Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Thing #13
After viewing and becoming familiar with the social bookmarking sites available, I found 'declicous' to be most user friendly for me. It took some time to famialiarize myself and understand how this site works. I didn't see the difference, at first, between regular bookmarking and the website. What I realize now is that I can use this application on any computer because it is a website and not saved only on one computer. I know that this will be beneficial as a teacher. The 21st century offers many resources at the click of a button. Many times I will find a website that has great resources. It will be so nice to have it tagged on delicous so I can easily access it, share it with colleagues, and even access at home if need be. I am excited to use this tool and can already see the benefits to this. One way we could use it to benefit students is maybe setting up a class log-in. On that site we could have a list of websites for certain topics. There could be tags for math websites, social studies, etc. Then students could access these sites easily at home and parents wouldn't have to be searching for websites that are good on-line.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Thing #12
I pulled two quotes from two different blogs. I found Merdith Farkas blog about sharing and feeling worthy to comment intriguing. To SHARE was the main focus of her discussion and I feel very inspired by her following quote,
"...most importantly, sharing will encourage others to share. And when there’s a culture of sharing, when we’re all sharing knowledge, we will all benefit."
I love to share with others, in friendship, advice, stories, laughter, knowledge, disagreements, future goals. I grow as a person every time I experience someone else. My life has been extremely blessed because of others sharing their knowledge, expertise, families, and themselves with me. As we continue to advance technologically, commenting on eachothers blogs and interacting with others is another way to broaden and expand ourselves.
The second section I enjoyed came from the "Coolcat" blog. The writer discusses how important it is when one comments on a certain post. I am very passionate about certain education topics. As I read experts' posts about these topics, my comments could encourage these writers to post more. If it is a topic that needs attention drawn to it, I can help promote this topic or cause my commenting and encouraging the writer to keep on. This is what "Cool Cat" says:
"You cast a vote on the importance of a topic I think that as an edublogger, I think commenting is one of the most meaningful tools that we have to show experts where they need to focus. It is like having a vote and when you comment you are saying, "This is important!"You'd better believe that when a blogger receives an incredible number of comments on a post that they are going to be writing more about that topic! If you want more from them on that, tell them!"
"...most importantly, sharing will encourage others to share. And when there’s a culture of sharing, when we’re all sharing knowledge, we will all benefit."
I love to share with others, in friendship, advice, stories, laughter, knowledge, disagreements, future goals. I grow as a person every time I experience someone else. My life has been extremely blessed because of others sharing their knowledge, expertise, families, and themselves with me. As we continue to advance technologically, commenting on eachothers blogs and interacting with others is another way to broaden and expand ourselves.
The second section I enjoyed came from the "Coolcat" blog. The writer discusses how important it is when one comments on a certain post. I am very passionate about certain education topics. As I read experts' posts about these topics, my comments could encourage these writers to post more. If it is a topic that needs attention drawn to it, I can help promote this topic or cause my commenting and encouraging the writer to keep on. This is what "Cool Cat" says:
"You cast a vote on the importance of a topic I think that as an edublogger, I think commenting is one of the most meaningful tools that we have to show experts where they need to focus. It is like having a vote and when you comment you are saying, "This is important!"You'd better believe that when a blogger receives an incredible number of comments on a post that they are going to be writing more about that topic! If you want more from them on that, tell them!"
Thing #11
I am thrilled to have learned about LibarayThing. I recently mentioned to myself that I wanted to make a journal to keep track of the books that I have read. I love to read and I get alot of good books read in the summer. I think this is a great place to keep track of books I have read and the books I have at my house. I can share with this my friends and they can just ask to borrow any book they see on the list. My grandma, cousin, sister, aunts, mom, and I all love to share books with one another. We can use this to communicate with eachother the books we have and the books we enjoyed. Jodi Picoult became my favorite author after reading My Sister's Keeper many years ago. I have loved reading all her books since and enjoyed seeing the many readers who enjoy her as well.
