on a collaborative project wherein they take already licensed items and create something new (giving credit in the process, of course). As long as students are being exposed to the ideas of copyright, plagiarism, and fair use I think the most important goal is being met. If they can understand what it means to use shared work in the correct way then one of my jobs as an educator is complete.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Thing 22
I'm a lover of English and anything to do with reading, so it was fairly easy for me to find some podcasts that caught my attention. I used the Education Podcast Directory first and found a couple of podcasts to subscribe to. One of them is An Idiom A Day. I thought immediately that this is something I could play for the students first thing in the morning. It's a fresh thought to start the day and will get everyone's minds working. I also found a web site called StoryNory, which is full of podcasts. The link I provided is to the first chapter of Alice in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll. Once you click on the link, there is a side bar where you can search dozens of stories by any theme you choose. I am very excited about this discovery. One of my favorite things in the world is listening to a story. I remember being in elementary school and our teacher brought in a storyteller when I was in fifth grade. I'll never forget what a wonderful experience that was for me. Now with technology, I can easily do the same thing for my students. What a treat it would be to let them listen to a chapter of a book once a day or once a week. They could even vote to pick they story they wanted. I added both of these podcasts to my RSS feed so I can keep up with new stories and content that's been added. I also checked out the Learn Out Loud page to see what they offered. I found quite a few that I think would be beneficial for me to use once I start teaching. There was a Poem of the Day, a President of the Day, and many more. I will have no problem finding something fun and educational for my students and for myself.
I think another great option would be for me to make a podcast of the material we are getting ready to study. I could post it to my class website so both parents and students could have access. Also, I think the students would love working on making their own. We could turn it into a class project. Students could work in pairs or groups. Or we could even work on one as a class. No matter which one we do, I think the students will learn a great deal about using technology to enhance their learning.
I think another great option would be for me to make a podcast of the material we are getting ready to study. I could post it to my class website so both parents and students could have access. Also, I think the students would love working on making their own. We could turn it into a class project. Students could work in pairs or groups. Or we could even work on one as a class. No matter which one we do, I think the students will learn a great deal about using technology to enhance their learning.
Thing 21
Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.
Wow! Animoto is such a neat little site. Making my video was very easy and I had a great time experimenting with the songs and pictures. I didn't have a lot of pictures uploaded to Flickr yet, so I just took some from my computer. Once I add all my pictures to Flickr, this will be a piece of cake! I decided to make a video about my husband's last deployment and his homecoming. It popped into my head as soon as I started reading about Animoto, so I just went with my gut. It turned out really great (although I guess I do have a biased opinion). I think that it would be wonderful for students to use this site to create videos for a project or even just to experiment. I would use this to make classroom videos for my web page. It would be neat for parents to see pictures of their children and the activities that we are doing at school. For example, if we went on a field trip, I could make a video of that and post it for parents to see (with permission of course). It's quick and easy to use, which makes it all the better in my opinion. This is just another tool that I'm going add to my box of knowledge.Thing 20
YouTube is great site, but as stated time and time again, you have to ignore the negative videos floating around out there. I think it can be very beneficial and it gives people a means of expressing themselves. After searching through many videos, I found one that I thought gave a great message. It's titled "Do you teach or do you educate? I think it brings up many good points, as you'll see when you watch the video. When I become a teacher, or should I say educator, I want to promote lifelong learning. I want my students to succeed throughout their lives, not just in my classroom. I think many teachers have lost sight of the true goal. I just want to make sure that I never forget why I chose this profession. It's important that we all become educators, ones who empower students. I love the message of this video and I hope that you do as well! I definitely think this site could be used both in the classroom and personally. I already had an idea about posting one to the Ning network that I created. Students love to learn visually, so using something from this website could greatly enhance your lesson. I will definitely be using it in the future.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Thing 19
I love the idea of Teacher Pop. It's true that teachers need to have a good reputation on the Internet. People should know who we are because of the good that we do. What better way to do that than to promote higher standards and share learning experiences? I'm very excited about being a member of this. I added the badge to my blog and also found some great ideas from other users on TeacherPop. I actually thought it might be a good idea to start a Ning Network for preservice teachers who are also Army wives. It's called The Life of a Teaching Army Wife. It would be a great way to create bonds and share some of the experiences and trials that go along with these two jobs. I started the network and I'm working on getting some members so it will be up and running. You can find my badge on my blog. If you're an Army wife who is also in the education field, come and check it out!
I also decided to become a member of GoodReads. What a cool site! I had heard of this before, but I never got around to checking it out. I love the idea of keeping a list of books that I have read. Before this, I used to write them all down in my journal. I want to be able to tell my children when they get older which books are must reads. Now, I can keep track of all them and even make a "to read" list as well. It's a great place for book lovers from all over the world.
Classroom 2.0 is such a neat network. It promotes Web 2.0 and social media. There are just so many places to go and not enough time to explore them all! I would definitely use this in the future. I love bouncing ideas around and these kind of applications are the perfect places to do just that.
