1. What were your favorite discoveries or exercises on this learning journey?
I honestly think my favorite exercise was creating my blog. I am terrified of technology, but setting up my blog and keeping up with each week really made me feel a part of the technology community. Learning how to be comfortable with technology, upload different items into my blog, and being confident enough to share my thoughts each week about what I had discovered was a challenge, but I enjoyed it. I want to now start a blog for my future classroom. I also liked the idea of exploring so many different technology ideas to use in the classroom. My favorite technology item that I explored was the Web 2.0 Tools, Podcasting and Bookmarking. Everything challenged me, but I learned so much!
2. How has this program assisted or affected your lifelong learning goals?
Looking at this question, I referenced back to the 7 1/2 Habits discussed in our first post about life long learning. Even though this was only 6 weeks ago that I began this technology journey, I feel like I grew so much in my technology abilities. I can now feel stronger in the area of Habit 3:View problems as challenges. I came into contact with tons of problems while completing my blog. There were times when I spent two hours trying to figure out how something worked, but I was determined to learn and accomplish the task. I rose to the challenge!
I also feel like I better understand Habit 6: Use technology to your advantage. After reading and exploring so many websites and seeing how technology can be used in the classroom. I realize I would be doing a disservice to my students and myself if I did not incorporate technology into my lesson plans. Technology is at our fingertips and can be used in so many ways! Also, most importantly...Habit 7 1/2 has totally made itself known to me: Play! I had so much fun exploring, being creative, and experiencing a lot of trial and error when completing my blog entries. I got to come into contact with a lot of great websites that are going to be excellent resources for my students and my teaching. I learned how to have fun with technology and play around with it!
3. Were there any take-a-ways or unexpected outcomes from this program that surprised you?
I think the biggest outcome for me is that I now really like technology. In the past, I only used technology because it is a part of everyday life. Now, I find myself interested in reading articles online about new technology and how it is being used in the classroom. Also, my confidence in regards to technology. I would not say I am 100% confident, but I feel a lot better about technology. Another positive outcome is that I am now obsessed with blogging! I mentioned in quesiton one that I want to begin a classroom blog when I beging teaching.
4. What could I do differently to improve upon this program’s format or concept?
One aspec that I noticed is that some of the links do not work for certain tutorials provided on the instructional blog. Also, I know it is hard to do because as a teacher we wish we could make certain projects last forever, but the reality is that there is a timeline we must stick to while planning. I just wish that I could have had more than a week to accomplish some of the blog post. The reason for this is because there were some blog entries I wish I could have spent more time exploring and really getting the opportunity to experience more in depth before posting about them.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Thing 16: PhotoPeach
A New Day on PhotoPeach
A New Day on PhotoPeach
PhotoPeach was so easy to use! I could see using this in the classroom with any grade level. At the beginning of the year, the teacher could take a picture of each student on the first day of school. The student could then upload their picture into the slideshow and type a sentence about themselves. The teacher could then play the slideshow for the class and it could be a way for the students to get to know each other. Also, the teacher could have the students draw pictures to illustrate a story and scan the pictures into the computer. The teacher could then have the students upload the pictures into the slideshow and each student write a sentence that narrates their part of the story. The teacher could make this a monthly project and start collecting the stories in a library on the computer. The students could then watch, listen, and read the stories they created as a class during center time.
A New Day on PhotoPeach
PhotoPeach was so easy to use! I could see using this in the classroom with any grade level. At the beginning of the year, the teacher could take a picture of each student on the first day of school. The student could then upload their picture into the slideshow and type a sentence about themselves. The teacher could then play the slideshow for the class and it could be a way for the students to get to know each other. Also, the teacher could have the students draw pictures to illustrate a story and scan the pictures into the computer. The teacher could then have the students upload the pictures into the slideshow and each student write a sentence that narrates their part of the story. The teacher could make this a monthly project and start collecting the stories in a library on the computer. The students could then watch, listen, and read the stories they created as a class during center time.
Thing 15: Things like Skype
I have so many friends who use Skype and always talk about how much they love it. I have never had the need for it, therefore I never took the time to explore the website to learn more about Skype. After reading the information on the Skype website and all of the links on Dr. Wilson's 16 Things, I realized that Skype is such a great and effective resource.
After reading the links with the different alternatives to Skype on Dr. Wilson's 16 Things, I was amazed about how little I know about communication resources with the exception of e-mails, chatting online, and calling people with cell phones! Although there were some great items mentioned, I really like Skype the best.
I did not know any of my classmates Skype info, so I surprised my fiance and Skyped with him. It was so neat to experience and really easy to use. I think I might try and get my grandpa set up on Skype because he lives four hours away and I miss seeing him. This would be a great way to talk to him, as well as see him! It is also great that if you do Skype to Skype it is free!
When I think of using Skype in the classroom, I think of a topic I explored when I was in Applications of Technology. Students can use Skype to talk to students in other countries. This would be great if students were researching the same topic and sharing their ideas or if students were learning about other cultures by talking to students all over the world! 50 Awesome Ways to Use Skype in the Classroom talked about a site called ePALS that could accomplish the task of connecting students around the world.
50 Awesome Ways to Use Skype in the Classroom is an excellent website with rich resources to apply into teacher instruction. I like that it discussed bring busy parents into the classroom using Skype. I know my mom would have appreciated Skype when I was little because she was a single working mom. Therefore, it was hard for her to meet with teachers for conferences. Skype would have made this much more accessible.
