Summary

This was such a wonderful learning experience. After participating in the 23 things, I have so many ideas and thoughts about how to incorperate what I learned into my future classroom. I feel as though I have been well versed in modern technology. I will continue to be a life long learner to stay on top of new technology.

I enjoyed watching You Tube, and creating an Animoto video. Everything I did was very interesting, even though I might not be able to use EVERYTHING in the classroom. Creating an online calendar was very useful for me now. All the blogging activities will keep me tuned in with other professionals. I will definetely have a classroom blog and website. This was a very fun and creative assignment that anyone could find valuable, and now I am done. ( I will do my best to keep up with this blog throughout my college career, but I know I will certainly use a blog for my class.)

Thing #23

THING 23!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Shouldn't teachers be allowed to share and copy outside work for their students? Sometimes teachers find great examples of literature or a wonderful video, but can they share it with students? Copy right is sometimes forgotten, which means that teachers are plagiarizing. Creative commons is a wonderful site that allows students to share and copy ideas! You still have to give the creator credit, but it is an alternative to the full copy right laws, which gives teachers more access to information and ideas. Yay teachers!

Thing #22

http://www.nature.com/nature/podcast/rss/nature.xml
This podcast is about the environment, and I thought that the person who was talking could have been more enthusiastic. I picked this podcast because the information is wonderful and addresses environmental concerns.

I have to make a podcast in 3040, and I think that podcasts can be useful. Podcast with pictures and music are the most enjoyabe.Podcasts are used all of the time in You Tube; many issues are addressed by someone who has put together a podcast to display on You Tube. As a teacher I can put together podcasts for students to view and listen to learn or review key points. This is yet another way to get the information out there for the students.

Thing #21

Animoto was very interesting. I liked making a video about my summer. When i am a teacher perhaps I could keep the parents updated with what their children are doing by making a video of the students working on different activities. The parents and students would surely enjoy that! Animoto was very easy and fast to use; I even accidently clicked out of the site and my images were automatically saved, which was rad ( I didn't have to start over!)

Thing #20

You Tube is a web site that I am VERY familiar with. I have uploaded videos on this site before, and I have visited this site very often. You Tube has EVERY TOPIC imaginable on it. It is very easy to use because after you search for a topic, related topics become available.

The video I chose to upload was about Environmental issues. There were many video clips available on this topic, but I picked my favorite one. I hope you like it too!

Thing #19

I just recently decided to join teacher pop, because I want to learn from my peers ( those who are also teacher candidates), as well as from experienced teachers. My professors are on teacher pop, so this is another way to communicate with them. I also have learned about my peers from browsing through there photos and reading blogs. There are many interesting ideas and thoughts posted on teacher pop; I just wish it was a little bit more organized. There seems like there is so much going on, and it can be difficult to figure out how to actively participate in the site.
I will always be active in sites that are teacher centered, because as a teacher it is important to take in the opinions of others so that we might do the best we can in the classroom. I plan to join other social networks that are centered around education, but for right now I have many blogs that I am reading and teacher pop to keep me busy.

Thing #17

It is very interesting to see how people categorize and tag items using del.icio.us; perhaps I could use this to help my students go to websites for research. I could bookmark websites that I will use throughout the year in the classroom that contain activities. Using del.icio.us would save time in the classroom, and I can use it now to keep track of web sites I continually use. Del.icio.us is much like a filter to get to the good things on the internet.

Thing #18

I already have a myspace and a facebook. url :http://www.myspace.com/nioka_7 and http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1296679181. I have had a myspace profile since junior year of highschool ( four years ago), and I have had a facebook since the summer.

Pros

• keep in touch w/ friends
• share photos w/ friends
• talk about hw assignments w classmates
• blog about life
• music
• videos

Cons

• personal info is on the web
• photo sharing can be negative
• negative thoughts and comments can be posted on profile
• image can be skewed

There are safe guards to prevent bad things from happening on myspace or facebook. Never meet up with people, leave profile private ( only for friends to see), be careful what image you portray on the web, some pictures should not be posted, some videos should not be posted- USE GOOD JUDGEMENT.

Overall, I like having a myspace and facebook, because I can talk to all of my friends from highschool, as well as new friends I have made in college. I can share pictures with my friends, and I can listen to music on myspace. When used safely, myspace and facebook can be positive. I work for High School Upward Bound; it is a program on Austin Peay that prepares high school students for college. I started a myspace for the program, and we send out reminders of meetings and paperwork that is due via myspace. The students know that the information is there for them anytime they need a reminder. However, as a public school teacher, I will be teaching fourth graders, and I think at this age it is best not to have a class myspace. I would rather have a class web page for parents to look at.

Thing #16

Since I already created a calendar for a previous Thing by Google, I chose to use iGoogle for my home page. It took thirty seconds to create. Now the calendar I created is even more conveniently accessed. The to do list is something I probably should use, but do not. The to do list is too in depth, and it is not something I could fill out everyday. I do not have a routine where I can get online every morning and fill it out and follow it. I like using a general calendar instead. One good thing about the to do list is that it is electronic, so it does save paper. I am all about going Green! As a teacher I might keep up with a to do list, because everyone knows teachers have sooooo much information to remember. As a college student, my to do list is my calendar.

