Thing 23: Final Reflections

I think this class was the most valuable professional development class I've taken all year. I think it's been so valuable because these aren't just tools to help with instruction; with Web2.0 tools I can interact with and learn from other professionals in my field. I help my students understand character analysis and theme while also teaching them how to be responsible users and creators on the Internet.

My next step is to find more ways to use some of my favorite tools (Diigo, Flickr, Google Docs, Wikispace) and continue to search for more. As I mentioned in my voice thread, if I want to be successful in teaching my students to use the tools appropriately, I must use them myself.

The next step that I take may seem strange considering my enthusiasm for Web2.o tools, but I'm going to read about the criticisms of Web2.o. I remember reading a blog entry for one of the "things" and somehow stumbled upon an advertisement for a book that details the negative cultural, economic, and creative effects that Web2.0 has inflicted upon our society. I read an excerpt of this book on Amazon and while I don't think I agree with the points the author is trying to make, I still think it's worth taking a look at what the other side has to say.

Photo by aloshbennett on Flickr

Thing 22: Exploring some tools of my choice Part II

I have been interested in Jing since the first video I saw of Caroline's. I was kind of hoping that we would have a 'thing' all about Jing, but I guess exploring it myself is the next best thing. I can imagine creating 'how-to' videos for students, especially if they are using another web2.0 tool and working outside of the classroom. I think it would be interesting to have the students create similar 'how-to' videos. Jing also offers another way to comment on student work. I have not created a video yet with Jing, but it seems fairly easy to do and to share, which is an important aspect of Web2.0.

I used Audacity when I recorded my podcast (which by the way, has not loaded on our player yet--gonna have to check on that!) I don't really see much in the way of the typical Web2.0 social features on Audacity itself, but by creating recordings and podcasts on Audacity, you can then contribute them to other web2.0 sites like The Free Sound Project. Recording my podcast was a snap on Audacity and I don't really have anything to compare it to, but I thought the editing and effects tools were really cool.

Beautiful Tools by geishaboy500 on flickr

Thing 5d: A tid bit from my Google Reader

This blog post is in honor of my former co-workders and friends Kyle and Kristy Myers. They started their southbound hike of the Appalachian Trail today, and I have been following the events leading up to their first step by Kyle's facebook updates, tweets, and blog posts. Yes, I have their blog in my Google Reader and that's really what I wanted to share although I guess it's not really related to our class. But it's just such a huge undertaking and an awesome adventure that I wanted to share it with you all and maybe you'll start checking in on their progress, too. Also, in the short year that we worked together I definitely was impacted by the good-will and generosity they showed to others. In fact, they hope to join the Peace Corps as soon as they're done with their hike.

So, I found it quite serendipitous that when I went looking through my Google Reader I found the post Teachers Without Borders off to Africa on the Infinite Thinking Machine blog. I know that this class has helped me to completely broaden everything I do with teaching, from the planning, to collaborating, to instructing, and grading--and I had it all at my finger tips all along. The Teachers Without Boarders program is striving to help teachers who don't have that technology at their fingertips. As is mentioned in the post, not all teachers are at a point where they can just up and leave to help out abroad, but there are ways to donate (not just money) to the cause.
Oh, and here's a link to my friends' blog, Into the Wild.
**Just a note, the most recent post (Today's the day!) is dated April 30, 2009 for some weired reason, so it's lower on the page but it really should be June 17, 2009.

Thing 21: PageFlakes

PageFlakes, wow! Very cool tool! I did some playing around and tried to start a page based on gardening. I got a couple PBS podcasts successfully loaded(?) into a flake, so that was pretty cool. I checked out the different background themes, so now my Page has grass growing in the background to match the gardening subject matter. I found it fairly easy to add flakes to the page though I still have much more to do to it. Probably won't get it just the way I want before class is over...going to the beach tomorrow!!!! Woo hoo! Ok, back on task.

I love the idea of using PageFlakes to create webquests and I also really like the idea of helping the students to create their own. It's like a cool 'commonplace' where the students can store personal interests along with school related things. Very neat! What about a project that uses PageFlakes to explore a theme or setting from a novel? All on one page the students can pull up information relevant to the topic and I bet they'd get some pretty cool stuff! I also think PageFlakes could be helpful on a professional level, if you're discussing a topic or tyring to make a decision with your colleagues. I guess you could gather info from the web and place it all on a PageFlake for others to view and think about. This could be just the tool for me as I try to plug in to all the drama info I can get. I think the best part about Pageflakes to me is that it has all the awesome attributes of the GoogleReader, but even more narrowed down to what you want and all on one page so you can view it at a glance.

There are a few tools that we've learned about in this class that I've made a mental note to explore further and Pageflakes is definitely one.

