Thing #11

Wow. Why did I want to add more feeds to my RSS reader?  Oh, yes, to complete thing #11.  Topix.net was by far the easiest to use. It was simple to enter the area in which you were interested and set up a feed. Topix fulfills two basic needs: the need for news and the need for the opinions of others about said news. I set up a feed from my hometown and now can keep up with what's going on and what everyone thinks about what's going on!  It's the best of both worlds--fact and fiction all in one!

Syndic8.com was the most confusing for me. I never really did get the hang of it. If it was the only option, perhaps I would have persevered. Google blogs was also easy to navigate although I experienced a bit of difficulty selecting the right search words or phrases to yield the desired results. I'm sure that was my problem-I mean challenge-not theirs.

I liked Ed Tech Journeys a blog which I found on the Edublog's award winners listing. I could relate to and was entertained by his writings; it was not surprising that his blogging had been recognized. Using Google Blog Search, I found many other versions of the 23 things---it was fun to look at how they had been adapted for different groups.

News feeds were not at all difficult to find. I used Google and Yahoo and just searched "news feeds" and was not disappointed. You could easily subscribe to news from anywhere using Yahoo!News or News.google.com.

Besides the Topix for my hometown, I did not add any additional feeds to my RSS reader. I really enjoyed reading many of the blogs I came across, but I have no desire or time (at this point) to devote to the reading of anymore than those which I previously set up. I can definitely see adding more feeds in the future!

Thing #10

The great part about setting up an RSS account is that you can go to one spot and have all of the information come to you. It's both convenient and time saving. It's currently useful because it is enabling me to keep up with the class blogs (1-3) that I am following. Having a feed such as (4)Free Technology for Teachers is a convenient way to view the latest technology and educational uses for technology.  Keeping current with all that is going on in the nation with regard to education, can happen with the help of (5) CNN Education News.

This may also be used to effectively keep up with student blogs. For instance, if your students are blogging their journals or literature summaries, you could keep track of all of them in one spot. It would be great to set up a news feed so that students could keep up with current events. I can definitely see ways that this technology could be used effectively both in the classroom and for me personally.

Thing #9

I started by checking out Image Chef.  How fun!  All of the images were extremely easy to set up and just as easy to import into the blog.  And....who doesn't need a flashing neon sign every once in awhile?  I think that it would be fun to post class information like this!  I can't imagine that my seventh graders would miss notification of anything with this flashing at them from the projector or T.V. screen.



Fan Sign Generator was also easy to navigate and had many sign templates to choose from. I definitely spent a little too much time generating signs. Again, I could imagine using some of these to get students attention.  I can also imagine students using these to add some interest to some of their creative work in class.




Both of these were very simple to use. You just added your text, selected a font, font size, and your personalized sign was generated. They were also very simple to copy and paste onto a blog. I couldn't resist one more form Image Chef.  I need to stop now!


http://www.imagechef.com/
http://www.fansigngenerator.com/                                                                                                      

Thing #8

Playing around with the Mosaic Maker and some of the other mashups was really fun, and I could totally see how it could become addictive!  While "creating" my fall mosaic, I "created" far too many other mosaics and spelled far too many words in Spell with Flickr.

I would definitely use this with family photos, particularly from vacations or big events.  I could also see my students enjoying using this and Spell with Flickr to add some creative accents to their newsletters or personal writing.

I would not make personal pictures-those of family or friends-or school photos of students available to the public.  However, I would place travel, nature, and other photographs not containing people on Flickr.  I would also hope that no one would make personal photos of me available for the world to view--particularly not photos of me on a bad hair day!

