Monday, July 25, 2011
Thing 23
My favorite discovery/exercise on this learning journey was Animoto. I really liked this program and plan to introduce my students to this. I have already begun using it in my personal life to make a video of my daughter. I also liked Voicethread and can't wait to use this with my students. This program has affected my lifelong learning goals by making me want to use more technology in my classroom. I liked playing around and figuring out how to do things and it made me excited to do more. I would most likely choose to participate in the future if another program like this was offered by the district. This class has truly helped me in that I now feel more confident in introducing my students to some of the programs that I have become aware about. Throughout the year, I will continue to blog with my students and I like the idea of viewing webinars every now and then to learn new ways to utilize technology. I truly enjoyed this opportunity this summer!
Thing 22
I found Classroom 2.0 to be an interesting site. One of the forums that I visited was called Ipad in the Classroom. I really enjoyed reading the responses. Most of the people participating in the forum thought that Ipads would not be a beneficial educational tool to have in the classroom. They mentioned it taking over textbooks. I think it would be a nice addition to have to the classroom, but not one for every student; just each teacher having a few per class. A special interest group that I visited was called Google Apps for Education. It was helpful because I found new ways that I can use google apps with my students this year. I can't wait to get started with some of these new ideas along with my previous knowledge that I have been building upon. I think that I will most likely join Classroom 2.0 and take advantage of this social networking site to help me learn even more new things during the year or to ask questions that people on the site might be able to answer for me.
Thing 7B
I read an article that called Off The Grid from my SheisDallas blog that I subscribe to on my Google Reader. It was very interesting because it is something that I can relate too- trying to disconnect from technology. The article discussed how hard it was for the author and her husband to “disconnect” themselves from their technological devices during their vacation. I have often wondered if this would be hard for me to do. Ever since I got an IPhone, I can’t imagine life without one. Even my husband, who is not really that into technology has an IPhone and checks it all the time. I am constantly looking at Facebook and posting pictures of my daughter. I know that I could live without these things, but why should I since it is so convenient?
Thing 21
I had never used or even seen Twitter before this exercise. I use Facebook, but that is about it when it comes to social networking sites. I looked at 3 of the Twitter account samples of educators (Kathy Schrock, Alan November, and Scott Mcleod.) I looked at some of the links that they had posted on their tweets. I think that I could use Twitter by subscribing to educators Twitter feeds and then going to their recommended links that they put in their status updates. My husband uses Twitter to follow sports announcements during a game, but in all reality, I am not that into it. I don’t see myself being a big “tweeter.” I will most likely just stick with Facebook.
Thing 20
I use Google docs frequently at work. One way that I use this is our administrators share discipline issues with the teachers through a Google docs spreadsheet. For example, we have a no hoodie privilege document where whenever a student gets in trouble and cannot wear their hoodie anymore, the administrators update the spreadsheet and then share it with the teachers to them them know that student can't wear the hoodie anymore. I also use Google docs with my GT class. They wrote all of their essays in Google docs this last year and shared them with me. I was able to go in and edit and make comments on their essays, which was much easier than grading them as a "paper" version. Another way that we used google docs was with editing. Students would share their essays with their peers and they were able to go in and collaboratively add constructive criticism on the rough drafts to aid in the final copies. I have found Google docs to be a great collaborative tool this last year and will continue to utilize it more and more.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Thing 19
I think VoiceThread is really neat! I have never seen anything like this. I liked how in the example there was an old photograph and each family member was going through and talking about the picture. I know that in my English class, I could use this in so many ways! It was be a great way to leave comments on student work. I could also see this being used as a warmup, where I have a question, quote, or picture and ask the students to comment on it. Students could use VoiceThread when they are working on presentations together to gather feedback and exchange ideas. In my personal life, I would like to scan some of my grandmothers photographs that she has in a big box and have her go through and tell what she remembers about some of them. What an awesome tool!
Thing 18
I was able to find numerous videos on YouTube and TeacherTube dealing with my teaching subject. I use these sites daily in my teaching. I find that the students really like short little clips teaching them a concept as opposed to me standing up and lecturing. One of the video's that I found today on YouTube was a super short but funny summary to The Red Badge of Courage. I think that my students would think that this summary was funny because the student summarizing, puts it into modern day language that they can relate too. He actually has other summaries of literature- I believe he has summarized 73 books.