Septa & Penta Flakes by chrstphre on flickr

Thing 20: Google Docs

I first learned about Google Docs at the beginning of this class and I started using one right away! I blogged earlier about how I used spreadsheets to set up contact info for the cast and crew of a show I was working on. Here's the link to my Google Docs Rock!! blog post. Yeah, I thought I was being clever with that title, but of course the friendly folks at CommonCraft already coined that phrase. : ) I've also used the word processing docs back before I had my iPhone as a way to jot down info that I wanted to remember and look at later. Sure that can be done on a piece of paper, but I'd be sure to lose that.

I like to take the students to the computer lab to work on papers, presentations, research, etc, but really wanted them to save their work somewhere other than our school's share file. For the last couple of years I thought about adding a flash drive to my list of supplies that the students should have for my class, but there were issues there of course. The price has definitely come down, so it's more feasible to ask for that item, but then there is still the issue of losing it or breaking it, as one of my students did this year. Google Docs takes care of that issue, and it's free. I know some students do not have internet access at home, but the internet is available for students to use at the public library if they would like to work on an assignment outside of class. The monitoring function is great for both the students and me. They can see their work progress and grow just as I can.

I might check out the form/spreadsheet document as a way to do quizzes and tests. I think it would also be nice to embed a practice test on a class wiki and then link that to the spreadsheet of answers to show the students what they may still need to study. I don't know how to do that just yet, but I bet it can be done.

Thing 19: Created my own podcast

First of all, it was soooo much fun making my first podcast!! I'm actually waiting for it to show up on our GCast Player; cross your fingers. : )

I would love to add podcasts into my teaching repertoire. Right now I'm still going back and forth about the best way to catalog and share info for my class (Wiki or blog?) but I'm sure that including a podcast subscription would be an excellent addition to either. I could record class lectures and post them for students who missed class or for all students to use as study tools.

I can see this REALLY getting cool when the students start making their own. There are so many applications for their use. The students can create podcasts as a running summary of class, much in the way that I described above, or they can take book reports to a different level. Research projects can also be done as a podcast. Maybe they still write the report, but they also create a podcast over it which allows them to add in sound effects, music, and interviews. Isn't that pretty similar to what goes on in a real-life news report? Podcasting can make the learning more applicable. And like many of the other tools we've learned about in this class, because podcasts are published and set up with an RSS feed, then the work is out there, being listened to by others. Not only does this hold the students to a higher level of accountability, but it also makes their effort seem worthwhile. There's no getting a grade on this and then just tossing it in the trashcan, you know?

Photo Credit: flatttop341 on Flickr

Thing 18: Podcast Exploration

The first time I ever subscribed to a podcast was way back at the beginning of this course when I learned about and set up my Google Reader. I was so excited about Minnesota Public Radio's Grammar Grater and actually played one of the podcasts in my class. At that time I also subscribed to NPR's All Songs Considered podcasts and another one for movie reviews that I don't really enjoy. In fact, I had fallen out of the listening habit and this "Thing" has prompted me to start again. To add to my subscriptions, I liked the Education Podcast Network and the NPR Podcast Directory and (drumroll and trumpet fanfare, please) FINALLY found some info to use in my drama class! Woo hoo! The American Theatre Wing puts out a Working in the Theatre Video Podcast that would be great for my students to view and have discussions about. Vox Talk podcasts deal with voice over and voice acting, which could be cool for some kids to learn about and NPR's In Character examines American fictional characters in print and on screen as a kind of sociological experiment-to see what these characters say about us as a society.
I'm looking forward to creating my own podcast and think that I will try to create some with my students next year.

Photo courtesy of suchitra prints (Away for a few Days) on Flickr

Thing 17: Nings and Microblogging

I was at once over and under whelmed when I first saw Classroom 2.0. I don't know what I expected to see, but I didn't expect to see blog posts (don't ask me why). That's really the only underwhelming bit. There was a wealth of info on that Ning, and I could easily spend hours clicking from one link to the next. I can't see myself managing a Ning right now, but I would like to join one. I didn't find a Ning that particualary interested me on the site. Of course I found some related to what I teach, but I would really LOVE to find one that is centered around drama education. I need resources and ideas out the wazoo for that since I'll be teaching drama for the first time next year. I did however pass along the link for the Caribbean Educators Network to a couple friends who hope to work in the Peace Corps in the Caribbean next year. I like the idea of groups of students from different parts of the world using a Ning to discuss their reading of a book; that's a super way to see other points of view. I just don't think I'm ready to head one up yet. I think I'll start with a Wikispace and go from there. Of course, I may change my tune after I've joined a Ning and played around on it a good bit more.

