Is it the end or only the begining?

The 23 Things taught me a great deal about what is out there on the internet.  In the past I had heard about free internet tools, but I was leery of clicking download.  This activity forced me to do just that.  It forced me to sign up for free memberships and services.  It forced me to use tools that I was afraid to use before.  In just one semester, I have found so many new and exciting tools.  I am grateful to have a blog so I can go back over it to remember just which ones I liked, like flowchart.com, and the ones that I didn't like so much like livebinder.com.  The experience allowed me to explore so many new websites and required me to keep an actual log of my experiences on those sites.  This fact allow will help ensure that the end of this class is not the end of my use of many of these tools.  Since I have a record, I won't quickly forget them.  I know I will use many of these things in my teaching.  I am excited about the possibilities.

Thing # 23

I googled 23 Things, Web 2.0 and found the link to this site:  http://plcmcl2-things.blogspot.com/

This link proves that the 23 Things is modified from someone else's original work.  Since the creative commons teaches us that an idea cannot be copyrighted, then that makes this OK. Our 23 things is completely different from theirs.

It's only a problem if you copy someone's exact work.  I will use Creative Commons licensing in the future to ensure that my students understand copyright laws.  I will also use the concept to create activities for my class.  The 23 things was a great activity to help us learn about Web 2.0 tools.  I am glad someone decided to take the idea and build from it for our class.  I can apply the same principle to develop new activities for my students in the future.

Thing # 22

Livebinders is a lot like Delicious, a social bookmarking tool.  I found it to be very time consuming.  I also did not like that it wanted me to install their livebinder toolbar.  I despise programs that want me to change my toolbar.  I work hard to customize my toolbar to my needs and get comfortable with it.  Then, with the click of a button, my toolbar has been completely changed to add their new improved toolbar.  The only problem is that then I have trouble finding or doing anything on that new tool bar.  It took me longer to uninstall the toolbar and livebinder program from my computer to get back to normal function than I enjoy. 

Thing #21

I worked for quite some time trying to paste my Animoto slide show with music.  I liked my Flickr account and tried to link the pictures of my kids, but finally gave up and just added in photos on my computer.  I do not think Animoto is as simple to use as promised.  I quickly got frustrated with it.  I will definitely not use this site again. 

Thing # 20

YouTube could have a great educational significance if we were allowed access to in the classroom.  Since you cannot save a YouTube video directly to your computer without a YouTube link, all You Tube videos get blocked in the classroom in this county.  I teach Health Science education.  I chose to look up how to take a blood pressure, something I teach in my class.  I found a variety of very good educational videos that would help me to show my students how to take a blood pressure before I give them the equipment to actually take a blood pressure.  I like You Tube.  I know the potential for abuse is out there, but I feel that in this case, the educational value to educators may outweigh the risk.  If we are all doing our part as educators and monitoring the internet use of our students, it could be possible to use YouTube for educational purposes only. 

Thing # 19

I joined the TeacherPop Ning website.  I looked at this one and several of the educational networking sites.  I can see the usefulness of these sites.  These site help to allow you to connect with other educators out there.  Who better to ask when you need new ideas in your class than experienced teachers.  I will definitely use these sites again.

Thing # 18

I am a regular social networker.  I already have a Facebook and a Twitter account.  I update my status on Facebook daily.  I do not update on Twitter much at all, but I use it to follow some of my favorite celebrities.  I enjoy using Facebook to keep up with family and friends.  It has even been useful in reconnecting with old friends.  I am not sure, however, of it's use in the educational setting.  Most school systems, ours included, block these sites from their servers. Students unfortunately are using these sites for things such as cyberbullying and inviting this into the school system is just not an option.  Additionally, as a rule, I do not accept friend requests from any of my students or their parents.  Even though I would love to use something like Facebook to keep my students informed, I think that the potential for them to use this site inappropriately would be there, and I will feel like I had to be constantly checking and rechecking their posts.

Thing #17

I think Delicious is a creative way to create bookmarks. I don't, however, see much application for it in my classroom.  In fact, using the bookmark tool on my toolbar is actually much faster, so I don't know that I would use it regularly. 

Thing # 16

For this assignment, I decided to create a customized start page in iGoogle.  I already have a customized start page in Yahoo.  I have it set up with my Yahoo mail account.  I personalize my news feeds and have designed my start page.  I like that I can decide what kind of news shows up as my top stories and not just have to shift through pages about the latest Kardishian wedding! 