I also decided to become a member of GoodReads. What a cool site! I had heard of this before, but I never got around to checking it out. I love the idea of keeping a list of books that I have read. Before this, I used to write them all down in my journal. I want to be able to tell my children when they get older which books are must reads. Now, I can keep track of all them and even make a "to read" list as well. It's a great place for book lovers from all over the world.
Classroom 2.0 is such a neat network. It promotes Web 2.0 and social media. There are just so many places to go and not enough time to explore them all! I would definitely use this in the future. I love bouncing ideas around and these kind of applications are the perfect places to do just that.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Thing 18
I was very excited when I clicked on Thing 18. For once I actually felt like I wasn't totally in the dark. I already have both a Facebook and Myspace page. So, my goal for this activity was to try to learn a little more about each one of them. I just found a widget on my profile page on Facebook, so I added it to my blog. I never would have thought about doing that if I hadn't learned about it with Del.icio.us in the last Thing. If you want to see my page, just click on the widget and you can add me as a friend. I don't use Myspace as much as Facebook. Although that hasn't always been the case. When I first discovered Myspace a few years ago, I thought it was the greatest thing in the world. It took me a while to figure out all of the features and how to create my page, but I eventually got it. Now, I'm much busier and have quite a few more commitments. Many people are moving to Facebook, and I myself, am one of them. You can add much more of your personality to Myspace, but Facebook is much more simple and user friendly. I enjoy it so much. I think it's great that I can keep up with my friends, family, and school so easily.
Myspace does have a place where you can write blog entries. I never paid much attention to it before, but now that I'm doing my my own blog, I really like that aspect of it. They both offer different chat services as well. All in all, I think it comes down to personal preference when choosing which network to use. If you can't decide, then why not use both! They serve the main purpose well, which is to connect people around the world. It's just unbelievable to me how easy they make it to keep in touch.
I think it's important that educators know about social networking because it's the future of education. This is the way most people communicate with each other, kids especially. I think on Facebook, it's really nice that you can have a profile for you school or club. The students and parents could become fans/friends on there and keep up with new information and be updated constantly. This would be especially nice for parents who were very busy. I think it could even be a great way for parents and teachers to communicate with one another. It's quick and simple, and most people already have accounts on there. The teacher could set up a page just for that purpose. I think the possibilities for this are unending!
I became a fan of APSU's Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning. You have to log into your facebook account to see their page. I also found the first college I attended in Ohio and my high school as well. I have so many friends out there that I probably never would have heard from after high school, had it not been for Facebook and Myspace. These social networking sites are a great way to use the technology available to benefit ourselves, our schools, and our future.
Myspace does have a place where you can write blog entries. I never paid much attention to it before, but now that I'm doing my my own blog, I really like that aspect of it. They both offer different chat services as well. All in all, I think it comes down to personal preference when choosing which network to use. If you can't decide, then why not use both! They serve the main purpose well, which is to connect people around the world. It's just unbelievable to me how easy they make it to keep in touch.
I think it's important that educators know about social networking because it's the future of education. This is the way most people communicate with each other, kids especially. I think on Facebook, it's really nice that you can have a profile for you school or club. The students and parents could become fans/friends on there and keep up with new information and be updated constantly. This would be especially nice for parents who were very busy. I think it could even be a great way for parents and teachers to communicate with one another. It's quick and simple, and most people already have accounts on there. The teacher could set up a page just for that purpose. I think the possibilities for this are unending!
I became a fan of APSU's Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning. You have to log into your facebook account to see their page. I also found the first college I attended in Ohio and my high school as well. I have so many friends out there that I probably never would have heard from after high school, had it not been for Facebook and Myspace. These social networking sites are a great way to use the technology available to benefit ourselves, our schools, and our future.
Thing 17
I don't think it's a coincidence that this website is called Del.icio.us. This is so neat! I just created an account and I am really looking forward to using it. I also subscribed to the APSU Rss feed. It's so nice to think finding good resources is truly this easy. I think the best part of these bookmarking sites is that they can be accessed from anywhere. People today are constantly on the go. It's a refreshing thought to know that all of the material that you have saved is available as you need it. I love how you can interact with others and share valuable information. It's like searching for sunken treasure online!
I watched the tutorials for the other bookmarking websites as well. Magnolia has re-launched into Gnolia. There's a wait list to become a member, so they must have a huge demand for users. Furl looks great as well. On this one you can actually subscribe feeds to your friends, even if they aren't users. I thought this was pretty neat. I can definitely see the potential that these programs have to change the educational world. There used to be a time when books were one of the only resources for information. Now we can share findings and tools with such simplicity.
I think teachers could use this so effectively, especially those that were teaching in the same subject area. Del.icio.us would allow them to all add tags under a specific account so that they could see what great ideas were floating around the school. Or the school could even have an account where all of the faculty members could add to it. I looked at the network badges and I think that would be perfect to place on a classroom website. Parents, teachers, and other colleagues could all have access to your tags on Del.icio.us. I added one to my blog...go check it out!
It seems like the learning process is reaching a whole new level. It's already far surpassed what I thought was possible and I'm loving it!