Thing #15

Wiki? I had no idea what this was at first. I thought that it might have something to do with Wikepedia, and it almost does. Basically, a Wiki is a way to get a group of people together to edit or discuss something. I have been in group projects, and sometimes emailing information to everyone can be very time consuming and confusing. Next time I have a large group project I will suggest using a Wiki for everyone to post and edit information onto. As a teacher, students might be able to use a Wiki for group projects, but since any group project will probably be worked on in class because the students are in Elementary school, I think a Wiki could be used by staff to collaberate ideas. :)

Thing #14

well, a graphic organizer is one tool I most definetly will use in my classroom! The two organizers I choose to compare are flowchart.com and mindmeister.com. Flow chart consists of a center block with other branches "flowing from the central block." Flowchart.com was very simple and easy to use. The students could quickly fill in the bubbles, while mindmeister was a little more in depth. Mind meister used mapping, rather than a flow chart. There are topics and subtopics broken down in mind meister. I might use flowchart for my below and average students, and allow my advanced students to use mind meister. Both organizers are wonderful ways to keep students engaged while challenging them.

Thing #13

Zoho was similar to a program called Google doc. I could use this program to share information with colleagues, because you can post your work. The program is very much like Microsoft word, but it can be accessed from ANY computer. IT EVEN SAVES YOUR WORK! I could introduce this program to my students, because some students may have different versions of Microsoft word - some may not have Word at all. This program is an excellent substitute for Word.

Thing #12

Google has proven to be the most valuable search engine EVER!!! I made a Google calendar. I have two jobs and school, so a calendar of events is ALWAYS a wonderful thing to have around. I might ask my fourth grade students to make a calendar by using Google to teach organization and time management. I thought the Google alert was also very useful. Google alert is an amazing way to keep updated just by checking my email, and this is another way for my students to keep up with current events. Google notebook is something I will suggest for my students to use when they are writing a research paper, and I might use it in my college classes. This one of the most USEFUL 23 things I have done to date.

Thing #11

Once again, Google is the master of all things internet. I used http://blogsearch.google.com/, and I found many blogs that I will keep up with. I always enjoy teacher blogs, because I can read the blogs and think about the problems I might face as a teacher. I can prepare myself for what is to come, and I like to read ideas that teachers have on different topics. http://www.topix.net/ had a lot of different topics to choose from; I read blogs about the upcoming presidential elections, but I will not keep up with anything that I found on topix. I might use topix to browse for current events blogs. I could have my future students pick a topic and explore different opinions people might have. My students could read the current events blogs as a reading assignment in class. I have many ideas about how I might use blogs in my classroom, because listening to the opinions of other people is very important to teach.

Thing #10

Sometimes keeping up with Blogs is incredibly difficult, because time is often short. I hate researching for Blogs on the internet that I want to read again, which is why I always bookmark sites that I like, but after a while the bookmark section of my computer is really full. Then it becomes hard to find things there. See the problem? I think that newsreaders make it much easier to read blogs that I am interested in. This is one thing, I will use forever - in school, as a teacher, for personal use. I used the Google reader, because Google is the master of all things internet, and it seems very simple. Keeping everything in one place makes a big difference on time, and everything becomes more organized.

Thing #9

Left "I love Technology" This is from the I ♥ ____ website

http://www.customsigngenerator.com/banners/i-love-generator.asp


Left
This is an image generated by Fake Magazine generator
This is a picture of me and my bf, David Lavigne
http://www.sillywebcam.com/magazine-covers.asp







Below
This is from the comic strip generator...
http://www.txt2pic.com/comic/america-statue-of-liberty.htm










This was very fun! I found ways to customize birthday and holiday cards. There is a website that creates post cards, and everything that is generated can be turned into a magnet and ordered online. This activity could be used for students to individualize greeting cards for their parents. However, websites need to be closely monitored, because some images I found were definitely NOT appropriate for children. I might even use these websites at home or on the class web page.

Thing #8

This was much easier than I realized at first.



I used Flickr word speller to create the sign "vote for me". This generator could be used in the classroom to post a message on the class website, or to individualize a worksheet for students. Flickr was very fast and easy to use; and there are so many blocks of letters to choose from.

How do I feel about photo sharing online?

Photo sharing is a good thing that helps keep friends and family in touch with one another if they do not see each other often. As the saying goes, "a picture speaks 1000 words", and there is much to learn from a picture. However, I think it never a good idea to put pictures of other people online without there consent. I also know that it is best to not put pictures up that are embarrassing or too personal. As teachers, it is extremely important to put out a positive image. Some pictures need to stay in a shoe box and not online.