For the assignment, Yahoo was not a choice, so I did the iGoogle page.  I went through the process, but I found I was creating a page almost exactly like my yahoo page.  I think I like my Yahoo page better, but the idea remains the same.  I think my students would be interested in learning how to do this.  In their world, they get so much of their information from the internet, that learning how to control and manage that information seems like something that would interest them.

Thing #15

I have to say that I use Wiki spaces often.  This assignment was one I was very comfortable with.  As a teacher in the Clarksville Montgomery County School system, I am quite familiar with Wiki spaces.  If I have a question about how to use a particular technology, I go to the technology Wiki page.  If a have new teacher question, I explore the New Teacher Wiki space.  The school system has done an excellent job creating wikis to give teachers access to the answers they need.  You only have to check the Wiki space.

I could see the usefulness of a classroom Wiki.  A teacher could create a Wiki space that students could go on to find homework help.  I could even see designing an assignment that required students to log on to and make changes in a wiki space.  It could be a way for students to collaborate with one another as an in class or out of class assignment.

I like Wiki spaces.  Though I haven't ventured into using one in my classroom just yet; I can definitely see this is the near future.  I use them for information.  I just need to change to using them to help my students learn as well.

Thing # 14

I decided to explore flowchart.com and mindmeister.com.  I chose flowchart.com simply because of the name.  It seems like one I would easily remember again.  You know, if I'm thinking, what's that website that allows you to make a flowchart?  Oh, yeah, flowchart.com.  I actually found this site very easy to use.  I quickly create a flowchart about my dog Dillon.  I could definitely use this to design quick flowcharts in my classroom.

For mindmeister.com, I chose it because the screen shot on the 23 things site looked interesting.  It was also not too difficult to use, although not as easy as flowchart.com.  It was a much more sophisticated program and the resulting flowcharts demonstrated this.  I think that for my use, I would probably tend to gravitate toward flowchart.com.  To begin with, I will never remember mindmeister.com unless I bookmark it!  Beyond that, it took me much, much longer to create a flowchart on their site and my topic was something simple, my dog.  I definitely prefer flowchart.com.

Thing # 13

I explored the Zoho website.  I tried the Zoho Writer's feature.  This feature supports Miscrosoft Word, so I felt a bit of confidence knowing that I was at least familiar with Word.  One good application I can find for this site is to recommend it for my students who do not have Microsoft office on their home computer.  It will give them an option for still working from their home computers in a word processing program they are familiar with from school. 
 
I also explored Google Docs. It has the same application for my students as Zoho in that it gives them a word processing application they can use even if they do not have a standard Microsoft Office program on their home computer.  I actually liked Google Docs better than Zoho.  I found their site easeir to navigate.  Additionally, I think my overall comfort level with Google in general drew me to their site more.  Google is a name on the internet I trust.  Zoho is a name I learned for the first time today.

Thing # 12

Google has become a staple in our culture.  The word Google is readily accepted as a verb in our language.  Potential employers google prospective employees.  Individuals google their new love interest.  I even googled myself.  I knew Google in these terms, however I did not know Google had so many other tools.  I set up a GMail account for this class to be able to use Blogger.  It is a very userfreindly email.  I was able to link it to my cell phone.  This link allows me to view my email  on my phone.  However, it also allows me to back up my photos and contacts to my GMail account.  That means that if something happens to this phone like I break it or lose it, I can link the new phone up to my GMail and get all my contacts and photos back.  I had no idea there was a way to do this!  This is a great feature.
I also looked at Google calendars.  Though I worked on one, I have to say that my Outlook calendar is much more user friendly.  I do not think that I will use Google calendars.  I can see the benefit though of having a calendar I can access from any computer, anywhere.

Thing # 11

I found the my yahoo search for finding feeds the easiest to use.  Yahoo is already my home page on my home computer.  I use Yahoo EMail and have a Yahoo page created for myself.  My Yahoo makes searching for feeds easy.  Their search bar is front and center on the screen making it easy to find and easy to use.  Additionally,  I like that I can customize my news feeds on My Yahoo, so that my top stories that come up when I log in are customized to my interests.

