Essential Question

Essential Question:  How can we help the homeless in Dallas by using kindness?

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.

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!