I was hesitant to join Twitter, just as I was with Facebook, but I've really enjoyed being on it and consider Twitter to be a part of my small little PLN. Like Facebook, I am using Twitter for the personal sector of my life. I don't really post things about school, teaching, technology, or professional development on it so I'm glad to have Plurk to fill that need. I could see my students using something like Shout'Em or Edmodo, but again, I'll have to play around with that more, too. I think microblogging sites like those for class would be more beneficial if every student had a computer or could use their cell phones during class. A big part of the appeal and purpose is the 'real-time' aspect of microblogging. If the kids have to wait for a computer or wait until they're at home to post a quick comment, then they might as well just be responding on a blog or wikispace, or even a VoiceThread.
On a side note, the idealist part of me really wishes that students could use cell phones in class from time to time. Since I've gotten my iPhone, I've used it numerous times during class to aid the lesson or instruction. I've even learned of a cool website in my Twitter feed and used it during the next class period. But then there is the realist side that knows the use of cell phones could be abused, so whattya gonna do?

And now as my social networks keep expanding, as well as my list of usernames and passwords, I have to figure out what hat to wear at what time and how I can streamline or if I should streamline at all. This will be a good task for the months to come, I think.

Photo courtesy of David Spender on Flickr

Thing 16: Thoughts on a PLN

Getting started with Web2.0 is exciting at first- so many new tools that are cool and seem like they'll intrigue the students. But once you delve in, you may find that there is so much to see and do and become overwhelmed! Or you could feel like the little key on the keyboard, all alone. That's where a PLN will definitely help out.

• Before this course I had just recently joined Facebook. I turned my nose up to it for a few years, but soon became obsessed. It's a great way to keep up with friends, plan activities, encourage others, and, yes, shamelessly snoop around if you're bored.
• I'm sure that I'd had the notion of learning from other professionals online, but I guess I didn't know where to look or where to begin.
  
• I think PLNs are so necessary for teachers trying to incorporate Web2.0, or similar, tools into their instruction. Just recently I think I've started to branch out and add to my PLN. It happened just by searching my Google Reader, finding blogs I loved, and following them. I've already expressed my adoration for The Free Technology For Teachers blog that I also follow on Twitter. I get updates all during the day and have been able to use many of the tips and pass on others. I've got such a wealth of info at my fingertips, and that's just with ONE person! PLNs save time!
• There is also a nice community feel to a PLN which I experienced on Facebook, but didn't expect in the professional realm. It's nice to see comments posted by fellow bloggers and hear how others are trying to figure things out and become better at what they do. After a while, it's like you feel connected even though you've never really met.

Alone on the keyboard by fdecomite on Flickr

Challenge Thing 15: Library Thing

Ahhh...summer is approaching and I can just hear the flip, flip, flip of pages now. I LOVE reading over the summer. Even now as I'm typing, I'm thinking of all the things I can't wait to read and Library Thing will definitely add to that list!
Some key points:

• Under the Zeitgeist tab, I found that many of the most tagged authors were ones I'd never heard of--great way to find out about new authors.
• An instant resource for students to find books based on what they like. I have several students in mind who can never find anything in our school library, and well...I haven't read every book ever written. Lame I know, but I haven't. Library Thing would be a great resource for those kids to use to find books that are right up their alley.
  
• Ever been teaching a book from the book room, or part of the set curriculum and wish you had another companion novel that was set in the same time period or same theme, but different genre or POV? Or maybe was on a lower or higher reading level? You can use tags to help you find that book!
• Kids can sign up, join groups, and further their life-long reading practice.
  

The Love Book courtesy of Photos8.com

Thing 14: YouTube and Teacher Tube

YouTube Video: It is kinda lengthy, but it's a Michael Crichton book, whattya gonna do?



I like this video because it highlights several things about using technology in the classroom. First of all, the student says he wanted to do this video version instead of the usual boring PowerPoint slideshow. This book report is creative and the amount of effort and work that went into it is obvious. It definitely was not thrown together, scribbled on a piece of crumpled paper on the bus, or cut and pasted onto poster board from the internet. As a mentioned above, it's an 8:04 minute long video! Have you ever had a student do a presentation for that long...and keep your interest? Again, it's obvious that this student read and understood the book. Doing a book report in this manner meets the criteria I think a book report should have--evidence that the student read and understood the book and a rating of some sort (should other students read the book or not).
And speaking of those book reports that are thrown togehter last minute, written to meet exacting standards of the rubric instead of showcasing what the student finds important, with little enthusiasm, check out this other video that I stumbled upon. A classic!
Book Report from You're a Good Man Charlie Brown on YouTube

In my perusal for Greek Mythology videos I found a 'how-to' for creating eye makeup inspired by none other than Aphrodite herself! I honestly never thought to check YouTube for hair and makeup tips, so that was an interesting surprise. I subscribed to the BeautyScope channel...heh, heh, funny thing that it was under my husband's YouTube user name.

I think 'how-tos' and book reports are just the types of videos that would be great for students to create and post on Teacher Tube. Check out this cutie pie doing a presentation on Greek Mythology that would work well to introduce a unit.

