Thing 23

What can I say?? Well, I'll start out by saying I really didn't know what to expect with this class. Was it going to be interesting? Challenging? Useful? Fun? I can honestly say I can answer yes to all of them! I am overwhelmed, in a good way, with all the fantastic things you can do online....blogs, RSS, videos, pictures, wikis....the list goes on and on. I can't wait to implement some of these in my classroom this year!!

We've come a long way from when I was a kid and the only thing we did in school with computers was play Oregon Trail...fun but, not this fun!! There is so much possibility! I'm most looking forward to sharing all that I've learned with my fellow sixth grade science teacher. The knowledge I've gained is going to make our classes so much better and much more efficient!!

The only question I have is...will we be able to access all of the links after the class is closed? These are such awesome resources but, there are so many that I would love to be able to come back and see the list from time to time. I plan to apply each item one at a time as to implement them fully and accurately and not to be overloaded.

Thank you so much for this wonderful class. It truly will improve my teaching experience!!

Thing 22

How does a wiki differ from a blog?

A blog is a communication from one person to others. The "others" may comment on the blog owners blogging but, not edit what a person has. Basically a blog belongs to one person

and others are merely visitors and "commenters".

A wiki is a document created by one person which turns into a collaborate document. All the contributers become authors of the document not just commenters of the original author's work.

When is one more appropriate to use than the other?

I think a blog is better when you want ownership and want to share your thoughts, information, etc with others. A wiki would be better if you want a group of people to contribute to the final project. Hope this makes since??? I get it but not sure I explained it well??

Here is my wiki...

http://sixthgradereflections.wikispaces.com/

Thing 21

Describe a wiki you found that inspires you to create one of your own.

I found one where a second grade class was sharing their learning...a journal of sorts. I think this would be a great extra credit assignment for my sixth grade students. They could share and discuss what we had been learning in class. Also, it would be a great place for me to post class news and homework assignments.

What hurdles might stand in the way of your using a wiki?

Kids would have to have access to a computer (which many of mine don't). Aslo, I would have to constantly monitor for inappropriate postings.

What would it take to remove the hurdles? Is it worth the fight?

Well, the kids could use computers in the library. This would solve both of the problems for the most part.

Thing 20

I kind of did thing 19 and thing 20 at the same time. When I hit subscribe while watching a podcast I liked, it immediately took me to my itunes playlist on my computer and I was able to add the podcast directly to my playlist and now can listen to podcasts from my ipod! So easy if you already have itunes and an ipod!!

Podcast Alley is a great way to find podcasts that will help in my classroom. A couple that I found that I might like are:

This week in Science and Science on the Wild Side.

They seem to cover topics that would be helpful to me in my classroom. I especially like the idea of This Week in Science because it would keep me up-to-date on what's going on in the world of science and technology. Not being a big news watcher, I need all of the help I can get!!! With all of the podcasts out there though and the ease of their creation, I think it will take some time to find out if these podcasts are valuable or not. But, if they aren't, there are so many more to choose from!!!

Thing 19

I could see using podcasts in a variety of ways in my classroom. I like the idea of using podcasts as a study guide or review. This would be great for kids who may have missed the in class review, missed some notes or review better by hearing the information. I could actually record the material while doing the review in class the first time. This would be great because I would be able to go at a somewhat normal pace with my review and if some kids had missed something, I would let them listen to the podcast.

I really like the idea of the kids creating their own podcasts. Even sixth graders love making things and it would be a great incentive for them to learn if they knew that they would be able to make their own radio show. : ) Years ago when I was teaching ancient Egypt, the kids turned the classroom into a haunted house. The different rooms were each a topic of egypt....mummies, pyramids, the Nile river, etc. The kids in my classes got to be tour guides for the rest of the kids and as the visitors went from room to room, there was a tour guide in each room to tell them about the topic. Not only did the kids have a blast but, they learned all of the information they were given!! I could see the same happening with podcasts!!

One podcast I could see my self using is the k-12 Science podcast. The gentleman who creates this podcast, Dave Bydlowski, is exceptional with teaching science and has some great ideas! Here is the link...

http://k12science.net/Podcast/Podcast/Podcast.html

Thing 18

What did you like about the presentation you embedded? How might Slideshare be useful in the classroom? out of the classroom?

It's something I can use in my classroom. I love this site! It will be a quick way to find a presentation to show my class or use as an example when I want the kids to create a presentation. Before finding this site, I had to spend time creating my own presentations, this will help free up time to do other things in the classroom. Also, when I create a slideshow to use in my class, the other sixth grade Science teacher will be able to gain quick access to it rather than having to email it to her.

