Thing # 24

Woot Woot!  Things 1-24 are complete!  Yay!  I just don't know what to say.  I have (for the most part) enjoyed completing this assignment.  I have discovered many new tools that will absolutely use once I have my own classroom, and to be sure that I am equipped with a great deal of information (obviously info that has been stored in Diigo, Livebinder, Ning, and more).  I look forward to creating a blog that my students will be able to interact with me and their peers to discuss class lessons as well as their interests.  Thank you for this experience!

Thing # 23

As I was watching the videos suggested on the APSU's 23 Things for Thing # 23, I found a cute video that my future middle school students would find comical and informative.  I think that it is important for children to be aware of what they are allowed to use and share for their learning purposes.  Many of us are glad to freely share our ideas and information and others are not; copy-write laws protect the work that some persons do not want to share freely and creative commons allows others to share portions or all of their work.

Thing # 22

Livebinders is a great website that allows its users to create storage space for all of their favorite sites based on their subject or usage.  I feel that it will be a very resourceful tool for any teacher.  The three binders that I created were titled:
Special Education,
Crafty crafting!, and
Science.

I am looking forward to finding out what other sites are useful once I am in the classroom.  I know that I will have an incredible library of information in hand before I ever get into the classroom. : )

Thing # 21

Try our video maker at Animoto.
I thoroughly enjoyed creating this video with Animoto!  This is absolutely something that I would use at home and in the classroom.  I think that my students would probably enjoy seeing themselves featured in our own classroom clips.  It would be a wonderful way to celebrate school events such as field day or special olympics.  I love this site, and I will definitely be sharing info about it.

Thing # 20

YouTube is full of good stuff, but students shouldn't be allowed to search freely in the classroom, because there is no telling what they'll pull up; I'm sure there is a chance that it won't be school appropriate.  I have recently learned about TeacherTube and I am happy to know that it exists!  While I was looking for things to include on my web quest, I found the following YouTube video...


I thought that it was fun and creative, and something that students could create on their own with the use of iMovie or a similar application.  I feel that by including fun and inventive "snippets" of information will encourage students to learn more.

Thing # 19

Ning was an interesting site!  It is full of useful information that we as teachers can use.  I also tried to create a badge to include with this blog post, but my attempts were unsuccessful.  Oh well, I shall try again later...


Visit TeacherPop
(This was my second attempt on the badge, I hope it worked!)  (It did!!! Yay!!!!!!)

Any who, after all of the sites that we have had to research, I can say this... Sharing our lessons, ideas, and teaching information is an important thing that we teachers should be doing.  By holding on to our secrets of success we aren't teaching what we know.  Information is so valuable, and it desperately needs to be shared for the benefit of our students.  I see a true value in social networking sites.  My son's kindergarten teacher told me just how much she loved Pinterest, and she explained how she found lesson plans, videos, and links to valuable websites, and she uses the site on a daily basis.  At one point our school system banned Pinterest from our school network, but many of our teachers complained and voiced the fact that it is a beneficial teaching tool for our schools, and guess what??? the school board accepted their request!
I signed up for a Craftster account, and I do think that this will be a great site to find many different crafts to make.  So far, I really like what I see.  I think that there is plenty to keep my children entertained for summer break!

Thing # 18

I have recently opened a Twitter account, but I have had a Facebook account for a couple of years now.  I was pretty unaware of the usefulness of having a classroom account for Facebook or a class page for that matter.  I think that it may possibly be a good way for students to share ideas for projects and class assignments.  I feel that my students will probably be teaching me a few things about Facebook, since there is much that I still do not know about this social networking site.
I look forward to digging into Twitter and seeing what it's all about.  I know many people share a great deal of their ideas and thoughts on this site.