I love introducing the students I work with to new authors and books. 50 Awesome Ways to Use Skype in the Classroom talked about having students meet authors and illustrators through using Skype. SO NEAT! I would love to have the opportunity to share this with my future students. Allowing students to have a first hand experience with an author or illustrator makes writing and illustration come to life. Librarians could also use this idea if they were featuring a certain author or illustrator that month in the library. After sharing stories by this author/and or illustrator with students, the librarian could contact the author/illustrator via Skype for students to learn from and interview.
During student teaching, I did a letter writing unit where my 1st grade students wrote letters to a close friend who is a Marine. It would have been neat if I could have figured out if he had Skype and the students could have talked to him while he was on deployment.
I am going to learn a lot more about Skype so I can apply it to the classroom and teach other fellow teachers about it!
After reading the links with the different alternatives to Skype on Dr. Wilson's 16 Things, I was amazed about how little I know about communication resources with the exception of e-mails, chatting online, and calling people with cell phones! Although there were some great items mentioned, I really like Skype the best.
I did not know any of my classmates Skype info, so I surprised my fiance and Skyped with him. It was so neat to experience and really easy to use. I think I might try and get my grandpa set up on Skype because he lives four hours away and I miss seeing him. This would be a great way to talk to him, as well as see him! It is also great that if you do Skype to Skype it is free!
When I think of using Skype in the classroom, I think of a topic I explored when I was in Applications of Technology. Students can use Skype to talk to students in other countries. This would be great if students were researching the same topic and sharing their ideas or if students were learning about other cultures by talking to students all over the world! 50 Awesome Ways to Use Skype in the Classroom talked about a site called ePALS that could accomplish the task of connecting students around the world.
50 Awesome Ways to Use Skype in the Classroom is an excellent website with rich resources to apply into teacher instruction. I like that it discussed bring busy parents into the classroom using Skype. I know my mom would have appreciated Skype when I was little because she was a single working mom. Therefore, it was hard for her to meet with teachers for conferences. Skype would have made this much more accessible.
I love introducing the students I work with to new authors and books. 50 Awesome Ways to Use Skype in the Classroom talked about having students meet authors and illustrators through using Skype. SO NEAT! I would love to have the opportunity to share this with my future students. Allowing students to have a first hand experience with an author or illustrator makes writing and illustration come to life. Librarians could also use this idea if they were featuring a certain author or illustrator that month in the library. After sharing stories by this author/and or illustrator with students, the librarian could contact the author/illustrator via Skype for students to learn from and interview.
During student teaching, I did a letter writing unit where my 1st grade students wrote letters to a close friend who is a Marine. It would have been neat if I could have figured out if he had Skype and the students could have talked to him while he was on deployment.
I am going to learn a lot more about Skype so I can apply it to the classroom and teach other fellow teachers about it!
Thing 15.5: Twitter
I have always made fun of Twitter because I felt like people use it to comment on their every thought throughout the day. I always found it to be a waste of time. After signing up for an account for our class, I actually can seen how Twitter can be beneficial. Another positive about Twitter is that it is super simple to use. I was able to set up my account and add several people I wanted to follow in a matter of 15 to 20 minutes! The past few days I have been following mostly education related tweets.
After looking at 50 Ways to Use Twitter for Education I liked the idea discussed about using Twitter as an Opinion Poll. I think this would be a fun idea to use in the classroom. The teacher can post a poll topic and allow the students to twitter their opinion about the topic. This is helping students to formulate ideas and to support their opinion.
Using Twitter in and Out of the Classroom also had a couple of great ideas of how to incorporate Twitter in the classroom. I liked the idea of allowing students to get current information by asking other people on Twitter questions related to educational content or the news. This is really reinforcing the idea of social media and learning from those around us through the use of technology.
I am following so many neat people on Twitter:
MsSavvyScience: Her blog has so many great insightful comments about each of the 16 Things, therefore I knew I wanted to follow her on Twitter. I like that she updates her students' parents about important school information.
octobersmith: I had her as a professor last fall and she loved integrating technology in the classroom. Her Twitter account offers links to great education ideas she comes across and shares with other people on Twitter.
Education Week: I find myself constantly going back to read the new Tweets Education Week posts on their Twitter feed. They post topics about education in regards to new laws and news up-dates about education.
I know this is redundant, but I agree with others who have blogged about using Twitter to update students and parents about classroom news. It could also be used for students to communicate ideas with one another and ask for help. The link we visited talked about having students find an article and post their thoughts or opinions about it through Twitter. There are so many neat ideas that people have thought of for using Twitter. I cannot wait to use some of them in the classroom and then have the opportunity to create some of my own ideas for how to incorporate Twitter.
Find me @: KeslieLangerud
After looking at 50 Ways to Use Twitter for Education I liked the idea discussed about using Twitter as an Opinion Poll. I think this would be a fun idea to use in the classroom. The teacher can post a poll topic and allow the students to twitter their opinion about the topic. This is helping students to formulate ideas and to support their opinion.
Using Twitter in and Out of the Classroom also had a couple of great ideas of how to incorporate Twitter in the classroom. I liked the idea of allowing students to get current information by asking other people on Twitter questions related to educational content or the news. This is really reinforcing the idea of social media and learning from those around us through the use of technology.
