Final Thoughts

This class was awesome!! My favorite part of the "23 Things" was the online image generator, the Animoto site, and the podcast activity. This program has definitely had an impact on my lifelong learning goals in that I plan to use the internet more frequently in the future now that I am familiar with so many valuable sites. In the past, I did not get too involved with the internet. I thought the few "good" applications would be too difficult to learn. Now I know that most of the sites are easy to use and have many valuable benefits to the world of education. It would be easy to forget all of this stuff now that the class is over, however I find that this information is far too valuable to throw away. I plan on collaborating with others in education in order to keep up with the ever changing world of technology. This class has really changed my outlook on the internet and Web 2.0!!!!

Thing 23

The above caption shows that the "23 Things" project is loosely based on the work done by someone else. This class has taught me the importance of giving credit to authors or creators of any type of work. There is so much on the internet that can be used under certain circumstances. We need to know what we can and cannot use. Creative Commons helps us figure that out.

Thing 22

Discovery Through a Scientific Lens: Turtle Report

I found this podcast in the Educational Podcast Directory. This is a podcast that focuses on science and nature. This would be an awesome podcast to subscribe to and share with students in a science class. This site is very easy to navigate and the podcasts are not too long. I think in the future, I will create a podcast of my own to help enhance my instruction. Great application!!

Thing 21

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

This was so easy and fun. I can't wait to try it with some of my own photos of friends and family. I am seriously thinking about paying for the added features of the site. Cool....very cool!!!

Thing 20 Youtube

I love Youtube!! There are so many wonderful videos to watch on just about any topic. I chose this video because it deals with assistive technology for children with special needs. My hope is to one day become a special education teacher and videos like this are a valuable resource to me.

AWESOME!!

Thing 19

I am now a member a TeacherPop!! This is the first time I have seen or heard of this site.....and it is awesome!! Its great to be able to collaborate with other preservice students as well as those already teaching. I can use Facebook for the same purpose, however TeacherPop is a one stop shop. You don't have to search for educators...they are all right there!! This will be a valuable resource to me in the years to come.

On a lighter side...I also collect sports memorabilia. I have found a couple social networking sites that deal with this hobby. I will most likely join up with one of these groups as well. However, right now I do not have the time for hobbies....lol

Visit TeacherPop

Thing 18 Facebook

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/profile.php?id=1379676427

Finally, an application that I am already familiar with! I am a big fan of Facebook, and have been for a couple years now. This is a great site that helps you keep in touch with friends and family all over the world. Facebook has helped me reconnect with friends that I have not seen since High School. I can see many educational benefits from the site as well. This will help me network with other special education teachers and share effective instructional methods. Our students deserve it!! The only thing I do not like about facebook is that anyone can write anything on your wall. You have to be really careful when adding friends to your social community. This is a very PUBLIC site.....however the benefits far outweigh the negatives. Thumbs up!!

Thing 17 Delicious

Delicious is an awesome bookmarking site. This site allows you to collaborate and share web links with others very easily. I can see many uses for this application in the classroom. I would make a shared reading list for the students, where we all could make recommendations for great books to read. This site is also a great way to share favorite web links with others. This is a great way to enhance learning for all students in this Learning 2.0 era!!

Thing 16

I chose to use Google Sidebar. Unlike a homepage, the sidebar is always there. You can keep track of the time, weather, news and my favorite....EBAY. I just stumbled across this application, however I would recommend this to anyone having to keep track of many things at once.

Online calenders and "to do" lists are great if you have an enormous amount of things to keep up with. I usually just make a list on a spreadsheet if I have too much to remember. Seems like a lot of work setting up the calender and lists.

Thing 15...wikis

I have never heard of Wikis before this class. I always wondered why they called it Wikipedia and why you shouldn't take everything for truth on that site. Well now I know....anyone can change or delete content!!!! That is crazy. Having said that, I do believe that wikis can be very beneficial to education. I think it would be an awesome way for students to collaborate and share information...all in one location. Its like the entire class having ONE blog. Awesome!!

I added a copy of my post about online image generators to the 23 things wiki. Check it out if you like APSU 23 Things Sandbox wiki

THING 14

I tried Gliffy and Bubbl.us. It seemed like you could accomplish the same things on both sites, however I found Bubble.us to be a little more complicated. Flowcharts are an awesome tool, especially when you are teaching visual learners. These sites make it very easy to incorporate flowcharts into your instruction. Teachers should always look for new ways to improve their students learning experience. Thumbs up!!

Thing 13: ZOHO

Ok...I know it has been a while since I have written in my blog, but I have been really, really busy....lol....no excuses!