Outside of the classroom I could use this site to gain information on topics other than education. What other uses might I have for it? I'm not sure. : )

Food Chains & Webs

View more presentations from reaofsun.

Thing 17

I'm amazed how such small things in life can bring so much joy. : ) That's how I feel about Remember the Milk. I cannot express in words how much I love it....but, I will try! First, I need to start out by letting everyone know what an organizational freak I am!! For example, I have color coded boxes for all of my halloween stuff, Christmas stuff, etc. So in addition to my personal items, I love to organize all of my tasks into to do lists. Not only is this part of my organizational obsession but, it also reassures me that all tasks will get done and I won't forget any! The problem becomes when I make multiple lists that I have all over the place! So, you can only imagine how great I thought this site was!! As a matter of fact, I have three paper "to-do" lists sitting right next to me now which I entered into Remember the Milk. I especially like when you click that an item is completed, it disappears from the to-do list and enters a completed list. Much better than a hand written one which has items scribbled out left and right. I just had a funny thought...I now have a better way to organize my organization!!! Too funny!!

Thing 16

Wow!!! I LOVE Google Docs!! I wish i had known about this a long time ago!

How might you use this tool in your personal and professional life?

The easiest way to answer this is....for everything!!! What an I most excited to use it for??? Collaboration between my fellow science teacher and I. Back in the old days (last year) one of us would create the document and then email to the other for changes and then the first person would fix it (just like in the video). Then, somewhere down the line...a few days, weeks or months, the person who didn't create the document would need a copy so, the creator would have to print a copy up. This would save so much time! We could actually work together creating something and then both have access to it!!! Yippee!!

What issues come to mind about using this tool with students (ie, they need email addresses to log-in)?

I'm sure it wouldn't be too long before someone "shares" something they shouldn't. I work with middle school students. Enough said!!!!

Thing 15

Is RSS becoming easier to understand?

Yes, and so are some of the other sites we've learned about so far. I was suprised at how easy it was to add a tag to my RSS. I like in the video how it said by subscribing to a tag you are "letting someone do the work for you." During the school year especially, I need all the help I can get! I subscribed to the education tab and lot it already. For example one of the titles was top 100 videos for middle school science teachers!! How much more perfect can you get!!! Looking forward to using RSS more during the school year.

Do you recognize new benefits of using this tool?

Absolutely! I think it is such a time saver! Searching the internet is such a time consuming task to undertake. So, by subscribing to the popular education feeds, I feel like I'm getting some great info without all the time wasted searching!!!

Do you remember to check your feeds regularly? Has it become a habit (or obsession!) yet?

No, it's because it's summer though. Since we have such a short time here in Michigan, I really try to spend as much time as I can outside enjoying it. On the flip side, when it gets yucky and cold, I spend much more time on the computer inside. SO, I think this winter I will be checking my feeds more regularly. Not sure it will ever become an obsession though. : )

Thing 14

My user name is jbennion, however, I had some problems with Delicious. I was able to add one bookmark, after that when adding additional bookmarks, Safari would close down and I was unable to add additional bookmarks. So, I have one of the ten. : ) Does anyone know how to remedy this?

Then reflect on how you think social bookmarking can be used in your teaching. Does Delicious seem to be a tool that can enhance your productivity?

Yes! It will be a huge way to help organize all the sites my co-teacher and I visit. Not to mention a better way for us to share great sites we find. We'll be able to eliminate having to send web addresses back and forth via email! Not to mention being able to find great websites at home and then use them at school. It will, also, cut out the time it will take searching my computer bookmarks!!

Thing 13

I think that social bookmarking and tagging are all about organization and sharing. I love how if I find something useful, it can be shared with my community. I'm excited to use this with my fellow science teacher. We always find the best sites for our class and then have to email the web address back and forth to each other. I usually just save the email and then when i need the address for the site, I rifle through all of my emails to find it...which is really time consuming!! This is so much more efficient!

I look forward to using Delicious for my classroom. I use so many sites for my lessons and even though I bookmark them on my computer, it's always such a hassle to go back and look them up. Also, I like that I can use delicious at home when planning my lessons and then at school when I'm executing them.

Thing 12

Here is my Voki:

Get a Voki now!



By the way, he's saying hope you're having a great summer break in french!!!

Are you getting comfortable with embedding code?