I am following so many neat people on Twitter:
MsSavvyScience: Her blog has so many great insightful comments about each of the 16 Things, therefore I knew I wanted to follow her on Twitter. I like that she updates her students' parents about important school information.
octobersmith: I had her as a professor last fall and she loved integrating technology in the classroom. Her Twitter account offers links to great education ideas she comes across and shares with other people on Twitter.
Education Week: I find myself constantly going back to read the new Tweets Education Week posts on their Twitter feed. They post topics about education in regards to new laws and news up-dates about education.
I know this is redundant, but I agree with others who have blogged about using Twitter to update students and parents about classroom news. It could also be used for students to communicate ideas with one another and ask for help. The link we visited talked about having students find an article and post their thoughts or opinions about it through Twitter. There are so many neat ideas that people have thought of for using Twitter. I cannot wait to use some of them in the classroom and then have the opportunity to create some of my own ideas for how to incorporate Twitter.
Find me @: KeslieLangerud
Thing 14: Podcasting and Bookmarking
Podcasting:
I have heard of Podcasting before, but have never really been interested in learning more about it. I think it is so neat that Governor Rick Perry and the Texas Education Agency put together a Podcast filled with educational resources called Texas Education on iTunes U. The Podcast that it offers are amazing. I found so many neat resources I can use in the classroom. I found that I was drawn to the Podcasts that discussed integrating technology into the classroom. I wish I could list them all, but I will discuss a couple that really stuck out to me.
1. Learning to Integrate Technology in the "mess" of a Real Classroom was the first video I watched. It documents education majors at Abilene Christian University who were given the challenge to go into a kindergarten classroom and experience what it is like to teach students how to create a digital storytelling project using an Ipod touch and a Macbook Pro. The purpose was to teach future teachers the importance of integrating technology into the classroom, the ability of the kindergarten students to take control of the acitivty (student centered), and knowing how to adapt their teaching when problems arise. This was such a great video. It was so neat to see the kindergarten students creating their own stories, giving input about their work, talking with classmates, and being proud of what they had created. This video really reinforced for me that teachers and students can effectively use technology in the classroom.
2. Researching the Benefits of Project Based Learning with the integration of iPads is the second video I watched. This second video also documented a future teacher at Abilene University who chose to create a project based research activity in a high school Physics class. It was so neat to see the students use their iPads to conduct their research. The ACU student really mentioned some great points, the iPad allowed the students to gain information that they could not get from a textbook, it allowed them to collaborate with their classmates, create semantic maps on the iPad, and even translate the information in another language for the international students! I believe in the effectiveness of iPads with students. I think they have so many different resources available on them and can really engage students if the teacher creates an activity that is focused and has a purpose. I wish I could purchase a classroom set of iPads.
The Podcasting really blew me away. I had no idea what a great resource it is for the classroom. I will definitely be using this to gain information for my future classroom! The possibilities are really endless with how technology can transform our teaching and how students learn in the classroom!
Bookmarking:
Pinterest is my new obsession! I had to create an account after hearing everyone raving about it in class. I love inspiration boards and that is what Pinterest allows me to create. My favorite board I created is for the classroom. I am following a pre-K teacher who has so many great ideas and always posts pictures and how-to projects for the classroom. People have posted so many photographs of items, events, ideas, etc. that have inspired them. It is an online community of people from all over the world, which makes it so much more interesting to me. Pinterest= "pin" what you are "interested" in!
Delicious.com is also a really neat website. I like that I can bookmark and tag websites that I find interesting or helpful. I have word documents full of websites that I have copied and pasted as a reference in the past. It was always so annoying to have to figure out which websites were for what topic. I like that Delicious.com takes the complicated aspect out of it by simply letting me bookmark several websites and they are all categorized in one place.
I have heard of Podcasting before, but have never really been interested in learning more about it. I think it is so neat that Governor Rick Perry and the Texas Education Agency put together a Podcast filled with educational resources called Texas Education on iTunes U. The Podcast that it offers are amazing. I found so many neat resources I can use in the classroom. I found that I was drawn to the Podcasts that discussed integrating technology into the classroom. I wish I could list them all, but I will discuss a couple that really stuck out to me.
1. Learning to Integrate Technology in the "mess" of a Real Classroom was the first video I watched. It documents education majors at Abilene Christian University who were given the challenge to go into a kindergarten classroom and experience what it is like to teach students how to create a digital storytelling project using an Ipod touch and a Macbook Pro. The purpose was to teach future teachers the importance of integrating technology into the classroom, the ability of the kindergarten students to take control of the acitivty (student centered), and knowing how to adapt their teaching when problems arise. This was such a great video. It was so neat to see the kindergarten students creating their own stories, giving input about their work, talking with classmates, and being proud of what they had created. This video really reinforced for me that teachers and students can effectively use technology in the classroom.
2. Researching the Benefits of Project Based Learning with the integration of iPads is the second video I watched. This second video also documented a future teacher at Abilene University who chose to create a project based research activity in a high school Physics class. It was so neat to see the students use their iPads to conduct their research. The ACU student really mentioned some great points, the iPad allowed the students to gain information that they could not get from a textbook, it allowed them to collaborate with their classmates, create semantic maps on the iPad, and even translate the information in another language for the international students! I believe in the effectiveness of iPads with students. I think they have so many different resources available on them and can really engage students if the teacher creates an activity that is focused and has a purpose. I wish I could purchase a classroom set of iPads.