Thing # 17

I enjoyed playing around on Delicious!  It is a great way for teachers to share ideas; after all, we are usually at our best when we are sharing ideas about our favorite things, and what better to share than all of our favorite websites for teaching our students!  I think that it is wonderful that you can search around, tag, and sort your favorite sites according to your need.  I absolutely love the fact that your tagged information is available no matter which computer you use; internet service is the only requirement.  I do believe that this will be a site that works to my benefit once I am teaching, and as for now, I can begin building my library of resources on Delicious

Thing # 16

I created a start page on iGoogle, but I read on the home page that iGoogle will be no more on November 1, 2013.  I did like the set up of my home page; it seemed useful and reflected a bit of my interests and personality.  However, knowing that iGoogle is soon to be retired, I probably will not make it permanent (because what's the use, right?).
After reading about Jott, I would say that it would be a very useful tool, but I do not have any devices that would make use of this tool.  Although, I think that it would be wonderful assistive technology.  I did sign up and use Remember The Milk's website for creating a to-do list.  I included all of the assignments that I must complete before the semester is up (and oh-golly there's still a lot to do!).
I think that online calendars would be very handy indeed, but maybe it would be more convenient if I had one of those handy dandy smart phones.  I liked the to-do list because it's a visual aid, and that is very helpful for me.
I feel that many of these gadgets would be helpful at home as well as in the classroom.  The calendars would be a great way for you to engage your students in learning more about one another, for instance: who shares birthdays, dates of club and band meetings, sports practice and more.  As teachers I feel that we should be involved with our students, and we should recognize their interests and skills.

Thing # 15

I must admit that I have and probably will continue to use Wikipedia for inquiring about certain things, whether they be for personal inquiry or for classroom learning.  I do not take everything seriously, for I would not be a serious student/learner if I did, but I do like to use it to form a base line of info, or sometimes to get ideas on other sites or info to research.  I use it as a tool, but definitely not my only research tool!  I am not sure if I posted correctly on the APSU's 23 Thing's Sandbox Wiki, but none-the-less it's there.  It seemed like a jumbled up mess, but I'm sure once I figure out how to use it I'll form a different opinion of it.  As far as using a wiki in my class, I will never say that I won't use it, but I will say that if it would prove to be an effective classroom instrument, then I will try to put it to use.

Thing # 14

For this task I chose to use Gliffy and Bubbl.us to explore flowcharts and mind maps.  Although I liked Bubbl.us, I believe that I enjoyed creating the flowchart on Gliffy the most.  I liked the aspect of creating a flow chart that would allow my future students to use critical thinking, allowing themselves to take risks, and realizing that sometimes they must backtrack in order to find the correct answer.  To me, mistakes are learning bumps in the road.  Without our ability to look at where we may have gone wrong on a proposed answer to a question in ponder we can remain lost; if we are able to look at something from many sides it is easier to grasp that concept and understand the information being taught.  As far as using these tools for my future classroom, I think flowcharts will come in handy;  I also believe that mind maps are a great way to express shared concepts among groups and lessons and would make a great assignment for certain lesson plans.

Thing # 13

After creating the Zoho account, I decided to play around with its features, and I must say that it was a very convenient and functional.  Then, I decided to play around with google docs and I think that I like it better!  I thought that it was very fun to play around on, and I made a simple drawing of the carbon cycle.  I think that students would like to use this application to create their own drawings in order to enhance their learning experience.

Thing # 12

After playing with the Google tools, I have decided that I like Google Translate the best.  It seems to be a very easy and effective way to translate phrases that would get our students interested in learning more.  With Google Translate I can type in something like "Greetings!  Its good to meet you!" and I can instantly translate it in many other languages like "Saludos! Es bueno conocerte!" (in Spanish) or "Salutations! Il est bon de vous rencontrer!" (in French) and many, many more.  Google's Picasa was fun as well. Picasa seemed to be similar to Flickr, but I believe that I became more familiarized with Flickr, so Picasa wasn't as impressive.  Maybe I just need to keep playing with the programs to see which I like best.

