Thing #23

Yea!! I made it. I started to have my doubts, but with a few folks that were cheering me on I was able to focus and get it done.

My favorite discoveries or exercises on this learning journey were learning how to blog, discovering mashups, the cool tools from Google, RSS feeds (who knew all that info could be gathered in one place...), Library Thing, Rollyo, Google Documents and Ning. I have created a place for my family on Ning to gather and share family history as well as plan future reunions.

This program had totally expanded my understanding of and approach to using the Internet. I really get the whole “collaboration” thing (even though my school has a very frustrating filter that will discourage it....). I will use much of what I have learned in my classroom, as well as in my personal life. It has revived my desire to learn more...

There were many take-a-ways and unexpected outcomes from this program. I was surprised and delighted on a daily basis. Coming into this program, I was completely unaware of the power of what is “out there.” I have never thought that there was much that was on the Internet that would be useful in my small pull out program for remedial readers. However, the use of collaborative word study projects, book reviews, motivating clips and posters, video casts, and much more will find a place in my room this year.

I have been very impressed with the Library2Play program. I wish I had even more time to peruse all the sites suggested, but will get back to it over this next year. I also wish the format was not one that is blocked at school so I would be able to share just how wonderful my experience has been, as well as my own blog.

If you offered another discovery program like this in the future, I would definitely choose to participate.

I would describe my learning experience in the one word, collaboration. I would probably not have finished without the support of other players. Now I hope to carry that spirit of collaboration back to the classroom with my box full of new tools.

Thing #22

Ning is very cool. I recently came home from a Family Reunion and decided a page on Ning would be just the thing to connect family and plan for next year's reunion. More selective thanFacebook, all family members could post photos, birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, birth, graduations, etc. All in one spot!

One application at school would be to create a classroom Ning, that only students and parents in that class could participate. A place to post pictures, accomplishments, questions, etc.

I enjoyed looking at the educator Nings and plan to revisit Teacher Librarian Ning as well as Texas School Librarian Ning.

Thing #21

I wasn't sure that I could use Photostory on my Mac, so I made a little podcast on my computer using iMovie. It was very simple to use and I know my students at school would do better than I. I started a little project about vowel sounds and then added photos and pictures using the free clipart available on Classroom Clipart that would represent the sound. It will be fun to let my students add on to this project and improve it. The quality of some of the photos could be better as well as the transitions, but it is a start.

This was very easy to add to my blog using the Add Video button in the compose section of posting.

Thing #20

I enjoyed looking through the videos on both Youtube and Teachertube. The videos by children on Teachertube were really fun. I watched some "commercials" children made about their books. I can see where this would be a great tool.

Youtube had quite a few interesting videos related to dyslexia. I had no trouble embedding this link, however the screen doesn't quite fit the blog. Here is the link if one would like to view the whole screen, The Power Of Dyslexia about Famous Dyslexics This video could be used for many different audiences. Teachers would perhaps look at their struggling students with a different perspective, children would feel better about themselves, and parents may realize that there is hope.

Thing #19

I spent some time perusing the Web 2.0 awards list trying to find sites that would be useful in my setting at school as a Reading Specialist. I had high hopes for .Docstoc thinking that if someone else had a better document outh there to share it would be great. However, I had to really search to find anything helpful. I will revisit.

Next I looked at all the collaborative writing sites, but decided that for me Google Docs is still the best and simplest way to go.

I will recommend to my son that he check out the emplyment and jobs section....

The PEERtrainer seems to be a good tool for health and weight loss. As a person who always wants to lose a few... I found this free site to have lots of potential.

There do seem to be lots of intriguing sites that when time permits I will investigate further.

Thing #18

Had I known that there were at least two free document tools, I would not have just paid megabucks for Microsoft Office. I am impressed with both Open Office and Google Docs. I like that anyone can use these regardless of income. Both are easy to use. One of the problems I have had in the past with my Mac was the inablity to share documents with PC users. The different platforms available on Open Office is appealing.

I chose to work with Google docs for this exercise, but plan to get back to Open Office at a later date. This had applications for school as well as in my personal life. My husband, who is now working in Singapore, sometimes runs documents he is working on by me. Using google docs would not only speed up the editing and revising process, but we could do it in "real" time. I was just now explaining that to him. I told him that we could be talking on Skype and editing his document both at the same time. He was impressed..... Again, this would work well in a school setting. The ability to share documents interactively will foster the idea of collaborating on projects.

What amazes most so far about google docs is the templates that are available. Software always comes loaded with them, and I guess those can be updated online, but I got perusing the education templates and am very excited about what is available. I am going to share the student schedule, student cover letter, research paper and resume templates with my college bound son.

Back on the task for Wiki's, I tried to make a collaborative word study project. I just wanted to have a little project for kids to become more aware of suffixes or prefixes that are already in their own vocabulary. I had hoped to take the primary concept of a word wall and expand it to include multi-syllabic words. I think using a shared Google document might be a simpler way to go. It would be an open ended project to add to all year long. When I get it put together, I will add it to this post.

Okay, I have made my Google Doc Word Wall, now let's see if we can get there from here!