Overall, all of the search pages for RSS feeds were easy to use.  I had trouble with the MSN page being much slower than the rest, but overall it was easy to use as well.  I just found I didn't have the patience to wait for it! 

Thing # 10

• What do you like about RSS and newsreaders?

I like that RSS and newreaders are so easy to navigate.  I really like that they let me combine the feeds that I am interested in on one page.  I really like that you can set up the site to be specific to you.

• How do you think you might be able to use this technology in your school or personal life?

In my school life, I can use this technology to follow different teacher blogs, chatrooms, and educator resources.  I can create a page specifically for educational resource and log in to one site to check them all.

• How can teachers use RSS or take advantage of this new technology?

Teachers can use this technology to help them stay informed and connected with the latest information and tools to help them be better educated.  They could also use it to have their students create a page with subject area related newsfeeds and information to be used in the classroom.

Thing # 9

I used the Comic Strip Generator to create a comic strip.  I had trouble figuring out how to get to the comics to choose from on the main screen.  The site did not have very good instructions.  Once I figured out to click on the comic on the screen and then to choose from the list, the process got easier.  I chose a Monster's Inc image and created a caption.  I think this would be a cute addition to a PowerPoint presentation in class.

Thing # 8

I chose to do a Photo Mosiac using 3 photos I uploaded onto Flickr.  I uploaded one picture of each of my children and one of our dog.  It was easy to choose these pictures once I linked up the Flickr account.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/43236242@N06/6241908473/

Thing # 7

I have a flickr account.  I have uploaded pictures to this account.  A link to one of these photos is:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/43236242@N06/3982466164/in/photostream

It was actually really easy to use Flickr.  Uploading photos easier than I thought it would be.  I like that you can choose to make a photo public.  I left them public for the purposes of this assignment, but after this assignment I will change this option.  This will allow me to put pictures of my children up for family and friends, but limit them from being viewed by anyone on the web. As a parent, I appreciate this option.

Thing # 6

I chose Facebook from the award winners of the Web 2.0 tools.  I have been a user on Facebook since 2006.  I use Facebook to catch up with family and friends.  Most of my family lives in Louisville, KY.  Facebook allows me to upload photos of my children for my family back home to browse whenever they have time.  My mom and two brothers do the same allowing all of us to feel more connected despite the miles between us.  Students use Facebook daily also.  As an educator, I could use Facebook to communicate with my students.  I could create a Facebook page for our class that posts updates and reminders to help keep them connected to my class while they are online connecting to their friends.

Thing # 5

I read "Web 2.0, A Guide for Educators."  This article did a good job defining Web 2.0.  The internet is not just about finding information anymore.  Web 2.0 introduces the idea of collaboration and interaction using online resources.  This article pointed out that the internet is no longer just an e-commerce and Web page publishing forum.  It is now a planet-wide networked community where every citizen is invited to create content.  This shift in thinking that allows everyone to be a part of the creation process is what makes We 2.0 unique.

As an educator, School 2.0 means utilizing this same principle.  School shouldn't just be a place my students come to find information.  They need to be involved in their learning.  They need to be interacting with me, their fellow students, and be an active partner in their learning process.

This means that schools of the future should have a computer for every student in every classroom.  They should have smart boards and clickers in every class.  Students should spend less time merely listening to lectures and taking notes, and more time interacting with instructors, commenting on blogs, and completing interactive learning activities.

Thing #4

Commenting helps create a sense of community and interaction.  In a collaborative learning environment, commenting on the posts of others encourages student interaction that sometimes is lost in an online learning environment.  Additionally, comments encourage the students to help one another learn, instead of relying solely on the instructor for feedback and learning. 


Two other points form the reading on commenting that I found important were 

1. The idea that the author should always say "thank you" to someone who comments on your posting.  I like this idea.  The reading emphasized the importance of this saying that one should be grateful to the person who took their time to contribute to your post and to be sure to express that gratitude.  
2. The comment that individuals who say they are blogging only for themselves or for their own personal growth still want comments.  I liked the author's note that if they truly didn't want feedback from anyone else, then they would be writing in a spiral notebook somewhere.  If they are putting it out there on the internet, they are asking for feedback of some kind.