Yes, didn't need any explanation this time. Just guessed it was the same to embed the Voki as it as a youtube video and it was...and it worked!!! Surprisingly very easy to use and very fun!!

Do you belong to other online communities?

No. However, this class is making me feel more comfortable about joining one!!

Are relationships formed online as meaningful as face-to-face relationships?

Not sure due to my lack of experience but, for me personally I would think that they wouldn't be. I enjoy going out meeting people face to face and socializing that way. I would bet that there are some people who would disagree with me. I think it all depends on your personality and what your definition of a relationship is.

Why do you think MySpace and other social networking sites are so popular with kids today?

They are yet another way to communicate and socialize. Also, it is a way for kids to post their pictures, thoughts, communications, beliefs, etc. A kind of bulletin board for who they are.

Thing 11

What do you like / dislike about leaving comments?

I love communication so, I love to leave comments. There is really nothing that I dislike! I like to see what's going on with people and sharing insight, feelings, etc. I think that blogging in general is a great way to see what's going on with those around you in a short period of time.

How did you feel when you received your first comment?

It was nice to see that people were actually reading what I wrote and had input about it!

Why do you think commenting is so important in online communities?

Without comments I feel like you are talking to a wall. LOL!! It's nice to know that you're writing for a purpose and that someone is actually reading what you are writing. Isn't that the purpose for blogging in the first place...to share and connect with others?? : )

What might this mean for students who share their writing online?

I believe that it allows students who otherwise wouldn't feel comfortable sharing to be more open about it. Also, it may allow for collaboration between students who normally wouldn't work together in class. I think it gives students a sense of freedom.

In addition, many of my students LOVE computers. They are more willing to complete tasks that are on the computer. I think it's a interesting and fun outlet for them.

Thing 10 Part 2

I selected the Boney Bunch video because it's my current interest. : ) I just love Fall and decorating for Halloween and Thanksgiving! I love cider mills, pumpkin patches, haunted houses, hayrides and the cool, crisp weather that Autumn brings. I even love back to school time!!!

I think downloading a video from youtube could be the answer to the problem I have of not being able to access youtube in my classroom. I could download the videos the night before to my desktop and then email them to myself. I'm going to try this and see if it works!!!

Thing 10

Here is a video about the Boney Bunch. For those of you who don't know who they are, they're a product of the yankee candle company. I have become obsessed with them! My best friend and I even went to the boney bunch halloween party on Saturday! I know August is a little early for halloween but, oh well!!

Check them out at yankeecandle.com : )

Thing 9

I love youtube! I have actually been using for years at home! Unfortunately, it is blocked from our school. This is really too bad because I have found so many great videos to show to the kids. However, if i do find a video, I can email it to the tech department for our district and they have a way of allowing me to use the video. I've done this a couple of times. The only bummer is that this is not the most efficient process! Once I've found the video and make the tech department aware of the video I want to use, it may take a day or so to make the video accessible. Also, even though my tech department is awesome and never seems annoyed by all I ask them to do, I hate taking up their time, I know how valuable it is!!

I think if youtube was easy assessable, I would use it more often. Right now I only use it once or twice a year.

Thing 8

I loved creating this magazine cover! It was so much fun!!! My sixth graders are going to LOVE this. Often times we create projects in my science class and I have the kids use powerpoint or publisher. This is so much more fun!!! I can pair the magazine cover with publisher and the kids can create their own magazine to display a topic that they've learned!!! I am so excited to use this next year!!!!!!!!

This site was SOOOO easy to use. The kids will need very little direction. As a matter of fact, with as tech savvy as many of them are, they probably just need the website address!! I think the only problem I may have is the students playing around too much with the font, picture, colors, etc. It took me all of ten minutes to create the cover. I could see some of my kids making it "perfect" and taking a really long time with it!!!

bighugelabs.com

Thing 7

Think of ways you may be able to use Flickr in the classroom or in your work and share your ideas.

Flickr is actually the answer to a problem I've had for a long time. When my husband and I go on vacation, I love to take pictures to share with the kids. For example, when we went to Jamaica, I saw so many animals and plants with different adaptations. Since we have a unit on animal and plant adaptations, I would be able to use flickr to show the kids some examples from my travels. This is a great way to organize my photos by topic. This way I can pull the photos up on my television in the classroom.

I also like the idea that it is an additional way to back up my photos on the internet. Especially for my wedding photos seeing as if something happened to them, they can never be retaken.