Thing 5c-Google Reader(ish) Find: Public Domain Images and Music

I must confess: I didn't actually find this cool stuff in my Google Reader; I found it in my Twitter Feed, but I have since added the blog, Making Teachers Nerdy (http://mrssmoke.onsugar.com/) to my RSS feed and am excited about receiving updates! Actually, believe it or not, I was not too jazzed with what I was finding in the good 'ole Reader, and decided to check out some of my stored 'favorite' tweets that I had been too busy to look at earlier. Nothing like an approaching deadline to get me back on track, right? The author of a current denizen in my reader, Mr. Byrne--author of Free Technology for Teachers, tweeted "best places to find public domain images" which led me to a super resourceful blog post by Mrs. Smoke that contains links to several sites providing images and music in the public domain. I've also added the blog post and some of the links on it to our group Diigo account because I think it's just so dandy. Flickr Creative Commons searches are awesome, but if your students don't have an account, you can run into a snag. I've pondered recently the logisitics of allowing a class full of kids to use my account and it just seems like a hassle. The sites listed on Mrs. Smoke's blog don't require an account, so problem solved. (I'm saying that quite a bit lately. Yay!!) Plus, all the pics I saw were student friendly. My intent was to include several cool pics I found so that you could see the quality and artistic touch that they have. However, I can't figure out how to get a picture to go anywhere but the top of my post, so I failed on that one, but hopefully you'll check them out on your own. As a final note, I definitely recommend following the blogs I've mentioned here.

Photo Credit:

Red Matches from Photos8.com

Thing 13: Voicethreads

Another exciting Web 2.0 tool! I've never seen a Voicethread before, and when I was exploring the ones on the course page, I honestly thought that I would just skim a few and move on, but I checked all of them out. They just drew me in! There are many ways that Voicethreads can be used in education, and I am happy for the resources and links we received that will inspire ideas. One downside is the availability of microphones for the students. I called in my comment on the wiki page because I was at home without a microphone, but with the free version you only get 3 minutes and I don't know if kids would pay to use this if they don't have microphones at home. So, with that in mind, even though I like Voicethreads better, Slideshows may be easier for all of my students to create. What I really like about Voicethreads, regardless of how they are being used in class, is that everyone is able to listen and speak. For some the excitement is in the live discussion, in the heat of the moment, but often times all the voices are not heard and other ideas are not explored. I really like that a Voicethread can allow for those voices and ideas to be represented.

Sewing Needle by Anderson Mancini on Flickr

Thing 12: Exploring Web 2.0 tools

All I have to say is: Blabberize made my day!!! My husband and I have a joke that were it possible, we would pay money for our dog to have the ability to talk for a day. Well, Blabberize is the next best thing, and it's FREE! I knew my kids would love playing around with it, too, so I incorporated it into their autobiography project in Language Arts. I hope to post at least one sample soon...it's taking a while as I mentioned in my last post. : ( It's not taking forever as far as the website is concerned; it's just the students finding images that's dragging on and on. Anyway, enough of that topic.
Because I'm hypersensitive to what kind of shenanigans the kids could get into online, I put some thought into creating an account for my class Blabbers. I made an account name that all my students use that is attached to an email address I have that they do not know. I am the only one with the account password. Since only I have the password, that does mean that I have to be around everytime they want to save their Blabber, but it only takes a second to type in and it prevents them from getting on during the summer and posting something inappropriate under my name. Another function of Blabberize that I like is the ability to make the Blabbers private. Blabberize has the social aspects of a Web2.0 site because you can search Blabbers that have already been created and comment on them. Additionally, before you are able to save your Blabber you must title it, create a brief description, and provide tags, other aspects of Web 2.0. But again, thinking about the safety of my students I will keep their Blabbers private in our account. Also, some students are using Google Images and I don't want to publish those for all to see on the web.
As for how Blabberize can function in a class, I see kids creating Blabbers as characters from a novel they're studying. They have the ability to make multiple characters talk in one picture, or have characters engage in a dialogue, switching back and forth between pictures. Pretty cool and if a microphone is not available, you can call in your audio over the phone.
Another tool I got very excited about was Doing Text. Revision is a major part of the writing process and online 'peer sharing' is so much more fashionable these days. Making revisions online is a bit neater and easier to read. It also allows for the student to do the work in a comfy setting and affords them a bit of time to think about what he wants to say. I also thought that different classes could offer comments on one piece. For example a lit class taught by me and the same class taught by another teacher could share class notes and ideas on the same piece of literature. Or what about some cross-curricular learning? Say you're reading a historical work and need some inforamtion about what the social climate was during that time? You could hook the writing up with a history class and get info line by line.

Now, the selling point for Doing Text is that you don't have to sign up to use it. You can simply send the URL out and get comments on the text. I didn't find that to be the case on the demo, but maybe that was because it was just for practice. I'll have to check into that more later.