The Podcasting really blew me away. I had no idea what a great resource it is for the classroom. I will definitely be using this to gain information for my future classroom! The possibilities are really endless with how technology can transform our teaching and how students learn in the classroom!
Bookmarking:
Pinterest is my new obsession! I had to create an account after hearing everyone raving about it in class. I love inspiration boards and that is what Pinterest allows me to create. My favorite board I created is for the classroom. I am following a pre-K teacher who has so many great ideas and always posts pictures and how-to projects for the classroom. People have posted so many photographs of items, events, ideas, etc. that have inspired them. It is an online community of people from all over the world, which makes it so much more interesting to me. Pinterest= "pin" what you are "interested" in!
Delicious.com is also a really neat website. I like that I can bookmark and tag websites that I find interesting or helpful. I have word documents full of websites that I have copied and pasted as a reference in the past. It was always so annoying to have to figure out which websites were for what topic. I like that Delicious.com takes the complicated aspect out of it by simply letting me bookmark several websites and they are all categorized in one place.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Thing 13: Using YouTube
I now understand why people are always uploading videos to YouTube. It is because creating the video and uploading it is so simple! I created a video of pictures I took while visiting West Texas. I thought if I was teaching fourth grade it would be a great video to show. It would give students the opportunity to discuss and compare the geography and life of West Texas versus Houston. I can even correlate Science with the video and have students discuss how Big Bend is located in West Texas and how people can continue to work on protecting this source of land. A unit on Native Americans that lived in this part of Texas can be taught as well.
TeacherTube is one of my favorite websites. If I want to use a video in a lesson plan, I will begin at You Tube, but I often always end up at TeacherTube. Teachers form a community. It does not matter if they are not in the same state or country, teachers are always collaborating and sharing ideas with one another. Teacher Tube is a perfect example of this. I have found so many great ideas to incorporate into lesson plans because seasoned teachers, as well as novice teachers have uploaded awesome videos onto Teacher Tube. This benefits students as well when a teacher has uploaded an effective video that can help students understand content. I also think that all students are excited to see their own work published. It gives them a sense of ownership and accomplishment. How neat would it be if their published videos could be shared online with other students around the world? I think students would really enjoy that because it would create a safe learning/student community.
TeacherTube is one of my favorite websites. If I want to use a video in a lesson plan, I will begin at You Tube, but I often always end up at TeacherTube. Teachers form a community. It does not matter if they are not in the same state or country, teachers are always collaborating and sharing ideas with one another. Teacher Tube is a perfect example of this. I have found so many great ideas to incorporate into lesson plans because seasoned teachers, as well as novice teachers have uploaded awesome videos onto Teacher Tube. This benefits students as well when a teacher has uploaded an effective video that can help students understand content. I also think that all students are excited to see their own work published. It gives them a sense of ownership and accomplishment. How neat would it be if their published videos could be shared online with other students around the world? I think students would really enjoy that because it would create a safe learning/student community.
Thing 12: Discovering and Using YouTube
I have used YouTube in the past to find videos for lessons, but I am never really 100% happy with the video choices that appear. I think that YouTube has great resources, but sometimes I wish the videos were of better quality and could be longer. I often have to refine my search several times before I find exactly what I want in a video for a lesson. At the same time though, I have found a lot of great videos that I have used in the past on YouTube and I would still recommend it as a resource for teachers. Teachers can still use parts of YouTube videos to create a TEASe like we did in Applications of Technology. Teachers just need to look closely at the videos they find and verify that they are reliable when using YouTube.
I chose a video about the last space launch conducted by NASA because I think it is a critical part of history. I have always loved the space program and I will definitely share its history with my future students. This video is neat because students can hear the people at the launch pad talking about the shuttle as it progresses into the sky. Students also get a first hand look at watching the process of the space shuttle taking off. Some of the terminology is higher level, but I think elementary students would still enjoy watching the video and talking about what is taking place.
NASA Video: Space shuttle Endeavour final launch
I chose a video about the last space launch conducted by NASA because I think it is a critical part of history. I have always loved the space program and I will definitely share its history with my future students. This video is neat because students can hear the people at the launch pad talking about the shuttle as it progresses into the sky. Students also get a first hand look at watching the process of the space shuttle taking off. Some of the terminology is higher level, but I think elementary students would still enjoy watching the video and talking about what is taking place.
NASA Video: Space shuttle Endeavour final launch
Friday, September 23, 2011
Thing 11: Web 2.0 Tools
GoAnimate.com: Yay for fall time! by langerudkp
Like it? Create your own at GoAnimate.com. It's free and fun!
I had so much fun creating my animation at GoAnimate.com. I first watched the very helpful and informative tutorial. GoAnimate made it so simple to create a short video. It was as easy as choosing a scene, clicking on characters, and typing in text to create a conversation! I will definitely use this in my classroom. Students could use it to create a short story for Language Arts. It would even be fun to divide students into pairs and have them create a short informative animated report about a specific topic to share with the class. I would love to post the students' stories on a classroom blog to share with parents.
