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.