Thing 5b-What I found in my Google Reader

First of all, how awesome is the 'starring' function in the Reader? It's turned out to be very helpful for me since I'm always short on time. When I skim over the items in my Reader and star the interesting ones, I can easily check them out in detail when I have more time. Many of the items I starred for this assignment were from the Free Technology for Teachers blog. I particularly liked the info on Google Similar Images Search. Good lord, do I need to make my students aware of this...starting tomorrow! They are taking FOREVER and a day to choose one picture from Google Images for a project and while I appreciate their meticulous attention to the task, frankly it's getting old. As the "Applications for Education" section of the blog notes, Google Similar Images Search should help students refine their internet searches and so "find relevant resources more quickly."

And here's something that's totally cool and very new! Again, another starred item that grabbed my attention a couple weeks ago and I wish I would have made time to read more about it then. It's the Free Music Archive which I read about on the Free Technology for Teachers blog post by the same name. The name says it all: free music that is legal to download and use in videos, slideshows, podcasts, etc. You can look at the specifics for each song on its 'track page.' The site is very well laid out and easy to navigate. You can use the music even if you're not a member, but joining gives you permission to leave comments, tag, make friends and other Web 2.0 things. Pretty neat, but there is a disclaimer. The music is for everyone and so not all songs may be appropriate for school.

Photo source:

Pink Sherbet Photography D Sharon Pruitt on Flickr

Thing 7 stretch-checking out some info on Wikipedia

So, I joined Twitter this week. I'm doing it purely for research purposes. I haven't submitted a single tweet...yet. I might never. I don't know. But I do like keeping up to date with all the crime in Atlanta via WSB-TV's tweets. Not really; a friend of mine got wind of Ben and Jerry's "free cone day" through her Twitter subscription, so I followed suit. Nothing good yet, just crime and mugshots. I have a few other 'friends' I follow on Twitter, but nothing too notable. I actually joined because I am interested in making my future drama wikispace something that can be followed on Twitter. If there's anything I've learned from this class, it's play with the technology before you unleash it! So, not only did I sign up for the service, but consulted that great web 2.0 encyclopedia-Wikipedia.

Pretty straight forward there. Lots of references, information that matched up with what I had previously read or heard, etc. What really interested me were the links to other social networking sites similar to Twitter. Through those links I found Plurk, another social networking tool much like Twitter, but that was launched more recently. It was on the Plurk Wikipedia page that I did the digging necessary for this assignment. I found out what a stub is and learned that Wikipedia has a sister site named Wiktionary. Also, by viewing the history and discussion tabs on the Plurk page, I was able to see all the collaboration that went into a pretty short encyclopedia entry. Additionally, I saw where the page was deleted by the Wikipedia gods because there was not enough viable info, when major updates and lots of new material was added, and when vandalism was deleted. Even though I think the site is pretty well monitored, it makes me feel better to know that now I have another way to inform my students about checking the credibility of a source. They can use the discussion and history tabs to see what's been going on with that page.

So now, I've got more investigating to do. Plurk or Twitter? Which will be the tool I use in the fall? I'll keep you posted. : )

Photo source:
Twitter Badge by 7son75 on Flickr

Thing 11: My first non-PowerPoint slideshow

I used Slide.com to create the show below, entitled An Adjective in Paris

The only tool I played with was Slide.com and I found it very easy to use. Based on the screen shots of the other two tools, I think they look just as straight-forward. I like that Slide.com works with Facebook-I may never post a slideshow there, but it's nice to know the opportunity is there. My best friend just got engaged, so I learned about this tool just in time to make a totally cheesy and tear-jerking slideshow! Sweet!

Oh, yeah, how can I use this in my teaching practice? Slideshows can be a good way to introduce information ( a teacher made show) or sum it up (a student created show). Also, I think the kids will really enjoy putting the music into the show. I tried to find a French singer for mine, but Martha Wainwright was the closest I could get from what was available. She speaks French...maybe not in that song. Another nice aspect of the songs is that the credit is automatically included, so that bit of crediting is already taken care of. I quite enjoyed creating my show. It wasn't very difficult, just a lot of repetition when you get to the attributions at the end.

Photo sources:
1- Eiffel Tower, Paris, Fr.: http://www.flickr.com/photos/vintzileos/275591956
2- Paris Vegas: http://www.flickr.com/photos/gordon2208/3287860861
3- Paris-Latin Quarter-Shakespeare and Company: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wallyg/1527325660
4- Paris-Musee du Louvre La Victoire de Samothrace: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wallyg/1480572717
5- Paris under the Snow: http://www.flickr.com/photos/gregory_bastien/3171028030

Thing 10: Flickr exploration

I mentioned in an earlier post that I liked how a teacher used Flickr in his math class. Using images to teach abstract concepts like those in math can be beneficial to not only visual learners but to all learners in the classroom. To assess whether a student understands a concept, we must get the student to explain it in his or her own words. To explain why it is so and not just because it is, or because that's what the teacher said. Using pictures, particularly those from Flickr or other photo sharing sites, as a means of explanation serves as a fantastic assessment tool primarily because of the issue of transformativeness. For example, using linguistics as opposed to pictorial responses, to prove that a student has learned something and understands it, he may write an essay to answer a question. In the essay, he includes his own explanation, thoughts, ideas, interpretations backed up with textual support. In a pictorial version of the same assessment, a student can find photos/images and create a new meaning to support his own ideas and learnings. Perfecto!