I checked out this Zoho Writer site. At first, I thought that it was going to be just another cheesy Microsoft wannabee site. WOW....was I wrong or what?? This application is awesome. I played around with the ZOHO Writer and it was just as easy and Works, but has alot more features. I love how you can share the document with someone else and allow them access. They can add to the document and make changes in real time. Talk about collaboration!!

Thing 12

Man....I did not know that Google offered so many different tools. This class is worth more than the tuition!! I just set up my Google Alerts:

http://www.google.com/alerts/manage?hl=en&gl=us

I set up alerts for the following:

Special Education

Secondary Education

Teaching Careers

I also set up a Google Calender. This was very easy and is going to be very helpful as my responsibilities increase. Here is a snapshot:

These tools have so many uses when it comes to education. I will be able to keep up with timely information as well as keep up with my schedule. Being able to look at your entire week at a glance is very helpful!

Thing 11

I found Blogline very easy to use. You need to make sure you have your search set on "feeds" or you won't get what you are looking for. I found Topix and Syndic8 more confusing and more limited on what I was looking for, however they may be useful for others. I added the following feeds to my Google Reader:

National Association of Special Education Teachers
American Education News Site
Chicago Business.com

When searching, I found it helpful to see how many subscribers there were. That helped me to narrow my search a little. This is an awesome tool....I think I'm hooked. If I have 200 feeds that I am subscribed to, is it still helpful in saving time? I guess we must have "balance" in everything we do.

Thing 10 RSS

This is amazing...a one stop shop with all my favorites. I chose "GoogleReader", and it is very easy to use. There are videos and tutorials for beginners like myself. I subscribed to the following:

Cool Cat Blog
Clarksville Online
Ebay (football cards)
Weather.com
How things work.com

I cant believe how technology has advanced so rapidly over the last 10 years! This, like many of the other tools we have learned this semester, will be a valuable asset for me as a teacher. Anything that will save me time is a blessing! Students can also use this as well to keep up with various information from several sites. Awesome!

Thing 9

LOL...This was actually fun! Here are my two creations using ImageChef:

http://www.imagechef.com/

Jennifer is my wife...and I do love her!!!! Here is another one:

I can see how kids could have a lot of fun with this on certain assignments!

Awesome!!

Thing 8

I am learning so much with these projects! In order to do #8, I had to figure out how to do a screenshot on a pc. I found out about an easy way to do it with "snipit". Just hit the start icon on a pc and type snip....easy 3 step process....and this is what I got:

http://flickrtrends.appspot.com/

This is my creation using flicrtrends:

Using this application, you can compare picture trends on Flickr for just about any subjects. Luckily, love won this one!

Flickr...Thing 7

WOW....I have been wanting to check this site out, but never took the time. This class MADE me take the time and I LOVE it! I looked at many pictures and had a hard time deciding which picture to save. After a lot of thought, I chose this one: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3230/2888857836_97fd300ef0_t.jpg

This is why I am going back to school......

I want to help children get off to a great start academically so that one day they can GRADUATE! Look at the smiles on their faces. They have their whole lives ahead of them

Thing 6 (craigslist)

I hear a lot of people talking about craigslist, however I have never took the time to check it out for myself. Turns out...this class is giving me the opportunity to explore! The site: www.craigslist.org. This is a great site if you are looking for ANYTHING!!! It is also good if you want to sell ANYTHING!!! That being said, use in the classroom should be well monitored. You could let the students explore things for sale (books, etc) in their own home town. I look forward to any comments on other ways this site could be used in the classroom.

Web 2.0/School 2.0....what?

On my second day of this class, I asked "What is web 2.0?". I was too embarrassed to ask on the first day. I knew what the web was and used it everyday, but I never heard the term before EDUC 5540. Well now I know and it all makes sense. Web 2.0 is like the second generation of web technology that allows everyday people to be able to interact with others all around the world. We can share ideas, thoughts, perspectives, photos, videos, etc.. I read an article written by Richard McManus entitled "Web 2.0 Is Not About Version Numbers or Betas", and he states that Web 2.0 is an attitude of excitement and optimism. Now everyday nontechnical people can use technology in order to enhance their lives. Its an awesome time that we live in and "education must get on board" (McLester, 2007). School 2.0 is another term that I had never heard before this class. However, just like Web 2.0, our schools are going through a tremendous change during this time of tremendous technological growth. Our students live in a world of information sharing and collaboration....all just a click away! I recently read an article by Susan McLester entitled "Web 2.0: A Guide for Educators". In this article, she states that we live in a new culture of participation. Fifty-five percent of internet users are between the age of 12 and 17. This is astounding! Educators must intertwine technology in their curriculum, or our children will fall farther and farther behind in their understanding of the "real world". I welcome any ideas on the use of technology in the classroom, so LET ME HAVE IT!!