Mosaic Description and links to Flickr photographs contained within:

1. tired leaves, 2. Autumn Spider, 3. fall is here, 4. Rhapsody in autumn hues, 5. Untitled, 6. summer going down the drain, 7. 20100922_3148, 8. Tennis Anyone? 162/365, 9. 20100922_3139

Thing #7

This was by far the most (and only) frustrating "thing" so far! I enjoyed looking at all of the pretty pictures on Flickr, and it was very simple  to set up a free account and upload pictures from my camera and flash drive. There's where the simple part ended for me!!!  I  could not get the correct URL for my uploaded pictures.  I could  get the page address, but as was stated in the instructions, this is not what is wanted. :(   I believe that I checked all of the correct boxes when I registered my photographs, but, alas, it just wasn't meant to be.

For now, I shall just share my lovely (?) photo of a mother(me)-daughter, shared birthday cake.  I hope to revisit Thing #7 later this week and remedy the situation.

Page address (for now): http://www.flickr.com/photos/cmacpictures/5026824923/
Photo address (whoo-hoo!): http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4091/5026824923_0bd446c827.jpg

Thing #6

I really enjoyed looking at the award winners. I have used several of those listed, but there are many that I have never tried. One of the award winners that I think would be very helpful at school is Google Docs.

Currently, the teachers in our county have to post all weekly plans on a county wide share file; this file can only be accessed from a school computer. It would be great to be able to share these files on the internet, so that teachers could enter their plans from any location where a computer and internet connection are available.

Similarly, our midterm grade reports (generated by each team of teachers at the midpoint of each 9-week grading period) and ICU reports (a before and after school study hall which provides intensive care for students with "sick" grades) can only be accessed from computers at school. We actually have to make a schedule to enter midterm grades in order to give everyone access during regular school hours. Without constant updating the ICU file is useless. These programs could easily be uploaded as a Google Doc file and our team of teachers could access these files from anywhere and at anytime.

In addition, students would find Google Docs very useful when it comes to partner or group writing projects. I think that they would really enjoy the fact that they can all have a say in the editing process instead of relying on the anchor in the group or the volunteer document typist to do all editing and revising. Finally, I think my students would enjoy all that this would bring to the process of publishing a hall newsletter or newspaper.

And….it’s free!

http://docs.google.com/#all

Thing #5

If we accept that Web 2.0 = "everyday, non-technical people using the web to enhance their own lives and businesses." (Richard MacManus, Web 2.0 is Not About Version Numbers or Betas)...

Then, Schools 2.0 = teachers (in all subject areas) and students using the web to enhance instruction and learning. The web enables educators to share information and collaborate with one another without waiting for a staff development day or a department meeting. In addition, it allows teachers to share and engage in conversation with a world of educators--not just a department or school. These same web applications enable students to explore the world without being confined to resources available in their textbooks, their classrooms, or the school library.

As educators we not only need to use these resources to our greatest advantage for preparing instruction and presenting information, but also teach students how to utilize these same resources. It is our obligation to use these resources for "teaching, learning, and driving innovation" (A guide for Educators). One message is quite clear: students are all very familiar with these resources, however, we need to teach the means by which these resources may be used by them to research, to learn, to create.  Students need to see the Web as not just a source of entertainment, but as a valuable source of information and enrichment.

Educators are obligated to teach our students how to take advantage of currently available technological resources. Educators of the future will have the same obligation. Schools in the future will face challenges in trying to provide an appropriate and current education that truly prepares students to successfully learn and work in a rapidly changing world.





   

Thing #4

Commenting is the means by which your journal entry becomes a conversation; commenting creates dialogue from monologue. Finding out what others may think about your ideas creates that sense of community. Sharing your reaction to someone else's ideas, builds on that sense of community. Adding your insights, and even your opposition, strengthens that sense of community.

• Inviting questions may invite more comments to your blog (10 techniques for getting more comments). It was suggested here that actually asking for comments might entice some readers to become writers themselves. 
• Another comment made in the same post was that you shouldn't forget to comment to those who have made comments.  In other words, if you ignore everyone's responses to your posts, some may eventually stop commenting. As is true with any conversation, there must be a give a take in order for the conversation or discussion to continue.
• Don't comment just because you are hoping to improve your chances for receiving more comments (How to comment like a king or queen).  Only comment if you feel that you have something of value to add to the discussion. Just as is the case with any conversation, only your thoughtful and thought provoking thoughts will truly be appreciated.