As I looked over the Web 2.0 Awards, I stumbled across several that I really thought sounded neat. One that stood out to me was Lulu. I became interested in the website because they have a special section for educators of all levels. Lulu allows teachers to publish a book with needed classroom materials. I thought about how great this would be for lesson plans. I know that it can become expensive publishing books, but I thought about how neat it would be to publish an end of the year book created by students to keep in the school library. Really the only downfall I see is the price.
I found an incredible Web 2.0 website from the larger list for teachers and students called Sweet Search: A Search Engine for Students. This website is great because it only provides the most effective and safe websites that students and teachers can use in the classroom. As I explored the website I saw that they provide an online tutorial for students and teachers that provides helpful information for how to appropriately navigate the internet when researching. There is also a special search engine set up for students to use that narrows down their search to only safe and appropriate websites.
One of my favorite parts of the website is the section that provides information about news that happened on "this day" in history. This would be great for a current events lesson each week for students to do or for the teacher to share each day during Social Studies. This section also includes word of the day, poem of the day, and a question of the day! I love that they even have helpful tips for how to write a biography and provide links to several websites with information about famous historical figures for students to explore. I am using this in my classroom because it has so many great resources and I feel safe putting it at a center for students to work individually in the classroom. CHECK IT OUT!
Like it? Create your own at GoAnimate.com. It's free and fun!
I had so much fun creating my animation at GoAnimate.com. I first watched the very helpful and informative tutorial. GoAnimate made it so simple to create a short video. It was as easy as choosing a scene, clicking on characters, and typing in text to create a conversation! I will definitely use this in my classroom. Students could use it to create a short story for Language Arts. It would even be fun to divide students into pairs and have them create a short informative animated report about a specific topic to share with the class. I would love to post the students' stories on a classroom blog to share with parents.
As I looked over the Web 2.0 Awards, I stumbled across several that I really thought sounded neat. One that stood out to me was Lulu. I became interested in the website because they have a special section for educators of all levels. Lulu allows teachers to publish a book with needed classroom materials. I thought about how great this would be for lesson plans. I know that it can become expensive publishing books, but I thought about how neat it would be to publish an end of the year book created by students to keep in the school library. Really the only downfall I see is the price.
I found an incredible Web 2.0 website from the larger list for teachers and students called Sweet Search: A Search Engine for Students. This website is great because it only provides the most effective and safe websites that students and teachers can use in the classroom. As I explored the website I saw that they provide an online tutorial for students and teachers that provides helpful information for how to appropriately navigate the internet when researching. There is also a special search engine set up for students to use that narrows down their search to only safe and appropriate websites.
One of my favorite parts of the website is the section that provides information about news that happened on "this day" in history. This would be great for a current events lesson each week for students to do or for the teacher to share each day during Social Studies. This section also includes word of the day, poem of the day, and a question of the day! I love that they even have helpful tips for how to write a biography and provide links to several websites with information about famous historical figures for students to explore. I am using this in my classroom because it has so many great resources and I feel safe putting it at a center for students to work individually in the classroom. CHECK IT OUT!
Thing 10: Online Productivity Tools
Zoho Writer is such an easy and neat writing tool. It reminds me a lot of Microsoft Word. I like all of the different options it allows you to use, especially the idea of being able to edit documents sent between colleagues. For instance, if my grade level team and I were creating a parent newsletter, we could each look at the newsletter and make additions to it and write comments to one another. It makes the editing process so easy. I think I could use Zoho Writer with students as well. If the class is creating a story, each student could add onto the existing story and I could then publish it to the classroom blog.
As my sample document, I created a parent newsletter for if I had a first grade class. It is a very basic newsletter, but as I explore Zoho writer some more, I will defintely learn some more techniques to make a more creative newsletter at a later time. I was able to make my document public, but for some reason it will not let me post or link it to my blog. I will try again later.
As my sample document, I created a parent newsletter for if I had a first grade class. It is a very basic newsletter, but as I explore Zoho writer some more, I will defintely learn some more techniques to make a more creative newsletter at a later time. I was able to make my document public, but for some reason it will not let me post or link it to my blog. I will try again later.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Thing 9: Play with Wiki's
The Technology Poppers Wiki is such a great resource that I can reference when I begin teaching. I love that educators and future educators have collaborated on this Wiki to share new ideas of how to integrate technology into the classroom. I read a lot of great ideas that made me stop and think about how easy it really is to use technology in a simple and time efficient way with students.
I added the idea of using a Web 2.0 tool called CarrotSticks which is a safe online math community for students in grades 1-5. Students can not only continue to master their understanding of math, but they also have the opportunity to play games against other students around the world who are their same skill level. I actually played a couple of games on the website and saw it as a great opportunity to use as either a center or during math time.
After having the opportunity to experiment and explore with the world of Wikis, I think there are so many different educational opportunities available for teachers. Teachers can use them to communicate ideas with other educators, such as resources, educational news, or questions. It can also be used to create a classroom website, or an alternative to a classroom blog. I love that it is an opportunity for teachers and students to interact with technology. I am definitely more interested in doing a bit more detective work about Wikis now that I know how easy they are to create.
I added the idea of using a Web 2.0 tool called CarrotSticks which is a safe online math community for students in grades 1-5. Students can not only continue to master their understanding of math, but they also have the opportunity to play games against other students around the world who are their same skill level. I actually played a couple of games on the website and saw it as a great opportunity to use as either a center or during math time.