Importance of Commenting

I am very new to the whole blogging thing, so I have never given that much thought to the idea of commenting. After reading "How to Comment Like a King or Queen" from The Coolcat Teacher Blog, I have come to the understanding that commenting is absolutely important to the blogging community and is the "fuel that fires readership". Commenting on a blog helps to create a sense of community and interaction in that it lets the blogger know that you hear them. By commenting, you are casting a vote by letting your own ideas and views be heard. This sharing of information is what makes blogging interesting and valuable to the blogger and the one commenting. If I you never get a comment, you think nobody is reading, and if nobody is reading, why blog in the first place?

So what can I do as a blogger in order to receive more comments? I recently read "10 Techniques to Get More Comments on Your Blog" by ProBlogger. This blog taught me that I need to initiate comments in my own blog by asking questions, closing with an open end statement or question, and adding a little controversy to my blog. I also learned that it is very important to make commenting easy and rewarding for the reader. These techniques will help to increase the amount of comments I receive on my own blog.

Ok...so i get a comment....Then what? Drapes Takes has a blog entitled "Edublogger Etiquette" that explains how you should react to comments. Never ignore a comment. Always acknowledge your comments, as this gives the one commenting a sense of validation. This acknowledgement helps build relationships, increases readership, and encourages future comments.

I think I will find a few blogs to comment on myself! Stay tuned.......

Well, I commented on 5 blogs by my peers. First, I commented on Tim Bolin's blog about golf. If you are a golfer, you will find this blog very interesting as he shares a site that helps with handicapping. I am not good at golf and I told him that I am not interested in anything that will bring attention to my poor play.

Then I commented on Peggy's blog about the restaurant. She is an inspiration to me as she is going to school AND opening a restaurant!! I am having a hard time keeping up and I am not running a business on the side. I don't know how she does it!

Debbie Smith had an interesting blog about technology and what to do if it fails. I commented and shared how my father always took me camping and taught me how to live off the land. I wonder if kids are being taught things like hunting, fishing, boating, etc. today.

Amanda has a blog where she comments on Debbie's blog as well. She talked about how the DVD was broken...... I commented and told her not to try to fix it because they are very cheap in the stores...just buy another one. She, like Peggy, is an inspiration to me. She is going to school full time and has kids at home! Wow....and I think I've got it rough!

Monica....What can I say about Monica....?? She has helped me a lot this semester. She is very proficient with technology. She shared a site called the Image Chef. I commented and thanked her for sharing. I am sure that I will use that site before this class is over.

I found a blog that really interests me. The website is
http://www.footballimo.com/ This blog is all bout football. It is packed full of pictures, stats, and comments. I could spend hours reading this blog, however I have too much work to do for this class....so I must move on. I did make time to comment on how well laid out the blog was.

I also found this site: http://www.thefootballcardblog.com/
Now this is one that I really love. I am an avid football card collector and this blog has everything someone like me would want out of a blog. I left a comment on how I was new to the site and how I would love to start posting blogs on a regular basis. As I stated earlier, I am a little busy this semester, so I don't know how active I can be.

Registering a Blog

OK...So I have registered my blog. So now what do I do with it? Well, I am quickly learning that there are many uses for blogs in education. After viewing Nicki Brokaw's latest post it has become apparent to me that there are no limits to the number of uses It is awesome to have the ability to create and access information so easily. I can now view blogs of many of my classmates in order to get creative ideas and insights on their individual points of view. I look forward to experiencing first hand just how great of a tool this can be! Not only this semester, but when I become a teacher as well. This is going to be an awesome semester!

Creating a Blog

Wow....
If I had only known that creating a blog were so easy, I would have done it by now!! This was the first step in creating my learning toolbox. But now that I have a blog, how do I make the most of it? I guess I will soon learn.
If anyone has any creative advise for me....let me know! :)

Am I a Lifelong Learner?

I never really thought about it before, but after viewing the video "7 1/2 Habits of Lifelong Learners", I believe that, YES, I am a lifelong learner. I'm not ever really satisfied unless I am learning, teaching, or mentoring. The easiest of the habits for me is #1, "Begin with the End in Mind." I never begin any project without thinking of the end result. My dream is to teach Special Education. With that end in mind, I began the MAT program last semester. The most difficult habit for me is #5, "Create a Learning Toolbox". Because I have spent the last 15 years of my life in retail sales and management, I have not created a very good learning toolbox for education. That is my goal this semester!