I chose to select a few pictures from Paris as my theme for this the Thing 10 assignment. I thought that I could put them into a sldeshow with adjectives for Thing 11. If I were to use it in class it would be an introduction to a lesson on adjectives.

Image by wallyg on Flickr

Thing 9-Trying to make sense of Creative Commons and Fair Use

I have heard that voice that says, "Should we publish these projects the way they are?" (referenced from 'Thing 9' wikispace page.) and so I've been eager to jump into this "thing", but I'm still a bit turned around, I think. The information is certainly there for me, I just feel like when I think I've got it, I'm confused again.

The good thing is that I'm not as confused as I was before I began this task; so that's a start. Before, I wondered about my students using images from Google in their PowerPoints. I thought there had to be something wrong with that, even if they're only showing the presentation to the class. From what I've read so far, this is okay in the classroom, just not in a published form for the general public to view...right? But then, where does 'fair use' come in to play? For example, today in class my kids were creating PowerPoints and working on hyperlinking pages within the slideshow. They, of course, were getting images from Google. One student asks, "Is it okay to use Google images?" I say, "Sure, just as long as you don't publish this"--the 'don't publish this' was an inside joke to myself, and yes, I did laugh.
But when I take a look at the Fair Use rock video and read the guidelines for Fair Use, I think, well...could the pictures in the PowerPoint have value added? They are in a different context, I assume. I guess I don't really know where the original picture is from.

The Fair Use Reasoning Tool will surely be helpful when trying to decide though, so I'm glad to have that resource. I also really enjoyed the Video Case Study from Upper Marion Area H.S. This video made things increasingly more clear for me. What I find interesting is that usually the visual things are what I grasp. In the case of copyright, it seems that I have a better handle on the language side than the pictorial.

To answer some of the questions for this blog post, I have never noticed CC on a website before, but will definitely look for it now, much the same way I spot 'RSS' now. I do use images, audio and video clips from online as part of my teaching practice. I think that a knowledge of Creative Commons and access to sites that have materials licensed by Creative Commons can make students' research more efficient. It can also take stress away from the teacher, as long as the students have received quality instruction on how to go about using CC. A possible downside to Creative Commons is that if you allow your work to have the CC label, what happens if someone repurposes it in such a way that is distateful or embarrassing? What if it is used in a way that violates the original owner's beliefs? I don't know--I'm just thinking of potential problems. Could someone repurpose a CC image and then make tons of money off of it? I guess if you're going to put the information out there, then you just have to be willing to take the risk that that could happen.

Bottom line for me at this point is I'm going to review all the info in Thing 9 and use the Fair Use Reasoning Tool fo sho!

Thing 7: Wikispace exploration task

My first experience with a Wikispace that I created was last year with my 6th graders. We were reading Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli and used the space as a way to comment on and discuss topics from each section of the book. I sure had a lot to learn! Stupidly, I made all their passwords the same. Why in the heck would I have done that??? Oh yeah, to make it easier. You can imagine the situation that ensued can't you--the next day at school one of my kids said that there were several distateful comments posted using his name, but he was not the writer. Then I received a private email message from one of my students. Aw...how sweet, but wait! That means they can send private messages to one another. I don't want that responsibility on my shoulders! So, I frantically sent an email to Caroline and all was resolved.

The above is another reason I am so thankful I'm taking this class. It's easy to get excited and jump right into Web 2.0 with my kids, but I've got to take some time to practice it first. I eagerly checked out the sample wikispaces for this "thing" because I want to make sure the next time I set one up with my class it is totally purposeful, user friendly, and applicable to the kids and the content.

I have seen the idea about "classroom scribes" a couple of times now and I just love it. In this Math 12V Outcomes Portfolio wikispace, the students take turns posting notes from the class on the page. The scribe posts (notes) are very smartly organized by the learning outcomes (GPS here in GA). By doing this, the teacher has documentation of standards being taught and the students are aware of the content they are supposed to be learning.

On the 1001 Flat World Tales Project page I ran across a question of educational ethics. We know we shouldn't disclose information about students in front of other students. The 1001 Tales wikispace was an awesome collaborative effort, and, as I discovered after reading some discussions, an effective tool for students to learn the etiquette of commenting on others' work. This issue of how to comment appropriately was handled on a public discussion between two of the teachers, and they used student names. I don't know if that's necessarily wrong, but I don't think I would handle it that way. Just something to think about if you're collaborating with another class.

Last wikispace I investigated: Grazing for Digital Natives was not really classroom based, but offered lots of resources for technology integration. TONS of stuff on this page, so I really, really, really appreciated that when you first pull the page up, all you see is the avatar and the table of contents and then you can choose where to go from there. Something else, and I know some of the people in this class have them- so sorry, but the avatars FREAK me out! I think my Mii on Nintendo is all I can handle.

