Thing 24- To be or not be that is the technicological question!

My favorite activities include: the anamito video maker (which I am now a subscriber) and the livebinder activity.  I am already planning to use these programs next year.  I think this program has influenced my lifelong learning goals because I try each week to incorporate more interactive lessons with more technology. I did experience an unexpected surprise when I got a better education on copyright laws and the creative commons.  I like the format and most of the 23 things but I feel like the "thing" that encompassed alternatives to microsoft office could have used a little more exercise collaboration between classmates for example.  I thought that googledocs could have had a group collaboration because we use it in CMCSS and it is a real world application that we will use again.  I really did enjoy this course.  i have used my interactive powerpoint with my kids and I know we will use them again next year.  I am still investigating the different features of web 2.0 but there are many programs we have learned about that I am planning for next years lesson plans.

Thing 23

I have used creative commons in my classroom already.  As we discussed plagiarism we talked about things that we can share.  As a class we went over the PowerPoint Presentation I created in this course.  We looked at the creative common symbols.
We discussed:

cc- creative commons licenses
•Not meant to compete with copyright
•Meant to go with copyright
•Means some rights reserved
•Grants permission in different ways for use of a work

We found this image which shows that the work has a creative commons license which can be used but credit must be given to the author, we can use the work but not for money, and we cannot change the original work. 

 

Thing 22

The titles of my livebinders are:  Geography, World History, US History.


Link to my Geography Binder

This is a great feature.  The use of livebinder can keep students who are absent up-to-date.  It also serves as a fail safe/space saver for materials needing to be stored.  I think that this was a neat project.  I also like that I can share it with my co-workers.

Thing 21

The Best things in My Life


Make your own slideshow at Animoto.
OMG! I love this site!! I am going to be subsribing to this one I can see!  It is so easy to use and makes such wonderful memories into an awesome show I love it!  i spent more time on this one project then I should have but I just could not drag myself away.  I know I will be using this next year as i take pictures of my classes and create and end of the year slide show!

Thing 20

I am a youtube.com fanatic. I spend a lot of my free time surfing this site. I even have upload a video of my little girl on here when she was a toddler. I think that this site is easy to use and has great video capability. I like that most bands put their music videos on youtube as well as all the funny videos that are out there waiting to make me laugh! I picked the video by Note to God by Rhema Marvanne. I like the video because it is a little girl (she is 8) singing a song about if she talked to God what she would ask for. Her video is a slide show of the people in the military being reunited and some being buried after giving the ultimate sacfrice. The song is more powerful with this slide shows in comparision with all the others that have been done in my opinion. Most of the times I watch the video I get teary eyed. Rhema is an inspiration because she lost her mother in 2008 and instead of withdrawing from the world she decided she wanted to be a gosphel singer like her mother.

Thing 19

I am now a member of the tasty kitchen. I like the tasty kitchen because it is easy to use and I plan on using the recipes and canning tips from there. I also belong to pinterest. I only joined pinterest last week but I have found out that I am always searching for neat crafts and things to do with my daughter on there.

Thing 18

I explored the social media sites and like facebook best. Honestly I like facebook because I am very familiar with it. I have found several useful things as a teacher that I can use facebook for. For example, their is a link for students to receive destination updates and pictures. I gave extra credit for my students to use facebook and create a picture collage of different popular locations with backgrounds and things one would want to see. Their background had to address the location of the places (continent, country), the climate of that area, the culture of the people that lived there. My students loved it! I like that I was already familiar with facebook and adding friends, adding groups, and things of that nature I am not sure I will ever get used to twitter. As I teacher I also find I can see what is going with my students on a personal level because most kids do not censor what they say on facebook. For instance, without even friending my students most of them have open profiles and I know one was sick this week and another student went to party and is grounded and yet another student's father deployed. It helps me monitor my students and the changes they go through in a school year without telling them that I am.

Thing 17

I went to delicious and joined which was an easy task. I don't know if anyone else had trouble locating things with the educational technology tag but I had some trouble there. I did not find any results on the network or but I did find some results under the other links on Delicious. I explored a link called smartboard in the classroom. THis link has made me envious as it tauted all the wonderful things a teacher can use a smartboard for. I have requested a smartboard but was told with the look of the next budget things are not looking well for me. :( I like the social bookmarking site because it is an easy way to share ideas and tweak lessons that could use a little extra ommph :)

Thing 16... High tech we are moving now!