Thing # 11

After reading the article posted to The Cool Cat Teacher's blog, I decided to search around to see which  sites were easiest in setting up feeds.  I liked the Technorati and Google sites the best.  I really liked the fact that Topix.net posted local feeds, but I didn't quite like the way that this site was set up.  As far as easiest to use goes, I felt like Google worked best for me.  I liked the fact that it had a "clean" page; there wasn't much in the way of distractions on the page.  I can see how these sites would be helpful in scanning for new information that could be available to you.

Thing # 10

Setting up an RSS reader was fairly simple, and it seems to be a very quick simple way to keep up with the sites that interest you the most.  I added blogs that were personally interesting to me, like The Barefoot Gardner and Keller Williams (my most favorite musician!) as well as blogs that will be nice to refer to once I am in the classroom.  Having the information sent to you is a time saving tool!  I love it that I don't have to search the web; I can just click, click, click! ;)
Using the RSS feature would definitely be a time saver in the classroom.  By using this feature, you wouldn't have to waste any time searching for borrowed materials that you would like to add to your lesson plan.  It would also be nice to share ideas from others that may be helpful in subject matter.

Thing #9

Playing with the image generators was fun, fun, FUN!  So far it was the easiest assignment for me to tackle. :)  I think that ImageChef was very easy to use and it would open so many opportunities for classroom use.  You could personalize class rules, motivational posters, and much, much more.  I liked the Letter Soup application.  I think that children would not only enjoy seeing such fun things in their classroom, but they may also give you many great ideas for future endeavors using ImageChef in the classroom.

Thing # 8

Spell with flickr was fun to work with and I liked learning how to edit and alter my photos on BigHugeLabs.  I decided to upload one of my pics on BigHugeLabs and I used the Bead Art photo option.  I think that these tools would be very helpful in creating unique and personalized message boards for classroom use as well as creating awesome scrapbook images.  I must say that I am very cautious as to what I post in the internet;  I have yet to post any pictures of my children on any web source.  I know that in time they will find interest in online social sites, but for now I guard their image and ask that my family and friends respect that as well.

Thing # 7

Well, I was thinking that Flickr was pretty simple, and then my pictures didn't want to post to the blog.  I think that I will definitely spend more time on this site if I want a better appreciation of what it has to offer.  I decided to join Flickr and upload some of my own pictures.  I decided to post a picture that I had taken on campus in February 2012 to the apsu23things group.

 

I love nature and the immense beauty of the great outdoors, therefore, I take many pictures of... you guessed it, the great outdoors!

                        

Thing # 6

While scrolling through the go2web20.net website, I noticed many different applications and tools that would be helpful and useful to most of us in many ways.  The tool that I chose to select was CarrotSticks Online Math Games.  I liked this because it would be very helpful to any child that is learning basic math skills; however, after digging a little deeper I realized that it is only free for practicing addition.  If you would like to practice subtraction, multiplication, and division then you must pay $29.95 for the complete subscription.  I think that it is fun that the kids can make their own avatar, and compete against others in math challenges.  I also thought it was neat that awards were emailed to the parent upon their child's achievement.  I think that CarrotSticks Online Math Games would be a useful addition to any classroom that taught basic math skills; it seems to be a fun, interactive, and educational tool for children that want or need to practice their math.

Thing #5

To me, Learning 2.0 means that we have new technologies available to integrate into our classrooms, and we should learn how to use it.  I am a bit older than most of the students in my class, and my experience was that we had little interaction with computers in the classroom.  I actually remember one of my trips to the so called "computer lab" that our K-8 school was blessed with.  I was in kindergarten and I was so excited that we were actually going to go (I can only recall about 5 trips from grades K-8) and the large floppy disc that I was given to use was scratched, so needless to say, my experience was sad.  Today's classrooms are much different.  There are usually one or two computers in each classroom (that is, in our rural community) and the children are encouraged to use them.  Now, we also have smart boards in the classrooms that allow us to pull new sources of information into the classroom.  I am looking forward to learning how to use this new and improving technology in my classroom setting.  I feel that Learning 2.0 will be a great tool that we should all use, and I can only imagine what will be available in the years to come.