I have read several blogs from our class.  7 of those blogs are:
http://hyams23things.blogspot.com/
http://jamieflemings23things.blogspot.com/
http://kristinas23things.blogspot.com/
http://andreas23things.blogspot.com/2011/10/thing-12.htm
http://magistrameganmeadows.blogspot.com/2011/10/thing-12.html
http://jodidavidson0.blogspot.com/2011/10/thing-12.html
http://ashleeappletons23things.blogspot.com/2011/10/thing-12.html


I chose to comment on Emily Hyams post for Thing #8.  She made a mosiac of pictures of her daughter Lily.  I commented that her daughter was adorable.

Thing # 3

      I am currently a classroom teacher at West Creek High School.  I teach Health Science education.  I have not used a blog as a part of my classroom yet.  I always thought the concept seemed to foreign to me and would be difficult to implement.  I have found through this experience that creating a blog is much easier than I had anticipated and can now envision several uses for it in my classroom.
      For example, I could use a blog to give students the opportunity to respond to a reading assignment or to comment on an issue that we may have discussed in class.  This would give students a voice and allow me to read their comments on a topic to help me determine if they have grasped the concept or now.  Students that may not be quick to speak up in class may be more willing to express their views on a blog, since the blogging format is very familiar to their generation.  The blog would help me to hear some of those students that never speak up in class in a whole new way.    All I would have to do is post a quick writing prompt, and then read their responses as they are added.  This could be used for a homework or a classwork assignment, since I have laptop computers in my classroom for daily use.
     I could also use a blog as an informational bulletin board for my students and their parents.  I could post upcoming projects, test dates, assignment information, and general class announcements.  I could set it up so all students and their parents have access so that they could check the blog anytime day or night to know what is going on in my classroom.  This could be an excellent way to encourage parental involvement and give my students the information they need. 
     There are so many options for using a blog in the classroom that I have never considered before.  I think that students would enjoy this type of learning activity and that it would help to keep them actively engaged in my classroom.

Thing # 2

• How did you decide on your posting name and the name of your blog?
• I decided to name my blog with my name and 23 things to make it easy for the other students in the class and the instructor to identify my blog. 
• What was your experience in creating the blog? Was it hard for you or easy? Why?
• I found creating the blog relatively easy.  Blogging does not come naturally to me but the site chosen for this class is very user friendly.  I was surprised just how easy the process has been.  It helped that we set the blogs up together in class and had our instructor to help if I got lost!
• How does your avatar reflect your personality? Did you create an avatar that looks like your real self or someone totally different? Why?
• My avatar doesn't look like me.  The choices were limited on the free site and I didn't really see a look that looked like me.  So instead I decided to choose colors I like and a hair style that I wish I could have.  My hair is naturally curly and straightening it is a pain, so I choose a cute straight hair style.  My favorite color is pink, so I coordinated her clothing to have a pink theme.

Thing # 1

The lifelong learning habit that is the easiest for me is "Accept responsibility for your own learning."  At 26 years old I decided to go back to college.  I had to balance life as a wife, mother, and college student.  Even though this was a daunting task, I was determined to further my education.  I realized that my education was my responsibility.  No one else was going to tell me to go back to college and to further my education.  I graduated in 2006 with my Bachelor's of Science in Nursing (BSN). 

A few years later in 2008 I decided that I wanted to further my education even more.  I decided once again to go back to college.  I enrolled in Austin Peay State University once more.  This time I decided to pursue my Master’s of Art in Teaching (MAT) degree.  I am now only 6 credit hours short of this degree.  I should be ready to graduate in May of 2012. 

Even though I will be graduating, I know my commitment to my lifelong learning will continue to drive me.  My learning is my responsibility.  I fully embrace this responsibility.   This is a characteristic that I want to pass on to my own children and to my students.

The lifelong learning habit that is the most difficult for me is “View problems as challenges.”  I often get frustrated when problems arise that stand in the way of what I am trying to accomplish.  Too often I allow these problems to bring me down and even take away from what I am trying to do.  I have to get better about changing my prospective and viewing these problems as challenges designed for me to evaluate and conquer. 

From the web 2.0 tools in this class I want to learn new skills, programs, and ideas that will make me more proficient in integrating technology into my classroom.  Students are so technology savvy today and I need to be able to keep up with them and teach them in the ways that they learn. 

I found the process of setting up this blog relatively easy.  Blogger is very user friendly and made the process seamless.   Blogging does not come naturally to me, but the program made me feel very competent in my ability to complete this assignment.