So today I got an education on high tech things to keep me up-to-date and organized! One of the biggest issues I have as a new teacher is keeping college and work schedules! There seems to be so much to do all the time I just miss somethings. The first thing i made was a unique and customized homepage. I like my new page because it allows me to stay up to date and news and things that I would use with my history classes. I like my yahoo customized homepage better then google but I would not say that I am not going to use google though I doubt I make it my homepage. I also was able to update my calendar. I even made a class calendar for students to view at home! I like the to do list I made with Remember the milk. Ironically I created a to-do-list for this class so I wont miss any deadlines this week since I selected drowning in work may not make it on our class poll. I will use the calendar for school for sure! I also know already that I will use the remember the milk to do list for home and school because it gives me dates, events, in a checklist format that is easy and quick to make!

Thing 15

I found that this is now one of my favorite blog projects. Using a wiki was great. I think I will use wikis in my class next year to allow students to get extra credit points for collaborating on their own time about things they like doing and things they don't like doing. I also want to use the wiki for students to create virtual assignments and tours of different locations in Geography and World History. This is a fun and engaging way for students to collaborate. I like that they can collaborate from home, school or even while out on vacations! I was a little confused when I first went to the APSU sandbox but then realized I was locked out while another student was editing their project. Once I was able to complete the edit though it was easy and fun. I like that I can make graphic organizers using the mindmap web 2.0 software and then allow my students to own it by editing the graphic organizers to fit each group and show what they were able to come up with.

Thing 14

Flowchart VS. Mindmap I found personally I had a lot of fun making the mindmap. I used the Bubbl.us to create the mindmap. The web 2.0 program was relatively easy to use and I was able to create a nice mindmap within a few minutes. I struggled a little at first but once I was used to the commands it went smoothly for me. I made a chart for my new students next school year on three basic types of geography that is in our course of study. I was able to change the colors and size of my text. I also enjoyed changing the colors which would have enhanced the appearance on a document camera. When it came to my ability with the flowchart I found myself lacking. i used Gliffy and created the image below. I was able to create a similar chart though it took me longer. I was frustrated and realized that the program was probably not one I would use in the future because Bubbl.us was so much easier for em to use.

Thing 13

The above image is the image I created on google docs. I know that in my school we use google docs to update different tasks and projects teachers are working on or sometimes the students we need for those projects. I also like that I can have my classes colaborate on google docs. For example one class could log-in and create a document like this study guide which my next class will then fill in or add on. I like google docs better then Zoho. I honestly think my preference for Google Docs was because it was easier to use for me. I had a little guess work with Zoho but found I could manuever easier through Google Docs. This may have been true just because I like using google so the platform was not foreign to me.

Thing 12

I used google translator. I like the translator because it was simple, accurate, and easy to use. I think that using this website could come in handy when dealing with English language Learners in the classroom. Another handy use for this in geography would be to use it to show different languages around the world. This site was super easy to use. Once the page loaded I typed my statement in English and just selected the language I wanted it to end in. The second tool I explored was the google alert. I was surprised again at the ease of use. I just typed in my sorority I am pledging with and let it create an alert. Now I get update any time something new happens with this sorority. I think this could be valuable if I used it with country names to get new information, pictures, and feeds on the countries my students are covering in geography.

Thing 11

Honestly I thought this was going to be an easy assignment but i found out I was wrong. I had a lot of trouble opening the links on my mac as embedded. I liked the Technorati website the best. i was happily surprised because on a whim I put in my favorite author's name and found out my favorite book series is about to become a movie series :) On a good note I was also able to find a few sites I would subscribe to and use for school next year when I have more time :)

Thing 10

I think RSS technology is neat. I like the fact that i can check multiple sources at one time. I also like it all opens together so I do not need a million windows or have to search for what I am looking for :) Personally and academically I know I will use the new feeds I subscribed to. I think it is important to stay up to date and in a geography class all news relates to geography. Showing my students why geography can relate to them makes my class more valued to them. I would use this technology by subscribing to several new stations and then having my students map the locations of the events and talk about them physically and culturally.

Thing 9

I used the website: to create a custom made sign that I am going to display on my wall. This was an easy 4 step process. All I did was click the link, click the box that says go to step 2. After that I selected the symbol I wanted to appear on the sign. In this case i picked a map of the world. Next I typed in the Title and the disclaimer in my case. Finally I clicked create sign and I was done. I made several signs because my students think these are neat and I can customize them to each geographic region I am teaching.