Thing # 4

Posting on other blogs is a neat way to interact with others that you may not typically get the opportunity to share ideas with.  It allows you to show others that you also share an interest in an idea, or way of life.  I have yet to get any comments on the posts that I have made, but I am looking forward to the chance to hear what others have to say.  I am new to the blogging world and any help on creating a better blog space is appreciated and welcomed. :)
I found the readings from the discovery exercise were very helpful.  I really liked The Blue Skunk Blog's encouragement on writing comments to the posts that you read to let the writer know how you felt about their topics and ideas.  I also liked ProBlogger's suggestion to invite comments.  I suppose that if you ask for comments then you are more likely to get feedback from others.  ;)
I commented on Sherry McNeily's blog because she had such encouraging words and she had many of her "things" complete.  I posted on Kayla Kitchens's blog because she sits next to me in two of my classes and I liked her idea of creating a classroom blog that also included crafting and game ideas for her students as well as making an interactive board for the parents to post on.  I chose to post on Jennifer Gilstrap's blog because she is in all of my classes this semester.  I found it to be very inspiring to read about her helping her cousin with her GED testing.  I commented on Ashley Hartling's blog because she too sits next to me in this class and I really liked all of the pictures that she has posted.  Shammontree's blog site was very unique and I chose to comment on her pinterest post.  Also, I commented on The Soap Sister's blog because I am a soap maker, and I love the soaping station that her husband had made for her.  I also found a very useful and informative special education blog called Life in Special Education; a teacher, Karla, shares many inspiring stories as well as useful downloads for others to share.
  

Thing # 3

I think that a classroom blog would be useful in many ways.  I plan to be a Special Education teacher, so I think that if I were to be placed as an inclusion teacher I could create a blog site that would allow me to post a daily review of class covered materials for any of the classes that my students attend.  If I were to be placed as a resource teacher with an actual class, then I could create a daily blog that covered my class, and of course, if I were to have both inclusion classes and resource classes I could cover them all!  I could see that blogging would be a useful tool to help emphasize important notes and class highlights.  It would allow students to ask questions or share ideas that would be helpful to others outside of class.

Thing # 2

I do not have any experience with blogging, and at first, this assignment was very intimidating.  However, the instructions for this assignment were very clear and I actually enjoyed the process of creating my little "mini me".  I titled the blog with my own name + 23 things; I suppose it could have been a bit more original.  Since this is my only experience with blogging of any sorts, I tried very hard to make it as simple as possible.  I mimicked my own image to a small degree, but in actuality my little me should have been rounder!  I am not a fancy person, nor is my avatar, and I like to do things simply or with greatest ease so I created a simple little me.

Thing # 1

After viewing the tutorial,  7 and 1/2 Habits of Lifelong Learners, I found that I do typically begin a task with a goal in mind, and since I have ventured out into the world to begin my college experience, I have realized that if I want high grades/scores in class, then I must accept the responsibility of my own learning.  It is much easier for me to begin a project or task if I can see the goal laid out in my mind; therefore, I do my best to visualize exactly what it is that I want to accomplish before I jump in feet first.  I have also discovered that it is only my fault if I am not understanding and grasping what is being taught, which simply means, if I do not understand, then I should ask questions, do more research, or embrace the technology that surrounds me.

However, I do not always have confidence in myself as a confident or effective learner.  I usually have to re-read content in order to comprehend effectively.  Often, I second guess myself or "double check" just to make sure I have done something correctly.  I know that I must over come my worries of doing something wrong and focus on building confidence.

I found this assignment to be frustrating at first, only because I am slightly scared of computers (I always worry that I will mess something up), but once I sat down and focused on the task at hand, I found it to be much easier than I had expected.  I am looking forward to learning about all of the technology that is available for classroom use and integrating new learning experiences into the classroom.  I feel that there are many wonderful tools available online that will be of great use for this class and in a class of my own one day soon.