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!!