Thing #17

I added the Rollyo Search to my blog, but I had to put it at the bottom because part of it wouldn't show up if I put it in the sidebar. I haven't quite figured out how to customize the size of the gadgets.

I just love the RollBar. I figured out how to add it to my browser's toolbar and then did some experimenting with some websites. I went to the local newspaper and was delighted with how the rollbar quickly came up with information faster and a more organized presentation than the search that the newspaper offered. I anticipate using the Rollbar often.

Then I learned how to create my own Book Websites SearchRoll, and finally figured out how to link it with my blog. I also searched the Searchrolls that were created by Rollyo users. I found a ton listed under teacher websites and added some to my Rollyo Search list. Here's one: Rdg Interventions

Oh, the things I am learning!!

Thing #15

I am beginning to finally understand the Web 2.0 philosophy. The moving away from the web being just a tool for information to becoming the center of our "new digital lifestyle" as stated in the article Web 2.o. Blogs, wikis, websites, email, messaging, videos, pics, and other formats I know little of, are all collaborating in the learning experience.

The line from Wikipedia's entry on Library 2.0, "the need for Libraries to adopt a strategy for constant change while promoting a participatory role for library users," helps to illustrate another aspect of collaboration.

The video, A Vision of Student's Today, was very good and helped me to better understand what my son will probably experience as he heads off to college. Our traditional methods of instructing and imparting knowledge are quickly being outdated.

Now I guess we just need Education 2.0!

Thing #16

Ah, wikis.... never heard of them. I had heard of Wikipedia, but that is only because I have a teenage son. I think the formatt is great... especially the collaboration part. Not only can a wikki help to organize ideas and concepts, but in this case the whole can be greater than the sum of its parts.

I added my thoughts to the Sandbox... Wikis are sure user friendly. I can see using them for collaborative learning, planning events, collecting data, book reviews.... and as I wrote in the Sandbox, I am going to make a Wiki Wall.

Later... after some effort... I did make my Wiki Wall. It wasn't as creative looking as I would like, but at least it is a start!

Thing #14

I will certainly use Technorati as a search tool to find information in blogs for personal or professional use. Tagging makes so much sense, the world of blogs is so immense. As I was looking around and trying various searches I discovered that phrases did not produce a lot of "hits", but short one word tags delivered many. I guess it is kind of opposite of what I would do in a "google" search. Usually I would use many words to narrow down my search, but when searching blogs I am looking for a word to bring me many sources of information. Still trying to make sense of it all.

I found it not surprising that 4 out of 5 top blogs were tech related. However, I did not understand why the top tag search was the word taskbar. Other popular searches related to celebrities and cheat codes. The most popular tags were: friends, internet, life, music, news, politics, romance & relationships and weblog. Pretty good range, I think.

I did claim my blog.. I wanted to add a "tag generator" widget to my blog, but it seems to no longer exist. So, I have added the Technorati Top Tag Widget add the botom of my blog to help me remember to tag... and to know what words are appropriate, or useful, as tags.

Thing #13

Tags... I noticed the term when I started using Firefox as my web browser, but didn't know how to use them. Now I understand how to use tags to organize my bookmarks. I am also proud of myself because not only did I add Delicious on my tool bar, I was able to upload all my bookmarks from Safari (the browser I now use) as well as the bookmarks from Firefox. The most exciting part is that I can access these bookmarks from my computer at school... or anywhere. It may not seem like a lot to you technically savvy folks... but I am delighted!

Thing #12

Wow, thought this wouldn't take long.... but I got lost in the world of blogs and have only just now surfaced 2 1/2 hours later. So many blogs on so many topics. I would start reading one... that blog would reference another... and so on. I finally had to put a time limit on myself, or I would have been here all day!

I read through all the suggested readings, and all were extremely helpful. I am such a beginner. I have bookmarked the Cool Cat Teacher Blog: How to Comment Like a King (or Queen). I couldn't begin to remember all the good information in that article. How to "Criticize Kindly" is just one of the many helpful ideas.

I loved Meredith Farkas' about sharing. Her comment, "But most importantly, sharing will encourage others to share. And when there’s a culture of sharing, when we’re all sharing knowledge, we will all benefit." I have always learned so much from others through workshops, internet, chatting with colleagues, and even teacher lounge conversations. All have made an impact on the teacher and person that I am. I added Meredith's blog, Information Wants to Be Free, to the list of blogs that I am following.

As I started to read other teachers' blogs... I got rather caught up. I found a great poster to motivate reading utilizing football players on the 21 Things Training blog, enjoyed a great video called "The Power of One" on Book Egg's blog, discovered that CountryBooker and I have horses and NY in common, Molto Bene! and I are former Nancy Drew fans, and that Book Diva and I are both just discovering Facebook. As I mentioned before, I made myself quit and I hadn't even made it through half the blogs..

More fun was to be had when I got searching for blogs that pertained to my personal interests and realized that there were tons of blogs on horses and found a good one on crocheting. I added several, but my two present favorites are FaveCrafts and Adventures of the Painted Creek Farm .