In a classroom, this could be a place where students list books they have finished and recommend to other students. Students might also enjoy joining clubs or groups of people who enjoy the same books they do. This encourages students to see that people everywhere love reading the same books they do.
In a classroom, this could be a place where students list books they have finished and recommend to other students. Students might also enjoy joining clubs or groups of people who enjoy the same books they do. This encourages students to see that people everywhere love reading the same books they do.
Thing #10
The picture to the right is of my fiance and I in Las Vegas. Even though the picture was actually taken in the hotel Rio this was a fun template to use. "Custom Sign Generator" was the link I used to find this. From there I went to a link called "add fun templates". This led me to 100's of templates to chose from. There were a ton of cute and funny scenes. One disadvantage to this website was that there were a large amount of advertisements. I felt the website was very slow to work with because of the many Ads taking up space.
Big Huge Labs has an endless amount of options to use with photos and for me, it was very user-friendly.
Finally, I love "wordle". This is a very nice creative outlet, as one can choose colors, fonts, size, etc. In a library or classroom students can use wordle to describe a character in the book they are reading. THey may use wordle to list words that describe a particular 3-Dimensional shape. Technology can be integrated in ways that help teachers assess students level and knowledge as well as hooking students' attention and motivation.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Thing #9
I prefered the Google search because I am familiar with Google and it seemed very user-friendly. There was a side bar that included main topics to search through. This was easy for me to find and narrow down topics I was looking for.
I also enjoyed the teacher blog search. This will be very helpful when one is looking for a certain educational topic. It appeared very organized and not crowded in it's small space. One thing about blogging that is concerning to me is that you dont know if the writer is credible or not. I might read up about all this information that is incorrect or just his/her opinion. The Teacher blog listed the top 100 blogs and it seems trustworthy and reliable.
Tecnorati was ok if I focused just on the drop down box called blogs. This option led to all the headers that could lead you to different blog topics. I prefer this as it would help me narrow my options down.
Syndic8 was not visualy appealling to me. It was crowded and seemed overwhelming to navigate. I looked at it briefly but quickly passed this site.
I found useful feeds in the teacher blogs search. There are many educational topics that I am very passionate about and appreciate others discussing. I will probalby save a few of these blogs to keep up with the most recent Educational decisions, read what educationaly is happening in other states around the country, and more. There are times where I feel that teachers are over worked and under appreciated. Having the opportunity to discuss and comment on blogs regarding these topics will allow me an outlet and communication board.
I also enjoyed the teacher blog search. This will be very helpful when one is looking for a certain educational topic. It appeared very organized and not crowded in it's small space. One thing about blogging that is concerning to me is that you dont know if the writer is credible or not. I might read up about all this information that is incorrect or just his/her opinion. The Teacher blog listed the top 100 blogs and it seems trustworthy and reliable.
Tecnorati was ok if I focused just on the drop down box called blogs. This option led to all the headers that could lead you to different blog topics. I prefer this as it would help me narrow my options down.
Syndic8 was not visualy appealling to me. It was crowded and seemed overwhelming to navigate. I looked at it briefly but quickly passed this site.
I found useful feeds in the teacher blogs search. There are many educational topics that I am very passionate about and appreciate others discussing. I will probalby save a few of these blogs to keep up with the most recent Educational decisions, read what educationaly is happening in other states around the country, and more. There are times where I feel that teachers are over worked and under appreciated. Having the opportunity to discuss and comment on blogs regarding these topics will allow me an outlet and communication board.
Thing #8
RSS and readers are an excellent way to organize the various blogs and news sources one frequently visits. It was a little overwhelming at first, as there were numerous staff recommended sites on my Google reader that I didn't necessarily want. I did figure out to take those off. I can see the extreme benefits to this tool if one is a frequent visitor to certain sites. I do not particularly visit numerous blogs over and over again. I honestly don't have time. If I did I would be on the computer for hours and never get anythine else done.