I watched the tutorials for the other bookmarking websites as well. Magnolia has re-launched into Gnolia. There's a wait list to become a member, so they must have a huge demand for users. Furl looks great as well. On this one you can actually subscribe feeds to your friends, even if they aren't users. I thought this was pretty neat. I can definitely see the potential that these programs have to change the educational world. There used to be a time when books were one of the only resources for information. Now we can share findings and tools with such simplicity.
I think teachers could use this so effectively, especially those that were teaching in the same subject area. Del.icio.us would allow them to all add tags under a specific account so that they could see what great ideas were floating around the school. Or the school could even have an account where all of the faculty members could add to it. I looked at the network badges and I think that would be perfect to place on a classroom website. Parents, teachers, and other colleagues could all have access to your tags on Del.icio.us. I added one to my blog...go check it out!
It seems like the learning process is reaching a whole new level. It's already far surpassed what I thought was possible and I'm loving it!
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Thing 16
I am beyond excited! I just made my homepage using iGoogle. I seriously am beginning to think that I live under a rock. This literally took 30 seconds (just like it said)! I added tons of personalized gadgets to my page. I did a quote of the day, a countdown timer, art of the day, and many more. I put a to do list on there as well. It's like I've been dreaming about doing this for years, but never knew that I could. I think I chose iGoogle because I know that the other Google applications that I have been using are very simple to maneuver. iGoogle is amazing and I don't think I'll ever go back to using Yahoo as my homepage. I really cannot say enough good things about this! I can't wait to share it with everyone.
I chose 30 Boxes to use for my calendar. I like the fact that you can sync with Facebook and and other social networking sites. I added my to do list and also set it up so that I am receiving an RSS feed in my Google Reader. It just amazes me how all of these tools intertwine with one another so easily. I think the most beneficial aspect of the online calendar is that it can be accessed from nearly anywhere. If you forget your planner at home, you are just out of luck. With an online calendar, you are able to keep up with your information so easily. It would be especially nice to use at school and to share with other teachers. It's a nice way to keep up with events going on at the school and in the community as well.
As far as the to do lists go, I think we already have so many options for them with the programs that we're currently using. In my opinion, doing any more would be cumbersome. I checked out Remember The Milk, and don't get me wrong, it's a nice application. I just feel like I already have other methods to record my lists. I have a gadget on iGoogle and also I can do it from 30 Boxes as well. I don't want to be bogged down with too many programs.
I also explored another application called College Ruled that I found in the Top 25 Web 2.0 Apps. It's a really neat program. It's centered around students and you can make schedules and discussion boards. The students can discuss assignments and ask questions. It's a great collaborative and organizational tool. I think this would be perfect for a class to use. I would definitely suggest it to others and maybe I can get a group to start participating with me.
I chose 30 Boxes to use for my calendar. I like the fact that you can sync with Facebook and and other social networking sites. I added my to do list and also set it up so that I am receiving an RSS feed in my Google Reader. It just amazes me how all of these tools intertwine with one another so easily. I think the most beneficial aspect of the online calendar is that it can be accessed from nearly anywhere. If you forget your planner at home, you are just out of luck. With an online calendar, you are able to keep up with your information so easily. It would be especially nice to use at school and to share with other teachers. It's a nice way to keep up with events going on at the school and in the community as well.
As far as the to do lists go, I think we already have so many options for them with the programs that we're currently using. In my opinion, doing any more would be cumbersome. I checked out Remember The Milk, and don't get me wrong, it's a nice application. I just feel like I already have other methods to record my lists. I have a gadget on iGoogle and also I can do it from 30 Boxes as well. I don't want to be bogged down with too many programs.
I also explored another application called College Ruled that I found in the Top 25 Web 2.0 Apps. It's a really neat program. It's centered around students and you can make schedules and discussion boards. The students can discuss assignments and ask questions. It's a great collaborative and organizational tool. I think this would be perfect for a class to use. I would definitely suggest it to others and maybe I can get a group to start participating with me.
Thing 15
Once again, I am blown away by another one of the Things! The concept is so simple, it almost seems to good to be true! The wiki is not something that I was too familiar with. I'm also more than a little embarrassed to admit that I now know what Wikipedia is all about. Anyway, back to my new found knowledge. My mind is just reeling with ideas for class projects. After looking at some of the sample wikis that students had created, I started thinking about how much something like that could have enhanced my education when I was in school. There are so many opportunities today to get students actively involved in their own learning. Wikis are the perfect means to do this. I especially loved the sample of the Holocaust wiki that was done by a history class. That just really inspired me. I might use a wiki to have the class create their own story, having each student become a different character. Another idea would be to create a wiki for a certain book we are reading in class. Here, the students could have discussions, post thoughts, and really dive into the concepts presented to them. I also think it would be nice if the schools created wikis so that teachers could add and share resources they have found to be useful. I saw that a few libraries were doing something similar. What a wonderful way to share what you know! I also loved the idea of using a wiki as book club/book review. I think that would be a great way to get students interested in reading. They could see how others interpreted a book or whether they enjoyed it or not. I think this would open up the world of reading to many children.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Thing 14
Well, I have to say I was surprised when I clicked on Thing 14 today to start working on it. I choose a mind mapping website called www.bubbl.us for my Website of the Day Project. I searched forever to find one I was happy with and finally found this site. Then low and behold, here it is in the 23 Things! I guess that can only mean one thing: It's a great tool! Anyway, back to the blog at hand. I love the idea of doing mind maps online. They are such a great tool for beginning research or for class discussions of certain topics. On Gliffy and Bubbl.us, you can share and collaborate with other users. This is ideal for both teachers and students. When you are using a mind map, it's a way to organize ideas in the form of a cluster. One idea can branch off of another and so on. You normally center around a main topic and map away! When using a flow chart, I believe there is a little more order involved. It can be used for step by step directions, floor plans, and other drawings. When you are using flow charts, each symbol stands for a specific action you need to take. This is especially nice for visual learners. Mind maps are more defined by the lines that symbolize relationships between ideas.