After having the opportunity to experiment and explore with the world of Wikis, I think there are so many different educational opportunities available for teachers. Teachers can use them to communicate ideas with other educators, such as resources, educational news, or questions. It can also be used to create a classroom website, or an alternative to a classroom blog. I love that it is an opportunity for teachers and students to interact with technology. I am definitely more interested in doing a bit more detective work about Wikis now that I know how easy they are to create.
Thing 8: Wiki's
I have heard of Wikis, but have never really had the oportunity to work with them. I never realized how easy they are to navigate and to use. One interesting aspect that I am seeing after doing my 8th blog post is that a lot of the websites we have looked at can be related to the theme of "community". I find it so interesting that people from anywhere in the world can instantly go onto a Wiki and add or edit information in a post. Information is constantly evolving all around us and Wikis make it so easy to access information and update individuals all around us. I do think there are some flaws in regards to Wikis though in the sense that anyone can post information. Therefore, sometimes I wonder if it is reliable, but being aware of this flaw is beneficial when choosing how to use a Wiki in the classroom.
After looking at several of the Wiki examples provided, I found the Educator Wikis to be the best resource. I perused this Wiki for a very long time looking at some of the Wikis other educators had posted. I love that this is a community for educators to reach out to one another and share ideas and resources. Educators were using their Wikis for all different types of purposes, such asking for ideas or help, providing information in regards to education, sharing examples of new technology ideas to incorporate into the classroom, and even creating a classroom Wiki page.
My favorite Wiki that I came across was a 2nd grade classroom Wiki in Canada. This teacher had lots of great resources, news, and ideas on her classroom Wiki. Some of the Wikis I came across were in different languages! This is such a neat idea to incorporate into the classroom and to have students interact with Wikis all over the world!
After looking at several of the Wiki examples provided, I found the Educator Wikis to be the best resource. I perused this Wiki for a very long time looking at some of the Wikis other educators had posted. I love that this is a community for educators to reach out to one another and share ideas and resources. Educators were using their Wikis for all different types of purposes, such asking for ideas or help, providing information in regards to education, sharing examples of new technology ideas to incorporate into the classroom, and even creating a classroom Wiki page.
My favorite Wiki that I came across was a 2nd grade classroom Wiki in Canada. This teacher had lots of great resources, news, and ideas on her classroom Wiki. Some of the Wikis I came across were in different languages! This is such a neat idea to incorporate into the classroom and to have students interact with Wikis all over the world!
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Thing 7: Image Generators
I first explored Wordle. This website really intrigued me because I loved that you can pick a theme and type as many words as you can think of that relate to it. The webiste then allows the viewer to be creative by editing the text, colors, and how the words are arranged on the page. As I worked on this website creating my "Wordle", I kept thinking about all of the ways I can relate this program to an educational activity. For example, this could be a great brainstorming activity to help students generate ideas about a topic. I can imagine students having so much fun being able to work as individuals or in a group setting generating ideas about a designated topic. Students love technology and this is bringing brainstorming and thinking maps into the world of technology.
I chose Glogster and quickly began exploring some of the different ideas people had created on the website. After only viewing a few so far, I can already see different personalities exploding on the pages of people's creations. It made me think about how much fun students would have being able to use such a great resource that would allow them to explore and create a poster on an educational topic, as well as have the ability to represent who they are as an individual. This website allows students to present their ideas through music, pictures, video and text. I believe that this type of activity will hold students' interest and intrigue them. This website is accessable to all students and the limits are endless.
I believe that children are now born into a world of technology. Therefore, I think this type of website can be of crucial importance in the classroom to expand students' needs for the use of technology, creativity, and learning. Students would present their posters to their classmates in such a different format than how they would present a paper poster because a Glogster is interactive. Students would be engaged in how to organize their thoughts, along with learning all the elements that relate to technology. Students would have to manipulate the information on the page in such a different way from how they would on a paper poster. Another positive it has over a paper poster is that a teacher can link all of the students' posters to a classroom blog for students to share their thoughts about each other's work. I will definitely be using Glogster in my classroom.
Thing 6: RSS and Newsfeeds
I found Bloglines to be interesting, but very difficult to use. I spent about an hour and a half trying to figure out the website before understanding how to add newsfeeds. I also had never heard of Bloglines until I started this blog. There are a couple of benefits to the RSS, such as having the ability to pick specific newfeeds I am interested in and have them in one specific place. I find it resourceful and a time saver that the articles on my newsfeed are constantly updated so I do not have to waste time tracking down new articles each day.
I signed up for a feed that updates me on news because I am always on news websites reading about current events. I also signed up for Amazon's newsfeed because I have an obsession with this website! Lastly, I mostly signed up for education newsfeeds. I like that at the touch of a button I can read several articles about the latest news in the world of education. One website was a Podcast for teachers, another one was about how to add technology into the classroom, and another website was a radio network with current news about education. I really like RSS, but I need to explore it more indepth to completely understand it, but I am happy with the small library I created tonight with newsfeeds. I think I will only use this for my personal use and not with students.
My Newsfeed!
