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.