I think I prefer the mind maps. I think Bubbl.us was much easier to put thoughts into action. Flow charts are a little more time-consuming, but worth the work once you get the finished project. I created a mind map of my goals for this semester. My center bubble was "Goals" and I used each of my classes as balloons. It was a fun way to assess what I want to accomplish this semester and I can always return later and add or delete as I go along.
I think I prefer the mind maps. I think Bubbl.us was much easier to put thoughts into action. Flow charts are a little more time-consuming, but worth the work once you get the finished project. I created a mind map of my goals for this semester. My center bubble was "Goals" and I used each of my classes as balloons. It was a fun way to assess what I want to accomplish this semester and I can always return later and add or delete as I go along.
I think one of the benefits of using the online applications for these programs is the fact that it's so easy to make changes and alterations. We're done with erasing and rewriting and I couldn't be happier! What took so much time to do when I was in school can be finished in seconds on the computer! In the classroom, students would be able to work together to create flow charts or mind maps, and then compare their ideas with others. These are programs that could be used for almost any grade level. I think the students would love to work on them with the teacher too. It's a fun way to use technology to its potential in the classroom!
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Thing 13
Wow! I'm flabbergasted! Yes, I just used that word. I don't get to very often, but I think in this case it fits! From what I have read so far, Zoho is amazing! Why would I ever want to type something in Microsoft Word again? This is so fresh and updated with all of the features that I need to use on a daily basis. It is so frustrating to try to e-mail a document to myself or to remember to save it to my flash drive and carry it with me wherever I go. I'm am so happy about this program! This is just remarkable in so many ways. It's perfect for people who are always working at different places and times. I'm already imagining myself working on things while I am at school or work or basically anywhere I can get to a computer! Everything on here is so easy to navigate through. This would be ideal for teachers and students. Group projects could be done on Zoho, where students could collaborate with one another. For those of us still working on our teaching degrees, I think the tool for tagging is especially useful. When doing portfolio work, it would be nice to be able to look up papers or documents by the standard they are associated with. This would also work for teachers doing lesson plans. I also love the feature where you can go back and compare earlier versions of your work. Sometimes it's hard to see where you need to make a change or you may not like the direction the paper is taking. It's just too simple using Zoho to start from an earlier save point.You can also switch from one Zoho program to another. All of these wonderful features make this application seem far superior in my eyes. I don't think I'll use the word program on my computer ever again (unless I'm forced). I'm so glad I learned about this tool. I am forever in debt to the 23 Things.
Just a little side note: I published my blog through Zoho and it was a piece of cake! I can't wait to use it again and again!
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Thing 12
The Google Calendar is a great gadget. Teachers are so busy with all of their responsibilities and with everything going on in the classroom, it's easy to forget an appointment or meeting. With Google calendar you could keep up with due dates for projects, meetings, assignments, etc.. I think it would be an excellent tool for any teacher or pre-service teacher for that matter. You can even add a friend's calendar. With this, teachers could collaborate easily by keeping track of what events are happening during the week. You can receive reminders from your calendar through text message or e-mail. There are just so many options on here. It's unbelievable. Here you can check out my Google Calendar. Who knew Google was so full of surprises? Not me, that's for sure! The Google Alert is so easy to use. I think that might even be an understatement. You can have any kind of alert delivered to your feed or e-mail, whichever you prefer. When you are keeping up with a developing story, this would be the perfect means to do so. Every time there is an update, you will be notified immediately. Let's use the earthquake in Haiti as an example. I set up my alert for this topic. I believe that you can keep the students interested in a story by getting them involved. Google Alert would allow the teacher to be on top of any new information so that he/she can pass it on to the students. You can also change the type of alert you want to receive. Maybe you are keeping up with a person's blog and you want to be notified as soon as something changes. No matter which program in Google you are interested in, the bottom line is that they are time-saving and definitely worth using.
Thing 11
The Edublog's award winners page was amazing! There are so many blogs to explore. I found a language arts winner and also a teaching category winner. I can't wait to have all of that information right at my fingertips in my Google Reader.