Thing 8

Ok well I deviated a little from the assignment. I stumbled upon a really neat mashup that was not list on the thing 8 site. I used iMapFlickr. This mashup is really easy to use if you have a flickr account. I uploaded a few pictures, tagged the location we were in when we took the pictures and saved them in a set. I went to iMapFlickr and imported the set from flickr and it created a zoomable map marking the locations and which pictures came from that location. I know I will be using this in my geography class! What a neat and free app. I think in geography it would be neat to search some photos from different areas and tag them so the kids can do a location/picture hunt :) It is a good hands-on and visual tool.

Thing 7

I found this photo by Nespyxel at the following website:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nespyxel/2382523588/in/gallery-ronimarin-72157622261393057/

  I really like working with Flickr.  I have worked for two schools in CMCSS and both use flickr accounts for yearbook and as learning tools so I was familiar with the website already.  I like that flickr is set-up in an easy to use format.  I was able to search seascapes and found this picture which I will be using during my class.  I am going to use the picture to help my students learn about islands and the tropics by using an "escape" strategy I read about. 

Thing 6

I explored the enthuse me website.  This website was unique and has many possibilities.  The reason I feel this website has potential is because it allows users to create personalized pages that describe the user.  For example I made a basic page that represents me as a teacher.  I could show the world my experience, thoughts, work, and insights through several features the website offered.   Using this site I can put my experience to work and in a webpage for others to see.  In using this website I have thought about using this as a geography teacher.  I thought about making a class webpage where my students could present themselves to others around the world.  I liked that with this system I can log my students on and monitor all activities of the website.

http://www.enthuse.me/ibkc8321#/

Thing 5 (I am getting back on track)

As I examined the content in the lesson I find myself with a much more knowledgeable thought on web 2.0 and school 2.0.  At first when we talked about web 2.0 I did not know what we were talking about because the terminology was unknown to me.  As a teacher though I find I absolutely love the thought of web 2.0.  I hope that school 2.0 will also become more of a trend in the future.  Students learn things everyday, all day, no matter where they are.  Giving students tools and equipping them to make the most of their learning regardless of their environment makes sense to me.  To me school 2.0 would be a world where we encourage and promote students learning no matter what their environment is.  I think allowing children to discuss and show other students things they have learned in other environments and bring it back to school is a novel idea.  I t drives home the very essence of real world application to learning.  As a new teacher I find myself jumping on the web 2.0 band wagon.  I have found several great resources on the sites we were supposed to go to that will improve my geography class.

Thing 4

                I think that commenting on other people's blogs is essential to creating a sense of community and interaction because it is one of few mediums for communication to be exchanged on a blog.  Telling other classmates how you can relate to their work and pass ideas back and forth really helps classmates move from being individuals to becoming a community.  Another reason that commenting on a blog builds a sense of community is because every writer likes to know they have been heard.  It can become frustrating when a blog writer believes no one cares or is paying attention to what they have to say.  My third reason I believe it is important to comment on blogs is because if you stop commenting on your readers comments they may decide you are being aloft or that you do not appreciate their opinions.  In either way not acknowledging a reader's comment on your blog can definitely be seen as rude.  I believe discussion should flow freely and a writer does not have to comment on each post on your page if a true discussion is being held but no one should be left hanging out being ignored.

The 5 student blogs I selected to communicate on are:

James Kelley

Adrienne Vergos

Scott Davis

Vanessa Steele

Michelle Clark

Trish Watanbe

Christine Luke

       I picked Scott and James because they both sit next to me in class and are new at blogging too :)  I picked Adrienne because we have shared several previous classes and she always has the best conversations :)  I selected Vanessa, Trish, Christine, and Michelle because I see they are all working ahead of schedule on the blog and I also, would like to complete the blog requirements early. 


I posted:

Jamie you and Scott motivated me to get back in the game in this blogging processing. I have to say keeping up with the posts would not be so bad but this "Thing 4" has taken up so much time I wish it had been broken into 2 extra parts lol...


on James Kelley's blog because he and Scott have motivated me to get back into finishing the 23 things.




I Posted:

Hey Adrienne :) I am working on Thing 4 and wanted to blog with you since we have shared several classes together. I like your avatar :) It is nice to know you have blogging experience because I have none and now I know who to all for help. :)Jamie you and Scott motivated me to get back in the game in this blogging processing. I have to say keeping up with the posts would not be so bad but this "Thing 4" has taken up so much time I wish it had been broken into 2 extra parts lol...


on James Kelley's blog because he and Scott have motivated me to get back into finishing the 23 things.