I signed up for a feed that updates me on news because I am always on news websites reading about current events. I also signed up for Amazon's newsfeed because I have an obsession with this website! Lastly, I mostly signed up for education newsfeeds. I like that at the touch of a button I can read several articles about the latest news in the world of education. One website was a Podcast for teachers, another one was about how to add technology into the classroom, and another website was a radio network with current news about education. I really like RSS, but I need to explore it more indepth to completely understand it, but I am happy with the small library I created tonight with newsfeeds. I think I will only use this for my personal use and not with students.
My Newsfeed!
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Thing 5: Flickr Mashup
I explored the Flickr options provided for us to look at such as, Flickr Color Pickr and Montagr. I find Flickr really neat because it brings people from all over the world together through the use of photographs. Mashups are so interesting because they pull random photographs from Flickr and create slideshows, mosaics, and more. It really is a social network through photographs. I ended up choosing to use the Trading Card Maker. My trading card is a photograph of one of the most amazing moments of my life...my engagement. I love that I could commemorate this moment with a unique trading card! I am excited to spend more time discovering more Mashup ideas on Flickr. I think it would be a fun opportunity for students to use in the classroom as well. Therefore, I will be looking for more ideas that are geared towards education.
Thing 4: Flickr
A butterfly on a flower in Big Bend, a photo by Keslie3 on Flickr.
One of my favorite places in the entire world is Big Bend. The first time I visited Big Bend, I became captivated by the beauty and the serenity its surroundings provide. I love that one moment I can be in the desert and five minutes later I am overlooking mountains. I am not much of a photographer, but around every corner, Big Bend provides a novice photographer like me the opportunity to take a scenic picture. I captured this image of a butterfly when I was hiking on one of the trails. I will always remember this moment because I was at the highest point of Big Bend surrounded by complete silence. I happened to look down and see a butterfly sitting peacefully on a flower. I knew I had to seize the opportunity and take a picture. Every time I look back at this image I think about how it was just me and this butterfly getting to experience the beauty of such a marvelous place.
This was my first experience using Flickr. I spent so much time exploring all the different photographs people have posted. I am not a big photographer, but I have a huge appreciation for the art of photography and those who take the time to capture inspiring images. Flickr amazed me with all of the options it provides, such as linking photographs to a blog or Facebook, the ability to be creative with photographs, and the opportunity to look at amazing photographs from all over the world. It really is a neat and inspiring community. Although it was easy to upload my photographs to Flickr, it took me a really long time to figure out how to link my chosen photograph to my blog. I really want to become a pro at using Flickr, so I would like to explore it a bit further and learn all I can about the website.
Thing 3: Photos and Images
This is not an award winning photograph, but behind the doors of this church there stands many heartbreaking, but empowering memories of September 11, 2001. As I looked through the photographs I have taken in my library, I came across my senior trip to New York in 2007. During the trip my classmates and I got the opportunity to go to the temporary memorial at Ground Zero, as well as this church down the road. I wish I could remember the name of this remarkable church, but instead I will always remember the memories and the piece of history I witnessed inside its walls. This church served as a hospital for people escaping the falling towers. Inside, there are photographs, banners with encouraging words, badges of firemen and police officers that played a significant role that day, and so much more. I thought with tomorrow marking the ten year anniversary that this photograph was appropriate. I will always remember the flood of emotions I felt as I stood in this church. The pain, the hope, and the love could still be felt so many years later.
Thing 2: Blogging
WOW! I think I have a new obsession...blogging! It was not until I read the article, The 4 C's of Blogging by David Armano and the blog post, What Value- The Profession of Blogging by David Warlick that I realized the influence of a blog. I have never had the desire to create a blog because I have always been complacent expressing my thoughts in a journal. After perusing several blogs for this assignment, I realized that my journal is a good listener, but it will never respond with encouraging words or challenging points of view like the community of blogging can provide.
I explored numerous blogs and recognized that I do have a point of view about certain topics and would love to express my thoughts, as well as learn from others in the blogging community. I never realized how much blogs have changed the world of news. News is now chosen by the viewers at home. As I watch the news throughout the day, the journalists are always giving viewers the opportunity to try their hand at finding the next big story. It is neat that journalists realize that viewers at home have a voice and have something to say about the world or even their own lives. Blogging has allowed people to decide what news they find important or interesting. We are far from the time when only reporters chose the news stories that people could read. People all over the world are typing their latest news into a blog at this very moment!
In order to set up an effective blog, I took the time to research some of the previous students' blogs. One student really inspired me with her use of the website Shabby Blogs, which is what I used for the design of my blog. I also explored the world of edublogs and other education blogs. These blogs gave me so many ideas about how to incorporate blogging into my future classroom! I think I am most excited about setting up a blog where my students can communicate on educational ideas with one another. Blogging has created such an amazing community of expressing ideas and has transformed the world of how we receive and think about news. I am so excited about the opportunity to be a Blogger, but I have one question. Are you ready to become a Blogger with me? Get ready to Investigate, Discover, and Report!
I explored numerous blogs and recognized that I do have a point of view about certain topics and would love to express my thoughts, as well as learn from others in the blogging community. I never realized how much blogs have changed the world of news. News is now chosen by the viewers at home. As I watch the news throughout the day, the journalists are always giving viewers the opportunity to try their hand at finding the next big story. It is neat that journalists realize that viewers at home have a voice and have something to say about the world or even their own lives. Blogging has allowed people to decide what news they find important or interesting. We are far from the time when only reporters chose the news stories that people could read. People all over the world are typing their latest news into a blog at this very moment!