I liked the fact that on the Technorati site you can search the blogs by keyword or tags. They also have a list of the top 100 blogs which was interesting to explore. I found the Google Blog Search to be the easiest to use. Bloglines was fairly simple as well. Basically anything you ever wanted to read about is there! It's unbelievable! I think the only problem I have now is that I may end up subscribing to way too many feeds. With all of that knowledge just floating around out there, it's hard not to drink it all in at once. Now that I know about these tools and what they can offer me, I feel like I'll never turn back. I can only move forward now in my technological journey, which is a good thing.
All of the search sites I used had their own good features. I think I would just use certain ones depending on what I was trying to find. I found some feeds on Army life and also some useful ones on how to incorporate literature into the classroom. I also subscribed to the English Blog. You can go to any search engine site and type in newsfeeds and tons of results will appear. Also, I have just been checking the websites that I visit regularly to see if they have an RSS button.
What is so ironic is that for years I have been using the web. Never once have I paid enough attention to see the RSS feed buttons or to even question what they were. Now every time I'm on a website, I find myself searching for that little golden button.
I checked out the link to the feedicons web page. I think I need to download that now that I know all about RSS feeds and the like. What a great little gadget!
I liked the fact that on the Technorati site you can search the blogs by keyword or tags. They also have a list of the top 100 blogs which was interesting to explore. I found the Google Blog Search to be the easiest to use. Bloglines was fairly simple as well. Basically anything you ever wanted to read about is there! It's unbelievable! I think the only problem I have now is that I may end up subscribing to way too many feeds. With all of that knowledge just floating around out there, it's hard not to drink it all in at once. Now that I know about these tools and what they can offer me, I feel like I'll never turn back. I can only move forward now in my technological journey, which is a good thing.
All of the search sites I used had their own good features. I think I would just use certain ones depending on what I was trying to find. I found some feeds on Army life and also some useful ones on how to incorporate literature into the classroom. I also subscribed to the English Blog. You can go to any search engine site and type in newsfeeds and tons of results will appear. Also, I have just been checking the websites that I visit regularly to see if they have an RSS button.
What is so ironic is that for years I have been using the web. Never once have I paid enough attention to see the RSS feed buttons or to even question what they were. Now every time I'm on a website, I find myself searching for that little golden button.
I checked out the link to the feedicons web page. I think I need to download that now that I know all about RSS feeds and the like. What a great little gadget!
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Thing 10
Okay, where have I been the last few years? The further I move through the 23 Things, the more I feel like I am light years behind when it comes to technology. I am so grateful for being exposed to just a few of the things that are available to me.
After some deliberation, I decided to use Google Reader. It's actually pretty self explanatory once you are on the website. I subscribed to quite a few different RSS feeds. I found some on Teaching Tolerance and also decided to subscribe to The Cool Cat Teacher. I found one on the Army Times newspaper as well. Because my husband is in the Army, I like to learn as much as possible about what's going on overseas and just news in general.
This is such a great tool, especially for teachers. It saves so much time and I know most of us are busy people. I think it's important that we stay updated on the most current news and the like. I also decided to subscribe to a fun fact of the day feed. I think it's always nice to share something interesting with your students on a daily basis. They could even be encouraged to bring in their own fun fact or something that happened that day in history. I also found a word of the day feed. I love to learn, so it's nice to start the day with something fresh and new. I think this is such a great opportunity to stay on top of current events. We should always be ready to answer questions from students at the drop of a hat. This just gives us a better way to be updated on the things that are truly important to us.
Here's a link to my public page with Google Reader.
After some deliberation, I decided to use Google Reader. It's actually pretty self explanatory once you are on the website. I subscribed to quite a few different RSS feeds. I found some on Teaching Tolerance and also decided to subscribe to The Cool Cat Teacher. I found one on the Army Times newspaper as well. Because my husband is in the Army, I like to learn as much as possible about what's going on overseas and just news in general.
This is such a great tool, especially for teachers. It saves so much time and I know most of us are busy people. I think it's important that we stay updated on the most current news and the like. I also decided to subscribe to a fun fact of the day feed. I think it's always nice to share something interesting with your students on a daily basis. They could even be encouraged to bring in their own fun fact or something that happened that day in history. I also found a word of the day feed. I love to learn, so it's nice to start the day with something fresh and new. I think this is such a great opportunity to stay on top of current events. We should always be ready to answer questions from students at the drop of a hat. This just gives us a better way to be updated on the things that are truly important to us.
Here's a link to my public page with Google Reader.
Thing 9
Teardrop
Here are the links to the first two images I created. I used the Image Chef website and it's very easy to start creating! I love anything to do with words, so I found this word mosaic. It's so neat and it resembles the Wordle website we explored a few weeks ago. You could spend hours on here just playing around with all of the different image generators. The sites are so easy to navigate. It literally just takes minutes to create something special!
I did a search on Google and found an Image Mosaic Creator. It is so neat! Here's the link to the site:
I chose a picture of my daughter and one of my puppy and they both turned out great!