Thing 17
I previewed Grammar Girl's Quick and Dirty Tips & Just One More Book.I liked both of the Podcasts, but enjoyed Grammar Girl's podcast more. I liked how she would discuss the correct usage for two similar words that people often confuse. I used NPR & Learn Out Loud as my search directories when I was looking for Podcasts. I definitely think that Podcasts can be incorporated into the classroom. For example, instead of having students stand up and present, you could have them make a podcast and then play it for the class. I have looked at Podcasts before on my iPod and listened to a few of them. It is a quick way to listen to something while you are doing something else unlike reading a book. I have not used Podcasting my classroom, but I want to this year.
Thing 16
When examining Library Thing, it seems very similar to a website that I frequent often called Goodreads. Both of these sites are good ideas because it becomes a sort of "virtual bookshelf." I like it because I can keep track of books that I am reading, read, or want to read. I also like the fact that there are book reviews on Library Thing and Goodreads. In the classroom, this site could be used for the students to keep track of books that they have read and rate them. I actually had my students do this with Goodreads. They liked it because they could go through and rate books that they had read and in a way it was like facebook because they could friend each other and see how their friends had rated books and what was on their virtual bookshelf.
Thing 15
I love Delicious! It is such a great way to keep all of your bookmarks together. I so like how you can access your bookmarks from any computer. It was always such a pain to transfer bookmarks whenever getting a new computer. I bookmarked sites that I access the most on my computer. Most of them deal with shopping. More specifically, most of them deal with bargain designer children's clothing. My favorite site Zulily is one that I use every day. On my computer at school, I have several bookmarks dealing with my teaching subject. When I go back to work, I am going to plug those bookmarks into my Delicious account so they will never be lost. Delicious is super easy to work with and so is the tagging system. If anyone is interested, here are my tags. http://delicious.com/tikkawalters
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Thing 7A
One thing that I found interesting when skimming my google reader was an article in the blog BurbMom called Need a Splash of Color in Your Hair? It discussed how one of the hot new trends not just for teens is to get colored extensions in your hair. Not natural hair colors, but bright pinks, purples, blues, etc. I think it would be a fun look if you were in your 20's, but I feel that I am a little too old for it. I feel the same way about the other hot new trend right now- feathers. I have seen several people walking around with feathers in their hair, but I just don't think the look is right for me- I'll just stick with highlighting my hair- that's as risky as I will get! :)
Thing 14
One of the tools that I chose to explore was ToonDoo. I can think of so many ways that this tool could be incorporated into my classroom. One way that I would use this would be with vocabulary words. I would have the students create a short comic strip using one or two of the vocabulary words that week. I think that kids would really get into this because they can design the characters and backgrounds while also having to think of a scenario to use to incorporate the vocabulary words. When it comes to social features using this site, I am sure that teenagers could think of several! I guess you could put it on your facebook or myspace page if you really wanted to. The other tool that I explored was Picnik. I really like this tool because you can edit your photos and make them look better. You can also add effects to the photos. This is a tool that I would use more at home with my own personal photographs. This is also a took that has numerous social features because you can edit your photos and then post them to your social networking site.
Thing 13
I love using image creators like these examples up above. They are fun to use in the classroom to get the students attention. They are also fun to use with your own personal pictures. My husband laughed when I showed him the stadium picture that I used in Image Chef. I like to make pictures like these and then post them to my facebook page.
Thing 12
I used Animoto to create a video using images depicting the Civil War to go along with the novel, The Red Badge of Courage. This was fun and pretty easy to do. It just has pictures of different weapons that were used, some of the battlefields, and gravesites.
I am going to make a video of my daughter using pictures of her from the 9 months of her life. I think this will be a cute way to surprise my family.
Picture Credits:
I am going to make a video of my daughter using pictures of her from the 9 months of her life. I think this will be a cute way to surprise my family.
