One Last Thing ...... finally

My favorite exercise that we completed during the 23 things was the animoto video. My lifelong goals have been helped with all of the useful technology that I never knew about before. There were not any "take aways" for me during this assignment. The program's format is great and does not need to undergo change. Everything that I have learned throughout these 23 things, I will take back and use in my classroom. Technology is important and I want to be sure that my students know and understand that! The way I plan to keep up is with my RSS. Very time consuming project, but I did get a lot of good things out of it, so it wasnt too much of a waste! :)

Thing #23

After learning more about creative commons, I noticed that thing # 9 is an example of using creative commons because the link to the custom sign generator takes the creator's original images and allows someone to modify it, putting their own words or thoughts to it. As a teacher, in the future I will use creative commons when working on projects and help them identify what is okay and what is not okay according to the creative commons rules.

Thing #22

I listened to "The Education of the Little Tree" by Forrest Carter. It is a novel put into words through a podcast. I found the Learn out Loud Podcast directory easiest to navigate. The others had very broad subjects, and it was hard to find something you wanted. This has actually inspired me to create a podcast myself for my students or with my students. Many children can gain from an activity like this. I know that there are many interesting blogs I could subscribe to for more podcasts, but there was no actual one that caught my eye as I was searching.

Thing #21

My experience using animoto was great! It had three easy steps, and you had a great little video! This would be great for any type of video you needed to make for any kind of occasion. I also liked that you could put your own music to it. It did not work for me because all of my songs are mp4 and mp3 were the only ones compatible. Overall this was a great experience and an application that I will be using in the future!

Thing # 21

Thing #20

Thing #19

I am not currently a member of any online communities. The network, TeacherPop is appealing to me for the simple fact that this would be a great way to talk to people who have been through things that I will go through. Just putting my name out there for people to get to know me is good, and also TeacherPop provides all types of resources that I could be very helpful! I might get a TeacherPop account later on right before I graduate and explore my resources available to me.

Thing #18

I have both a myspace and a facebook account. I love the social aspect of the networking sites. I think that it is important that educators know how social networking works for the simple fact that, as a secondary teacher, most every student in your classes will have one or the other, or both. I think it important to understand how they work to understand the “lingo” their students will be talking in and be able to identify any problems if necessary. I did not really gain any new insight information on these social networking sites because I have been a member for a while now. The main thing that I really do love about both of these sites is the ability to get or stay in touch with friends, no matter where in the world they are. One dislike that I have is that anyone can get one, even sexual predators, but if you are smart and set your profile to private and do not add anyone you don’t know, you will be fine. Another dislike is that it is pretty much a gossip fest. We should not gossip, and trust me, I am as guilty as the next person, but I do not like that in a way, it encourages gossip to spread. Facebook definitely has more useful features. I do not feel that either one of these social networking sites will ever be appropriate for the classroom. This is more of a personal thing and the classroom is the last place to bring in conflicting personal lives.

Thing #17

My experience with social bookmarking has been great so far! I have learned a lot and found very useful ways to incorporate it into my life, making it a little easier. In a classroom, I think the potential is great for social bookmarking sites to be a hit! You can have a website for just your class, and through that have homework help links, and practice pages, and really just an endless amount of helpful resources. This is just an easy way to bookmark because you can access it anywhere, but more than that, it is a very practical tool and resource that can be used in a classroom. Teachers everywhere can definitely take advantage of this resource. Similarly to how we create links for our students, we can also create a list just for teachers, giving lesson plans, different instructional strategies, and links to helpful software. I know that when I become a teacher, I will definitely have a resource like this and always be searching for new and fresh ideas.

Thing #16

I chose to use the iGoogle for the start page. Like I have stated in previous blogs, I do not think that there is anything thing in the technology world better than google. All of the google features are linked at easy access, easy to use, and practical for everyday usage. Plus it gives me the ability to put which applications I want on my widget. This website was actually my home page for a while but I recently changed it; however, it is still bookmarked. Online calendars and to do lists are both useful, I think. However I do feel that it is too much work. I guess if you had ample amount of time to type it out and print an agenda for everyday, it would be great. That is not the case for me. I am involved in many different things, I have a job, and I go to school full time, which means that I am constantly on the go. I would much prefer a sheet of notebook paper with my to do list and decorated planner rather than a computer screen. The other tool that I enjoy is stickynotes.net. If I were to use a to do list on my computer, this would be it. I do use this application frequently because it came on my macbook, and it gives me space to write down reminders, quotes, or allows my friends to write a little piece of encouragement that I can look at during the day. I would recommend this tool any macbook user, and if you are not a “macer,” as my roommates and I like to call it, then download this application! It is definitely worth the little bit of time!

Thing #15

My experience with wiki was awesome! I have never thought about how useful a sight like that would actually be. After discovering that, I have fallen in love with it. I want to get all of my friends involved so that we can wiki together. In the classroom setting, I could use it to keep in contact with parents on class field trips and potlucks, with who is bringing what. It is a quick and simple way to stay in touch.