Personally, I think the image generators are just plain cool! Many of us use social networking sites, such as Facebook. These image generators could be used to personalize pages. I also think my family would love to see some of the neat things you can create using these applications. In the library, they could be used to make signs for different sections in the kids department. They could also be used to make some kind of collage to promote a book of the week.
You could use this in the classroom for multiple purposes. The students would love to play with the image generators. I think they could use them to personalize their blogs. Another idea would be to have students write their own short stories or books. They could use image generators to create the graphics. This could possibly be a group project and each individual could be responsible for a graphic. What a fun way to get creative! Thursday, February 4, 2010
Thing 8
Well, this might be my favorite of the 23 Things so far! I've been playing around with the different applications all night. Jigsaw from Big Huge Labs allows you to take photos and create your own puzzles. Such a neat idea and kids would love this! I also experimented with the photo mosaic creator. I tried using photos from Flickr and then I decided to use some of my own. It feels much more rewarding to me when I create something using pictures that I took myself. The picture I used for my puzzle was taken in Garmisch, Germany. The pictures in my mosaic were taken in Florence, Garmisch, Schwangau, and Prague.
This mashup allows you to link your pictures, or pictures from Flickr, to Bible verses. You can search by keyword or reference. For example, I chose wings for my keyword and it brought up several different verses to choose from. This would be great for a little inspiration to start your day!
The Flickr mashups could be used in so many ways. You could spend hours on there just exploring. The first thought that popped into my mind was how students could do an "About Me" project. They could use pictures to create a mosaic or really anything they desired. It would give them a chance to learn about some of the neat web tools that are out there. It would also give the teacher a little insight into the world of their students. You can learn so much by just looking at what they created. Also, I know that art is now part of the daily routine of many teachers. What better way to introduce the students to a whole new genre of art? Kids love to create and we can give them the opportunity to do just that!Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Thing 7
Kallie In The Snow
I decided to use the snow storm as an opportunity to take some pictures. This is my first experience with a photo sharing site. As I explored Flickr, I found it very easy to maneuver. The steps for uploading were simple and concise and I would definitely use it in the future for my own personal photos. As far as the public vs. private aspect, I am a fan of both. I think if the pictures are something personal, then private is the way to go. For my pictures in this project, I feel comfortable with the fact that anyone can view them. Maybe they'll even bring a smile to somebody's face. In the classroom, Flickr could be great asset for both myself and my students. When doing lessons, I could refer to a photo or image from the Flickr. When doing group projects, I could document the students progress with photos (with the parents' permission of course). On Flickr, you can create groups where photos are only available to members. This would allow parents a glimpse into what their students are accomplishing on a day-to-day basis. I think there are many opportunities to use this website in a positive way, both at home and in the classroom.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Thing 6
Writeboard
I chose this website from the Collaborative Writing and Word Processing category. It received 2nd place in the Web 2.0 awards. The Writeboard is such a nifty tool, especially for people who are interested in collaborating on ideas or projects. So in my eyes, I see it as a resource for both my students and myself. As I explored the site, I found that every time you save a section of your writing, it keeps a log of it. You are then able to compare earlier versions of you work with new versions. Also, this feature would allow your collaborators to see how you have progressed. You can also click on two versions of the project and select the compare button. This will show you the changes between the two. There is an option available to become a subscriber to the Writeboard. In doing this, you will be notified any time a change is made.
Students could you this site for group projects, essays, etc.. It's very easy and user friendly, which I love. You can invite users by simply entering their e-mail and a password and link will be sent directly to them. Teachers could use this as well. I think it would be great for a few teachers to work together on a unit plan. Students and teachers from all the classes could collaborate right through this website. What a great find!
I chose this website from the Collaborative Writing and Word Processing category. It received 2nd place in the Web 2.0 awards. The Writeboard is such a nifty tool, especially for people who are interested in collaborating on ideas or projects. So in my eyes, I see it as a resource for both my students and myself. As I explored the site, I found that every time you save a section of your writing, it keeps a log of it. You are then able to compare earlier versions of you work with new versions. Also, this feature would allow your collaborators to see how you have progressed. You can also click on two versions of the project and select the compare button. This will show you the changes between the two. There is an option available to become a subscriber to the Writeboard. In doing this, you will be notified any time a change is made.
Students could you this site for group projects, essays, etc.. It's very easy and user friendly, which I love. You can invite users by simply entering their e-mail and a password and link will be sent directly to them. Teachers could use this as well. I think it would be great for a few teachers to work together on a unit plan. Students and teachers from all the classes could collaborate right through this website. What a great find!
Thing 5
In Web 2.0 A Guide for Educators, visual literacy is discussed in depth. This is such a great tool for both teachers and students. I know that I, along with millions of others, am a visual learner. Now we have the opportunity to expand lessons and with this, the minds of our students. They can now become an active part of the topic by creating their own visual representations. What I loved about this article is how it explained that students are using technology (visual and other) in their everyday lives. If schools and teachers would get on board with this, the possibilities would be endless.