Thing 6: The diigo ate my baby!

Hee, hee, hee.

Liking diigo. Pretty easy to use so far. I have only saved 8 websites thus far and minimally tagged them, despite advice from both Jessica and Caroline. I think the reason for that is because I am not using it in a very authentic manner right now. I should be asleep, but I can't deny the compulsion to work on my 23 things. So, I'm wracking my brains for websites that I use frequently just so I can try my hand at tagging and saving them. I think my tagging will improve once I actually come across a new website that I need and want to use.

Diigo can be extremely beneficial for the students if they were working on an online research project. I could save websites to my diigo and they could access them more easily. I just wonder if I can make the diigo info public for those who are not members, say students, for example?

I'm also jazzed about the friending aspect. Much the same way that I snoop around facebook to see what everyone's up to, I think I will be checking into my diigo friends' websites. I mean, I was never a fan of the Decemberists, but as soon as two of my facebook friends hailed their new album, I'm on the bandwagon to give it a try. I'm sure, or at least hoping, that my experience on diigo will be similar.

Here is the link to my bookmarked websites: http://www.diigo.com/user/spatisaul

Thing 5a-Technology saves time when you know how to use it!

1) Love Google Reader! The information all comes to me!! Muhahahaha (evil laugh).
2) The above point is the underpinning of my whole post and is exampled by number 3.
3) My interesting item to share is a post I read about RTI (response to intervention) in my reader on the techlearning page.

I think that as I continue through this course I learn daily that there is no doubt technology can greatly enhance my teaching practice. I was fortunate enough to get a Promethean Board in my room this year, and I just love it! I feel like now I am doing all the kinds of things with my lessons that I always wished I could. I feel my teaching is more nuanced, to steal a phrase I like to use in theatre. So, it's not really a surprise to say that technology engages our students and opens both students and teachers up to a world of information, but it can also help us manage and use our time much more efficiently.

Individualized learning is huge in education. With programs like Response to Intervention, students who need help should receive individualized and specific instruction that is monitored and charted for progress. When you think of the time that teachers must put into testing the students, sorting through resources, planning lessons, monitoring for progress, and recording results---whew! That's a lot of time! There are programs out there, like the one detailed on techlearning, that take on a bunch of that work for the teacher. We are currently using one at my school right now. Of course, there are flaws with everything and I'm not pushing the program mentioned in the blog post--I don't even know about it beyond what it claims to do, but it's just comforting to know it's out there. So for the teachers who say, "How am I going to have time to do all this? When do they expect me to fit this in and do everything else I'm already doing?" the answers are out there. AND IF YOU HAVE GOOGLE READER, THEY CAN JUST COME TO YOU! : )

Google Docs Rock!!

I just have to share this bit of awesomeness:

I'm assisstant directing Sabrina Fair with Winder Barrow Community Theatre (that's not quite the bit of awesomeness I am writing about, but close) and part of my job is to contact the cast/crew and keep them up to date with info.

My first task was the dreaded contact list of all the names, multiple numbers, and emails of all the people involved in the show. Of course there are bound to be mistakes and errors when transcribing all that information. I was set to face this task the old (time consuming) way, by writing it all down, giving everyone a chance to look it over, and making corrections on a hard copy. But this was not efficient because not all cast members are at each rehearsal. So, I decided to send the draft as an email attachment and have the cast email me back the changes. This option was better than the first, but still left me with the chore of checking my email, pulling up the document, making a change, and saving. Sounds easy, but I think we all know how hard it is to get a breath (or restroom break in) during the school day, much less checking email attachments.

Then, literally I could feel the synapses in my brain firing. This amazed me because honestly, I was beginnning to wonder if they worked anymore. : ) I had the (brilliant) idea to use a Google Doc. I set up a spreadsheet with the contact info, sent it to all the cast, and allowed them to make their own changes. So far there have been at least 10 changes or additions to the list. It's awesome because: A) I don't have to do it and B) People are able to change or add at will with no time delay, no problem. I LOVE IT!!!!
And on top of everything else, my cast thinks I am a techno genius! Little do they know...

Thing 3

Setting up my Google Reader reminded me a bit of registering for my wedding. Oh, I want this, and this, and hey that looks cool! Why not try this out? It was like shopping with none of the guilt (and technically none of the stuff either). I was super excited about all the different feeds to choose from on the NYT page. And then I went to the NPR page and got SUPER EXCITED about "grammar grater" but I couldn't subscribe from school because my itunes isn't here. Boo!