Thing #14

I chose Flowchart.com for my flow chart, and Bubbl.us for the mind map for this activity. Flowcharts help organize complex thoughts into categories that are easy to understand. As a future elementary educator, I think both of these programs are very practical for classroom usage. I can think of multiple assignments and decorations. All of the tools were easy to use and the features were accessible.

Thing #13

Here is the real question, where has Zoho Writer been all of my life? Well maybe not my entire life but at least through high school and especially through college. I am so used to saving papers on my jump drive or emailing them to my self in order to access them from another computer, so this program is so practical and convenient! Also my Microsoft word is only at the 2003 level, so it makes opening up anything that is greater than this quality virtually impossible. Most of the time I have to log onto my roommate’s computer, download the file, save it as a 2003 document, and then email it back to myself. This is such a hassle that can simply be eliminated with the amazing invention of Zoho Writer! This program has all of the features that Microsoft word or any blogging website has. It makes writing papers easier, not having to worry about uploading them or if the document is in the right format. The best feature of all is its easy access. As a teacher, I will be able to work on things from my home computer and won’t have to deal with bringing my work computer home with me! I am just so excited to start using it more and more!

Thing #12

Google is by far, maybe my favorite thing the Internet has to offer. You thought that nothing could beat Wal-Mart, but I think Google can hold it’s own. Google has everything from google mail to google calendars. The first google tool I chose to explore is not actually listed on the resources, but since this “thing” is all about google, I thought it would not matter. Gmail is the first tool I explored. I have an account and took time exploring the different options, making it separate from any other mail service out there. Well first of all, it is free, which is the best part, and also it has all of the google tools at quick, easy access. The second tool I explored was Google Book. Since I am a college student, I am constantly doing research and writing papers. Professors always want resources that are not just Internet sources. Google Book provides a way to make this happen. Also it is very easy to navigate, making it very convenient while doing research. Endless educational uses can come from any google tool. Google Earth is a great way to allow students to see what they are learning about, and not just through clipart. Google Book can give me any book I wanted so I could share with my class. Google images can provide my students with visual representations of what we are learning about. This list could go on and on, but the point I am trying to make is that Google really does do it all!

Thing #11

Google Reader was the method of finding feeds that I found easiest to use. I am very familiar with google and its searches, so learning how to navigate through Google Reader was simple and fun! The search tool that was easiest for me to use was Technorati. I found it to be simple and easy to navigate through as well. Topix was the hardest cite for me to navigate through. Everything from the search engine to the blog listings was confusing to me. However, on the bright side, I did find a lot of interesting feeds along the way. I primarily found links to the different media and news channels. This would be a great way to keep my students and myself up to date with what is going on outside the confines of out classroom. Other than the listed resources for search tools, I found just plain regular google to be the best. This may just be because I do a google search every time I need to know an answer, but I have always found it to be the most helpful!

Thing #10

I found RSS, “Really Simple Syndication,” to be just that. Really easy to set up, use, and very practical for everyday life. I have never thought about how instead of going to multiple places to check my blogs and news, I can just go to one place, and just by signing it I have all of those things right at my quick access. I could definitely see myself using this technology in my classroom. I could use resources from blogs, found on my google reader account from other teachers and use those instructional strategies in my classroom. I can also be very up to date on the news and what is going on in the world. It is important to be up to date, in order to teach students the significance of the real world and how it could affect us. In my personal life, I could use it to keep up with friends with blogging, they will be able to read about my day, and I about theirs, without even a phone call. This would be convenient! As a teacher, I could use the full advantage of technology like this, just by having a place to find all of my links quickly and also resources for other teachers to use. We will just help each other out and with using RSS, it just makes things a lot quicker and easier!

Thing #9

http://happyfacegenerator.com/signs/smilies/sign-generators.asp

I first went to the Happy Face Generator. I clicked on “make your own smiley holding a wooden sign.” I then chose my smiley, added my lines of text, and it was as simple as that! All of these image generators were a lot of fun. They could all be used in the classroom setting. I could use the comic generator to put captions to old presidents and famous people to help children understand what their significance is. I have a very bubbly personality, so the Happy Face Generator is by far my favorite, and will be used in the future in my personal life to decorate cards or dress up my blogging pages! In the library, applications like this would give students time to explore their imagination and put their ideas into action.

Thing #8

I had a lot of fun playing with the Flickr Mashups! I typed in multiple words to see what they came up with. The best part is that they had multiple designs for each letter, giving you total freedom to put your own spark of creativity into it, making it your own. I think that these are very cute and I can think of many practical ways these can be used in future classrooms. The first reason is fro decoration. Also, you could type every child’s name out as their nametag on the front of their desk. They could help design their own, giving them interaction using computers. There are also many reasons I could use this in my personal life, such as using pictures from Flickr or words from Mashups to create cards for friends, or for decoration in my apartment. Sharing photos, within reason, is perfectly fine online. I think you have to be careful because once it is on the Internet; literally anyone can have access to it. If you don’t want it to get out, you just need to be careful and smart about it.