New Literacies: Enrichment or Essential really caught my attention. After reading through the article, I found it very difficult to choose which aspects of Web 2.0 are enrichment and which are essential. In my opinion, it encompasses both areas, sometimes overlapping one another. We can use Web 2.0 to benefit our students if we use guidance and structure to actively involve them in the learning process. Blogs, wikis, and the like are the norm in today's society. Why should we hinder our students by not exposing them to all of the resources that are available at their fingertips?
To me, School 2.0 can't be labeled as just an idea or a resource. It's much more than that. It encompasses an entirely new world of learning. It's the future. For schools, it means better learning opportunities and a broader understanding of the curriculum. It means new and improved communication and collaboration among students, teachers, and parents. It means everything.
New Literacies: Enrichment or Essential really caught my attention. After reading through the article, I found it very difficult to choose which aspects of Web 2.0 are enrichment and which are essential. In my opinion, it encompasses both areas, sometimes overlapping one another. We can use Web 2.0 to benefit our students if we use guidance and structure to actively involve them in the learning process. Blogs, wikis, and the like are the norm in today's society. Why should we hinder our students by not exposing them to all of the resources that are available at their fingertips?
To me, School 2.0 can't be labeled as just an idea or a resource. It's much more than that. It encompasses an entirely new world of learning. It's the future. For schools, it means better learning opportunities and a broader understanding of the curriculum. It means new and improved communication and collaboration among students, teachers, and parents. It means everything.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Thing 4
Sharing thoughts helps us to understand a little more about each other and about the world in general. I feel like we take for granted all of the opportunities we have to encourage our peers. Commenting on a blog is such an easy way to give someone the boost they need to keep up the good work. Once we start to share with our classmates, we will not only learn about them, but start to form a bond. As said in one of the articles, you start to become a part of the life of the blogger you are reading.
I think the most important thing a person can do when leaving a comment is to make it worthwhile. In the readings, it talked about how much of an impact a comment can have when it's done properly. I guess the best way to do this is to elaborate! Don't just write a few words, say what's on your mind. That's the whole point of this project.
I think if my comments are going to make a difference, then I have to choose to post on something that catches my attention or draws me in. That's how I chose the five blogs to comment on throughout the semester. Something in each of these made me stop and think for a moment. I chose, Nicole Lee, Amy Bunch, Tracie Cannon, Alice Everett, and Darlena Gary. All of these bloggers seem to be very motivated. I found out that Tracie is also an English major and she had some wonderful ideas about using blogs for journaling. It's nice to share ideas with others, especially those who will be working in the same field as you. Amy's post on image generators gave me some incentive on making classrooms signs. Darlena is also a middle school language arts major. I think we'll have a lot in common and hopefully can continue to share ideas throughout the semester. Nicole's blog is fun to read and I think it's important to enjoy what you are commenting on. Alice shared some neat ideas on her blog about creating a book online for students. I can't wait to keep up with everyone's posts and learn more about them as we go along.
As far as the two other blogs, I chose one from Blog Spot called Single Parent Dad.
There are a couple of reasons why I chose this particular one. For starters, it was one of the blogs to watch. I also think that it's important that as teachers we realize that many of our students will come from single-parent homes. There are many challenges that come with that. Also, my husband is in the Army and will be leaving for his second deployment soon. I know what it's like in a sense, to be a single parent. When he is gone, that role is inherently mine. I think this blog shows the ups and downs of parenthood with a sense of humor to go along with it.
The other blog I chose is called The Page Flipper. This blog is dedicated to young adult books. The blogger, Chelsea Swiggett, writes reviews on a variety of teen books. For me, this is perfect! I love to read, especially young adult books. Also, I think its crucial that as a middle childhood major, I stay current on books in which my students would be interested. To me, reading is an essential part of the learning process. The more I know, the better chance I have to reach out to my students and find a topic that truly interests them.
I think the most important thing a person can do when leaving a comment is to make it worthwhile. In the readings, it talked about how much of an impact a comment can have when it's done properly. I guess the best way to do this is to elaborate! Don't just write a few words, say what's on your mind. That's the whole point of this project.
I think if my comments are going to make a difference, then I have to choose to post on something that catches my attention or draws me in. That's how I chose the five blogs to comment on throughout the semester. Something in each of these made me stop and think for a moment. I chose, Nicole Lee, Amy Bunch, Tracie Cannon, Alice Everett, and Darlena Gary. All of these bloggers seem to be very motivated. I found out that Tracie is also an English major and she had some wonderful ideas about using blogs for journaling. It's nice to share ideas with others, especially those who will be working in the same field as you. Amy's post on image generators gave me some incentive on making classrooms signs. Darlena is also a middle school language arts major. I think we'll have a lot in common and hopefully can continue to share ideas throughout the semester. Nicole's blog is fun to read and I think it's important to enjoy what you are commenting on. Alice shared some neat ideas on her blog about creating a book online for students. I can't wait to keep up with everyone's posts and learn more about them as we go along.
As far as the two other blogs, I chose one from Blog Spot called Single Parent Dad.