All of the above ties in with the item of interest I found in my reader, I promise. I was very intrigued by an idea presented in "A Day in the Life of Web 2.0" in which a teacher records his lecture and then uploads it as a podcast online for his students to listen to. Not only is that a great way for absent students to catch up, but also a handy review and study tool. Well, then I thought about students who may be in the situation I was in--not able to access itunes or some other obstacle that might prevent them from getting the audio. While browsing through my reader I found information on a digital recorder that can transcribe the audio into text. It is a bit tricky and requires software that can be pricey, but allows the teacher to record a lesson, upload as MP3 (I guess, I'm not very saavy with technology) and save as a text document as well. AND for anyone doing research this kind of technology would be invaluable if it works well. Instead of painstakingly listening and re-listening to tape after tape of audio and transcribing by hand, how awesome would it be to have all that done for you?

By the way, I really want to put pictures in my blog posts. I signed up for PicApp, but I'm not sure how to get the images in my post. Told you I wasn't all that technologically saavy. Any tips?

Thing 2

I used to have a pretty negative view on blogs. I guess because my first encounter with them was my highschool friend's blog and I just felt she was being too open, too self-gratifying, too lofty, including too many pictures, too...too...too...just too much I guess. Has anyone every read a blog, facebook, myspace and felt that way? I also used to look down on my sister with such disdain because she updated her facebook status with regularity and spent hours looking at her 'friends' pages. And now, here I sit, meticulously crafting text for my blog. I spent about two hours last night looking at pictures on facebook, commenting on friends' pages, and truly feeling connected with the people there. Ah, me!

The thing is, the 'edublog' appeals much more to me than a personal blog. I guess I just feel like I don't do that many interesting things, and I won't be a witty as others with more personal blogs. Also, the blogs I read for the assignment didn't seem too self-gratifying, too lofty, or too anything. Well, I have to clarify that actually. I enjoyed reading the blogs that were pretty "clean" looking, but still had lots of information: students' samples, pictures, links to other blogs or sites. Lots of pertinent info, but still uncluttered feeling. One blog I read had lots of ads all along the sides and while the post was EXTREMELY informational, I was a little distracted. I guess you could compare it to a book with an unattractive cover. : /

There's also something very cool about reading a piece that you know someone took time to link or add pictures to. If I saw my students doing that I'd be really excited! I absolutely LOVE the ideas I saw on this blog: http://pc40sw07.blogspot.com/2007/03/transformations.html Student analysis/notetaking, synthesis (check their flickr widget). If I had this when I took trig, I may have stood a chance!

Thing 1B

After watching the videos (the one linked here in particular) I have come to the conclusion that Web 2.0 is all about interacting and creating and not just observing. Okay, so here's the rub--what is the reality of our situation? Are we asking our students to create and interact on a daily basis? "To solve problems that they didn't start"? Maybe, depending on how you teach, but in the end, they are really asked to just observe, aren't they? To fill in the scantron at the end of the year and let what they have "observed" determine their worth as students and ours as teachers. This is the frustration that I spoke of in my previous post.

Now that I've stated what may have gone through the minds of many of you (or maybe not, maybe I was just being negative), I will move on. I think that's why I am taking this course. To find the satisfaction. To prove that yes, I can teach to a standardized test (there! I said it!), but do so in a way that encourages true participation and interaction. It just takes work and revisioning.

For example, as a reading teacher I know that one of the challenges is helping to make the reading relevant to the student. Well, now the challenge is extended to how do I not only make the material relevant, but how do I make their method of response and interactions with the material relevant? I love the idea of the students using wikispaces to create their own study guide. It's so much more relevant, obviously, but also so much more like a real world situation! Plus, this kind of learning allows the students to create and build something together rather than simply "observing" from the teacher.

I'm super excited about the possibilities and I don't feel like it's a "cop-out" to use the technologies that our students are well-versed in and would enjoy in order to teach our curriculum. Of course, as mentioned in one of the videos, with the new technology comes new responsiblities: privacy, authorship, ethics, copyright, I think were a few. For example, I know very well the negative affect that texts and emails have had on spelling and capitalization everywhere. We must not only teach our curriculum, but also the correct usage of these technologies. It is at once exhilerating and daunting...did anyone else feel a bit unsettled when the video said ,"We are the machine?" or that the machine would be smarter than us one day? Whoa! Hopefully that will be one of the problems that a brilliant student of mine can solve. : )

Thing 1A

Greetings fellow educators!
Ah! Education-one of the few things that can be so entirely frustrating and satisfying at the same time! And both the frustration and the satisfaction are reasons why I am taking this course.
So a little about me:
Name: Sherelle
School: WMS
Position: 8th grade Language Arts and Reading

Classroom/career interests: research and presentations, technology integration, hands-on activities, professional communities of teachers, reading strategies, mastering my new Promethean Board, learning new things through Professional Development

Personal interests: obsessed with fashion, counting down the days til the Blackberry takes over my life, enjoy cooking as a release and way to clear out the junk from the day, enjoy fitness, and adore theatre and acting so much I do not even know how to describe it

I look forward to learning along with everyone else in this course!
Peace out,
~your resident idiot