I would use this application in my personal life more, if I could have a page for the websites I frequently visit. My email account, bank account, facebook, wedding websites, etc. but these are not blogs. I don't think the reader allows you to have website links just blogs. Please let me know if I am misguided.
In my classroom and school, there could be ways to integrate this. I am sure there are various blogs that are appropriate for students. A station in science could be researching on the blogs for the newest information on a certain topic we are studying. All the blogs could be in one spot so the students would only have to go that one reader to access information. Personally, to keep up with the most recent studies and trends on certain topics, I could have blogs that discuss our unit topic. I could check it each morning and update students with the newest information on, for example, Pluto not being a planet. It could be easy for me to go to my reader, click on the blog and instantly have the most recent data.
I am sure there are endless blogs and resources to be used with reader. It will take some time to find them but I know this can be very beneficial to all of us in education once we locate the blogs that will help us.
I would use this application in my personal life more, if I could have a page for the websites I frequently visit. My email account, bank account, facebook, wedding websites, etc. but these are not blogs. I don't think the reader allows you to have website links just blogs. Please let me know if I am misguided.
In my classroom and school, there could be ways to integrate this. I am sure there are various blogs that are appropriate for students. A station in science could be researching on the blogs for the newest information on a certain topic we are studying. All the blogs could be in one spot so the students would only have to go that one reader to access information. Personally, to keep up with the most recent studies and trends on certain topics, I could have blogs that discuss our unit topic. I could check it each morning and update students with the newest information on, for example, Pluto not being a planet. It could be easy for me to go to my reader, click on the blog and instantly have the most recent data.
I am sure there are endless blogs and resources to be used with reader. It will take some time to find them but I know this can be very beneficial to all of us in education once we locate the blogs that will help us.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Thing #7
I remember working on a research project in Elementary school. My resources were a couple of books from the library and our home Encylopedia set. I thought the encyclopedia set was very cool. It is amazing how quickly things change and encyclopdias are a thing of the past. Now all one had to do is "google" it. I was happy to learn more tools that google offers other than the typical search. The advanced search is really amazing. I experimented with the power point search. My current school does a major study on Rome and other ancient time periods. I was not an expert of Roman History so I needed to study to present the information accuratly to my third grade class. The powerpoint search could be really beneficial to finding slideshows I could learn from or use in teaching my class. Educators have so many demands in a unrealistic time. These tools can really help us in our time management and make one lesser stress.
I also experimented with the googgle Scholar. I see myself using this occasionaly in my job as a teacher but mainly as I study for my Masters degree in Ed. Psychology. It is a quick search to finding many articles and resources on any topic one may be interested. This willl be helpful in future research projects I have. This could also be effective as one encounters various issues with students. For example, students with emotional problems, or a student with dyslexia tendancies. A teacher may want to research certain topics to help work with students.
I also experimented with the googgle Scholar. I see myself using this occasionaly in my job as a teacher but mainly as I study for my Masters degree in Ed. Psychology. It is a quick search to finding many articles and resources on any topic one may be interested. This willl be helpful in future research projects I have. This could also be effective as one encounters various issues with students. For example, students with emotional problems, or a student with dyslexia tendancies. A teacher may want to research certain topics to help work with students.
Thing #6
I really enjoyed exploring the enormous amount of resources on Big Huge Labs. The creative options with pictures on this website is great. Trading cards can be great for many things. In science when we learn about matter, students could each make a trading card for solids, liquids, and gases. Students could also design a magazine cover for a unit of study. A picture could represent the overall study and the side notes might include vocabulary from the unit. There are so many creative ideas that can be used in many different avenues. Calendars with pictures could be very benefical for students who need additional help with organization and are visual learners. If we are studying Botany in science, a picture could represent that study and then the calendar would be available with details of what the class will study each day.