There are a couple of reasons why I chose this particular one. For starters, it was one of the blogs to watch. I also think that it's important that as teachers we realize that many of our students will come from single-parent homes. There are many challenges that come with that. Also, my husband is in the Army and will be leaving for his second deployment soon. I know what it's like in a sense, to be a single parent. When he is gone, that role is inherently mine. I think this blog shows the ups and downs of parenthood with a sense of humor to go along with it.
The other blog I chose is called The Page Flipper. This blog is dedicated to young adult books. The blogger, Chelsea Swiggett, writes reviews on a variety of teen books. For me, this is perfect! I love to read, especially young adult books. Also, I think its crucial that as a middle childhood major, I stay current on books in which my students would be interested. To me, reading is an essential part of the learning process. The more I know, the better chance I have to reach out to my students and find a topic that truly interests them.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Thing 3
There are so many different ways a blog could be used effectively in the classroom. As a future teacher, I think it would be an ideal way to record teaching strategies that were successful and also ones that didn't live up to my expectations. I want to know what lessons provided the most benefit to my students. It's too difficult to try to remember later on how students reacted to a lesson or assignment. With a blog, you can quickly note things of importance. I also want to keep parents in the loop when it comes their children. A blog would be the perfect tool to do this. I could post assignments for the week, field trips, reminders, local events that may interest the students, etc.. The possibilities are endless.
Students could also use a blog to express how they feel about certain assignments. It would be great feedback for the teacher and would also help the student to realize what they gained or didn't gain from the work. I also think journals are a wonderful way to start a class. The students could use a blog for that purpose, or even for a "thought of the day."
In the education program, you are given so much information to take with you in the world of teaching. I think it would be a great idea to have teacher candidates start a blog when they join the program. They could write about their classes and lessons, their experiences with the students, and the knowledge that they are gaining throughout their journey. It would be a such a useful tool to take into your first year of teaching.
Students could also use a blog to express how they feel about certain assignments. It would be great feedback for the teacher and would also help the student to realize what they gained or didn't gain from the work. I also think journals are a wonderful way to start a class. The students could use a blog for that purpose, or even for a "thought of the day."
In the education program, you are given so much information to take with you in the world of teaching. I think it would be a great idea to have teacher candidates start a blog when they join the program. They could write about their classes and lessons, their experiences with the students, and the knowledge that they are gaining throughout their journey. It would be a such a useful tool to take into your first year of teaching.
Thing 2
So, I accomplished a feat...I have created a blog and an avatar! Something that seemed beyond my level of comprehension turned out to be relatively easy. My posting name isn't very original at all, but I have hopes of coming up with something more catchy. For the name of my blog, I used my initials C.R.F. and my age, which is 25. It's a little piece of me that doesn't reveal too much to the world at large. I have learned so much already in just the short time that I have started this project. I love how you can personalize your blog site and give it just the right touch to make it your own. My avatar is a mini version of how I see myself once I finish school and begin my own career as a teacher. Even though I could create my character to be anything I wanted, I found it very difficult to make it look anything other than how I picture myself.
Creating the blog wasn't difficult at all. I guess it's the idea of using technology to its full extent that is a little overwhelming. I hope that I can grow as a person and student by using this blog to express some of my thoughts and ideas. It's a little intimidating, but I feel as though in the end the rewards will be great!
Creating the blog wasn't difficult at all. I guess it's the idea of using technology to its full extent that is a little overwhelming. I hope that I can grow as a person and student by using this blog to express some of my thoughts and ideas. It's a little intimidating, but I feel as though in the end the rewards will be great!
Thing 1
In my learning journey, I feel like I always begin with the end in mind. I'm not sure if this is a trait that I acquired, or if it has been there all along. Either way, I believe it helps me to focus and concentrate on reaching goals and accomplishing what I set out to do in life. Accepting responsibility for my own learning has always been a major priority for me as well. It seems only natural that I be in control of my education and learning process. I set goals for myself and only I can make certain that those goals are reached. I would consider both of these habits to be fairly easy for me. On the other hand, I do find it difficult to view problems as challenges. I can honestly say that when a problem arises, my thoughts are always centered around how to fix the problem. Later, I look back and see what the problem taught me and how I could have benefited from the experience. My goal is to try to see these things while the problem is occurring. I feel that I could learn much more this way and possibly even handle the situation in a different manner.
So far, this process is a learning experience for me. I have never done a blog before, but I feel like it's something I will grow to love. There's something refreshing about taking all of my jumbled thoughts and putting them into action. I'm very excited about discovering some of the wonderful things 2.0 has to offer. I know in the world of teaching, technology is a girl's best friend. There are so many resources out there just waiting to be discovered and utilized! I'm very much looking forward to this journey through the 23 Things.
So far, this process is a learning experience for me. I have never done a blog before, but I feel like it's something I will grow to love. There's something refreshing about taking all of my jumbled thoughts and putting them into action. I'm very excited about discovering some of the wonderful things 2.0 has to offer. I know in the world of teaching, technology is a girl's best friend. There are so many resources out there just waiting to be discovered and utilized! I'm very much looking forward to this journey through the 23 Things.
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