I like the option of using both public and private views. This way I can store my personal photos and share them with only friends and family and use some for class too!

What issues might you face?

I really don't see any at this time. What issues might I face?

Thing 6 Part 2

Jamaica's people are so wonderful and full of life.

I find this photo interesting.....

Thing 6

Why did you choose a particular photo?

This is a picture of the beach in Jamaica which my husband and I got married on. It was such a beautiful day and a great time with family and friends. It is in Whitehouse Jamaica at a Sandals resort. We spent a week there and had the time of our lives!

What is it about the photo

that you found interesting?

I'm not sure that I would say that I found this photo interesting as much as I found it meaningful. It's the most perfect place on earth to my husband and I. When I look at the picture, I go to my happy place : ). I feel relaxed and remember all of the fun that we had there!!

Thing 5

What questions do you have?

No real questions other than...why wouldn't you use the "easy button" all the time to subscribe...it's just, well....easy!! Takes much less brain power once it's set up!!

What didn't work or doesn't make sense?

Could not get the copy and pasting method to work. Said that it couldn't find the feed. Wonder why?? I even watched the video a second time to make sure I didn't miss anything. So, I just went back and used the easy button method and it worked like a charm. By the way, I will be using this method from here on out!!! : )

How might you use RSS in your personal or professional life?

Seeing as there are blogs for just about everything, I will continue to search for blogs of interest. I'm going to look for blogs that can help in my sixth grade science classroom. Maybe lab and activity ideas?? I can't wait to share this with my co-teacher. We are both always looking for new and great ideas for our classes.

Find anything in your searching that you'd recommend to others?

Not from my particular searches but, I am going to introduce RSS in general to my husband. He would love it!

Thing 4

How do you handle information overload and how do you think RSS might help with that?

How do I handle information overload? I try to avoid it at all costs! When I sit down on the computer for my news and info, oh, and now blog reading : )....I seem to spend a ton of time jumping from site to site. It really is inefficient!! I really don't like spending all this time just to get a days worth of info.

I LOVE Bloglines!! This will make organization of all the information so much easier and much more efficient!! It will be awesome to log into one place to get all the updates I need. Like it was said in the video, why jump from site to site for new information that may not even be there.

By the way, I love Lee LeFeaver's way of explaining things on his videos!! Makes things so simple!!

Thing 3

How might a blog support the work you do?

I would use a blog in my classroom in order to inform students, parents, fellow teachers and my administration of the happenings in my classroom. Each post could include information such as daily assignments and homework along with what the kids are learning/will be learning, class activities, labs, and field trips. In addition I would make sure the blogs I posted had personality so tha the kids got to know a little bit about me too. : )

How might you use a blog with students?

I like the idea of allowing kids to use blogs to share their learning experiences. One of my fellow "23 Thing-ers" had mentioned how it would allow kids who are shy (who normally may no raise their hand in class) to be able to participate. I, also, think that kids really do love being on the computer. If they can create their very own blog it would get them interested in involvement in the class.

How might they respond to a blog assignment?

I teach sixth grade and I think the kids would enjoy being able to create their own blog. I think they would somewhat relate it to myspace or facebook with a educational spin of course. : )

What concerns do you have about educational blogging?

The amount of participation of students after they leave school. Many students don't have computers at home so, this would limit their participation after school hours. I could remedy this situation for the most part by letting the students add to their blogs during class time in our school computer lab.

Thing Two

Wow! This could be a lot of fun! I've never created a social networking type product on the web before...no facebook or myspace for me! So, this is something completely new..yippee!!!

Why are you participating in 23 Things?

Because I love technology! I am always looking for new ways teach my GLCEs in a way that is interesting to my students.

What do you hope to learn?

New ways to incorporate technology into the classroom. More and more I feel like it's harder and harder to grab the attention of my students. So, I need to try things like digital learning!!

What new insights did you have during Thing 1?

That there are an overwhelming amount of ways to incorporate tech! Also,that even though I thought I incorporated a multitude of tech in my classroom...I have a long way to go!

How does writing on the Internet, knowing anyone could read it, change how you write or feel about writing?

Nervous!! I'm a very private person...which is why I don't have a myspace or facebook account! So, it' kinda nerve wrecking knowing that my thoughts will be out there on the net!!! : )

Just completed Thing 1

I just completed thing 1 and I'm overwhelmed and excited about all of the digital learning my kids can do! I never even thought about the kids using cell phones as teaching tools! They would be excited about that!!