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 #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 #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!