Thing #7

This is my favorite band, "Dance Gavin Dance". This photo was taken by "Carolina Rivera Photography". You can find this photo and other photos taken by "Carolina Rivera Photography at http://www.myspace.com/crimages. I have used photobucket before, so I was familiar with sites that could be used to upload images. I found this photo from Flickr by clicking on the link for music. Then I clicked on a link to the left for pictures occuring at shows. Then I searched for Dance Gavin Dance. I was happy to see that there were indeed pictures of this band.

Talented Education Majors

I got an email about a talent show on September 26th at the UC. If anyone is interested go sign up in room 210 of the Claxton by September 22nd. The winner gets 100$. There will be a party as well, with door prizes so come out from 4-6 on September 26th, and get involved!

Thing #6

The awards list had many great sites that could be used in the classroom or school library, such as http://maps.google.com/ . Today they had a map where anyone could track the hurricane. I could see this tying into current events, and other aspects of curriculum. http://www.myheritage.com/ is another website that would be interesting for students to look up, because they can make their own family tree. This website would come in rather handy if there were to be a cultural day, and if some of the students were not sure about there geneology. The website even generates a family tree. The website allows students to start a family tree and input information online.
http://blogsearch.google.com/?hl=en&tab=wb allows students to search blogs to keep up with current events. This blog could be used to help students to learn about different opinions on issues that are going on today. If you are interested in using one of these sites click on the above links.

Thing #5

Web 2.0 enhances creativty and learning by making things more simple. Technology has swept the world by storm, and this generation is all about information from technology. Schools have online classes, distance learning, and computers in every classroom with internet access. Businesses have video sharing, networking sites and group blogs. I tunes, google, myspace, facebook are all popular among today's youth. There is no doubt about it technology is an important part of society today.

How does all this affect me? Well as a member of society, I find it interesting that I can learn about anything or talk to anyone at the click of a button. As a future educator it is essentail that I incoperate technology into the classroom. There are wonderful videos and activities online that I can present to my students. Technology captivates the attention of so many young people, I can utilize technology to my advantage help students learn to otherwise may not care about learning. Not to mention that I can communicate with parents and other teachers through web 2.0. Classroom 2.0 is an excellent way to reach other teachers to collaborate. There is so much information available, it is time to take advantage how small the world has really become.

Thing #4

MY BLOGGING FRIENDS- I SELECTED YOU!

EMILY GRIFFEY- She is knocking these 23 things out!She is already on thing #15!

CHRISTINE POINDEXTER- She was the first one to get started on the 23 things.

JESSE PARKER- I think she sits behind me in this class, and if so she seems quite nice.

SUSAN ROGERS- We are in the same class, and we seem to be doing these 23 things at about the same pace.

HOLLY MCLLELAND- She has a rad picture, and seems fun.

Why is commenting important?
Commenting is essential to a blogger's success. The whole point of a blog is to share thoughts and ideas, and to do so, one must have an audience ( or readers) who are involved. It is important to never get angry at a comment ( especially us, as teacher candidates) but to respond thoughtfully and carefully instead. Always keep blogs up to date!

To recieve more comments on a blog, I learned that it is important to comment and contribute to other blogs. Ask questions, leave open- ended comments, and even invite people to comment on blog. I didn't know if was okay to ask someone to comment, but this is a sure way to have people comment on a blog.

According to Will Richadrson, it is important to keep out of the "blogging funk" and continue to keep up with comments from readers, but it is not necessary to respond to each and every comment. He states that is acceptable to respond to comments privately through email. If a comment will be lengthy, it may be necessary to start a new post instead to respond to a comment. Be polite and proffessional. I know that it is my blog, and I set the rules.

The first outside blog I wrote on was at http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/blogboard/; I liked this blog because it was for teachers. These teachers discuss their classrooms. I commented on a blog about cultural aspects of the classroom. The second blog I found and commented on was http://www.teachervision.fen.com/blog/career-in-education/33550.html, it was about the insight of experienced teachers. I expect we all could learn from those with experience.

Thing #3

I can use this blog throughout the rest of the my educational experience by meeting other teaching candidates and teachers while blogging. We can share ideas , and I will gain knowledge from present teachers. I can use this blog as a positive image to show future employers how serious I am about teaching while projecting a positive image.
As a teacher I can keep an updated blog and web page that keeps parents informed about homework and projects. This blog could be used to contact me, ask questions, and add suggestions. Students might even be able to look up make- up assignments on the computer. I am realizing that an updated blog will be an excellent resource for me to use when I am teaching. I CAN'T WAIT TO LEARN MORE!!!

Thing # 2

Creating an avatar was fun; however, posting the avatar on the page was complicated. I had to enlist the help of my BF. Thank goodness he is patient! Thanks David! Writing a blog is a new experience for me, and I find it to be very interesting. I am going to use a blog to help keep future parents updated as to what is going on in my classroom.

Thing # 1

I am a life long learner! Today I learned how to set up a blog; blogger makes the task quite simple. I think that being a lifelong learner is easy, considering that habit 71/2 is to play. I love to play. In fact I feel as though I am playing now. These 23 things will be worthwhile and enjoyable. I can't wait to apply what I learn to the classroom. I am not the best at manipulating computers and the internet, but I am sure web 2.0 will make things simple.