Picture Credits:
Thing 11
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http://www.flickr.com/photos/72213316@N00/5513817940/ by Alaskan Dude |
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Thing 10
Thing 10
•Have you noticed the CC logo on any websites you visit? Did you wonder what it meant? I have seen this logo before and a few years ago, I did wonder what it meant. Our librarian, Mrs. Toogood, was the first one to explain to me what Creative Commons was and how it was used.
•Do you think CC will impact the way students learn and create projects? How? Yes, I definitely think this. In my classroom this past year, there were several times where my students were searching for images to use in presentations and we had to make sure that they were using CC so that they would not violate copyright laws. I think this impacts learning, because it makes them aware of the laws and that you can’t just use “anything” on the web.
•Do you use digital images, audio or video clips from the web in your teaching (or professional practice)? Sometimes I use these in my teaching, but I have a goal to use them more this year.
•Do you ever share content on the web? My classroom blog is available on the web for anyone to see. They can access it and use any materials there that they would like.
•What are some potential negatives for using CC? I am not sure about potential negatives, but it does take a little longer to find what you are looking for, but it is understandable so that copyright is not violated.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Thing 8
Wow! Wiki's could be used in so many different ways in the classroom. It seems like with every new technological tool that I have learned about so far in this class, the more excited I become about how I can incorporate these things into my classroom- especially a Wiki! One Wiki that I examined was Mr. Lindsay's Classroom Wiki. I liked how he had everything set up. It was very organized and easy to maneuver. I also liked that he had a section for student blogs and you could see what all the students were doing in the class. Another Wiki that I got some ideas from was Mrs.Cassidy's class- Schools from the past. This would be a super easy way to compile information from the students. It basically just had information that the students had gathered from their parents and grandparents about the way that school used to be, but you could use it for any sort of research or data that your students are compiling. One really cool b wiki was the Greetings from the world. This would be such an awesome idea to incorporate with your students, especially if you were a social studies teacher. I would like to create a wiki to use with my students when we are doing a particular novel and have other classes around the world who are studying the same novel get involved. I think that that this would be very informational and the students would truly enjoy it. One goal that I have for my class this year is to incorporate the use of a wiki!
Thing 7
Blogs make reading interactive! Blogs are not like a book or a magazine because the reader can now be interactive. When reading books/magazines there have been several instances where I have wanted to comment on something in the book or on a particular articles, but have not had that opportunity. With blogs, this makes reading an experience for the reader and also for the author. Making comments on blogs are very easy. You have to make sure that you word everything correctly, as you do not want to criticize someones written words. I think that the etiquette rules in the articles are good ones to go by. I have enjoyed commenting on blog posts and seeing comments on my posts. It is always nice to know when someone feels the same way that you do.
Thing 6
I have a daughter who is 9 months old and I am addicted to finding deals on cute designer clothing for her and also cute decorative items for my home. One of my favorite blogs that I keep track of in my reader is the Layla Grace Backroom Blog. I love this blog because it has decorating tips and deals and also such cute cute little girl clothing- 2 of my favorite things! I especially loved the Trend Watch Industrial Chic article on the Layla Grace blog- such a cute idea!
Another thing that I love are books and I really like the feed that I subscribed to English Companion Ning. That is an awesome blog and one post that I really enjoyed was about teachers how they like to get caught up on their reading in the summer. It had awesome websites with book recommendations and ideas. My favorite book site was listed- Goodreads. I use this to keep track of what I am reading and I also introduced my students to this site this year in my class for them to keep track of their reading lists and book recommendations and reviews.
I really like the reader and have been using is for quite a while to keep track of blogs and feeds that I enjoy. It is a simple way to skim and scan the information that you really enjoy and want to keep track of.
Another thing that I love are books and I really like the feed that I subscribed to English Companion Ning. That is an awesome blog and one post that I really enjoyed was about teachers how they like to get caught up on their reading in the summer. It had awesome websites with book recommendations and ideas. My favorite book site was listed- Goodreads. I use this to keep track of what I am reading and I also introduced my students to this site this year in my class for them to keep track of their reading lists and book recommendations and reviews.
I really like the reader and have been using is for quite a while to keep track of blogs and feeds that I enjoy. It is a simple way to skim and scan the information that you really enjoy and want to keep track of.
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