In order to set up an effective blog, I took the time to research some of the previous students' blogs. One student really inspired me with her use of the website Shabby Blogs, which is what I used for the design of my blog. I also explored the world of edublogs and other education blogs. These blogs gave me so many ideas about how to incorporate blogging into my future classroom! I think I am most excited about setting up a blog where my students can communicate on educational ideas with one another. Blogging has created such an amazing community of expressing ideas and has transformed the world of how we receive and think about news. I am so excited about the opportunity to be a Blogger, but I have one question. Are you ready to become a Blogger with me? Get ready to Investigate, Discover, and Report!
Friday, September 9, 2011
Thing 1: Lifelong Learning
The tutorial, 7 & 1/2 Habits of Highly Successful Lifelong Learners provides information about the different aspects involved in the process of acquiring new knowledge during one's lifetime.This tutorial discusses how we learn, the importance of recognizing our previous learning experiences, the attitude of a lifelong learner, and the 7 & 1/2 Habits of what it means to be a lifelong learner. I love that it emphasizes the idea that we never stop learning at any age. As a future teacher, I believe that it is important to recognize that we will always be lifelong learners. Teachers are always developing their knowledge of new ideas and concepts to apply to the classroom. Therefore, this tutorial really helped me focus on specific habits for developing my learning.
Are you ready to be a "successful lifelong learner"? The 7 & 1/2 Habits from the tutorial are listed below:
Habit 1: Begin with the end in mind- Think of an important goal you would like to accomplish as a learner.
Habit 2: Accept responsibility for your own learning- Do not be passive, but active in your own learning.
Habit 3: View problems as challenges- Don't give up, but seize the opportunity to learn and expand your knowledge when a challenge arises!
Habit 4: Have confidence in yourself as a competent, effective learner- look at your past learning experiences and bring these to the table to develop new learning experiences. It is ok not to know everything at first, this is why we are lifelong learners.
Habit 5: Create your own learning toolbox- The items you put into your learning toolbox will help you meet and accomplish your goal.
Habit 6: Use technology to your advantage- We live in generation that is technology based. Do not pass up the opportunity to acquire as much knowledge as you can in this area to apply to your everyday life.
Habit 7: Teach and Mentor others- As we teach, we are also developing our own knowledge.
Habit 7 & 1/2: Play- As adults we forget how many learning experiences are involved in the process of playing. Your brain needs the opportunity to discover new ideas through play. Have fun!
I truly enjoy learning. If I could spend my life in school I would more than likely jump at the opportunity. I realized that even though I love to learn, some of the 7 & 1/2 habits are going to be quite an obstacle for me on my path to be a lifelong learner.
I have attached my Learning Contract that describes my goal of creating a Webquest for my future students.
Are you ready to be a "successful lifelong learner"? The 7 & 1/2 Habits from the tutorial are listed below:
Habit 1: Begin with the end in mind- Think of an important goal you would like to accomplish as a learner.
Habit 2: Accept responsibility for your own learning- Do not be passive, but active in your own learning.
Habit 3: View problems as challenges- Don't give up, but seize the opportunity to learn and expand your knowledge when a challenge arises!
Habit 4: Have confidence in yourself as a competent, effective learner- look at your past learning experiences and bring these to the table to develop new learning experiences. It is ok not to know everything at first, this is why we are lifelong learners.
Habit 5: Create your own learning toolbox- The items you put into your learning toolbox will help you meet and accomplish your goal.
Habit 6: Use technology to your advantage- We live in generation that is technology based. Do not pass up the opportunity to acquire as much knowledge as you can in this area to apply to your everyday life.
Habit 7: Teach and Mentor others- As we teach, we are also developing our own knowledge.
Habit 7 & 1/2: Play- As adults we forget how many learning experiences are involved in the process of playing. Your brain needs the opportunity to discover new ideas through play. Have fun!
I truly enjoy learning. If I could spend my life in school I would more than likely jump at the opportunity. I realized that even though I love to learn, some of the 7 & 1/2 habits are going to be quite an obstacle for me on my path to be a lifelong learner.
- One that is a challenge for me is "Habit 4: Have confidence in yourself as a competent, effective learner". Sometimes I give up before I even try. I forget that it is ok to not know everything and that sometimes I am going to have to start from square one. I need to remember to not get discouraged so easily in the learning process.
- I also have a problem with "Habit 6: Use technology to your advantage". Although I am aware that technology surrounds every aspect of my life, I am also sometimes fearful of my competence to use it. I need to push and challenge myself to have the confidence to learn as much as I can about technolgoy because it really is interesting!
- The last one that truly challenges me more than anything is "Habit 7 & 1/2: Play"! I have so much trouble remembering that not all of my knowledge needs to come from books and lectures, but that a lot of it can come from playing. I need to break down my walls on occassion and remember the importance of play and being active in the process of learning.
- "Habit 1: Begin with the end in mind" is one of my favorite habits from the tutorial. I am always setting goals in my everyday life. I love the feeling of working really hard towards my goals and knowing that I accomplished them.
- "Habit 2: Accept responsibility for your own learning" is something that I find to come easy to me. I believe that you cannot put a price on the value of an education. I try to always remember and treasure what I am learning and apply it to my life experiences.
I have attached my Learning Contract that describes my goal of creating a Webquest for my future students.
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