Thing 23_Plan of Attack

I think this is probably easier for me than the rest because I teach Web 2.0 in my classroom. Quite a few of these applications I already use with my students, but there are some that I would like to start. I’m always looking for new ideas or “tools” on the web to show my students, because that’s the part of the class that they enjoy. There are other topics that I have to cover, but sometimes I struggle with blending the 2 (web 2.0 and the topics I have to cover). After finishing this course, there is so much I would like to add, but I know I need to really think about the best way to use them. I really would like to come back next year with a solid curriculum incorporating these tools. I would also like to get my other colleagues involved and get all of our students to be using these tools outside of school as well. Within our department, we have 4 or 5 different teachers that teach our “Online Experience” class. I am always trying to push these tools and introduce new things. I have also told them how much I have learned from this course hoping that they would take it the next time through ;) I just feel like this is what our students should be learning and really want us all to move towards that. So using any of this pedagogically and professionally is not a problem. I have lots of ideas and plenty of colleagues to share them with.

I know in my personal life, I will definitely start using these tools. One of the things that I really like is the photo sites. With having a baby I am constantly taking pictures and I’ve always said the one thing I would grab in a fire is my pictures. Now with the ability to store them online, that’s something, I wouldn’t have to worry about=) I also would like to play around more with the editing and all that fun stuff!!

I still would love to learn more!! I’m always looking for these types of Professional Development opportunities to learn about new tools that I can use in my classroom. The problem is that the more I take, the more I get repeats of what I already know. The good part is that sometimes I get the same idea, but different cites to use for them and that helps me get an idea of which one would work best for me in the classroom.

I think all us can stay connected through our bloglines and watching for updates on each others blogs. I would be happy to help anyone as much as I can with these tools we’ve all learned. I feel like I’m cheating because this is what I teach and I will use them everyday. My students’ blog every week and I have the luxury of a computer right in front of them for 72 minutes. I think the struggle will be for those in other subjects trying to incorporate these tools in their classroom.

Thing 22

I would definitly take PD online. I've enjoyed this class so much more than sitting in a long lecture. I think the advantages are that they are at your own pace and only have to take them if you truly think they will benefit you. The disadvantages would be that you may not be as motivated if you work at your own pace. Also there may not be any tech support or face to face instruction.

I would like to see more technology tools, especially as they get updated and new ones come out. If I'm going to be teaching students about the technology I need to stay more updated than my students.

This class has been great. There were some things that I have already done and were familiar with, but there were also a lot of new things that I cannot wait to try out on my students.

Thing 21

The first video is by far my favorite!! That little girl became so famous from that video! I posted the 2nd (which we've seen a few time on this professional development) because nobody explains things better than these guys! I use all of their videos in my classes. Which answers the questions of how I would use them. I do, a lot, I usually embed them into my powerpoints. I think it just helps give a little more instruction to my studnets and clears up any unanswered questions. Obviously the risk of using these videos is when students get on video sites, they can get off track and begin searching for videos. YouTube is blocked at our school, which as a computer teacher, is somewhat of a blessing. When a student is in front of the computer for 72 minutes, it's better to have the least amount of distractions as possible.

Thing 20

I think my students would enjoy listening to podcasts. I think I would want them to explore different ones to see which ones they like. I also think they would enjoy listening to them on our class blog. This may be a new approach I could use to introduce them to podcasts. I think students are more likely to be excited about their blog for the week if they can listen instead of read ;)

I do think they would enjoy creating them even more!! I would like them to do one on something they would consider interesting, so that they are comfortable talking about it. I also included other topics in my podcast above.

Just learning how to create a podcast was a benefit to my professionally! I've been wanting to do this in the classroom, but never knew it was so easy! I will definitly be incorporating this into my curriculum.

Thing 19_Podcasts

I listened to several different poscasts. I listened to the family health radio, San Diego Zoo Interviews, and then some of the students podcasts. Those were probably my favorite to listen to, some were better than others, but they were giving me good ideas. The site I was on was for a speech class and the students were just giving different speeches about what they believe in. A podcast is definitly something I would like to teach in my class. Theonly thing that I don't really like about the podcast is that I'm a visual learner and when I'm listening to them I tend to get distracted, if there are no visuals to keep my attention. I think for that reason, I myself would prefer a vodcasts and kind of think that my students would lean that way as well.

Since, I teach online tools, I would like to simply teach them how to make a podcast and show them examples like you did for us. I'm not quite sure what I would have them do the podcast of, but I was thinking for their exam review, that way they could listen to it on their ipod/mp3 player and I might get a better chance of them studying=) We have the technology for my students to do these, but they may be time consuming and finding a place to record them (quietly) could be a problem.

