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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.