So far, I have commented on 3 classmate's blogs: (1) C. Sensing's Thing #1 because I enjoyed her positive attitude, (2)Sirman's because I liked her idea of using blogging for class journals, and (3)E.Coleman's because she and I were in agreement about what was most difficult and easiest as far as the 7.5 are concerned!

More later!

Today, I commented on (4)Hook's blog because of his reference to the 10 ways to increase your blog traffic and the percentage of "lurkers";  I just didn't want to be in that 90%.  :)  I also commented on (5)M.Wilson's entry about Open Table.  She made some very good points and included a personal testimonial.

Some from the "blogosphere" at a later date!

Okay, the day has come and I did make a comment on the blogs of two strangers. It was a little scary, and I felt like I was invading people's personal space as I peered at their pictures and read their words. Some of the blogs were far TOO personal for me to make a comment. I ended up commenting on one called (6)Photographic Expressions which consisted of an aspiring photographer's photos flowers and trees. I attempted to compliment the blogger on her photos. The other blog was called (7)Necrodancer and I selected and clicked on a "quick remark" on the blog about fashion. The blogger made several good points about dressing for the size and shape that you have and included a lovely interpretation of a muffin top.

Thing #3

I think that I'd like to create a class blog for each of my 5 classes.  I'd have the students take turns and enter summaries of the days activities, directions on how to complete any written assignments for the day, and points of interest (which will frequently have very little or nothing to do with the lesson). The blog address can be displayed as a link on my online grading program, and all students (but particularly those who are absent) can not only access the calendar and their current grades, but also get the inside information on what REALLY happened while they were out. Obviously, all posts would  have to be approved before they could be posted. 

I also like the idea of posting photos and class activities. Again, I use a parent and student accessible online grading program, but it would be great fun to share photos from dances, class activities, field trips, and spirit week with parents as well as students. These photos are usually only displayed in the school halls and classrooms and are viewed by students only. I'm sure that the parents would enjoy viewing their students in action!

Finally, I really like the idea of posting examples of good writing on a class blog. Currently, I project essay samples, but it would be very helpful for my students to be able to look more closely at both successful and unsuccessful essays. Hard copies of such items get lost (sometimes before the day ends), and it would be great for students to have access to such resources when they find themselves finishing one of their own essays at home or in the computer lab.

Thing #2

That was fun!  I enjoyed creating the blog and the avatar. The posting name and name for the blog were really not very innovative; it was my understanding that for our purposes, the title had to have our last name...mine is long enough without adding anything else! It was easy to create the blog. The instructions at each point were easy to follow and the directions made the entire process go very quickly. Creating the avatar was fun as well. I set out to make mine look like me. I tried for the right eye, skin, and hair color along with some "lovely" outfits. Now that it's completed---- my only hope is that it bears no resemblance to my "real life self." In the future, I may make some changes to the screen design and the avatar, but for now I am happy with mine as is.

Thing #1

I found the 7 and 1/2 Habits interesting. After giving some thought to each of the habits, I would have to say that habit #2, accepting responsibility for your own learning, is probably the easiest for me. I am a naturally curious person (my family calls me the great interrogator---certainly not always meant as a compliment), so I am always interested to learn something new and willing to put in the time and effort to do so. The most difficult for me at this point, is habit #3, viewing problems as challenges. On a good day, this is not a problem, but on a day riddled with problems (I mean challenges), it can be tough. I was very happy to see that play made the list of habits!  Habit 7.5 is also no problem for me!

I would like to learn to use some "things" that will make technology use more fun for both my students and me!

Setting up the blog was fun. It's something that I probably would not have done if it wasn't for this class assignment!