Summary

I have learned a lot about myself, my abilities, and my teaching style from the activities and postings that I've completed in this class. Even though I knew how to use several of the tools we were assigned to learn to use, I discovered more about them, or looking at another post led me to think of something I could do with the tool in my classroom.

I will leave this class with a legal pad full of ideas and plans that I will slowly but surely implement into my classroom and my daily life. I know that my iGoogle Calendar will be used along with my Google starter page. I am so in love with the To Do List that is on my starter page. I am going to try to use Remember the Milk in order to save trees, but it's one that I will implement slowly. I see myself using it more in my classroom than at home. I really enjoyed the online sign generators. I don't recall visiting any of the sites before this class because I didn't want to risk getting a virus from one of the sites.

One thing that I am going to work on is changing my view of myself as a lifelong learner. I am going to start looking at setbacks as challenges and I will not let them upset me so much. I am also going to continue to look for RSS feeds and subscribe to ones that interest me in my personal and educational life. I plan to explore the world of Podcasts now that I know that I don't have to have an iPod.

I'm glad to know that I can continue to improve my Blog. After looking at other bloggers' blogs, I'd like to add some things (such as a playlist), more pictures, etc. I'd like to have a product that I can share with those who are afraid to take this class. I hadn't thought about adding my blog URL to my email signature, but I will so thanks for that idea.

Thank you for taking the time to create such a fun and user-friendly class. I will recommend this class to my colleagues and I will take any other class that you all offer. The one suggestion that I have is to send out scantrons to those who have registered and have them return the scantron through school mail before school is out. If someone doesn't complete the course, destroy that person's scantron before turning them in for credit. I had to drive an hour just to complete a scantron.

Thing #23

Learning 2.0 is a discovery learning program created by Helene Blowers and adapted by the California School Library Association and others. Content and style for Learning 2.0 - 23 Things has been borrowed and duplicated with permission, under a Creative Commons License.

This class itself is based on the idea of another class--43 Things. The creators of 23 Things undoubtly had to start with a small spark to become what it has become today. During this class, we used Flickr. Flickr itself is based on other photo sharing and storage sites such as Yahoo Photos (which is now Yahoo Flickr), Shutterfly and before either of those, Slide. Shutterfly and Photobucket led to the creation of stores such as Walgreen's and Walmart allowing customers to upload their digital photos and videos and order hard copy prints and DVDs.

I don't think a creative commons license means that you take someone else's idea and take credit for the original plan. You should always give credit where credit it due. I don't see anything wrong with improving someone's idea, but give the origianl credit for sparking your imagination.

I try to give credit when I've found something to share with my students, or when I use someone else's idea in my classroom, but I know that teachers are sometimes the worst about giving credit. I'm all for sharing my ideas (when I have one that's creative and good enough to share), but I do like to receive credit so I try to give others credit also.

Thing #22

http://www.podcastdirectory.com/podshows/3377523

Of course I chose to look up a topic that interests me (sports mainly the NFL and Nascar) and felt like a child at Christmas. I am now officially overloaded with Podcasts. Before Thing #22, I didn't bother to try to listen to Podcasts because I thought I needed and IPod. Sounds so silly now huh?

I found Mike and Mike in the Morning (from ESPN) Podcast and spent at least an two hours listening to shows that I have missed this summer. I think spent some time thinking of items to search for that I could use in class. I found some Science lectures, but I don't think my 5th graders would listen to them. I did however, find a Podcast site that allows you to record your own Podcast. That's neat. I don't think I'll try it, but I will share with my coworkers who aren't embarassed about their voices on tape.

I preferred PodCastDirectory just because it was organzied in topics as well as it used Google as the search engine to find podcasts.

Thing #21 also

Thing #21

Well, I wasn't impressed with the music choice, but I surely did like being able to upload my personal pictures and someone else do the mixing and editing. I had no idea this site existed but now that I do, watch out Animoto. I don't think it will get a moment's peace because I plan to share, share, and share this link.

It's a very user-friendly program, but I found myself getting impatient waiting for the initial video to be made. I found something else to do, finished what I was doing, came back, and the thing was still working and I have one of the fastest connection you can get at home.

I could see my students having a ball with this program. I think they'll be the ones behind the camera this year and I'll be the one watching the happenings.

Thing #19

View my page on 23 Thingsters


Ning is nice, but I love Myspace and will stick with it. Ning didn't offer some of the things I like about MySpace, but I could see Ning being more beneficial in the classroom than MySpace. Ning seems like I would have more teacher control over who could join the social network and I know I would have more control over the topics discussed. I would start with a small group of Internet savvy kids to work out any kinks. I really didn't know there were other social networking sites because Facebook and Myspace do get all of the press. I did take a look at the Bake Space network and will probably join it after I'm finished with this class.



Find more photos like this on 23 Thingsters

Thing #20

Well, I know listening to my friend Twila sing her version of "Hit Me with Your Best Shot" is not relevant to the classroom, but when I need a laugh or something to remind me of my college days, I look at this video and think about how crazy Twila really is because at the age of 35 she was not embarassed to get on stage, how fun she really is, and how much she kept everyone in the sorority house laughing even when we should have been crying.
I think You Tube is the best thing since sliced bread. I used to spend hours looking at the latest funny videos, but that got pretty old. Maybe you'll stumble over one or two of my funny moments.
I haven't spent much time on Teacher Tube, but I'm sure I could find all sorts of things to share with coworkers and students. I think it would be fun to have my students make a video teaching a short lesson on a Science topic. They could even dress up as the teacher and get into character which would really be fun to them--to have the chance to mock me.

When you need a laugh, here's her You Tube link.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDCLXLKMJcA#GU5U2spHI_4