This resource looks to have many possibilities. I am worried about one thing. I wonder how much printing ink it uses to print a set of trading cards or a magazine cover. We don't have to print everything but some unique creations are nice to have hard copies of. Just a thought.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Thing #5
Flickr has just about any type of photgraph one could ever search for. At first, I felt a little overwhelmed with the large amount of photos. However, once I picked a topic or curriculum subject I can see how this site can be very useful. As a third grade teacher, we learn about plant life and the life cycle. The students are pretty narrowed in on a stereotypical imgage of seeds. Looking though the many photos of seeds, I can see a great opportunity to show the students a large varity of shapes, colors, and sizes that seeds come in.
This image could lead to discussions as to how do these particular seeds travel? Students might compare and contrast two or three photos of different seeds.
Thing #4
I sent my information to the email required. Hopefully it went through ok and I will look forward to receiving the follow-up email to make sure. I think I am going to look into changing my blog template. I am getting kind of bored with it. :)
Thing #3
I successfully started my first blog. I have been working on this periodically so I first did the template design and chose the name and website. I came back later ready to post my Thing #2. It took me a while to figure out that I had to log in to make posts. I realized that others can comment but only those who have the user ID and Password can make the initial posts. This is something to keep in my mind if I were to have a classroom blog, with students make the posts. The user ID would need to be available to students. However, students could make posts anywhere there is a computer. Hmm...I wonder if any teachers have tried this and had problems with students' posts.
The avator was fun. I enjoy reflecting on characteristics that describe myself. I enjoyed looking at all the various outfits and accessories. This could be a nice activity for a counself to encourage self-discovery. It is very important for young kids to reflect on themselves, who they are, and gain a sense of self-awareness. Each student could have an avator representative of him/herself.
I am excited to learn the rest of the tech savvy activities in store during the next 20 "Things".
The avator was fun. I enjoy reflecting on characteristics that describe myself. I enjoyed looking at all the various outfits and accessories. This could be a nice activity for a counself to encourage self-discovery. It is very important for young kids to reflect on themselves, who they are, and gain a sense of self-awareness. Each student could have an avator representative of him/herself.
I am excited to learn the rest of the tech savvy activities in store during the next 20 "Things".
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Thing #2
7 1/2 Habits for successful life-long learners
All 7 1/2 habits listed in this tutorial are so important to successful life-long learning. The habit that is the most difficult for me is to view problems as challenges and learning opportunities. As I reflect back on the many challenges I have encountered in my life, I am able to see how I have grown and learned from each situation. However, the hardest part is to see the learning lesson in the middle of the problem. It is a lot easier to see the negatives and to feel down during tough times, then to continue to persevere, knowing a life-lesson will be learned. I do know that life-long learners are taking risks, reaching for goals, and trying unknown tasks. With this, there are going to be mistakes and tough times. In the end I do know that every experience teaches us something and makes us stronger in the end.
One of the easier habits for is teaching/mentoring others. I love to teach others new things. It feels great to learn something new and then share it with others. There is nothing better then discovering a new invention or learning a new technology advancement. There is no better reward than being apart of an experience that helps others feel confident, excited, and happy to have learned something new.
All 7 1/2 habits listed in this tutorial are so important to successful life-long learning. The habit that is the most difficult for me is to view problems as challenges and learning opportunities. As I reflect back on the many challenges I have encountered in my life, I am able to see how I have grown and learned from each situation. However, the hardest part is to see the learning lesson in the middle of the problem. It is a lot easier to see the negatives and to feel down during tough times, then to continue to persevere, knowing a life-lesson will be learned. I do know that life-long learners are taking risks, reaching for goals, and trying unknown tasks. With this, there are going to be mistakes and tough times. In the end I do know that every experience teaches us something and makes us stronger in the end.
One of the easier habits for is teaching/mentoring others. I love to teach others new things. It feels great to learn something new and then share it with others. There is nothing better then discovering a new invention or learning a new technology advancement. There is no better reward than being apart of an experience that helps others feel confident, excited, and happy to have learned something new.
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