I Posted:

Hey Adrienne :) I am working on Thing 4 and wanted to blog with you since we have shared several classes together. I like your avatar :) It is nice to know you have blogging experience because I have none and now I know who to all for help. :)

on Adrienne's page because I am happy to work with Adrienne again. In other classes we do not always have a chance to work together so it is nice to have the opportunity now.

on Adrienne's page because I am happy to work with Adrienne again. In other classes we do not always have a chance to work together so it is nice to have the opportunity now.

I posted:

Scott, you and Jamie have motivated me to get my butt in gear and get moving in this blog again. I think this semester is going to be fun! I look forward to working with you on this blog experience :)

on Scott's Thing 4 because Scott has been a person who motivates me to continue my blogging experience.

I posted:
Hello Vanessa :) I just wanted to drop you a few lines and say hi. I am going to be commenting on your blog this semester. I agree with your opinion of Avatar's. I think they would be great for school age children though because it gives it a personal touch without actually posting their own pictures on the internet. Internet predators are a big fear I have for my students because I know many of them have facebook and not all parents monitor their pages.

on Vanessa's page because I wanted to introduce myself to her and show her I agree with her feelings on avatars.

I posted:
I like the idea of blogging with other classes as well. I thought it would be really neat to see if my geography class can connect to some Department of Defense schools around the world so the kids can talk about the new places they are in :) I have thought about blogging with international students but at the moment I think it is outside my comfort zone.

on Michelle's page because I am new at blogging and would want to make sure that in setting up an international blog other students understood the objective of our blog and use it for its intended purpose.

I posted:
Hello Trish :) I talked to you in class this week and had to laugh. It was the first time we spoke in person but I had selected you to comment on your blog through this semester. I think it is interesting that you have worked a bit out of order but are accomplishing so much. I think I am going to try this tactic too. It seems very productive :) I have to say I agree with how you feel about commenting on blogs as building a sense of community. I have felt different about technology as we move this blogging experience. I am new as well to blogging.

on Trish's blog.  I actually talked to Trish in class this week and thought blogging really does make me feel more like a community when we are commenting on each other.

I posted:


Hi Christine! I am only on thing 4 and selected to comment on your blog this semester:) I read this "Thing" and have to say you have me intrigued. I am teaching geography and I really like your sample quiz you made. I think I will be skipping ahead to check out this neat feature :)
on Christine's thing 13.  I commented on this thing because it caught my eye as I scrolled down her page.  She had me hook line and sinker before I even knew I was caught :)

Thing #3

     As a History and Geography Teacher I can see many uses of a blog.  One thing that would interest me with a blog is to make "blog pals" with students and teachers in other countries and allow them to assist with descriptions of their country's culture, geography, and history from their own perspective.  For example, if you ask a young American about the American Revolution and a young British student their likely will be two very different views on the topic.  It also would be nice for students to be able to get a personal answers to questions they have concerning the topics they think are interesting.  I think it would be a great way to help students link history and geography from the past with the present.  

Thing #2 :)

      I decided to be simple since this is my first blog and I have a drive to be organized in all my digital endeavors.  So in keeping with my true persona I name my blog after myself and the course we are taking.  As I began to create the blog my experience was positive and confident.  Though I will admit at one point I faltered and became frustrated because I kept getting hung-up on the google profile before realizing I was just wasting time with that.  After I got over that little time snag everything went very smoothly and I was impressed with how easy this process really is.  Everything follows a logical procedure and has prompts that guided me through the entire process. 

Thing #1! Here we Go :)

     I think the hardest habit for me to follow in the "Seven and 1/2 Habits of Highly Successful Lifelong Learners" is Habit 6- Use technology to your advantage.  I was a teenager before computers became affordable in most homes and I was child 4 of 6 so getting new technology was not always a priority in my family.  My parents were very fair and if they bought one of us a Discman then we all got one.  I was 14 when we got our first family computer.  I observed a history class last semester who used youtube videos to connect middle school students with World History.  I was a little surprised because in all my thoughts of lesson plans I had not considered youtube as a resource.  However, the kids loved the songs and memorized them. This simple and free resource really helped the kids learn several major parts of World History.  I think the easiest habit I utilize on the "Seven and 1/2 Habits of Highly Successful Lifelong Learners" is Habit 1- Begin with the end in mind.  I often examine the goal or key points of projects and then work backwards to figure out what I need to accomplish each goal.  I am meticulous in my planning and I like to make sure I have ample time to complete my projects.