Thing #7

http://www.flickr.com/photos/katrini/3050307072/

(Katrina 2008)

Before this activity, I never knew that Flickr existed. Now that I do know, I will be using it frequently. It is uploading photos made easy, which is great for people who are not computer people; I fit into that category. It was also really easy to find photos. You could really find any photo in any category by simply typing in a key word. This is seriously so easy and simple to use! The photo that I found most interesting is a picture of the word Faith. My faith is the number one thing in my life, and I could not pick a better picture to represent me than this one.

Thing #6

http://earth.google.com/

After searching through the web 2.0 awards nominees, I came across Google Earth. I have had experience with Google Earth before but I always seem to learn something new. Things I like about Google Earth are that I can go directly from location to location. I do not have to go to a “home” location first. The only thing that I disliked about it was that over my house, in the country, there was not really a clear picture. I could see this application being used in both the library and school settings. The features of Google Earth are very useful and can be used to help teach a variety of subjects in the classroom.

Thing #5

I enjoyed reading and learning about web 2.0 and school 2.0. School 2.0 basically states that teachers will start integrating and using technology in their classrooms as much as possible. I think that this is a good idea that could reach many different levels of learners. As for the future of schools, I do feel as though technology is going to be a very important part of the future education of students. I do not feel that it should be the primary part of their education. Sometimes learning comes from one-on-one teacher to student interaction. We also have to consider that we cannot base our entire teaching strategies for computers because every student might not have a computer at home. This would give the other children an unfair advantage.

Thing #4

Commenting is a very important part of blogging. People usually blog to write down what they are feeling on the inside. Sometimes they are just looking for someone to listen to them, so commenting is very necessary for them. This helps create a sense of community and interaction that most people need. I found all of the readings very interesting and practical. One of the things I found most interesting was the fact that if you blog, you need to make it relevant and heart-felt. This sounds so easy to do, but seriously if you have something to say, by all means, say it; just don’t waste time writing useless information. The other thing that I found very interesting was something we all need to do in life, not just in the blogger’s world, and that is to think positively about constructive criticism. I commented on the following bloggs: Hykeem Craft, Jess Doty, Pam Matthews, Alicia Lee, Jackie Mosely, Abbey Durbin, and Isaac Zilkowski. I selected these particular blogs because they all caught my attention in some kind of way, which is also important for classroom usage. I made brief comments on what I liked about that particular thing and agreed with many of their statements from the blog.

Thing #3

I am only on the third part of this project, and already love blogging! I think that it could definitely be a useful tool in the classroom setting. As educators, we must adhere to every type of learner. Blogging would be a great way to teach visual learners for example. Also as a teacher, I would have my own blog with homework assignments, test days, contact information, helpful links to assist children with their assignments, and a spot where they can ask me questions pertaining to various things. This is also a great use of communication with parents. Obviously it is not the absolute best or my first choice, but just to keep parents updated on what is going on in my classroom and what their child is learning is another positive thing about using a blogging service in my classroom. I know that it would be successful in my classroom because I am very excited about it, which will be obvious to my students and they will also be excited seeing me excited.

Thing #2

Creating my avatar was no different than creating my blog, unfamiliar territory where I found myself in a world of confusion. Luckily I had the Learning 2.0 website to guide me in my adventures. After learning a little about blogging and creating my avatar, it became easier than I originally thought and I really had a good time creating them both. One of the things that I loved about creating my blog was that I got to put my personal template and color I wanted. Creating the avatar was really a lot of fun. I found myself checking out multiple outfits and backgrounds and then comparing them to see which one was more like me.
I decided to keep my posting name and the name of my blog rather simple. I know this might seem a little boring, but I thought it would be easy to find me if my classmates wanted to read my blogs or comment. My avatar does indeed reflect my personality. She is a character who is in the gym, in a work out suit, with a sweat band. I do work out and spend some time in the gym, but the avatar that I created is kind of like a goal I have set for myself. I want people to look at me and know that I spend a lot of time in the gym, not that looks are the only thing that matters, but when you look better, you feel better. So the avatar I created is myself in the future after reaching and maintaining my goal.

Thing #1

After viewing the Seven and 1/2 Habits of Highly Successful Lifelong Learners, I found every habit easy to relate to. The habit that I found easiest for me is habit number one, Begin with the end in mind. I have my goals set, and I am determined to not let anything get in my way. I am the type of person that lives in the future. I love planning ahead, and keeping things organized. On the other hand, habit number three, View problems as challenges, is the hardest habit for me to keep a habit. I am an optimistic person but sometimes I let the worried side of me take over. Overall, the tutorial was very helpful in helping me become a lifelong leaner.
I personally have never used or set up a blog, so this part of the 23 things was, interesting, to say the least. I had multiple feelings of confusion and worry about if I was doing the right things, in the right order. However, as I explored the website more, i became more familiar with it. Now I feel okay with the blogging process, but it is still a new thing, so I still have lots of questions.