Thing 17_Wikispaces

Wikispaces is something I am familiar with. We touch on wikis in our classes, but have never been able to use them effectively with our students--until now!! I have just created an assignment to use throughout our department using a wiki. The assignment will be a report on a certain decade, but the students will be working with students from other classes. We have 4 "Online Experience" teachers that will be collaborating this assignment and my students will be creating a wiki with their students. I've tried to do them in my class, but I found that the students couldn't all work on them at once because they were deleting others work and I wanted them to see that you can work on a project together without being in the same room!!

The wiki is different from the blog because anyone can edit your page (assuming you allow them to). In general wikis are very plain looking compared to a blog, but I think that allows you a little more freedom to make it your own.

I have already explained what I am using the wiki for and I do use blogs in the classroom to get students opinions on topics that we discuss in class. This wiki however, will be research and facts that they have to create the wiki on.

Like I said above, my purpose for the wikis is to teach my students what a wiki is. So my dilema was always coming up with ways to use them in the classroom. With this new project, they will see what it will be like to work with students that are not even in their class or even have the same teacher. The problem I forsee with this is that students may not do their part and it could affect the overall outcome of the groups wiki.

I'm really excited about this project I hope it works!! I'll post the URL on this blog if anyone is interested in viewing it once we begin!!

Thing13!

http://www.dumpr.net/

I'm hooked!! I love these sites!! I'm not really creative when it comes to editing photos, but I cannot even imagine some of the work my students could do. We do have a photography class here at Bedford that allows students to do stuff like this, but I would love to teach the aspect of "online photosharing"!! I think it would be neat to have students create a picture timeline of themselves!! Or their progression through something important to them (horses, baseball, grandparents, etc.) This is definitly on my new agenda!! I think the possibilities are unlimited!

Thing12_Flickr

I'm glad I got the chance to use Flickr. I've really been wanting to do a project with my students using pictures, I think this would be a great way to upload them and incorporate the Web 2.0 aspect into my "Online Experience" Class. If students can store their pictures online, then we wouldn't be using up the computers memory to hold them.

I've used Picasa also, which is google's version of Flickr. They seem pretty similar, but I like the fact that when you use a google product you can use any email that you want.

The only problem I can see with my students is the setting for private or public. If they intend to use flickr at home and upload any pictures, there may be some that are inappropiate for school.

I DO LOVE MY BADGE!!!

Thing 10_Google Docs

Google docs is amazing!! Especially for what I am teaching!! I did not know about creating the surveys though. I will definilty use that on my blog!!!

I just started using google docs recently. I have a friend who works for google and has set up a couple spreadsheets that I've used for our Relay for Life team or to keep track of friends addresses, but I just started acutally using it myself.

This week acutally I used to to collaborate with my colleagues. We are doing a wiki project to include all "online b" classes. The students will work in groups, but with people from other classes. So I sent a google spreadsheet to combine our classes and setup our groups. For the actual wiki we are going to use wikispaces and I want them to also create a presentation in google docs to present to their classmates. I'm really excited about this project and hope it goes well.

I think anytime you use the internet you could come across problems, especially with something like this where students can edit and make changes. There is a bigger risk for cheating or plagarism amongst students. But with monitoring and coming up with creative assignments that they could not cheat on will be our job.

I think advantages of "working in a cloud" obviously is the collaboration. Especially for teacher who can share and collaborate on lessons. I think a disadvantage for studnets using it would be the plagarism, or some students doing all the work and others taking credit (which you get in regular group work as well).

Overall, I think this is a great program that I can use numerous ways in my classes.

Thing4_21st Century

For Some reason, I seemed to have missed this post, but kind of answered it in the Thing 5 Post. I'm not sure what happened there=)

When I think back on my school days, I remember dittos;) which just shows how much even our copying technology has changed. I also remember that teachers took attendance and did grades by hand.

As for teaching, it was a lot of blackboards and worksheets. Now teachers use powerpoints our network drives within school to give students worksheets.

I think it also depends on the technology of the school. Some teachers do not have access to the technology in their classrooms. Therefore, a lot of them have to teach with the blackboards/textbooks.

We did have labs when I was in high school, but the internet was not quite what it is today and they didn't really teach about that, it was all computer applications. Which even today is still important and I teach it in my classes.

Overall, I think we've made a change for the good, but it's going to keep changing so we have to stay caught up and current with our methods.